IMPROVEMENTS IN CHARCOAL BOX IRONS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Silk, of the Firm of Silk and Company,
of Great Bridge, in the County of Stafford, Ironfounder, and George
Wells, of the Firm of George Wells and Company, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Brassfounder, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CHARCOAL BOX IRONS."
Sealed the 28th November 1871, and dated the 31st May 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Silk and
George Wells at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 31st May 1871.
We, EDWARD SILK, of the Firm of Silk and Company, of Great
Bridge, in the County of Stafford, Ironfounder, and GEORGE WELLS,
of the Firm of George Wells and Company, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Brassfounder, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHARCOAL BOX IRONS," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
Our Invention relates to an improved method of opening or closing
down the hinged lid, and it consists in forming a vertical tubular holder

page_text: upon the lid at any convenient part such as near to or cast as part
of the chimney, in this tubular holder works pin or shaft, to the
lower end of which upon the under side of the iron is secured the
fastener or catch for engaging with lugs or projections in the ordinary
way. Upon the upper end of the vertical pin or shaft is secured the
actuating lever handle or thumb piece for working the vertical pin or
shaft so arranged as to be above the larger fixed handle, by which means
the hinged lid may be opened or closed down and the operation of
ironing performed by one hand, the opening lever or handle being
sufficiently far removed from the heated surface of the iron to prevent
any burning of the hand, whilst an ordinary guard may be used as a
further protection.
Our Invention further consists in forming the hinge employed to
connect the lid and the box of charcoal box irons double instead of
single, by which means in wear any shaking or looseness of the wearing
parts is prevented and also the escape of fumes from the charcoal through
the crevices of the meeting edges caused by such shaking or looseness.
We also purpose when desirable forming the chimney in a piece with
the box of the iron either by casting or otherwise securing it thereto
instead of casting it upon the lid in the ordinary manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Silk and George Wells in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD
SILK, of the Firm of Silk and Company, of Great Bridge, in the County
of Stafford, Ironfounder, and GEORGE WELLS, of the Firm of Wells and
Company, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Brassfounder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Edward Silk and George Wells, Her

page_text: special license that we, the said Edward Silk and George Wells, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Edward Silk and George Wells, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHARCOAL Box
IRONS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Edward
Silk and George Wells, our executors or administrators, by an in-
strument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Edward Silk and George Wells,
do hereby declare the nature of our said 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 :—
Our Invention relates to an improved method of forming the opening
or closing parts of box irons whereby the operations of ironing and
the opening or closing down of the lids of the irons may be effected by
one hand.
And our improvements will be better understood by referring to the
annexed Drawings, and the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 represents the box iron closed, and Figure 2 is an open view
of the same with the lid thrown partly back.
(a) is a vertical tubular holder formed upon the lid (6) at any con-
venient part, such as near to or cast as part of the chimney (c) as shewn,
in the tubular holder (a) works a pin or shaft (d), shewn in dotted
lines in Figure 2, to the lower end of which upon the under side of the
lid (6) is secured a fastener or catch (e) for engaging with lugs or
projections (f) in the ordinary way, upon the upper end of the vertical
pin or shaft (d) is secured a handle or thumb piece (g) for working the
pin or shaft (d), the handle (g) is so arranged as to be above the larger
or fixed ironing handle (h), by which means the hinged lid or cover (b)

page_text: may be opened or closed down, and the operation of ironing performed
by one hand. Figure 1 representing a hand upon the ironing handle ().
with the thumb upon the lever handle (9) ready to open the lid or
cover (6), the handle (g) it will be seen is sufficiently far removed from
the heated surface of the iron to prevent any burning of the hand,
whilst an ordinary guard (k) may be used as a further protection. Or
if preferred we secure the handle (9) of the pin or shaft (d) underneath
the ironing handle (h), but above the guard (k) so as to be readily
worked by the forefinger; (2) is a slide valve for regulating the amount
of draft to the body or box (m) through the usual air passage or
flue.
Our Invention further consists in employing two hinges (n, n,) for
connecting the lid to the body (m) of the box irons instead of using a
single hinge as in the ordinary way, by which means in wear any
shaking or looseness of the wearing parts is prevented, and also the
escape of fumes from the charcoal or other heating medium through
the crevices of the meeting edges caused by such shaking or looseness.
We also purpose when desirable forming the chimney (c) in a piece
with the box of the iron either by casting or otherwise securing it
thereto instead of casting it upon the lid (6) in the usual manner.
It will be obvious that the vertical pin or shaft (d) with its handle (g)
as described and shewn, and also the two hinges (n, n,) for connecting
the lid or cover (b) to the box (m) of the iron may be applied to
other descriptions or forms of box irons than the one illustrated in the
Drawings.
Having thus described the object and nature of our said Invention,
and the manner of applying the same, we claim without confining
ourselves to these precise details,-
Firstly. The arrangement of the vertical pin or shaft (d) with its
handle (g) situate above the guard (k) and ironing handle (h), or
between the guard (k), and the handle (h) for more readily effecting the
opening and closing of the lid or cover (6).
Secondly. The employment of two hinges (n, n,) for connecting the
lid (b) to the body or box (m) of the iron instead of one hinge as
heretofore used, and generally we claim the several improvements

page_text: in box irons substantially in manner as herein more fully set forth and
specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edward Silk and George Wells,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-seventh
day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-one.