US3260005A - Method of assembling a steam iron base - Google Patents

Description

July 12, 1966 N. E. LOOMIS 3,260,005

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING A STEAM IRON BASE Filed June 2, 1965 INVENT OR NELSON Elem/us ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 260,005 METHOD OF ASSEMBiLING A STEAM IRON BASE Nelson E. Loomis, Colebrook, Conn, assiguor to Sou- Clrief Electrics, Inc., Wiusted, C0nn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed June 2, 1965, Ser. No. 460,757 3 Claims. (Cl. 38-77) This invention relates generally to steam irons, and more particularly, to a steam iron base and method of assembling the various components thereof.

Smoothing irons generally comprise an electrically heated soleplate having a smoothing surface, and include an electrical heating element usually of the rod type which is most often imbedded in the upper surface of the soleplate for heating the smoothing surface. In an iron of the steam type the heating element also serves to supply the necessary heat to a boiler or chamber for the generation of steam therein. Irons of the steam generating type are extremely popular at the present time, by far the vast majority of all irons now being made falling into this category. The present arrangement provides a novel construction of the various components forming the steam generating means in combination with a soleplate, which components are assembled in a novel manner leading to ready joining of a mini-mum number of components which are assembled in a positive manner involving only a short period of time and therefore minimum labor and expense.

Many of the electric irons with steam pressing features of the type indicated above, which are known in the art, incorporate a plurality of complicated and expensive to produce components which firstly, are of delicate or precision construction and secondly, require an intricate system of assembly thereby leading to an expensive construction making it difficult to favorably compete on the present market. One of the primary drawbacks in the construction of a steam iron has 'been the formation of calcareous deposits which result from the evaporation of common tap water as most usually used in irons of this type. A manufacturer hesitates to recommend exclusive use of distilled and softened water in his product in view of the implied burden placed upon the purchaser; however, in many constructions the use of tap Water in even a short period of time will build up calcareous deposits within the steam generating chamber particularly immediately beneath the point of entry of water from the water reservoir, these deposits eventually spreading towards the outlet ports formed through the soleplate and tending to clog these ports.

Another important feature which must be considered in the construction of a steam iron is the provision of complete conversion of all water fed into the steam generating chamber into steam and means must be provided for insuring this complete conversion of all such water to steam without the likelihood of any water being transmitted through the outlet ports which it will be understood could cause staining, particularly when ironing certain synthetic fabrics.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a steam iron base including a novel arrangement of components constructed to provide more efficient generation of the steam.

"Patented July 12, 1966 Another object of the present invention is to provide a steam iron base including improved means for insuring complete conversion of all water into steam thereby precluding any sputter or issuance of droplets of water from the outlet ports in the soleplate of the iron.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a steam iron base including a plurality of components which are of a construction providing for ready assembly thereof in a positive manner.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of assembling the various components of a steam iron base in a positive manner and with a minimum amount of labor involved.

With these and other objects in view, which more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as well as a unique method of assembly thereof, both of which are hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the various components forming the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of the components of the present invention in an assembled position.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3--'3 of FIGURE 2.

Similar reference characters designate cor-responding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawing, particularly FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the present invention comprises a plurality of components which are constructed in a manner to provide for their assembly in a mating or overlying relationship to provide an integral steam generating system for a steam iron base. The soleplate 10 may be formed of a conventional composition such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy in order to obtain the feature of a material having a high heat conductivity in combination with the properties of being of light weight and presenting a pleasing bright appearance. As in the usual manner of construction, the upper surface 11 as well as the lower smoothing surface 12 are perfectly that and a plu rality of outlet ports 13 are drilled through the soleplate adjacent the periphery thereof from the vicinity of the medial portion of the soleplate to a point adjacent the toe 14 thereof. As shown most clearly in FIGURES '1 and '3, each of the ports 13 are countersunk as at 14a on the smoothing surface 12 and are punched upwardly to provide a protuberance 15 above the top surface 11. An important feature of the present soleplate 10 is the provision of at least a pair of upstanding orientation pins 16, '16 upon the top surface 11, which pins are preferably disposed between the arrangement of outlet ports '13 adjacent the two side edges of the soleplate and are of a diameter greater than the diameter of said ports for reasons which will become clear hereinafter.

Adapted to be disposed upon the top surface 11 of the soleplate 10 between the protuberances 13 is a fiat locator plate 17 having a pair of pin openings 18, 18 forming a close fit with the upstanding pins 16, 16. The curved peripheral edge 19 of the locator plate 17 is constructed so that when the plate 17 is disposed upon the top surface 11 of the soleplate with the pins 16 passing through the openings 18, the edge 19 will be equispaced throughout its length from each of the immediately adjacent protuberances formed in the soleplate. Adapted to be disposed within this aforementioned space is a heating element, generally designated 20, which is of the rod type and comprises an outer casing 21 of high heat conductivity and within which is disposed a resistance heating wire 22 further isolated from contact with the casing 21 by means of suitable insulating material 23 having the property of being both highly dielectric as well as a good conductor of heat. As will be most clearly seen in FIG- URE 3, the casing 21 of the heating element 29' is of semicircular configuration when viewed in cross section thereby presenting a relatively large heat transfer area on its bottom surface which is perfectly flat. After the locator plate 17 has been mounted upon the top surface 11 of the soleplate 10, the heating element 24 is lowered into position and disposed within the space between the peripheral edge 19 of the plate 17 and the protuberances 15 with the bottom surface 24 of the casing 21 flushly fitting upon the exposed top surface 11 formed therebetween. At this point, the three components thus assembled, are united as an integral unit by welding or brazing the three elements together, using any suitable material having the property of high heat conductivity. As thus assembled, the steam iron base will appear as in FIGURE 2. At this point, a drill is passed through the center of the previously formed countersinks 25 disposed beneath the orientation pins 16 in order to provide the additional outlet ports 26 leading upward from the smoothing surface 12 through the locator plate 17 as will be most clearly seen in FIGURE 3.

From the foregoing it will be unders-ood that the three elements, namely the line of protuberances 15, the heating element and the locator plate are all of generally U shape and arranged to provide a close mating fit when assembled as shown in FIGURE 2.

A steam generating chamber 27 is formed above the forward portion of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 2 by means of a steam generating chamber cover 28 which may be constructed of any suitable metallic composition and is stamped or otherwise shaped so that when fitted above the assembled soleplate, heating element and locator plate provides a chamber 27 overlying all of the outlet ports 13 as well as the outlet ports 26. The entire periphery of the chamber cover 28 is provided with an outwardly extending horizontal flange. The sides and forward portion of the cover include a soleplate flange 29 While the rear of the cover is provided with a locator plate flange 30 as will be most clearly seen in FIGURE 1. Between the locator plate flange 30 and the rear of the two side portions of the soleplate flange 29' are disposed two heating element flanges 31. For reasons which will become obvious the heating element flanges 31 are curved while the soleplate and locator plate flanges 29 and 36 respectively are planar. As will be seen in FIGURE 3, the locator plate flange 30 is disposed at a higher elevation than the :soleplate flange 29, the distance between these two planes being substantially the thickness of the locator plate 17. The chamber cover 28 is retained in the posi tion shown in FIGURE 3 by means of a stud bolt 32 is threaded through a tapped opening in the locator plate, the chamber cover being securely retained in position by means of a suitable nut 33. Prior to the assembly of the steam generating chamber cover 28 a layer of suitable adhesive sealant material is deposited throughout the coextensive areas of the flanges 29, 3t) and 31 such that when the cover is secured in position by means of the stud 32 and nut 33, a steam or air-tight generating chamber 27 will be formed within the cover, it being understood that the heating element flanges 31 are curved to provide a mating fit about the curved portions of the heating element casing 21.

Water, for conversion into steam, is admitted into the steam generating chamber 27 through an entry passage 34 formed in the top surface of the chamber cover 28 above the forward portion of the locator plate 17. The locator plate 17 includes a cut-out portion defined by a water receiving channel 35 which in the present embodiment as herein illustrated is Y-shaped with one leg of the channel disposed immediately beneath the water entry passage 34 formed in the steam generating chamber cover 23. With the locator plate 17 in its assembled relationship as illustrated in FIGURE 2 it will be seen that an enclosed flash area 36 will be formed upon the top surface 11 of the soleplate. In this manner, as water is metered by any suitable valve means (not shown) adapted to be disposed through the entry passage 34, this water .will fall by gravity, as the iron is being used, within the confines of the flash area 36 formed by the leg of the channel 35 to make direct contact with the top surface 11 of the soleplate Within this flash area. It will thus be seen that since both the soleplate 1% as well as the sides of the locator plate 17 forming the channel 35 will be heated by means of the heating element 20, the water entering the flash area 36 will be immediately converted to steam and the usual agitation of droplets of water falling into the flash area 36 will be minimized due to the height of the water receiving channel 35 to ensure minimum sputtering and complete conversion of the water to steam. As the steam is generated Within the flash area 36, it rises to fill the steam generating chamber 27 and is subsequently directed to the ports 13 and 26 and thence emerges from the bottom smoothing surface 12 of the so-leplate.

Any suitable means may be provided for maintaining a supply of water intended to be metered through the entry passage 34 0f the chamber cover 28. As illustrated in FIGURE 1 a reservoir or tank 37 having top, bottom and side walls is adapted to be fitted above the generating chamber cover 28 and includes (not shown) a bottom opening adapted to be attached in any suitable fluid type manner above the entry passage 34 of the chamber cover 28.

To assist in the subsequent assembly of an outer iron cover (not shown), each side of the soleplate flange 29 of the chamber cover 28 may be provided with an upstanding positioning ear 38 as shown in FIGURE 1, which ears project upwardly from the outer periphery of the flange 29. In this manner it will be understood that following the assembly of all of the components illustrated in FIGURE 1 together with any other attendant structure, the outermost iron cover may be lowered over this assembly and will be guided into position adjacent the outer surfaces of these two positioning ears 38.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means of construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect and the invent-ion will therefore be understood in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a method of assembling a steam iron, the steps of; placing a locator plate having openings therein upon a soleplate provided with a plurality of outlet ports and upstanding integral orientation pins with said openings registering with said orientation pins, said locator plate having a peripheral surface which when positioned by said orientation pins will be equispaced throughout its length from said outlet ports; placing a heating element on said s-oleplate within the space between said locator plate and outlet ports; uniting said locator plate and heating element to; said soleplate; attaching a cover over said united locator plate and heating element With said cover providing a common generating chamber enclosing said locator plate openings and said s-oleplate outlet ports;

5 6 sealing the periphery of said coverto said soleplate, heat- References Cited by the Examiner ing element and locator plate to maintain said chamber UNITED STATES PATENTS fl 'd-t' ht; d t h t rv b "d an mg a w er me a Sal 2,499,184 2/1950 Flnlayson 3s 77 2,774,156 12/1956 Parr 38-77 2. The method according to claim 1, including, form- 5 ing a water-receiving channel in said locator plate prior E233 et a1 t1}, 'dl tit a lit. 1, 1

O p ammo Sal Oca or P a p S31 50 P a 6 3,165,844 1/1965 Sw anke 38 77 3. The method according to claim 1, including, forming outlet port-s through said orientation pins by drilling theret'hrough after assembly of said locator plate upon 10 JORDAN FRANKLIN Prlmary Examiner said soleplate. PATRICK D. LAWSON, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A METHOD OF ASSEMBLING A STEAM IRON, THE STEPS OF; PLACING A LOCATOR PLATE HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN UPON A SOLEPLATE PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF OUTLET PORTS AND UPSTANDING INTEGRAL ORIENTATION PINS, WITH SAID OPENINGS REGISTERING WITH SAID ORIENTATION PINS, SAID LOCATOR PLATE HAVING A PERIPHERAL SURFACE WHICH WHEN POSITIONED BY SAID ORIENTATION PINS WILL BE EQUISPACED THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH FROM SAID OUTLET PORTS; PLACING A HEATING ELEMENT ON SAID SOLEPLATE WITHIN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID LOCATOR PLATE AND OUTLET PORTS; UNITING SAID LOCATOR PLATE AND HEATING ELEMENT TO SAID SOLEPLATE; ATTACHING A COVER OVER SAID UNITED LOCATOR PLATE AND HEATING ELEMENT WITH SAID COVER PROVIDING A COMMON GENERATING CHAMBER ENCLOSING SAID LOCATOR PLATE OPENINGS AND SAID SOLEPLATE OUTLET PORTS; SEALING THE PERIPHERY OF SAID COVER TO SAID SOLEPLATE, HEATING ELEMENT AND LOCATOR PLATE TO MAINTAIN SAID CHAMBER FLUID-TIGHT; AND ATTACHING A WATER RESERVOIR ABOVE SAID COVER.

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