US2629950A - Ironing board and support therefor - Google Patents

Description

March 3, 1953 R. POLL 2,629,950

IRONING BOARD AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed June 24. 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 INVENTOR.

Ra PolL Mia 4 444 di'ys March 3, 1953 POLL 2,629,950

I IRONING BOARD AND SUPPORT THEREFOR v Filed June 24.' 1949 2 $HEETSSHEET 2 27 7 6 zzvwszvrozc By Ray Poll 2 8 Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES ZPTE OFFICE 1 Claim. 2

This invention relates to improvements in ironing boards and supports therefor.

An ironing board of the type under considera tion is shown by my prior Patent No. 1,909,891, granted liay 16, 1933. The board of the construction therein shown was provided with a single leg that served as a support for the board in conjunction with a suitable support, such as a shelf, a step ladder or the like to which the leg clamped the board for support in a horizontal position. The lateral or rocking movement of the board resulting from transverse strokes of the iron tended to cause the board to creep forwardly which made it desirable to use positive means for locking the board to the support.

One object of the invention is to provide means that interlock when the board is placed in engagement with a support for preventing accidental separation of the board from the support.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved means on the lower side of the support which cooperates with the adjacent end of the board for reducing lateral movement of the board relative to the support and thus providing a stable structure when the board and support are in operative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved support for an ironing'board of the type above referred to that can readily be attached to available wall areas in kitchens or laundry rooms of a home at a position or in positions where the board is to be used.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an ironing board adapted to be supported at different elevations whereby the board can be used optionally by a person in a seated or a standing position.

Other objects of the invention relate to various features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section of a board of the type mentioned shown in operative position with a support in the form of a step ladder;

factory board is provided.

Fig. 8 is a broken view of the support;

Fig. '7 is a broken elevational view illustrating an adjustable leg of the ironing board;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-3 of Fig. '7.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the board structure comprises an ironing board generally indicated by the numeral as and provided with a slot I l at the rear end portion of the board. To the under surface of the board are secured two leg supporting members 12 spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of the slot I l and with their adjacent vertical faces in substantial alignment with the respective vertical edges of the slot. The members i2 are secured rigidly to the board ii by any appropriate means such as by screws 93 or with screws and glue.

A leg l4, preferably of wood as shown, extends between the rails and is pivotally attached to the rails H! by means of a bolt lb or the like. The leg can be folded or turned on its pivot for disposition along the lower surface of the board for storage, packaging or shipment but when in use the leg occupies an oblique position as shown in Fig. 1. In the operative position shown, the upper end of the leg extends through the slot H whereby a right angle notch it formed in the upper end portion will contact the forward vertical edge and adjacent portion of the top surface of a support H which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as being the top step or shelf of a step ladder, indicated generally by numeral 18. The rearward end of the board it, as shown in Fig. 1, extends beneath the shelf ll which is gripped between the adjacent portions of the leg and board by the shear action afforded by the pivotal relationship of said members. Downward pressure on the board beyond or forwardly of the pivot, as in the act of ironing, increases the gripping action resulting from the weight of such forward portion of the board and hence the board tends to retain itself in engagement with the support during use. By lifting up on the forward portion of the board the same is released from engagement with the support as is apparent.

By the provision of improved stabilizing means that inhibits lateral movement of the board relative to the support during ironing, a more satis- It will be seen that if the board can rock sidewise with respect to the supporting shelf under the impetus of an iron that is moved crosswise of the board, for example, the board may tend to creep away from the shelf and require repositioning to avoid collapse unless means for locking or latching the board to the support are provided. Positive locking means heretofore were considered desirable to avoid the separation of the board from the support. Such locking means, in the form of a bolt and nut, or the like, when used, was to some users an annoyance, and a simpler latching means is incorporated in the improved board which avoids the annoyance mentioned.

For the purpose of stabilizing the board with respect to the support, the latter is provided with confining members on the lower surface that restrain the board against lateral movement relative to the support and thereby provide a more satisfactory board and reduce the creeping action of the board above-mentioned that sometimes has caused the board to move away from the support when latching means were not employed. The members mentioned include, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a pair of side rails l9, I9 secured to the lower surface of the support I1 and spaced apart sufficiently to snugly accommodate between the same the rear bifurcated end of the board In as shown in Fig. 2. The rails I9, l9 are shown in the form of metal angle members having the forward vertical edges slightly flared outwardly and united by a rear rail 2|] against which the rear edge of the board normally abuts when the board and support are in operative relation. In addition to members I9, I9 and 20, the stabilizing structure includes a guide member 2|, shown as of angular form, that is attached to the lower surface of the support adjacent the forward edge thereof. The guide member 2| not only is of convenience in placing the board in operative position by the guiding action that it affords in directing the rear end of the board into the confining space defined by members I9, I9 and 20 but it cooperates with the latter members in preventing side sway or lateral movement of the board with respect to the support I1. The guide member 2| may, if preferred, be an angular metal piece of the width of the slot that will serve the guiding purpose mentioned although in the form illustrated the guide and slot are arranged to provide the latching function above mentioned.

The slot II of the board III as shown is provided with a notch or notches 23 which receive the upper wide portion 2Ia of the guide 2| for attaching the board to the ladder or other support. The lower portion 2|b of the guide is narrower and of a width to be freely accommodated in the slot I whereby the portion 2 lb and slot ll cooperate in guiding the rear end of the board into position in the seat defined by the abutment members I9, H! and 20. In placing the board in the operative position shown in Fig. 1, the

lower end of the leg 14 is permitted to rest on the floor and the board proper is tilted clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 1) to a position wherein the slot accommodates the narrow portion 2|b of the guide as the rear end of the board is moved under the step or shelf I'I. At the position wherein the notch 23 will receive the wide portion 2|a of the guide, the board is turned to horizontal position wherein the rear end of the board will be in contact with the abutment members and the leg and board will exert a clamping action on the shelf H.

The arrangement just described latches the board to the support or shelf and prevents accidental separation of the board from the shelf and the abutment members, embracing the rear edges of the board, restrain lateral movement of the board under impetus of the sliding action of an iron moving crosswise thereof.

In removing the board from latched relation with respect to the support I1. it is only necesabout the pivot I5 for lowering the rear portion to effect release of the portion 2|a of the guide from the notch and then slide the board forwardly.

For the purpose of enabling the board to be employed at two elevations, that is, the upper position shown in Fig. 1 where the user wishes to iron in a standing position as well as at a lower elevation where the ironing can be performed in a seated position, as on a chair, for example, the leg I4 is shown as being adjustable as to length. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the leg is provided with a metal sleeve 24 secured to the lower end portion Ma of the leg and slidable along the upper portion to provide telescopic action. A threaded keeper or stud 25 is shown in Fig. 7 adapted to extend through an opening in the sleeve and into a threaded bushing 25 in the leg proper for retaining the sleeve and leg in the extended position of maximum length Where the board is to be used in the higher elevation. When the sleeve is slid upwardly along the leg to fore-shorten it, the keeper 25 is passed through a second opening 2! in the sleeve 24 and into the bushing 26 for retaining the leg parts in the fore-shortened relation. The keeper 25 preferably is provided with a thumb or finger piece 28 for convenience in turning the keeper into the bushing. Other means may be provided for enabling the leg to be adjusted as to length to enable it to cooperate with a support for retaining the board at the desired level as will be apparent.

For the purpose of enabling the improved board to be employed in a lower position where a step ladder I8 constitutes the support, a step 29, shown as the second step in Fig. 1, is provided with a guide member 2 I which is similar to guide member 2 I. The lower surface of the step 29 likewise preferably is provided with abutment members l9, I9 and 20', similar to the members I9. I9 and 20 attached to the top step IT.

The improved board may be used with nonladder type supports where desired. For example, in Fig. 5 is shown a support 30 of a type adapted for removable attachment to a bracket that may be secured at a convenient location to a wall, door, or the like. The support 30 shown in Fig. 5 comprises a vertical panel 3| which may be of sheet metal of the proper gauge and a horizontal support 32 secured thereto or forming a part thereof. Secured to the forward face of the panel 3| is a combined brace and latch member 33 shown as comprising a pair of angle members 34 secured to the panel 3| and having upper flanges 35 (see Fig. 6) that may be attached to the support 32 for rigidifying the latter. The combined width of the flanges 35 preferably is no greater than the slot II of the board Ill. The forwardly extending flanges 36 of the angle members are recessed at 31 to receive a latch bolt or plate of a bracket structure 38 shown in Fig. 4 when the support has been inserted in position in the bracket.

The bracket structure 38 comprises a rear plate 39 that is adapted to be secured at the proper elevation to a wall, door, trim, or the like of a kitchen or laundry room. Secured to the plate 39 is a channel shaped member 40 providing a receiving pocket 4| into which the panel 3| of the support 30 may be inserted, an open slot 42 accommodating the forward members 36 whereby the recess 31 is disposed forwardly of the forward plane of the member 40. When in the position stated a latch plate 43 can be slid through the slot 31 into a keeper 44 for retaining the support 30 against upward displacement.

The support 30 can readily be removed from the bracket when not in use, thus leaving only the relatively flat bracket structure 38 attached to the wall, door or the like.

The support 32 is provided with a guide 45 similar to guide 2| and preferably also with abutment members 46, 46 and 41 similar to the elements 19, I9 and 20 shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The support 32, when in position on a bracket provides an adequate support for the rear end of an ironing board of the form shown in Fig. 1. A householder may have two brackets at the elevations required for using the board I0 at either of the two elevations above mentioned for ironing in a standing or a seated position where the board is provided with the adjustable leg above described.

The improved ironing board thus is adapted for use with a portable support, such as the ladder illustrated in Fig. 1 or with a stationary, but preferably removable support, shown in Fig. 5.

By reason of the supports described, the board may be used at either of two elevations and when attached to a support is latched thereto against accidental disengagement, although it can be released from the support merely by upward tilting of the forward end of the board as described above.

The ladder I8 preferably is provided with a transverse strip 48 that extends beyond the legs of the ladder for restraining sidewise tilting of the ladder during use. The central portion of the lower edge of the strip 48 is relieved to provide two feet at the ends of the strip which make contact with the floor, thereby providing for better stability of the ladder against lateral rocking action.

While I have shown structures that are illustrative of my improvements, various changes in the details of the disclosures may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

In combination, an ironing board provided with a leg pivotally connected thereto and extending therethrough and cooperating at the upper end with the rear end portion of the board to provide a clamp for engaging a horizontal support, said board being provided with an open slot extending longitudinally from the rear end thereof for accommodating pivotal movement of the leg, and a horizontal support for the board provided with a depending guide member having a lower end portion of a width slightly less than the width of said slot for guiding the rear portion of the board into support-engaging position and having an upper portion of greater width than said slot, and a transverse notch in said board communicating with said slot for accommodating said wider portion of the guide member when the board is in support-engaging position for restraining end-wise displacement of the board from said support.

RAY POLL.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 684.399 Deschambault Oct. 3, 1899 1,185,099 Howard May 30, 1916 1,246,749 Joiner Nov. 13, 1917 1,671,881 Barrie May 29, 1928 1,909,891 Poll May 16, 1933

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