US2474427A

US2474427A - Hair drier

Info

Publication number: US2474427A
Application number: US623985A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kending Ernest Kaiser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-10-23
Filing date: 1945-10-23
Publication date: 1949-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1966-06-28

Description

June 28, E K. KENDlNG HAIR DRIER Filed Oct. 25, 1945 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ERNEST KAISER KENDING.

A ATTOR H Patented June 28, 1949 I TED rsh-T ,o trier:

:1 HAIR DRIER Ernest Kaiser KendingfFlushing; N. Y.

*Applicaitmn October 23, -1-'945;=Serial l Ior 623985 .:space,is:easyto manufacture, light in weight, iconvenient for packing and shipping, fireproof,

'safe;economica1,' which can-be usedin connection *With' any source of air under pressure, and :which is :particularly adaptedtobe used at -home,- as

a homeiappliance.

--:The object of: the invention is the'provisionof a: practical -hair drierparticularly for-drying 'womens finger-waved hairiand of chemically set waves Whichdr-ier can be: operated. by the general public without training and in full safety rec-fire "and accident.

--'Aside'fro1n the above features, an important object-of the new hair'drier is that, although "it uses air under relatively highpressure, no hot air is blown downward on the face'of the user.

Another object of the inventionistheprovision of a hair drier which uses airunder pressureand blows it onto the scalp and hairex- "clusively-and insuch a way that water or liquid withwhich the hair has-been treated is effect-iv'ely removed'and shaken out "and'evaporated even from the minute scales'on the surface of 1 the hairs.

An object of the invention is theprovisionof a hair drier in which no metallic surfaces are 'adjacent the hair whereby undesired heating ,by radiation is avoided. The new hair drierioperates substantially on heat transfer by convection. An object of the invention is the provision of a 'hair drier which can easily be adjusted to suit any configuration and positionof the scalp.

- An object of the invention is the provision of U a hair drier using electrically heated air from sany source of air under pressure whereby the heating current is automatically shut off when- --ever the device reaches an undesired high tem- -perature and whenever the person whose hair r isbeing dried desires shutting off of the heating ourrent and Whenever that person departs from thedevice.

..- -An object of the invention is the provision of a hair drier using electrically heated air from any source of air underpressure whereby burning outof heating elements due to contact with too much air-oxygen is made impossible.

--An object of the present invention is to provide ahair drier in which allthe albove enumerated desirable features are obtained .Joy extremely simple means which are-available and need either no ori'slight modifications only. Further and other objectsof the present in- 2 vention will' be hereinafter set forth .inuthe aci.-.companying specification and claimseandeshowvn in the drawings which, by way ofxillustration, r sh'ow tvhat I now-consider tobe apreferred; emebodiment of: my invention.

:In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional side view of. therap- -:parat-usaccordingto thein-vention.

Fig. 2 is a rear viewfof the -d'evice"shownoin Fi a Fig. 3-isanelectric wiring-diagrammfitherapeparat-us according-to the invention.

,-.I =ike+parts are-designated by like numerals 'in :allfigures of the drawings. Referring more cparticularly =t0 ether drawings, -:numeral I designates an e1ectric= strip element --which-is enclosedso asnot .to expose itoto the .x oxygen of the airto avoidbrittleness andnburn ing .of-the resistance wire. I :The strip-is lecated in avertical-tube 2.0x" sufficient cross section and elength. to give the air rushing through it a chance wto pick up. the heat efiiciently. Bothcterminals 3 of. the electric elementarein its upperend.

The-electric heater I 2 is within a decorative en-olosure t extending from the base 5. Elam-ugh flthis enclosure extendsals the lower portion of the-standard:column 5' supported by-pedestail: 5. Tube 2 is fastened: to rod 6 by suitable=braekets v A panel l. isconnected to. the upper-portion of .-rod 6 within enclosure 4. Four.- electricrterminals are mounted on panel 7. Terminals 8 and 9116- aceive the ends ofthe electric .wires lfi-leading to ar-walhplug Ii. -One:end' oftheheatingwwire --i2=in e1ement i is connected with terminal: 9.

I The other end=of wireit is connect-ed with a Wthermal-switch J3 which-is ini-'physical--contact "with the outer wall of the heater housing 2.v n It Misactuated by the temperature of theuppempart 'of the-heater andcutsofi 'the current: its-said 40 a temperature is 'ibetween 260$. and 300" FA according to the rules of -F-i're Underwriters. I-propose to usewhat islinownin the trade. as a=-K1iXon switch. .-.-Anyother suitable'devices'uch as one which'carries current overload but meltsat 300 F. and then -inter'rupts -thecurrentandrwhibh can bexreplaced, may be:employed. =From athe thermaLswitchlIithe current-passes a standard wcurrent' overload fuse l 4 fastened -to=the insulated s panel 1.. and from this'iuse; to terminali5-iofvthe 50. distributing box.

iA momentary SWitCh |6= forexample asds knownin thetrade-as-Micro switch is-connected through several feet of wire:to points-l5=anddl of thadistributing box.-: Switch li'r isropen all the time unless deliberately! closed bymtha person whose hair is being dried. The switch requires only a very gentle pressure and does not tire the person during the half hour or so of drying operation. The combination of this switch with the hair drier is a novel safety measure and of paramount importance in such home appliance. Should, for instance, the person in the chair leave, being called away by phone, door bell, etc. the current must at once be interrupted, particularly if by some unforeseen circumstance the supply of fresh air to the heater should be interrupted.

The air to be used enters the bottom of heater I, 2 through a flexible tube I8. This tube may be connected to the pressure side of a vacuum cleaner, after disconnecting of the dust bag, or to any suitable source of pressure air such as, for example, an air conditioning system or room outlets of an air distributing system having a common pressure air producer in another part of the building. The hot air leaves the heater through a V-shaped member 89 connected to the top of the heater.

It is to be noted that the lower part of the drier, i. e. the parts described so far, is a compact portable unit by itself which is small enough to be shipped in a small carton or suitcase. It can be used for instance as a room heater, by opening lid 20 on outlet IS.

The upper part of the device according to the invention comprises the relatively flat drying cap 2| with its flexible tubing 22 which brings the Warm pressure air from the outlet IQ of the heater to the cap, the vertical rod or column 23 which is remov-ably, yet rigidly connected to rod 6 and forms therewith the standard around which the drying equipment is built, the sleeve member or clutch 24, and the cap supporting rod 25 rigidly connected to clutch 24. The whole upper part can be shipped easily in a small carton or case.

The flexible tubing 22 is bent away from the chair, so as not to molest the person in the chair. The upper end of the tubing is fastened into the air inlet of the drying cap 21. The weight of the tubing, as far as not supported by the heater housing outlet, is carried by the clutch 24 at the upper end. The tube extends slideably through the sleeve portion 26 of the clutch. The upper end of the flexible tube can be moved up or down by sliding the slide member or clutch 24 on rod 23.

The cap comprises a bottom ring 21 made of non-metallic and preferably somewhat flexible tubing to which the flexible hose 22 is connected for air supply. The size of ring 21 is such as to loosely fit the average size head at the line above the ears and beginning of the scalp on the forehead. A larger size may be made for large heads and a small size for small heads as it is an object of the invention to provide a cap which does not leave an appreciable clearance between the scalp and the inside of the cap for reasons to be explained later. A rounded piece of tubing which may be made of the same material as ring 21 is connected to said ring for air flow and forms the crown 28. The inside height of the crown is preferably not greater than one half of the length of the largest lateral dimension of the opening at the bottom of the cap. The cap is shaped somewhat like a turtle back or a cobra head in contradistinction to the dome shaped hoods of conventional hair driers. The cap according to the invention reaches not farther down than just to touch the top of the ears, allowing a fairly close fit to the head. The

bottom ring 21 is provided with small air outlet holes 29 adapted to let the air escape in jets of high air velocity and directed upward and toward the scalp. The apertures 29 are in the upper inner quarter of the tube cross section at an angle of 25 to 50 above the center line of the bottom ring. Both lower quarters of the cross section of the tube that forms the crown are provided with holes 30 ejecting air at an angle of 25 to 50 from the horizontal line on both sides of the tube. The total area of the small air holes in the skeleton of the cap formed by

tubes

21 and 28 should approximate the cross section of the air inlet into the heater housing to maintain the desired air pressure and speed of the air jets. The skeleton of the cap described supra is covered by a material that permits the warm air inside the cap to do its work, yet is porous enough to permit a direct escape of the air that has become humid.

With the air cap as described the air jets impinge on the scalp and the air is blown at considerable velocity between and underneath the hair and acts mechanically on the hair shaking the minute droplets therefrom and eiiectively promoting evaporation and removal of the moisture. The parts of the cap from which the jets originate are so close to the scalp that the air has not yet expanded and not yet expended its kinetic energy when it reaches the hair. The moisture laden air is removed quickly, equally and substantially upward from all parts of the scalp and no hot air flows down the face causing discomfort.

The forward part of the cap is suspended from rod 25 by a flexible means 33 extending around the crown forming tube 28 and ending in a hook 34. By sliding the hook along the light rod 25 and by moving the slide member 24 up and down, the cap can be adjusted to a suitable angle and elevation for the head of the person whose hair is being dried. Only a light touch of the fingers of one hand is required to move the cap into the the most eflicient and comfortable position.

While I believe the above described embodiment of my invention to be a preferred embodiment, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of design and construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A portable pressure warm air hair drier, including, in combination, a standard, a longitudinal electric air heater disposed substantially parallel to the lower portion of said standard and connected to it for support, a cold pressure air intake means at the lower portion of said heater and a warm air outlet means connected with the upper portion of said heater, a slide means vertically movably connected with the upper portion of said standard, an air conduit connected with said outlet means and extending through said slide means, a support member connected with said slide means, and a drier cap depending from said support member and comprising a Warm air discharge means connected With said air conduit.

2. A portable pressure warm air hair drier, including, in combination, a base, a standard extending therefrom, an upright air heater resting on said base and connected to said standard, a cold pressure air intake means at the lower portion of said heater and a warm air outlet means connected with the upper portion of said heater, a slide member vertically movably connected with the upper portion of said standard, an air conduit connected with said outlet means and extending through said slide member, a support member connected with said slide member, and a drier cap depending from said support member and comprising Warm air discharge means connected with said air conduit.

3. A portable pressure warm air hair drier, including, in combination, a standard, an electric air heater comprising a longitudinal upright conduit and a longitudinal electric heating element disposed therein, said heater being disposed substantially parallel to the lower portion of said standard and connected to it for support, a cold pressure air intake means connected with the lower portion of said conduit and a warm air outlet means connected with the upper portion of. said conduit, a slide means vertically movably connected with the upper portion of said standard, an air conduit connected with said outlet means and extending through said slide means, a support member connected with said slide means, and a drier cap depending from said support member and comprising warm air discharge means connected with said air conduit.

4. A portable pressure warm air hair drying apparatus, including, in combination, an electric heater disposed in the lower portion of said apparatus and comprising a cold pressure air intake means and a warm pressure air outlet means, a column member, aslide member vertically dis- 6 placeable thereon, a support means extending from said slide member, a drier cap depending from said support means and comprising warm air discharge means, and flexible air conduit means connected with said outlet means, extending through said slide means, and being connected with said air discharge means.

ERNEST KAISER KENDING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,639,753 Shelton Aug. 23, 1927 1,894,709 Salm Jan. 17, 1933 1,946,638 Rasmussen Feb. 13, 1943 1,991,950 Martin Feb. 19, 1935 2,037,695 Brownlee et al Apr. 21, 1936 2,063,896 Martin Dec. 15, 1936 2,201,229 Gross May 21, 1940 2,281,993 Pritchard May 5, 1942 2,290,259 Vose July 21, 1942 2,329,352 Krueger Sept. 14, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 288,656 Great Britain Apr. 10, 1928 709,556 France May 19, 1931