US2799100A

US2799100A - Steam ironing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2799100A
Application number: US472333A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold L Frick
Original assignee: BEACHEE PRODUCTS CORP
Current assignee: BEACHEE PRODUCTS Corp
Priority date: 1954-12-01
Filing date: 1954-12-01
Publication date: 1957-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 1974-07-16

Description

July 16, 1957 H. L. F RICK STEAM IRONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. '1, 1954 HEAD CHFNG;

D m mmawnum INVENTOR. HAIEOLj/k. FRICK ATTORNEY Saws 7 31 STEAM mourns. APPARATUS Harold L. Frick, Hamilton, Ohio, assignor to Eeachee Products Corporation, Hamilton, Ghio, a cerporatien of Delaware Application December 1, 1954, Serial No. 472,333

3 Claims. (Cl. 38-3ll) This invention relates to steam ironing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus in which a hand iron is supported for movement over an ironing board and is supplied with water from a remote tank to form steam for ironing.

In many hand ironing operations it is desirable to genin the name of E. E. Foster, an ironing apparatus in which an iron is supported for movement above and parallel to an ironing board and is movable downward onto the board for ironing. If a conventional steam iron were used inconnection with such apparatus the objections to bulk and awkwardness of the iron would still remain and changes in weight of the iron as the water is used would result in an unbalance of the linkage and in changes of effective weight of the iron on the board.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a steam ironing apparatus in which the Water supply is not carried by theiron itself but is carried by the ironing supporting linkage and conected to the iron through a flexible tube or hose. In thisway the. bulk of the iron and the length of the tube or hose can be reduced to a minimum and the weight of the iron will remain constant at all times. U 7

According to one feature of the invention, the water supply tank is secured adjacent the free end of one of the links in the supporting linkage thereby to minimize or eliminate changes in the pressure head of the water as the free end of said link is moved in a horizontal plane above and parallel to the ironing board.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a partial elevation of a steam ironing apparatus embodying the invention, and

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

The apparatus as shown comprises an ironing board 10 which may be of any desired construction, but which is preferably supported as a cantilever on the supporting frame-work indicated generally at 11. The frame work at one side carries a supporting socket 12 to receive and support the lower end of the main supporting linkage for the iron. The ironing board assembly may be constructed as more particularly described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 356,430, filed May 7, 1954.

A main supporting linkage is carried in the socket 12 and includes a supporting pin 13 to fit into the socket for rotation about a vertical axis thereof. The upper end of the pin 13 is connected through a horizontal pivot to a link 14 which is pivoted at its upper end on a horizontal pivot to a forearm link 15. The

links

14 and 15 are preferably connected to each other and to the supporting pin, as more particularly described in U. S. Patent No. 2,648,146 issued to E. E. Foster, so that the free end of link 15 will move in a horizontal plane above and parallel to the ironing board 10. v

An iron as indicated at 16 is adapted to be supported from the free end of the link 15 for universal pivotal movement relative thereto and for vertical movement onto the ironing board and for ironing articles thereon. For supporting the iron a linkage is provided including a first link 17 rigidly connected to the iron 16 and a second link 18 pivoted on a horizontal axis to the link 17 and connected to the free end of the link 15 through a ball and socket joint. The linkage 17 -18 is preferably constructed as particularly described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 462,756, filed October 18, 1954. As described in that application, a spring is provided in the linkage normally urging the links to the position shown to elevate the iron above the board. When the iron is pressed down the effect of the spring is neutralized by a mechanism including a latch handle 19 pivoted on the handle 21 of the iron so that the full Weight of the iron will be effective during the ironing operation. As soon as the latch handle is released the linkage will raise the iron to the position shown spaced above the board.

The iron'is supplied with electrical energy through a cord 22 which extends from'the lower end of the link 14 and terminates in a plug 23 for connection to a conventional electrical outlet. The cord extends through the

links

14 and 15 which are preferably tubular, as shown in Figure 2, and emerges from the link 15 near the lower free end thereof. A length of cord extends from the lower end of the link- 15 tothe iron handle, as shown, and may be connected to the iron heating units through a regulating switch 24 as is conventional.

For steam ironing operations the iron 16 is preferably formed with a steam generating space and the sole plate of the iron may be formed with suitable outlet openings through which the steam can pass into'and through the articles being ironed. Water is supplied to the steam generating space through a regulating valve 25 on the iron which is connected through a flexible. tube or hose 26 to a water supply tank 27. Preferably the hose 26 lies parallel to and is periodically secured to the electrical lead 22 by clamps or tape 30 so that the hose and electrical lead will remain together and will not interfere with the use of the iron. The water supply tank 27 is secured to link 15 adjacent the free end thereof by one or more straps 28. The tank is provided at its upper end with a filler and vent opening 29.

Iron 16 is designed to properly generate steam when the water supply is maintained within a predetermined range of pressure head variation. Two major factors contribute in causing changes in pressure head of the water supply: vertical movement of the tank and changes in the depth'of water in the tank. Vertical movement of the tank is minimized or eliminated by securing the tank adjacent to the free end of link 15 which moves only in a horizontal plane. Changes in the depth of water may be caused by use of the water in the iron and consequent reduction of the quantity of water in the tank or by rotation or change of position of the tank in a horizontal plane, such as is shown in Figure l. The reduction of the quantity of water is unavoidable. The change of depth caused by change in position is, however, influenced by the shape of the tank. To eliminate entirely head variation caused by change in position, tank 27 may be spherically shaped wherein the height of the tank equals the width. In designing tank 27 the maximum depth of the Water is correlated with the shape of the tank to insure the maintenance of the water supply within the predetermined pressure head limits of the particular iron 16. A desire to increase the capacity or to improve the appearance of the tank may lead to a variation from the ideal spherical shape. A preferred elongated tank having a lower spherical portion is shown in Figure 1.

In operation of the apparatus the tank 27 may be filled with Water and a closure cap may be placed over the opening 29 to prevent spilling of water therefrom while providing a restricted vent opening so that the water can run freely from the tank. When the shut-off valve 25 is opened, water will flow through the tube 26 and into the iron at a rate determined by the setting of the valve. Thus, the rate of water supply and the rate of steaming can easily be controlled. If it is desired to use the iron dry the shut-01f valve 25 can be closed so that no water will be supplied.

With this construction there is never at any time any appreciable supply of water in the iron so that the iron can be constructed to substantially the same size as the conventional dry iron and is of a total bulk and shape to make it easy to handle. Furthermore, since no water is carried by the iron itself the weight of the iron remains consant during use. The shape of tank 27 is such that when the supporting linkage is moved to extreme position as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1 the pressure head will change only slightly.

The feature of tank 27 in which the normal depth of the liquid is approximately equal to the width of the container results in the maintenance of approximately constant pressure head throughout the range of the horizontal movement of the iron. By maintaining the pressure head approximately constant the water flow to the steam generating chamber of the iron may be easily and accurately regulated in all positions of the iron.

Since no water is carried by the iron itself the weight of the iron remains constant during use. This not only means that the eflective ironing weight of the iron will be the same at all times but, furthermore, means that the balance of the supporting linkage 1718 will not be aflfected by changes in weight of the iron and will always exert the proper lifting etfect on the iron when the handle 19 is released. The constant weight of the iron also insures than when the handle 19 is engaged the eflect of the lifting spring will be properly counterbalanced so ,4 that the full weight of the iron will be on the material being ironed.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam iron, 21 main linkage including a pair of links pivoted together for movement of the free end of one of the links in a horizontal plane above and parallel to an ironing board, means connecting the iron to the free end of said one of the links, means for moving said iron into engagement with the board, a water tank carried by one of the links, and a water conducting connection from the water tank to the iron.

2. A steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam iron, a main linkage including a pair of links pivoted together on a horizontal axis for movement of the free end of i one of the links in a horizontal plane above and parallel to an ironing board, a supporting linkage connecting the iron to the free end of said one of the links normally to support the iron above the board and movable to enable downward movement of the iron onto the board, a water tank secured to said one of the links, said tank having a spheroidal portion located adjacent the free end of said link, and a Water conducting connection from the tank to the iron.

3. A steam ironing apparatus comprising a steam iron, a main linkage including a pair of links pivoted together on a horizontal axis for movement of the free end of one of the links in a horizontal plane above and parallel to an ironing board, a supporting linkage connecting the iron to the free end of said one of the links normally to support the iron above the board and movable to enable downward movement of the iron on to the board, an elongated water tank U-shaped in cross section enveloping and secured to said one of the links, a water conducting connection from the tank to the iron, and a control valve in the connection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,237,726 Taylor Aug. 21, 1917 1,823,628 Pietracetella Sept. 15, 1931 1,842,784 Houston Jan. 26, 1932 2,302,476 Rubinstein Nov. 17, 1942 2,555,639 Foster June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,799,100 July 16, 1957 Harold L. Frick It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 9, for "spherical" read ---spheroidal--; line 28, for "consent" read --constant--=.

Signed and sealed this 4th day of February 1958.

Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attestlng Officer Commissioner of Patents