Flatwork ironer with automatic flatwork spreading mechanism

Claim 1

THE COMBINATION OF: A FLATWORK IRONING APPARATUS HAVING AN INPUT END AND INCLUDING GRIPPING MEANS OPERABLE TO RECEIVE AND GRASP ONE END OF A PIECE OF FLATWORK FED THERETO AND TO CAUSE THE REMAINDER THEREOF TO BE DRAWN PROGRESSIVELY TOWARD INTO SAID INPUT END, AN ELONGATE ROTARY MEMBER DISPOSED NEAR BUT IN ADVANCE OF SAID INPUT END AND ORIENTED WITH ITS LONG AXIS TRANSVERSE TO THE PATH OF ADVANCE OF SAID PIECE OF FLATWORK SO THAT THE SAID REMAINDER OF SAID FLATWORK WILL BE TRAINED THEREOVER, A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY SPACED RESILIENT ELEMENTS CARRIED BY AND EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF SAID ROTARY MEMBER AND HAVING FREE EDGE PORTIONS SPACED LATERALLY FROM SAID ROTARY MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID REMAINDER, RIDGES LOCATED ON THE FREE EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID ELEMENTS, SAID RIDGES DISPOSED IN OPPPOSITELY DIRECTED ECHELON PATTERNS PROCEEDING OUTWARDLY ON THE EDGE FROM A POINT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE ELEMENT, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID MEMBER IN A DIRECTION WHEREBY SAID ELEMENTS, WHILE THE RIDGES ARE IN CONTACT WITH SAID REMAINDER OF THE FLATWORK, MOVE AGAINST THE DIRECTION OF ADVANCE OF THE FLATWORK.