US2805497A - Magnetic valve for steam iron - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 10, 1957 J. R. GOMERSALL MAGNETIC VALVE FOR STEAM IRON 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 24, 1954 INVENTOR. J/p ji. Gbffzefs/ SeP- 10, 195'? J. R. GOMERSALL 2,805,497

MAGNETIC VALVE FOR STEAM `IRON Filed Feb. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

United States Patent MAGNETIC VALVE FOR STEAM IRON .lohn R. Gomersall, Elgin, lll., assignor to McGraw- Edison Company, a corporation oi' Delaware Application February 24, 1954, Serial No. 412,339

11 Claims (Cl. 38-77) This invention is concerned with a ash type steam iron, and more particularly with an improved valve therefor precluding entrance of water from the reservoir into the steam generating chamber or boiler' when it is not desired to generate steam.

In the ash boiler type of iron an evaporating chamber, boiler or steam generating chamber is provided, and water is metered into this chamber from a storage tank or reservoir. The water upon entering the heated steam generating chamber ashes substantially instantaneously into steam.

It is undesirable that steam should be generated during the idle time of the iron, that is when it is not actually being used for ironing. Most present day steam irons are designed to be upended when they are not actually being used, and in my prior, copending application Water Feed for a Steam Iron Serial No. 357,601, tiled May 25, 1953, now Patent No. 2,773,321, dated December 11, 1956, I have disclosed a valve which is operable upon upending of the steam iron to cut ot the supply of water from the reservoir to the steam generating chamber, thereby avoiding waste of steam. It further is desirable that no water should enter the steam generating chamber before the chamber reaches steaming temperature. lf water enters the steam generating chamber at too low a temperature, it may till the chamber and run out the steam ports, or incomplete evaporation may permit the chamber to partially till so that water droplets are carried out with the steam. Such water droplets tend to cause unsightly water spots on many fabrics such as silk or rayon.

It is desirable also that the water ow be stopped whenever the steam chamber drops to too low a temperature, as for example, when the iron is applied to an excessively wet piece of work.

In accordance with the foregoing it is an object of this invention to provide, in a steam iron, an improved valve the opening of which is controlled concurrently by the` position of the iron and the temperature of the steam generating chamber.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in a steam iron, a thermally operated valve wherein the thermal actuating element is positioned away from the water and is entirely unaffected thereby.

An additional object of this invention is to provide, in a steam iron, a valve construction wherein a thermostatic member controls the position of a closure member without ever touching the closure member.

More specilically, it is an object of this invention to provide, in a steam iron, a magnetically controlled water valve.

A further object of this inventionV is to provide, in a steam iron, a magnetically controlled water valve having a substantially snap action between opened and closed positions. v

VrOther and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the ings wherein:

accompanying drawf Fig. l is a side view of an iron constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the longitudinal axis of the iron;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal View taken substantially along the line 3 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical view partially in section taken substantially along the line 4 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 and showing a modied form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to a portion of Fig. 2 showing the modification of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 7 7 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view generally similar to a portion of Figs. 2 and 6 and illustrating a further modi-- and first to Figs. 1 4, there will be seen a steam iron gen-V erally identified by the numeral 20 and comprising a sole plate 22 preferably cast of aluminum or aluminum alloy,

a body shell or casing 24, and a handle of heat insulating-V material, preferably of molded plastic as'indicated at 26.3"

The iron is provided with a pointer or setter 28 for varying the iron temperature in accordance with the fabric to be ironed. This setter or pointer is connected through a suitable shaft 30 to a thermostat 32 of any known or suitable construction. A heating element is provided for the sole plate, and preferably is cast in place as indicated at 34. This heating element 34 is connected through the thermostat 32 to a power cord extending from the handle of the iron, or from any other convenient location, the power cord being omitted from the drawings.

The iron is provided with a steam generating chamber 36 defined by a recess in the sole plate and by a cover plate 38 of sheet rnetal, preferably aluminum. A water v storage tank or reservoir 40 is supported above the sole plate by suitable brackets 42, and a Valve structure 44 is provided for metering water from the reservoir into the steam generating chamber.: Water is supplied to the storage tank through a filler tube 46 opening at the upper( corner of the front of the handle as indicated at 48'. The bottom of the ller tube is closed by a part of the valve structure as will be apparent hereinafter, and a lateral opening 50 is provided in the tiller tube within the water storage tank 46, and adjacent the top thereof, to

cludes a metering orifice 58 in a threaded nose 60 extend-` ing through the door of the water storage tank 40, ,the

oor at this point being tilted or inclined vas indicated at 62. A 4bevelled valve seat 64 surrounds the metering orifice-58.V VA valve stem 66 is axially slidable in the central bore 58 and is provided with a bevelled lower end for seating against theV Valve seat, and thereby closing otf the metering valve 58. A pin 68 projects from the end of the valve stem 66 to maintain the metering orifice 58 free of lime deposits and the like.

An actuating arm 70 is mounted at Ythe top of the valve stem-65 and is urged upwardly by a coilspring 72 surrounding .the valve stem against a stop formed by a pairrof nuts 74.- The actuating arm 70 is heldfin the raised position shown in Fig. 2`by a spring 74 encased Patented Sept. l 0, l 957 2,805,497 Y e e 3 Y ina; pair; of relatively telescopable tubes 76 and'78, the former beingVV attached to the actuating arm 70, andthe latter being rigidly mounted on the filler tube 46 by means such as a bracket 80. A thumb actuated push button 82I isvertically mavable in the handle, and in the raised position shown allowsthe. valve stemf66 to be raised by the-spring 74 as shown. tomaintain. the valve metering orice: 58, opened. When the push button is pressed down, the valve stem 66 is lowered and the metering valve orifice 58 is closed off. A shoulder 84 on the push button is, adapted to engage behind a shoulder 36 in the handle of the, iron to maintain the push button in loweredposition when it is desired to do. so. With thebutton and valve stem raised as shown, water will passfrom the storage tank into the steam generating chamber for steam ironing. When the button is held' down, water cannot enter vthe steam. generating chamber andthe iron is operated as a dry iron.

Thevalve structure 44 further includes a hollow member 88 threaded on to the. end of the extending nose 60 of the valve 52. This hollow member is adapted to clamp against the inclined or tilted portion 62 of the tank bottom, and is provided with a longitudinal aperture 90 extending generally transversely of the bore through the valve. The longitudinal bore 90 is closedV at the front end by, a threaded plug 92,` and is provided at the Vrear end with a tube 94set partway into the bore 90, the'borepreferably being enlarged for this purpose. The tube 94 is brazed or otherwise suitably secured in place, and is formed with a restricted portion 96 providing a bevelled Vvalve seat 98. The. tube is provided rearwardly of the restricted portion with a dam 100 formed by a restricted neck, and is closed at the extreme rear end as is illustrated at 102. A yoke 104 encircles the tube rearwardly of the dam 100 and has a radial projection 106 thereon extending through the plate 38 of theV steam generating chamber. A nut. 108 is threaded on a lower end ofthe extension 106 to clamp the yoke 104 against the plate 38. AsV explained in my aforesaid application 357,601, the space in the tube to the rear of the dam forms a reservoir for water when the iron isV upended. When the iron is again returned to horizontal position, the Water flows forward. against the dam and down through the outlet bore 110 in the yoke into the evaporating or steam generating chamber so that'there is substantially no delay in st'a-rtingwhen. the iron is returned to horizontal position.

A valve ball 112 is adapted to seat against the bevelled valve seat 98 at the front end of the tube 94, and there is sufficient room for the ball to move forwardly a limited distancev from this seat. The ball is held against this seat by magnetic attraction when the iron is atl ambient temperature, as will be brought out shortly hereinafter, and is freed for movement away from this seat when the iron reaches steaming temperature. Y

. The valve ball 112 is normally held magneticallyV against its seat 98, and is released therefrom by a thermostaticY mechanism indicated generally at 114. The thermostatic mechanism includes a mounting bracket 116 suitably affixed to the steam chamber cover plate 38. A bimetal strip 118 is secured on the bracket 116 by screws, or by any other suitable means, and carries at its free end a horseshoe magnet120. The arms of the magnet 120 lie on opposite sides of the restricted portion 96 of the tube For compactness of the magnet 1720, it is preferred thatV the magnetV be made of ahigh power magnetic material such as Alnico. ,The valve ball 112'is of such material as Vtofrbejsusceptible to magnetic. attraction. It? preferably 4 has 'low retentivity and' good resistance to corrosion. Nickel-iron alloys are suitable for this purpose, and three typical alloys are: 78% nickel, the remainder iron (this alloy is available commercially as Permalloy); 47% nickel and the remainder iron; 45% nickel, 25% cobalt, 7.5% molybdenum, and the remainder iron.

It is obvious that the material disposed between and adjacent the magnet and valveV ball must be made of nonmagnetic material. Typically, the water storage tank 40, the valve structure including the valve 52 and the hollow body portion 83, and the water tube 94 are made of brass', while the top plate-38 forming a cover for the steam generating chamber is made of aluminum.

When the iron is at ambient temperature the bimetal 118 is straight and the magnet. is. positioned forwardly as shown in solid lines in the drawings, thus holding the valve ball 112 firmly against its seat regardless of the position of the iron. As the sole plate of the iron heats up so that the steam generating chamber approaches steaming temperature, the bimetal strip bends and moves. the magnet rearwardly toward the position shown-.f in dashed lines in Fig. 2; By theY time the magnet has:

reached its rearmost position, its magentic attraction on theV ball 112 has ceased to be eifective to retain. the ball in seated` position. The magnetic attraction holds they ball' firmly seated until the magnet moves far enough. to lose its power over the ball, the ball then being suddenly freed for movement away from its seat. Thus the ball.

remains seated only if the iron is in upended, idle posi= tion. The ball is Yfree to roll forwardly to open position when the iron is in horizontal position, but it cannot move so far that the` magnet cannot reseat it upon cooling yofthe iron. It will be apparent that. the movement of the magnet is provided for by a raised portion 124 inthe bottom offthe water storage tank immediately above the magnet, and by a depressed portion 126 'in the cover plate 38 immediately below the magnet.

When the sole plate has becoincsufliciently hot to causeformed by a recess 130 in the top surface of the sole platev 22, and this recess preferably has substantially theA configuration shown in my copending application Serial No. 332,229, forv most efficient steam generation. Suitable steam outlets-130 are provided for passing steam outwardly from the generating chamber to the fabricv being pressed beneath the sole plate 22.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs.'5-7 which is operable with a lateral motion of the magnet, rather thanwith the axial motion previously described. Most of the parts in this embodiment ofthe invention are similar to those .previously disclosed and prolixity of descriptionV is avoided by utilizing the same numeralsY with the addition. of the sufx a to identify similar parts. The restricted portion 96a ofthe Water tube 94a is of rather short axialV extent, and may be made by spinning V,the water tube in at this point, or by otherwise forming the tube such asrmilling a pair of slots.

in thickened side Wall portions. A pair of magnetic inserts 130 in the form of rods or bars is brazed or otherwise suitably aflixed in the milled or restricted portionY is afxed to thetop of the cover plate 38d immediately above a thermostat pad 132 forming a part of the sole plate, and serving to heat the bi-metal to the same temperature as the main part of the sole plate and the evaporating or steam generating chamber. A horseshoe magnet 12011 of uniform, preferably rectangular cross section is supported at the end of an extension strip 134 tixed on the free end of the bimetallic strip 118:1. The magnet is arranged substantially to contact the magnetic inserts 130 when the iron is cold, or at ambient temperature.

The magnetic inserts 130 are not exposed inside of the water tube 94a, and in particular they never contact the Valve ball 112a. Nevertheless, when the magnet 120g is touching, or is near to, the magnetic inserts, efcient magnetic attraction is developed in these inserts to hold the ball firmly against its seat 98a. As the iron heats up the bi-metal strip 118a progressively moves the magnet 120a away from the magnetic inserts 139, thus reducing the magnetic forces induced in the inserts, and correspondingly reducing their attraction on the valve ball., By the time the iron reaches steam generating temperature, the magnet has moved away from the inserts a suthcient distance that the magnetic forces induced in the inserts are substantially non-emstent, or at least are so weak as to cause them to lose their iniiuence on the valve ball, which then is free to move away from its seat when the iron is in horizontal position. In both forms of the invention, the magnets hold the ball against its seat until the ball is completely free to move away. Thus the release of the ball is characterized by somewhat of a snap action. The action of the ball upon return to its seat is somewhat the same, in that the magnet does not move the ball at all until the attraction is sufiicient to move it to fully seated position.

A further modiiied form of the invention is shown in Figs. 840. This form of the invention is substantially identical with that shown in Figs. 5-7, and consequently only the changes are illustrated in detail. The similar parts again are identified by numbers similar to those previouslyl used, in this case the sux b being added to distinguish this form of the invention fromprevious ones. The hollow body 3817 of the valve structure is not recessed for receipt of the water tube in this form of the invention, but rather is provided with a hat face 136. A plate 13S is brazed against this face and is provided with a central aperture 140 of reduced diameter, and having a bevelled entrance 142 thereto forming a seat for the magnetic valve ball 1121:. This plate 133 is of laminated constructon including a central section 143 of non-magnetic material such as brass, and two end sections 144 of magnetic material such as one of the nickel-iron alloys previously mentioned. A water tube 94b is formed without any restrictions and is butted and brazed to the plate 138.

Use of the sectionalized or laminated plate 138 materially simplifies construction of the insertsf As may be seen in Fig. l0, a strip of magnetic material 146 is laminated on each side of the relatively thin strip 148 of non-magnetic material, the laminated blank or sandwich preferably being brazed together throughout its entire extent. Sections then are successively cut @if from an end of the body 150 so formed to produce the plates 13S as indicated at the right end of Fig. l0. The central holes 14h and the bevelled entrances 142 thereto then may be formed by any known or suitable means. It is well known that brazing alloys are available with various melting points, and it is apparent that the strips forming the body 150 can be brazed together with an alloy melting at a relatively high temperature, for instance 1400 F., and the plates 133 can be brazed to the faces 136 of the body S8b, and the water tubes 94h can be brazed to the plates 138 by an alloy melting at a relatively low temperature, for instance ll70 F.

It now will be apparent that the improved valve disclosed herein in its various forms provides for the passage of water from the storage tank or reservoir of a steam iron to the steam generating chamber only when the iron is at steaming temperature, and is in horizontal lromng position, The thermostatic control for the valve is posi-V tioned away from the water in the reservoir and the water as it enters the steam generating chamber. Accordingly, the thermostatic mechanism is unaifected by the temperature of the water which is relatively cool, particularly at the start of this heating operation. The valve closure member never touchesthe thermostatic mechanism. Corrosion of the control mechanism therefore presents no problem whatsoever. The magnetic attraction on the valve ball insures that the valve either is open or it is closed. There is no intermedate condition where water might enter the steam generating chamber at too low a rate to generate a useful quantity of steam.

It will be apparent that the particular embodiments of my invention herein shown and described are by way of illustrative example, and do not form a limitation upon the invention. Other and further embodiments or modications of the physical structure are possible and form a part of my invention in so far as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. In a steam iron, the combination including a water reservoir, a steam generating chamber, a valve including a non-magnetic valve body forming a flow passageway from said water reservoir to said steam generating chamber for supplying water to said chamber, said valve including a magnetic closing member for elfecting closure of said valve, said..magnetic closing member being positioned interiorly of said flow passageway, magnetic means positioned eXt'eriorlyof said flow passageway and acting on the magnetic valve closing member to hold the valve closing member in valve closing position, said exteriorly positioned magnetic means comprising a permanent magnet mounted adjacent said valve, and thermostaticrmeans in thermal relation with said steam generating chamber and operatively connected to said permanent magnet for moving said permanent magnet away from said valve closing member to free said valve closing member for movement to va-lve opening position.

2. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the permanent magnet is movable axially of the llow passageway.

3. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim l wherein the permanent magnet is movable transversely of the ow passageway.

4. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim l and further including inserts of magnetic material in said flow passageway, but not opening interiorly thereof, for improving magnetic action on the magnetic valve closing means.

5. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim 4 wherein the inserts are provided by a laminated plate having a pair of magnetic sections separated by a nonmagnetic section, the non-magnetic section being provided with an aperture forming a part of the flow passageway.

6. In a steam iron adapted to be upended during idle periods, the combination including a water reservoir, a steam generating chamber, means including a valve forming a flow passageway from said water reservoir to said steam generating chamber for supplying water to said chamber, means associated with said valve gor gravitationally closing said valve when said iron is upended to prevent the generation of steam during idle periods, and thermostatic means acting on said valve closing means for closing said valve when the iron is below steaming temperature to prevent entrance of water into said steam generating chamber at that time.

7. In a steam iron of the type adapted to be upended during idle periods, the combination including a water reservoir, a steam generating chamber, non-magnetic means including a valve forming a ow passageway from said water reservoir to said' steam generating chamber for supplying water to said chamber, said valve including magnetic means within said flow passageway for effecting opening and' closing ofV said valve, a permanent magnet mounted exteriorl'y of said ow passageway, thermal means for varying the position of said permanent magnet to control the magnetic meansy in said flow passageway for controlling the opening and closing of said valve, and means for gravitationally closing said valve when the iron is upended to idle position.

8. In a steam iron of the type adapted to be upended during idle periods, the combination. including a water reservoir, a steamv generating chamber, means including a valve forming a flow passageway from said water reservoir to said, steamgenerating chamber for supplying water to saidA chamber, means for:V gravitationally closing said valve when the iron is` upended during idle periods, magnetic means acting on said valve closing means for effecting opening and closing of said valve, and thermostatic means controlling the magnetic means to' eiect closing of said valve when, said ironvv is below steaming temperature.

9. In a steam iron, the combination set forth in claim 8 wherein the magnetic means for closing the valve comprises av valve closing means of magnetically susceptible material, a permanent magnet, andY thermostatic mechanism for moving said permanent magnet.

l0. Iny a steam-iron of the typeadapted to be upended during idle periods, theI combination including a water reservoir, a steaml generating chamber; non-magnetic Vmeans including a valve forming a flow passage fromY said water reservoir to said steamV generating. chamber for supply-ing water. to said chamber,` said valve including a valvel seat having its axis oriented longitudinally of said iron, a magnetic valve balll positioned forwardly of said seat and adapted gravitationally to seat against said seat when said iron is upended to idle position, a permanent magnet positioned exteriorly of said ow passageway and adjacent said valve seat, and thermostatic means mounted' in thermal contact with saidl steam generating chamber and carrying said magnet for positioning said magnet close to said valve seat to hold said ball in seated position when saidV iron is below steaming temperature and to move said magnet away from said valve seat when said iron reaches substantially'V steamingV temperature to free said ballv for movement away from said seat.

11. A steam iron comprising a substantially flat sole plate, a steam generating chamber, water supply means, support means for supporting the iron in idle position with the sole plate tilted from horizontal operating position, conduit means for conducting Water from the supply means to the steam generating chamber and including a valve seat, said conduit means extending generally in a direction towards said support means and extending downwardly with the valve seat facing generally upwardly when the iron is in idle position, a gravity actuated ball valve disposed adjacent said valve seat and normally removed from the valve seat during horizontal action of the iron but shiftable automatically under the inuence of gravity onto the valve seat when the iron is in idle position to arrest ow of water to the steam generating chamber, said ball being of magnetic material and said conduit means being of non-magnetic material, a permanent magnet disposed exteriorly of said conduit means and adjacent said valve ball, and thermally responsive means supporting said permanent magnet adjacent said ball for holding said ball on Vsaidseat when said iron is below steaming temperature and movable away from said ball to permit movement of said ball away from saidvvalve seat when said iron is above steaming temperature.

References Cited in the le of this patent t UNITED STATES PATENTS

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