An Improved Soldering-iron.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1897
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM BEEDE PAGE, Manufacturer, and ARCHIBALD
ELMER HOPKINS, Engineer, both of Dixon, Illinois, United States of America.]
An Improved Soldering-iron.
I, DAVID YOUNG, Patent Agent, of the Firm of D. Young & Co., of
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., 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 :-
My invention has for its object the production of a soldering-iron for use more
particularly in an automatic soldering-machine although it is obvious that it might be
used as a hand-tool if desired. The invention consists essentially in making the end
of the iron, that is, the copper portion which is heated and which comes in contact
with the solder, movable or flexible with respect to the holder.
In the drawings
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my soldering-iron.
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2, Figure 1.
A represents a suitable cylinder or sleeve constituting the holder. This sleeve is
provided with an adjustable collar a so that its position within the sleeve B on the
machine may be regulated. It is obvious that the iron may be held in any suitable
way within the machine and I have therefore shown simply a sleeve B forming a
part of the machine, for that purpose. The end of the sleeve A is grooved as at a'.
C is a smaller sleeve having a rounded projection c which fits in the groove a¹ in the
end of the sleeve A. Within the sleeve C and adjacent to the end is an angular
projection c. D is the soldering-iron proper, that is, the substantially pointed copper
portion which is heated and which comes in contact with the solder. Of course
this soldering-end may be of any other suitable material than copper if desired.
The soldering-end D is engaged in the end of the socket C by the screw-threads d.
E is a rod having a headed end e that engages the flange c¹ on the interior of
the sleeve C, and extends the length of the holder-sleeve A. On its opposite end
it is provided with an adjustable nut E'. F is a spring one end bearing on the
nut E and the other end bearing on the shoulder a² of the sleeve A, the spring
thus exerting a tension to hold the sleeve C against the holder A and thus normally
maintain the soldering-end in alignment with the holder. But, as will be seen,
should any lateral pressure come upon the soldering-end, the spring F would yield
and allow the soldering-iron to tilt as shown by the dotted lines.
By thus making the soldering-end movable or flexible with respect to the holder
when the iron is in use and comes against any obstruction or irregularity in the
surface to be soldered, the soldering-end will yield sufficiently so that the parts are
not disarranged.
This form of soldering-iron is designed particularly for use in connection with
machines wherein the iron is held in a revolving cylinder so that the iron will be
revolved about its own axis; although I prefer to use the iron in this way, yet it
is obvious that it might be used in many other forms of machines and in many
other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, which consists
essentially in making the soldering-end of the iron movable or flexible with respect
to its holding stem.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is
1. A substantially pointed soldering-iron having its end yieldingly movable in any
direction with respect to its holding stem, substantially as described.
2. A substantially pointed soldering-iron having its end yieldingly movable in any
direction with respect to its holding stem and held normally in its proper position
by spring pressure, substantially as described.
3. A soldering-iron having its soldering-end disconnected from but yieldingly
movable in any direction with relation to its holding stem and held thereto by
spring pressure, substantially as described.
4. A soldering-iron consisting of the soldering-end, a holding stem against the end
of which the soldering-end is held and a spring for keeping the parts normally
together end to end, substantially as described.
5. A soldering-iron consisting of a holding sleeve, a soldering-end provided with
an annular projection which enters a corresponding groove in the end of the holding
sleeve and a rod engaged to the soldering-end extending longitudinally through the
holding sleeve and provided on its end with an adjustable nut and a spring between
the nut and the end of the sleeve, substantially as described.
1971
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.