IMPROVEMENTS IN SAD IRONS, AND IN THE MEANS FOR HEATING THE SAME
Year: 1868

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAD IRONS, AND IN THE MEANS FOR HEATING THE
SAME." A communication from abroad by Sherman Minor Johnson,
of Lockport, New York, Edge Tool Manufacturer, and Malcolm
Clark Turner and Robert Turner, both of the City and State of New
York, Bankers, all in the United States of America.
Sealed the 4th May 1869, and dated the 25th November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th November 1868.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAD IRONS, AND IN THE MEANS FOR HEATING
THE SAME," a communication, to be as follows:---
This Invention consists, first, in the combination with a reversible sad
iron, provided with a suitable burner, of a reservoir for containing oil

page_text: or other hydrocarbon liquid so connected to the said sad iron as to supply
the burner with the necessary quantity of the oil or other hydrocarbon
liquid; it also consists in the combination with the said reservoir and
sad iron of devices or mechanism for heating the iron by generating and
burning within the same the vaporous products of the oil or other hydro-
carbon liquid; also in a burner of novel construction, with which is
combined a vapor generating chamber; it also consists in the arrange-
ment of a valve and means for operating the same, whereby the flow of
the hydrocarbon liquid may be regulated as desired; also in con-
structing the inner surfaces of the smoothing plates of the iron with
radial corrugations, whereby a more uniform heating of the smoothing
plates of the iron is effected.
The sad iron is made in two parts, and with two smoothing faces.
These two parts may be united by cars and screws or otherwise, so that
the two parts can be separated to allow access to the interior of the iron.
The sides of the sad iron are perforated to admit air to the interior
thereof. The interior surfaces of the smoothing plates may be plain, but
are preferably provided with radial corrugations emanating from a
common centre, and increasing in depth and width as they diverge. This
is a desirable way of constructing the inner surfaces of the smoothing
plates, for the reason that when the plate is made of a uniform thickness
throughout it heats unevenly, the temperature thereof being much
greater directly over the flame than elsewhere. By means of the cor-
rugations the plates may be made thinner the greater the distance from
the centre, and still be sufficiently strengthened by the corrugations.
The reservoir for containing the hydrocarbon or other burning liquid
may serve also as the handle of the device, the hydrocarbon liquid being
introduced into it through a nozzle provided with a screw cap. A pipe
descends from one end of the reservoir and passes horizontally into one
end of the sad iron. This pipe communicates with one end of the
vapour generating chamber inside the iron; to the other end of the said
chamber a shaft is connected, which shaft passes out of the sad iron at
the end opposite to that at which the pipe enters. This shaft has
attached to its outer end an arm which is secured to the forward end of
the handle or reservoir. The pipe and shaft constitute an axis on which
the sad iron may be revolved so as to bring the heated or upper plate in
the proper position to act as a smoothing surface; one of the smoothing
plates being thus heated while the other is in use. The sad iron is held

page_text: stationary by a pin and spring, the former passing through the arm into
a recess in the iron, or a screw may be passed through the arm into a
recess in the iron. The inner end of the pipe is provided with a con-
tracted conical orifice, into which fits one end of a rod which passes
through the vapour generating chamber and through the shaft, the other
end of the said rod extending therefrom sufficiently to permit of its
being turned by a thumb piece or other device. The inner end of the
rod and the conical orifice of the pipe constitute a valve for regulating
the flow of the oil or hydrocarbon liquid from the reservoir. The
burner consists of a vertical tube arising from the vapour generating
chamber and communicating therewith by a small aperture. The said
burner is provided at opposite sides with orifices formed preferably at
right angles to the direction of motion in using the iron, so that the
flame will not be extinguished by the motion of the iron. The said tube
is provided with a cross piece near its upper end which serves to divide
the flame and to improve the combustion, and also to prevent smoke.
It also serves as a conductor of heat through the tube to the vaporizing
chamber. To create the heating flame it is found expedient to first heat
the chamber so as to commence the vapourization of the oil or hydro-
carbon liquid therein, and the vapor being ignited at the aperture in
the chamber, the latter and the burner soon become sufficiently heated
to keep up the vaporization, the vapor entering the tube and receiving
through the side apertures the requisite amount of oxygen, the flame
then continuing at the top of the burner.
an arm.
In a modification of this Invention a tube passes down from the
reservoir and extends centrally nearly through the sad iron into one end
of a socket, the other end of the latter being closed by a screw plug
which passes through the end wall of the iron, and to which is attached
The socket plug and tube form the axis on which the sad iron
turns when being reversed. The socket might be dispensed with, and
the tube itself so formed as to answer every purpose. To the socket an
elbow is secured whose interior communicates with the interior of the
said socket, and to this elbow a short pipe is connected which extends to
about the centre of the iron, and which is provided with a small per-
foration whereat the ignition takes place. On the tube an inverted
conical vessel is mounted in such manner as to slide thereon over and
away from the perforations in the short pipe. The conical vessel. is
provided with a finely perforated top. The pipe from the reservoir is

page_text: provided with a cock for regulating the flow of the oil or hydrocarbon
liquid from the reservoir.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her
special licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert
Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereatfer
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make use,
excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN SAD IRONS, AND IN THE MEANS FOR HEATING THE SAME," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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 consists, first, in the combination with a reversible sad
iron, provided with a suitable burner, of a reservoir for containing oil or

page_text: other hydrocarbon liquid so connected to the said sad iron as to supply
the burner with the necessary quantity of the oil or other hydrocarbon
liquid; it also consists in the combination with the said reservoir and
sad iron of devices or mechanism for heating the iron by generating and
burning within the same the vaporous products of the oil or other
hydrocarbon liquid; also in a burner of novel construction, with which
is combined a vapor generating chamber; it also consists in the arrange-
ment of a valve and means for operating the same, whereby the flow of
the hydrocarbon liquid may be regulated as desired; also in con-
structing the inner surfaces of the smoothing plates of the iron with
radial corrugations, whereby a more uniform heating of the smoothing
plates of the iron is effected.
In the accompanying Drawing, which forms part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the reservoir and
sad iron, showing in section one arrangement of mechanism for heating
the smoothing plates of the sad iron; Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical
section of a portion of the handle and sad iron, showing another arrange-
nent of mechanism for heating the smoothing plates of the sad iron;
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the sad iron, the handle and connections
being detached; Figure 4 is a plan or top view of the burner; Figure 5
is a plan of the corrugated inner surface of one of the smoothing plates
of the sad iron.
A designates the two parts of the sad iron, having two smoothing
faces a, a; these two parts may be united together in any suitable
manner, for instance, by cars 6 and screws c, as shown in Figure 3, and
when so united the two parts can be separated to admit access to the
interior of the iron. The sides of the sad iron are shown as perforated
with holes d, d, to admit air to the interior thereof. The interior
surfaces of the smoothing plates a, a, may be plain, as shewn in Figure 2,
but are preferably provided with radial corrugations e, e, emanating from
a common centre, and increasing in depth and width as they diverge, as
clearly shewn in Figure 5. This is a desirable way of constructing the
inner surfaces of the smoothing plates, for the reason that when the
plate is made of a uniform thickness throughout it heats unevenly, the
temperature thereof being much greater directly over the flame than
elsewhere. By means of the corrugations the plates a, a, may be made
thinner the greater the distance from the centre, and still be sufficiently
strengthened by the corrugations. This form of construction being.

page_text: adopted the plates will heat much more evenly throughout, which is of
course very desirable. B is the reservoir for containing the hydrocarbon
or other burning liquid, and in the example sliown it serves also as the
handle of the device, the hydrocarbon liquid being introduced into it
through a nozzle f provided with a screw capf, as shewn in Figure 1.
Referring to Figure 1, C designates a pipe descending from one end of
the reservoir; the said pipe is constructed to pass horizontally into the
sad iron at one end thereof; it is shown in the Drawing as constructed
in two sections, but it is obvious that it may be made of a single piece
bent into the required shape. D designates a casting containing a vapor
generating chamber g, and having formed with it or secured to it a
burner F. To one end of this casting D the inner end of the pipe C is
secured, and to the other end thereof a shaft E is connected; the other
end of which shaft passes out of the sad iron at the end opposite to that
at which the pipe C enters, and said shaft has secured to its outer end
an arm E', which is secured to the forward end of the handle B. The
pipe C and shaft E constitute an axis on which the sad iron may
revolve so as to bring the heated or upper plate in a suitable position for
a smoothing surface. It appears obvious by reference to the Drawing
that one of the smoothing plates is heating whilst the other is in use.
The means shewn in Figure 1 for holding the sad iron A stationary
consists of a pin J and spring k, the former passing through the arm E'
into a recess in the iron. The means for effecting the same object,
shown in Figure 2, consist of a screw J, which is passed through the
arm E', its point entering a recess in the iron. It is of course obvious
that various expedients may be resorted to for holding the sad iron
stationary when desired, which will admit of the same being reversed when
necessary. The inner end of the pipe C is provided with a contracted
conical orifice 6', into which fits one end of a rod G, which passes
through the casting D and through a bore in the shaft E, the other end
extending out therefrom sufficiently to permit of its being turned by a
thumb piece w secured to its end to facilitate such turning. The said
rod G is provided with a screw thread which works in a box formed in
the casting, as shown clearly in Figure 1. The inner end 6 of the rod G
and the conical orifice / constitute a valve for regulating the flow of the
oil or hydrocarbon liquid from the reservoir, as is obvious. The
burner F, Figures 1 and 4, consists of a vertical tube a rising from the
casting D, and communicating therewith by a small aperture p, and
being provided at opposite sides with apertures 8, 8, formed preferably

page_text: at right angles to the direction of motion in using the iron, so that the
flame will not be extinguished by the motion of the iron, which might
occur if the said slots were made at the front and rear of the tube.
The said tube is provided with a cross piece o near its upper end, which
serves to divide the flame and to improve the combustion, and also to
prevent smoke. It also serves as a conductor of heat through the tube
to the vaporizing chamber for vaporizing the oil or other hydrocarbon
liquid used. To create the heating flame it is found expedient to first
heat the casting D, so as to commence the vaporization of the oil or
hydrocarbon liquid therein, and the vapor being ignited at the orifice p
the burner or casting soon becomes sufficiently heated to keep up the
vaporization, the vapor entering the tube and receiving through the
slots S, S, the requisite amount of oxygen, and thereafter the flame
continues at the top of the burner.
Referring to Figure 2, which is intended to show another arrange-
ment of heating device, L is a tube passing down from the reservoir B
centrally or nearly so through the sad iron, and into one end of a
casting M; the other end of said casting being closed by a screw plug t
which passes through the end wall of the iron, and to which is attached
the arm E in any suitable manner. The casting M, plug t, and the
tube L form the axis on which the sad iron turns when being reversed.
It may be well to remark here that the casting M might be dispensed
with, and the tube L itself so formed as to answer every purpose. The
casting is shown as an easy mode of construction. To the casting M an
elbow N is secured whose interior communicates with the interior of
the casting, and to this elbow a pipe O is connected which extends to
about the centre of the iron, and which is provided with a small per-
foration q, whereat the ignition takes places. On the tube L an inverted
cone P is mounted in such manner as to slide thereon over and away
from the perforation q in pipe O, so that access may be had to said
perforation for lighting. The cone is provided with a finely per-
forated top d¹. H designates a stop-cock for regulating the flow of the
oil or hydrocarbon liquid from the reservoir into the tube L. By this
heating device the oil or hydrocarbon liquid is vaporized, and the vapor
burned as in the device previously described. The flame from the per-
foration q heats the tube L and generates the gas or vapor, which latter
passes around through the pipe O to the said perforation.
The above described devices for generating and burning gas or vapor

page_text: instead of oil by means of a wick avoids smoke and disagreeable odours,
and the combustion is found to be perfect.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I claim,-
First. The combination with a reversible sad iron (provided with a
suitable burner) of a reservoir for containing oil or other hydrocarbon
liquid, so connected to the said sad iron as to supply the burner with
the necessary quantity of the oil or other hydrocarbon liquid to keep up
a flame for heating the smoothing plates of the sad iron, substantially as
herein specified.
Second. A burner or heating device consisting of the pipe C, vapor
generating chamber D, burner F, shaft E, and rod G arranged to operate
substantially as herein specified.
Third. A burner or heating device consisting of the pipes L and O,
the cone P, and stop-cock H arranged to operate substantially as herein
specified.
Fourth. The burner F constructed substantially as herein shown and
described.
Fifth. The combination with the reservoir B of the valve b', F,
arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein
specified.
Sixth. Constructing one or both of the smoothing plates of a reversible
sad iron, with corrugations on the inner face thereof, substantially as and
for the purposes herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)