Background to the Invention GB 2318591 describes a textile press having a press table for supporting a garment or other textile item to be pressed, and a press head which can be moved toward the press table by a pneumatic actuator. The press head can be moved across the press table and can also rotate in a plane parallel to the press table.

It has been found that precise control of the pressure exerted on a garment by the press head is required to efficiently achieve the required smoothing effect as the press head is moved across the press table. A high enough pressure for smoothing must be maintained, without the pressure being so high as to cause the press head to drag the garment being pressed across the press table, or to cause the garment to bunch up in front of the press head.

The problem is particularly noticeable when pressing garments having thick seams, or other features of varying thickness.

It is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to enable a press head to be moved across a garment including features of varying thickness while maintaining a desired pressure smoothing pressure and at the same time minimising dragging and/or bunching.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided press head mounting comprising a press shaft coupled to a sleeve by resilient biasing means, the coupling between the sleeve and the press shaft arranged to allow movement of the press shaft substantially parallel to its own axis against the resilient biasing means, and to allow rotation of the press shaft without work being done on the resilient biasing means.

Suitably, the coupling between the sleeve and the press shaft is arranged to allow rotation of the press shaft about an axis substantially parallel to the press shaft without work being done on the resilient biasing means and/or is arranged to allow rotation of the press shaft about an axis at an angle to the press shaft without work being done on the resilient biasing means.

Suitably, the press shaft is retained within the sleeve by engagement of a flange with a lip of the sleeve.

Suitably, the sleeve is coupled to an actuator.

Suitably, the actuator comprises a pneumatically operated cylinder.

Suitably, the press shaft comprises a plunger extending therefrom under bias from the resilient biasing means, the plunger having a domed head arranged in a domed recess in the sleeve.

Suitably, the plunger is slidably coupled to the press shaft.

Suitably, the resilient biasing means is arranged within the plunger.

Suitably, the resilient biasing means comprises a spring.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a textile press including the press head of the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a pressing method for use with a textile press, the textile press comprising a press table, a press head coupled to a press shaft, and a press head mounting comprising the press shaft coupled to a sleeve by resilient biasing means, the pressing method comprising the steps of arranging a textile item of varying thickness to be pressed on the press table and moving the press head into engagement with the textile item on the press table such that the work is done on the resilient biasing means to move the press shaft relative to the sleeve in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the press shaft and moving the press head across the textile item allowing free rotation of the press shaft as the press head crosses areas of varying thickness.

Brief Introduction to the Figures For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side sectional view of a press head mounting according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, arranged in a rest position; Figure 2 shows a side sectional view of the press head mounting of Figure 1, arranged in a tilted working position; and Figure 3 shows a side sectional view of the press head mounting of Figure 2, arranged in a rotated working position.

Description of Preferred Embodiments Figure 1 shows a side sectional view of a press head mounting 1 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The press head mounting 1 is intended for use between a press head/plate (not shown) at a lower end, and an actuator 2, preferably a pneumatic cylinder for raising and lowering the press head. In an alternative arrangement the press head mounting 1 can be fixed in place to press head above a moving press table.

The actuator 2 is coupled to the press head by an outer sleeve 8 that is moveable over an inner sleeve 6, an outer sleeve 8 comprising a cradle ring 12, and a press shaft 22 coupled to the outer sleeve 8. The press head is mounted on the press shaft 22.

The actuator 2 comprises a spindle 4 that can extend and retract, and is fixed to the outer sleeve 8 by a grub screw 24. Extension of the spindle 4 moves the outer sleeve 8 downwards over the inner sleeve 6, and thereby moves the cradle ring 12, the press shaft 22 and the press head toward a press table (not shown).

In Figure 1 the press head mounting 1 is arranged in a rest position with the spindle 4 retracted within the actuator 2. In the rest position the outer sleeve 8 surrounds the inner sleeve 6.

In the rest position the press shaft 22 is biased to extend beyond the cradle ring 12 by a spring 20. The spring 20 is arranged between the press shaft 22 and a plunger 16. The plunger 16 locates at one end in a recess in the outer sleeve 8, and at the other end partially within the press shaft 22. The press shaft 22 is prevented from being pushed from the outer sleeve 8 by a circumferential flange 21 engaging with a lip 9 on the cradle ring 12.

The plunger 16 comprises a dome shaped top section 17 that locates in a similarly shaped recess 7 in the outer sleeve 8.

Figure 3 shows the press head mounting 1 in a fully down, working position referred to herein after as the second position. In the second position the spindle 4 extends from the actuator 2, the outer sleeve 8 overlaps the inner sleeve 6 to a lesser extent than in the rest position, and the press head is in engagement with the press table.

The separation between the spindle 4 and the press table is set so that in the second position the spring 20 is partially compressed and the plunger 16 is enclosed by the press shaft 22 to a greater extent than in the rest position. The press shaft 22 rises within the cradle ring 12 so that the flange 21 does not engage the lip 9.

By setting the characteristics of the spring 20 and the separation between the outer sleeve 8 and the press head in the second configuration caused by engagement of the press head with the press table, the pressure exerted on the press table by the press head can be set at a predetermined level.

The spring 20 compensates for any variation in thickness of the garment between the press head and the press table as the press head is moved across the garment. Also, the dome shaped top section 17 of the plunger 16 is free to rotate in the recess 7 allowing the press shaft 22 and the press head coupled thereto to rotate in the outer sleeve 8 about an axis substantially parallel to the outer sleeve 8 and to the axis of the press shaft 22.

In the event that the press head experiences a lateral force due to an area of increased or decreased thickness on the garment, the press head mounting can adopt the rotated working position shown in Figure 2. The press shaft 22 is positioned with the lip 9 clear of the flange 21. The press shaft 22 is free to rotate to a position away from the second position in which the press shaft 22 lies along the axis of the outer sleeve 8. The press shaft 22 is rotated about an axis that is at an angle to its own axis.

In Figure 2 the dome shaped top section 17 of the plunger 16 rotates within the recess 7 in the plane of the drawing. The amount of rotation is limited by engagement of the press shaft 22 with the flange 21, and is suitably of the order of several degrees.

It has been found that by having only a single spring to control the pressure of the press head on the garment being pressed a desired pressure can be simply and easily set. With arrangements including more than one spring at a number of different attachment points it can be difficult to obtain the accurate matching of spring characteristics and accurate spring placement required to set a desired pressure. Furthermore, a reduction in the number of springs leads to a cost effective and easy to assemble arrangement.

The axial and off axis rotations possible with the press head mounting described facilitate movement of the press head across the garment being pressed, and it has been found that the press head mounting is substantially self levelling when moved over unevennesses in the item being pressed. An even pressure on the item can be maintained without dragging or bunching.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.