US2119057A - Apparatus for erecting the nap of a fabric - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1938. J. H. RICHA APPARATUS FOR ERECTING THE NAP OF A FABRIC Filed Dec. 9, 1935 IN VEN TOR.

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' 71% ATTORNEY Patented May: 31, 1938 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- John H. Richa, Kansas City, Mo. Application December 9, 1935, Serial No. 53,581

8 Claims.

ing a garment in a manner adapting it for quick and easy treatment in raising the nap thereof, and a novel nozzle for forcing steam through the fabric.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel apparatus for raising the nap of a garment, such as a velvet dress, which is simple, l5 cheap .to make and operate, which is strong, durable, not likely to get out of order, and which is efllcient in its operation.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away of my improved apparatus shown supporting a dress to be treated,'portions of the dress being broken away, and parts omitted.

Fig. 2 is a topyiew of the air conductor having the blower.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly the skirt expanding member.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the nozzle and parts connected therewith, partly broken away, shown applied operatively to a piece of velvet shown in edge elevation.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the nozzle, partly broken away.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 68 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is an end view of the nozzle.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the member which releasably attaches the skirt supporting member to the air conductor.

Similar characters of reference designate similar traits in the different views.

l designates an air conductor-which includes a blower 2 having a rotary shaft 3 on which is mounted a pulley 4. A=belt 5 connects the'puliey broken away of l with a pulley 8 on the driving shaft 1 of a motor 8 of any usual type. s h

When the motor rotates the blower shaft 3 counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, the radial blades 9 of the blower will force air through the conductor l and out-of the upwardly inclined outlet portion 18 of the air conductor. 55' The air discharged from the outlet portion l8 is designed to distend a garment, such as a velvet dress ll, disposed so as to receive therethrough axially the discharged current of air.

For engaging and expanding and revolvingthe bottom portion of the skirt of the garment ii, there is provided a supporting member comprising two crossed bars l2 welded or otherwise integrally attached to each other, and having at their intersection a transverse hole through which extends a shouldered screw l3 on which the supporting member I2 is revoluble, Figs. 1, 3 and 8.

The crossed bars l2 have respectively at their outer ends resilient T shaped radial portions ll, which are adapted to be bent toward each other inwardly, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, and made to engage the inner side of the bottom portion of the skirt of the dress II. By permitting the engaged radial portions ll to expand, the

bottom portion of the skirt will be held expanded.

The lower shouldered threaded end of the screw I3 is tightly fitted in a threaded hole 15 of an arm i8 of a hook member 11, which has an arm 18 parallel with the arm l6, and disposed between and parallel with two arms 19 of the hook member. A collar 28 is disposed between the arm i8 and the adjacent cross bar 12.

Two crossed bars 2| and 22 are mounted rigidly in the outer end of the discharge or outlet portion 18. The two arms 19 are adapted to en'- gage the opposite edges respectively of the bar 22 and the under side of the bar 23, and the arm I8 is so spaced above the arms I! that it will engage the upper side of the bar 23, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. To remove the supporting member l2, .the hook member I] is slid upwardly tothe 'left, as viewed in Fig. 1, thus releasing the bars 22 and 23 from holding engagement with the arms 19 and I8. Reversing this operation operatively engages the hook member with the cross bars 22 and 23 and causes the hook member 11 to revolubly support the member l2 in its operative position.

For revolubly supporting the upper or neck portion of the dress II a garment hanger 24 of usual type engages the upper part of the dress I i in a' well known manner. the garment hanger 24 has swivelled engagement with a link 26 attached to one end of a rope 21 supported on a pulley 28 and having attached to .its other end a weight 29.

The pulley 28 is disposed so as to position the hook with its axis'alined with the inclined axis of the skirt supporting member 12, whereby when the latter is revolved, the dress Ii will A hook 25 engaging be gievolved and with it the hook 26 and hanger The weight 29, through the intermediacy of the rope 21, link 26, hook 25, and hanger 28, holds the dress stretched lengthwise.

When the motor revolves the blower blades 9, a current of air will be discharged from the conductor I into and lengthwise through the dress ll, thereby distending the latter. While the dress II is thus distended, steam under pressure, is discharged forcibly from the inside of the dress outwardly through the fabric thereof, thus moistening and lifting and causing to stand outwardly nap which has flattened on the outer side of the dress.

The air under pressure in the dress while the latter is having the steam projected through it effects a triple function.

The air distends the dress so that when the steam is applied to the latter it will not collapse and interfere with the projection of the .steam through the fabric.

The air by distending and stretching the dress laterally enables the steam to pass with less resistance through the interstices in the fabric wall.

The air quickly dries the fabric after the steam has erected the nap on theouter side of the fabric, thus causing the nap which has been raised to retain its standing position.

For projecting steam through the fabric I provide a nozzle having a stem 30, having one end connected to a hose 3| adapted to be connected to a source of steam, as a boiler, not shown, where steam is retained under pressure, Figs. 1 and 4.

The discharge end of the stem 30 extends laterally and is externally threaded, as shown in Fig. 6. A thimble 32 has its outer end provided with discharge openings 33, the inner end of the thimble being internally threaded and fitted on the threaded discharge end of the stem 30. The thimble 32 at its inner'end engages a collar 35 which encircles the stem 30, and holds the collar tightly on the stem.

' Two U shaped guard members 36 have their inner ends fastened to and extending forwardly from the outer side of the collar 35. The guard members 36 are adapted to slide against the inner sideof the fabric of the dress H, and hold the discharge end of the nozzle spaced from the fabric, so that the latter is not liable to .be damaged by heat from the nozzle tip or thimble 32.

In the stem 30 is provided a shut off valve 31 of any common type, which is opened and closed by a1;I operatinglever 38 pivoted to the stem 30, Fig.

In Fig. 4 is shown in edge elevation a piece of fabric, as of velvet, 39 the outer side of which is I provided with a nap, some of which, designated by 40 lies flattened against the body 39. When the nozzle is operated-to discharge steam against the inner side of the fabric 39 opposite to the flattened nap 40, the steam being projected forcibly through the fabric body 39 will bring the nap on the outer side thereof to the' erect or standing position, designated by 4| in Fig. 4.

What has just been described takes place Y when the nozzle is inserted into the dress ll and is moved along with the guard members 36 bearing against the inner side of the fabric of the dress. When the valve 31 is opened and the steam is discharged from the nozzle through the fabric, the nap on the outer side of the dress will be'made to stand out from the body, and

the air will distend the dress and dry the fabric.

By having the dress revoluble on an inclined axis, as shown in Fig. 1, the nozzle may be easily operated by inserting it from the lower end of the dress, and the latter may be revolved on its axis, as the nap is being erected, to enable easy access of the nozzle to all the inner part of the dress.

In the operation of the apparatus, the dress II to be treated has its shoulder portions engaged by the hanger 24. The resilient arms H of the member l2 are sprung inwardly at their outer end portions and engaged with the inner side and bottom portion of the skirt, as shown in Fig. 1. The weight 29 draws the dress taut lengthwise.. The blower is then operated to discharge air from the conductor l lengthwise through the dress, thereby distending the latter so as to hold it in condition for the projection of the steam outwardly through the dress fabric.

The nozzle is then inserted into the dress, and the steam caused to be discharged from the nozzle. The latter is then operated as has been described, by pressing the guard members outwardly against the inner side of the distended dress. and moving the nozzle so as to slide the guard members against the dress from one place to another, as the nap is erected by the steam discharged through the fabric.

. Modifications within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for erecting the nap on the outer side of a garment, means for engaging the garment at its upper and lower end portions and supportingit in an inclined position, means for distending the supported'garment with air, and means manuallyinsertable and movable in all directions in the garment for forcibly projecting steam outwardly through the fabric of the distended garment.

2. In an apparatus for erecting the nap on the outer side of a garment, means forengaging the garment atits upper and lower end portions and s pporting it revolubly on its axis in an inclined position, means for distending the supported garment with air, and means manually insertable and movable in all directions in the garment for forcibly projecting steam outwardly through the fabric of the distended garment.

3. In an apparatus of the kind described, a

' supporting member having resilient radial arms holding engagement with said support, and means independent of said support anchoring andrevolubly supporting'the other end of the garment.

4. In an apparatus of the kind described, means for revolubly supporting a garment on its longltudinal axis, and a nozzle removably insertable into .the garment so supported and having an outlet through which steam is adapted to be projected laterally outwardly through the fabric.

of the garment, said nozzle having a guard mem-.

ber projecting outwardly beyond said outlet and adapted to have traveling engagement with the inner side of said garment and to hold the latter spaced from said outlet. 7

5. In an apparatus of the kind described, an

, air conductor,.means .for forcing air through said conductor, means for supporting andholding expanded one end portion of a garment, means rotatably supporting said means in a position in which air discharged from said conductor will enter said expanded portion of the garment, means independent of said supporting means for revolubly supporting the other end of said garment with its axis alined with the axis of said first named supporting means, and means for forcing steam laterally "outwardly through the fabric of the supported garment.

6. In an apparatus of the kind described, an

air conductor, means for discharging air from said conductor upwardly in a direction inclined to the vertical, means for supporting a garment rotatably on and adjacent to the discharge end of said conductor with its axis lengthwise of the garment and in the path of and parallel with the current of air discharged from said conductor into said garment, and means including a nozzle being manually movable against the inner side of the garment and insertable into said garment so supported, said nozzle having an outlet adapted to discharge steam forcibly outwardly through the fabric of the supported garment.

'7. In an apparatus of the kind described, an air conductor having a member across its discharge end, a member having means for engaging and holding expanded one open end of a garment, and a hook member having means for releasable holding engagement with said first named member and having swivelled engagement with said garment expanding member.

8. In an apparatus of the kind described, an

air conductor having two crossed members across its discharge end, a member having means for engaging and holding expanded one openend of a garment, and a hook member having means for releasable holding engagement with said crossed members at the intersection of the latter and having swivelled engagement with said garment expanding member.

JOHN H. RICHA.

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