US2475572A - Electric steam iron - Google Patents

Description

July 5, 1949. E. P. scHREYER ELECTRIC STEAM, IRON Filedv Jan. `27, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ArroRNEYs July 5; 1949. E. P. scHREYER 2,475,572 ELECTRIC STEAM IRON FiledJan. 27, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 YJuly 5, 1949- E. P. scHREYER 2,475,572

ELECTRIC STEAM IRON Filed Jan. 27, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS July 5, 1949. E. P. ScHREYER ELECTRIC STEAK IRON 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 4 med am. 2v, 194s xm ATTORNEYS m w n E v m July 5, 1949, y E. P. scl-IREYER ELECTRIC STEAM IRON 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 27. 194B ATTO RN EYS Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE anatra 'ELECTRIC s'rnAM mon Edward r. seinem, manuela, com.

Application January 21, 194s, serial No. 4,5ss

(ci. sii-77) l 25 Claims.

The present invention relates to electric irons and more particularly to those of the steam generating type.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide an electric steam iron which is relatively simple to manufacture and assemble, dispensing as it does with the need for close tolerances in the construction thereof, in which the filling aperture is opened without the effort to manipulate a more or less inaccessible plug. but in which such opening is effected by an easy manipulation at a readily accessible part of the iron .and without the need for exercising much force or for the use of a tool, in which the need for a separable clo'- sure plug is avoided with the possibility of its loss, in which filling is readily accomplished by pouring from any vessel, even from a large glass that may be held immediately above the readily accessible filling aperture, without danger of the spattering of boiling water from the Aboiler into the face of the user or of the blocking of said filling aperture by the pressure of the escaping steam generated when water is poured into a heated boiler, and in which the filling aperture is closed as readily as it is opened and when closed is capable of sustaining the desired steam pressure to be generated within the boiler and yet inherently affords safety facilities for releasing excessive steam pressure while protecting the user from being scalded in such release.

Another object is to provide an electric steam iron of the above type in which the water in the boiler is heated sufficiently to generate steam therein. yet not to such an extent as excessively to heat the iron and generate excess pressure therein and in which the steam at the outlets through the sole plate is of desired higher temperature than in the body of the boiler.

'It is a feature of the invention to provide the filling aperture with associated steam escape vents and with a self centering closure which is resiliently urged into sealing position over the filling aperture and the steam escape vents and which is associated with a shield structure beneath which it is mounted, but by virtue of its resilient mount the closure serves as a safety valve torelease excess steam pressure, the shield structure protecting the user against scalding should such release occur during use. According to another feature, the shield structure is movably mounted for displacement thereof in a predetermined path from closing position to filling position, and in a desirable embodiment the shield structure is hingedly mounted at the rear end thereof, mounts the handle of the iron and is releasably latched at its forward end to the boiler. in which latched position the closure effectively seals the vents and the filling aperture.

Another feature of the invention is to provide i a steam chamber in which the steam is superheated at the region of escape from the discharge openings through the sole plate.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pendingvapplication SeriaLNo. 699,141. led September'25, 1946.

Referring now to the drawings in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the' invention,

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal cross section of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a viewtaken along line 2-2 of showing the top of the boiler. 'l f Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2` takerialon'g line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing the boiler licor.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cectionalfviewtaken along'line I-I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along Fig. 1

v line 5--5 0I Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 6 6 of Fis. 1.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the sole plate with part broken away.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view scale showing the latch.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the latch knob. 4

Fig. 10 is a perspective view on a larger scale showing the closure member.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view taken along line lI-Il of Fis. 1.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of the front of the handle and the shield plate showing a portion of the latch thereon, and

Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the iron with parts removed therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings. the electric steam iron comprises a sole plate il desirably cast from aluminum having an upstanding rim l2' on substantially the ventire periphery thereof and presenting a well near the front end thereof which is closed by a cover plate i3 affixed to the upstandlng rim Il of the well by screws l5 to provide a steam chamber i6, `the face i3 of said cover plate extending obliquely upward as shown. In order to afford an outlet for the discharge of generated steam, small openings l1 are provided in the forward portion of the sole plate Il through the floor of the steam chamber I6.

In order to provide a watertight seal, prior to the application of the cover plate I3, the rim on a larger I4 `)fthe well desirably is coated with a heat and moisture resistant gasket material 20 which preferably is an inorganic silicone elastomer as for example the type put out by the Dow-Corning Corporation under the trade-mark Silasticf A substantially U-shaped heating element I8 is provided for the sole plate and preferably embedded therein when the latter is cast with the U-shaped bend I9 thereof in the wall of the steam chamber I6 and the legs 2| thereof extending rearwardly along the length of the sole plate II in the longitudinal ridges II thereof.

The ends I8' of the heating element I8 are bent upwardly at right angles to the sole plate at the rear thereof to provide electrical terminalsf30 and 30 and each terminal has a mica washer 22 thereon and a metal strip 23 welded thereto.

The sole plate desirably has a longitudinal depression 24 at the rear thereof in which a therlmostat of any desirable type comprising a bimetallic strip 26 and an adjustable switch ,21 is mounted by screws 2 8 and 29 respectively with the control shaft 3| thereof which is threaded into nut 3Ia on bracket 3|b extending obliquely upward from the rear of the sole plate II.

Associated with the sole plate II is a sheet metal boiler B preferably of steel comprising a floor plate 42 and a bowl shaped body or shell 4 I. The floor plate 42 of the boiler B is preferably pressed from exible steel, and has a face which is depressed within the border of the plate to afford a bordering plateau or rim 40' with a depending skirt 42' on the periphery thereof and has near its nose a nat portion 8| inclined to extend obliquely upward as shown, which conforms to face I3 of cover plate I3. A threaded stud 82 having a bore 83 therethrough is ailixed as by welding, and extends through an opening 84 in said flat portion 8| and carries a steam tube 85 threaded in the mouth of said bore as at 86 and extending at right angles to and therefore tilted forward as shown by virtue of the inclination of said mounting portion 8|. The body or shell 4I has an oval shaped opening 43 near the top front thereof for accommodating a steam' dome 44. The steam dome as shown in Figs. 1 and 13 is substantially oval in cross-section and has a substantially vertical front wall 45 and an outwardly inclined rear wall 46. The steam dome extends upwardly through opening 43 and its flanged mouth 41 rests against the undersurface of the shell 4I and is preferably aflixed thereto as by Welding.

To the rear of opening 43 and longitudinally aligned therewith and contiguous to each other are successively a cup shaped depression 48 and' a ycircular opening 49. A plate having a hollow boss or catch 52 integral therewith, the latter having a rectangular opening 53 of greater length than width in the top thereof, is affixed to the top of the shell over the depression 48 preferably by welding, with the length of opening 53 transversely of the shell. A filling member 54 may be inserted in opening 49. Desirably, the filling member 54 is a well in the shape of a funnel having a flange 55 at the upper periphery thereof which is seated on the top of the shell about the rim of opening 49 and aflixed thereto desirably by welding,

The filling funnel 54 empties into the boiler through aperture 56 at the lower end thereof. Venting means in the wall of the funnel, .desirably comprising a plurality of openings 51 in. the cylindrical portion thereof, and a plurality of louvres 58 in the sloping portion thereof, aid in the filling of the boiler in the manner hereinafter set forth.

Associated with the filling member 5,4 is a closure member 59 which serves also as a safety or blow-01T valve. That closure member may be a plug or button 14 of gasket material, desirably of Silastic, the bevelled periphery 14' of which is to seat in the Vfunnel 54. Closure button 14 may encompass the lower reduced end 61 of a pin 65 and be held against retainer washer 13 at shoulder 68 of said pin by lock nut 11 threaded upon the extremity of pin 65 and reacting against washer 15. A spring retainer cup 1I is slidably mounted on said pin with the face 12 thereof urged toward head 66 of the pin by a compressed coil spring 10 interposed between said cup 1I and a spring retainer washer 13. The safety valve closure may be retained in place within funnel 54 by means of a superstructure assembled to and for move- -ment relative to the boiler, and said closure is desirably aiixed upon and depends from said superstructure. That superstructure may comprise a shield structure which in operative position extends over and covers the entire area of the lling aperture. The shield structure preferably extends substantially the length.,of the boiler and is hinged at one end, preferably the rear end, to the correspondingend of the boiler top and is releasably latched in operative position to the opposite end of the boiler.

In a preferred construction there is provided a hinge plate 6I pivotally connected by a pintle 62 to a complementary hinge plate 63 ailixed to the rear of the shell 4| as by Welding. A pair of snap rings 62 seated respectively in grooves at the ends of the pintle 62 securely retains the latter in position. Plate 6I is bent at its free end to form a bridge 18 which has a slot 19 therein, forming a track, extending longitudinally of the shell and positioned over the funnel 54 when hinge plate 6| is pivoted downwardly in juxtaposition thereto.`

A shield plate S is desirably provided, aillxed at its rear end byscrews I 23 to the hinge plate 8| and extending forward from said hinge plate substantially the entire length of the boiler B with the bridge portion 18 of the hinge plate 6I spaced from the undersurface of the shield plate to accommodate the flattened head 68 of pin 65. The top forward portion of the shield plate S has an opening |25 therethrough to accommodate the steam dome 44 and the periphery of said shield plate S has a downwardly turned rim |24 which is slightly spaced from the top of the boiler B when the shield plate is in closed position as shown in the drawings with the closure member 59 pressing against the wall of the funnel 54. The shield plate S in a preferred embodiment shown also serves as the .mount more fully described hereinafter, for the handle H which is desirably of heat insulating material.

Preferably the rear of the handle H is affixed to the shield S by the same screws |23 that aftlx the shield to hinge plate 6| and-the handle H is provided with internally threaded bushings |3| for said screws, the bushings extending below the bottom of the handle H to provide a heat insulating air gap |32 between the handle and the shield plate.

The front end of the handle H is afllxed to the front end of the shield plate by screws |34 which are threaded into associated bushings (not shown) which also extend below the handle to provide heat insulating air gan |35.

With the body or shell 4I assembled as above described. it is then nlled with steel wool 30 to prevent sloshing of the water in the boiler when the iron is in use. The oor plate 42 is thereupon ailixed, preferably by stitch welding at the lower edge of its depending skirt 42'- to the rim 03 of the inverted bowl shaped body or shell 4|, the

concavity of the plateau 40' at the underside of ing Il in said inclined cover plate, and the longitudinal depressions 4l along each side of the floor plate 42 will straddie the longitudinal ridges Il' of the sole plate with the portion 33 of the floor plate between said longitudinal depressions 40 resting on top of said ridges over l the legs 2| of the heating element.

By means of a nut I threaded on the extend-` ing end of stud 32 the boiler B and soleplate are clamped rigidly together near their noses. For access to the nut 3|, the bottom of the sole plate may have a port 32 closed by a threadedcap 93 as shown in Fig. 1.

To ailx the rear end of the boiler B to the sole plate Ii a pair of ilexible substantially L-shaped metal straps 04 are provided, each ailixed at its upper end as by welding to the end wall 95 of the boiler on each side thereof. This is clearly shown in Fig. 13. The rearwardly extending portions 96 of each of the straps is then afhxed to the sole plate by means of screws 91 threaded in openings 38 in said sole plate I I.

In order to dispense with close manufacturing tolerances, the rim 42', 30 depending from the boiler as seated upon the sole plate is made shorter than the height of the rim I2' on the sole plate so that the edge o said rim will not touch the iioor of the sole plate and will be encompassed by and be slightly below the top of the rim i2' thereof, thereby moreover concealing the stitch-welded seam and dispensing with the need for polishing the area of such seam.

A substantially U-shaped nat `heel rest plate 35 is amxed to the rear of the :sole plate by the same screws 91 that retain straps 94, extends longitudinally of said sole plate and has an upstanding bracket conformation or ear 31 at the rear (on the cross piece 33 thereof) between legs 3B of the heel rest plate. 'One of said screws 91 also aixes a bracket |03 to the sole plate, .as shown in Fig. 13, which mounts a pair of binding posts |04 and |05 thereon and insulated therefrom to which a'conventional outlet cord (not shown) may be connected. V

In Fig. 2 the electrical connections of the iron are shown. Binding `post |05 is connected by strip |06 to terminal 30 of the heating element. Binding post |04 is connected by strip |01 to one of the terminals |05 of the thermostat, the other terminal |09 of which is connected by strip to the other terminal 30' of the heating element.

In order to conceal the electrical connections above described and protect the user against danger of shock, a cover |I2 is provided which has a notch thereinfor the outlet cord and an inclined face ||3 with an opening |I4 therein through which control shaft 3| of the thermostat 6 extends when cover ||2 is ailixed by screws I l5 to ear 31 andl to a bracket ||3 which latter is amxed as by welding to the end wall of the boiler between straps 94. A knob |22 is affixed to the upvper end of shaft 3| to facilitate rotation thereof in order that the thermostat may be regulated according to the temperature desired. Shaft 3| has an indicator or pointer |2| rigid thereof which is associated with a scale or dial |2|' on the inclined face llrof the cover to indicate the setting of the thermostat.

With the cover ailixed in position the corners |I1 of the heel plate 3l will extend rearwardly therefrom through notches |I2 at the rear corners of the cover ||2. to act as a rest for the iron when the latter is in rest positionas hereinaiter described.

The handle H is provided witha deep depression |20 in the front end thereof to accommodate steam dome 44 and an opening, preferably a deep bay or depression |21 inthe rearwardly extendingnportion |28 at the rear end thereof, to accommodate the knob |22 when the handle is tilted upward, which portion |23 has a beveled end face |20 to rest in extreme open` position upon cover II2.

A latch is provided which coacts with boss or catch 52 releasably to lock the forward part of the hinged shield plate to the front end of the boiler. The latch preferably comprises a knob |43 positioned in an arcuate cavity |45 in the front of the handle and ailixed by set screw |44 to the upper end of upright pin |36 which extends through a bushing |31 mounted in an opening |38 in the shield plate S adjacent the front of the handle H, said bushing protruding beyond the underface of the shield plate.

The lower end of pin |36 is formed with a rounded elongated head |39 conforming in configuration to the rectangular opening 53 in boss 52 and slightly smaller than the latter. Head |39 is urged downwardly by a coil spring IM about bushing |31 and resting against reaction washer |42.

Knob |43 has a thumb piece |4 extending laterally therefrom by which the knob and pin aillxed thereto may conveniently be rotated. The knob is provided with a flange |43' having an arcuate notch |46' therein which coacts with an upstanding nger |25' preferably stamped from' the shield plate at the end of opening |25 therein so that with the thumb piece |46 in open position extending transversely of the shield plate the head vI3!! of the pin will be longitudinally aligned with the opening 53 in the boss 52, and with the thumb piece in closed position longitudinally aligned with the shield plate the head |39 of the pin will be at right angles to the opening 5t.

From the foregoing, the mode of operation will be apparent, but it will now be brieiiy summarized.

With knob |63 rotated to open position so that the head |39 of pin |36 is aligned with opening 53 in boss 52, the handle H and with it the shield plate S may readily be tilted backward to and beyond the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 until the beveled end l2@ of the handle I-I rests on the inclined face llt of the cover ||2 with the protruding knob |22 accommodated in bay |21. In this position the p center of gravity of the handle is rearward of the hinge pintle 62 and the weightof the handle will retain the shield plate in open position with funnel 54 accessible for convenient lling of water thereinto, as shown. The lling aperture 56 is fully exposed so that no filling appurtenance is required. The water may be poured in directly from a glass or other container that may be held directly over the funnel without danger of spilling.

With the provision of the vents 51 and 58 in the filling funnel 54, even if the iron should be hot when being filled, the water may still be poured through the filling aperture 56 without the hazard of spattering of boiling water upon contact of the relatively cold water with the hot boiler. Without such vents 51 and 5B, as the water is poured through the filling aperture, thecontact of the relatively cold water with the hot boiler might cause an almost instantaneous generation of steam which would escape with waterthrough the fllling aperture, the only avails able outlet. With the vents herein provided, the danger of scalding is obviated. As the water is poured through the filling aperture the steam will escape through the openings 51 and louvres 59 in the wall of the funnel and as the steam will be forced in a lateral direction there will be no danger to the user. l r y,

The sudden contact of the"`cold water with the hot floor plate of the boiler will cause the latter to contract. Ey reason of the plateau 40' of the floor plate, such contraction is accommodated by the extra material of said plateau thereby relieving the stress against the welded seam between the oor plate and boiler shell to prevent springing thereof. The longitudinal depressions 40 in the floor plate also provide extra ma?- terial thereabout to accommodate for contractions in the floor plate and in addition afford increase in the water capacity of the boiler.

To close the filling aperture 59 the handle H and with it the shield S are merely moved forward to the full line position shown in Fig. 1. As the beveled rim 14 of the button 14 contacts the sloping side of the funnel 54, `the closure member 59 will be moved longitudinally in slot 19 in hinge plate 6| until it is centered over the filling aperture 56 above vents 51 and 58 securely to seal the fpnnel. By reason of the longitudinal displacement of the closure member 59, close tolerance in the construction of the iron with respect to the positioning of the funnel and closure member 59 is not required as the closure member will autom'atically center itself in proper position= As the shield is urged to closed position, the rounded head |39, as it abuts against the edge of opening 53 in boss 52 becomes automatically cammed into alignment with corresponding opening 53 in boss 52. Pressure is thereupon applied upon handle H until head |39 enters the boss and then by merely pushing on the thumb piece until the wall of notch |46' abuts against finger |25' the head |39 will be rotated and latched.

Byreason of the convex undersurface of the boss top. as the head |39 is rotated the pin and shield plate will be pulled down slightly and washer |42 will be pushed upwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 8 to compress the resilient coil spring |4| thereby clamping the top of the boss 52 ibetween washer |42 and head |39 securely to hold the shield plate in position.

As only a portion of the boiler iioor is in contact with the sole plate during use of the iron the water in the boiler will not be excessively heated but orLy sufficiently to generate the desired amount of steam therein which will rise to the top of the steam dome 44. The-steam will thereupon be forced down steam tube into steam chamber |6 where by reason of the intimate association therewith of the U-shaped bend I9 of heating element |8 it will be superheated before escaping from vsteam discharge openings I1.

When `the user desires to place the iron in rest position during use, she merely tilts it backward so that vit rests on the protruding end of the handle H and the corners ||1 of the heel rest plate.

In this position the angle of the rear wall of steam dome 44 is such as to cause the condensed steam to fiow back into the boiler and not accumulate in the top of the steam dome. Thus when the'iron is again moved to operative position, there will be no ejection of boiling Water from the steam ldischarge openings in the steam chamber which might scald the user or excessively wet the article being ironed.

In the event that the steam discharge openings become clogged and the pressure builds up in the boiler, beforesuch pressure can become excessive the button 14 will be pushed upwardly against the compressed coil spring 19 thereby acting as a safety valve and permitting steam to escape through the mouth of the 4funnel and laterally past the edges' of the shield plate without danger of scalding the user.

The relatively thin floor plate of the stainless steel non-corrosive boiler will not buckle under heat with respect to the light weight, rigid aluminum sole plate though these parts have different coeiiicients of expansion, for the flexible strap connections 94 between the rear of the boiler and the sole plate accommodate differences in longitudinal expansion of said parts.

Thus, by the construction herein described an eilcient electric steam iron has been provided which may readily be operated by even the most unskilled housewife, without danger of scalding, and which provides superheated steam at the sole plate where required, without increasing the pressure in the boiler to such an extent that an explosion might result.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely differl ent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An electric steam iron of the ty-pe comprising a boiler, a sole plate, an electric element under said boiler and in heat conductive relation to both the boiler and the sole plate, and a closure seated in a filling aperture in the top of said boiler substantially midway between the ends thereof and displaceable from said aperture to permit filling of the boiler with water; the combination with the closure, of a, shield structure and aI handle over the shield structure and connected therewith, said shield structure having an area greater than that of said aperture, means connecting the shield structure, boiler and sole plate together and mcveably mounting the shield structure for displacement thereof in a predetermined path from over said filling aperture to a position remote therefrom so that in the latter position it exposes the filling aperture for rendering the same accessible for filling, said shield structure extending over the entire area of said aperture in closed position of said shield struc- 2. The combination recited in claim 1 in which 4 the shield structure extends substantially the length of the boiler and is hinged near its rear end to the rear end of the boiler, and complel mentary means is near the front of the boiler and the shield structure respectively for releasably latching the latter to the former. a

3. The combination recited in claim 1 in which mounting means carried by and depending from the shield structure displaceably supports the closure, and the resilient means which is mounted upon and interposed between the shield structure and the closure, is a spring the length of which extends substantially longitudinally of said mounting means.

- 4. An electric rsteam iron of the type comprising a boiler, a sole plate, an electric element in heat conductive relation to both the boiler and the sole plate, and a closure seated in a filling aperture in the top of said boiler and displaceable from said aperture to permit fillingl the boiler with water; the combination therewith of a shield structure comprising a shield plate extending substantially the length of the boiler, said shield structure being hinged at its rear end to the rear part of the steam iron to expose the filling aperture in open position of said shield structure, said shield structure in closed position thereof extending overthe entire area of said iilling aperture, a handle rigidly supported upon said shield structure, and resilient means mounted upon and interposed between the closure and the shield structure yieldingly to restrainopening of the closure under excess steam pressure within the boiler for safety valve action, and means releasably to lock the shield structure in position over the filling aperture.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 in which the shield structure comprises a hinge member having one leaf thereof rigidly affixed to the rear of the boiler and the other and movable leaf thereof rigidly affixed to the shield plate, and in which the closure comprises a valve member and means displaceably connecting said valve member to said movable hinge member to depend from the latter in substantial registry with the hlling aperture.

6. An electric steam iron comprising a boiler, a sole plate connected with the boiler, an electric element in heat conductive relation to both the boiler and the sole plate, said boiler having a safety valve closure seated in a filling aperture in the top thereof, means for holding the valve in seated relation in the aperture including means for yieldably permitting unseating of the valve under excess pressure, a shield plate extending substantially the length of said boiler over the top thereof and hingedly connected to said boiler at the rear thereof and in closed position extending over the entire area of said lling aperture, a, handle connected with the shield plate, latching means means releasably to retain the forward end of the shield plate against the boiler, said latching means comprising a latching member rigid with the forward end of the boiler at the top thereof and including a catch comprising a plate having a hollow boss thereon with a substantially rectangular opening in the top thereof of greater length than width, a complementary latching member upon said shield plate comprising a pin, one end of which extends above said shield plate and the other end of which extends below said shield plate, said lower end having a substantially rectangular head thereon adapted to register with the opening in said boss to lock the shield plate in closed position.

7. In an electric steam iron of the type comprising a sole plate, a heating element therein, a boiler having a dome near the forward end thereof, a steam tube aiiixed with respect to said sole plate and opening at its upper end into said dome, a chamber in the upper part of said sole plate in communication with the lower end of said steam tube, said chamber having steam discharge openings through the bottom of said sole plate, said boiler having an opening in its upper face near the center thereof; the combination there-'- with of a filling funnel extending into said opening and having a rim seated at the border of said opening, a shield plate hinged near the rear of said boiler and extending substantially the length thereof, said plate having a safety valve closure supported upon and depending from the under face thereof substantially in registry with said well for sealing the same, a latching pin with a head extending through said shield plate, a handle aflixed to and in substantially heat insulated relation with respect to the upper face of said shield plate, and a catch ailixed to the top of said boiler near said dome, and coacting with said head, releasably to latch the shield plate in latched position with the filling aperture closed.

8. An electric steam iron comprising a sole plate, a boiler thereon, a heating element, and a handle, said boiler having a well portion in its top` substantially funnel shaped at its upper part, and venting means in the wall of the lower part of said well portion, a superstructure, a hinge connecting said superstructure to the boiler to permit tilting of said superstructure upwardly from its closed position in which it covers said boiler, a safety valve closure for said funnel-shaped well portion means for holding the safety valve closure in seated relation in said funnel-shaped well portion, including means for yieldably permitting unseating of the' safety `valve closure therefrom under excess pressure, and means displaceably mounting said safety valve closure upon and in depending relation with respect to said superstructure for self centering in the funnel-shaped portion of said well in the closing movement of said superstructure to position covering said boiler.

9. An electric steam iron comprising a boiler, a sole pulate connected with the boiler and an electric element in heat conducting relation to both the boiler and the sole plate, a funnel shaped filling well at the top of the boiler with an aperture through the bottom of said well and venting means in the lateral wall of said well, a plate extending substantially the length of said boiler over the top thereof and hinged to said boiler at the rear thereof, means detachably connecting the front end of said plate in closed position thereof to the front part of the boiler, said plate having a longitudinal track and a safety valve closure for said filling well supported by said track, depending therefrom, and displaceable therealong, means for holding the valve closure in seated relation in the filling well including means for yieldably permitting unseating of the valve under excess pressure, whereby when said plate is in closed position, said closure will become self-centered by reason of the inclined wall of said funnel shaped lling well to seal said well above said vents, and a handle for said iron affixed upon said hinged plate.

10. An electric steam iron comprising a boiler having a funnel shaped filling well at the top thereof with a filling aperture therein, a plate extending substantially the length of said boiler dver the top thereof and hinged to said boiler at the rear thereof, means detachably connnecting the front end of said plate in closed position thereof to the front part of said boiler, a longitudinally slotted member affixed to said plate on the underside thereof and spaced therefrom, a closure mounted on said slotted member and longitudinally displaceable in the slot therein, said closure coacting with the wall of said vwell portion to center itself therein as the hinged plate is moved to closed position,

11. An electric steam iron comprising a boiler having a sole plate, an electric element in heat conductive relation to both the boiler and the sole plate, a lling aperture in the top of said boiler, a shield plate extending substantially the length of said boiler over the top thereof and hinged to said boiler at thecrear thereof, a safety valve closure means supporting the closure upon, to depend displaceably from, the underside of said plate for registry with said filling aperture when the plate is closed, means for holding the safety valve closure in seated relation on the filling aperture, including means for yieldably permitting unseating of the valve closure under excess pressure, said shield plate having an area greater than that of said filling aperture completely to cover the latter when said plate is in closed position, a latch for aflixing the front end of the plate to said boiler when said plate is in closed position, said latch comprising a concave longitudinally slotted boss upon the boiler and a latch pin carried by said shield plate having a convex head for coaction with the slot in said boss, and a handle for said iron aixed upon said hinged plate.

12. An electric steam iron of the type comprising a boiler, a sole plate, a handle, an electric element under said boiler and in heat conductive relation to both the boiler and the sole plate, and a closure seated in a filling aperture in the top of said boiler; the combination therewith of a shield plate extending substantially the length of said boiler over the top thereof and hinged to said boiler at the rear thereof, said closure being resiliently affixed to the underside of' said shield plate for registry with said filling aperture as said shield plate is closed, a hollow boss affixed to the top of said boiler near the forward end thereof and having a substantially rectangular opening in the top thereof of greater length than width, said top having a portion provided with a convex under surface beneath said boss, a pin rotatably mounted on said shield plate and extending therethrough near the forward end thereof, a knob afiixed to the upper end of said pin to rotate the latter, a substantially rectangular head at the lower end of said pin conforming in configuration to the opening in said boss and slightly smaller than the latter, a reaction washer about said pin and seated against said head, a coil spring about said pin compressed between said reaction washer and the under face of said shield plate, thereby urging said head downwardly, stop means for said knob whereby in one extreme position of rotation of said pin, said head will be longitudinally aligned with said opening, and in the..

other extreme position of rotation of said pin, said head will be at right angles to said opening, said head having rounded ends and sides whereby as said plate is moved to closed position, said head will contact the edges of said opening to cam said pin into alignment with said opening and thereupon move therein, whereby upon rotation of said knob the head is carried to ride over said convex undersurface of said boss, thereby pulling said pin and said shield plate downwardly to further compress said coil spring securely to clamp the top of the boss between said reaction washer and said head to lock the shield plate in position.

13. An electric steam iron comprising a sole plate, a boiler having a filling aperture in its top, a removable closure valve member for said filling aperture, a protruding manually operable element at the end of said sole plate, a shield structure member hinged to said boiler and of area greater than that of said filling aperture and over said closure valve member in closed position thereof extending over the entire area of said filling aperture, resilient means interposed between said closure valve member and said shield structure member and connected with at least one of said latter members and yieldingly restraining opening of the closure valve member, and a handle affixed to said shield plate having an opening at the rear thereof to accommodate said protruding manually operable element when said shield structure member is pivoted to open position, said handle having an end conformation for abutment against a part of the steam iron when the handle and shield structure member are in fully open position.

14. An electric steam iron comprising a sole plate, a boiler thereon, an electrical element, a safety valve closure removably positioned in a filling aperture in the top of said boiler, means for holding the Valve in seating relation in the aperture including means for yieldably permitting unseating of the valve under excess pressure, a steam dome near the front end of said boiler at the top thereof, a shield plate hinged at its rear end to the rear of said boiler and extending over and spaced from said safety valve and a handle afiixed to said shield plate, said shield plate having an opening therein aligned with a deep depression in the forward end of said handle to accommodate said steam dome when said shield plate is pivoted to closed position.

15. An electric steam iron comprising a sole plate, a boiler thereon, having an electric element in heat conductive relation to said sole plate and said boiler, a steam dome near the front end of said boiler at the top thereof, a protruding manually operable elementat the rear end of Said sole plate, a shield plate hinged at its rear end to the rear part of said boiler, a safety valve fitted into a filling aperture in the top of said boiler, resilient means carried by said shield plate and in closed position of the latter exerting resilient seating pressure against said safety valve, and a handle ailixed to said shield plate, said shield plate having an opening therein aligned with a deep depression in the forward end of said handle to accommodate said steam dome when said shield plate is pivoted to closed position, and said handle having a deep depression at'the rear end thereof to accommodate said protruding manually operable element when said shield plate is pivoted to open position.

13 16. An electric steam iron comprising a sole plate having a heating element therein. a thermostat for said heating element amxed to the rear portion of said sole plate and having an operat- Ving shaft extending upward therefrom, a heel plate aiiixed to the rear of said sole plate, extending longitudinally thereof and having bracket means integral therewith, a boiler mounted upon and afnxed to said sole plate in front of said heel plate, a mounting bracket affixed to the rear of said boiler, and a cover ailixed to said brackets and straddling said heel plate, said cover having an opening therein through which said operating shaft extends and a control knob upon the protruding end of said shaft.

17. An electric steam iron comprising' a sole plate, a heel plate affixed to the rear of said sole plate, extending longitudinally thereof and having bracket means integral therewith, a boiler alxed upon said sole plate, a illling aperture in the top of said boiler, a shield plate extending substantially the length of said boiler over the top thereof and hinged to said boiler at the rear thereof, a closure affixed to the underside oi said shield plate and sealing said filling aperture when said shield plate is in closed position, a handle longitudinally positioned on said shield plate and af fixed thereto, said handle having a rearwardly extending beveled end portion integral therewith, a mounting bracket aiiixed to the rear of `said boiler, a cover having an inclined top ailixed to said bracket means and straddling substantially all of said heel plate, the corners of the latter protruding beyond said cover, the inclined portion of said cover acting as a stop against which the beveled end of said handle abuts when said shield plate is moved to open position to expose said filling aperture.

18. An electric steam iron comprising a boiler including a shell having a flexible iloor plate welded thereto, a sole plate under said boiler and having a coefficient of expansion differing from that of said'boiler, said sole plate having a longitudinal ridge portion, an electrical heating means imbedded in said sole plate and the ridge portion thereof, said floor plate having longitudinal depressions therein straddling and engaging said ridge portion, and means afxing said boiler to said sole plate whereby expansion or contraction of said oor plate relative to the sole plate on which it is mounted occurs without springing said weld. Y

19. An electric steam iron comprising a sole plate and a boiler of different materials having different coemcients of expansion, heating means 4for said sole plate and said boiler, means rigidly afxing the iront end of said boiler to said sole plate, flexible straps afiixed at one end to the rear of said boiler, and means ailixing the other ends of said straps against the top of said sole plate, whereby upon heating of said sole plate and said boiler, said flexible mounting straps will accommodate the diierence in expansion between said sole plate and said boiler.

20. An electric steam iron comprising a sole .through an opening in said cover plate, a nut on the end of said stud rigidly clamping said floor plate to said cover plate, flexible mounting straps at the rear oi' said boiler and means ailixing said mounting straps to said sole plate, whereby upon heating of said sole plate and said boiler, said flexlble mounting straps will accommodate the difplate having a steam chamber, a cover plate afferience in expansion below said sole plate and said bo ler.

21. An electric steam iron'comprising a sole plate having a steam chambertherein with discharge openings through the bottom of said plate, a cover plate aiiixed to said sole plate and closing said steam chamber, a heating element in said sole plate, thermostatlc control means on said sole plate for said heating element, a boiler having a floor plate rigid therewith, a steam dome on the top of said boiler, a stud rigid with the floor of said boiler and extending through said cover plate'into said steam chamber, a steam tube rigid with said stud and extending into said steam dome, a nut affixed to the end of said stud rigidly to clamp said boiler to said cover plate, a filling aperture in the top of said boiler, a shield plate hinged to the rear end of said boiler, a closure member for said filling aperture ailixed beneath said shield plate to seal said filling aperture when said shield plate is in closed position, a heel plate aiiixed to the rear end of said sole plate and having bracket means thereon, flexible mounting straps aiiixed to the rear end of said boiler and to said sole plate, and a cover plate amxed to said bracket means and straddling said heel plate.

22. An electric steam iron comprising a sole plate and a heating'r element imbedded therein, a steam chamber in said sole plate having steam discharge openings therein a boiler of metal having a coelcient of expansion differing from that of said sole plate, the floor of said boiler and the upper face of said sole plate having ridges and depressions correlated to support said boiler upon said sole plate at areas spaced from the rims thereof, and to maintain the rim of said floor spaced from the sole plate, means aiilxing the boiler to the sole plate at said support areas, said sole plate having an upstanding rim on the periphery thereof encompassing the periphery of said floor, and a steam tube ailixed to said oor and having communication with said steam chamber and extending into said boiler.

23. The combination recited in claim 22 in which the boiler is of two pieces comprising a shell and a oor plate, the latter having a downturned rim stitch-welded to the rim of the shell, and in which the stitch welded region is covered and; concealed by the upstanding rim of the sole p a e.

24. An electric steam iron comprising a sole plate having an upstanding rim, a steam chamber in said sole plate having steam discharge openings therein, a boiler including a shell having a flexible floor plate, a heating element for said sole plate and said boiler, a iillingaperture in the top of said boiler, a displaceable closure member for said filling aperture, said floor plate having a peripheral plateau, the portion of said plate encompassed by said plateau being depressed, a peripheral skirt depending from said plateau and encompassed by and welded at its lower edge to the rim of said shell, said plateau permitting expansion and contraction of said floor plate, without springing said weld when said heated boiler is filled, means spaced from said rim to ailix said boiler to said sole plate with the lower edge of the skirt and the shell encompassed by the upstanding rim of the sole plate and spaced from the floor thereof, and a steam tube having 4l.communication with said steam chamber and extending into said boiler.

25, An electric steam iron comprising a sole plate, a boiler releasably mounted upon said sole plate, a heating element under said boiler, a shield plate hingedly mounted upon the rear. end of said boiler, a handle afilxed upon said shield plate, a closure member 4mounted upon and depending from said snield plate, said boiler having a lling well in the upper wall thereof withwhch said 10 closure coacts, a latch member having coacting elements, one mounted upon the boiler in front of said filling well and the other upon the shield plate to the rear of the forward portion of he handle, means for passing steam from the boiler through thersole plate, said means comprising a steam well in said sole plate near the forward part thereof and having steam discharge openings therethrough near the forward part thereof but substantially to the rear of the point of said sole plate, acover attached to said sole plate and closing said Ysteam well, said cover having a face inclined downward toward the frontf the sole plate, said boiler having a iioor plate with an inclined area resting upon said inclined cover plate, a steam tube extending through and releasably aflixedrto said cover and said floor plate andrextending at right angles thereto and thereby inclined forwardly, and a steam dome immediatel'yl forward -of said latch and forward of the mounted end of said steam tube and protruding from the top of said boiler and accommodating the upper end of said steam tube, said handle having a cavity in its forward end to accommodate said steam dome.

EDWARD P. SCHREYER.

16 REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 75,150 Goodwin Mar. 3, 1868 409,436 Van-Horn et al Aug. 20, 1889 574,329 Ingalsbe Dec. 29, 1896 i 649,185 Turner May 8, 1900 1,109,828 Goff Sept. 8, 1914 Y1,310,240 Kessler July 15, 1919 1,391,125 Lafond Sept. 20, 1921 1,782,039 Hawkes Nov. 18, 1930 1,792,527 Irwin Feb. 17, 1931 2,048,943 Munn July 28, 1936 2,121,596 Hill June 21, 1938 2,154,545 Thwaits Apr. 18, 1939 2,178,52 Schreyer Oct. 31, 1939 2,188,011 Miller Jan. 523, 1940 2,199,911 Edwards et al. May 7, 1940 2,279,215 Theilgaard Apr. 7, 1942 2,309,427 Wolcott Jan. 26, 1943 f' 2,311,164 Ekstedt Febf16, 1943 2,312,290 Smith et al Feb. 23, 1943 2,313,382 Kistner Mar. 9, 1943 2,338,739 Schreyer Jan. 11, 1944 2,343,555 Huffman Mar; 7, 1944 VY2,345,413 Morton Mar. 28, 1944 2,369,677 Lucia Feb. 20, 1945 2,384,839 Kistner Sept. 18, 1945 2,387,281 Morton Oct. 23, 1945 2,441,916 Busch et al May 18, 1948 2,456,490 Busch et al Dec. 14, 1948 FQREIGN PATENTS Number e Country Date 369,269 Canada Oct. 12, 1937 491,759

Great Britain Sept. 8, 1938 Disclaimer 2,475,572--Edward P. Sclweger, Ridgefield, Conn. ELEGTRIG STEAM IRON. Patent dated July 5, 1949. Dsclamed flled May 1, 1951, by the inventor. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, and 24, of said i 1 patent.

[Official Gazette Jwlw 5,1951.]

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