Improvements in Curling Irons or Tongs.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1894-Accepted, 23rd June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Curling Irons or Tongs.
We, CHARLES FREEMOUNT STOUT, of No. 463 Wells Street, of Chicago,
Illinois, Gentleman, and HOWARD BYRON STOUT, of No. 1235 West Adams
Street, Chicago, Illinois, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
our invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The said invention relates to certain devices by means of which the round rod
around which the hair is wrapped and curled is made to revolve automatically,
while the handle of the machine is held in the hand of the operator, by merely
pressing the upper part of the handle down towards the lower one, and to other
devices for holding the hair down upon the rod while the same is being revolved,
and certain pawls, a rack and pinion and a ratchet wheel, all of which are
auxiliary to and in regulation of the main movement by which the curling is
done.
The said invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a machine in its normal position, embracing
in its construction, the said invention ready for operation; Fig. 2 a central vertical
section of all the parts of the same, except the front end thereof, which is broken
away, and except also the rear portion of the rod A, which appears entire; Fig. 3
a vertical cross section of the same taken as indicated by the broken line 3, 3,.
in Fig. 2, as seen by one looking in the direction of the arrows crossing that line;
Fig. 4 a like section of the same taken as indicated by the broken lines 4, 4; in
Fig. 2, as it appears to one looking in the direction of the arrows crossing the
same; Fig. 5 a detail view partly in vertical section of the two parts of the handle
and rod as indicated by the broken lines 5, 5, in Fig. 1, as it appears to one looking
in the direction of the arrows crossing that line; and Fig. 6 a detail view of the
ratchet wheel and its pawl m on the inner side of the standard h and the rod A
which is shown in cross section..
In the drawings A indicates the rod around which the hair is curled, C the body
of the clamping jaw, D the rear end of the same bent upwards at an angle with its
body and hinged to the rod A as shown at v, and the body so formed as to
correspond with the shape of the rod A and fit down closely upon the same, the
rear end D being provided with a spring e under it, with its lower end impinging
upon the rod A, while its upper end is rivetted fast to the upper end of the part D,
the tension of the spring being adapted to hold the upper end up, and the body of
the jaw C down upon the rod A. S S indicates two springs, one on each side
of the rod A, their upper ends abutting against the rack-frame f the upper end of
which is fastened to part B' of the handle, while their lower ends are abutted
against the vertical standard h, the lower end of which is fastened to part B of the
handle. The force of these springs is adapted to hold the two parts of the handle
asunder and in their normal positions, as shown in the Figures 1 and 2.
The lower part B of the handle extends around the rod A, a little forward of
the pivot pin i and the upper portion of the handle B' extends say half around the
lower portion, and the two are connected together by the pivot pin i, as shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, the rod having a circular groove around it for the pin, which thus
not only serves as a pivot pin but also to hold the rod A against longitudinal
motion.
The rack-frame before mentioned is of oblong form with an opening therein of
like form, with a single vertical row of teeth on one side of it adapted to engage

page_text: with and operate the pinion r, which is provided with a disc d in one piece with it
and mounted upon the rear end of the rod A to revolve freely thereon, as clearly
shown in Fig. 2, and just in rear of the disc d the ratchet wheel t is mounted also
upon the rod and prevented from revolving on the same by a pin through it and
the rod as shown, and then to the rear of that wheel the reduced end of the rod is
passed through an opening for it on the standard to revolve freely therein.
w is a spring pawl seated upon the disc d and is adapted to engage the teeth of
the ratchet wheel t and drive the wheel forward and revolve the rod A, but m is
another spring pawl seated upon the standard has shown below the wheel, and is
adapted to prevent retroaction of the same, and both pawls may be provided with
springs to hold their points down upon the teeth of the wheel.
The springs SS should be of equal size and stiffness, one on each side of the
rod A, to secure uniform and true action of the two parts of the handle.
The operation of the machine is apparent. The handle composed of two
parts B B, is grasped by the hand, the top end 9 of the pivotted jaw c is depressed
by the thumb or finger and the hair inserted between the jaw C and the rod A and
the jaw released to grasp the hair and then by pressing down the upper part B' of
the handle the rack frame forces upward the pinion with its disc d which is
provided with the driving pawl w, which engages with the teeth of the ratchet
wheel t, and by this means the rod A is caused to revolve say half a revolution by
the time the pinion reaches the upper end of the rack, then, by relieving the upper
part of the handle from pressure the springs S S which have been compressed,
force the rack down again, and then another pressure upon the upper part repeats
the operation, and turns the rod another half revolution, and so on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination of the rod A having two bearings, one of which is the
standard at its rear end, and the other in lower part B of the handle near its
longitudinal centre, in both of which it revolves, substantially as described.
2. In combination with the two parts B and B connected by the pivot pin i and
the rod A having a circular groove therein and the pin. i fitting loosely in said
groove so as to allow the rod to turn freely under said pin but confine the same
against endwise motion, substantially as described.
3. In combination with the two parts B and B' of the handle pivotted together
as described, the two springs S S seated as described on each side of the rod A,
their upper ends abutting the rack-frame f and their lower ends against the
standard adapted to hold the said parts asunder with the required force,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. The combination of the upper part B' of the handle hinged to the lower
part B by means of the pin i, and provided with the rack-frame frigidly fastened
thereto, said rack-frame having a single vertical row of teeth, the described
pinion having a disc d provided with spring pawl w and adapted to turn freely
upon the reduced end of the rod A and the ratchet wheel t rigidly fastened upon
the rod A, the whole adapted to revolve the rod A as required, substantially as
described.
5. In combination with the upper part B' of the handle, the lower part B, having
the standard rigidly fastened thereon and furnishing a bearing for the rear end of
rod A to turn freely in, and provided with check spring pawl m mounted thereon
adapted to prevent retroaction of the ratchet wheel t when required, substantially
as described.
1
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.