US2147085A

US2147085A - Cordless electric iron

Info

Publication number: US2147085A
Application number: US57658A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert E Brannon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-01-06
Filing date: 1936-01-06
Publication date: 1939-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1956-02-14

Description

Feb. 14, 1939. H, E, BRANNON CORDLESS ELECTRIC IRON n Filed Jan. 6, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet lv INVENTOR. Herbef E. Bran/yon H/s ATTORNEY.

Feb. 14, 1939. H, E. BRANNoN 2,147,085

.CORDLESS ELECTRIC IRON Filed Jan. 6, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ma AHORNE Feb. 14, 1939. HA E BRANNON' 2,147,085

CORDLES S ELECTRIC IRON Filed Jan. 6, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 f N V EN TOR /ferer Z BT41774707?- ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITEDA vSTATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to cordless electric irons cf the vtype wherein the iron proper contains an electrical heating element which is brought into engagement with an electrical circuit only 5 when the iron is mounted upon a cooperating stand. Specically the invention relates to the provision in a cordless electric iron of novel switch means for the electrical circuit whereby the circuit is closed except when the iron is in position on its stand, provision of a thermostatic switch in the stand for controlling the temperature of the iron, and the provision of a novel handle for such an iron which is adapted to minimize the transmission of heat from the iron proper to the handle and which is adapted to be adjusted at any desired pitch with respect y to the base of the iron whereby to accommodate the position of the handle to the convenience of the operator.

The various other novel and advantageous features of the present invention will be understood upon reading the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure I is a side view in elevation of the iron shown in position upon the stand with certain cf the interior parts of the stand shown in dotted lines;

Figure II is a longitudinal sectional view through the iron;

Figure III is a bottom plan view of the tray constituting the top wall of the stand;

` Figure IV is a bottom plan view of the iron;

Figure V is a top plan view of the tray shown in Figure III;

Figure VI is an end view of the handle forming a part of the iron shown in Figures I and l1;

Figure VII is an enlarged sectional View taken on substantially the line VII-VH of Figure III;

Figure VIII is a sectional view showing the relation of the thermostat adjusting screw to the base of the stand;

Figure IX is a sectional view showing the manner in which the tray forming the top wall of the stand is secured to the base of the stand;

Figure X is a side view partly in section and partly in elevation of a modified form of iron and stand;

Figure XI is a top plan view of the assembly shown in Figure X;

Figure XII is a sectional View taken on substantially the line XII-fXII of Figure X; and

Figure XIII is a side view in elevation of one unit of the handle support.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

the invention is shown as embodied in an iron having contained therein an electrical heating element, a stand for the iron, and an electrical circuit for the heating element of the iron which includes a thermostatic switch and a manually operated switch located in the stand. The manually operated switch is normally held in an open position and the thermostatic switch is normally held in a closed position. The manually operated switch is actuated to close the electrical circuit when the iron is installed upon the stand and to open the circuit when the iron is removed from the stand. The thermostatic switch is also actuated by the iron when it is on the stand. This switch is adapted to open the electrical circuit when the temperature of the iron reaches a predetermined maximum. Of course, the thermostatic switch returns to its closed position as soon as the temperature falls below such predetermined maximum, as when the iron is removed from the stand.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. I to IX inclusive. As there shown, it comprises an iron I, a stand 2, including a tcp plate in the form of a tray 3, adapted to receive the iron I. The details of construction of the iron are shown in Fig. Il. It includes a soie plate 4, upon which is mounted a conventional form of electrical heating element 5, held against the sole plate 4 by a clip 6, which is in turn secured in position by a screw I threaded into the sole plate 4. A pressure plate 8 is mounted on top of the heating element 5. An outer shell 9 encloses the heating element 5 and pressure plate 8. It is secured in position by means of a screw I having a threaded engagement with the sole plate 4. The space between the pressure plate 8 and the shell 9 is filled with any conventional form of insulating material II.

A hand grip or handle I2 is mounted above the shell 9 by means of substantially vertical supports I3 and I4. These supports are secured to the shell 9 by screws I5. At their upper extremities supports I3 and I4 are provided with openings for the reception of an elongated bolt IG. Likewise, the hand grip I2 is provided with a longitudinal opening for the reception of the bolt I6. The grip is secured upon the supports I3 and I4 by placing the longitudinal opening therein in alignment with the openings In. order to permit the adjustment of hand grip I2 ,to accommodate its position to the convenience of the operator, the support I9, at the rear of the iron, is made adjustable whereby the length of the same may be increased or decreased. In this manner the pitch of the handle I2 with respect to the base of the iron may be varied as desired. As herein shown, this adjustment may be effected by forming the support I4 in two parts having overlapping end portions. 'I'hese end portions are provided with a plurality of openings which may be brought into registry by moving the handle l2 toward or away from the base of the iron. When the handle has been arranged in the desired position with respect to the base of the iron, it is locked in that position by means of the adjusting screw and nut I8, the screw extending through the registering openings. J

'Ihe heating element 5 in iron I is adapted to be energized by an electrical current from any suitable source. To that end the element 5 is operatively connected as indicated at I9 to a pair of contacts 2li and 2i countersunk in the base of the sole plate d. These contacts are adapted to engage

cooperating contacts

22 and 23 projecting above the upper surface of the tray 3 forming a part of the stand 2. Electrical current is supplied to

contacts

22 and 23 through a cord 24 associated with a source of current not shown. The cord 22 extends intostand 2 through an opening 25 provided in the side wall thereof. The cord' 2d includes positive and negative wires 26 and 2l to make up a conventional electrical circuit. These wires are connected to the

contacts

22 and 23 through a manually operated switch indicated generally at 28 and a thermostatic switch indicated generally at 29.

Switch 28 includes a pair of stationary contact points 30 and 30' and a pair of movable contacts 3| and 32. The

stationary contacts

30 and 30 are mounted upon a depending support 33 secured to the bottom of tray 43. The central portion of this support 33 cooperates with a second dependent support 2d to slidably receive an operating rod 35 for switch 28.

The movable contact points 3l and 32 are mounted upon a support 38, which is'itself slidably mounted upon the rod 35. The support 36 and the contacts 3l and 32 are normally held in spaced relation to the corresponding contact points 30 and 39' by means of a spring 37 positioned betweenhsupports 33 and 36. Contacts 3l and 32 are adapted -to'be brought into resilient engagement with contacts 30 and 30' by moving the rod 35 to the right in FiguIII. For the purpose of resilientlypressing contacts 3l and 32 against contacts 3B and 39', the rod 35 is provided at its free end with a lock washer or similar device 37. Between the washer 37 and the movable support 36 there is provided a coil spring 38. Thus, when the rod 35 is moved to the right the contacts 3l and 32 are caused to resiliently engage contacts 39 and 30'.

l At its extremity adjacent the support 3Q, rod 35 is provided with a-vertically extending arm 39 which projects upwardly through an opening 30 in tray 3. When the switch 28 is in its open position as shown in Figure III, the arm 39 assumes the position shown in Figure V. This position is such that the iron I cannot be seated upon the tray without introducing it in a longitudinal direction so as to move the arm 39 to the right (Figure V) to an extent suclent to bring the contact points 3l and 22 into engagement with contact points 38 and 39. The position of arm 39 and switch 28 when the iron is properly installed on the stand 2 is shown in Figure I. As there shown the-switch 28 is in its closed position.

When the iron l is removed from the stand, coil spring 31 causes switch 28 to open.

Wires 26 and 2l forming part of cord 2li are connected to the stationary contact points 29 and 30 as shown in Figure III. As also shown in Figure III there is interposed inthe electrical circuit between the movable contact points 3l and 32 of switch 28 and the bases lll and l2 of contact points 22 and 23 the thermostatic switch 29. Movable contact point 3l is directly connected to the base lll of the exposed contact point 22 by the wire 43, the thermostat 29 being connected to movable contact 32 by the wire 44 and to the base i2 of exposed contact 22 by the wire d5.

, Thermostatic switch 29 consists of a pair of terminals d6 and l'l to which wires il and 45 are connected. Between these terminals is positioned a switch bar d8 .pivoted rto terminal 41 and provided with acontact at itsy opposite extremity normally engaging terminal 66. Intermediate the extremities of bar d8, the thermostat is provided with a fulcrum 9. Pressure upon the outer surface of i8 between the terminal 2 and fulcrum 89 breaks the contact between bar i8 and terminal 36. For the purpose of so breaking the contact between bar d8 and terminal d8, when the temperature of the iron reaches a predetermined maximum, the thermostat includes a bimetallic element 58 secured to the thermostat base as indicated at 5I. element 50 is arranged to contact the outer surface of bar 68 between the terminal lll and fulcrum 59. Element 5l) is formed so that the free end thereof will move to the right (Figure III) when it is heated to a predetermined maximum. When it thus moves to the right it presses upon bar 138, breaking the contact between bar ri and the terminal d5.

The thermostat element 58 is exposed to the heat of the sole plate il of iron i by means of an opening 5U formed in tray 3. Thus when the iron I is in position uponthe stand 2 and attains a predetermined maximum heat, the thermostatic switch 29 is actuated to open the electrical circuit supplying current to the heating element in the Sil4 The free extremity of iron.

If desired the thermostatic switch 29 may be made adjustable whereby to vary the temperature at which it will be actuated to open the electric circuit by providing means for preloading the thermostatic element 5I. Such means is shown in Figures I and VIII and consists of an operating rod 52 threaded into an opening provided for that purpose in the base portion of stand 2. The rod 52 is provided with an operating knob 53. Y

The manner in which the tray 3 of stand 2 is secured in position is illustrated in Figure IX. As there shown the tray is provided with depending bosses 52 on its lower surface threaded to receive screws 55 which are introduced therein from the bottom of the stand V2.

The manner in which the exposed

contacts

22 and 23 on the surface of tray 3 are insulated from the tray is shown in Figure VII. As there shown a pair of insulating washersv 55 are arranged above and below the surface of tray 3 with the contact point 22 extending through the tray either in spaced relation to the opening therein or surrounded by any suitable insulating medium. l

. The operation of the device thus far described is as follows:

The electrical cord 2| is connected with any suitable electrical outlet. 'I'he iron I is then placedupon the tray 3 of stand 2 pressing the switch arm 39 to the right (Figures I and III) and thereby closing the circuit through switch 28. Thermostatic switch 29 is normally closed. Consequently,whentheiron I is mounted on the stand 2 as just described, electric current is Supplied to the heating element 5 of the iron through the cooperating contacts 20 and 2l in the iron and 22 and 23 in the stand 2. The supply of current to heating element 5 is continued so long as the iron remains on the stand, until the iron reaches a predetermined maximum temperature. At such predetermined maximum temperature thermostatic switch 29 is actuated to open the electrical ,circuit and cut oiI the current to heating element 5. When the temperature of the iron becomes less than such predetermined maximum, or when the iron is removed from the stand and the thermostatic switch is no longer subject to the iron temperature, the thermostatic switch 29 returns to its closed position. However, ii' this result is produced by removing the iron from the stand, the manually operated switch 28 is immediately opened by the removal of the iron.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be noted that one of the principal objections to cordless electric irons, namely, exposed contact points, has been eliminated. Exposed contact points are not objectionable, provided there is no current being supplied to them when they are exposed. Current is supplied to the exposed contact points 22 and 23 in the stand 2 only when the manual switch 29 is closed as by moving the operating arm 39 to the right. (Figure III.) .The possibility of moving operating arm 39 in such man- -ner as to close switch 28 inadvertently is extremely remote. Consequently, the exposed contact points- 22 and 23 present no objectionable hazard, as they are/ supplied with current only when the switch 29 is closed intentionally as by placing the iron upon the stand.

'I'he modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures X to XIII inclusive differs from the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures I to IX inclusive only in certain of its constructional details. For example, in this modied embodiment of the invention, a thermo? stat 51 for controlling the temperature of the iron is shown as located in the sole plate, 4' oi.' the iron l'. In this modified form of the invention the heating element is shown at 5', a pressure plate at 8' and an outer shell at 3'.

The iron I is mounted upon a stand 2' having a tray 3. The stand 2 is provided with the manual switch at 28 operated through the rod 35' and operating arm 39'.

Except as specifically mentioned, the electrical hook-up and the details of construction in the modified embodiment are the same as in the preferred. Consequently these details are not shown in Figures X to XIII. As shown in Figures X to XIII inclusive, the hand grip and the method of mounting the same is substantially diterent than. that shown in -Figures I and II. As herein shown the opposite extremities o! the hand when the iron is on the stand.

grip I2' are connected to the shell 9' of theiron by means oi a plurality of separated vertical supporting elements I3' and Il'. These supporting elements consist of relatively thin strips of metal spaced as indicated in FiguresXI and XII to permit the free passage of air therebetween. In this manner the transfer of heat from the iron to the hand grip I2 is effectively minimized and substantially eliminated. The manner in which these elements are attached to the hand grip I2 and shell 9' is clearly illustrated in Figures XI, XII and XIII, the attachmentto the shell 9 being by means of ears I4" which are inserted into openings provided for that purpose in the shell 9' and then flanged to secure the connecting elements to the shell.

While only a preferred and modified embodiment of theinvention have been shown and described somewhat in detail, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to such details, but is co-extensive with the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cordless electric iron comprising an iron, a stand for the iron, and anelectrical circuit, the stand including a removable top plate having secured to the under surface thereof a portion of the electrical circuit including a thermostatic switch and a manually operable switch, the said top plate being provided with an opening adjacent the thermostatic switch whereby to expose the same to the heat of the iron when the iron is on the stand, the manually operable switch including an operating lever projecting through the top plate for engagement with the iron when it is positioned on the stand.

2. In combination, an iron, an electrical heating element contained Within the iron, an elec'- trical contact on the iron connected to the heating element, a stand for the iron having an upwardly and outwardly inclined flange at one edge thereof, an electrical contact on the stand connected to an electrical circuit including a switch mechanism located wholly within the stand, means for operating the switch including an arm projecting upwardly from the stand at a point remote from the flange and adapted to be moved horizontally byy an edge of the iron, said electrical contacts arranged for engagement with each other when the iron is on the stand.

3. A. cordless electric iron comprising an iron, a stand for the iron, the stand including a top plate, and an electrical circuit, a portion oi' the electrical circuit including a thermostatic switch and a manually operable switch located wholly within said stand beneath said top plate, the

said top plate being provided with an opening adjacent the thermostatic switch whereby to expose the same to the heat of the iron when the iron is on the stand, the manually operable switch including an operating lever projecting through the top plate for engagement with the iron when it is positioned on the stand.

4. A cordless electric iron comprising an iron, l

a stand for the iron, the stand including a top plate, and an electrical circuit, a portion of the electrical circuit including a thermostatic switch located wholly within the stand beneath said top plate, the said top plate being provided with an opening adjacent the thermostatic switch whereby to expose the same to the heat of the iron maaar n. BRANNoN.