Improvements in Irons or Heated Instruments used in the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Dec., 1892-Accepted, 1st Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Irons or Heated Instruments used in the
Manufacture of Boots and Shoes.
I CHARLES EDWARD WOOD of 82 Balcorn Street Well Street Hackney in the
County of London Foreman of Boot and Shoe Factory do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction and heating of irons or the like ironing
instruments for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes such as for smoothing
polishing "burnishing or finishing the various leather parts in the course of
manufacture.
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The heated irons or such like instruments heretofore used in the boot and shoe
trade have heretofore usually been of various special shapes to suit various
requirements and each such iron has been individually heated for use over gas or
on a stove or hot plate or other like means and then when in use such iron rapidly
cools and has constantly to be re-heated and a separate iron has also been required
for each part of a boot or shoe or for each operation and these irons have hitherto
been made solid.
Now my present invention consists in continuously heating these irons or ironing
instruments of the special shapes required in the boot and shoe trade by means of a
gas jet (advantageously a Bunsen burner) burning within a hollow chamber formed
within the ironing instrument.
Thus I make the ironing instrument hollow and gas and air are introduced into
this hollow by means of a suitable pipe or channel (or channels) in the handle and
a flexible tube conveys gas to the same-the gas and air in suitable proportions
and quantity being ignited and steadily burning within the instrument so as to keep
same constantly at the required degree of heat.
The iron or ironing instrument is constructed with two specially shaped ironing
surfaces on the opposite sides thereof so that my novel ironing instrument will do
the work of two of the old instruments, and moreover both its ironing surfaces are
kept constantly heated.
As an example of my double ironing instrument-the double iron or ironing
surface is mounted between two handles rigidly affixed thereto and through one of
the handles of which the gas is admitted from a flexible pipe which is placed
over a nipple at the outside end of said handle and a top may be mounted close
to this nipple or at any other convenient point to control the amount of gas admitted
to the burner.
Air is drawn in through suitable perforations also near the nipple and the gas
and air thus mingle and pass to the point of ignition and are there burned in the
hollow space in the interior of the double iron-suitable perforations or apertures
being formed in the side walls of the latter structure to permit combustion.
One side of this iron is rounded or formed curvilinear both in regard to its
ength and breadth so that it forms an ironing surface curved or rounded in all
lirections.
The opposite side of the iron is formed straight in regard to its length but
curved or curvilinear in breadth so that this side can be used for a different purpose
rom the other side each side thus having its separate use.
If desired more than two separate and different shaped ironing surfaces may be

page_text: formed and mounted on the one ironing instrument heated as hereinbefore set forth
or by other equivalent means.
Dated this 1st day of March 1892.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Irons or Heated Instruments used in the
Manufacture of Boots and Shoes.
1, CHARLES EDWARD WOOD, formerly of 82 Balcorn Street, Well Street,
now of 36 Valentine Road Hackney, in the County of London, Foreman of Boot
and Shoe Factory, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the construction and heating of irons or the like ironing
instruments for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes such as for smoothing
polishing burnishing" or finishing "the various leather parts in the course of
manufacture.
The heated irons or such like instruments heretofore used in the boot and shoe
trade have usually been of various special shapes to suit various requirements and
.each such iron has been individually heated for use over gas or on a stove or hot
plate or other like means and then when in use such iron rapidly cools and has
constantly to be reheated and a separate iron has also been required for each
part of a boot or shoe or for each operation and these irons have hitherto usually
been made solid.
Now my present invention consists in continuously heating these irons or ironing
instruments of the special shapes required in the boot and shoe trade by means of a
gas jet (advantageously a Bunsen burner) burning within a hollow chainber formed
within the ironing instrument.
Thus I make the ironing instrument hollow and gas and air are introduced into
this hollow by means of a suitable pipe or channel (or channels) in the handle and
a flexible tube conveys gas to the same-the gas and air in suitable proportions
and quantity being ignited and steadily burning within the instrument so as to
keep same constantly at the required degree of heat.
The iron or ironing instrument is constructed with two specially shaped ironing
surfaces on the opposite sides thereof so that my novel ironing instrument will do
the work of two of the old instruments and moreover both its ironing surfaces are
kept constantly heated.
And in order that my invention may be easily understood and readily carried
into practice I will proceed to describe same with reference to the drawings
hereunto annexed..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shows my gas-heated double iron with a series of holes
through which the products of combustion may pass out.
in the side thereof
Fig. 2 shows my double iron with a lengthened slot a on each side instead of
the series of holes Fig. 1.

page_text: apertures (Fig. 1) within which hollow burns the gas flame (or flames) from the
gas outlet band this hollow part a on its curved smooth exterior surface a' serves
as one of the two ironing surfaces provided on my double iron.
The hollow side of this hollow box a is covered over and has combined therewith
a cover plate or surface c which is heated on its underside by the gas flame in the
interior of a while the smooth exterior ironing surface c' of this part e is formed
straight in regard to its length see Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and rounded or curvilinear in
cross section that is with regard to its breadth see Fig. 4 and serves as the second
ironing surface of my double iron.
Thus both ironing surfaces a and c are kept heated constantly by the same gas
Hame or Hames.
The two parts a and c may be arranged and combined and held together by
screws as shown or in any other desired or suitable manner.
I do not of course confine myself to the precise forms and shapes of the parts a
and e nor to their curved exterior ironing surfaces a and e¹ since same may be
varied and of any other desired shape and forms that are or may be required in
boot and shoe making.
The double iron or ironing surface is mounted between two handles e and f
rigidly affixed thereto and through the handles the gas is admitted from a flexible
pipe which is placed over a nipple g at the outside end of said handle and a tap h
may be mounted close to this nipple g or at any other convenient point to control
the amount of gas admitted to the burner within the iron.
Air is or may be drawn in through suitable perforations also near the nipple g
and the gas and air thus mingle and pass to the point of ignition and are there
burned in the hollow space in the interior of the double iron-the apertures or
slots such as a (or perforations such as =) serving to permit combustion and to pass
out the products of combustion.
For some, purposes the second handle e may be dispensed with and the double
iron used with only the one handle as shown in Fig. 3.
If desired more than two separate and different shaped ironing surfaces may be
formed and mounted on the one ironing instrument heated as hereinbefore set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A heated iron or ironing instrument used in the manufacture of boots and
shoes having two separate and differently shaped ironing surfaces thereon this
double iron being formed hollow both said ironing surfaces thereon heated
from the interior by means of a gas flame or flames burning in the said interior
arranged combined and acting substantially in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore set forth.
2. The arrangement construction and combination of parts constituting a double
iron or ironing instrument for use in boot and shoe making internally heated by
means of gas burner therein contained in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and illustrated by way of example in the annexed sheet
of drawings.
Dated this 1st day of December 1892.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.