Abstract: A tumbler is provided for removing odors, such as smoke, from clothing. The tumbler comprises a rotating basket in which clothing tumbles, a blower which causes air to flow through said basket and an ozone source which releases ozone into the air which flows into the basket. The tumbler includes a controller which activates the ozone source after the basket and blower have been activated; and continues to operate the blower and basket after deactivation of the ozone source to provide for a purge period.

Abstract: A clothes dryer is provided with a fire detection and suppression system which releases a fire suppressing substance into the dryer chamber upon detection of a fire condition. The fire detection and suppression system includes, a controller, at least one temperature detector which is in communication with the controller and sends a signal to the controller when a temperature set point has been reached and/or exceeded, a source of fire suppressing substance (preferably water) which is delivered to the chamber over a pathway; and a valve in the pathway controlled by the controller. The controller opens the valve when a fire condition is detected, and closes the valve after a time sufficient to introduce a predetermined volume of the fire suppressing substance has passed.

Abstract: A garment and laundry press including a relatively movable press buck and press head one of which is connected to pivotal arm structure at one thereof with the other end of said pivotal arm structure being connected to a longitudinally extending fluid pressure driven rotatable actuator member.

Abstract: A clothes dryer including a housing having a drying chamber, with a perforated clothes drying drum rotatably mounted in the drying chamber. The perforated clothes drying drum is rotated by a belt driven by a motor mounted in the housing, with the motor also driving a blower for drawing air through the perforated drum and drying chamber and for exhausting the air from the housing. The air drawn through the perforated drum and drying chamber is heated by a heater mounted in the housing upstream of the drying chamber. The belt which rotates the drum is directly driven by the motor, with the motor and the drive belt being located within the dryer housing. The belt drive is located in a belt drive chamber of the housing which is a negative pressure zone of the dryer.

Abstract: A control for positioning an endless conveyor which is movable in a closed path, wherein there is a sequence of designatable locations along the length of the conveyor. The control is responsive to a desired conveyor position input request, which is in terms of a location of said designatable locations, to move the conveyor to the requested position. An actual conveyor position signal is supplied to the control which is indicative of a proportion of a complete traversal of the closed path by the conveyor. An indication of the actual length of the conveyor is stored in the control and is used to convert the desired position request to a desired conveyor position signal indicative of a proportion of a complete traversal of the path by the conveyor. The control then activates a conveyor drive to drive the conveyor until the actual conveyor position signal has a predetermined relationship to the desired conveyor position signal. For example, the conveyor may be driven until these two position signals are equal.

Abstract: An air curtaining apparatus is disclosed that forms a U-shaped air curtain around a steam and heat-emitting piece of machinery, such as a garment form finisher, to protect an operator from heat and moisture emitted during operation of the form finisher while permitting manipulation of a workpiece disposed thereon.

Abstract: An improved laundry dryer having a novel hot air compartment structure that heats recirculated exhaust air and fresh make-up air. The novel hot air compartment structure, in preferred form, includes an attic chamber defined by the dryer's housing. The attic chamber is divided into upper and lower subchambers, a heater housing being positioned within the lower subchamber. The heat source in the heater housing serves to directly heat fresh make-up air and recirculated exhaust air simultaneously within the heater housing, and also serves to heat up the upper and lower subchambers of the attic chamber. The recirculated exhaust air is introduced into the upper subchamber, thereby pre-heating same prior to introduction into the heater housing, and is subsequently introduced into the heater housing in a vertically downward flow path fashion.

Abstract: A fail-safe apparatus and method for controlling the sequence of gas feed and ignition, such as by an incandescent igniter, in a gas-fired appliance, such as a thermostatically controlled timer activated clothes dryer. When the appliance is activated by the timer, the control apparatus energizes the igniter and opens a gas valve only after the igniter is energized for a period that is sufficient to heat the igniter to the temperature required to kindle the gas. If the gas is ignited, the control apparatus holds the gas valve open so that the gas continues to burn. If, however, the gas is not ignited, the control apparatus inhibits any further attempt at gas feed and ignition. If a temporary electrical power outage occurs, if the gas supply is interrupted, if the thermostat cycles on and off, or, in the case of a clothes dryer, if a loading/unloading door is opened and then shut again, the control apparatus repeats the gas feed and ignition sequence in an attempt to rekindle the gas.

Abstract: A steam finishing platen having a work surface through which steam and air can pass. The platen includes up-steam piping within a chamber defined by the platen, and a vacuum port to that chamber. A steam damper is movable between a normally open position where the vacuum port is open to a vacuum source, and a closed position where the damper closes the vacuum port when steam is provided to the up-steam piping. A steam piston, located within the platen chamber, is connected by a spring loaded linkage to the steam damper, and is connected by a steam line to the up-steam piping. When steam is provided to the up-steam piping for steaming a fabric workpiece on the platen, the steam actuated piston closes the steam damper, thereby automatically closing the vacuum port to that steam within the platen chamber.

Abstract: A laundry dryer structured to recirculate and reheat a portion of the warm exhaust air, and admix same with newly heated make-up air. A novel hot air compartment positioned within the dryer's housing includes a heat transfer air duct disposed immediately above, and as a part of, a heat transfer chamber. The heat transfer chamber includes a roof above a heat source, that roof comprising the floor of the heat transfer air duct and that roof being heated by the heat source. Recirculated air is directed over the exterior surface of the heat transfer air duct (which is heated by reason of its being proximate to and a part of the heat transfer chamber), and thereafter is directed through the heat transfer air duct. The make-up air heated in the heat transfer chamber exhausts from a port in that chamber's roof into admixed flow with the already preheated, recirculated air as the recirculated air passes through the heat transfer air duct.

Abstract: A laundry dryer structured to recirculate and reheat a portion of the warm exhaust air, and admix same with newly heated make-up air. A novel hot air compartment positioned within the dryer's housing includes a heat transfer air duct disposed immediately above, and as a part of, a heat transfer chamber. The heat transfer chamber includes a roof above a heat source, that roof comprising the floor of the heat transfer air duct and that roof being heated by the heat source. Recirculated air is directed over the exterior surface of the heat transfer air duct (which is heated by reason of its being proximate to and a part of the heat transfer chamber), and thereafter is directed through the heat transfer air duct. The make-up air heated in the heat transfer chamber exhausts from a port in that chamber's roof into admixed flow with the already preheated, recirculated air as the recirculated air passes through the heat transfer air duct.

Abstract: A hanger conveying system which routes hangers from a main screw conveyor onto a conveyor branch where they are transported through a processing station and thence returned to the screw conveyor at a point downstream from that where they were initially removed. Included in the conveyor branch is an endless conveyor of hinged links each having a plurality of hanger hook receiving slots or apertures. Also provided is a downwardly inclined input slick rail which picks off hangers from the main screw conveyor, and a cooperating peripherally notched disc which is spaced in close proximity to a curved section of the input slick rail located at the lower extremity thereof. The disc captures, in its notches, hanger hooks which have been picked off the main screw conveyor and are stacked at the bottom of the inclined input slick rail, and individually feeds the captured hangers in spaced relation to an output slick rail which is upwardly inclined.

Abstract: An improved pick off device adapted to transfer open mouth hook type work supports (e.g., hangers) from an extended length screw conveyor onto a branch support member (e.g., a slide rod), the support member branching off from the screw conveyor at an angle relative thereto. In preferred form, the improved device includes a helix concentrically fixed in place to the screw conveyor, the major diameter of the helix being substantially greater than the major diameter of the screw conveyor's threaded rod. A pick off finger is positioned generally longitudinally of the screw conveyor, and is positioned between the helix and the conveyor's threaded rod. The pick off finger is pivotally connected at one end to the branch support member, that pivotal connection permitting the finger's free tip to move between a pick off position where same is closely adjacent the surface of the conveyor's threaded rod and a pass-through position where same is elevated above that surface.

Abstract: The apparatus includes an elongated buck having an upper convex surface which supports the seam with the edges thereof outboard, and a portable iron having a concave bottom surface and a pointed nose which cooperates with the convex buck to simultaneously open and press the seam sandwiched therebetween as the iron moves in a forward direction thereover. The bottom edge of the iron is recessed on either side of the nose to permit the opened edges of the seam forward of the nose to flow smoothly beneath the iron as the iron advances thereover, preventing bunching of the seam forward of the iron as it advances. A jet of steam directed downwardly and forwardly is emitted from the nose of the iron to moisten the opened seamed edges and thereby enhance the permanency of the overbusting operation.

Abstract: The apparatus includes an elongated buck having an upper convex surface which supports the seam with the edges thereof outboard, and a portable iron having a concave bottom surface and a point nose which cooperates with the convex buck to simultaneously open and press the seam sandwiched therebetween as the iron moves in a forward direction thereover. The bottom edge of the iron is recessed on either side of the nose to permit the opened edges of the seam forward of the nose to flow smoothly beneath the iron as the iron advances thereover, preventing bunching of the seam forward of the iron as it advances. A jet of steam directed downwardly and forwardly is emitted from the nose of the iron to moisten the opened seamed edges and thereby enhance the permanency of the overbusting operation.