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1. * GB780104 (A)
Description: GB780104 (A) ? 1957-07-31
Press member
Description of GB780104 (A)
PATENT SPECIFICATION
Date of Application and filing Complete Specification: June 1, 1955.
7809104 No. 15683/55.
Complete Specification Published: July 31, 1957.
Index at acceptance:-Class 138(2), E1F(3:5).
International Classification:-DD6f.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Press Member I, DAVID ABRAHAM FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States
of America, of Drake Hotel, 140 East Walton Street, Chicago, Illinois,
United States of America, do hereby S declare the invention for which
I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it
is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the
following statement: -
This invention relates to press members for garment pressing machines
and is particularly though not exclusively applicable to steam presses
and hot head presses. In a steam press, one or more steam permeable
15surfaces is/are urged with substantial force upon one or both sides
of a fabric or garment to be pressed, steam and pressure both
combining to effect a pressing operation. In the hot head type of
press, the pressing surface is not steam permeable.
For many fabrics such as worsted and woven woollen material. it is
desirable to avoid pressing with a smooth surface. With pressing
surfaces that are steam permeable, conventional pressing members may
have pressing surfaces which impart to the pressed fabric moire, shine
and other undesirable surface finishes. Moire is caused by the pattern
of the pressing surface becoming imprinted upon the pattern of the
fabric being pressed. Where the pressing surface has a regular
pattern, the resulting moire is quite noticeable and highly
objectionable. Moire is thus caused by a pressing surface which is not
smooth but instead has a regular pattern thereon. In contrast to moire

2. is shine which results when the surface of a fabric is pressed to what
appears to be a mirror finish.
While the object of pressing is to smooth out wrinkles or obtain sharp
creases, nevertheless the essential surface texture of the fabric
should be retained. This invention is concerned with the problem of
providing a pressing surface which will attain the object of pressing,
mainly elimination of wrinkles [Price 3/6] or creation of sharp
creases, without at the same time imparting shine or moire to the
fabric.
A press plate according to the present invention comprises a rigid
backing member 50 having gritty particles secured thereto, said gritty
particles having sharp edges and being resistant to crushing, heat and
moisture.
The invention in general thus provides a pressing member which has an
active irregularly roughened surface for pressing. The irregularity of
surface is three-dimensional in that no regular pattern of surface
irregularity exists irrespective of the plane being considered. In
particular the pressing member 60 embodying the invention is irregular
in the general plane of pressing which is generally along the surface
of the fabric. The irregularity of the pressing member along planes
normal to the pressing surface is preferably 65 of a lower order of
magnitude in comparison with the irregularity in the fabric being
pressed. As a result, a pressing member embodying the present
invention whether used in connection with a steam permeable or a 70
hot head press, is effective for pressing a wide variety of fabrics
without the undesirable effects of moire and shine.
The roughness or grittiness of the surface is preferably so
proportioned that a desirable 75 lifting action on the nap of the
fabric is obtained. While the degree of roughness or grittiness may be
varied over a substantial range, too coarse a roughness or grittiness
(this being due to the high points of the press- 8D ing member and the
low points of the pressing member being separated by an excessive
distance) will cause damage to fibers.
The irregular surface of gritty particles forms a layer between the
fabric to be 85 pressed and the rigid backing member so that the
surface of the backing member will not affect the fabric. Thus if the
backing member has round perforations, the irregular partial coverage
of such perforations by the 90 780,104 gritty particles will prevent
the fabric showing any pattern of plate perforations.
The layer of gritty particles may be attached to a backing layer which
is itself secured to the backing member and which may be flexible or
rigid and steam permeable or not, as desired. The gritty particles
may, for example, be emery, sand, silicon carbide, or grit of metals
such as aluminium or aluminium oxide, or of any solid material, either

3. organic or inorganic, having sufficient crush resistance and
resistance to corrosion and heat and capable of application to a
supporting surface. Other materials such as precious or semi-precious
stones in finely divided form, may also be used. It is not essential
that the particles size of the material used be restricted to any
narrow range. While a particular particle size will provide
satisfactory surface 20irregularity, it is possible to use particles
ranging from that passed by an 80 mesh up to as high as about 200
mesh. A preferred range is between about 100 and about 120 mesh per
square inch. Except for particles of metal, the remaining materials
that may be used to form a gritty surface are generally poor heat
conductors and will protect the fibers against excessive temperatures.
The nature of the bond should be such 30that the particles will be
retained as an integral part of the pressing member under all
conditions existing in a laundry or a dry cleaning establishment.
In order that the invention may be understood, it will now be
explained in connection with the drawings, wherein examples of the
invention are specifically illustrated and disclosed. Variations may
be made without departing from the scope of the invention except as
defined by the appended claims.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a press plate having a surface
construction embodying the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged
sectional view of a portion of the new press plate showing one form of
backing member having attached thereto rough particles:
Fig. 3 is a plan view to a larger scale of the press plate illustrated
in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional magnified detail of a modified form
of press plate embodying the present invention; Fig. 5 is a plan view
to a larger scale of the magnified detail of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a
sectional detail of still another form of press plate embodying the
present invention:
Fig. 7 is a sectional detail of a portion of a press plate for a hot
head press:
Fig. 8 is a sectional detail of a modified Dress plate for a hot head
press; Fig. 9 is a plan view of a portion of the plate illustrated in
Fig. 8.
- Referring first to Fig. 1, the member 10 may be part of a steam
diffusing garment press machine, or a -hot head" pressing machine, or
a simple pressing table. Where the member 10 is part of a garment
press 70 machine, it may either be part of a garment press machine, it
may either be part of the buck or head, or similar members may be used
for both, and it may have a generally concave or convex configuration,
depending 75 upon whether the member is to be used as part of the head
or part of the buck of the machine. Inasmuch as the press plate

4. embodying the present invention may be made in any desired shape and
size, no attempt 80 will be made to show all the various possible
configurations to be assumed by the pressing plate.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, one embodiment of the invention is
illustrated wherein 85 the press plate functions in the dual capacity
of a steam diffuser and press plate. As is well known, garment presses
have steam heads supplied with steam at a pressure of the order of
about from 75 to 100 lbs.. although other steam pressures are used.
Steam at such pressure must be well diffused to avoid localized
concentrated blasts of steam upon the garment being pressed. A press
plate having a sufficiently dense layer of 95 irregularly shaped
particles may function both as a steam diffuser and pressing member.
When a large number of irregularly shaped particles are compacted
together and attached to a member. a porous structure is 100 formed
having a large number of passages in all directions.
Thus referring to Figs. 2 and 3. a plate of metal, synthetic plastic
or other suitable solid material 12 has closely spaced passages or 105
ports 13 formed therethrough for the passage of steam. The ports 13 in
general will preferably be as small as possible and may. for example,
have a diameter of the order of about 1132 of an inch or smaller. The
ports 110 13 may be formed by perforating solid metal or the material
12 mav be in the form of a mesh. Preferably the solid material of
which plate member 12 is formed has a thickness substantially larger
than the dimensions of 115 the particles attached thereto and in
practice plate 12 may have a thickness of the order of about 1/32 of
an inch or larger.
Plate 12. which is rigid. has face 15 covered with a suitable adhesive
to which grit partides 16 adhere. Adhesive 15 is a bonding agent and
may be any one of a number of resins or thermosetting materials or
heatresistant varnishes or silicones and. for example. may be a
nolvester resin sold by 125 American Cyanamnde C<.. under the
Registered Trade Mark "Laminac" or an epoxy resin sold by Shell
Chemical Comnanv under the trade name "Epon." Where plate 12 is of a
material such as iron which may be 130 780,104 tinned, then adhesive
or bonding agent 15 may be solder.
In the case of solder, it is possible to provide a solder which will
solidify to form a rough surface. Solder may retain many grit
particles on its surface without necessarily wetting the gritty
particles.
Grit particles 16, as has been previously indicated, are sharp edged
and preferably irregular in shape and may be of any of the materials
previously given or of metal such as copper, stainless steel or the
like or of non-metallic material such as powdered quartz, powdered
garnet, powdered diamond, sand or synthetic materials such as rough

5. particles of the material sold under the Registered Trade Mark
"Bakelite" or other thermo-setting material, powdered glass, powdered
porcelain, or the like. Preferably the size of particles 16 will be no
larger than can pass through an 80 mesh screen and may go down in
fineness to a 120 mesh. The maximum size of the particles will be
determined in some measure by the specific use to which the pressing
surface is to be put, the nature of the irregular particles, their
crush resistance and the like. In general, however, it may be
desirable to have the maximum particle size somewhat smaller than can
pass an 80 mesh screen.
It will be observed that the various particles form a porous irregular
covering for the plate backing layer and provide a large number of
minute passageways through the pressing layer of irregularly shaped
particles.
By selecting a bonding agent which is substantially not affected by
steam and which will retain the pressing layer against the backing
plate in spite of the steam pressure, it will be apparent that the
pressing layer of irregularly shaped particles may be made to function
as a steam diffusing means.
The backing layer may also be made of woven glass fibres, the fibres
and weave resembling canvas. The glass fabric is porous.
The grit is retained with cement and the combination of glass fabric
backing and grit may function as a steam diffusing means having a
rough pressing surface.
While apertures 13 in plate 12 may be provided prior to the
application of the grit, it is possible to provide apertures through
the plate after the grit has been applied.
It is preferred, however, to have plate 12 provided with apertures 13
prior to the application of the grit. Since the grit will be applied
in an irregular fashion to the surface of plate 12, there will be no
circular openings at the pressing surface, apertures 13 being
generally covered in part by pieces of irregularly shaped grit. The
porosity of the grit assembly will permit steam to pass through
apertures 13 in plate 12 and then diffuse through the space between
grit particles. The irregularity of the grit surface and the
concealment of the regular pattern of the apertures 13 in plate 12,
will eliminate moire.
Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, apertured plate 12' is shown, this plate
having small arched portions 18 open at the ends of the arch to 70
provide steam openings 19 and 20. Plate 12' is useful as a steam
diffuser and functions not only to reduce the velocity of the steam
but also to diffuse the steam. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the arched
portions are disposed on 75 one side on face of the plate, leaving the
other side of the plate smooth except for depressions. The arches are

6. higher than the thickness of the plate and are offset enough to cause
shearing of the plate to form openings 19 80 and 20. As a rule, the
arches are disposed to provide a random orientation of the openings
and there are usually provided as many as several hundred such arched
openings to a square inch of plate surface. Such a diffuser 85 plate
may conveniently provide excellent support for grit particles 16'. The
grit particles may be applied to the smooth side of the plate as
illustrated in Fig. 4. It is possible, however, to apply these
particles to the 90 rough side of the plate. In such case, the grit
layer should be thick enough to cover the arches. In all cases, the
side of the plate having the grit material will be the active pressing
face of the plate. 95 Referring to Fig. 6, plate 12, similar to plate
12 in Fig. 2, is illustrated. This plate has apertures 13 and has
applied thereto on one side thereof coarse fabric 23 upon one side of
which there is cemented grit particles 100 24. Fabric 23 together with
grit particles 24 may resemble emery cloth and in fact, the
combination of fabric 23 and grit particles 24 may consist of an emery
cloth. In this form it is preferred, however, to have the cloth 105
provided with an open weave so that the cloth will be porous to steam.
The grit particles on the cloth as illustrated in Fig. 6 may be any
one or a number of the materials previously identified and these
particles may 110 be attached to the cloth by cement or other means,
as used for example in the manufacture of emery cloth. The cloth with
the grit may be applied to the smooth side of plate 12' of Fig. 4. 115
Referring to Fig. 7, a solid plate 26 is provided, this plate being of
metal and having a layer of cement 27 to which are attached grit
particles 28. The solid plate 26 may form part of the head of a press
to be used for 120 hot head pressing. With such a head, the steam is
used solely for heating the head and none is allowed to pass through
plate 26.
Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9, further modified forms of the hot head
press plate 125 are illustrated. In Figs. 8 and 9, plate 26' has
cemented thereto what in effect is a sheet of emery cloth. Cloth
backing 23' in Fig. 8 is cemented or firmly attached to backing plate
26'. This cloth backing carries grit particles 130 780,104 24'. In the
modifications illustrated in Figs.
8 and 9, the cloth backing need not be porous.
Press plate 12, embodying the gritty surface construction described
above, will be provided with suitable means as springs, belts. clasps
or the like for retaining the press plate in position on the head of a
garment press or other device.
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