US3062492A

US3062492A - Electric iron holder

Info

Publication number: US3062492A
Application number: US57470A
Authority: US
Inventors: John R Hedger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-09-21
Filing date: 1960-09-21
Publication date: 1962-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 1979-11-06

Description

Nov. 6, 1962 J. R. HEDGER ELECTRIC IRON HOLDER Filed Sept. 21. 1960 f7? #6271 for": Joil 72 M M &

United States Patent 3,662,492 ELECTRIC IRON HOLDER John R. Hedger, Decatur, Ill. (4519 E. Tulare, Fresno 2, Calif.) Filed Sent. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 57,470 Claims. (Cl. 248117.1)

This invention relates to a holder for a household appliance, an iron. In particular, the invention relates to a holder capable of vertical mounting which can contain both electrical steam or dry irons.

An electric iron, if not handled properly, can be a very dangerous instrumentality in the average household. Many unfortunate and useless fires are caused through negligence in the handling of electric irons. A major cause of these accidents results when the iron, after use, if left on the ironing board to cool, inadvertently scorches the board cover, after which flames appear.

Most of the iron holders in use at the present time merely elevate the iron from the ironing board and thereby prevent the ironing board cover from burning, but these holders can still be easily knocked over and off of the ironing board onto the floor. Such is particularly dangerous when children are present. Thus a safe and also a convenient place to allow the iron to cool is in the iron holder of this invention which is mounted on a wall close to the area where the ironing occurs. Such a position places the iron in a location where it is removed from the ironing surface, inaccessible to small children, but still within handy reach when needed to continue ironing.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved electric iron holder which will reliably and securely hold and support an electric iron on a wall or vertical surface for storage purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric iron holder which can be used by all of the existing types of electric irons currently on the market.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved electric iron holder which is economical to construct, fabricate and manufacture.

A further object of this invention is to provide an electric iron holder which will resiliently urge the iron into the holder and protect the iron against accidental dislodging.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the electric iron holder as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical elevational view of the electric iron holder showing the structure mounted on a wall.

FIGURE 2 is an upright longitudinal sectional view through the wall showing the electric iron holder in elevation, the view being taken substantially as indicated along line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through the holder showing the keeper member and taken substantially as indicated along line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through the holder and the side walls, taken substantially as indicated along line 4--4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the electric iron holder with the keeper removed to show the guide means for the keeper.

Referring now to the drawings, the improved electric iron holder has a base plate which, as shown in FIGURE 1, is shaped substantially the same as the normal sole plate of an iron. The base plate has a plurality of apertured supporting bosses 11 through some of which screws 12 are inserted to attach the electric iron holder to 3,962,492 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 AQQ an upright surface in spaced relation thereto as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. The base plate also has apertured cooling bosses 13 which extend upward from the base plate and support the sole plate of an iron approximately /8 of an inch from the base plate, thus allowing the sole plate to be rapidly cooled. The base plate 10 is preferably formed out of a metal that disperses heat quickly, such as aluminum.

The base plate is equipped at its lower end with side walls 14 which extend from the bottom of the base plate 10 to just past the first pair of apertured cooling bosses 13. These side walls are opposite each other and are angled inwardly toward each other to engage the sole plate of an iron placed on the holder as specifically shown in FIGURE 4. At the lower end of the base plate is an end wall 15. This end wall is substantially U-shaped in plan and engages the tail portion of a sole plate of other irons which may be placed in the electric iron holder. The gap in the end wall allows old fashioned irons having a long and narrow appearance to also fit into the holder. The walls 15 are also inclined outwardly and upwardly from the base plate in a manner similar to the orientation of the side walls 14 in order to properly nest an iron sole plate on the base plate of the holder. The front sections 25 of end wall 15 are inclined and shaped slightly differently than the back sections 26. This unique construction permits all of the newest irons to fit properly within the electric iron holder of this invention.

The upper portion of the base plate 10- has upright guides 16 which are substantially parallel and directed inwardly toward each other but spaced apart to receive a keeper member, shown generally as 17. Specifically, the keeper member has substantially parallel sides 18 (FIG. 3) which support an iron receiving plate 17. The receiving plate is generally rectangular in shape as seen in FIGURE 1 except for the V-shaped indention 21 on the lower edge 22 of the plate which facilitates easy insertion of the iron under the keeper member and serves to center the iron in the holder. Legs 19 fit beneath guides 16 and position the keeper member laterally as well as permit travel of the keeper longitudinally of the base plate. This arrangement is best seen in FIGURE 3. Springs 20 connect the keeper member to the base plate by attachment of one end of the spring through an aperture 23 in the sides 18. The keeper member can be moved backward and forward within the guides which direction is upright when the holder is mounted. The springs are the only means which keep the keeper longitudinally within the guides. The lower ends of the springs are respectively attached to cars 24 outstanding from the base plate 10. The ears are spaced outwardly away from the sides of the keeper so that the springs are canted or sloped toward each other and toward the keeper. When the base plate is secured to an upright surface, were it not for the springs, the keeper member would slide out of the guides. The spring coils collapse upon each other forming a supporting post at each side of the keeper bearing its weight.

To place an iron in the electric holder the tip of the iron is first placed under the keeper member and moved upwardly, thus working against the tension of the springs. When the keeper member has been moved upward far enough to allow the back of the iron sole plate to move in front of the side walls, the iron is moved toward the holder and allowed to lower into nested relation within the side walls. The keeper member by use of its springs resiliently urges the iron toward the side walls and the end wall. This resilient action greatly reduces the chance of accidentally dislodging the iron from the holder. The slanted walls prevent the bottom of the iron from moving outwardly from the holder without a conscious effort to lift the iron upwardly.

The electric iron holder of this invention can be used by all existing types of irons. The side walls, the end wall, and the keeper member are so arranged that any shape iron can quickly be placed into the present invention.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A holder for an electric iron having a base plate with side walls, comprising: a base plate adapted for attachment to an upright surface, said base plate having outwardly extending opposite side walls and an end wall at the lower end thereof, said opposite side walls being angled inwardly toward each other to engage the sole plate of an iron placed on the holder, said end wall being substantially U-shaped in plan to engage a tail portion of the sole plate of an iron placed in said holder, a keeper member slidably attached to said base plate at the upper end thereof adapted for limited movement lengthwise of said base plate, said keeper member having a portion spaced above said base plate allowing insertion of the nose of an iron between said keeper member and said base plate, and means resiliently urging the keeper member toward the side and end walls at the opposite end of the base plate to hold an iron on the upright base plate when the nose of the iron is beneath the keeper member and the sole plate of the iron is placed in said holder.

2. A holder for an electric iron having a base plate with side walls, comprising: a base plate adapted for attachment to an upright surface, said base plate having outwardly extending opposite side walls and an end wall at the lower end thereof, said opposite side walls being angled inwardly toward each other to engage the sole plate of an iron placed on the holder, said end wall being substantially U-shaped in plan to engage the tail portion of the sole plate of an iron placed in said holder, said base plate having longtiudinally extending guide means, a keeper member fitting into said guide means, and spring means connecting said base plate and said keeper member for retaining said keeper member in said guide means and resiliently urging an iron toward said side walls and 4 said end wall when the nose of the iron is placed beneath said keeper member and the sole plate thereof is rested between said side walls and end Wall.

3. A holder for an electric iron having a base plate with side walls, comprising: a base plate adapted for attachment to an upright surface, said base plate having outwardly extending side walls and an end wall at the lower end thereof, said opposite side walls being angled inwardly toward each other to engage the sole plate of an iron placed on the holder, said end wall being substantially U-shaped to engage the tail portion of the sole plate of an iron placed in said holder, said base plate having an upper portion with substantially parallel inwardly directed spaced apart guides, a keeper member fitting into said guide, and spring means connecting said base and said keeper member for retaining said keeper member in said guides and resiliently urging an iron toward said side walls and said end wall when the nose of the iron is placed beneath said keeper member and the sole plate thereof is rested between said side walls and end wall.

4. A holder for an electric iron having a base plate with side walls, comprising: a base plate adapted for attachment to an upright surface, said base plate having outwardly extending opposite side walls and an end wall at the lower end thereof, said opposite side walls being angled inwardly toward each other to engage the sole plate of an iron placed on the holder, said end wall being substantially U-shaped to engage a tail portion of the sole plate of an iron placed in said holder, a keeper member attached and supported by spring means to said base plate urging said keeper member toward said end wall when said keeper member is raised from the lowermost position so that when an iron is placed in said keeper member the iron is resiliently urged toward said side walls and said end wall.

5. An electric iron holder as specified in claim 4 wherein the keeper member rests entirely on the spring means when it is in its lowermost position and not in use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,175,982 Parent Mar. 21, 1916 1,759,214 Winters May 20, 1930 2,529,132 Burnish Nov. 7, 1950 2,657,000 Tonks Oct. 27, 1953