US3866808A

US3866808A - Pants presser

Info

Publication number: US3866808A
Application number: US469829A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stanley M Bailey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-05-14
Filing date: 1974-05-14
Publication date: 1975-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-18
Also published as: US3934766A

Abstract

A pants finishing or pressing machine is provided that is fully adaptable in its construction to different types of pants and pants materials, that enables a spaced operational expansive movement of both its upper and lower flexible creasing blades, and that has a steam supply system that extends forwardly along its garment-receiving permeable bag. Side-mounted pairs of upper and lower creasing blades, one for each pant leg, are provided with pairs of side-mounted spread arms that operate to expand and contract each blade of the pair at longitudinally spaced locations therealong. A two-part steam supply system extends along the operating frame of the machine and employs an inner, closed-off pipe circulating assembly and an outer, concentrically mounted, perforated tubular steam dispersing assembly. An improved fly presser is used which operates within spacing between side pairs of blades and independently of the creasing operation of such blades.

Description

vO United States Patent 1191 1111 3,866,808 Bailey Feb. 18, 1975 PANTS PRESSER [57] ABSTRACT [76] Inventor: Stanley M. Bailey, 342 Washington St., Hamburg, Pa. 19526 A pants finishing or pressing machine is provided that [22] Flled' May 1974 is fully adaptable in its construction to different types 2 APPL 469,329 of pants and pants materials, that enables a spaced operational expansive movement of both its upper and lower flexible creasing blades, and that has a steam [52] US. Cl. 223/73 supply System that extends forwardly along its gap [Sl] lllt. D066 15/00 ment receiving permeable g side mounted pairs of [58] Field 0 Search 223/61, 63, 65, 72-74 upper and lower creasing blades one for each pant leg, are provided with pairs of side-mounted spread [56] References C'ted arms that operate to expand and contract each blade UNITED STATES PATENTS of the pair at longitudinally spacedlocations there- 1,791,601 2/1931 Ramsdell 223/73 along. A two-part steam supply system extends along 1,855,544 4/1932 Emery et al- 223/73 the operating frame of the machine and employs an 2,092,2 8 9/1937 Harvey 223/73 inner, closed-off pipe circulating assembly and an $634,190 7/1954 Glover 223/74 outer, concentrically mounted, perforated tubular g g steam dispersing assembly. An improved fly presser is 3480188 11/1969 used which operates within spacing between side pairs rauendorf.. 223/73 b d d d d l f h 3,713,567 1/1973 Paris 223 73 0 3 es 0 t e Creasmg Operano Primary ExaminerGeo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or FirmParmelee, Miller, Welsh & Kratz of such blades.

20 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEBFEB! 8 I925 sum 20F 3 v PANTS PRESSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to improved apparatus for pressing shorts, trousers, slacks and other pants-like articles of clothing and particularly, to a machine that is flexible and adaptable to the pressing and creasing of pants-like garments of different shapes or contours and made of various types of materials or fabrics.

2. Description of the Prior Art The Paris U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,567 shows an improved pants pressing apparatus which makes use ofleg pairs of endwise-extending creasing blades, with each blade having a preset, vertically adjustedposition with respect to its support, and with a lower blade of each pair adapted to be moved in an inclined swing plane from a closely spaced relation with respect to an upper fixed position blade to an expanded spaced relation by a single actuating means that is operated from the head portion of the apparatus. Also, in this construction, the fly or crotch presser is so positioned as to move its pressing head in an off-horizontal or inclined relationship.

Although a machine of the type above explained has many advantageous features, it has been determined that it has limitations, particularly from the standpoint of the shape-configuration of the creasing blades to the newer types of stylized pants. Also, the many variations in fabrics raises the problem of close control of steam application and temperature, such as for relatively soft, porous and easily stretched knit fabrics, wool and cotton fabrics and fabric blends. Further, in such an apparatus the steam is introduced along with the air directly into a back open end portion of the permeable bag which is mounted on the supporting head of the apparatus. As a result, there is the problem of uniformity of steam temperature and application along the length of the garment. There has been a need for an application of the steam that can be accomplished at a substantially uniform temperature along the full extent of the garment, in order that the most effective temperature for the garments fabric content may be used for the finishing operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has thus been an object of the invention to devise a new and improved form of pants pressing machine which will assure an increased flexibility of its utilization.

Another object has been to develop a machine that will provide a quicker and improved type of garment finishing operation and that may be better controlled as to its operating temperature and characteristics.

A further object of the invention has been todevise an improved fly presser utilization, an improved steam type of application, and an improved type of blade shape conforming control.

These and other objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the illustrated embodiment and the'description thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation illustrating a presser constructed in accordance with the invention; in this figure side creasing blades are shown in an intermediate position from-the standpoint of the spacing therebetween, and a permeable garment bag has been shown in an operating position by dot and dash lines.

FIG. 1A is an enlarged side section in elevation showing details of the construction of and the fluid connections to a steam distribution header that is employed in the apparatus of FIG. 1; 1

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmental side view in eleva tion, particularly illustrating the construction and operation of a fly or crotch pressing apparatus part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; the solid lines show a presser head in its withdrawn position and the dot and dash lines show it in its pressing position. Also, dot and dash lines illustrate endwise adjustment that may be effected of a support bar that carries the presser head;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmental isometric view showing details of the construction of a closed-off pipe member and perforated tubular distributor assembly or system for providing an improved outflow distribution of steam along the inside of the length of leg portions of a permeable bag; it also shows the relation of the tubular distributor with respect to the closed-off inner pipe through which steam flows to supply additional heat to the steam that is out-flowing from the tubular distributor;

FIG. 4 is a broken-away plan view on an enlarged scale with respect to FIG. I, particularly illustrating a blade operating structure or frame that includes side pairs of spread arms at longitudinally spaced locations, and drive members forexpanding and contracting the spread arm pairs;

FIG. 4A is a greatly enlarged exploded fragment showing the guidable mounting of back end portions of side blade pairs and of back pairs of spread arms to assure a vertically aligned expansion and contraction of upper and lower blade members of each side pair;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view on a reduced scale with respect to FIG. 4 and on the same scale as FIG. 2, further illustrating creasing blade supporting and operating structure of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for air utilization in operating individual fluid motors or cylinders for fly pressing, and for blade expansion to crease the waist, the knee and the cuff portions of a pair of pants;

And, FIG. 7 is a greatly reduced diagrammatic top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing a pair of pants in position on its permeable bag for accomplishing a finishing or pressing operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a finishing or pressing mounted machine is shown that has a floor mounted base support and air supply unit or part 10. The unit 10 has an enclosing housing 11 that is open at one end and provided with a screen 11a for admitting air therein; see the arrows. Air introduced into the housing 11 is forced by a blower 13 that is driven by a suitable means, such as an electric motor 12, under positive pressure upwardly along a duct 14. As shown by the arrows'a, the air enters an open bottom end portion of an upwardly positioned and forwardly open, hot fluid supplying head 15. The air is heated in its upward movement through the agency of a heat exchanger 32 that is positioned within the duct 14 and the lower portion of the head 15. The exchanger 32 is shown supplied with used steam that is supplied by discharge piping 31 from a steam header unit 20. Discharge of cooled steam from the exchanger 32 is accomplished through downstream piping 33, and discharge or outlet nipple 34 that is mounted on the housing 11. Such exhaust flow may be discharged to the atmosphere or returned to a suitable steam generator.

The heated air is adapted to flow through the open back end portion of a permeable garment-receiving fabric bag B of a suitable material such as nylon. It will be noted, as shown in FIGS. I and 7, that the bag B has an enlarged open end portion that is adapted to be mounted on a front, opening-defining flange 15a of the head 15 to extend forwardly therefrom along a pair of transversely spaced-apart, parallel, sideby-side longitudinally extending support arms or members 35 of a frame or support structure. The support members 35 (see FIG. are secured at their back ends by angle pieces 36 to extend forwardly from a back end wall plate b of the header 15. One or more cross ties 41 may be used to secure the members 35 together at spaced locations along their lengths. Each support member 35, through the agency of pillow blocks 37, carries associated side pairsof spread arm and creasing blade assemblies.

Each support member 35 carries a pair of operating side frames of the same or identical construction which are adapted to extend along the inside portions of the legs of a pair of trousers or pants. With particular reference to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawings, there are a pair of identical, full length, upper and lower flexible creasing blades 47 (preferably of metal construction) along each side of the structure. Longitudinally spacedapart, side pairs of upper and lower spread

arms

45, 55 and 56, at their outer ends, are pivotally connected at 45a, 55a and 560 at spaced locations along the blades 47 of each side blade pair. The spaced spread arm pairs along each side are of similar construction, but the back or rearmost pair 45 has pins 45a which carry a flanged roller spool or thimble 46 thereon for guided movement along a closed-end slotted portion 65a that extends within a vertical guide part or member 65, see also FIG. 4A. A pair of guide members 65 are secured to project vertically upwardly and downwardly from a back portion of each of the support members 35 to receive the rollers or spools 46 which are also carried at the back ends of the associated pair of blades 47.

As shown in FIG. 4, the spread arms 45 of each back pair may be adjusted in their pivoted connection to the back ends of the associated pair of upper and lower side blades 47 through the agency of vertically spacedapart holes in dog-leg shaped ends of the blades. It will also be noted that the spread arm pairs 45 break or have their inner ends extending in an opposite direction to the

pairs

55 and 56.

The guide parts 65 positively limit the relative movement of the blades 47 to a controlled vertical movement that is restricted from being an inclined or off vertical movement, such that the inner and particularly the outer spreading movement of the side pairs of upper and lower blades 47 with respect to each other is accurately accomplished in a vertical plane to substantially fully conform to a desired outward expansion of the legs of a pair of pants. The use of a guide member 65 mounted on the inside of an associated support member 35 of the transversely spaced-apart pair, thus serves as a positive control for the spreading and contracting or space increasing and decreasing movement between upper and lower blades 47 of each side pair that is carried by an associated support member 35.

As shown particularly in FIG. 1, the steam header 20 may be mounted centrally within the head 15 through the agency of spider arms 16a and 1611, with back arm 16b cooperating with the back wall 15b and the front arms 16a cooperating with front, opening-defining circular, reinforcing flanges 15a.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rearwardly positioned pairs of spread arms 45 which are carried along each side of the frame structure, are at their upper ends directly pivotally connected by pins 450 to the ends of an associated side pair of blades 47. At their inner ends the spread arms 45 of each side pair are pivotally connected by pins 44a within a bifurcated bracket 44 that is secured on the end of one sidepositioned drive member or rod of a pair of transversely spaced-apart rods 43 which are of a length to operate a back set of spread arms 45. Each set of spread arms 45, as well as of spread

arms

55 and 56, is composed of side-positioned, transversely spaced-apart and aligned side pairs of spread arm members that are carried along the side of an associated support member 35 of each pair.

There are a pair of parallel drive or operating

members

43, 53 and 63 of appropriate lengths pivotally connected in a manner shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 to

bifurcated brackets

44, 54 and 64 of sets representing transversely opposite, aligned side pairs of

spread members

45, 55 and 56. As exemplified, the pair of drive members 43 are connected together at their back ends to a cross-connector member or part 42 for accomplishing a simultaneous pivotal expanding and contracting operation of blades 45 of the rear set. In a like manner, drive member or rod pairs 53 and 63 are connected together at their back ends to cross connector members or

parts

52 and 62 for respectively expanding and contracting side-positioned spread arm pairs 55 and 56. As a result, as will be appreciated from a study of FIG. 7 in view of FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper and lower side pairs of creasing blades 45 may be simultaneously expanded and contracted at each location therealong by the same amounts, or in different amounts, as controlled by the direction and amount of forward and backward movements of the

drive members

43, 53 and 63.

Each

cross connector member

42, 52 and 62 is controlled or actuated in its back and forth or reciprocating type of movement by a centrally connected

piston rod

49, 59 or 69 of an individual, fluid motor means or cylinder, respectively designated as 50, 60 and in FIGS. 1 and 6. These motors are shown as positively driven in their forward and backward movements. The piston rod 49, as compared to the

rods

59 and 69, in its forward movement, will have a different type of action from the standpoint of spread arm pairs 45. That is, a forward movement of the piston rod 49 will cause a forward movement of the bifurcated connecting part 44 to thus move the spread arm pairs 45 forwardly in an inward, collapsing direction. A reverse or backward movement of the piston rod 49 will, on the other hand, tend to expand the arm pairs 45 and increase the distance between the associated pair of creasing blades 47. The action of the

piston rods

59 and 69 with reference to the spread arm pairs 55 and 56 is the direct opposite, in that a forward movement of the

piston rods

59 and 69 will tend to straighten or expand the spread arm pairs 55 and 56, while a backward withdrawing movement will tend to collapse them with respect to the cooperating members of each pair and thus reduce the spacing between upper and lower creasing blades 47.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 7, the permeable bag B, when placed in position, serves as a means for not only giving a protective support for the pants P that are to be finished, but also provides a means for introducing hot air and steam through its interstices into the inner portions of the pants, after the side-positioned creasing blade pairs 47 have been expanded to the correct shape for the particular type of pants involved, whether of a bell bottom or narrow type, of short length or otherwise. The bag B extends over the full extent of the pair of support members 35, as well as along the operating

connector members

42, 52 and 62, the inner, pivotally connected ends of the side-positioned pairs of

spread arms

45, 55 and 56, and essentially, along the full length extent of a forwardly positioned. two-part, steam supply assembly or system S. The steam supply system S is carried along and by an associated support member 35 by means of vertically extending, boltmounted pairs of clamping members 27. One part of each clamping member pair 27 extends along the inner side and the other member of the same pair extends along the outer side of an associated support member 35.

Steam is supplied by a conventional generator (not shown) to an inlet fitting or nipple 18 of a housingenclosed, steam condensate separator and trap unit 17 (see FIG. 1). Liquid collected in the trap of the unit may be taken off through side-mounted drain hole 19. Steam leaves the unit 17 along supply line or pipe 21 and, as shown particularly in FIG. 1A, is introduced through two branch lines into passageways 22 and 23 in a steam distribution header unit 20. A shut-off and control valve V is shown in a branch of the line 21 which connects to the inlet of the passageway 23. The header may be employed for distribution of steam received from a generator or boiler and employing the system S along each side-positioned support member 35 by providing two branch lines or piping 25, 26 and 28 leading therefrom.

Steam is supplied through the passageway 22 to an outlet (see arrow b) which constitutes the inlet to each of a side-positioned pair of forwardly extending distribution assemblies or systems S. Each system S has a continuous, U-shaped, closed-off pipe loop assembly comprising a complete circuit having an upper length portion 25, a front end cross-connecting portion a, and a return-flow length portion 26. Steam flows, as shown in FIG. 1, forwardly along the piping 25 and 2611 (see the arrow b) and returns along the piping 26 (see the arrow d). The return flow is introduced into the header 20 through an inlet into an exhaust passageway 24 to, in turn, flow through line or piping 31 into the inlet end of the heat exchanger 32. In this manner, residual heat retained by the steam which .flows in a continuous path along the inside piping of the assembly S is utilized in the heat exchanger 32 for heating the air which is being supplied upwardly (as shown by the arrows a) along the duct 14 and into the back, open-end of the bag B.

Steam is also supplied from the header 20 through centrally disposed passageway 23, as controlled by the valve V to an inlet pipe 28 and thence to a crossextending connector pipe 28a to back ends of each of a pair of upper and lower positioned, forwardly longitudinally extending, perforated tubular, sleeve-like steam distribution members 30. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the cross-extending connector pipe 28a introduces the steam to inner ends of the members 30 through end connectors 29 that space the members 30 in a concentric, extending relation along the

closed piping

25 and 26. In this manner, heat from the closed loop assembly will be supplied to steam flowing along the spacing between the walls of the piping 25 and 26 and the sleeve members 30.

Steam being introduced from the piping 28 (see arrows 0) is actively flowed out through the open hole portions or screen-like perforations in the members 30, substantially along the full extent of each support member 30 and substantially along the full extent of the leg portions of the bag B that extend therealong. Thus, flow into the pair of upper and lower perforated sleeves 30 directly supplies steam along substantially the full length of a pair of pants placed on the bag B for finishing. The type of steam supply assembly or system S enables a better control of temperature and a more uniform temperature application of steam along the length of the pants or trousers that are being processed.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 6, a typical suitable fluid operating system is shown for controlling the expanding and contracting movement of the side pairs of spread arms. As shown, air under positive pressure, as supplied by a suitable source such as amotordriven compressor, is introduced through fitting 87 into a unit which has a filter, a regulator, a lubricator and an electrical solenoid. The fluid motor 50 which may be termed a double-acting fluid cylinder, operates the spread arm sets which include the side pairs of spread arms 45 for the waist portion of a pair of pants being finished. Fluid motor 60, in like manner, through the agency of its piston rod 59, is adapted to operate a set of intermediately located, side-positioned spread arm pairs 55 for knee portions of the pants. Fluid motor 70, through the agency of its piston rod 69, is adapted to operate the pair of side-positioned drive members 63 to actuate the foremost set of side-positioned pairs of spread arm pairs 56 for cuff portions of the pants.

Fluid motor is employed to drive a piston rod 81 that, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, extends vertically downwardly through a forwardly extending, supporting, slide bar member 78 to, at its inner end, carry a cross head plate member 82 thereon. Movement of the member 82 is guided through the agency of a rod 83 secured thereto which slidably extends upwardly through the bar member 78 to assure an accurate vertically guided operation of the member 82. A fabric-covered presser head 85 is shown suspended from a pair of spaced-apart bolt mounts that carry expansion or tension springs to provide it with a flexible mounting. The supporting bar member 78 is shown slidably carried within a box-like, rectangular or channel-shaped supporting housing 76 that is secured, as by bolts 77 (see FIG. 1), to extend forwardly from a pair of upright stands or mounting brackets 75.

The pair of spaced-apart brackets 75 are secured to extend upwardly from the housing of the head 15. To adjust the vertical positioning of the support box or channel member 76, the stands 75 are provided with vertically spaced-apart, through-extending holes 75a within which bolt and nut assemblies 77 may be positioned. The stands 75 are of bifurcated construction and are open downwardly along the full vertical positioning of the adjustment holes 75a. Inner and outer adjustment of support bar member 78 in its mounted relation with respect to the supporting housing 76 may be accomplished by releasing a pair of thumbscrews 79 which are threadably carried by housing 76 and adapted to frictionally engage and hold the member 78 in a selected, forwardly extended, adjusted positioning with respect thereto.

The machine provides a fine straight'finish of pantslike garments without over or under stretching them, and without danger of localized heat-scorching of the fabric. The operations may be controlled electrically to provide a desired sequence and timing thereof. The closed-off piping helps to maintain the hot fluid along and at length portions of the support members at a desired and substantially uniform temperatures as supplied by the perforated tubular members.

I claim:

1. In a pants finishing machine having a base support and an upwardly positioned hot fluid supplying head thereon, a pair of transversely spaced-apart longitudinally forwardly extending support members, a side pair of upper and lower longitudinally forwardly extending creasing blades operatively positioned along each of said support members, cooperating upper and lower spread arms in'the form of side pairs operatively connected at their outer ends to an associated side pair of said blades, and drive means operatively carried by said support members and connected to inner ends of said spread arm side pairs for expanding and contracting spacing between the upper and lower arms of said side pairs of spread arms to enlarge and shorten spacing between the associated side pair of creasing blades.

2. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1,

said drive means having a pair of drive members along each of said support members, each said pair of drive members being adapted to reciprocate along an associated one of said support members, and means carried by each of said support members for slidably retaining the associated pair of drive members thereon.

3. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 2, the upper and lower spread arms of each said side pair being pivotally connected together and to an associated drive member of said pair at their inner ends.

4. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, said creasing blades being of flexible construction.

5. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 4, said spread arm side pairs comprising a group of longitudinally spaced-apart spread arm side pairs connected at spaced locations along and at their outer ends to an associated side pair of said creasing blades for enlarging and shortening the distance between said blades at longitudinally spaced locations therealong.

6. In a pants pressing machine as defined in claim 5, the spread arms of each pair of said group being pivotally connected together and to said drive means at their inner ends.

7. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 5, the spread arms of each pair of said group being pivotally connected together at their inner ends, and said drive means having a longitudinally extending drive member for each of said side spread arm pairs, each said drive member being operatively connected to inner ends of the associated spread arm pair of said group for independently expanding and contracting said side arm parts at each longitudinally spaced location.

8. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 5, guide means carried by said support members and cooperating with back end portions of said sidepositioned creasing blade pairs and an associated group of.said side spread arm pairs for guidably limiting expanding and contracting movement of said creasing blades to a substantially vertically aligned movement thereof.

9. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, said side pairs of spread arms comprising a longitudinally spaced-apart group of pairs along each of said support members that are in a transversely spacedapart and aligned relation with respect to a corresponding group of pairs along the other of said support arms to provide transverse sets of transversely aligned side pairs of said spread arms along said support members, said drive means comprising a group of pairs of transversely spaced-apart longitudinally extending drive members for and having an operative forward connection to inner ends of each of an associated transverse set of said spread arm pairs, a cross connector member connecting back ends of the drive members of each of said pairs together, and actuating means connected to each said cross connector member for reciprocating the associated pair of said drive members.

10. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 9, said actuating means comprising a separate fluid motor connected to each of said cross connector means for effecting reciprocating movement of said sets of spread arm pairs at spaced locations along said pairs of creasing blades.

11. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, means for supplying hot fluid along length portions of said support members at a substantially uniform temperature. v

12. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, guide means secured to project transversely upwardly and downwardly from said support members and having vertically extending closed-end slotted portions, and flanged rollermeans carried by end portions of said side pairs of creasing bladesand guidably positioned within the slotted portions of said guide means for guiding spacing enlarging and shortening movement of the upper and lower blades of said side pairs.

13. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 12, outer ends of the upper and lower spread arms of a side pair of said spread arms being pivotally connected to a corresponding side pair of upper and lower creasing blades at said roller means.

14. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, an overhead frame mounted on the fluid supplying head and extending longitudinally forwardly therefrom to a position adjacent a back end portion of said side pairs of creasing blades, a fly pressing head operatively suspended from said overhead frame for up and down movement within transverse spacing between said side pairs of creasing blades, and drive means carried by said overhead frame for periodically moving said fly pressing head into and out of a down position.

15. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 14, said overhead frame comprising a hollow sleeve member open at its forward end and a slide bar member operatively positioned within said sleeve member for forward and backward adjustable movement therewithin, said drive means being a fluid motor carried by said slide bar member and having a piston rod extending downwardly therethrough, a cross-head carried by the lower end portion of said piston rod, flexible mounting means extended from said cross-head and connected to said fly pressing head for moving the latter in a substantially horizontal plane vertically upwardly and downwardly with respect to said slide bar member, and means cooperating with said fluid motor for positively moving said piston rod both upwardly and downwardly.

16. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 14, a permeable garment-mounting finishing bag having an open back end portion carried by the fluid supplying head to receive hot fluid supplied thereby, means for supplying steam along the bag and hot air from the head into the back end portion of said bag, and forward portions of said bag extending along and in an enclosing relation about each of said support members for receiving a pair of pants thereon.

17. ln a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, a longitudinally forwardly extending pipe loop assembly positioned along each of said support members for flowing hot steam therealong in a continuous path, means for supplying steam to inner end portions of said pipe loop assemblies, perforated tubular members extending in a spaced relation along length portions of said pipe loop assemblies for dispersing steam along said support members, and means for supplying steam to inner ends of said perforated tubular members.

18. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 17, a steam distribution header carried within the fluid supplying head and having a steam supply outlet connected to one end of said pipe loop assemblies, a steam supply return connected to the other inner end of said pipe loop assemblies, means for supplying hot steam to said header and therethrough to said supply outlet into said pipe loop assemblies, a second steam outlet in said header connected to inner ends of said perforated tubular members for supplying steam thereto, an air supply duct extending upwardly from the base support into the fluid supplying head, a heat exchanger in said air supply duct for heating air entering the fluid supplying head, and a steam outlet from said header connected to said heat exchanger for supplying used steam thereto that has been circulated through said pipe assemblies.

19. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 18, a pants-receiving permeable garment-mounting finishing bag having an open back end portion carried by the fluid supplying head to receive heated air from said duct, and said bag having two forwardly extending leg portions to enclose said support members, said pipe loop assemblies and perforated tubular members to receive hot steam through the perforations of said tubular members.

20. in a pants finishing machine having a base support and an upwardly extending hot fluid-supplying head thereon, a longitudinally forwardly extending support frame having a pair of transversely spaced-apart support members carried by the head, a side pair of longitudinally forwardly extending upper and lower creasing blades along each of said support members, longitudinally spaced-apart side pairs of upper and lower spread arms pivotally connected at their outer ends between an associated side pair of said creasing blades, each side pair of said upper and lower spread arms along one of said support members being in a transversely aligned and spaced relation with a side pair of said upper and lower spread arms along the other of said support members to provide a cooperating set of spread arms, a pair of transversely spaced-apart and longitudinally forwardly extending reciprocating drive members for each said set of spread arms and guidably carried by an associated one of said pair of support members, each pair of spread arms of each set being pivotally connected at their inner ends to an associated drive member for expanding and contracting movement with respect to each other and independently of other sets of said spread arms for enlarging and shortening the spacing between upper and lower blades of said side pairs of creasing blades at longitudinally spaced-ap art locations therealong.

Claims

1. In a pants finishing machine having a base support and an upwardly positioned hot fluid supplying head thereon, a pair of transversely spaced-apart longitudinally forwardly extending support members, a side pair of upper and lower longitudinally forwardly extending creasing blades operatively positioned along each of said support members, cooperating upper and lower spread arms in the form of side pairs operatively connected at their outer ends to an associated side pair of said blades, and drive means operatively carried by said support members and connected to inner ends of said spread arm side pairs for expanding and contracting spacing between the upper and lower arms of said side pairs of spread arms to enlarge and shorten spacing bEtween the associated side pair of creasing blades.

2. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, said drive means having a pair of drive members along each of said support members, each said pair of drive members being adapted to reciprocate along an associated one of said support members, and means carried by each of said support members for slidably retaining the associated pair of drive members thereon.

8. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 5, guide means carried by said support members and cooperating with back end portions of said side-positioned creasing blade pairs and an associated group of said side spread arm pairs for guidably limiting expanding and contracting movement of said creasing blades to a substantially vertically aligned movement thereof.

9. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, said side pairs of spread arms comprising a longitudinally spaced-apart group of pairs along each of said support members that are in a transversely spaced-apart and aligned relation with respect to a corresponding group of pairs along the other of said support arms to provide transverse sets of transversely aligned side pairs of said spread arms along said support members, said drive means comprising a group of pairs of transversely spaced-apart longitudinally extending drive members for and having an operative forward connection to inner ends of each of an associated transverse set of said spread arm pairs, a cross connector member connecting back ends of the drive members of each of said pairs together, and actuating means connected to each said cross connector member for reciprocating the associated pair of said drive members.

11. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, means for supplying hot fluid along length portions of said support members at a substantially uniform temperature.

12. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, guide means secured to project transversely upwardly and downwardly from said support members and having vertically extending closed-end slotted portions, and flanged roller means carried by end portions of said side pairs of creasing blades and guidably positioned within the slotted portions of said guide means for guiding spacing enlarging and shortening movement of the upper and lower blades of said side pairs.

17. In a pants finishing machine as defined in claim 1, a longitudinally forwardly extending pipe loop assembly positioned along each of said support members for flowing hot steam therealong in a continuous path, means for supplying steam to inner end portions of said pipe loop assemblies, perforated tubular members extending in a spaced relation along length portions of said pipe loop assemblies for dispersing steam along said support members, and means for supplying steam to inner ends of said perforated tubular members.

20. In a pants finishing machine having a base support and an upwardly extending hot fluid-supplying head thereon, a longitudinally forwardly extending support frame having a pair of transVersely spaced-apart support members carried by the head, a side pair of longitudinally forwardly extending upper and lower creasing blades along each of said support members, longitudinally spaced-apart side pairs of upper and lower spread arms pivotally connected at their outer ends between an associated side pair of said creasing blades, each side pair of said upper and lower spread arms along one of said support members being in a transversely aligned and spaced relation with a side pair of said upper and lower spread arms along the other of said support members to provide a cooperating set of spread arms, a pair of transversely spaced-apart and longitudinally forwardly extending reciprocating drive members for each said set of spread arms and guidably carried by an associated one of said pair of support members, each pair of spread arms of each set being pivotally connected at their inner ends to an associated drive member for expanding and contracting movement with respect to each other and independently of other sets of said spread arms for enlarging and shortening the spacing between upper and lower blades of said side pairs of creasing blades at longitudinally spaced-apart locations therealong.