US1407430A - Electric iron fitted with a current indicator - Google Patents

Description

G. H. I OFTS.

ELECTRIC IRON FITTED WITH A CURRENT INDICATOR.

APPLICATION HLED sEPT.2|,192o.

1,407,430. Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

siding at care of UNITED srATEs "PATENT oFF-Ice.

`GEORGE LOFTS, 0F HOBART, TASMANIL A'STR'ALIA.

ELECTRIC IRON FITTED 'WITH 'A CURREN T INDICATOR.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 21, 1922,

Application led September 21, 1920. Serial No. 411,867.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known-that I, GEORGE HARRY Lor'rs, a subject of the Kin ydro-Electric Department, Elizabeth Street, Hobart, in the State of Tasmania,.Commonwealth of Australia, electrical engineer, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Electric Irons Fitted with Current Indicators, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric irons that are fitted with means for indicating when the power is on and current is {iowing through the iron to heat same, and has for its object to provide va device whereby, when lthe iron is actually in use, the indicating means, such as a' buzzer or a, lamp, shall be cut out of operation, but as soon as the handle of the iron is released, the indicator will continue to warn the user if the power remains on the iron.

According to my invention, l' employ the iron handle supporting frame, which is mounted at one end on a cushion spring, to depress a plate which plate, when depressed, becomes in series circuit with the heating element and in parallel with the buzzer.

' Means vare provided for limiting the throw ot the handle frame upon its cushion spring in order to avoid damage to the interior mechanisms through over pressure,

dln the accompanying drawings `itligure 1 is a side elevation of an electri iron, part of the cover being removed to show the handle mountings and part of the short circuiting mechanism.

Figure 2 sho-ws in. planview part of the handleframe, buzzer and short circuiting means.

' Figure 3 is a detail -of the handle frame cushion and means for limiting its throw.

Figure 4 illustrates in end sectional eleva-l tion the short circuiting means.

' short circuiting plate, while Figure 7 is a wiring diagram.

yThe handle frame 8 is secured in the iron casing by the bolts 9 andis cut at 10. The other end of the handle frame is cushioned upon the spring 11 that surrounds a bolt 9. Between the bolt and the spring is a sleeve 12 that is slightly shortened to. provide a space between the frame 8 and the top of of Great Britain, re-

Figure 5 'sthe samev in side elevation,

the sleeve for the purpose of limiting the vertical movement of the frame on the bolt.

Thecut 10 will impart flexibility to the frame 8 that will be more or less pressed upon the spring 11 while the handle 'is gripped andthe iron is in use, and in order to reinforce the frame a flat steel spring 13 isrriveted thereto and extends rearwardly to mount a goose necked plate 14 in the end of which is 'an adjustment screw 15.

An insulating plate 16 is situated below the screw and mounts a springy plate 17, hereinafter called the cut out plate, and a platinum pointed contact 18 respectively connected to the heating element circuit and also with the buzzer coil 19. The latter is in series with the heating element and in parallel with the cut out plate 17 when in contact with 18. The plate is covered below the screw 15 with preferably acopper sheath 20 insulated from 17 by mica plates 21. The

and screw 15 which, on impinging upon the cut out plate 17 will depress it into contact with 18., This will bring the plate 17 into series with the heating element and'in parallel with. the buzzer 19. The closing of the plate 17 causes the buzzer ,current to be short circuited through 17, thereby cutting out the operation of the buzzer or other indicator. rlhisy only takes place while the iron is in use but on discontinuing such use the mechanisms will return to normal and the buzzer will be brought into seriesI again to warn the user that the power is still on the iron and the warning sound will continue until the 'current is switched oil'.

The buzzer will remain in series with the heating element but owing to the relatively low resistance of the member 17, whilst a little current will still pass through the buzzer coil, the major portion will choose the easier path through 17 and the buzzer will remain p silent- Having now described my invention, what I' claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 1. In an electric iron of the kind indicated,

under one end ofthe same and a springy cut-out plate that is brought into series in circuit with the heating element and in parallel with a warning buzzer when the handle is canted.

2. In an electric iron of the kind indicated, a lieXible handle frame to the iron, a cushion under one end of same with means for limiting the vertical movement of the frame on its support, a springy cut-out plate and means for communicating the movements of the handle to the springy plate to short circuit a buzzer or other warning device that is I normally in series with the heating element.

3. In an electric iron having a powers on warning means, a flexible handle Jframe to the iron, a supporting bolt at one end of the frame, a cushion spring between the handle frame andthe iron casing and a sleeve about the bolt between it and the spring that is slightly shorter than the spring.

4. In an electric iron of the kind indicated, a handle frame to the iron that is cut transversely, a reinforcing llat steel spring, a

cushion spring under one end of the frame and a cut-out plate said llat spring mounting contact means that as the handle is canted depresses the cut-out plate causing the same to short circuit a buzzer or indicating lamp.

5. In an electric iron of the kind indicated, in combination, a flexible handle frame, a flat steel spring riveted thereto, a goose neck on the spring, a set screw on the goose neck, a springy cut-out plate on insulating means, a contact point on the same, which plate is brought to contact with the point. when the handle is canted, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an electric iron having a powers on warning means, in combination, a buzzer in the iron in series with the heating element, a flexible handle frame to the iron, a flat steel spring riveted thereto, a goose neck on the spring and a set screw on the neck, a springy cut-out plate on insulating means and a point thereon to which the plate can bedepressed when the handle is canted to bring' the plate into series with the heating element and in parallel with the buzzer to short circuit the same, as herein described.

In witness whereof I aiix mgsilgnature. GEORGE HARR OFTS.

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