US2642682A

US2642682A - Snap action sadiron lift

Info

Publication number: US2642682A
Application number: US29972A
Authority: US
Inventors: Browning George
Original assignee: Sunbeam Corp
Current assignee: Sunbeam Corp
Priority date: 1948-05-29
Filing date: 1948-05-29
Publication date: 1953-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 1970-06-23

Description

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

G BROWNING SNAP ACTION SADIRON LIFT Filed Ray 29, 1948 June 23, 1953 Patented June 23, 1 953 SNAP ACTION SADIRON LIFT George Browning, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 29, 1948, Serial No. 29,972

14 Claims. (01. 38-79) This invention relates to flatirons and more particularly to novel support means for a flatiron that is capable of maintaining the fiatiron, when temporarily out of use, in a raised position above an ironing board or work surface.

In certain types of fiatirons it is the usual practice to set the iron up on its rear end on the ironing baord when the ironing operation is temporarily stopped. This practice is objectionable in several respects in that it causes wear and strain on the cord which is twisted more than 90 from its normal position; it exposes the entire heating surface of the sole plate so that it may be brushed against by the user's arm; and this up-ended position is relatively unstable whereby the iron may fall off the ironing board, thus presenting a further hazard especially to small children. Furthermore, certain types of steam irons cannot be up-ended in the conventional manner without creating an undesirable condition in the water reservoir. It is preferable, therefore, that in the out-of-use position the iron be tipped only slightly and not all the Way back over its rear end. However, supporting mechanism conventionally employed for this purpose are relatively complicated and expensive considering the competitive nature of this class of merchandise since they include latching and unlatching mechanisms requiring manual manipulation on the part of the user.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple fiatiron support means which avoids the use of complicated and expensive latching mechanisms and which avoids the necessity of the operator performing conscious mental manipulations, such as depressing latch release buttons and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide support means which utilizes a snap spring system arranged to permit the iron to snap into an inclined elevated position with respect to a support member after a preselected upward tilting of the iron about its rear edge is effected and which permits the support member to snap into a a retracted position after a preselected down- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the support member alone;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 2 taken on line 4-4 showing the overcenter snap mechanism and the support in its retracted position;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the support in its extended or supporting position;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the overcenter spring system taken on line 66 of Figs. 2 and 4, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of Fig. 6 takenyon line l'l.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the flatiron comprises a body generally designated I and a handle 2 fixedly secured thereto, the latter carrying the heat regulating control wheel 3. These are conventional and form no part of the present invention except as they may be employed in combination therewith.

The body I comprises the usual sole plate 4 and cover 6 which in the present instance extends beyond the rear of the sole plate to provide a rearwardly extending hood 1 for a snap acting mechanism utilized for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The body I is pivctally mounted at its rear end on a support for maintaining the iron in an inclined elevated position as shown in Figure 1 and generally designated by the numeral 8. In the present instance the support 8 is formed by a U-shaped member (see Fig. 3) having a bridging portion 8a disposed beneath the hood "I at the rear of the iron and a pair of forwardly extending legs 9 shaped to be received in edge recesses II formed along opposite sides of the bottom of the sole plate. When the support 8 is in a retracted position as shown in Fig. 2 its bottom surface I2 is substantially flush or slightly recessed with respect to the bottom surface I3 of the sole plate 4 so that the iron may pass readily over a work piece I4 such as a cloth on an ironing board or the like. One edge of the bridging portion 8a is folded back on itself to form an upper portion I6 (see Fig. 4) extending toward the front end of the iron and having a pair of spaced downwardly facing grooves I! formed on its underside. Between the grooves I! is an adjusting screw I8 threaded through the upper portion I6 and having a pivot point I9 projecting above the upper portion I6. A hole 2| in the lower portion of the bridging portion 8a provides access to the screw I8 for adjustment purposes.

A bracket 22 having a generally L-shaped cross I section is mounted at the rear of the iron and on. top of the sole plate 4 as by spot welding so that 6) to define spaced portions 29 each terminating in an upwardly facing knife edge 3| pix/totally disposed respectively in the grooves I! on' the upper" portion !6 of the bridging. member 8m, Inter posed between the top portion ofrtheabracketldand the adjusting screw I8 is a resilient compression member 32. In the present. instance the.

compression member comprises a'flat sheet of spring material folded back on itself andihaving a generally rectangular shaped top leaf 33 and a generally triangular shaped bottom leaf 34. The top leaf is formed with grooves 35 shaped to pivotally receive knife edges 28 as shown in. Fig. 6 and the lower leaf has adepression 3'! pivotally receiving an adjusting. screw point [9. Thisconstruc'tion provides a three point supportfor the spring member 32 and insures that the spring member 32 is in a stably assembled position.

It. is to'be understood that the resilient member 32, the bracket 24 and the. adjusting screw 18 define an overcenter snap spring system. The spring system hasan axis of maximum stress with alternate positions of reduced stress. The axis of maximumstress in this instance is defined by alinement. of the knife edges Z8 and 3| and pivot, point l9 and indicated by the broken line AA.in Figs. 4 and 5.

The operation of the support means is as follows: Assume that the iron is heated and in use. When it is desired to temporarily discontinue ironing it is only necessary to grasp the handle 2 and tip the front portion of the iron upwardly while keeping the rear portion of. the iron in engagement with the work surface. The front end of the iron need only be raised upwardly with respect to the support 8 until the pivot edges 28 of the bracket 24'; are moved slightly tothe right of. the line AA as viewed in Fig. 4. The snap spring system then being in an unstable position moves the'iron with a snap-action to itsfinal inclined position shown in Figs. 1- and 5. The iron will be stably maintained in its inclined position aslong as desired. When it is desired to continu ironing the handle is grasped and the front end of the'iron is pushed downwardly until the pivot edges 28 move slightly to the left of the axis A-A as viewed inFig. 4. Thereafterthe. spring system being in an unstable position movesthe support 8 upward with a snap movement to its retractedposition in which the legs 9 are received in the grooves l l formed on the bottom of the soleplate.

The screw l8 serves the dual purpose of providing a convenient means for assembling and disassembling the spring system as well as adjusting the compression of springv 32: to any desired value.

The present. invention provides asupporting mechanism for flatirons wherein the user has. only to tilt the iron slightly backward. against the working surface whereby the iron automatiecally positions itself to an inclined position in whicht-he sole-plate ismoved out of contact with a working surface. Moreover when it is, desired to re-use the iron all the operator has to do is push'the handle forward'as is done in a normal ironing: operation. It is to be understood. that;

by the use of an overcenter snap spring mechanism in the manner described an extremely simple supporting device is provided that makes possible a construction which avoids the use of complicated manual latching mechanisms heretofore conventionally employed.

While a particular form of theupresent invention has been shown, it. apparentthat minor changes may readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit. and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l Incombination, a flatiron having a body with a. smooth bottom surface movable between a first position in which said surface is inclined with respect We work surface and a second position in which said bottom surface rests on said work surface, a support, means for pivotally mounting said support to the rear of said body, said support having a leg extending forwardly of theiron, said leg shaped to engage the work sur.-- face when the body is inclined in, said firstposition and being disposed above said bottom S111: face when the latter engages said work. surface and an overcenter snap spring system disposed between said support and saidbody andhaving an: axis of maximum stress and positions of. reduced stress disposed on either side of said axis of'maximum stress, said spring system comprising-spring means. connected to said. body and said support. and operable to maintain said support inaposition to: hold said body inclined with respect to the work surface in oneposition of .reducedstresst and operable to maintain said support above the: bottom surface of they body in the other position of reduced stress, said springjmeans' causing saidsupport to move with. a snap action whensaid;

spring system passes in. either direction through its axis of maximum: stress, whereby when said.- iron is moved; from an. inclined position toward. the. worksurface said leg moves into its retractedposition with: a snapaction. 1

2; In combination, a sup-port formed-by. a. generally' U-shaped member having a bridging portionand spacedrleg portions, a body having spaced recesses formed on its bottom surface for receiving'said legs andbeingpivotally connected atone end to: said bridging portion, said legs: when dis.- posed in said recesses being.- substantially flush: with the bottom surface of the body, said body being movable upwardly about. the pivotal. con-- nection to a position in. which. they body is in-- clined" with respect to'the support and. downwardly from its latter position to a position which the legs are retracted in their respective recesses, and an overcenter. spring system dis.

posed between said. bridging portion and said body including an overcenter spring stressed-be.-

. tween said bridging. portion and. said body, saida snap action'when the body is-movedupwardly upon moving the spring system overcenter in. one direction and operable tomove the legs tov their retracted position with a snap actionwhen thebody is moveddownwardly to move the spring 1 system overcenter in the other direction.

clined. position to a position in which thebody rests on the work surface, a support pivotally mounted at said one end of the body and arranged to engage the work surface when the body is inclined thereto to maintain the body in its inclined position and retractable to a position in which the support is disposed above the surface of the body engaging the work surface and an overcenter snap spring system having an axis of maximum stress and positions of reduced stress on opposite sides of said position of maximum stress, said spring system being operable to hold said support in a position to maintain the body in an inclined position with respect to the work surface while in one position of reduced stress and to maintain the support above the work surface when the body rests on the work surface and while said spring system is in the other position of reduced stress, said spring system arranged when the body is moved upward through the axis of maximum stress to move said support to its position corresponding to the inclined position of said body with a snap action and when the body is moved downwardly through the axis of maximum stress to move the support to its retracted position with a snap action.

4. The arrangement set forth in claim 3 including means for adjusting the stresses in said spring system.

5. In combination, a support shaped to rest on a work surface, a flatiron overlying said support and being formed with a recess to receive said support so that the latter may be disposed in a substantially flush relation with the bottom of the flatiron, said flatiron being movable upwardly about one of its ends to a position in which the bottom of the iron is inclined to said support and movable downwardly from its upper position to a position in which the support is retracted'in said recess, a bracket rigidly mounted on said body and movable in unison therewith between preselected positions, said bracket having spaced opposed knife edges, one of said edges being pivotally connected with said support, a projection mounted on said support and extending to a position intermediate the spaced knife edges, a compression member disposed between said other knife edge and said projection, said bracket, compression member and projection forming a snap spring system having an axis of maximum stress whereby movement of the bracket to move the knife edge through the axis of maximum stress in one direction causes said flatiron and support to be moved outwardly relative to each other with a snap action and movement of the bracket in the opposite direction to move the same knife edge through the axis of maximum stress causes said support and flatiron to be moved toward each other with a snap action.

6. In combination, a support shaped to rest on a work surface, a flatiron overlying said support and being formed with a recess to receive said support so that the latter may be disposed in a substantially flush relation with the bottom surface of the flatiron, said flatiron being movable upwardly about one of its ends to a position in which the bottom of the iron is inclined to said support and movable downwardly from its upper position to a position in which the support is retracted in said recess, a bracket mounted on said flatiron, means for pivotally mounting said support on said bracket, a projection mounted on said support adjacent said pivotal mounting, a stressed spring member having a connection with both said projection and said bracket and forming therewith a snap spring system having an axis of maximum stress and positions of reduced stress on either side of said axis, said spring system being arranged so that movement thereof in one direction through the axis of maximum stress causes relative movement of said flatiron and support in a direction away from each other with a snap action and movement thereof in the opposite direction through the axis of maximum stress causes relative movement of said flatiron and support in a direction toward each other with a snap action.

'7. The combination recited in claim 6 in which said projection'is in th form of an adjustable abutment for varying the stresses in the spring system.

8. A flatiron comprising an ironing body, a support attached to said body for movement from a retracted position to an extended position in order to support said body in an elevated position with reference to the ironing work surface, power means connected to said support for biasing it to said extended position, said power means normally being ineffective to bias said support to said extended position when the iron is in its ironing position on the work surface and the support is in said retracted position, and an element controlling said power means to render it effective to bias said support to said extended position operating responsively to the engagement of said element with said work surface as said iron body is tilted upwardly with reference to said work surface about a predetermined axis.

9. A flatiron comprising an ironing body, a support pivoted to said body for angular movement on a predetermined axis from a retracted position to an extended position in order to support said body in an elevated position with reference to the ironing work surface, a spring connected to said support for operating it to said extended position, said spring connected thereto so that when said support is in said retracted position said spring is positioned so that its force is nullified to operate said support to said extended position, and means movable to shift said spring angularly to a position wherein its force becomes effective to bias said support to said extended position, said last-named means being moved to cause said angular shift of said spring by the engagement of said means with said work surface when said body is'manually tilted upwardly about said predetermined axis.

10. A flatiron comprising a body, a support connected to said body for motion with reference thereto from a retracted position to an extended position in order to support said body in an elevated position with reference to the ironing work surface, power operating means interconnecting said body and support biasing said support to said retracted position or to said extended position depending upon the relative position of said support with referenc to aid body on one side or the other of a critical position, and means connected with said support engageable with said work surface when said body is inclined upwardly from said work surface to hold said support and prevent upward movement thereof along with said body as said body continues to incline upwardly and thereby cause said support and body to move with relation to each other from said one side of said critical position to said other side thereof, whereupon said power means becomes effective to bias said support to said extended position.

11. A flatiron comprising a body, a support for said body for holding it in a raised position above the work surface, said support being pivoted to said body: on'a transverse "axis at the, rear and extending forwardly therefrom, andsaid support also being movable/from a. retracted; position with reference. to saidibody' to an extended: bodysupporting position'wherein saidbody-is held in. araised position above the ironinglworle surface, an over-center spring connected tosa'id'hOdy' and support operating when the: spring: is; on one side of a critical position to hold the support in said retracted position for normal ironing operations and. operating to hold said. support: in said extended position and hold said body-in. said raised position when the. spring is on the other side: of said critical position, and a trigger extending rearwardly from said. support: for; engagement with said worksurface: when the forward end of said-:bodyis tilted upwardly manually througha predetermined degree of movement: and for throwing said spring: over center from said one side to; said other side of said critical position, whereupon said spring is: rendered effective. to. support said body in: said raised position above said work surface. 1

12. Mechanism. for holding a fiatironin anonironing position: comprising; in. combination with the iron proper, a support pivotally attachedto the iron and including a first portion engagoable withthe surface on, which the iron isysupported to; support the iron above said surface and a sec end: portion, and overcenter spring means acting between the iron: roper and said support and operative to move saidzsupportv to a position to support said iron; in said. non-ironing position upon. a preselected tilting movement of the iron about its rear edge to cause'said second portion to engage said surface and initiate overcenter movement of saidspring means, the .iron beingmovable to-said. ironing position by downward. manual pressure onv the iron; said spring means automatically retaining said support ina positionso as'not to interfere with said iron in said ironing position and movingto said last-mentioned positionin response to said: downward movementof the iron.

1 13'. A fiatiron lift for a flatiron having support means which includes a support member pivotally mounted on the fiatiron and movable between aretracted positioriand an iron supporting "posttion,:'said support including 'a. first portion. errgageablei with the. surface on which the, iron is supported: tossupportthe iron. above said surface and a-secondportion, an overcenter snap spring; system acting between the support member and: the 'fiatiron, and arranged-to; effect snap movement of'the supportmember to said iron-sup.-

porting: position in response .to a slight upward.

tilting of. the iron about its rear edge to cause said second portion to engage said surface and. initiate overcenter movementfof' said snap spring system, and to. efiect snap. movement of: the, support-member-to its retracted position after a predetermined downward. movement of the iron from its raised position.

14'. A fiatiron lift comprising support means-for ing position to the inclined position, said overcenter snap spring system beingactuated in response to a slight downward movement of the iron when the latter is in its inclined position, said spring system including a member arranged to move to a locking position at one side, of a center line to maintain said iron in said inclined elevated position and to a, retracted position at the opposite side of said center line to permit normal use of" the iron.

' GEORGE BROWNING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,286,284.. Kremer June 16, 1942 2,308,941; Stevenson Jan. 19, 1943 'Iangeman et al. June 17, 1947