US2303860A - Ironing element - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 1, 1942e A. J. PATCH IRONING ELEMENT Filed Nov. 29, 1938 :IEE-l IN VEN TOR.

I www l ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1942 Unirse stares 'entrent orrics IRONING ELEMENT Allen J. Patch, Ripon, Wis.V

Application November 29, 1938, Serial No. 243,015

l1 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ironing elements, and particularly to an ironing shoe primarily intended and adapted for use on and in conjunction with an ironing machine, such as a, laundry or household ironing machine, a pressing machine or the like, for ironing, pressing, steaming and other operations upon or in connection with clothing, fabrics, or other materials to be ironed, pressed, steamed and the like.

- An object of my invention is to provide a shoe which is adapted to be heated, when in use, and which is so constructed that the ironing face is substantially evenly heated over all ironing contact portions thereof and the heat is not conducted or dissipated from the ironing portion, to thus give a maximum eciency with a minimum supply of heat from a heating element or other source from which heat is supplied to the ironing shoe.

Another object is to provide an internally heated shoe so constructed and mounted and held that substantially the only portion exposed is theactual ironing surface, and that all other portions of the ironing shoe are protected and housed and insulated to guard against and prevent loss of heat through radiation or conduction, or through any other cause, to cool spots or portions of the ironing shoe or toreduce the temperature of the entire shoe below a point pensive construction and which can be readily f';

and cheaply manufactured and will not be likely to become damaged or broken or otherwise rendered inoperative or inefcient from ordinary conditions of use.

Yet another object is to provide an ironing shoe and supporting and mounting and casing structure therefor with which the danger and likelihood of the lingers or hands of the operator being burned when inserting and handling or manipulating clothes or materials being operated upon by the ironer is substantially eliminated; and with which the possibility of the operator or of anyone else being burned is rei duced to a minimum, since the heat of exposed portions is substantially confined to the efecsubstantially eonned to and concentrated with--V in the portion embracing the ironing face, to thus maintain the ironing shoe throughout all portions and over the entire ironing face at a temperature and in a condition for most eflicient use, and yet requiring a minimum consumption of current or other energy used in heating the shoe.

With the above and other objects in View; which will be apparent `to those skilled in the art, my invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements and associations of parts, which will be hereinafter set forth in connection with the drawing and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the upper portion of an ironing machine having an ironing shoe embodying the features of this invention. y

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View through the ironing shoe and housing taken substantially on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 2' showing a modified construction of housing and mounting.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In the present instance I have, in Figure l of the drawing, illustrated one adaptation and use of my invention in connection with an ironing machine structure of the household or laundry type. As here shown, a usually rotatable and driven roll is generally indicated at l0, and a usually non-rotatable shoe is generally indicated at I l. 'I'he ironing face, and the shoe, is provided with means for supplying heat to the shoe to heat the ironing face area so that the articles or material in passing through `the machine, or as engaged between the roll and the shoe will be ironed or pressed smoothly. y

With the embodiment of my invention `as i1- lustrated in the drawing, the lironing member I2,V which can be made as an iron or other casting,

can be formed from sheet metal or other suitable material, or can be constructed in any other desired manner and of any suitable material, is preferably made as an elongated plate of substantially elongated rectangular form. This ironing member has its outer face shaped or formed to be of substantially arcuate concaved contour to substantially t the contour of the roll l0, and the ironing member l2 is made of sufficient thickness to give or inherently possess a considerably bulk or mass so that heat will be carried to all parts of the ironing face of the concaved arcuate shaped ironing face, and that heat will be held to maintain the desired degree of temperature of heat within the ironing member. At its longitudinal edges, these being the upper and lower edges in the present embodiment, the ironing member I2 has the portions I3 thereof offset rearwardly of the ironing surface or face, and slightly concaved on their forward sides, as shown at I4.

A casing or case I5, preferably made of relatively thin sheet metal, or of other suitable material, is shaped and formed to present a concaved recess to substantially fit and receive and enclose the rear side of the ironing member I2. Each of the longitudinal edges, in the present disclosure being the upper and lower edges, of the casing I5 is curved or bent forwardly, as at I6, and then inwardly, as at I'I, to thus provide substantially inturned flanges at the upper and lower edges of the case to receive and embrace and house the offset portions I3 of the ironing member. With the casing I5 constructed in this manner and with the ironing member I2 placed Within the casing, substantially only the ironing faceY or surface of the ironing member I2 is eX- posed, and a considerable space or clearance is provided between the inner side of the ironing member I2 and the side wall of the casing I5.

If the ironing member I2 be assembled in direct metal-to-metal contact with the casing I5, or have thermo conducting contact with the portions I6 or II, heat supplied to the ironing member I2, in manner to be hereinafter more fully set forth, will be directly conducted to the casing I5 and will cause undue heating of this casing and at the same time will cause considerable heat losses from the ironing member. Further, any metal-to-metal contact between any part of the case, or other supporting structure, and the ironing member I2 will tend to cause radiation or dissipation of heat from areas of the ironing face or surface of the ironing member adjacent to such contacting portions, thus contributing to unequal or spotty heating of the ironing face. To prevent such metal-to-metal contact between the offset portions I3 of the ironing member I2 and the curved portions I6 and I'I of the casing, a strip IB of heat insulating material, which can be of asbestos or other suitable material, is interposed between the portions I3 of the ironing member and the inturned portions I'I of the casing I5, along both the upper and the lower edges. 'I'he concavity of the offset portions I3 and the curvature of the portions II of the casing will hold the strip I8 properly spaced between the edges of the ironing member I2 and the casing I5, and against lateral movement or other displacement.

In feeding articles of clothing, fabric, or other material to be ironed or pressed between the roll and the shoe the operator often finds it necessary to place the fingers very close to the line or point of entrance between the roll Il) and the ironing shoe II, and consequently there is danger and likelihood of the operators fingers being burned if any heated portion of the ironing shoe be exposed or be left unprotected and unguarded. With the present construction, there is no possibility of direct conduction of heat from the ironing member I2 to any part of the casing I5, and as the casing has considerable air spaces therein around the encased portions of the ironing member I2, there is little likelihood that any portion of the casing will lIl asoasco become sufficiently heated to burn the fingers of the operator or to burn, Scorch, or otherwise injure any fabric articles or other materials which may be brought into and held in contact with other portions of the casing. With the parts constructed and assembled in this manner, the operator cannot touch the heated ironing face or surface of the ironing member when the shoe is in ironing or pressing position, and the casing cannot absorb or accumulate through conduction sufcient heat to cause burning -or injury to the fingers or person of the operator or to any other article or material coming in contact therewith.

To heat the shoe, an electrical heating element 2B, of sheet-like form and of a shape and size substantially corresponding to the shape and size and area of the ironing face or surface of the ironing member I2, is positioned within the casing I5 and lies closely adjacent to the inner or rear face of the ironing member I2. A sheet 2| of electrical insulating 'material capable of withstanding heat, such as mica, can be placed between the heating element 20, and the rear face of the ironing member I2 to prevent shortcircuiting or other contact that might cause injury to the heating element 20.

As has been stated, the rear wall or back portion of the casing I5 is preferably considerably separated or spaced from the back or inner face of the ironing member I2, and this space not only permits placement and accommodation of the heating element 20, but also prevents possibility of thermo conducting Contact between any portions of the ironing member I2 and the casing I5. To hold the heating element 2G in heating relation to the ironing member I2, and to insulate against loss or dissipation of heat, I interpose within the casing I5 and back of the h'eating element 2li, a plurality of layers 22 of heat insulating material, such as sheet asbestos, or other suitable heat insulating material. This mass of insulating material at 22 prevents radiation or dissipation of heat rearwardly from either the heating element 20 or the ironing member I2, and tends to conserve and hold an even heat within the body portion of the ironing member I2 over all portions thereof embracing the ironing face or surface. A plate 2-3, or other suitable covering means, is preferably provided on the rear side of th'e insulating layers 22, and the parts are assembled to leave space between, this plate 23 and the back wall of the casing I5, to thus provide for an air circulation space and reduce the possibility of conduction of heat to the casing.

To retain the insulating layers 22 and the mounting plate 23 in place, I provide bowed spring-like spacing members 24 bearing against the rear face of the plate 23 and against a portion of the inner face of the rear wall of the casing I5, these members 24 being spaced apart and being located at such points as will insure maintenance of the portions 22 and 23, and consequently the heating element 2i), in proper relation. Each of the retaining members 24 has a rearwardly projecting boss portion 25, preferably rounded out in cross section, and adapted to fit into a correspondingly shaped depression or groove formed in the wall of the casing i5, to thus prevent relative displacement of the retaining member 24 and at the same time providing a minimum area of contact between the members 24 and the casing structure. With this construction and mounting of the retaining membe provided for free air circulation within the casing, and the members 24 are suiiiciently resilient to accommodate expansion and contraction of the structure due to heating and cooling,`

and are yet positively held against displacement and against allowing th'e portions 20, 2li, 22 and 23 to be displaced.

The edges of the plate 23 adjacent to the rearwardly offset portion I3 of the ironing member I2 are extended and are bent forwardly, as `illustrated at 26, to substantially close the space between the plate 23 and the oiset portions I3, to thereby reduce the space for escape of heat from the heating element 2li around the edges of the plate 23. The edges or portions 25 of the plate 23 do not extend sufliciently to contact with any portion of the ironing shoe I2, and consequently there is no thermo conducting contact between the plate 23 and the ironing member I2.

The ends of the casing I may be closed by end members 2l, which can be fitted to and associated with the casing structure in any desired mannen and can be secured thereto in any approved way, as for instance by screws 28, as shown in Figure 1.

The casing I5 can be stiffened by providing or forming transverse corrugations or rib portions 3U therein, and this casing can be constructed, formed, shaped and assembled, in any manner that may be desired or may be necessary for the particular adaptation and use and for the particular supporting means to be employed.

In the present instance I have shown the shoe II supported by a bracket 3|, which bracket is illustrated as attached to the casing I5 only by rivets 32, so that the shoe structure as a whole can have relative slight movement. This sup` porting bracket 3I can be mounted tobeV either stationary or movable, as the particular installation and use may require, and the roll IIJ can also be mounted and associated with the shoe and remaining portions to be either fixed in its I relative spacing and position, or to be movable and adjustable as conditions may require.

To supply electrical current to th'e heating element 2U, a pair of tubular members 33 can be secured to the casing Ill to receive insulating 11 then be inserted to have its ironing surface or face presented through the opening between the inturned anges II and to have its edges i3 encased and embraced within the curved portions I6 and I'I of the casing. In this relation, the concaved recess of the oifset portions i3 are disposed adjacent to the oppositely concaved inner faces of the portions i1 of the casing, and the insulating strips I3 can be inserted in any desired and approved manner, as by shding the same endwise, to lie within the oppositely conf caved formations of the parts at I4 and Il, and hold the ironing member I2 and the casing in insulated separation. The resiliency of the casing and of the members 24 will cause the parts to be maintained under sucient tension to retain the insulating strip I8 in position and to prevent displacement of any of the parts.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the heating element 20 may be constructed and iitted and held in place to give slight clearance at the upper edge or extent of the ironing face or surface of the ironing member I2, and this construction may have a tendency to concentrate the heat so that the upper or entering edge of the ironing face or surface will not be heated to quite the same degree as the main portion of the ironing member I2 over the ironing face or surface. In this manner, and by changing the position or the relative extent of the. heating element 2t, it will be possible to have areas of the ironing member I2 relatively hotter than other areas, to give a smoothing effect at the entering edge with a hotter pressing and ironing surface on the remainder of the ironing face, or to accommodate any other variations that may be desired. However, it is to be understood that the heating element 20 can be extended over the entire area of the inner side of the ironing member I2 back of the ironing face or surface, to thus give substantially uniform heating over the entire ironing face or surface, and that the loss of heat through conduction is reduced to a minimum by reason vof the fact that there is no metaltometal contact between the ironing member I2 and the casing I5, or any other part.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modiiied construction which may be employed to facilitate placement and assembly of the parts. In this construction, the casing is made of two parts, comprising a lower part liti and an upper part 4I, having the adjacentportions thereof detachably connected together by intertting flanges or like formations, as at; 42. With this construction, the lower part it of the casing can have the ironing member I2 iitted in place, with insulating strip I8 therebetween, and the members I2 and 40 can then be slightly opened after the manner of a book cover to permit insertion of the internal parts 2Q, 2l, 22, 23 and 24, afterY which the parts 49 and I2 are swung inwardly to substantially their normal position. The upper part 4I may then be slid endwise into place, the interiitting hook or flange portions at 42 y holding the parts firmly in place and assembled.

With this construction, the insulating members I8 hold the ironing member I2 from metalntometal or thermo conducting contact with the casing, and while the curved portions I? of the casing are extended to leave substantially narrow gaps between the edges of these curved portions II and the ironing element, there isvstill no contact to permit conduction of heat to the casing.

As has been stated, my improved ironing shoe is capable of use in pressing and in steaming, as

well as with a roll type of ironing machine, as

disclosed in Figure l. of the drawing; and, in the use of the ironing shoe for pressing the shoe may be mounted and associated with a pressing buck or other suitable board or supporting structure to be handled and'rnoved and manipulated in any manner desired. Also, where the ironing shoeis to be used in steaming operations, my improved structure can be mounted and held and manipulated in any manner necessary to suit the particular conditions of use, and moisture can be supplied in any ldesired manner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an ironing shoe having a maximum heat efliciency and with which the heat will be substantially evenly distributed in all parts of the ironing surface as may be desired, and all other portions will be and remain relatively cool and unheated. With my improved structure the ironing member IZ has substantially only the ironing face or surface thereof exposed, the ironing member is supported substantially out of heat conducting contact with the casing or any other metal parts of the device, and thus heat is not lost by conduction and the ironing surface is readily maintained at a uniform temperature throughout its entire area without cold spots or variations in temperature in any part of the ironing face, except as these may be desired and provided for in the manner explained above. Further, it will be seen that the parts are compactly and firmly and securely held together without the use of bolts or screws or other usual fastenings and in a manner which permits ready assembly and disassembly and replacement or reassembly of any parts with facility. As has been explained, the construction of the shoe limits the heated area to only the ironing face or surface, which is not accessible when the ironing shoe is in use, thus eliminating the danger and possibility of the ngers or other portions of the person of the operator being burned or injured, and avoiding the possibility of articles of clothing, fabrics, or other articles or materials being scorched or burned should they come in contact with the casing or other portions of the housing and encasing structure. With this construction, the danger and possibility of burning articles of clothing, fabrics, or other articles or materials, and consequently the danger of re losses is reduced to a minimum.

While I have herein shown and described only certain specific embodiments of my invention and have set forth only certain possible modifications and variations in the construction and use, it will be appreciated that many changes and variations can be made in the construction, arrangement, assembly and association of the parts, and in the manner of supporting and using my improved ironing shoe, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. An ironing shoe comprising, in combination, an elongated ironing member having rearwardly offset portions on its longer edges, a casing spaced rearwardly from said member and curved forwardly and inwardly at its longer edges to overlie and embrace the oifset portions of said me l-- ber, insulating strips interposed between the offset portions of said member and the curved portions of said casing, a heating element positioned closely adjacent the inner surface of said member, and insulating means interposed between the heating element and the casing and bearing rearwardly against the casing to clamp said insulating strips between the offset portions of said member and the curved portions of said casing whereby said ironing member is supported and held in position solely by the insulating means.

2. An ironing shoe comprising, in combination, an elongated ironing member having rearwardly offset portions on its longer edges, said portions having a concave front face, a casing spaced rearwardly from said member and having curved portions on its longer edges extending forwardly and inwardly around and over and thus embracing the offset portions of said member, insulating strips interposed between the offset portions of said member and curved portions of said casing to hold said portions inv non-contacting relation, a heating element lying closely adjacent the rear face of said member, and means within the casing to force said member forwardly relative to the casing and thereby hold said member firmly in place and against said insulating strips.

3. An ironing shoe comprising, in combination, an elongated casing having its longer edges bent forwardly and inwardly, an elongated ironing member having its longer edges located and confined within the bend at the edges of said casing with its ironing face exposed therebetween, a heating element lying adjacent the rear face of said member, and insulating means interposed at all points of support between said member and said casing serving as the sole support for said member and holding said member and said casing in non-contacting relation.

4. An ironing shoe comprising, in combination, an ironing element having rearwardly offset portions along two opposed edges, a casing covering the rear face of said member and rolled over forwardly and then inwardly at opposed edges to extend around and confine said offset portions, a heating element lying `closely adjacent the rear face of said element, a plurality of layers of insulating material overlying the rear face of said element, and a metallic plate interposed between said layers of insulating material and the casing, said plate having its edges bent forwardly toward the offset portions of said member to prevent escape of heat along said edges.

5. An ironing shoe comprising an ironing member having rearwardly offset portions at opposite edges thereof concaved on the forward sides, a casing for said ironing member having opposite edges curved forwardly and inwardly to provide inturned flanges receiving the offset portions of the ironing member and leaving exposed only the ironing face thereof, strips of heat insulating material interposed and held in the concaved formations of the ironing member and the inturned flange portions of the casing and insulating material interposed between the back of the ironing member and a corresponding portion` of said casing and serving with the strips of insulating material as the sole support for said ironing member.

6. An ironing shoe comprising an ironing member having rearwardly offset portions at opposite edges thereof -concaved on the forward sides, a casing for said ironing member having opposite edges curved forwardly and inwardly to provide inturned flanges receiving the offset portions of the ironing member and leaving'exposed only the ironing face thereof, strips of heat insulating material interposed and held in the concaved formations of the ironing member and the inturned flange portions of the casing, a heating element lying on the rear face of the ironing member, and heat insulated means within the casing bearing against said heating element and consequently urging said heating element into contact with the ironing member and retaining said ironing member in position against the insulating strips with the ironing face thereof eX- posed.

7. An ironing shoe comprising an ironing member having rearwardly offset portions at opposite edges thereof concaved on the forward sides, a casing for said ironing member having opposite edges curved forwardly and inwardly to provide inturned flanges receiving the offset portions of` the ironing member and leaving exposed only the ironing face thereof, strips of heat insulatingl material interposed and held in the concaved formations of the ironing member and the inturned flange portions of the casing, a heating element behind the ironing member, insulating means overlying the heating element on the inner side thereof, and wedging means interposed between the inner side of the casing and said insulating means holding said heating element against the ironing member and retaining said ironing member in position against the insulating strips with its ironing face exposed..

8. An ironing shoe comprising in combination an elongated ironing member, a casing embracing the rear face of said member and having the edges thereof in structural interengagement over the edges of the ironing member, and insulating strips interposed between the portions of the ironing member and the casing in structural interengagement whereby said ironing member and casing are spaced apart from direct thermal con` ducting contact.

9. An ironing shoe comprising in combination an elongated ironing member, a casing embracing the rear face of said member and having the edges thereof in structural interengagement over the edges of the ironing member, insulating strips interposed between the portions of the ironing member and the casing in structural interengagement whereby said ironing member and casing are spaced apart from direct thermal conducting contact, and insulating means interposed between the back of the casing and the back of the ironing member urging said ironing member to bear against the insulating strips.

10. An ironing shoe comprising an elongated ironing member, a casing disposed over the rear of said ironing member and having its edges overturned and inturned to embrace forwardly over the edges of the ironing member, strips of insulating material interposed between the overturned and inturned portions of the casing and adjacent portions of the ironing member, and means engaging the inner side of the back of the casing urging said ironing member into contact with said insulating strips.

11. An ironing shoe comprising an elongated ironing member having an ironing face, a casing member fitted over the back of said ironing member and having overturned and inturned lip portions disposed on the forward side of the ironing shoe, a heating element disposed upon said ironing shoe back of the ironing surface thereof, insulating material overlying the heating element within the casing, insulating strips interposed between the overturned and inturned lips of the casing and the adjacent opposed edges of the ironing shoe, and means interposed between the back of the casing and the insulation behind the heating element urging the parts into interengaging relation in which the insulation separates the casing from thermal conducting contact with the ironing member.

ALLEN J. PATCH.

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