US2750692A - Steam flatiron - Google Patents

Description

F. E. FINLAYSON 2,750,692

STEAM FLATIRON June 19, 1956 Filed Jan. 21, 1954 Invencov: Frank E. Fimaysom,

His AttOThey.

United States Patent STEAM FLATIRON Frank E. Finlayson, Ontario, Calif., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application January 21, 1954, Serial No. 405,378

4 Claims. (Cl. 38-77) The present invention relates to steam flatirons wherein a reservoir for holding water is built directly into and forms a part of the flatiron. It relates more particularly to and is especially advantageous when embodied in flatirons of the so-termed trave type which are provided with pivoted handles whereby the handle may be folded down onto the top wall of the flatiron cover to minimize the size of the flatiron when it is to be packed, although it is not limited to use in such flatirons.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved steam flatiron, one which embodies a pivoted handle for example, which flatiron is simple in structure, compact, convenient to use, and capable of being manufactured at low cost; and for a consideration of which I believe to be novel and my invention attention is directed to the following specification and to the claims appended thereto.

According to a now preferred form of the invention, there is embodied in a cavity in the underside of the handle of the fiatiron a water reservoir which preferably is self-sustaining or form-retaining and which extends throughout the length of the handle and at its rear end has connected to it a length of flexible tubing which extends out through an opening in a wall of the handle and is adapted to be detachably connected to the outer end of a pipe through which water is supplied to a steam chamber in the flatiron body. The flexible tube is long enough so that when detached from the end of the water supply pipe the end of the tube may be inserted into a water containing receptacle, such as a drinking glass or cup, and the reservoir filled by collapsing it and then releasing it one or more times to permit it to expand and draw in water after the manner of filling an ordinary syringe; and the handle is shaped to provide a pocket at its rear end in which the excess tubing may be positioned or stored when the tube end is connected to the water supply pipe end. Any suitable arrangement may be utilized for detachably coupling the flexible tube end to the water supply pipe end, a simple form of slip over connection being shown in the present instance.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a steam flatiron embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view showing a form of detachable connection or coupling between the flexible tube and the water supply pipe end.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates the soleplate and 2 the cover of the flatiron, the two parts being fastened together by suitable means (not shown) and together forming the body of the flatiron. Fixed on the heel or rear end of cover 2 is a pair of spaced ears 3 on which is pivoted the handle 4, the pivot means being indicated at 5. The rear end of the handle is in the form of a tubular post 7 which is open toward the front of the flatiron and it is specifically the two side walls 8 of post 7 which are pivotedly connected to ears 3. There is thus provided at the rear end of handle 4 a pocket 9 which is defined by the walls of the tubular post.

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Means are provided for latching the pivoted handle in its upper or ironing position which means is readily released to permit of the handle being lowered down against the top wall of flatiron cover 2. Insofar as my present invention is concerned, any suitable latch means may be used. In the present instance the latch means is shown as comprising a spring plate 10 attached at its lower end to cover 2 and shaped at its upper end to provide a shoulder 11 adapted to stand under a transverse wall 12 at the rear end of the handle. The spring plate has on its front side a pad 13 of suitable heat resistant material against which a finger of the user may be pressed in releasing the latch to permit of the handle being folded down against the top of cover 2.

In the body of the flatiron is a steam chamber 15 to which water is supplied by a pipe 16 for steam ironing, the steam generated in the steam chamber being fed to the surface being ironed through steaming orifices in soleplate 1. The arrangement of the steaming orifices in the soleplate and the passages for carrying the steam from the steam chamber to the orifices is not illustrated as such arrangements are known and their specific arrangement forms no part of the present invention. Any suitable structure and arrangement of steam chamber, passages and orifices may be used in carrying out the invention. In the present instance the steam chamber is shown as comprising walls 17 which form a depression in soleplate 1 over which is fastened a cover plate 18. The inner end of water supply pipe 16 is suitably attached to a wall of the steam chamber by suitable means such as the threaded connection shown and at its end is shaped to provide a metering orifice 19 through which water flows from pipe 16 to the steam chamber. Pipe 16 extends out through an opening in cover 2 to a position where its outer end is located adjacent to the outer side of post 7, it being shown in the present instance as being located at the rear of the post, and such end is arranged preferably so it points upwardly.

What may be termed the grip portion of handle 4 comprises side walls 20 and a top wall 21 which define a downwardly facing recess or cavity 22 in the underside of the handle, the rear end of the cavity being formed by wall 12. Cavity 22 extends throughout most of the length of the handle and in it is mounted or positioned a flexible preferably self-sustaining or form-retaining water reservoir 23 formed from rubber or other suitable flexible material. It may be held in the cavity by any suitable means. In the present instance side walls 20 are curved inwardly toward each other at their edges thus providing lips 24 on which the reservoir rests and which serve to retain it in the cavity. Also at its forward end the handle may be provided with a transverse wall 20a which forms a pocket in which the front end of the reservoir is positioned. For convenience in manufacture the handle may be molded in two halves, being split longitudinally as shown in the drawing, the two halves being connected together by suitable fasteners 20b. Suitably connected with the rear end of reservoir 23 is a length of flexible tube 25 which extends through an opening in Wall 12, across pocket 9, and out through an opening 26 in the rear wall of post 7. Means is provided for detachably connecting the outer end of tube 25 to the outer end of pipe 16. Any suitable readily detachable type of fitting may be used. In the present instance a simple type of fitting comprising an enlarged end 27 on tube 25 adapted to be slipped over the end of pipe 26 is shown, the end being provided with a bead 28 for retaining the tube in place. To enable the structure to be assembled and afterwards to prevent tube end 27 from being accidently pushed back through opening 26, the enlarged end 27 is made small enough so that it may be compressed and passed through the opening in wall 12 and post opening 26 but large enough so that when not compressed it will be somewhat larger than opening 26. Tube is long enough so that when detached from the outer end of pipe 16, the extra length indicated at may be pulled out through opening 26 so that the end of the tube may be dipped into water in a receptacle such as a drinking glass, a cup or small pan. When the tube is attached to pipe 16, the extra length 30 may be stored in cavity 9 as shown in Fig. 1. Receptacle 23 is provided with a tip 31 which projects up into an opening 32 in the top wall of handle 4 and has a vent 33 so positioned that it may be covered readily with the thumb of a hand, holding the fiatiron by the handle, to assist in filling.

The electric wiring for the fiatiron is not illustrated but it will be understood that suitable wiring is provided which is connected to the heating unit for the fiatiron in the well known manner. One heating unit terminal is indicated at 35. Also, it will be understood that the fiatiron may or may not be provided with a suitable thermostat for regulating the temperature as found desirable.

When there is no water in reservoir 23, the fiatiron may be used for dry ironing in the usual way.

When it is desired to use the fiatiron for steam ironing, tube end 25, if at the time it is attached to the end of pipe 16, is detached therefrom, the extra length of tubing pulled out through opening 26, and the end of the tube dipped into water in a conveniently located receptacle. The reservoir is then collapsed and released one or more times by squeezing it with the fingers of a hand holding the fiatiron by its handle, the thumb of the hand covering the vent 33, thus filling the reservoir. The tube end is then connected to the end of pipe 16 and the extra length of tubing pushed back through opening 26 into cavity 9. Now the fiatiron may be used for steam ironing in the known way, water being supplied from reservoir 23 through tube 25, pipe 16 and metering orifice 19 to the steam chamber where the water is flashed into steam and the steam fed to the surface being ironed through the passages and orifices provided for that purpose. The reservoir may be filled successively after the manner described until the ironing is completed after which the tube may be removed from the pipe end 16 and any water left in the reservoir expelled by squeezing the reservoir with the thumb covering vent 33. The fiatiron may be stored either with or without tube 25 connected to pipe 16; however, it is preferable when storing the flatiron to have the tube disconnected from the pipe to avoid the possibility of any water left inadvertently in the reservoir dripping into the fiatiron body.

By my invention I provide a steam fiatiron which is simple in structure, convenient to use, and capable of being manufactured at low cost. By arranging the water reservoir in the handle I do not add to the overall size of the fiatiron while at the same time there is provided a reservoir of ample capacity for an ironing operation; and since the reservoir is concealed in the handle it does not interfere with the styling of the flat-iron or detract from its appearance.

Also the structure had the advantage that the reservoir can be quickly and easily assembled in the handle since it is necessary merely to thread the tube through the two openings and press the reservoir into the handle cavity; and as will be clear, a reservoir can be quickly and easily replaced by merely pulling the one reservoir out and inserting a new one dter the manner described.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a steam fiatiron, a flatiron body, a steam chamber in the body, a handle attached to the body, said handle having a downwardly facing open-sided cavity therein, a flexible water reservoir in said cavity, a pipe for supplying water to said steam chamber, a flexible tube connected at one end to said reservoir, and means for detachably connecting the other end of said tube to said water supply pipe, said reservoir being so positioned with respect to the open side of the handle cavity that it is accessible for collapsing whereby said reservoir may be filled with water by detaching the flexible tube from said pipe and dipping the end of the tube in water in a receptacle.

2. The combination defined by claim 1 wherein said reservoir has an air vent accessible through an opening in said handle and so positioned that it may be covered by the thumb of a hand while the reservoir is being filled.

3. In a steam flatiron, a fiatiron body having a steam chamber therein, a handle mounted on the body which extends longitudinally across the top of the body, said handle having top and side walls which define a downwardly facing open-sided cavity which extends longitudinally of the handle, a flexible water reservoir in said cavity, a water supply pipe connected to said steam chamber, the outer end of said pipe terminating at a point outside the confines of the handle, a flexible tube connected at one end of said reservoir, and readily detachable means for connecting the other end of said tube to the outer end of said water supply pipe, said reservoir being so positioned with respect to the open side of said cavity that it is accessible for collapsing whereby said reservoir may be filled with water by detaching the flexible tube from said pipe, and dipping the end of the tube in water in a receptacle.

4. In a steam fiatiron, a fiatiron body having a steam chamber therein, a handle mounted on the body comprising a post portion and a grip portion, said post portion having walls which define a pocket therein and said grip portion having Walls which define an open-sided cavity therein, a flexible water reservoir in said cavity, a pipe for supplying water to said steam chamber, a flexible tube which is connected to said reservoir and extends across said pocket and out through an opening in a wall of said pocket, and means for detachably connecting the outer end of said tube to said water pipe, said tube having length in excess of that required for it to extend from the reservoir to the water pipe which excess length may be stored in said pocket, said tube when detached being immersible in water for filling said reservoir upon compression and release of said reservoir.

References Gated in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 16,886 Walker Feb. 21, 1928 2,433,556 Hume Dec. 30, 1947 2,573,174 Bate Oct. 30, 1951 2,589,921 Boardrnan Mar. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 616,571 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1949

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