US3208169A - Reversible motor controlled ironing machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 28, 1965 H. BUCHNER 3,208,169

REVERSIBLE MOTOR CONTROLLED IRQNING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. fiA VS QIJ'CH/VER BY MJ.

Sept. 28, 1965 H. BUCHNER REVERSIBLE MOTOR CONTROLLED IRONING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1965 INVENTOR.

HA N5 ,9 JcHA yw'm A 7-7 mvs Y Sept. 28, 1965 H. BUCHNER REVERSIBLE MOTOR CONTROLLED IRONING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. IVA/VS aim/fiver United States Patent 3,208,169 REVERSIBLE MOTOR CONTROLLED IRONING MAC'IHNE Hans Biichner, Karlsruhe-Durlach, Germany, assiguor to G. M. Pfaif AG, Kaiserslantern, Pfalz, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Mar. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 440,554 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 23, 1964, P 33,889 16 Claims. (Cl. 3861) The present invention relates to electric ironing machines, more particularly to machines of the type comprising an ironing or mangling drum and an ironing pad or shoe cooperating therewith and including operating means controlled by a reversible electric motor, to operate said shoe between engaged or operative and disengaged or inoperative positions with said drum and to rot-ate the latter, respectively.

According to one type of ironing machine of this type known in the art, the driving shafts for eifecting rotation of the ironing drum and operation of the ironing shoe are disposed at a substantial distance from one another, whereby to result in a relatively long motion-transmitting path between the common drive source, such as electric motor, and said shafts, and in turn to require a considerable number of transimission devices, such as gears, linkage mechanisms and equivalent motion-transmitting means.

In order to provide greater compactness of the machine, it has furthermore been proposed to house the driving motor together with the operating means for the ironing drum, the ironing shoe, as well as all the requisite couplings and control devices, within the drum itself in a further efiort to reduce the number of exterior projecting parts. Such an arrangement or construction, while affording the attainment of utmost compactness of the machine, has the disadvantages, among others, of limited accessibility of the various construction parts, whereby to result in relatively high manufacturing and assembly costs and difllculties in exchanging defective parts, servicing of the machine, or the making of repairs, in a manner readily understood.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is the provision of an electric ironer of the referred to type which is substantially devoid of the afore-mentioned and related defects and disadvantages inherent in previously known ironing machines.

Among the more specific objects of the invention is the provision of an electric ironing machine of the referred to type which is both simple and compact in design by requiring a minimum of construction parts or devices; which will afford easy and ready accessibility of its essential operating parts or elements, to facilitate the carrying out of adjustments and making of repairs; which is substantially devoid of complex and extended motiontransmitting means, in particular of linkage type motiontransmitting mechanisms, subject to rapid wear or misalignment; and which is both simple and economical in manufacture and maintenance, as well as efiicient and reliable in operation.

The invention, both as to the foregoing and ancillary objects as well as novel aspects thereof, will be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective assembly view of an electric ironing machine of the type referred to embodying operating mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, certain parts of the frame or suport and of the ironing shoe being shown in section for better illustration of the interior construction of the machine.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the ironing shoe and the control mechanism of the machine of FIG. 1, including means for varying the ironing pressure, the side of the motor driving the ironing drum being shown in elevation;

FIG. 3 is a partial view more clearly illustrating the one-way couplings, shown by way of example and connected to the projecting ends of the throughgoing motor shaft for the selective operation of the ironing drum and shoe, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the ironing shoe and its rotary support or carrier mounted upon the frame of the machine; and

FIG. 5 is an electric wiring-diagram for effecting automatic operation of the ironer according to the invention by means of a single control switch.

Like reference numberals denote like parts or elements throughout the different views of the drawings.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention, according to one of its aspects, involves essentially the pro vision, in connection with an electric ironer of the referred to type, of a rotary ironing drum, a displaceable ironing shoe fitted with means to operate the same into engagement with and disengagement from said drum, a first drive shaft and a second drive shaft disposed relatively close to an parallel to said first shaft, and a reversible electric driving motor having a throughgoing motor shaft terminating in aligned first and second driving shaft portions and being disposed at right angle to said first and second drive shafts for the opera-tion of the later each by way of one of said shaft portions through suitable motion-transmitting ironing drum and shoe operating devices or mechanisms.

As a consequence, the drive shafts of the ironing drum and ironing shoe may be disposed at a minimum spacing distance from one another, limited only by the size or axial dimension of the driving motor, whereby to result both in compactness of the complete driving and operating mechanism of the machine and a minimum of construction parts or devices required.

Each of the motor shaft driving portions is operably connected with its associated drive shaft through suitable motion-transmitting means, such as in the form of gearing or relatively simple cam and follower mechanisms, respectively. In order to afford selective operation of the drive shafts or the ironing drum and shoe connected therewith, respectively, there are further provided, in accordance with the invention, a pair of one-way coupling devices each interposed between one of the motor shaft portions and the associated motion-transmitting means, said couplings being designed to eifect driving connection between the motor and the ironing shoe operating drive shaft during rotation of the motor in a predetermined direction, and to effect driving connection between the motor and the ironing drum rotating drive shaft during rotation of the motor in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction, respectively, whereby to enable a selective control and operation of said shoe and drum, in the manner as will become further apparent as the description proceeds.

The coupling of the motor shaft portions with the associated motion-transmitting means is effected advanta geously by way of a pair of worm gear drives comprising a driving worm upon each of the motor shaft portions meshing with a worm gear serving as input of the associated motion-transmitting means. In an arrangement of this type, the motor together with both one-way coupling deivces and the driving worms may be constructed as a unit or subassembly removably mounted upon the frame or main support of the machine for the instant and expeditious exchange or replacement of a faulty unit, or for the making of adjustments and repairs.

In order to facilitate theoperation of the ironer and to improve its operating efiiciency and reliability, operation of the ironing shoe into and out of engagement with the ironing drum and rotation of the latter in the engaged position is effected, according to a further feature of the invention, by the aid of a single electric control switch operably connected with the driving motor and associated electric circuit and control means for the ironing shoe operating mechanism, in such a manner as to result in the predetermined sequence of operating steps required for the carrying out of an ironing operation, aside from secondary controls such as the setting of the ironing temperature, or manual disengagement of the shoe in the case of supply current failure or other emergencies. As a consequence, the operator is called upon to perform a minimum of control operations, thus leaving her hands free for the feeding and ironing of the work at hand, in a manner as will become further apparent as the description proceeds in reference to the drawings.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, the ironer shown comprises a support or frame 1 including an upright 2 in which is journalled a drive shaft 3 carrying an ironing or mangling drum 4. Secured to the end of shaft 3 projecting into the upright 2 is a gear 5 which meshes with a further gear 6, the latter being secured to a shaft 7 also journalled in the upright 2 and carrying a worm gear 8.

Item 9 represents the drive shaft of the operating mechanism of the ironer being disposed at a predetermined dis- :tance from and parallel to the drive shaft 3 and journalled in the frame 1. Secured to one end of shaft 9 is a further worm gear 10. Disposed between the main drive shafts 3 and 9 and supported by an angular bracket 11, FIGS. 1 and 2, is the driving motor 12 of the ironer, said motor being arranged in a manner as to have its drive shaft include a right angle with the axes of drive shafts 3 and 9,

as shown inthe drawing. Advantageously, the motor 12, together with the bracket 11 is removably secured to the upright 2 by means of mounting screws 13 and spacing rings 14, FIG. 2, the purpose of which will become apparent as the description proceeds. The aligned ends 15 and 16, FIG. 3, of the throughgoing motor shaft project from the opposite sides of the motor. The latter is of the reversible type for the purpose more clearly described in the following in conjunction with the wiring diagram of FIG. 5 and operation of the ironer.

Secured, by means of cross-pins 18, to each of the projecting motor shaft portions 15 and 16 is a driving coupling sleeve 17, FIG. 3. Further loosely mounted upon each of the shaft portions 15 and 16 is a driven sleeve 19 disposed in bores of a pair of driving worms 20, 21 being in meshing engagement, respectively, with the worm gears 8 and and fitted with cylindrical extensions 22. The outer diameter of the extensions 22 is equal to the diameter of offset portions of the sleeves 17. The ends of the worms 20, 21 opposite to the extensions 22 are suitably journalled in brackets or bearings 23, FIG. 2, integral with or secured to the main supporting bracket 11.

Mounted upon the offset ends of the driving sleeves 17 and cylindrical extensions 22 is a coupling coil spring 24 having an inner diameter which is somewhat less than the outer diameter of said sleeves and extensions. As a consequence, the springs 24 normally exert a slight pressure upon both the coupling elements 17 and 22. The inner ends of each of the springs 24 is bent angularly as at 25 with the bent end arranged to project into and engaging a bore in the adjoining coupling sleeve 17, to fixedly secure one of the ends of the springs. Elements 17, 22 and spring 24 thus form a pair of one- way coupling devices 26 and 27 for the rotation of the ironing drum and operation of the ironing shoe, respectively, in the manner described in greater detail in the following.

in FIG. 1).

The design of the couplings 26 and 27 is such that with the motor 12 rotating in a first predetermined direction, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 1, coupling 26 is effective in actuating the iron shoe operating mechanism by way of worm 20, worm gear 10 and shaft 9, while the coupling 17 is ineffective or free-wheeling during this operation. On the other hand, during rotation of the motor in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow B in the drawing, coupling 27 becomes effective in driving the mangling drum 4 by way of worm 21, worm gear 8, shaft 7, gears 6, 5 and shaft 3, while coupling 26 is ineffective or free-wheeling during the latter operation.

While the one- way couplings 26 and 27 are shown in the form of coil spring locking and unlocking clutches, it will be understood that other types of .known one-way coupling devices may be employed for the purpose of the invention, such as ball or roller type or sprag couplings, or the like free-wheeling coupling devices known in the art.

In the example shown, the driving motor 12 together with the couplings 26, 27, and driving worms 20, 21 and the mounting bracket 11 forms an integral construction unit or subassembly being removably mounted upon the upright 2 with suitable distance or spacer rings 14 being interposed, to control the play between the worms 20, 21 and cooperating worm gears 10, 8, respectively.

Cooperating with the mangling drum or roller 4 is an ironing shoe or pad 29 fitted with electrical heating rods 28 and being mounted upon a support or base 30 to which is further connected a work feeding plate or table 31. Mounted within a depression of the table 31 is an adjusting knob 32 which serves to set a thermostat 34 through a flexible shaft 33 for the control of the ironing temperature.

The base 30 of the ironing shoe 29 is secured, by means of bolts 35 and nuts 36, FIGS. 2 and 4, and through pres sure equalizing coil springs 37, to an ironing shoe carrier 38. In order to operate the shoe 29 into engagement with and disengagement from the drum 4, the carrier 38 is rotatively supported upon the frame or support 1 of the machine about a shaft or pivot 39.

The operating mechanism for the ironing shoe 29 comprises a double-arm lever 40 rotatively supported upon the carrier 38 about a bolt or pivot 42 secured to brackets or extensions 41 of said carrier (only one being shown Both ends of the lever 40 are fitted with rollers 43 and 44, respectively, having rotary axes at right angle to one another. Roller 43 engages an eccentric or cam 45 secured to the drive shaft 9, while roller 44 engages the edge of a curved flange 46 provided at the periphery of an adjusting disk 48 rotatively mounted upon the carrier 38 about a bolt or pivot 47. A cup spring assembly 49 mounted upon the bolt 47 serves to act as a brake to secure the disk 48, adjustable by the aid of a control handle 50, in any of its setting positions, to maintain a desired ironing pressure. Curve 46 is so designed that, starting from the position as shown in FIG. 1, rotation of the disk 48 by the handle 50 about bolt 47 by about in anticlockwise direction results is the retraction of the shoe 29 from the drum 3 by a predetermined distance suificient to enable withdrawal of a workpiece from the ironer.

Further provided, for the control of a switch 51 having contacts 52, 53, FIG. 5, operably connected with the motor circuit and the ironing shoe operating mechanism, is an eccentric or cam disk 54 being mounted upon shaft 9 resiliently engaged through biasing spring 57 by a follower roller 56 disposed at one end of a switching lever 55 which serves to actuate the switch 51, in the manner described in greater detail in the following.

The remaining electrical equipment of the ironer includes a multiple-contact main control switch 58, FIG. 5, which may be of the return-spring push button type and may be operated by means of a foot pedal or the like, and which comprises a pair of fixed contacts 59, 60 and cooperating contact arms or operating contacts, a relay 61 having multiple contact arms or armatures, 61a, 61b and tile. Relay contact arm 61a, cooperates with a fixed contact 65, relay contact arm 61b cooperates with a pair of fixed contacts 66, 67, and relay contact arm 61c cooperates with a pair of fixed contacts 68, 69. In order to operate the motor 12, which may be a commercially available reversible single-phase induction motor having operating windings 73 and 74 and a phase-shifting capacitor 72 as shown in the drawing, in the direction of the arrow A, FIG. 1, operating current is applied by way of motor terminal 7 ti, and in order to operate the motor in the direction of the arrow B, operating current is applied by way of the motor terminal 71, respectively. As will be understood, any other type of reversible electric motor having forward and reverse windings may be used for the purpose of the in vention.

In the following will be described the operation of the ironer shown by the drawings and described in the foregoing.

Let it be assumed that the ironing shoe 29, together with its base 39 and carrier 38 is in the disengaged (starting) position with respect to the drum 4, in which case the roller 56 of the switch 55 engages point 54a of the cam 54, to thereby close switch contacts 52. In other words, in the inoperative or starting position of the ironer, the cam 54, FIG. 5, must be assumed rotated by 180 in respect to the position shown in the drawing. Furthermore, under this condition of the ironer, the relay 61 is deenergized, that is, contact arm 61:: is in the open position, contact arm 61!) engages contact 67, contact arm 61c engages contact 69, control switch 58 is in the normal or inoperative position indicated by I in the drawing, and switch contacts 59 are closed, as shown in FIG. 5.

At first the desired ironing temperature is adjusted by the setting of the thermostat 34 through control knob 32 and flexible shaft 33.

The desired ironing pressure is then adjusted by operation of the control disk 48 about bolt 37 and by the aid of the handle 50. The cup spring or springs 49 acting as a brake serve to secure the adjusting position against undesired rotation.

In order to operate the shoe 29 into operative position or engagement with the drum 4, contacts 60 of the control switch 58 are briefly closed by depression of the switch actuating member, whereby to reiease the switch to return to the normal position I by the action of return spring 58'. As a consequence of the temporary closing of contacts 61), relay 61 will be energized by way of the closed contacts 52 of switch 51, whereby to result in the relay contact arm 61a engaging contact 65, in contact arm 61b engaging contact 66 and in contact arm 61c engaging contact 68. As a consequence, the motor 12 is energized by way of the terminal 7 0 and rotated in the direction of the arrow A, FIG. 1. The relay 61 remains energized, despite the re-opening of the contacts 61 by a holding circuit including the contact arm 61a and the closed contacts 52 of switch 51. In other words, the switch 58 may be released after initial depression, to start an ironing operation, whereupon contacts 60 are re-opened and contacts 59 closed preparatory to the reversal of the motor rotation upon reaching of the engaged position by the shoe 29, in the manner further described in the following.

While the motor 12, FIG. 1, thus rotates in the direction of the arrow A, the coupling spring 24 engaging the driving sleeve 17 and the extension 22 of the worm is deformed in the sense of decreasing coil diameter by the shaft portion 15 and the action of the end 25 of the spring engaging the sleeve 17 or, in other words, the spring 24 is tightened or Wound upon the outer surfaces of sleeve 17 and extension 22 of the worm 20, to thereby establish frictional driving connection between the motor shaft portion 15 and the worm 20, as indicated by the arrow A in the drawing. At the same time, the coupling spring engaging the driving sleeve 17 and extension 22 of the worm 2 at the opposite end of the motor shaft is deformed in the sense of increasing coil diameter or unwound from the sleeve 17 and extension 22 of worm 2, whereby to cause the shaft end 16 to freewheel or be decoupled from the worm 21 and associated motion-transmitting mechanism.

As a consequence, drive shaft 9 together with the earns 45 and 54 is rotated by Way of the worm 20 and worm gear 10, whereby to cause the carrier 38 together with the base 39 and ironing shoe 2? to rotate, by way of lever 40, about the shaft or pivot 39 and to operate the shoe 29 into engagement with the drum 4. During the latter operation, the contacts 52 of the switch 51 remain closed due to the shape of the cam or eccentric 54 having a circumferential surface of constant radius over a substantially 180 range as shown. Shortly before reaching the engaged or operative position by the shoe 29, roller 56 leaves the afore-mentioned cam surface to engage the remaining cam section of reduced radius, whereby to open the contacts 52 of the switch 51, to de-energize the relay 61 and to cause the contact arms 61a, 61b and 61c to assume the positions as shown in FIG. 5. As a consequence, the motor energizing circuit is interrupted in the engaged or operative position of the shoe 29, in which position the roller 56 engages point 54b of the cam 54 and contacts 53 of switch 51 are closed. As a consequence, there is established a second motor energizing circuit by way of contacts 59, 69, 61c, 53, 61b, 67 and motor terminal 71, thereby initiating rotation of the motor 12 in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrow B in the drawing.

During rotation of the motor 12 in the direction B, the coil spring 24 engaging the coupling sleeve 17 and extension 22 of the worm 21 is deformed in the sense of decreasing coil diameter by the motor shaft portion 16 and the action of the end 25 of the spring secured to the sleeve 17 or in other words, the spring is wound upon the outer surfaces of said sleeve and extension of the worm 21, whereby to apply a rotary force to said worm, as indicated by the arrow B. At the same time, the spring 24 mounted upon the coupling sleeve 17 and extension 22 of the worm 20 is acted upon by the motor shaft portion 15 in a sense of increasing coil diameter, whereby to decouple the worm 20 from the motor and to arrest the ironing shoe operating mechanism. As a consequence, drive shaft 7 together with gear 6 is rotated by way of worm gear 8 meshing with worm 21, whereby to in turn rotate the ironing drum 4 by way of gear 5 meshing with gear 6.

If it is desired to temporarily interrupt rotation of the ironing drum 4 in the engaged or operative position, switch 58 is operated to an auxiliary position II intermediate the normal position I and the main operative position III, to interrupt the motor energizing circuit. In the position II of the switch, contacts 59 and 60 are opened, whereby to de-energize and arrest the motor 12. Upon release of the switch 58, contacts 59 are again closed, whereby to continue rotation of the motor and drum 4, in a manner readily understood.

In order, in the case of supply current failure or the like emergencies, to enable retraction of the shoe 29 from the drum 4 to an extent sufiicient for the withdrawal of the work from the ironer, the adjusting disk 48 is rotated by the aid of handle 50 in anticlockwise direction to an extent (about to cause the roller 44 of lever to engage the lowermost point of the cam surface 46. Upon rectification of the disturbance, disk 48 may be returned to the normal or starting position shown in the drawing.

In the following will be further described the control of the ironing pressure by means of the adjusting disk 48.

Carrier 38 of the ironing shoe 29, being pivoted at 39 engages the cam 45 by the action of its own weight or gravity and by way of the roller 43, lever 46 and cam disk 48. Rotation of the latter by means of the handle 50 in clockwise direction results in a decrease of the spacing distance between the drum 4 and carrier 38 or reference to a specific illustrative device.

shoe e.g., in the inoperative or disengaged position of the shoe. If the latter is then operated into engagement with the drum 4 by the cam 45, the springs 37 will be compressed to an extent proportional to the initial spacing distance between the shoe and drum determined by the adjustment of the disk 48, whereby to result in a corresponding ironing or operating pressure between said shoe and drum.

On the other hand, rotation of the disk 48 in anticlockwise direction will result in an increase of the distance between the drum 4 and shoe 29, whereby to reduce the ironing pressure provided by the springs in the engaged position of the shoe in a manner readily understood. By the proper design of the camming surface or curve 46, it is thus possible, starting from a minimum pressure in the normal position with the handle 50 at right angle to the drum 4, FIG. 1, to increase the pressure up to a maximum by rotation of the handle in one direction to a maximum position substantially parallel to the drum 4, and to effect disengagement of the shoe 19 from the drum 4 by operation of the handle 50 in the opposite direction to a position parallel to the drum 4 in such a manner as to enable withdrawal of the work from the ironer. As will be understood, adjustment of the ironing pressure in the manner described may be carried out both in the disengaged or inoperative position as Well as in the engaged or operative position of the ironing shoe 29.

In order, furthermore, to enable an automatic disengagement or retraction of the shoe 29 from the drum 4, switch 58 is briefly operated or depressed to the position 111, whereby to open at first the contacts 59 and to arrest the motor. Subsequently, contacts 60 are closed, where by to energize the relay 61 and to cause arm 61a to engage contact 65, to cause arm 61b to engage contact 66, and to cause arm 610 to engage contact 68. Relay 61 is held in energized condition by a holding circuit including contact arms 61b and 610, whereby the motor 12 is energized by way of terminal 70 so as to start rotation in the direction of the arrow A. As a consequence, Worm 20,

worm gear and drive shaft 9, together with the cams 45 and 54, are driven by way of the motor shaft end 15 and one-way coupling 26, whereby to cause rotation of the shoe 29 away from the drum 4 through the action of lever 40 cooperating with the cam 45.

Shortly before reaching the inoperative or retracted position, that is, after about one half revolution of the cam 45, contacts 53 of switch 51 are opened by the cam surface of 54, while at the same time closing the con tacts 52. During the latter operating period, the relay 61 releases its contact arms, whereby to de-energize and return the system to its inoperative or starting position.

During the retraction of the ironing shoe, the eccentric 45 is subjected to the action of the gradually relaxed springs 27. As a result of the eccentricity, the eccentric 45 is further subjected to a reaction torque by the worm 20, whereby undesirable impulse loads on the shoe 29 are avoided. The reaction torque on the eccentric 45 is provided by the worm gear 10, having a pitch to pro vide an adequate self-locking effect.

For certain purposes and ironing operations it is desirable to alternately operate the ironing shoe into and out of engagement with the drum 4. This operation is enabled by the invention in a simple manner by keeping the switch 58 in the depressed or operative position III, whereby the shoe 29 together with its base 30 and carrier 38 is subjected to an independent periodic oscillating or swivelling motion, in a manner readily understood from the foregoing.

In the foregoing the invention has been described in It will be evident, however, that variations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalent parts and elements for those shown and disclosed for illustration, may be made in accordance with the broader scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

I claim:

1. An ironing machine comprising in combination:

(1) a support,

(2) an ironing drum,

(3) a first drive shaft journalled in said support, to

rotate said drum,

(4) an ironing shoe displaceably mounted upon said support for cooperation with said drum,

(5 a second drive shaft journalled in said support parallel to said first shaft,

(6) operating mechanism connecting said second drive shaft with said shoe, to operate said shoe between positions of engagement with and disengagement from said drum during alternate half revolutions, respectively, of said second drive shaft,

(7) a reversible electric motor having a throughgoing motor drive shaft terminating in aligned first and second projecting shaft portions and arranged at right angle to said first and second drive shafts,

(8) first motion-transmitting means operably connecting said first shaft portion and said first drive shaft,

(9) second motion-transmitting means operably connecting said second shaft portion and said second drive shaft, and

(10) one-way coupling means intervening between each of said shaft portions and the associated motion-transmitting means,

(11) said coupling means designed to effect driving connection in opposite directions in respect to a predetermined direction of rotation of said motor, whereby to cause rotation of either of said drive shafts by rotation of said motor in a corresponding direction.

2. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 1, including an electric control switch having a normal position and an operative position, and electric circuit and control means for said motor operably connected with said switch and said mechanism, to start said motor in a predetermined direction to operate said shoe into engagement with said drum through said second motion-transmitting means, and to subsequently arrest and re-start said motor in the reverse direction to said predetermined direction, to rotate said drum through said first motiontransmitting means, by operation of said switch from said normal to said operative position.

3. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 2, said switch provided with means to resiliently urge the same to said normal position, and means to establish a holding energizing circuit of said mo'tor upon initial operation and release of said switch.

4. In an ironing machine as claimed in cliam 2, said switch provided with means to resiliently urge the same to said normal position, and additional control means to interrupt the motor operating circuit during the motor operation in said reverse direction by operation of said switch to an auxiliary operative position intermediate said normal and first operative positions.

5. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 2, said siwtch provided with means to resiliently urge the same to said normal position and said circuit and control means being designed to start said motor in a predetermined direction by the establishment of a first motor operating circuit upon operation of said switch from said normal position to said operative position to continue rotation of said motor upon initial displacement of said shoe and release of said switch by the establishment of a second operating circuit, and to arrest and re-s-tart said motor in the reverse direction to said predetermined direction by the establishment of a third operating circuit upon said shoe reaching the engaged position with said drum.

6. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 5, including additional control means to temporarily interrupt said third operating circuit by operation of said switch to an auxiliary operative position intermediate said normal and said first operative positions,

7. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 1, each of said motion-transmitting means including a worm gear drive operably connecting the same with the respective motor shaft portions.

8. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 1, each of said coupling means being comprised of a pair of rotatable coupling members having adjoining and aligned cylindrical surfaces, and a coil spring resiliently engaging both said surfaces and having one end connected to one of said members, whereby to effect coupling of the driving member by the driven member in a direction depending upon the direction of rotation of the driving coupling member.

9. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 1, including a carrier for said shoe pivotally mounted upon said support, said operating mechanism being comprised of a control cam carried by said second drive shaft and cam follower means upon said carrier engaging said cam.

19. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 9, including resilient supporting means intervening between said carrier and said shoe, to determine the operating pressure between said shoe and drum in the engaged position.

11. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 9, including resilient supporting means intervening between said carrier and said shoe, and means to adjust the spacing distance between said drum and said shoe in the disengaged position, to control the ironing pressure in the engaged positon of said drum and shoe by varying compression of said resilient means.

12. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 9, including resilient supporting means intervening between said carrier and said shoe, means to adjust the spacing distance between said drum and shoe in the disengaged position, to control the ironing pressure in the engaged position of said drum and shoe by varying compression of said resilient means, said last means consisting of said cam follower means being comprised of a double-arm lever pivoted upon said carrier and having one end arranged to engage said control cam, and a further cam mounted upon said carrier and arranged to engage the opposite end of said lever.

13. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 1, each of said motion-transmitting means including a Worm gear drive having a driving worm upon the respective motor shaft portions, and means whereby said motor and the associated worms and one-way coupling means form an integral constructional unit removably mounted upon said support.

14. An ironing machine comprising in combination:

(1) a rotary ironing drum,

(2) a displaceable ironing shoe including operating means to displace the same into engagement with and disengagement from said drum, respectively,

(3) a first drive shaft,

(4) a second drive shaft parallel to said first shaft,

(5) a reversible electric motor having a throughgoing drive shaft terminating in aligned first and second projecting shaft portions and disposed at right angle to said first and second drive shafts,

(6) first and second motion-transmitting means operably connecting said first and second motor shaft portions with said first and second drive shafts, to rotate said drum and to operate said shoe, respectively, and

(7) one-way coupling means intervening between each of said motor shaft portions and the associated motion-transmitting means and designed to effect driving connection between said motor in a predetermined direction and to eiiect driving connection between said motor and said second drive shaft during rotation of said motor in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.

15. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 14-, including an electric control switch having a normal position and an operative position, and electric circuit and control means for said motor operably connected with said switch and said ironing shoe operating means, to start said motor in a predetermined direction and to operate said shoe into engagement with said drum and to subsequently arrest and re-start said motor in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction, to rotate said drum, by operation of said switch from said normal position to said operative position.

16. In an ironing machine as claimed in claim 14, each of said motion-transmitting means including a worm gear drive having a driving worm upon the respective motor shaft portions, and means whereby said motor and the associated worms and one-way coupling means form an integral constructional unit removably mounted upon said support.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,683,319 7/54 Bickell et a1. 38-6l JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN IRONING MACHINE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (1) A SUPPORT, (2) AN IRONING DRUM, (3) A FIRST DRIVE SHAFT JOURNALLED IN SAID SUPPORT, TO ROTATE SAID DRUM, (4) AN IRONING SHOE DISPLACEABLE MOUNTED UPON SAID SUPPORT FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID DRUM, (5) A SECOND DRIVE SHAFT JOURNALLED IN SAID SUPPORT PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST SHAFT, (6) OPERATING MECHANISM CONNECTING SAID SECOND DRIVE SHAFT WITH SAID SHOE, TO OPERATE SAID SHOE BETWEEN POSITIONS OF ENGAGEMENT WITH AND DISENGAGEMENT FROM SAID DRUM DURING ALTERNATE HALF REVOLUTIONS, RESPECTIVELY, OF SAID SECOND DRIVE SHAFT, (7) A REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTOR HAVING A THROUGHGOING MOTOR DRIVE SHAFT TERMINATING IN ALIGNED FIRST AND SECOND PROJECTING SHAFT PORTIONS AND ARRANGED AT RIGHT ANGLE TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND DRIVE SHAFTS, (8) FIRST MOTION-TRANSMITTING MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTING SAID FIRST SHAFT PORTION AND SAID FIRST DRIVE SHAFT, (9) SECOND MOTION-TRANSMITTING MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTING SAID SECOND SHAFT PORTION AND SAID SECOND DRIVE SHAFT, AND (10) ONE-WAY COUPLING MEANS INTERVENING BETWEEN EACH OF SAID SHAFT PORTIONS AND THE ASSOCIATED MOTION-TRANSMITTING MEANS, (11) SAID COUPLING MEANS DESIGNED TO EFFECT DRIVING CONNECTION IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS IN RESPECT TO A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID MOTOR, WHEREBY TO CAUSE ROTATION OF EITHER OF SAID DRIVE SHAFTS BY ROTATION OF SAID MOTOR IN A CORRESPONDING DIRECTION.

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