US2718077A

US2718077A - Collapsible ironing board

Info

Publication number: US2718077A
Application number: US357135A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jean C Grissette
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-05-25
Filing date: 1953-05-25
Publication date: 1955-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1972-09-20

Description

P 1955 v J. c. GRISSETTE 2,718,077

COLLAPSIBLE IRONING BOARD Filed May 25, 1953 C G'msssrrz INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE IRONING BOARD Jean C. Grissette, Dallas, Tex.

Application May 25, 1953, Serial No. 357,135

2 Claims. (Cl. 38-138) This invention relates to ironing boards and more particularly to collapsible ironing boards.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an ironing board of such design and construction that it can be quickly and conveniently reduced to dimensions suitable for transportation in a conventional suitcase. The arrangement is especially useful to women whose travels require temporary residence at various hostelries lacking accommodations for light ironing.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ironing board made up of several telescopically related sections which, when extended, have the appearance and effect of a conventional ironing board and when collapsed, one section into another, the entire board is no longer in size than the largest of its several sections.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an ironing board requiring no hinges, latches or the like but possessed of supporting means having portions capable of interlocking relationship with portions of the board sections with the result that not only are the sections held against relative displacement from extended positions but also the supporting means is held against collapsing as well as against release from the board if it becomes necessary or desirable to lift the board for movement from one position to another.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a collapsible ironing board constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing collapsed position of the board.

Figure 3 is a view thereof in longitudinal cross-section in extended position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a slightly modified form of ironing board and supporting means.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing still another form of supporting means for the board, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference is made primarily to Figures 1 to 3 wherein numeral 10 denotes the rear end section of the board which, in collapsed position thereof, is adapted to receive the intermediate section 11 and front end section 12.

The end section 10 is formed with a gradual taper cor responding with the taper of the companion sections 11 and 12 in extended position of the board. A side flange 13 is formed on each section and each flange 13 has a return flange 14 parallel with the top of each section of suflicient width to support the sections in collapsed position as shown in Figure 2. The rear end section 10 is further provided at its rear'or widest end with inwardly directed flanges or stops '15 to prevent the companion sections 11 and 12 from extending past the rear end of the section 10 in collapsed position of the board.

2,718,077 Fatented Sept. 20, 1955 tional engagement within the area b and this frictional relationship between the sections is an aid in holding the sections extended while the overlapping ends of the sections lend rigidity to the board in extended position.

In Figure 3 is shown a form of support for the board and which consists of a pair of supporting members 16 of substantially U-shape whose legs 17 are upwardly convergent. Near the free or upper end, each leg is bent at 0 into an obtuse angle and at d into a right angle in order that the right angular portions 18 of the legs will bear against the undersurface of the board in operative position of the legs while the legs themselves will each extend toward an end of the board, thus distributing the weight of the latter or the pressure imposed thereon through a longer range.

Each return flange 14 of section 10 has an aperture e which, when the sections are extended to their fullest, is brought into register with an aperture 1 in the return flange 14 of section 11. Each return flange 14 of section 11 has an aperture g which is brought into register with an aperture h in the return flange of section 12. With these apertures in register, a supporting member 16 is placed in the position shown at the left in Figure 3 with its right angular end portion 18 in the aligned apertures g and h. The member 16 is then moved in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow, until the supporting member assumes the position of the companion member 16 shown at the right of Figure 3.

It will be seen that the right angular end portion 18 will lie against and parallel with the undersurface of the board while the obtuse bend of each leg will be positioned approximately at the point of register of the aligned apertures in the respective return flanges 14 and thus secure each section against slippage with respect to companion sections.

In Figure 4 is shown substantially the same ironing board structure insofar as the telescopically related sections are concerned but reveals a modified form of support. The support 19 in this case is also of substantially U-shape having legs 20, the upper end of each having two right angular bends a and b which define a shallow U-shaped portion 21 on a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the supporting member 19. The section 10a telescopically receives an intermediate section 11a, fragmentarily shown and each has a side flange 12a which is broken longitudinally to provide an overhang 13a to shield garments from contact with the protruding end 14a of the leg 20.

The supporting member 19 is made of a material having inherent resiliency and to mount the member on the board, the legs 20 are sprung inwardly, the bend a entering aligned slots c in the return flanges 15a of the side flanges 12a of each section 10a and 11a, as shown in the cut-away portion of Figure 4. The portion 21 between the bends a' and b of each leg 20 lies against the inner surface of each return flange 15a of the narrowest of each section while the ends 14a of the legs extend outwardly through aligned apertures 16a in the side flanges 12a of the sections. Thus, the legs 20 are held'against oscillative displacement, the resiliency of the legsmaintaining them in expanded position in their respective slots c and apertures 16a.

In Figures 5 and 6 is shown still another modification of the support for the ironing board. As, in earlier forms, the board itself is made up of telescopically related sections, the sections fragmentarily shown being numbered 22 and 23, each having side flanges 24 with return flanges 25. The supporting member 26 is of substantially U-shape, each leg 27 thereof is formed at its upper end into substantially rectangular form defining a portion 28 which parallels the end 29 of the leg.

A hook shaped slot 30 is formed in the flange 24 and return flange 25 adjacent the ends of the intermediate section and adjacent one end of each end section of the ironing board. When the sections are all extended, these slots are brought into register. The supporting members 26 are applied so that the portions 28 of the legs enter the open end of slot 30, after which they are moved into the closed end of the slot, as shown in Figure 5. When the legs are disposed at the proper supporting angle shown, the ends 29 are brought up against the undersurface of the return flanges 25 while the portions 28 bear against the tongue 31 formed by the slot. Thus, the legs are held in position by the weight of the board and the pressure thereon, however, if the board is lifted; the legs swing freely. As in Figure 4, the flanges 24 of the sections of the board shown in Figures and 6 are each formed with an overhang to extend the working surface of the board beyond the projecting portions at the upperends of the legs, thus to keep the work being ironed out of contact with these projecting portions.

, It is evidentfrom the foregoing that with but a small number of parts, a collapsible ironing board is provided which. can be reduced to a size to enable it to be conveniently carried in a suitcase or in its own case without occupying too much room. Moreover, the board can be extended and set up for use in a very short period of time and with little efiort.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as maybe construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible ironing board comprising in combination ,a front, a rear and an intermediate section, said sections being correspondingly tapered for collapsibility of the front and intermediate sections into each other and into said rear section, a right angular flange formed integrally with each side edge of each of said sections, said flanges each being formed with an apertured return flange parallel with the underfaces of said sections, said right angular side flanges being adapted to be brought into frictional juxtaposition in longitudinally extended positions of said sections to preclude separation of the latter and to bring into register the apertures of the return flanges of one section with the apertures of the return flanges of a companion section, a pair of substantially U-shaped supporting members, each having its legs bent adjacent their extremities at an obtuse angle and again at right angles for engagement in the registered apertures to hold said sections against relative longitudinal displacement.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which said supporting members are downwardly divergent to dispose the right angular portions thereof in flush parallelism with the undersurface of the sections defining the ironing surface of said ironing board in extended position of said sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7,789 Schoenberger Nov. 19, 1850 21,955 Grosholz Nov. 2, 1858 1,486,118 Bain Mar. 11, 1924 1,550,130 Waddle Aug. 18, 1925 2,637,919 Buchanan May 12, 1953