GB2096648A

GB2096648A - Electric irons

Info

Publication number: GB2096648A
Application number: GB8209792A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hotpoint Ltd
Current assignee: Hotpoint Ltd
Priority date: 1981-04-10
Filing date: 1982-04-02
Publication date: 1982-10-20
Also published as: GB2096648B

Abstract

An electric iron, more especially a steam iron having a suspension member 9 movably secured to the handle of the iron, and capable of being displaced from a rest position, in which it lies against a surface of the handle, to an operative position in which it projects away from the handle and can engage a cooperating support 11, for example a hook attached to a wall or shelf, for suspending the iron from the support, preferably with the soleplate substantially vertical or only slightly inclined thereto. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electric irons This invention relates to electric irons, and more especially, though not exclusively, to electric steam irons.

It would be advantageous to be able to support an electric iron out of reach of children after use, and in the base of steam iron in a position such that any water remaining in its reservoir does not continue to trickle into its steam generating chamber and associated ports as could occur if the iron were stored, with the steam valve left open, in its normal operating position, that is to say with its sole-plate downwards.

According to the invention an electric iron incorporates a suspension member movably secured to the handle of the iron, and capable of being displaced from a rest position, in which it lies mainly against a surface of the handle, to an operative position in which it projects away from the handle and can engage with a co-operating support for suspending the iron from the support.

The suspension member may be pivotably secured to the handle of the iron, and in such a case it is conveniently formed from stiff wire, preferably plastics covered, and is in the form of a hoop with its two ends bent inwards to oppose each other and fitted into aligned holes at opposite sides of the handle, the inturned ends of the member being rotatable within the holes to permit the member to be pivoted into and from the rest position.

Such a member may be readily hung over a hook or similar support fixed, for example, to a wall or shelf, and by arranging the support at a suitable height, the iron can be suspended in a safe position out of reach of children, whilst it is still hot after use.

The member is preferably located at the front of the handle so that when freely suspended the iron hangs with its sole-plate inclined at only a few degrees, preferably not more than 200, to the vertical. This is particularly advantageous in the case of a steam iron as in this position the valve controlling the flow of water from the reservoir will normally lie above the level of water remaining, so that the water will be prevented from trickling into the steam generating chamber and its associated ports, as would be the case if the iron were stored in its operating position, and with the steam control valve left open.

However, instead of the iron being allowed to hang freely, the member may be hooped over a hook in a wall with the top surface of the handle facing the wall with the sole-plate again substantially vertical, or only slightly inclined thereto.

In an alternative arrangement the suspension member may be slidably supported by the handle of the iron, so as to be displaceable by sliding movement between the rest and operative positions. In this case the member may also be in the form of a hoop, also conveniently of stiff plastics covered wire, but having two parallel sides accommodated in guide grooves in opposite sides of the handle, and capable of being retracted into the rest position in which the bend of the hoop lies against a surface of the handle, possibly itself within a groove or recess, or extended into the operative position in which the bend of the iron projects from the handle for engagement with a suitable support, which may be in the form of a hook fixed to a wall or shelf.Preferably the suspension member is located at the front of the handle and the guide grooves extend approximately parallel to the sole-plate of the iron, so that in the operative position the member projects forwardly from the iron. Means are conveniently provided for latching the suspension member in at least the rest position, and preferably in both the rest and extended positions.

Two electric steam irons in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying schematic drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 represent a side and a front elevation respectively of one iron, in the operative position of the iron, Figures 3 and 4 show side views of the iron in two different suspended positions, Figures 5 and 6 represent a side view and a perspective view of part of the second iron having an alternative form of suspension member shown in the rest and extended positions respectively, and Figure 7 shows a front view of the same part of the second iron.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 the iron comprises a sole-plate 1 heatable by a sheathed wire electric heating element (not shown) on its upper surface, and surmounted by a cover 2 of chromium plated steel construction, to the top of which is secured a handle assembly 3 of plastics material. The sole-plate 1 also has on its upper surface a steam generator 4 located near the nose of the iron above the base of the generally U-shaped heating element. The front part of the cover 2 and handle assembly 3 accommodate a water reservoir as at 5, and a valve (not shown) controls the flow of water from the reservoir into the generator 4 to be discharged as steam through ports (not shown extending through the sole-plate 1.A lever 6 projecting from the front of the handle assembly 3 controls the operation of the valve to allow water to be fed from the reservoir into a chamber of the steam generator 4 at a slow steady rate for normal steam ironing. A further press-button control 7 at the top of the handle assembly controls the operation of a further valve through which water is fed, on depression of the button, to enable water particles to be sprayed in the direction of the material being ironed, creating a damping effect, for example, when material being ironed has persistent wrinkles which cannot be removed with the normal steam flow.

An electrical flex 8 extends into the rear of the handle assembly through the top so that the iron can be used with equal facility by both right- and left-handed persons.

The iron also has, in accordance with the invention, a suspension member 9, in the form of a hoop of relatively rigid plastics covered wire having inturned ends which project into aligned holes 10 in the front of the handle assembly 3.

This allows the member to be pivoted into a rest position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, when the iron is in use, so that it is out of the way, and does not interfere with the operation of the steaming controls 6, 7.

However, after completion of ironing, the member 9 can be swung away from the handle to permit the iron to be suspended from a cooperating hook or other similar support 11 as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Thus in Figure 3 the iron is shown freely suspended from a hook 11 fixed to the lower surface of a shelf 12, the sole-plate in this position being inclined nose forward at an angle of approximately 100 to 1 50 to the vertical.

In Figure 4 the member 9 is hung on to a hook 1 1 fixed directly to a wall 13 with the handle facing the wall, in which position the sole-plate is again inclined at only a small angle to the vertical.

In both the Figure 3 and Figure 4 positions the valves through which water can be fed from the reservoir lie above the normal level of water in the reservoir so that water is prevented from trickling through into the steam generator during storage of the iron in the event that the normal steaming valve controlled by the lever 6 is left in the open position, as could occur if the iron were stored with its sole-plate downwards, which could lead to the steam passages and ports being blocked by deposits from the water as the latter evaporates.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 7 the iron illustrated in part therein is similar to that described above except that instead of a pivoting suspension member it has a member 19 capable of being slid between the rest and an operative position. The member 19, which is also in the form of a hoop of relatively rigid plastics covered wire has two parallel sides 20 which are accommodated in the rest position of the member as illustrated in Figure 5, in a pair of parallel grooves 21 located one on each side of the front of the handle assembly 3 of the iron. In this position the connecting part of the hoop is recessed within a groove 22 joining the grooves 21 across the front of the handle. The extreme ends of the sides 20 of the member 19 may be turned inwards and in the rest position latch into shallow recesses 23 in the base of the grooves.

However when the iron is no longer in use the member 19 may be slid forward into an extended position as shown in Figure 6 to enable the iron to be suspended from a hook in the manner of the iron shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inturned ends again latching in depressions (not shown) near the forward ends of the grooves 21 and associated with retaining stops for preventing complete withdrawal of the member.

However, although the invention is of particular advantage in the case of steam irons, it is also applicable to dry irons, and the pivoted suspension member may take different forms and have different locations from those described by way of example, depending on the shape of the handle and, in the case of steam irons, on the positions of the controls.

Claims

1. An electric iron incorporating a suspension member movably secured to the handle of the iron, and capable of being displaced from a rest position, in which it lies mainly against a surface of the handle, to an operative position in which it projects away from the handle and can engage with a co-operating support for suspending the iron from the support.

2. An electric iron according to Claim 1 wherein the suspension member is povotably secured to the handle of the iron.

3. An electric iron according to Claim 2 in which the suspension member is formed of stiff wire in the form of a hoop with its two ends bent inwards to oppose each other and fitted into aligned holes at opposite sides of the handle, the inturned ends of the member being rotatable within the holes to permit the member to be pivoted into and from the rest position.

4. An electric iron according to any preceding Claim in which the suspension member is located at the front of the handle so that when freely suspended the iron hangs with its sole-plate inclined at only a few degrees, preferably not more than 200, to the vertical.

5. An electric iron according to Claim 1 wherein the suspension member is slidably supported by the handle of the iron, so as to be displaceable by sliding movement between the rest and operative positions.

6. An electric iron according to Claim 5 wherein the suspension member is formed of stiff wire in the form of a hoop having two parallel sides accommodated in guide grooves in opposite sides of the handle, and capable of being retracted into the rest position in which the bend of the hoop lies against a surface of the handle, or extended into the operative position in which the bend of the iron projects from the handle for engagement with a said support.

7. An electric iron according to Claim 6 wherein the suspension member is located at the front of the handle and the guide grooves extend approximately parallel and the guide grooves extend approximately parallel to the sole-plate of the iron, so that in the operative position the member projects forwardly from the iron.

8. An electric iron according to Claim 6 or 7 wherein, in the rest position of the suspension member the bend of the hoop itself lies within a groove or recess in the handle.

9. An electric iron according to any one of Claims 5 to 8 including means for latching the suspension member in at least the rest position.

10. An electric steam iron which is in accordance with any preceding Claim.

11. An electric steam iron substantially as shown in and as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or to Figures 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.