IMPROVEMENTS IN.. Box AND CHARCOAL SMOOTHING IRONS
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Frederick Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th September 1871.
I, CHARLES FREDERICK CLARK, of the Firm of Thomas and Charles.
Clark and Company, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Iron Founders,. do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN.. Box AND CHARCOAL SMOOTHING IRONS," to be as
follows:-
-
In box and charcoal smoothing irons the upper part of the box is
sometimes made to turn upon a hinge joint, so as to rise as a lid for the
introduction and removal of the heater in the case of box irons, and
for the introduction of charcoal in the case of charcoal irons. The
fastening down of the lid has hitherto been effected by mechanical
arrangements which do not work satisfactorily, and the object of my
Invention is principally to effect the rapid and convenient fastening and
unfastening of the lid, and in the case of box irons to prevent the shaking
about of the heater after the lid has been fastened down.
My said Invention consists in fastening down and unfastening the lids.
or covers of the said box and charcoal smoothing irons in the following

page_text: manner-I attach a lever to the lid of the box or case of the iron, the said
lever having motion in a horizontal plane. The fulcrum upon which
the said lever turns may either be one of the two pins by which the handle
is fixed to the lid, or a separate pin. The long end of the lever
terminates either under or at the back or at the front of the handle of
the iron and within convenient reach of the thumb and finger when the
hand is upon the handle of the iron. The said long end of the lever
terminates in a knob of wood or other imperfect conductor of heat. The
short end of the lever engages under a projecting piece or lip on the
edge of the case of the box iron either at the nose end or at the back of
the case, according as the lid is hinged at the back or nose end. In
charcoal box irons the projecting picce or lip is situated behind the
chimney, and is cast on the case. The lip or notch described is above
the lid, consequently the sunk or short end of the lever is not subject as
the ordinary lever fastening is to the direct action of the heater or
charcoal. By pressing the long end of the lever when under the handle
with the thumb or second finger it is moved aside and the short end
disengaged from the projecting piece or lip, when the lid can be raised,
the disengaging and raising of the lid being done almost simultaneously
and without moving the hand from the handle. The long end of the
lever is in case of box irons with heaters raised out of the plane in
which the short end is situated for the purpose of bringing it within
reach of the thumb and finger, and to make room for the head of a screw
situated under it. This screw passes through the lid of the iron and its
end presses upon the heater when the lid is fastened down and holds the
said heater so as to prevent it from shaking during the use of the iron.
The screw described for keeping the heater from shaking is applicable to
ordinary box irons with sliding doors at the heel end, the said screw
being passed either through the top of the box or through the door.