US2209194A - Ironing device - Google Patents

Description

S. DEUTSCH IRONING DEVICE July 23, 1940.

Filed Feb. 20, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR S. DEUTSCH BY 5 www ATTO RNEY July 23, 1940. s, DEUTSCH 2,209,194

IRONING DEVICE Filed Feb. 20, 1936 4 Sheets-'Sheet 2 www ,31 INVENTOR S..DE'UT5CH B* s www ATTORNEY S. DEUTSCH IRONING DEVICE July 23, 1940.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 20. 1936 le E mlm m @www INVENTOR s. D EUTSC H 5 Mi/mu ATTORNEY S. DEUTSCH IRONING DEVICE July 23, 1940.'

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 20, 1936 INVENTOR S. DEUTSCH BY S M g ATTORNEY WJ 1(55 L16@ Patented July 23, 1,940

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to ironing devices and it has among its objects an improved ironing device enabling fast ironing of fiat work, such as sheets and towels, as well as clothes and similar articles 5 which cannot be ironed or are very difficult to iron with the ordinary mangle ironers and thus, ordinarily, require slow hand ironing.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be best understood from the following description of exemplilications thereof, reference being had to the accompanying 4drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of an ironing device exemplifying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the lifting mechanism of Fig. 1 along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the ironing device in folded upstanding position; o0 Figs. 5 to 8 are detailed cross sectional views o-f the leg brackets of the device; Y

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1 vof a modified ironing device; f 1

Fig. 10 is an elevational View partially in section of the iron and its support when the iron rests on the board;

Fig. 1l is a partially sectional View support in the lifted position; l

Fig. l2 is a top view partially in section iron and its support; A

Fig. 13 'is a detail View of the iron clasp;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. l -illustrating another modification of the device;

Fig. 15 is a partially sectional view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating, a further modiflcatiton of the device; Y 4

16 is a detailed sectional View of the foot lever hinge of Fig. 15;/ y

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of -a further modification of the device; and y y I Fig. i8 is a cross sectional View of the actuating mechanism of the device of Fig. 17 along line l8-l8 of Fig. 17. f

Since in a majority of households the laundry is washed and ironed at home, many efforts have been made in the past to supply Washing and ironing machines to eliminate the drudgery connected with such work. z

The ironing device Aof the present invention enables fast high-quality ironing of all laundry and clothes that required hand ironing in the past as Well as fast ironing of fiat work while relieving the operator of the fatigue and strain incidentA to hand ironing.

In accordance with the invention, a heavy iron,

of the i-ron of the iii having a weight of about l() pounds which would be too heavy for ordinary use, is held by a cantilever arm support in a` lifted oating condition making it easy to move it to any portion of the ironing board and apply it easily to ruflles, collars, -5' cuffs and similar parts of the clothing which ordinarily require hand ironing.' By a special mecha nism, the cantilever arm lifts the iron 01T the board the instant the ironing work on a piece is finished. No manual elfo-rt is needed tolift the iron orto 10 place it on the board while the piece that is being ironed is folded or rearranged on the ironing board. The complete ironing device can be folded up and stored away in a closet like an ordinary ironing board. The cord which supplies 1li` electric current to the iron is kept out of the Way during the ironing operation and the iron does not become ventangled in the cord incident to the ironing, v

In Figs. 1 to 12 is shown one embodimentof the .20 invention. It comprises an ironing board 39` supported by front legs 3l and rear legs 32 attached to the underside of the board by bearings, 33 and 34. As shown in Figs. 4 to 8 the front legs 3l may form parts of a single tubing having a transverse g5 connecting member 36 extending through the bearings 33 and provided with guidepins 31`iitting into longitudinal slots 38 of the bearings to permit transverse shifting of the connecting 'memL ber 36 between transverse slots 39, '40 extending 30 from the opposite ends of the longitudinal slot By-bringing the guide pins 31 into lengagement with the transverse slots 39, the front legs may be tilted in the bearings 33 to the position shown in Fig. l in which the legs support the table in hori- 35 zontal position. To fold the front legs, thefront legs 3| are tilted till the guide pins 3l are aligned with the longitudinal bearing slots 38, whereupon the legs are shifted transversely till the pins 3l engage the transverse slots 40, in'which position 40 the legs may be folded as shown inFig. 4. The front legs 3| may be locked in the'folded position, for instance, by bolts 42 slidably mounted in brackets 43 attached to the bottom of ironing board in the way shown in Fig. 4, so that only 45 upon pushing the bolts to the inward dotted lline position 42, the legs may be unfolded to the' position shown in Fig. l. n

As shown iniFig. 6, the rear leg-bearings, 34 have transverse slots 45 engaged by transverse 50 pins 46 'extending through the connectingY member 41 of the rear legs 32 to permit folding .of the,v legs parallel to the board as shown in Fig. 4, or unfolding the legs to the position where they support the board. in horizontal position as shown in Fig. 1r. 55

carries between prongs 5l a heavy iron 58.

On the underside of the ironing board near the front edge of itsrear end is mounted a lifting mechanism 5| which is attached to the board by a suitable bracket 58.v Y The lifting mechanism hasl a sleeve 52 which serves vasI a rotary support for a downward extension 53 of a horizontally projecting cantilever arm 54 provided with a forearm55 which swings freely on the hinge joint 55 and The rear portion of the.forearm5 5lisxcurved near its hinged junction' and is `shaped and articulated.y to

vanism 5| consists of two channelshaped links,

permit easy swinging of the iron supported at the end of the forearm 55 to any place above 'and adjacent'to the ironingboard. u

lAs shown in detail in Fig. 3, the lifting'nec'h 6| which are movably attached through pins 54 to vertical channel members 65, '65 `extending from the supporting bracket 5|! and from thesup.- vporting sleeve 52, respectively, for guiding the sleeve 52 with 'the cantilever' arm'inva vertical direction. i v

From the supporting sleeve 52-.extends an in- `ward lifting armn68 towhich is joined a down# wardly extendingiod 69 having afoot pedal lll. A tension spring 1| having its upper end 'I2 attached to the underside of the ironing board 3B "and its lower end 13 to'av 'lug'.onthe. foot rod 59 pulls the armand-'the liftingrmechanism' to the upper position shown inFig l and holds the arm and the iron in this lifted position'. The iron may be readily lowered, and placed .with its full Weight lon vthe ironingboardbyapplying to the foot pedal 'lll suitable foot' pressure suiicient'to overcomethe' pressure of the tension springll l .which ten'd'storreturn the liftingy mechanism and 'the iron to the upper position: Forstorin'g, the

I :foot rod 69'with the tension spring may be tilted around the connecting pin 'M tothe .foldedposition as'shown in Fig. 4'. f

To reduce the foot pressure 'required' hold the -pedal y'|l) in ther downward position during ironing, the lifting'mechanism' may? be provided with a toggle arrangement lshown inl Fig. 9. It comprises two toggle links l 15 l connected between the actuating Aarmfandthe underside ``ofthe board 30 and v:a spring'gll'which'urges the links tok the-broken positiohnivv Once the' "foot pedal 10 has ,been brought`byfoot pressure to' the'downf ward position shownin Fig. 9, the two f'to'ggle'link's are Ain alignment and inY this positionform a'subf stantially straightlrod which opposesfthe vforce of the spring tending to lift the. iro'n, andthus 'assist in holdingthelifting mechanisml and iron in the downward positionf Llowever, since'the two aligned toggle links 15 "are in unstable equi#y librium, theyremain aligned onlyfas-long as they are assisted bya small foot' pressure in remaining l vns -bracket18 areheld at a distancejfrom'the hot body of the iron by iai, spacer s'leevel surroundf ging a bolt which connects the bracket to the iron body. ,',Ihus theY handle aswellnas the bracket 'are at lalll times maintained at va 'comfortable iron.

low temperature notwithstanding the high temperature of the large iron body.

The sleeve 'I9 is provided with a protuding ball member 8|! which is engaged by an inner socket surface of a supporting collar 8| fitting into the annular opening between the end prongs 5l of the supporting forearm 55, the collar socket bel ing locked in place by a wing screw 82 as shown in Fig. 12. The cooperating surfaces of the ball` member 8|] and-the collar l8| are so shaped that 0n raising the yarm 55 to lift the iron, the bottom surface of the ironiis automatically brought to horizontal position in ,which its entire body is l heldat a distance from the work lying on the ironing board. As shown Ain Figs. 10 and 11, subvstantial clearances are provided between the cooperating surfaces of the supporting ball 80 and the collar 8| to permit4 tilting of the iron while it Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 13, one of the prongs 51 may be provided with a link 83 for closing the opening between the prongs and locking" the iro'n in place,the link` beingheld in locked position by a spring pressed latch 84` permitting ready opening of the vlink and removal ofthe The ball member support '88. of the iron serves also as an" automatic signalling device for indi' Aeating to the operator that thev `full weight of the iron rests on the-ironing`board,`thus 'giving him a positive indication that thev ironislin the position' requiredY for efficient ironing. This sig-v nalling action is obtainedA through the motion of the ball member'U-fro'm the position in which itis hidden within the collar socket of' the support as shown in Fig. 11 to the position'where is prtrudes above the collar when the iron ."rests on the Vironing board as shown in Fig. 10. While the iron is'in the lifted position'shown in Fig. ll,

vthe ball member 8l) is hidden-from the view of Athe operator, butjthe instant the supporting arm 55 lowersthe iron and brings it on the board,

the downward;motionV of the! arm brings the col` lar with the socket-below'-the upper level of the ball member 8|), exposing it to the view of the` operator, yand thus signals to the operator thatv the viron is in-*its efcient operating position for ironv ing. To increase the signallingxaction ofthe ball support, the exterior ballsurface may be made Yof a distinctive color, for instance, red.

The special shape and other yfeatures of'convstructionof the largeironlwhich make it suitable for doing special ironing work at a rapid rate are shown in Figs. l0 and 12."l The pointed nose of the'iron `body and its side edges are beveled -under 'an angle of about 45 andjhave'a suflicient lreach for entering under buttons, folds, sleeves,

collars and similar parts of thearticles that are 86' extending rthrough a -bracket pfockr-at 8l and a conduit 88 to the heating elements and the automatic temperature control embedded` in the main 'iron body58.V4 Theheating currentk is supplied to the terminals of the socket 88'by means of a cord plug 89 connected to the end of a flexible cord 9| which is led through the interior of the hollow forearm 55 and main supporting arm 52 to a suitable wall plug. By mounting the terminal socket high above the hot iron body, the contact members of the socket and the plug are maintained at a relatively low temperature and are protected against the quick deterioration lto which the high temperature of the iron body subjects the contact terminals and lead connections of ordinary irons. By housing the long cord9| leading from the cord plug in the interior of the freely swinging cantilever arm, the cord is not dragged over the board, entanglement of the iron in the cord is eliminated, and the burning of the cord due to accidental contact with the hot iron body is prevented. l

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the supporting bracket 65 which supports the lifting mechanism is mounted at an angle against the longitudinal direction of the ironing board and the lifting arm extends in the same angular direction. Since the vertical forces which act on the supporting mechanism are at a maximum when the articulated supporting arms 54 and 58 are stretched to support the iron over` the front end of the board, this angular mounting of the support secures an effective balance between the forces acting on the support, and reduces to a minimum the friction and wear of the pins and journaling surfaces which guide the motion of the various elements of the device.

By mounting the lifting mechanism with the sleeve 52 near the front edge of `the board, the articulated members of the cantilever support do not have to move far out of the range of the ironing board in order to permit movement of the iron to any place within the range of the board.

To use the ironer, the operator may sit down on a chair in front of the board, the pointed end of the board being to the left of the operator and the jointed arm to the right. The iron may then be brought down on the work by pressing with the foot on the foot pedal 10. This brings the weight of the iron on the work and by grasping the handle it may be moved over the work without any effort. No exertion has to be exercised in lifting or tilting it to any point. All that is necessary is to relieve the pressure on the'foot pedal to bring it partially or entirely up above the work. During the ironing with the foot pedal held down, the weight of the iron rests on the work. The supporting collar` below the handle bracket automatically drop-s down when the weight of the iron rests on the board, thus signalling to the operator that the iron is in its effective operating position. The ironing handle is high above the iron and remains cool while used, although the iron develops much more heat than an ordinary iron. By swinging the iron to the side, the entire board is clear for placing new work on the board andit is not necessary to lift the iron to get it out of the way. Since the iron has a large base, 5 inches wide and 81/2 inches long, the ironing 'may be done very fast. Should the operator suddenly leave the board, the iron is automatically lifted from the Work, and the damage of burning any articles that are ironed is eliminated.

After the ironing work is finished, the legs and the foot rod may be folded against the board and the entire device stored in a closet. To unfold the device for use, it is placed upright, as shown InFig. 4, with the weight. resting on 'the front legs'. The rear legs are then unfolded and the device can be rested on the rear legs While the front legs are being unfolded. This is done by swinging the front legs back until they strike the stop in the way shown in Fig, 8 whereupon the legs are shifted sideways in the position shown in Fig. '7 and then swung forward to the position shown in Fig. 5. The foot lever which is held by the spring against the board' is then pulled down and the device is ready for ironing.

In Fig. 14 is shown an ironing device having a modified form of lifting mechanism. As in Fig. l,

the mechanism has a supporting sleeve |00 which is jointed to a supporting bracket |0| by links |02, |03. One of thelinks is provided with a lever arm extension |04 which is pressed by a compression spring |05 to hold the sleeve |00 in the upper position shown in Fig. 14 in which the cantilever arm l0 supports the iron in lifted position'above the ironing board. A cord leading from the end of the lever |04 and over a roller ||2 on the underside of the board to a stirrup ||3 controls the movement of the sleeve. By applying downward foot pressure to the stirrup H3, the cord pulls the lever |04 against the force of the spring |05 to the position indicated by the dotted'line ||4 in which thecantilever arm |0 lowers the iron and'places its weight on the board. If the pressure on the stirrup I I3 is released, the compression spring |05 forces the lever |04 to its downward position shown in Fig. 14 lifting the iron from the board.

This device has no foot lever, andthe cord with the stirrup may be placed at any place convenient to the operator. The cantilever arm l0 with the enclosed cord ||5 may be removed from the sleeve to facilitate the storing of the board. v

In Fig. 15 is shown another modification of the invention inwhich the jointed cantilever arm which supports the iron has a downwardly extending tubular extension |2| rotatably fitting into a socket sleeve |22 attached by a bracket |23 to the underside of the ironing boardll. The

tubular extension |2| is provided with a supporting ridge |25 fltting into the interior of the sleeve |22 and is pressed upwardly by a helical compression spring |26 located within rthe sleeve. Normally the tubular extension |2| and the iron carried by arm |20 are in lifted position,` the upward movement of the arm extension |2| being limited by a collar |21 attached to the upper end of the sleeve |22. 'Ihrough` the hollow interior ofthe tubular arm extension |2| extends a rotatably mounted pull rod |29 which can be ro` tated within the sleeve to; bring its foot lever |29 within the reach of the operator standing or sitfication of the inventionin which the lifting mechcanisrn similar to that shown in Fig. 14 is actuated Aby a small electromagnet constituting a part of the actuating mechanism for' lowering the iron. The mechanism comprises a support- `ing bracket |40 which carries on a channel member |4| two links |42, |43 by means of which the supporting sleeve |44 inwhich thel extension |45 of the freely swingingV cantilever arm |46 with itshnged forearm |41 are seated-to permit lift-'+1 ing and lowering of the iron.v To move the lever |42 vtojits downward vposition 'indicated bythe dotted line |49, 'there is providedfa solenoid magnet |50 having a stationary -core |5l attached,v to the bracket and a movable plunger' |52xactuated by `an exciting winding |53. The lower end of the plunger |52 hasa pin` |55 engaging slots |56jof a lever |51 extending from the linkv |42so that upon energizing the exciting coil |53 ofthe magnet the plunger |52 andfth'e lever v|41 Vare' pulled to the upwardl dotted. line position, thereby low- I erin'g the supporting arm |46 and placing the weight of-the ironfon lthe board -as in the-prior devices. i f I -Inorder toy keep the supporting arm |46 Vand the iron in the raisedpositiomthe lever-|51 is provided with lateral'extensions' |60 and two/comv,pression springs |62 mounted between the'lever its lowermost position 'shown in Fig.117, the

magnet force acting on the plunger will be sufe flcient 'to'pullthe plunger |52 towarduthe `sta'- tionary corer|5| against the action of thecompression springs |62 until the sleeve |44withthe iron arm'v |46 are lowered placing the'weightI of the iron on 4the vironing board. As the'plunger travels toward the core" |5|,themagnetic 'force increases and Yreaches vavalue requiredA tokeep the lever `in its upward' dotted line position against the full opposing force of the compression spring |62." Since the magnetic gap is at a' minimum in the upper "position of tl'i'efplungerv |52, `a relatively small electromagnet is able to supply the entire force required to overcome the counteracting force of the spring,"which is not'opposed by the weight of the iron when the iron rests on the board.l VI

AThe magnet winding |53 may be energized from the main supply cord that delivers current for heating the' iron by a branch cord |1| having a .control branch |12 leading 'to' a foot? actuated contact switch |13 for energizing the magnet lcir'- cuit only aslong as the foot rests on the switch button |13. On 'placing the foot on the switch button |13, lthe iron 4is lowered toits operative ironing position, and the instant the contact button |13 is released the iron'is lifted toits floating position above the board. The compression springs |6 with the associated operating elements constitute-a compact unit supported on the bracket v|40 and may bev enclosed in a casing |80. The unitmay be mountedon the underside of the ironing board or mayibe independently'supported on a separate pedestal,

`such as a tripod, having a supporting member |8| to which the casing |80 with the'V lifting mechanism may be clamped by wing screwsA |82, and folding legs |83, |'84suitably' joined tothe supporting member t`o hold the 'lifting mechanism 'with the supportingjarmf |46 4adjacentlthe iron;

Aand'forth' from thev work. The operator is` relieved of'gthe;worksoflifting-the'iron and bringing it from-one part of the board to another for placn ing new-,work o n the board. Since the operator sits] while ironing, hecan accomplish much work in avery efcient way. The iron may be readily tilted v.to ;iron-;lacework, folds, andV to perform special operations without imposing a strain on theoperator. -Throughoutfthe operation the iron handle is Acool; and troubles with the cord are eliminated. By keeping'the plugsocket at a dis,- tance :from the hot iron, the plug terminals and lead connections arejfmantained at a low temperature, reducing the vresistance and the heating of ,the contacts and preventing'their deterioration.v The special shape of the iron with its beveled'edges make it possible to bring the iron under buttonsand the long nose of the iron gets easily under sleeves, collars and similarplaces which are hard to reach. The large surface of the iron makespossibleironing with fewer strokes andkeliminates` ridges andmarks occurring with smaller irons. v 1 v The principles of invention-disclosed herein will suggest-many modifications thereof yto those skilled in the art, and it isaccordingly desired that the appended-claims be given a broadconstruction commensuratewith the scope ofthe invention. r f

I claim;

1. Injhan ironing device for ironing articles on an` elevated oblong v ironing board .having a corner portion at oney end, an iron, pivotal supporting means including lifting meansfor lifting said supporting means carried/by said board adjacent the cornerportion of said board on the underside thereof, a cantilever arm extending from said supporting means having a free end carry- Ving :said iron above the level of said board, and foot-actuated operating means A`carried. -on the underside of said board for actuating said lifting vmeans, to lower saidv iron to the level ,K ofv saidv board upon actuation of said operating means and for lifting said f'iron above the level ofsaid board upon releasing said operating means, said cantilever -arm consisting of a plurality of larf` ticulatedfhollow tubular, members shaped and proportioned to permitfree continuous'move-k ment of said iron overthe area `of said board including theregion overlapping thecircumference of said board while resting on the board and folding of said arms substantially within the area of said board adjacent the level of. the board.

.. 2. vIn an ironing device for ironing articles on an elevated oblong ironing board having a corner portion at one end, an iron, supporting means including lifting means for lifting said supporting means carried by said board adjacent the corner ,portion of said boarden-.the underside thereof,

a cantilever arm formed of two articulated hollow tubular,v arm sections pivotally carried by lsaid supporting means and having a'free end carrying said iron above the level of said board, and foot-actuated operating means carried by the underside of said'board for actuating said lifting means to lower said iron to the level of said boardupon actuation of said -operating means fand for lifting said iron above the level of said board upon releasing said operating means, one of said hollow arm sections having a curved portion shapedr and proportioned to permit free continuous movement of said iron over the area of said board and the z' regionV overlapping the entire circumference of said board except the l support corner of said board while resting on the .board andin a higherlevel abo-ve the board and folding of said arms substantially within the area of said board adjacent to the level of said board.

3. In an ironing device for ironing articles on an elevated oblong ironing board having a corner portion at one end and foldable supporting legs, an iron, a pivotal support including lifting means for lifting said support carried on the underside of said board secured to the corner portion of said board, a cantilever arm formed of two articulated hollow tubular arm sections pivotally carried by said supporting means and having a free end carrying said iron above the level of said board, and operating means carried by said board on the underside thereof for actuating said lifting means to lower said iron to the level of said board upon actuation of said operating means and for lifting said iron above the level of said board upon releasing said operating means, said supporting means, said operating means and said cantilever arm sections being shaped, proportioned and correlated to said board and its legs to permit free movement of said iron over the area o-f said board while resting on the board and in a higher level above the board and folding of said arms within the area of said board adjacent the level of said board while said legs are folded against said board for enabling the storing of said board and the elements carried by it in a fraction of the space occupied by the board and its unfolded legs.

4. In an ironing device for ironing articles on an ironing board, an iron, a pivotal support carried by said board at one side of said board,

a cantilever arm formed of two articulated hollow tubular arm sections pivotally carried by said support and having a free end carrying said iron above the level of said board, and electrically actuated operating means carried by said board for lowering said support to a level at which the weight of said iron is carried by said board upon energizing said operating means and for lifting said iron above the level of said board upon deenergizing said operating means, said cantilever arm sections being shaped and proportioned to permit free movement of said iron over the area of said board while resting on the board and in a higher level above the board and folding said arm sections substantially within the area of said board.

5. In an ironing device for ironing articles on a work support, an iron, guide means for loosely carrying and guiding said iron over the work support above the level of said work support, foot actuated operating means for actuating said guide means to lower said iron to a level at which the weight of the iron is released to rest on said work support, and indicating means associated with said iron and said guide means actuated by the motion of said iron relatively to said guide means upon releasing of said iron when the entire weight of the iron is carried by said work support for visually indicating that the weight of said iron rests on said work support and controlling the force applied to said guide means.

SIMON DEUTSCH.

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