Small piece feed basket assembly

#This invention relates generally to commercial laundry machines and, more particularly, to a device for feeding small pieces of laundry such as napkins and pillowcases into a commercial laundry machine.

#Commercial laundry facilities servicing hotels, restaurants, hospitals and the like are required to wash, dry and fold large volumes of articles such as bed linen, towels, tablecloths and napkins. After such articles are washed and dried by industrial-grade equipment, they are pressed by a flatwork ironer and subsequently processed by an automatic folder which folds the laundry into a neat package for easy storage and transportation. Such laundry facilities typically use an automatic spreader/feeder machine to allow more rapid and accurate feeding of the sheets into the ironer and folder machinery, thereby increasing efficiency and the quality of the finished product.

#At the rear or exit end of the spreader/feeder machine, a continuously moving belt conveyer feeds the laundered articles directly into the pressing and folding equipment, properly oriented for processing. The operator need only load the garments into the forward or entry end of the spreader/feeder machine.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spreader/feeder machine with a small piece feed basket according to the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a side view of a prior art spreader/feeder machine adapted for use with large articles of laundry.

#FIG. 3 is a side view of a spreader/feeder machine with the small piece feed basket assembly, according to the invention, in its stored position.

#Referring to the figures, FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the spreader/feeder machine with the small piece feed basket assembly in the extended and operational position. The spreader/feeder machine 1 has a forward conveyor table 3, a doffer roll 5 and small piece feed basket assembly indicated generally at 7.

#FIG. 3 illustrates the spreader/feeder machine 1 configured with the small piece feed basket assembly 7 in its stored position. This is the configuration of the machine when it is adapted to receive large articles of laundry.

#Generally, the feed basket assembly 7 comprises a feed basket 9, forward and rear slide brackets 11 and 13 and drawer slide 15. The slide brackets 11 and 13 join the drawer slide 15 to the forward conveyor table 3. This embodiment, the feed basket 9 is fabricated from vinyl or similar material that is impermeable to moisture, thereby making it resistant to mildew. In practice, however, the feed basket can be fabricated from any material suitable to form a receptacle.