Patent GB-1096219-A (GB)
Title: Hair drying apparatus
IPC: A45D20/22
Filed: 1965-05-18
Abstract: 1,096,219. Hair drying apparatus. BRETFORD MANUFACTURING Inc. May 18, 1965 [March 15, 1965], No. 20964/65. Heading A5R. In hair drying apparatus in which hot air is fed into the upper end of a bonnet adapted to accommodate the head of a user of the apparatus, the bonnet is pleated to afford an accordion-like configuration so that annular channels are provided around the inside of the bonnet, hot air being directed along the channels in circumferential paths around the head of the user by a motor-driven fan provided within the apparatus. Endless circumferentially extending lines of weakening preferably are provided between at least some of the pleats so that the height of the bonnet may be adjusted by telescoping the pleats. The apparatus preferably comprises a housing in which are mounted a motor and a heating element, a fan blade being operatively connected to the motor for circulating air through the apparatus. The bonnet, which may be of a light-weight self sustaining plastics material, preferably is formed by a depending annular wall the upper marginal edge portion of which is secured to the housing. As illustrated in Figure 1, hair dryer 10, which is pivotally mounted on stand 12 by bracket 16 and pivot pin 16a, consists of motor chamber or housing 20, fan chamber or housing 22 and drying chamber or bonnet 24 at the lower end of which is opening 69 for the head of a user. The motor chamber comprises housing 26 having openings 28 for admission of air and containing electric motor 30 mounted on shaft 31. The fan chamber comprises housing 36 having openings 44 for admission of air from the motor chamber and an opening 41 through which extends the shaft to which is secured, by spindle 43, rotatable fan blade 42. Electric supply leads 32 connect an external supply to the motor and to heating coils 38 mounted on brackets 40. At the lower end of the fan chamber are brackets 46, which support a foraminous protective grille 48, and circumferential flanged lip 45 which cooperates with circumferential groove 64 at the open upper end 24a of the drying chamber or bonnet to secure the latter to the motor and fan housings. The annular wall of the bonnet may be provided with at least one pair of cooperating circumferentially extending lines of weakening spaced from either of the end openings in the bonnet and so arranged that the annular wall may be folded to reduce the height of the bonnet. The lines of weakening may be located on a tapering end portion of the bonnet so that this end portion may be telescoped within an adjacent portion of the bonnet. As illustrated in Figure 2, both the upper and lower end portions 19 and 39 of the bonnet are tapered, lines of weakening 68 being so positioned in the wall of the bonnet to define inwardly directed and outwardly directed frusto-conical segments 66a and 66b respectively, providing fold lines 68a and 68b which enable both end portions to be folded and telescoped within the cylindrical centre portion 29 of the bonnet; the lines of weakening also provide the annular channels for properly: directing the circulating air. The fan blade may include an upwardly extending vane portion which pulls air through the apertured housing and directs a whirling current of air radially and circumferentially of the bonnet. Preferably, the fan blade also includes a downwardly extending vane portion which pulls air upwardly from below the fan blade and directs a lower whirling current of air radially and circumferentially of the bonnet, the two currents intersecting and impinging upon the annular channels of the bonnet; two forms of fan blade having both upwardly and downwardly directed vane portions are illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 (not shown) and in Figures 6 and 7 (not shown).