Apparatus for pressing clothing

Claim 2

Apparatus for pressing an article of clothing or the like comprising a form upon which the article is carried, first and second pressing members each comprising a pressing surface, means for mounting said members in substantially parallel relationship with said surfaces facing each other, means for continuously moving said article carrying form along a path at least a portion of which passes between said surfaces, said members being movable, by the passage of said article carrying form therebetween, from a first position, wherein said surfaces are in relatively close proximity to each other, to a second position, wherein said surfaces are relatively separated from each other and wherein each of said surfaces engages a different side of the article to smooth and press same, respectively, and means for urging said members towards said first position.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said form has a substantially planar configuration.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said form extends in a direction substantially parallel to said first and second members when said form is moved along said portion of said path.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said moving means comprises a conveyor and wherein said form is mounted in upstanding relationship with respect to said conveyor.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of said pressing members is substantially planar and extends in the direction substantially parallel to the direction of form movement along said portion of said path.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said urging means comprises a leaf spring.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said pressing members is substantially planar and extends in the direction substantially parallel to the direction of form movement along said portion of said path.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said mounting means comprises a support, a substantially planar support member affixed to said support and extending therefrom in a direction generally parallel to said portion of said path and means for resiliently mounting said pressing member to said support member in spaced, substantially parallel relationship thereto.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said resilient mounting means comprises said urging means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said urging means comprises a leaf spring.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said leaf spring comprises a base portion and a pair of outwardly and forwardly extending resilient arm portions, said base portion being operably connected to said support member and said arm portions being operably connected to said pressing member.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a spacing element operably connecting the forward end of said support member to the forward end of said pressing member.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said support is affixed to the rear end of said support member.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said support comprises a base, a connecting member extending from said base, a bracket mounted on said connecting member, means for keying said bracket to said connecting member and means for affixing said support member to said bracket.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of said pressing members further comprises a portion flared outwardly of said portion of said path so as to facilitate entrance of said article carrying form between said pressing members.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said pressing members comprises a roller and wherein said mounting means comprises a shaft to which said roller is freely rotatably mounted and which extends from said roller along the axis of rotation of said roller at one end thereof and a bracket having a slot therein adapted to receive said shaft, said slot extending in a direction generally perpendicular to said shaft.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said urging means comprises a spring interposed within said slot between the wall thereof and said shaft.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for heating said pressing members.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said heating means comprises a steam chamber within which said pressing members are located.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said chamber has an entrance port and an exit port through which said article carrying form passes as it travels along said path.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said portion of said path is situated between said ports.

Claim 23

In combination, drying apparatus comprising a heated enclosure, a form upon which an article of clothing is carried, means for moving said form through said enclosure, and apparatus for pressing the article of clothing as same is moved through said enclosure, said pressing apparatus comprising: first and second pressing members, each comprising a pressing surface, means for mounting said members in substantially parallel relationship with said pressing surfaces facing each other, said moving means continuously moving said article carrying form along a path at least a portion of which passes between said pressing surfaces, said members being movable, by the passage of said article carrying form therebetween, from a first position, wherein said pressing surfaces are in relatively close proximity to each other, to a second position, wherein said pressing surfaces are relatively separated from each other and wherein each of said pressing surfaces is in engagement with a different side of the article to smooth and press same, respectively, and means for urging said members towards said first position.

Claim 24

In combination, drying apparatus comprising a heated enclosure, a form upon which an article of clothing is carried, means for moving said form through said enclosure, and apparatus for pressing the article of clothing as same is moved through said enclosure, said pressing apparatus comprising: first and second pressing members, each comprising a pressing surface, means for mounting said members in substantially parallel relationship with said pressing surfaces facing each other, said moving means continuously moving said article carrying form along a path at least a portion of which passes between said pressing surfaces, said members being movable, by the passage of said article carrying form therebetween, from a first position, wherein said pressing surfaces are in relatively close proximity to each other, to a second position, wherein said pressing surfaces are relatively separated from each other and wherein each of said pressing surfaces is in engagement with a different side of the article to smooth and press same, respectively, and means for urging said members towards said first position.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 22, wherein each of said pressing members is substantially planar and extends in the direction substantially parallel to the direction of form movement along said portion of said path.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 23, wherein said urging means comprises a leaf spring.

Claim 27

The combination of claim 23, further comprising a spacing element operably connecting the forward end of said support member to the forward end of said pressing member.

Claim 28

The combination of claim 23, wherein each of said pressing members further comprises a portion flared outwardly of said path so as to facilitate entrance of said article carrying form between said pressing members.

Claim 29

The combination of claim 22, wherein said mounting means comprises a support, a substantially planar support member affixed to said support and extending therefrom in a direction generally parallel to said portion of said path and means for resiliently mounting said pressing member to said support member in spaced, substantially parallel relationship thereto.

Claim 30

The combination of claim 27, wherein said resilient mounting means comprises said urging means.

Claim 31

The combination of claim 28, wherein said urging means comprises a leaf spring.

Claim 32

The combination of claim 29, wherein said leaf spring comprises a base portion and a pair of outwardly and forwardly extending resilient arm portions, said base portion being operably connected to said support member and said arm portions being operably connected to said pressing member.

Claim 33

The combination of claim 27, wherein said support is affixed to the rear end of said support member.

Claim 34

The combination of claim 27, wherein said support comprises a base, a connecting member extending from said base, a bracket mounted on said connecting member, means for keying said bracket to said connecting member and means for affixing said support member to said bracket.

Claim 35

The combination of claim 22, wherein each of said pressing members comprises a roller and wherein said mounting means comprises a shaft to which said roller is freely rotatably mounted and which extends outwardly from said roller along the axis of rotation of said roller at one end thereof and a bracket having a slot therein, said slot extending in a direction generally perpendicular to said shaft.

Claim 36

The combination of claim 33, wherein said urging means comprises a spring interposed within said slot between the wall thereof and said shaft.