Improvements in Irons for Ironing or Smoothing Linen or other Fabrics.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Irons for Ironing or Smoothing Linen or other
Fabrics.
1, SAMUEL BARRETT Managing Director of The Keighley Laundry Engineering
Company Limited of Keighley in the County of York, Laundry Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
It consists of improvements in the construction of irons for ironing or smoothing
linen and other fabrics of the class for hand use as well as of those that are used in
connection with mechanism operated by power, and by following this said method
of construction irons are produced with better surfaces for contact with the fabric
to be smoothed than and with comparatively little extra cost to those as heretofore
constructed.
In accordance with my said invention I construct the surface of the iron, whether
it is a common box or flat hand iron or whether it is a cylindrical or other shape
of one for use in connection with a machine, of a class of metal that is a good
conductor of heat and one that does not readily tarnish (I find that an alloy of
copper, zinc and tin produces a metal very appropriate for the purpose). This
metal I attach to the face of the iron by forming holes entirely through such face,
said holes having an opening on the inner side, larger in diameter or size than on
the outside, so that on placing the iron in a suitable mould formed in moulders'
sand or otherwise, on the metal alloy being poured thereon in a molten state, a
proper thickness of it remains on the face of the iron while that part of it which
passes through remains in the openings and fills the larger as well as the smaller
parts of same so that on cooling these larger portions hold the other parts and the
face portion in proper position, thus a desirable untarnishable surface is formed on
the iron of only such a thickness of the more expensive metal as will meet the
actual requirements of the case while by those parts passing through the other
metal parts of the iron into contact with the heater (be that the common hot iron
heater, a flame of gas, charcoal or any other) the heat from which it more readily
conveys or conducts it will be seen that most desirable results ensue.
Respecting the further construction or formation of hand-irons in accordance
with my invention I make the handle-part to have projections or recesses of dove-
tail shape to fit corresponding recesses or projections in the box-part of the iron
in which positions when brought together they are held by an appropriate holding-
pin.
On the handle part or cover of the iron I form a chamber for the mixing of
the air and gas, the openings leading from said chamber being in the direction so
that the flames therefrom may impinge against the bottom of the box or bottom
part of the iron, an opening being made in this bottom part so that when the former
is in position the gas may be ignited without its removal or detachment.
By arranging this mixing chamber to be carried by the handle part, it may more
easily be kept clean and in proper state of repair, wbile by arranging a cavity or
space to exist between said mixing chamber and the cover, which arrangement I
preferably follow in making large hand irons for laundry use, the said cover does
not become so heated as it otherwise might, such heating being considerably to the
annoyance and discomfort of the user.
In making an iron for household or domestic purposes, I preferably form the
nixing chamber entirely detachable and separate from both the bottom and

page_text: handle parts of said iron, so that by making same to have projecting feet from
both sides of it, and by having its feed pipe to swivel upon it, it may be made to
assume either a position in which its flames may project downwards as is the
case when it is in use in the iron, or one in which its flames may project upwards
so befitting its use as a common gas stove when detached or separated from its
iron.
In all the several arrangements proper openings are left for the burnt air or
gases to escape, while instead of forming the usual openings into the mixing
chamber from which the flames protrude, I form a series of slots by an arrange-
ment of louvre plates being arranged either in the bottom of the box part or in
the bottom wall of said chamber or said louvre plates may be used in addition to
the ordinary holes or openings.
As is well known in all cases where these hand-irons are employed flexible feed
pipes or tubes are necessary to enable their freedom of action, and these feed pipes
are chiefly made of india-rubber. Now in attaching these india-rubber or equally
flexible feed pipes to convey the gas from an ordinary gas burner to the irons above
described, as also in fact to any part and for any similar purpose, great annoyance
and inconvenience is experienced by reason of the weight of such pipe causing it to
be squeezed against the upper end of said burner and so stopping the passage of
said gas. To obviate this difficulty I form a suitable holder, preferably out of
sheet metal, so that it may lay hold of a suitable portion of the outer end of said
pipe as also the gas burner thus binding the one to the other. This holder consists
of two hoops, preferably split, one mounted on each end of a strip of metal which
is curved to suit the curvature of the tube or pipe as it hangs from the burner.
Through both of these hoops the tube is made to pass, the one of thein holding
it in position on the strip of metal while the other, the opening through which is
slightly taper, binds it into contact with the burner over which both the tube and
the hoop are made to fit, the tapering form of the hoop preparing it to fit varied
sizes.
Dated this 10th day of March 1894.
SAMUEL BARRETT,
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.
Improvements in Irons for Ironing or Smoothing Linen or other
Fabrics.
I, SAMUEL BARRETT Managing Director of The Keighley Laundry Engineering
Company Limited of Keighley in the County of York, Laundry Engineers, 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, that is to say :-
It consists of improvements in the construction of irous for ironing or smoothing
linen and other fabrics of the class for hand use as well as of those that are used
in connection with mechanism operated by power, aud by following this said
method of construction, irons are produced with better surfaces for contact with
the fabric to be smoothed than and with comparatively little extra cost to those as
heretofore constructed.
In order that my said invention may be more readily understood I have hereunto
appended sheets of drawings illustrative thereof, to which by figures and letters
reference is made in the following description.
Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a box iron made in accordance with my said
invention.

page_text: 6
Fig. 3 is side elevation of certain of the parts shown by Fig. 1, while Fig. 4 is
a top view of the box part of an iron. Fig. 5 represents the parts shown by Fig. 3
as seen from beneath.
Figs. 6 and 7 are illustrative of a modified form of heating arrangement for the
iron.
Fig. 8 is a sectional view of an iron used in an ironing machine and made in
accordance with my invention.
Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of my improved arrangement for holding the flexible
feed pipes to gas burners.
Fig. 10 is a view (reduced scale) of said holding device, showing same in position
for holding a flexible feed pipe.
In accordance with my said invention I construct the surface a of the iron,
whether it is a common box 6 (see Figs. 1 and 2) or flat hand (or sad) iron or
whether it is a cylindrical or other shape c of one for use in connection with a
machine (see Fig. 8), of a class of metal that is a good conductor of heat and
one that does not readily tarnish (I find that an alloy of eight parts copper and
one of tin produces a metal very appropriate for the purpose). This metal I
attach to the face e' of the iron by forming holes d entirely through such face e
said holes having an opening on the inner side d', larger in diameter or size than on
the outside d', as that on placing the iron bor c in a suitable mould formed in
moulders' sand, or otherwise, on the metal alloy being poured thereon in a molten
state a proper thickness of it remains on the face e¹ of the iron while that part
of it which passes through remains in the openings d and fills the larger as well
as the smaller parts of same so that on cooling these layer portions hold the other
parts and the face portion a in proper position, thus a desirable untarnishable
surface a is formed on the iron of only such a thickness of the more expensive metal
as will meet the actual requirements of the case while by those parts passing
through the other metal parts of the iron b into contact with the heater (be that
the common hot iron heater, a flame of gas, (see Figs. 1 and 6) charcoal or any
other) the heat from which it more readily conveys or conducts it will be seen that
most desirable results ensue.
Respecting the further construction or formation of hand-irons in accordance
with my invention I make the handle-part g to have projections or recesses g¹
of dove-tail shape to fit corresponding recesses or projections in the box parte
of the iron in which position when brought together they are held by an appropriate
holding-pin h.
On the handle part or cover g of the iron I form a chamber k for the mixing of
the air and gas, the openings leading from said chamber & being in the direction
so that the flames therefrom may impinge against the bottom e' of the box or bottom
part of the iron, an opening e being made in this bottom part e so that when the
former is in position the gas may be ignited without its removal or detachment.
By arranging this mixing chamber k to be carried by the handle part g, it
may more easily be kept clean and in proper state of repair while by arranging a
cavity or space to exist between said inixing chamber and the cover 9, which
arrangement I preferably follow in making large hand irons for laundry use, the
said cover does not become so heated as it otherwise might, such heating being
considerably to the annoyance and discomfort of the user.
In making an iron for household or domestic purposes preferably forin the
mixing chamber & entirely detachable and separate from both the bottom e and
handle-parts of said iron, so that by making same to have projecting feet from
both sides of it, and by having a feed pipe n to swivel upon it, it may be made to
assume either a position in which its flames may project downwards as is the case
when it is in use in the iron (see Fig. 6) or one in which the flames may project
upwards so befitting its use as a common gas stove when detached or separated from
its iron (see Fig. 7).
In all the several arrangements proper openings n are left for the burnt air

page_text: or gases to escape, while the edges g' and 73 of the cover g are made to overlap the
walls of the box part as shown by Fig. 2 so that there is no opening or niche left
anywhere by which the fumes or burnt gases may escape in a vertical direction
from the box b.
As is well known in all cases where these hand-irons are employed flexible feed
pipes or tubes o are necessary to enable their freedom of action, and these feed pipes
are chiefly made of india-rubber or equally flexible feed pipes o to convey the ga;
from an ordinary gas burner p to the irons above described, as also in fact to any part
and for any similar purpose, great annoyance and inconvenience is experienced by
reason of the weight of such pipe causing it to be compressed against the upper
end of said burner p thus stopping the passage for said gas. To obviate
this difficulty I form a suitable holder 7, preferably out of sheet metal, so that
it may lay hold of a suitable portion of the outer end of said pipe o as also of
the gas burner p thus binding the one to the other. The outer ends of this
holder terminate in hoops g' and 7 while the central part 7 is open or cut
away in order to facilitate the fitting of the tube to the bolder, and to enable
same to maintain said tube in a proper and convenient position this holder is bent
or curved as shown.
Through both of these hoops g' q³ the tube o is made to pass, the one of them
holding it in position on the strip of metal 23 while the other, the opening through
which is slightly taper, binds it into contact with the burner p over which both the
tube and the hoop are made to fit the tapering form of the hoop enabling it to fit
varied sizes.
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. In the construction of irons for smoothing and glossing linen the employment
of a metal for the smoothing surface that is a good conductor of heat substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
2. In the construction of hand-irons for smoothing or glossing linen the com-
bination of a box and cover having dove-tailed parts and holding pin substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
3. In the construction of hand-irons the employment of a mixing chamber for
the air and gas, this chamber being detachably carried by the handle part, having
openings formed as described and so arranged that it may be lighted without being
detached substantially as specified.
4. In the construction of hand-irons the formation of a chamber for the mixing
of the air and gas whereby said chamber may be used either as a mixing chamber-
in the hand-iron or as a common gas stove, substantially as specified.
5. The device for attaching flexible tubes to gas burners consisting of hoops
formed on each end of a metal strip substantially as specified.
6. The method followed in the production of the smoothing surfaces of irons for
ironing or smoothing linen or the like by manual or other power substantially as
and for the purposes specified.
7. The improved method of construction followed in the production of smoothing
irons substantially as herein specified.
Dated this 11th day of December 1894.
SAMUEL BARRETT,
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.