US3486256A - Flatiron - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 196 9 J. KAPR ET AL 3,486,256

FLATIRON Filed April 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 30, 1969 J. KAPR ETAL 3,486,256

FLATIRON Filed April 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent lU.S. Cl. 38-88 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved flatiron includes an elongated frustopyramidal housing in which the larger base of the frustum is a rhomboidal ironing plate and the smaller base is a planar handle of similar shape. An inclined hollow column receives the temperature and humidity controls for the iron and interconnects a shorter edge of the plate with a corresponding edge of the handle. An elongated strip is affixed to the longer side of the housing and overlaps the ironing plate to provide a stable supporting surface for the iron when not in use. The handle as a whole comprises a base member, the planar handle itself and an inclined hollow column.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Despite the fact that many improvements have been made over the years in fiatirons, particularly of the electrical type, such improvements have been principally confined to the internal functioning of the iron (i.e., provision of better modes of heating, temperature and humidity controlling; addition of wetting and steam functions, etc.). The external configuration of such flatirons, on the other hand, has remained surprisingly static. Such irons generally include a boat-shaped ironing plate over which a cylindrical handle is supported, either at both ends (i.e., a closed handle) or at the rear end only (i.e., an open handle). Such irons usually have a supporting surface affixed to the rear end of the handle or the ironing plate so that the iron may be tilted to an upright position when not in use. A socket is conventionally provided at the rear end of the plate or handle to receive a flexible electrical connector through which current is supplied to the iron from a suitable source.

The existing configuration leaves much to be desired. For example, the boat-shaped ironing plate has a shape which is unsuitable for taking optimum advantage of the ironing surface, particularly when ironing difficult spots such as folds, pleats, creases, fiounces and buttoned regions. Moreover, the tilting of the iron into its upright position during rest periods is at best uncomfortable and at worst hazardous, particularly when the operator is seated. This is because (1) the tilting of the iron so that it rests upright on its rear support requires an excessive wrist bend, and (2) the support itself is relatively unstable since the support surface is small compared to the height of the center of gravity of the iron when the latter is in its upright position. To complicate matters further, the flexible connector is generally ainxed perpendicularly to the rear end of the handle rather than at the handle top, although the latter is the most advantageous position (from the point of view of the operator) both during the ironing operation itself and when placing the iron in its rest position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These disadvantages are alleviated by a flatiron constructed in accordance with the invention. In one embodiment, the iron is formed in a shape of an elongated 3,486,256 Patented Dec. 30, 1969 pyramidal frustum whose larger base is the ironing surface and whose smaller base is a fiat handle which is smaller than but similar in shape to the ironing plate. The handle and the plate are mounted in parallel spaced relation by means of an inclined column extending from a smaller edge of the plate to the corresponding smaller edge of the handle. The column is made hollow to receive the customary temperature and humidity controls for the iron. An elongated strip is affixed to, and extends for a considerable length along, a longer side of the housing adjacent the ironing plate. The strip projects transversely beyond the periphery of the plate to form a stable supporting surface therewith when the iron is in its inoperative position.

The periphery of the ironing plate has at least three intersecting edges, at least two of which are linear and at least two of which intersect to form an acute angle. Illustratively, the periphery of the ironing plate is rhomboidal.

The housing may include a second inclined wall interconnecting a longer edge of the base with the corresponding edge of the handle. In such a case, the supporting strip extends outwardly from the second wall adjacent the plate. This type of arrangement forms one type of closed handle design. An alternative (and more orthodox) closed handle design may be obtained by employing, in place of the second wall, a third inclined wall which extends between the other shorter edge of the plate and the corresponding edge of the handle. If an open handle is desired, the plate and handle are interconnected only by the hollow column.

In such an embodiment the supporting strip is afiixed to the ironing plate.

The top of the handle is provided with a socket into which a flexible electrical connector may be inserted and maintained in an essentially vertical position during the operation of the iron.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages of this construction will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of an illustrative flatiron constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective right-hand view of the iron of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective left-hand view of the iron of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 3, but showing an open handle configuration;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 3, but showing an alternative closed handle configuration; and

FIGS. 69 depict alternative peripheral shapes of an ironing plate suitable for use in the arrangements of FIGS. 1-5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in more detail to the drawings. FIGS. 1-3 show an illustrative electrical flatiron 11 constructed in accordance with the invention. The iron 11 includes an ironing plate 12 which, for purposes of this description, includes an upper portion 13 and a lower portion 14 having an ironing surface 16 on the bottom thereof. The ironing surface 16 has an elongated rhomboidal periphery defined by a pair of linear, relatively short front and rear portions 17 and 18 joined by a pair of linear, relatively long side portions 19 and 21.

The ironing plate 12 supports a handle assembly 22 having a fiat base member 23 whose bottom surface substantially conforms to the top surface of the upper portion 13. The upper portion of the handle assembly 22 includes a fiat handle member 24 having an elongated rhomboidal periphery defined by a pair of linear, relatively short front and rear portions 26 and 27 joined by a pair of linear, relatively long side portions 28 and 29. The dimensions of the handle 24 are smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the rhomboidal ironing surface 16.

The handle assembly 22 further includes a column member 31 which rigidly interconnects the short rear portion 27 of the handle 24 to the corresponding portion of the base member 23. The column member 31 is adapted to maintain the plate 12 and the handle 24 in parallel spaced relation with the projection of the handle 24 on the ironing surface 16 falling entirely within the surface 16. Thus, the iron 11 has the overall general shape of a pyramidal frustum, with the plate 12 forming the larger base of the frustu'm and the handle 24 forming the smaller base.

The column 31 is made hollow for receiving the customary temperature and humidity controls (not shown) for the iron 11. These controls may be manually adjusted in any convenient manner, as by a pair of calibrated control dials 32 and 33 associated therewith and mounted on a relatively larger rear surface 34 of the column 31.

The handle assembly 22 further includes an inclined wall 36 extending from a longer portion 28 of the handle 24 to the corresponding portion of the base member 23. An elongated strip 37 is affixed to, and extends along the lower portion of the wall 36 over a substantial portion of the length of the wall. The strip 37 extends transversely outward from the wall 36 beyond the periphery of the iron plate 12 to form, With the Wall 36, a supporting surface upon which the iron 11 may be tilted when not in use.

The handle 24 is provided with a socket 38 in its top surface for receiving a flexible connector 39 through which the iron may receive electrical power from a suitable source (not shown). The connector 39 extends outwardly and upwardly from the top surface of the handle 24.

The ironing surface 16 may, if desired, have a pcripheral shape other than the rhomboidal configuration shown in FIGS. 1-3 provided that the periphery is defined by at least three interconnected portions, at least two of which are linear and at least two of which intersect to form an acute angle. One or both of the linear portions may also form a side (or sides) of the acute angle. Examples of such peripheral configurations of the ironing surface 16 are shown in FIGS. 69. In FIG. 6, for example, the peripheral surface is a trapezoid having a first pair of parallel linear portions 41 and 42 joined by a second pair of non-parallel linear portions 43 and 44. Acute angles are formed by the intersections of the portions 42 and 43 and the portions 41 and 44, respectively.

In FIG. 7, the periphery forms a triangle having three intersecting linear portions 46, 47 and 48. Acute angles are defined by the intersections of the portions 46 and 48 and the portions 47 and 48, respectively.

The periphery shown in FIG. 8 is also generally triangular. A pair of linear portions 49 and 51 intersect at one end to form an acute angle, and a curved portion 52 joins the other ends of the linear portions.

In FIGS. 9, another contoured periphery is shown wherein a pair of parallel elongated linear portions 53 and 54 are respectively connected at their upper and lower ends by a pair of curved portions 56 and 57. Acute angles are formed by the intersections of the portions 53 and 57 and the portions 54 and 56, respectively.

The above-described iron 11 has many advantages when compared to the boat-type designs. For example, if relatively large areas are to be ironed, the iron 11 may be conveniently held by the operator, without loss of comfort or etficiency, in such a position that the shorter dimensions of the iron are parallel to the direction of the movement of the iron along the workpiece. In this case, the iron 11 covers a wider strip of the workpiece than a conventional boat-shaped iron having the same ironing area. It will be appreciated that such an operation is awkward and clumsy 4 with the boat-shaped design, particularly those equipped with thumb supports.

It will also be noted that the basically identical front and rear portions of the iron 11 (and particularly of the above-described handle assembly 22) permits safe, comfortable and efiicient ironing with backward, forward or sideward motions and additionally permits the handling of the iron in either the right or left hand of the operator even when he is in a sitting position.

The rhomboidal shape of the ironing plate periphery of the iron 11 is especially advantageous. The acute angles of both ends of the longer rhomboidal diagonal permit the operator to easily iron buttoned areas and also such difiicult spots as corners and folds. The obtuse angles at both ends of the shorter rhomboidal diagonal permit the etficient ironing of convex or concave parts such as shoulder hemispheres and the like. Similarly, the linear front, rear and side portions 17, 18, 19 and 21 permit the ironing of straight folds.

The frusto-pyramidal configuration of the iron 11 enables the operator to safely tilt the iron onto the broad surface defined by the supporting strip 37 when the iron is not in use. When this is done, the ironing surface 16 assumes an upward oblique position out of contact with the workpiece with very small eifort on the operators part. The iron, in such inoperative position, is very stable since the area of the supporting surface is relatively large compared with the center of gravity of the tilted iron. The acts of tilting the iron 11 into the inoperative position and moving the iron back into the operative position are nonfatiguing, since the operators hand is not forced to assume an unnatural position. Similarly, the ironing operation itself and the movements of the iron to and from its inoperative position are facilitated by the fact that the flexible connector 39 is attached perpendicularly to the top surface of the handle 24.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the above-described arrangement of FIGS. 1-3 wherein an open handle is employed. Corresponding elements in FIGS. 1-3 and 4 have been given corresponding reference numerals. In FIG. 4, the side wall 36 of FIGS. l-3 has been omitted and only the column member 31 supports the handle 24. In this case, the supporting strip 37 is aflixed directly to a longer portion of the ironing plate 12 and extends over a major portion of the length of the plate 12. As in FIGS. 1-3, the strip 37 extends outwardly beyond the periphery of the iron plate.

Another modification of the arrangement of FIGS. 13 is shown in FIG. 5. The latter depicts an alternative closed handle design which is formed by employing, in place of the wall 36 of FIGS. l3, an inclined Wall 58 interconnecting the short front portion 26 of the handl 24 to the corresponding portion of the base member 23. As in FIG. 4, the supporting strip 37 is affixed directly to the base member 23. All other portions of FIGS. 1-3 have been retained in the arrangement of FIG. 5.

It will be understood that the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications will now become apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fiat iron assembly:

a general frusto-pyramidal housing comprising, in com bination, an elongated ironing plate whose periphery has at least three interconnected portions, at least two of which are linear and at least two of which intersect at an acute angle; a substantially planar, elongated handle smaller than the plate; and means for mounting the handle and the plate in parallel spaced relation, the mounting means including a hollow column interconnecting a relatively short edge of the plate and the corresponding edge of the handle, the handle and the plate jointly forming an assembly having a generally frusto-pyramidal shape.

2. An iron as defined in claim 1, further comprising socket means disposed in the handle for receiving a flexible electrical connector extending outwardly from and perpendicularly to the surface of the handle.

3. An iron as defined in claim 1, in which the plate periphery is rhomboidal.

4. An iron as defined in claim 1, in which the plate periphery is trapezoidal.

5. An iron as defined in claim 1, in which the linear portions of the plate periphery are parallel, and the periphery further includes a pair of curved portions joining the opposite ends of the respective linear portions.

6. An iron as defined in claim 1, in which the plate periphery is triangular.

7. An iron as defined in claim 1, in which one pair of ends on the respective linear portions intersect to form the acute angle, and the plate periphery further includes a curved portion joining the non-intersecting ends of the linear portions.

8. An iron as defined in claim 1, further comprising an supporting strip being affixed to the second inclined wall adjacent the plate.

10. An iron as defined in claim 8, in which the strip is affixed to the upper portion of the plate.

11. An iron as defined in claim 10, further comprising an inclined Wall interconnecting another relatively short edge of the plate with the corresponding edge of the handle.

12. The iron as defined in claim 1 in which at least one side of said plate periphery is curved.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 144,857 5/1946 Kennedy 38-90 X 160,931 3/1875 McMaster 38-93 468,554 2/1892 Weller 38-93 666,224 1/1901 Van Court 38-93 X 2,124,713 7/1938 Ruelland 38-90 2,536,996 1/1951 Holland et a1. 38-90 X FOREIGN PATENTS 6,901 1893 Great Britain.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 38-90, 93

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