Press-head for garment presses

Abstract

A press-head with a self-levelling mechanism automatically adjusts the position of the press-head when it encounters a variation in thickness of an item being pressed. In the preferred embodiment, the mechanism includes a plurality of pins which stand proud of the sole plate and are retained slidably and tiltably by the main body. Advantageously, a spring may be provided about each pin between the main body and the sole plate. The press-head has means for connecting it to a lifting shaft of a garment press and the pins may be arranged in a symmetrical array relative to that shaft.

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . A press-head adapted to be moved about a pressing surface in order to press an item supported on that pressing surface, the press-head having a self-levelling mechanism.  
     
     
         2 . A press-head as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the press-head comprises a main body and a sole plate suspended to said main body by said self-levelling mechanism.  
     
     
         3 . A press-head as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the press-head comprises a main body and a sole plate suspended to said main body by said self-levelling mechanism, wherein the self levelling mechanism comprises resilient means.  
     
     
         4 . A press-head as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the press-head comprises a main body and a sole plate suspended to said main body by said self-levelling mechanism, the self-levelling mechanism comprising a plurality of fixed mounting pins which stand proud of the sole plate, a plurality of corresponding bores in the main body adapted to receive said pins, means to retain the pins in said bores and which enable a sliding and tilting motion of the pins through the bores, and resilient means located between the main body and sole plate.  
     
     
         5 . A press-head as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the resilient means comprises a plurality of springs, each of which is provided about a respective pin.  
     
     
         6 . A press-head as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the press-head comprises a main body and a sole plate suspended to said main body by said self-levelling mechanism to enable tilting of the sole plate to accommodate uneven pressing surfaces encountered during movement of the press-head, the self-levelling mechanism comprising a plurality of fixed mounting pins arranged in a symmetrical pattern proud to the sole plate, a plurality of corresponding bores provided in the main body for slidably and tiltably retaining the pins and a respective spring provided about each pin and which spring is located between the main body and the sole plate.  
     
     
         7 . A press-head as claimed in  claim 1  having mounting means for mounting the press-head to a garment press.  
     
     
         8 . A press-head as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the self-levelling mechanism has means to selectively adjust the tilt of the sole plate relative to a pressing surface.