US2555639A

US2555639A - Floating sadiron mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2555639A
Application number: US195860A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edwin E Foster
Original assignee: Majik Ironers Inc
Current assignee: Majik Ironers Inc
Priority date: 1950-11-15
Filing date: 1950-11-15
Publication date: 1951-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 1968-06-05

Description

June 5, 1951 E. E. FOSTER FLOATING SADIRON MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1950 Edwin E. 561e,-

June 5, 1951 E. E. FOSTER FLOATING SADIRON MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 15, 1950 June 5, 1951 E. E. FOSTER FLOATING SADIRON MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 15, 1950 '5. Foster- Edwin W June 5, 1951 Filed NQV. 15, 1950 E. E. FOSTER FLOATING SADIRON MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR EDWIN E FOSTER Patented June 5, 19 51 2,555,639 M FLOATING sADIRoN MECHANISM Edwin E. Foster, Austin, Tex., assignor to Majik- Ironers, Inc., Austin, Tom, a corporation of Texas Application November 15, 1950, Serial No. 195,860

13 Claims.

This invention relates to a mechanical lifting and holding device for supporting an ordinary hand iron, and is used in combination with, or

attached to, an articulated arm secured to an ironing board as, for instance, shown in application, Serial No. 669,318, filed May 13, 1946.

This application is a continuation in part of my prior applications, Serial No. 727,124, filed February 7, 1947, now abandoned, and Serial No. "25,137, filed May 5, 1948.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device which can be attached to a hand iron, and which functions to lift and hold an iron on an arm. The wrist of the arm as shown in said application, Serial No. 669,318, travels in a plane parallel to the ironing board and has limit stops which prevent it from moving oii the board beyond a safe distance, normally about six inches. Another object resides in the provision of an adjustable member on a counterweighting spring so that it can be adapted to different weights of irons by merely turning an adjustment screw.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of means for the counterweighting force to be neutralized or partially neutralized during the time the iron is on the material to be ironed.- V

1 Further objects willbe apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a rear end elevation, partly in section of the adapter and counterweight mechanism, showing the iron in the extreme lifting position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the iron on the ironing board.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the iron in. its lifted position and the counterweighting mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l with the iron approximately one-half inch above the ironing board.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modification of my invention in which the jointed arm and housing are reversed from the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. '7 illustrates a combinationstructure in which the iron is secured to arm sections for supporting the iron above the board when the iron is released and slightly lifted from the work.

The adapter bracket I, which is made of any suitable metal and ot tubular or solid stock, is clamped to the rear endof the iron 2 by means oia flexible steel band '3, and the latter is preferably secured: at one end 4 in a permanent manher, with the other end provided with a wing put 5 to tightly hold the iron 2 on the adapter, as

' .best shown in Fig. 3. The bracket 1 is provided with a square end 6, which is preferably tapered as shown in Fig. 3, and this end portion is received in a corresponding tapered square hole 1, in a supporting housing or casing 8, and is secured in place by a nut 9.

The housing 8 is provided with a pair of spaced ball bearings l0 and H, in and through which a pinor shaft 12 operates to form a frictionless pivot between the housing 8 and an arm 13.

The arm I3 is provided with a second shaft or centrally by means of sleeves 16, Fig.- 3. A. block or ring I! is provided around the bearing .l5, and has a perforation with a knife edge pivot point or edge I8. A tension spring 19 is secured at one hook end 20 on the knife edge 18, and the other hook end 2| engages a link 22 secured by means of an adjustable screw 23 in theremote portion of the housing or casing 8. This screw 23 adjusts the tension of the spring 49.

The upper end of the arm 13 is provided with a ball member '25 which fits into the wrist end of a supporting arm asshown in Fig.- 7. A

Fig. 7 illustrates a combination structure in which the iron v2 is secured to the arm sections 3.3 and 34, with the latter secured on the ironing board 35 by means of the post 36 secured to a .base 31.

The ball .25 is provided with a neck portion 26. and a cylindrical lower portion 21 through which a pin 28 is mounted to form a pivotal connection between the portion 21 and the arm [3.

The bearing block I!- isprovided with a finger or link 29 which cooperates with or against the pin I2 and permits the spring [9' to pivot on the knife edge [8 in the bearing block rather than cross over a dead center position which would result if the finger 29 were not provided. By permitting the finger to contact the pin 12, a definitelev'ei' arm is maintained through the rest of the stroke.

In Fig. 6; the housing for the spring I?! is shown as the substantially horizontal member of the two

pivoted members

8 and 13 while the rigid member I3 is attached to the iron.

The operation and functions of the device are obvious from the drawings and the specification. The: adapter bracket I of the right size receives the iron 2, and the iron isthus ready for" 1186.

Figs. 1 and 6 show the iron being sup orted, and

the iron. The operator actually lifts or partially lifts the weight of the iron about one-fourth of an inch from the ironing board 32, Fig. at which position the counterweighting mechanism gradually becomes more efiective and takes hold of the weight of the iron and lifts it the remainder of the one and one-half inch stroke, Figs. 1 and 6.

The operator may tilt the iron on its point slightly to lift the center part of the iron this short distance, if preferred, as the mechanical leverage would need only one-half of the efiort. 7

It has been found desirable to keep a set amount of counterweighting force at all times in order to make the iron easier to start on its upward stroke. It would be possible to cut out all of the counterweighting force and still keep the force from crossing center by this same means. That is, the finger 29 could be adjusted to maintain a dead center position by allowing the top hook of the spring to roll about the knife ed e l8. However, it is not the weight but the heat and the, moving of the iron that does the work, and

the only reason for having even a four or five pound iron is to have enough metal to maintain a heat reservoir. With a four pound iron, this device seems to operate best with the mechanism counterweighting one and one-half pounds, leaving an efiective ironing weight of two and onehalf pounds. Therefore, the operator must lift only the two and one-half pounds, and that through a very short distance. This quarter of an inch of space through which the iron is lifted will vary some, depending on the thickness of the material being ironed. On material thicker than one-fourth of an inch, the iron would lift all the way from the material upward. Means could be provided for adjusting the height of the shoulder pivot point of the arm to make it possible for the operator to select different conditions to suit.

Figs. 1, 2 and 5 illustrate the positions of the parts in the various positions of the iron as the latter is moved up or down on the ironing board.

In the position of Figs. 1 and 6, the spring l9 holds the iron in the suspended position.

Although I have shown and described my invention with respect to certain details of construction, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be unduly limited thereto, certain modifications being possible without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A counterweighting device for an iron.

mounted on a support movable in a plane above and parallel with an ironing board, comprising a housing member and an arm member pivoted together above the iron, one member extending substantially horizontally having its end away.

'from the pivot attached to the support and the other member extending substantially vertically and having its lower end secured to the iron, a tension spring in the housing member having one end mounted on the housing member at a position spaced from the pivot, and an anchor for the other end of the spring mounted on the arm member, said anchor being spaced closer to said pivot than to the end of said arm member away from said pivot, the distance between said one' 1 end of the spring and the anchor being greater the iron toward the ironing board the counterbalancing effect of the spring is decreased.

2. A counterweighting device for an iron mounted on a supporting arm secured to an ironing board, comprising a housing, an adapter bracket secured to the iron and to the lower end of the housing, an arm pivotally secured to the upper end of the housing and to the supporting arm of the ironing board and having a'bearing member secured to the arm and spaced from the pivot for the arm and the housing a slight distance relative to the vertical plane of the arm and housing pivot axis, and a tension spring secured at one end to the bearing and at the other end to the bottom of the housing to counterweight a portion of the weight of the iron.

3. A counterweighting device for an iron mounted on a supporting arm secured to an ironing board, comprising a housing, an adapter bracket secured to the iron and to the lower end of the housing, an arm pivotally secured to the upper end of the housing and to the supporting arm of the ironing board and having a bearing member secured to the arm and spaced from the pivot for the arm and the housing a slight distance relative to the vertical plane of the arm and housing pivot axis and a tension spring secured at one end to the bearing and at the other end to the bottom of the housing to counterweight a portion of the weight of the iron, said bearing having a finger extending from and connected to the bearing to which the upper end of the spring is connected.

4. A counterweighting device for an iron mounted on a supporting arm secured to an ironing board, comprising a housing, an adapter bracket secured to the iron and to the lower end of the housing, an arm pivotally secured to the upper end of the housing and to the supporting arm of the ironing board, and having a bearing member secured to the arm and spaced from the pivot for the arm and the housing a slight distance relative to the vertical plane of the arm and housing pivot axis, a tensionspring secured to one end to the bearing and at the other end to the bottom of the housing to counterweight a portion of the weight of the iron, and a member connecting the lower end of the spring to the lower end of the housing and which is adjustable to adjust the tension in the spring.

5. A counterweighting device for an iron mounted on a supporting arm secured to an ironing board, comprising a housing, an adapter bracket secured to the iron and to the lower end of the housing, an arm pivotally secured to the upper end of the housing and to the supporting arm of the ironing board and having a bearing member secured to the arm and spaced from the pivot for the arm and the housing a slight distance relative to the vertical plane of the arm and housing pivot axis, a short link secured to the bearing member, and a tension spring secured at one end to the link and the other end to the bottom of the housing to counterweight the weight of the iron.

6. A counterweighting device for an iron mounted on a supporting arm secured to an ironing board, comprising a housing, an adapter bracket secured to the iron and to the lower end of the housing, an arm pivotally secured to the upper end of the housing by means of a pin and to the supporting arm of the ironing board and having a bearing member secured to the arm and spaced from the pin for the arm and the housing a slight distance relative to the vertical plane of the pin axis, and a tension spring secured at one end to the bearing and at the other end to the bottom of the housing to counterweight the weight of the iron, said bearing having a finger extending from and connected to the bearing to which the upper end of the spring is connected and being adapted in the lowered position of the iron to contact the pin to thereby maintain a definite lever arm on the bracket.

7. A counterweighting device for an iron mounted on a supporting arm secured to an ironing board, comprising a housing, an adapter bracket secured to the iron and to the lower end of the housing, an arm pivotally secured to the upper end of the housing by means of a pin and to the supporting arm of the ironing board, and having a bearing member secured to the arm and spaced from the pin for the arm and the housing a slight distance relative to the vertical plane of the pin axis, a link secured at one end to the bearing member, a tension spring secured at one end to the link and at the other end to the bottom of the housing to counterweight a portion of the weight of the iron, and a member connecting the lower end of the spring to the lower end of the housing and which is adjustable to adjust the tension in the spring, said link being so mounted as to abut against the pin to prevent the spring from acting over center relative to the pivotal connection of the arm and housing.

8. A supporting device for an iron suspended from a jointed arm comprising a rigid arm se cured to a handle post of the iron, a short arm in the form of a casing pivotally secured at one end to the upper end of the rigid arm and the other end to the jointed arm, and a tension spring lying within the casing and secured at one end to the casing at a point remote from its connection to the rigid arm and the other end to the rigid arm adjacent to its pivotal connection to the casing and farther from said point than the pivotal connection between the arm and casing to act as a counterbalance when the iron is suspended above a board.

9. A supporting device for an iron suspended from a jointed arm comprising a rigid arm secured to a hande post of the iron, a short arm in the form of a casing pivotally secured at one end to the upper end of the rigid arm and the other end to the jointed arm, a link pivotally mounted on the rigid arm at a point near the pivotal connection of the casing on the rigid arm, and a tension spring secured at one end to the casing at a point remote from its connection to the rigid arm and the other end to the link to act as a counterbalance when the iron is suspended from a board, the distance between the link and said point being greater than the distance between the pivotal connection between the arm and casing and said point.

10. A supporting device for an iron suspended from a jointed arm comprising a rigid arm secured to a handle post of the iron, a short arm in the form of a casing pivotally secured at one end to the upper end of the rigid arm and the other end to the jointed arm, a link pivotally mounted on the rigid arm at a point near the pivotal connection of the casing on the rigid arm, and a tension spring secured at one end to the casing at a point remote from its connection to the rigid arm and the other end to the link to act as a counterbalance when the iron is suspended from a board, said casing enveloping the spring and link and the connection to the jointed arm being a swivel connection the distance between said point and the pivotal axis of the link being greater than the distance between said point and the pivotal connection between the casing and rigid arm.

11, A. counterweighting device for an iron mounted on a supporting arm secured. to an ironing board, comprising a vertical housing attached at its lower end to an iron, an arm pivotally secured at one end to the upper end of the housing and at the other end to the supporting arm of the ironing board and having a bearing member secured to the arm and spaced above at one side of the pivot for the arm and the housing a slight distance relative to the vertical plane of the arm and housing pivot axis toward other end, a short link secured to the bearmember, and a tension spring secured at one end to the link and the other end to the bottom of the housing to counterweight the weight of the iron.

12. A counterweighting device for an iron mounted on a supporting arm secured to an ironboard, comprising a substantially vertical arm attached at its lower end to an iron, a substantially horizontal housing pivotally secured at one end to the upper end of the vertical arm and at the other end to the supporting arm of the ironing board, the vertical arm having a bearing member secured to it and spaced from the pivot for the arm and the housing a slight distance below the horizontal plane of the arm and housing pivot axis and at the side of the pivotal axis remote from said one end of the housing, a short link secured to the bearing member, and a tension spring secured at one end to the link and at the other end to the remote part of the housing to counterweight the weight of the iron.

13. A counterweighting device for an iron mounted on a support movable in a plane above and parallel with an ironing board, comprising a housing member and an arm member pivoted together above the iron, one member extending substantially horizontally having its end away from the pivot attached to the support and the other member extending substantially vertically and having its lower end secured to the iron, a

spring in the housing member having one end mounted on the housing member at a point spaced from the pivot, and an anchor for the other end of the spring on the arm member, the spring being stressed in such manner as to bias the members toward closed position about the pivot to decrease the angle between them, said anchor being at a point closer to said pivot than to the end of the arm member away from the pivot, the line between said points passing to one side of the pivot and being so related to the pivot that when the angle between the members is increased by lowering the iron toward the ironing board. said line moves closer to the pivot whereby the counterbalancing effect of the spring is decreased.

EDWIN E. FOSTER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 229,758 Rubio July 6, 1880 433,679 Gindorfi Aug. 5, 1890 501,327 Choen July 11, 1893 1,340,522 Capman May 18, 1920 2,149,251 Campana Mar. 7, 1939