Wallpaper steamer

Abstract: The steamer for use in wallpaper stripping comprises a housing (1) with a base portion having (4) a peripheral floor and forming an open faced steam chamber (6). Water is pumped by an electric pump (7) in the housing (1) to an electrically-heated, steam generator (3) also in the housing (1) which generates steam. The steam is supplied to the steam chamber (6) via a first set of apertures located adjacent one end of the steam chamber (6) and via a second set of apertures adjacent the other end of the steam chamber (6) but spaced from that end by a greater distance than that separating the first set of apertures from the one end of the steam chamber (6).

Description: This invention relates to hand-held wallpaper steamers for use in stripping wallpaper and other coverings secured to a surface by a heat and/or moisture softenable adhesive. Such steamers have been proposed before in which steam is conveyed to a steam chamber through orifices distributed over a back wall of the chamber or via a steam distributor head located in the chamber itself. To be effective in use, steam has to be distributed throughout the space in the steam chamber as evenly as possible. Uneven distribution leads to uneven softening of the adhesive and it is found that consequently some areas of wallpaper cannot be removed without further treatment. It is known from US Patent No. 1,518,454 to provide a wallpaper remover provided with a reservoir to contain water with a heater for generating steam and a frame for supporting perforate tubes in communication with the reservoir or steel boiler to apply the steam under pressure to the paper, and means for packing the edge of the frame so that the steam will be localized, thereby obtaining greater efficiency than would be possible if the steam leaked to atmosphere. It is further known from French Patent No. 1,083,733 to provide a steam iron comprising a steam generator and reservoir for water to produce the steam; the iron further comprises steam exit orifices which are located in the base of the iron and which are connected to the steam generator by means of a channel. The steam iron is particularly adapted to be used in the orientation normally involved in ironing, with the sole plate horizontal and facing downwards; in contrast to this, when a wallpaper remover is used, two other orientations are used. For stripping vertical walls, the device is used with the sole plate vertical, and for ceilings the device is used with the sole plate horizontal, but facing upwards. The known devices have the disadvantage that an uneven distribution of steam results when they are used in the vertical orientation, or for removing wallpaper from ceilings. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hand-held wallpaper steamer in which a more even distribution of steam is obtained than has hitherto been possible. According to the present invention, a hand-held wallpaper steamer for use in wallpaper stripping comprises a housing which accommodates a base portion having a depending peripheral wall and thereby forming an open-faced steam chamber with first and second ends, an electrically heated steam generator located in the housing, the generator having a first set of steam exits and a second set of steam exits spaced from the first set, the exits of the first and second sets communicating with the steam chamber at respective spaced apart locations therein, an electrically-powered water pump for pumping water to the steam generator, the water pump being accommodated within the housing, the first location being adjacent one end of the steam chamber and the second location being adjacent the other end of the steam chamber and separated from that other end by a distance greater than that separating the first location and the said one end. Preferably, the housing also accommodates a water tank which is connected to the pump so that the latter can pump water from the tank to the steam generator. An embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front, one side and above of the embodiment, Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 but with one part shown separated from the remainder of the embodiment, Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view from one side with a part removed to reveal the position of certain internal components, Figure 4 is a general assembly sectional view of the embodiment, Figures 5 and 6 are, respectively, a view from above and a view from below of a further part of the housing of the embodiment, Figures 7 and 8 are, respectively, a section on the lines XV and XVI of Figure 5, Figure 9 is an underneath view of another component of the embodiment, Figure 10 is a plan view of the component of Figure 9 with part removed, Figures 11, 12 and 13 are, respectively, sections along the lines XIX, XX and XXI of Figure 10, Figure 14 is a side view of a part of the component of Figure 9, Figure 15 is a plan view of the component of Figure 9, Figure 16 is a section on the line XXIV of Figure 15, Figure 17 is a plan view of another part of the embodiment, and Figure 18 is a section on the line XXVI of Figure 17. The embodiment now to be described is suitable for steaming wallpaper prior to stripping the paper with a conventional stripping knife. However, the embodiment may also be used when stripping other surface coverings secured to the surface by heat and/or moisture softenable adhesives. The embodiment comprises a hand-held steamer with an "on-board" water supply that is replenishable by a user as necessary. As can be seen from Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the embodiment includes a housing 1 contoured to accommodate a detachable water tank 2, a steam generator 3 and a base portion 4 with a peripheral wall 5, thereby forming a downwardly-open (as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3) chamber 6, hereinafter referred to as a steam chamber. Water from water tank 2 is pumped into a water chamber in the steam generator by an electrically powered pump shown diagrammatically at 7. Energisation of pump 7 is controlled by an electric switch 8 operated by a rocker arm 9. Steam from the steam generator 3 leaves the latter via exit holes in its lower face and emerges into the steam chamber via connectors described below. The housing 1 includes a central portion 10 which extends away from the base portion 4 and has a forward projection 11 beneath which the water tank 2 is located on a flat part 12 of the housing 1. Extending rearwardly from the uppermost part of portion 10 is a handle 13 of generally cylindrical shape and which terminates in a flat end 14 of triangular shape and which is part of the housing 1 thereby forming a handle of a closed loop configuration. The cross-sectional size of the handle 13 in a plane transverse to its length is much smaller than that rear face of portion 10 from which the handle 13 extends. As can be seen, the upper surface (as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3) of projection 11 is contoured as at 15 to accommodate the rocker arm 9 that operates the switch 8. Located in the forward projection 11 of the housing 1 is a catch 16 for retaining the water tank 2 in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1. As will be explained in more detail below, catch 16 can be actuated by a user to release the water tank 2 prior to detaching the tank from the housing. The catch 16 is so contoured that it is displaced by the tang 2 on initial movement of the latter into the position shown in Fig. 1. On final movement of the tank 2, the catch 16 automatically returns to a tank retaining position. The housing 1 has, on both sides, air holes 17 which allow air to circulate within it so limiting heat transfer from the steam generator 3 to the housing 1. The water tank 2 is of generally cubic form but is contoured to blend in with the contours of the housing 1 when in position thereon. The upper wall 21 of the water tank 2 has a filler hole 22 normally closed by a removable stopper 23. The upper wall 21 also has a rectangular recess 24 which co-operates with catch 16 to retain the water tank in position on the housing 1. The rear wall 25 is recessed as at 26 to accommodate a connector 27 forming part of a water inlet tube 28 inside the water tank 2 and described in more detail below. The connector 27 automatically engages with a short nozzle 29 of pump 7 in the portion 10 of the housing 1 as the water tank 2 reaches its fully home position on the housing. The nozzle 29 is the output nozzle of pump 7 as will be described in more detail. The output of pump 7 is joined by a connector tube 30 to an inlet 31 of the steam generator 3. The housing 1 is of clam shell construction and is formed by two clam shells 18 and 19 which abut along a vertical fore and aft plane through the middle of the steamer. The line is indicated at 20 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The clam shells 18, 19 are moulded from a suitable plastics material for example talc filled polypropylene and are contoured on one face - the inner face - to support the components mounted inside the housing formed when the clam shells are placed together. The clam shells 18, 19 are generally similar as regards their external faces, each providing one half of the following parts of the housing 1 - central portion 10, the forward projection 11, the flat part 12, the handle 13 and the flat end 14. The base portion 4 of the embodiment is shown in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 and is of generally rectangular form when seen in plan as in Figures 5 and 6. The base portion 4 which is of a plastics material, for example a glass fibre reinforced thermosetting polyester, or a thermoplastic polyester which is preferably glass fibre reinforced, has the peripheral wall 5 whose external shape is contoured as at 63 to merge smoothly with the lower surface of the clam shells 18 and 19 when those parts are assembled together. The gutter 66 is of somewhat greater width at its open or lower face, as viewed in Figs. 7 and 8, across the left-hand edge of the base portion 4 as viewed in Fig. 5 , than it is along the side and rear edges of the base portion. This can be observed by comparing the width of the gutter 66 at the left-hand end of Fig. 7 with the width at the right-hand end and with the equal widths at both ends of the base portion as shown in Fig. 8 , and this is for aesthetic reasons. The interior contour of the gutter follows that of the wall 5 and the stepped portion 65 of the upturned edge of the floor 64. As can be seen from Figs. 7 and 8, the wall 5 extends downwardly beyond the lower face of the floor for a short distance to form side walls for the steam chamber 6, the lower ends of the walls being bevelled as shown. The extent of the extension is determined by the need to create a sufficient volume beneath the floor 64 to allow the steam emerging into the steam chamber to disperse evenly throughout the chamber whilst ensuring, at the same time, a concentration of steam that is effective to soften the wallpaper adhesive. In the steamer shown in the drawing, the extension is about 5mm. The base portion has a floor 64 whose periphery is upturned and stepped as at 65 to mate with the step 46 on the clam shells. The upturn is spaced from the wall 5 to form a recess or gutter 66 round the inside of the wall 5. The formation of the recess or gutter 66 strengthens the base portion at its periphery and also serves to collect water as will be described below. The capacity of the gutter 66 is sufficient to retain the condensation that normally occurs during a period of use equal to one filling of the water tank 2. The volume of the condensation is not large because a substantial proportion of the total condensation produced is absorbed by the wallpaper. Another factor bearing on the capacity of the gutter is the extent to which the gutter deleteriously affects the dispersal of steam within the steam chamber and clearly this extent must be small. In the steamer shown in the drawings, the maximum depth of the gutter through its length is about 26mm measured from the lower edge of the wall 5. The maximum width at the lower open end of the gutter is about 14 mm. That maximum occurs along the left-hand edge of the base portion as viewed in Fig. 7. Elsewhere the gutter width at its open end is about 10mm. The face of floor 64, seen in Fig. 5 and referred to as the upper face, has a series of upstanding strengthening ribs of which rib 67 lies on the longitudinal centre line of the floor and extends almost the full length of the floor. The rib 67 bridges upstanding bosses 68 with stepped bores 69 and nozzles 70 with bores 71 that are of decreasing diameter in a downwward direction towards floor 64. Short transverse ribs 72 extending from rib 67 strengthen the floor 64 as do further transverse ribs 73 interspersed with ribs 72 and extending towards rib 67 from the sides of the floor. Further apertured bosses 74 extend upwardly from the floor 64 in positions that correspond with the bosses 49 on the clam shells 18, 19. The bores of the bosses 74 are also stepped internally but this is not shown in the drawings. The bosses 74 are strengthened by short radially extending ribs 75. In addition to the nozzles 70, the floor 64 has further nozzles 76 located in the positions shown in Fig. 13 and which are identical with the nozzles 70. Areas 77 in the sides of the base portion 4 are bearing areas on which the edges of the clam shells locate when they are assembled to the base portion. The right-hand (as seen in Figs. 5 and 8) end has an upstand 78 strengthened on its inside face with short ribs 79. At the end of the upstand 78 are slightly raised portions 80. Upstand 78 locates in the extension 46A in the clam shells and provides an area for the reception of a rating plate as can be seen in Fig. 4. Air holes 81 in the front part of the wall 62 assist in ventilating the interior of the housing. The lower face of the base portion 4 is shown in Fig. 14, the lower end openings of the bosses 68, nozzles 70 and bosses 74 being correspondingly referenced. Areas in the lower face bounded by lines 82 are recessed slightly with respect to the remainder of the face, the nozzles 70 being located adjacent the inner ends of those areas in regions 83 which are recessed with respect to recesses 82. Raised areas 84 in the contour 63 provide weirs between adjacent sections of the gutter 66 that tend to restrain movement of condensate along the gutter. Located within the housing 1 above the floor 64 is the steam generator 7 and this is shown in more detail in Figs. 9 to 16. As can be seen from Fig. 9, the steam generator 3 is of generally rectangular form when viewed from above. The generator has a body 85 of a heat conductive metallic light alloy. Projecting from the ends of the body 85 are mounting ears 86 apertured to receive mounting screws (not shown). Cast integrally with the body 85 is an electric heating element 87 of the sheathed, resistance kind and shown in Fig. 14. The ends of the element are indicated at 88 and the path followed by the element is indicated in dotted lines 89 in Fig. 9 . As can be seen, the element is looped at one end, the body 85 being locally increased in thickness at 90 to accommodate the loop and other parts of the length of the element. The upper (as seen in Fig. 10) face of the body 85 is channelled as will be described below and has a central recess 91 that accommodates a thermally responsive element 92 in good thermal contact with the body 85. The upper face of the body 85 is covered by a cover plate 92 apertured at 93 to give access to the element 92 and at 94. The plate 92 is slightly recessed round the aperture 94. The cover plate 92 is secured to the body 85 in a manner described below. The channelling in the upper face of the body 85 is seen in Fig. 10. The face has a water receiving chamber 95 of circular form when seen in plan as in Fig. 10. The water chamber 95 is located beneath aperture 94 of plate 92. From diametrically opposed positions on the chamber 95 extend passages 96, 97 of serpentine elongate form which are mirror images of each other. The passages 96, 97 terminate in common areas 98, 99 respectively. From the common areas 98, 99 extend further serpentine elongate passages of which two 100, 101 lie along the sides of the body 85 and pass to the right hand (as viewed in Fig. 10) side of the water chamber 95 where they join a common transverse passage 102. In the centre of the transverse passage 102 is a steam exit 103 and while other steam exits 104 are located in the vicinity of the junctions with the transverse passage 102 of the passages 100, 101. Also extending from the common areas 98, 99 are further passages 105, 106 which after merging at 107 diverge in opposite directions to join a common transverse passage 108. In the centre of transverse passage 108 is a further steam exit 109 whilst other steam exits 110 are located in the vicinity of the junctions with the transverse passage 108 of the passages 105, 106. The distances from the common areas 98, 99 along the passages 100 and 101 to the steam exits 104 and along the passages 105, 106 to the steam exits 110 are substantially equal. As can be seen from Fig. 16, the steam exits 103, 104, 109 and 110 are at the upper ends of respective nozzles 111 formed in the body 85 and that project downwardly from the lower face of the body 85. The locations of the nozzles 111 correspond with those of the nozzles 70 and 76 of the floor 64 of the base portion 4. The looped end of the heating element 87 is located in the general area beneath water chamber 95 thereby ensuring a high heat input to this area sufficient to "flash" water entering the chamber into steam. The lengths and depths of the passages 96, 97, 100, 101, 102, 105, 106 and 108 are such as to provide surface area sufficient to ensure further heating, and therefore drying, of the steam exitting from water chamber 95. The physical mass of the body 85 is related to the electrical rating of the heating element 87 and is such that the latter is able quickly to bring the body 85 to a working temperature. The nozzles 111 provide a slight restriction on the flow of steam from the generator so that steam at the steam exits 103, 104, 109, 110 are at a pressure slightly above atmosphere. Forming the passages and chambers in the same face of the body 85 facilitates manufacture as does the configuration shown of the passages. Fig. 15 also shows that the thermally responsive device is held in the recess 91 by a metal strap 112 secured in place in a manner described below. The device responds to the temperature of the steam generator and operates to keep the latter at a controlled temperature. Joined to the terminals of the device 92 are electrical conductors 113, 114 of which conductor 114 includes a thermal cut-out 115 to protect the steamer generator against over-heating. Conductor 113 is connected to an electrical terminal 116 mounted upon an extension 117 of the base 85 and insulated therefrom. Figs. 17 and 18 show a gasket seal/connector 118 of a thermally insulating material, for example silicon rubber which serves the double purpose of assisting to isolate the steam generator 3 thermally from the base portion 4 and also to provide sealing connections between the nozzles 111 of the steam generator and the respective nozzles 70 and 76 in the floor 64. Thus, the gasket seal/connector 118 comprises webs 119 that join interconnections 120 and a gasket portion 121 with a central aperture 122. Each inter-connection 120 extends for a short distance on both sides of the web 119 which is positioned centrally of the interconnections 120. Each interconnection has a central bore 123 with a central restricted throat 124. During manufacture and prior to placing the components in the housing, it is necessary first to assemble the steam generator. The thermally responsive device 92 is placed in the recess 91. Cover plate 92 is placed in position on the body 85 so that studs 192 extending from the upper face of the body pass through corresponding holes in the cover plate and hole 93 register with device 91. The tops of the studs 192 are then peened over to secure the cover plate 92 to the body 85. Two of the studs 192 are so located that they pass through holes in the metal strap 112 so securing the latter and thus the thermally responsive device 92 in position. The conductors 113 and 114 are then electrically secured to the terminals of the device 92 and positioned as shown in Figure 15. Conductor 113 is electrically joined to terminal 116 by a suitable jointing tag. Finally, the flexible connector 30 (Figure 4) is attached to the cover plate 92 by locating the edge surrounding the hole 94 in a channel 194 in the head 195 of the connector. The connector 30 is joined to the pump outlet 191 as will be described below. To assemble the components described above in the housing 1, the rocker arm 9 is located in the cut away 35 in clam shell 18, the bosses 134 being positioned in the semi-circular recess 34. The inclined surfaces 130 of the rocker arm 9 are accessible to a user through the cut away 35, and pivotal movement is limited by the flanges 132 which locate within the clam shells. The switch 8 is then seated in the recessed portion 33A of the rib 33 with the switch terminals pointing towards the cable outlet 42 and the rocker 127 lying in the path of the extension 135 of the rocker arm 9. The pump 7 is located in the compartment above the rib 37 with the nozzle 191 pointing downward (as viewed in Fig. 4) and the outlet 29 extending through the adjacent wall of the clam shell 18 via recess 47. In this orientation, the electrical connectors 173 are positioned just below the horizontal part of rib 33. Tank catch 16 is secured in place by inserting the tubular support 153 over the bearing stub 39 so that the serrated surface 164 is accessible through cut away 41 and the hooked end 163 engages the nose of the clam shell 18 adjacent the cut away, i.e. the catch 16 is in the position shown in Fig. 4. The assembled steam generator 3 is then mounted upon the base portion 4. With the base portion in the position shown in Fig. 13, a gasket seal/connector 118 is placed over each of nozzles 70 and 76, the interconnections 120 being pressed over the nozzles 70 and 76, and the gasket portion 121 seating on the boss 68. The steam generator 7 is then placed in position with the ears 86 seated upon the bosses 68. In so doing, the nozzles 111 of the steam generator engage into the interconnections 120. Screws are then entered through the ears 86 and screwed into the bores in the bosses 68 to secure the steam generator to the base portion 4. The base portion is then engaged with clam shell 18, the stepped edge 65 engaging with the correspondingly stepped edge 46 of the clam shell. These parts are secured together by screws passed upwardly through the bores of two of the bosses 24 and screwed into the bores of bosses 49 in the clam shell. After the base portion 4 has been secured to clam shell 18, the connector 30 (Fig. 4) is pushed on to the outlet nozzle 191 of the pump 7. A neon indicator lamp 197 is located in the recesses 57 in the clam shells 18, 19 and electrical connections are completed between the terminals of the switch 8, terminals of the neon lamp 197, the terminals 88 of the heating element 87 and the conductors of the power lead 198 (Figs. 3 and 4) so that when the latter is connected to a power source, element 87 is energised and the neon lamp lights to indicate energisation, and so that movement to its 'ON' position of the rocker 9 operates switch 8 to its 'ON' position and the coil of the pump is energised. Connected in series with the power supply to the pump is a half wave rectifier, for example a diode (not shown). The second clam shell 19 is then placed in position on clam shell 18 and the base portion 4 and secured in place by screws passed upwardly through the bores in the remaining two bosses 74 in the base portion, and other screws passed through apertures 59A in clam shell 19 and into bores in bosses 59 in the other clam shell 18. The water tank 2 is now assembled by securing the filter 147 in the recess 146 of fitment 144 and the latter is attached to the water outlet tube 28. The fitment 144 and the tube 28 are inserted through hole 150 in the rear wall 25 of the water tank 2 and connector 27 is pressed firmly into the hole. The inset top and rear wall 21, 25 of the water tank 2 allow the edges of the front wall 148 and side walls 149 to locate closely adjacent to the flanges 32B and those edges to blend with the bevels 32A can be seen, for example, in Fig. 1. To use the appliance, tank 2 is filled with water via the hole 22 in the upper wall 21 of the tank 2 and the hole closed by the removable stopper 23. The tank 2 is next placed in position on the housing, care being taken to ensure that the projecting extension 29 of the pump 7 passes through the lip 142 and into the connector. As the tank 2 is placed in position, the upper wall 21 of the tank comes into contact with the bevelled face 160 of the projection 159 and displaces it by flexing the lower part of the wall 157. As the tank reaches its final position, projection 159 snaps into recess 24 to hold the tank 2 in position in the housing 1. The power lead is then connected to a source of power and the neon lamp glows indicating that element 87 is energised. The user allows a short time for the steam generator to reach a working temperature and then rocker arm 9 is actuated to its 'ON' position so operating switch 8 and energising the pump. The rounded contour of the extension 135 facilitates operation of the rocker 127 of the switch 8 as the rocker arm 9 pivots on the bosses 134. Energisation of coil 172 draws the core 170 upwardly, against the action of spring 171. Diaphragm 174 is flexed upwardly and draws in water from the tank 2 via filter 147, connector tube 28, inlet 185 and duck bill valve 183. Coil 172 is then de-energised and spring 171 forces the core 170 downwardly so flexing diaphragm 174 downwardly and expelling water through duck bill valve 187 and outlet 191. Energisation and de-energisation of the coil occur at about 25 cycles per second and this gives a continuous floor of water whilst the pump is operating. Water is pumped via connector 30 into chamber 95 where it is flashed into steam by the heat of the body 85. The generated steam flows along passages 96 and 97 to intermediate areas 98, 99 and thence to the outlet nozzles 70 where it emerges into the steam chamber 6 and rapidly fills the latter. The serpentine passages between the water chamber 95 and the nozzles 70 allow the steam to be dried so that by the time it exits from the nozzles, the moisture content is very low. At this stage, the base portion is placed against an area of wallpaper to be stripped, the edge of the peripheral wall 62 being pressed against the wallpaper. Steam confined in the chamber permeates through the wallpaper and rapidly softens the adhesive holding the wallpaper in position. The steamer is then moved to an adjoining area of wallpaper while the user scrapes off the wallpaper covering the area. It is not necessary to maintain the pump energised continuously, the user may return the rocker arm to its 'OFF' position during movement of the steamer from one area of wallpaper to another. The water capacity of the tank 2 in conjunction with the rating of the heating element 85 and the pumping rate of pump 7 is such that the steamer can be used for about 20 minutes before the tank 2 needs refilling. The pumping rate is about 25 ccm/min. A water tank capacity of about 400 ccm in conjunction with a heating element rated at 1.2 kilowatts provides the time just referred to. The mass of the steam generated in conjunction with a heater of the rating mentioned vaporises water feed into chamber 95 and heats the vapour to a temperature of 120°C nominal measured in the chamber 6. Steam from the nozzles 70 enters the chamber at a pressure sufficiently high to ensure that the chamber 6 is quickly filled with steam and kept filled. This action is assisted by the recessed areas 82 and 83. The parameters just referred to allow the steamer to be of a size and weight that can be conveniently hand-held and used without excessive strain on the user. In addition, for an average wallpaper, the time that the user takes to strip an area that has just been steam treated is about equal to the time that the steamer takes to soften the adhesive in that area. The rating of the heater also means that the steamer is suitable for use in domestic premises. It will be appreciated that the bulk of the steam generator 3 is spaced from the floor 64 of the base portion 4. The ears 86 by which the generator is mounted upon the bosses 68 are thermally insulated by the parts 121 of the gasket seal/connector while the connectors 120 are interposed between the nozzles 111 of the steam generator and nozzles 70 and 76 in the floor 64 of the base portion. This ensures that the base portion which is accessible to a user always remains at a relatively low and safe temperature whilst it is in use. The steamer is normally used with the water tank 2 uppermost and in that position, it will be observed, for example from Fig. 4, that the steam generator 3 is located towards the lower end of the steam chamber 6 and that is a greater distance between the upper side of the steam chamber and the upper of the nozzles 70 and 76 than between the lower edge of the steam chamber and the lower of the nozzles 70 and 76. This siting of the generator relative to the steam chamber improves the distribution of steam in the chamber. The steamer can also be used in the removal of paper from ceilings. In that case, the chamber 6 is uppermost. Any condensation that forms on wallpaper during the steaming of an area of wallpaper on a ceiling tends to fall into the steam chamber where it collects in the gutter 66. The condensation may be discharged from the gutter 66 by simply returning the steamer to an upright position and allowing the condensation to run away.

Claims: A hand-held wallpaper steamer for use in stripping wallpaper comprising a housing (1) which accommodates a base portion (4) having a depending peripheral wall (5) and thereby forming an open-faced steam chamber (6) with first and second ends, an electrically heated steam generator (3) located in the housing (1), the generator (3) having a first set of steam exits (103), (104) and a second set of steam exits (109), (110) spaced from the first set, and an electrically-powered water pump (7) for pumping water to the steam generator, the water pump (7) being accommodated within the housing, the exits of the first and second sets communicate with the steam chamber (6) at respective spaced apart locations therein, the first location being adjacent one end of the steam chamber and the second location being adjacent the other end of the steam chamber and separated from that other end by a distance greater than that separating the first location and the said one end. A steamer according to claim 1 further characterised in that it comprises a water tank (2) accommodated in the housing (1), and a connection from the water tank (2) to the pump (7) whereby the latter pumps water from the tank (2) to the steam generator (3). A hand-held wallpaper steamer according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the housing (1) has a floor (64) having a first set of steam holes adjacent one end of the steam chamber (6) and a second set of steam holes adjacent the other end of the steam chamber (6) and separated from that other end by a distance greater than that separating the first set of steam holes from the said one end, and some of the steam exits (103), (104) in the steam generator (3) communicate with the steam chamber (16) via the first set of steam holes, the remainder of the steam exits (109), (110) communicate with the steam chamber via the second set of steam holes and the steam generator (3) is separated from the steam chamber (6) by the floor (64). A hand-held wallpaper steamer according to any of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the steam generator (3) is located in the housing (1) adjacent the base portion (4), and the arrangement is such that, in use, the steamer is used to steam wallpaper on a wall with the said one end lowermost.

Inventors: WILKINS PETER RAVENSCROFT, WILKINS, PETER RAVENSCROFT
Applicants: BLACK & DECKER INC, BLACK & DECKER INC.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B44C7
IPC codes: F22B1, D06F75, B44C7