US2434136A

US2434136A - Steaming and pressing iron

Info

Publication number: US2434136A
Application number: US521506A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank E Wolcott
Original assignee: Silex Co
Current assignee: Silex Co
Priority date: 1944-02-08
Filing date: 1944-02-08
Publication date: 1948-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 1965-01-06

Description

Jan. 6, 1948. F. E. woLcOr-r STEAMING AND PRESSING IRON I Filed Feb. 8, 1944 Patented Jan. 6, 1948 smssmso Nn raassmo moN Frank E. Wolcott, Welt Hartford, Conn., assignor to The Silex Company. Hartford. Conn.

Application February 8, 19,44, Serial No. 521,508

` Claims. l

This invention relates to steaming and pressing irons andjparticularly to such as are adapted for supplying steam to a piece of material while being ironed.

It is wellknown that such steaming irons are commonly designed to contain a certain quantity of water from which steam is generated within the iron and then deliveredl to the work being ironed. While such ironsl operate very satisfactorily, the amount of water which they can hold, and still be of a convenient size for easy handling, is not suillcient to provide enough steam for ironing a quantity oi' pieces in succession or to take care of a large laundry where continuous operation of the iron is required.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide such a steaming iron which is adapted to hold a certain quantity of water to be generated 'into steam and also provided with means for an auxiliary supply of steam or water to said iron from a remote source.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an iron which can be used either as a selfcontained unit or as an iron receiving water or steam from an outside source.

A still further object of the invention is to pro- `vide an auxiliary connection for said iron which will not interfere with the handling of the iron.

during the use thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel safety means for permitting the release of pressure in said iron should it reach beyond `a safe limit.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the fol- Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in central vertical section, of a steam ironembodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the handle and outer cover portion removed.

. lowing description and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 3 is a side view, in elevation, of a rear por- Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view, in central vertical section, showing the connection for the auxiliary supply tube.

Fig. 'l is a fragmental view showing a modified form of bindingvior the electric cord and flexible tube.-

As illustrated in the drawings, the steam iron embodying my-inventionmay comprise the usual body portion 5, preferably in the form of a container for water to be generated into steam. A

vsole plate 5 is secured to said body portion and a heating element, in the form of an electrical resistance 1, is provided between said sole plate and body portion.

An opening 5 is formed in the upper part of the body portion and a bame wall 5 is provided between said opening and the reservoir I0 within said body portion 5. The said wall 9 has an opening II which is covered by a suitable baille plate I2to prevent water in said reservoir from splashing through the opening 8 and thereupon passing out of the iron with the steam.

An inner cover I3 is provided .for closing the opening 8. This cover has a steam passage Il therein which permits the passage of steam from the steam chamber I5 through said passage, and through a selectively operable valve I5 toa steam distributing chamber I1 located in the sole plate and from which the steam is allowed to pass preferably into grooves I8 and from there upon the work being ironed.

The specific construction of some of the ele-l ments herein mentioned will not be described Ysince they are fully disclosed in U. S.'Patent No. 2,371,569, dated Mar. 13, 1945, to Frank E. Wolcott et al.

' It will be noted that the embodiment illustrated herein provides an outer cover I9 which is secured to the iron by means of screws 20 and 2l which are vthreaded respectively to the cover Il and the body portion 5.

'A handle 22 is secured to saldi/outer cover, at its rear end, by means of a'screw 23. The front end ofthe handle is secured/to the cover Il through a series of radiating plates 2l.

The present invention is particularly directed to the structure including the rear portion and the handle 22 and the means extending therethrough. for connecting an electric circuit to the heating element, 1, and also to a tube for providing an auxiliary supply of water and steam to the chamber I0. This construction includes a cap 25 which fits within a recess 26 in the top of the rear portion and is secured by means of screws 21.

A recess 28 is provided below the recess 26 to contain an electrical connection to conductors 29 and 29a, which extend into said recess 28 from a' circuit control, indicated generally at- 30 and such as fully described in U. S. Patent No. 2,424,433, dated July 22, 1 947, to Leslie M. Brown, through openings in said rear handle portion and into said recess 28.

A flexible extension 3| is mounted within the cap 25 and projects upwardly therefrom through an opening in said cap. and an electrical conductor cord 32 extends downwardly through said flexible extension 3| into the recess 28 wherein the conductor wires from said cord are connected to the conductors 29 and 29a by means of

screws

33 and 34. The said cord 32 is prevented from pulling out of the extension 3| by means of a suitable strain relief member 35.

In order to provide for an auxiliary supply of water or steam to the reservoir I0. I provide a tube 36 which is connected to the `cover i3 by means of a suitable tting 31 that may be secured to said cover by a nut 33. The said tube extends horizontally between the outer cover |9 and the inner cover I3 and then extends vertically through the rear portion of the handle and the extension 3| and preferably terminates slightly above the projection 39 on said member in close proximity to the cord 32. When it is desired to use said tube 36, for supplying steam or water to the chamber I0, a flexible tube 40 may be attached to theend of the tube 3B, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, and the said tube may be connected to the cord 32 by means of suitable detachable clamps 4|.

If desired, the said cord and tube may be bound together within a common covering 4|-a of woven material as shown in Fig. '7.

When the said steam iron is to be used as a self-contained unit, with steam generated from water within the reservoir I0, the Vsaid flexible tube 39 may be detached from the iron and the cap, such as indicated at 42, may be placed over the end of the tube 36. The said cap provides a safety means for preventing accumulation of excessive pressure within the steam iron since such pressure will tend to blow the cap off the end of the tube. In order to prevent violent blowing of said cap and possible ,accident to the user of the iron, I provide an opening 43 inthe tube which is closed by said cap but which is uncovered as the cap begins to rise under pressure and thereby permits the steam to escape through said opening and prevent the blowing off of the cap 42.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. 4, the tube 36 ends within the extension 3|, which is preferably constructed of rubber or other suit' able material, and a plug 44 is inserted into the opening 45 which continues through said extension 3|. In this form, a release opening 46 is provided in the extension 3| so that, when excessive pressure lifts the plug 44, the said pressure will be released through the opening 45 and thereby prevent blowing off of the plug 43.

From the above description it will be clearly understood that my invention provides means for the connection of an auxiliary supply of water or steam to a steaming iron and whereby such a connection is conveniently provided through a portion of the handle so that the cord, for the electric container and the flexible tube for the water or steam, are led into the iron together and thus eliminate undue obstruction and interference during the use of the iron, such as en countered otherwise where the auxiliary supply tube is connected to the iron at a distance from where the electric cord connection leads into the iron. and further, permits the binding of the tube with the electric cord, along their length, so that, if desired, the said electric cord and tube may be enclosed in a single cover and thereby form a single line extending from the iron.

I claim: y

1. A steaming and pressing iron of the character described comprising a body portion -having a steam chamber therein, a sole plate, a heating element, means for conducting steam from said steam chamber to the ironing surface of said sole plate, a handle, a flexible member extending from said handle, an electrical conductor extending through said flexible member and connected to said heating element, and a tube also extending through said flexible member and commu nicating with said steam chamber.

2. A steam iron of the character described comprislng a body portion having a steam chamber therein, a sole plate, a heating element, means for conducting steam from said steam chamber to the ironing surface of said sole plate, a handle having a recess in a rear portion thereof, a cover in said recess, an electrical conductor extending through said cover and connected to said heating element, and a tube extending through said cover in proximity to said conductor 'and communicating with said steam chamber.

3. A steaming iron of the character described comprising a body portion having a steam chamber therein, a sole plate, a heating element, a. handle having a recess therein, an electrical connection for said heating element located in said recess, a cover over said recess, a flexible extension` on said cover, an electrical conductor run-A ning through said extension to said electrical connection, a tube running through a portion of said extension and communicating with said steam chamber, and a flexible tube running parallel with said conductor and connected thereto and extending therefrom' to the end of the first tube.

4. A steaming iron of the character described comprising a body portion having a reservoir therein, a steam chamber above said reservoir, a baille plate between said reservoir and steam chamber, a sole plate, means for conducting steam from said steam chamber to the ironing surface of said sole plate, a heating element, an electrical con-ductor extending through a portion of said handle and connected tol said heating element, a tube extending through a portion of the handle and communicating with said steam chamber at a position' directly above said baille plate, and a flexible tube connected with the rst tube and running parallel with and connected to said electrical conductor.

5. A steaming iron of the character described comprising a body portion having a reservoir therein, a sole plate, a heating element, means for conducting steam from said reservoir to the ironing surface on said sole plate, a handle for said body having a rear portion with a recess therein, an electrical connection for said heating element located in said recess, a tube communicating with said steam chamber and extending through said recess, a cap for covering said recess, said cap having an epemnc therein tnrnugn which the v l Said tube m7018613, 5nd Bn electrical 00am-161701 melgiaxe Dec D39ie1935 extending through Said Cap 3nd @Onncd t0 Said 2:309427 Wolcott Jan 25, 1943 electrical nnetin FRANK w won, 395,631 Cotter sept. 1o, 1901 E 0 5 '1,331,539 v Harrington oet. 1g.' 1932 2,222,305 'rricomi et a1. 2------ Nov. 1 1940 REFERENCES CITED Y 2,316,901 Wannee Apr. 20,1943 The following references are of record in the 2,294,573 Shapiro et 9,1, Y sept, 1, 1942 me of this patent: lo 2,313,382 Kistner Mar. 9, 1943 UNITED STTEB PATENTS 1,237,726 Tylr A118. 21. 1917 2,247,438 Gorton July 1, 1941 Number Name Date 1,180,114 Durand Apr. 18, 1916