US2566270A - Electric iron with signaling means - Google Patents

Description

A118. 1951 E. A. WEILAND 2,566,270

ELECTRIC IRON WITH SIGNALING MEANS Original Filed Sept. 4, 1948 I N VEN TOR. Edward A I Vez'land BY yf Mf 7 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 28, 1951 ELECTRIC IRON WITH SIGNALING MEANS Edward A. Weiland, Garfield Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application September 4, 1948, Serial No.

47,876. Divided and this application May 16, 1950, Serial No. 162,361

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to electric smoothing irons and more particularly to a control therefor which will automatically indicate to the user whether the iron is at the proper temperature for ironing the particular fabric for which the control is set. I

The invention is particularly useful when a plurality of different types of fabrics are being ironed in succession. It is also useful in informing the user when the iron has reached its proper temperature at the beginning of any ironing operation.

The normal household ironing may consist of silks, rayons, cottons, wools, and linens. Controls have been provided which can be set so that the iron will be held at the proper temperature for ironing any of the foregoing fabrics. However, if an attempt is made to iron any particular fabric before the iron is hot enough futile effort is expended by the user. If the control is set at the proper temperature for ironing one particular fabric and is changed to the proper temperature for ironing another fabric some time will elapse before the iron temperature will reach the proper temperature corresponding to the new setting.

If the control is changed from a high temperature setting to a low temperature setting while the iron is hot, immediate use of the iron will scorch the fabric having a lower ironing temperature.

Conversely, if the control is moved from a low temperature setting to a high temperature setting, immediate use of the iron will result in wasted effort by the user because the iron is not immediately hot enough for ironing the higher temperature fabric.

In either case, according to this invention, the

user is constantly informed as to whether or not the iron is at the proper temperature for ironing any particular fabric for which the control is set.

More particularly according to this invention a single signallight is provided which gives a signal when the iron is at too low a temperature for ironing the particular fabric for which the control is set. When the temperature of the iron is at the proper temperature for which the control is set the signal light will be illuminated in a distinctive manner to indicate that the iron is at the proper temperature. However, if the control is moved from a high temperature setting to a lower temperature setting while the iron is still hot the signal light will be illuminated in another distinctive manner to indicate to the user that the iron is too hot for ironing the fabric for which the control is set.

This application is a division of my copending application for U. S. letters Patent Serial No. 47,876, filed September 4, 1948, now Patent No. 2,527,779.

According to this invention a single signal light is 50 connected in circuit with the main heater and a blinker switch that the light blinks rapidly when the sole plate temperature is too high or too low and is continuously energized when the sole plate temperature is correct. Specifically, the main heater, the light and blinker switch are connected across the line in parallel circuit when the sole plate temperature is too low. As the sole plate temperature approaches that for which the control is set the blinker switch is shunted out of circuit and the light is continuously energized. When the sole plate temperature is too high as when the control is moved from a high temperature setting to a lower one the main heater is open circuited while the light is connected across the line in series with the blinker switch so that the light will blink rapidly.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the single figure of the accompanying drawing.

The reference numeral l0 represents the sole plate of a smoothing iron having an electric heater ll of well known construction embedded therein. A manually actuatable control shaft [8 is screw threaded into a nut 19 mounted on a bracket 20 supported from the sole plate ill by a post 2| comprising a plurality of insulating washers 22 anchored to the sole plate [0 by a screw 23. A signal lamp 34 may be mounted on the iron at any point where it is visible, for example, on the handle.

Th post 2| carries the spring arms Hll, I02 and four additional spring arms 60, BI and 62, 63. The spring arms 60, 6| carry cooperating contacts 64 and 65 and the spring arms 62, 63 carry cooperating contacts 66 and 61. The shaft It extends through spring arms GI, 63 into contact with the spring arm and with the collar 33 lying between the spring arms 61, 63. An insulating button 68 lies between the spring arms GI, 62 whereby the spring arm 62 will move upwardly with the spring arm 6 l.

The knob 25 carried by the bimetal 24 has a shoulder 69, an extension 59 extending through the end of the spring arm Bl which contacts the lower sides of the spring arms GI, 63 respectively under certain conditions as will be explained I hereinafter.

The conductor I06 connects the spring arm Ill directly to one side of the power line and. the

3 conductor I01 connects the spring arm I02 to the conductor 4|. The conductor 40 connects the heater II to the spring arm 6I and the spring arm 60 is connected to the other side of the power line by conductor 31. Conductor35 is connected to spring arm 63 and spring arm 62 is connected to conductor H by a conductor 10. The conductor 13 is also connected to the conductor H by the conductor 10.

Operation Suppose the control is moved from the position shown so as to move the shaft I8 upwardly. The spring arm 60 will move upwardly as will the button I causing the contacts I03, I04 and 64, 65 to close while the contacts 66, 61 will remain open. I

The heater II will be energized as will the light 34 and the blinker switch 14, 15 etc. The heater II will be energized as follows: Conductor I06, spring arm IOI, contacts I03, I04, spring arm I02,

conductors I01, 4I, heater II, conductor 40,

spring arm 6|, contacts 65, 64, spring arm 60 and conductor 31. The light 34 and blinker switch will be energized as follows: Conductor I06,

spring arm I 0I, contacts I03, I04, spring arm I02,

' so that the shoulder 69 will engage the spring arm 6| and move it upwardly. This will cause the button 68 to move the spring arm 62 upwardly and eventually close contacts 66, 61. The construction is such the contacts 66, 61 close just prior to the opening of contacts 64, 65 and remain closed as the bimetal 24 oscillates back and forth to maintain the sole plate temperature.

Closure of the contacts 66, 61 will energize the light 34 in the following circuit: Conductor I06,

, spring IOI, contacts I03, I04, spring I02, conductor I01, 4| and 10, spring 62, contacts 66, 61, spring 63, conductor 36, resistance 38, light 34, and conductors 36, 31. The blinker heater 11 will be shunted out of circuit.- The above circuit will remain closed whether the contacts 64, 65 are open or closed and the light 34 will burn steadily as long as the sole plate temperature remains at the control setting.

When the sole plate temperature is too high, as for example if the control is moved from a high temperature setting to a lower one both pairs of contacts 64, 65 and 66, 61 will be opened. The

- end of shaft I6 will bend spring 60 downwardly and positively open contacts 64, 65 while the collar 33 will move away from spring 63 and permit its end to engage the extension 59 of button 25. The arrangement is such that the collar 33 will engage spring 6| and how it suillciently to open contacts-66, 61.

The light 34 and blinker switch will then be.

connected in the same circuitas first described and the light 34 will blink until the extension 59 moves away from spring arm 63 and permits the contacts 66, 61 to reclose. The light 34 will then burn steadily as previously described as the bimetal 24 oscillates back and forth to maintain the sole plate.l0 at the new temperature setting.

From the foregoing it can be seen that this invention provides a control for an electric smoothing iron together with single signal light giving distinctive signals when the iron is below, at or above its set temperature whereby the User is continuously informed as to the temperature condition of the iron with relation to the control setting.

While I have shown but a single embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that that embodiment is to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited to the particular structure shown and described but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. An electric iron comprising; a sole plate; an electric heater therefor; a signal light; switching means; thermostatic means and conductor wires connecting said heater, light and switching means in such manner as to form a plurality of circuits; said switch means being connected in said circuits in a manner to activate said heater at a maximum and to activate said light so as to give a first type of visible signal in one position of said switching means, to activate said light so as to give a second type of visible signal in a secend position of said switching means while said heater is intermittently activated and deactivated and to activate said light so as to give the first type of visible signal'in a third position of said switching means while said heater is deactivated; said thermostatic means being so constructed and arranged relative to said switching means and to said sole plate to control the flow of current through said circuits to continuously activate said heater as long as the sole plate temperature is below a predetermined value and said switching means is in said first position, to intermittently activate said heater when the sole plate temperature reaches said value so as to maintain the sole plate at said value and to activate said light to give said second type of visible signal when said heater is being intermittently activated and to deactivate said heater when said switching means is in said third position. v

2. An electric iron comprising; a sole plate; an electric heater therefor; a signal light; switch means; thermostatic means; a blinker switch and conductor vwires connecting said heater, light switch means and blinker switch in such a manner as to form a plurality of circuits; said switching means being connected in said circuits in a manner to activate said heater ata maximum and to activate said light and blinker in series to give a blinking signal in one position of said switching means, to activate said light contlnuously while said heater is intermittently activated and deactivated and to activate said light and blinker switch in series to give a blinking signal and continuously deactivate said heater in another position of said switching means; said thermostatic means being so constructed and arranged relative to said switching means and to said sole plate that said switching means is in said one position when the sole plate temperature is below a predetermined value, is in said other position when the sole plate temperature i above said value and operates to activate said heater intermittently and said light continuously when the sole plate temperature is at said value.

3. An electric iron comprising; a sole plate; an electric heater therefor; a signal light; ablinker switch; switchin means; thermostatic means;

and conductor wires connecting said heater, light, blinker switch and switching means to a power line in such manner as to form a plurality of circuits; said switch means being connected in said circuits in a manner to simultaneously activate said heater and said light and blinker switch in parallel circuits when a first condition cxism, to intermittently activate said heater and continuously activate said light with said blinker switch out of circuit when a second condition exists, and to deactivate said heater and to activate said light and blinker switch when a third condition exists; said thermostatic means being so constructed and so positioned relative to said switching mean and to said sole plate as to actuate said switching means to control the flow of current through said circuits in such manner that said heater, blinker switch and light are activated as long as the sole plate temperature is below a sit value, that said heater is intermittently activated to maintain the sole plate temperature at said set value while said light is continuously activated with said blinker switch in shunt circuit and that said heater is deactivated and said light and blinker switch activated when the sole plate temperature is above said set value.

4. An electric iron comprising; a sole plate; an electric heater therefor; a signal light; a blinker switch; switching means for controllin the activation and deactivation of said heater, blinker switch and signal light; and thermostatic means for activating said switching means; said thermostatic means being positioned to be responsive to sole plate temperature and to activate said switchin means to activate and deactivate said heater to maintain said sole plate at a predetermined temperature value and to activate said light and blinker switch in series or to activate said light with said blinker switch out of circuit; said thermostatic means and said switching means being so constructed and arranged that when the sole plate temperature is below said value said light and blinker switch will be activated in series circuit, that when said thermostatic means is operating to activate and deactivate said heater said light will be activated continuously with said blinker switch out of circuit and when the sole plate temperature is above said value said light and blinker switch will be activated in series circuit.

5. An electric iron comprising; a sole plate; a heater therefor; a signal light; a resistance; a blinker switch; switching means including first and second pairs of coacting contacts; first conductors connecting said heater across a power line with said first contacts in circuit; second conductors connecting said light and resistance across the power line with said second contacts in circuit; third conductors connecting said blinker switch in circuit across said second contacts; and thermostatic means responsive to sole plate temperature for actuating said switching means for activating and deactivating said heater to maintain said sole plate at a set temperature value; said thermostatic means and switching means being so constructed and arranged that when the sole plate temperature is below said value said first contacts will be closed and said second contact open whereby said heater will be active and said light, resistance and blinker switch will be connected in series circuit across the line to cause said light to blink rapidly by the action of said blinker switch, as the sole plate temperature approaches said value said second contacts will close prior to the opening of said first contacts whereby as said thermostat operates to open and close said first contacts said light will be on steadily and when the sole plate temperature is above said value both pairs of contacts will be open to con nect said light across the line in series circuit with said blinker switch to thereby cause said light to blink rapidly by the action of said blinker switch.

6. An electric iron according to claim 5 including a manually actuatable control coacting with said switching means and thermostatic means for varying the set temperature at which said sole plate operates; the arrangement being such that when said control is moved from a high setting to a lower one both pairs of contacts will be opened and when said control is moved from a lower setting to a higher one said first contacts will be closed and said second contacts opened whereby in either case said light will blink rapidly until the sole plate temperature reaches the new setting.

EDWARD A. WEILAND.

No reference cited.

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