IMPROVEMENTS IN SMOOTHING AND PRESSING IRONS, AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING THE SAME
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Tolhausen, of 149, Boulevart Magenta,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SMOOTHING AND PRESSING IRONS,
AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING THE SAME."-A communication from Auguste
Francois Dusautoy, Army Clothier, residing at Neuilly (Seine), Empire
Sealed the 16th September 1864, and dated the 23rd March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Tolhausen at.
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd March 1864.
1, FREDERICK TOLHAUSEN, of 149, Boulevard Magenta, Paris, in the Empire
of France, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SMOOTHING AND PRESSING IRONS,
AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING THE SAME," a communication from Auguste
Francois Dusautoy, Army Clothier, a person resident at Neuilly (Seine),
Empire of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of smoothing and pressing
irons which are heated by a combined jet of lighting or heating gas and air
acting in the manner of a blow pipe within the iron itself.

page_text: The manner in which this improved iron is constructed is fully shewn on
the annexed Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 being a sectional lateral elevation of
the improved iron; Fig. 2, plan of the same; Fig. 3, plan of the upper
portion or half of the improved iron; Fig. 4, plan of the lower half of the
same; Fig. 5 plan of the plate separating the two halves which are secured
together by screws. This arrangement is mainly intended to increase or
accelerate the heating action by directing the caloric current through a
succession of flues or chambers, as shewn by the arrows on the Drawing.
The heating gas is supplied through a flexible tube by any suitable meter,
and the air is injected through a like tube either by a blowing engine
or a fan as may be required; but in order to render these self-heating
irons peculiarly applicable to domestic and other purposes, such as small
laundries and tailoring establishments having no motive power at their
disposal, I propose to supply the air necessary for blowing the gas flame
either by means of a small fan to be driven by hand or any animal power, or
by means of a self-acting mechanism resembling those used in smoke jacks or
turnspits, which is worked by one or several spiral springs jointly or succes-
sively to be wound up every one or two hours or so in order to produce the
light blast required for the purposes herein set forth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Tolhausen in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
TOLHAUSEN, of 149, Boulevart Magenta, Paris, in the Empire of France,
Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
1, the said Frederick Tolhausen, Her special licence that I, the said Frederick
Tolhausen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Frederick Tolhausen, my 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,

page_text: IN
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
SMOOTHING AND PRESSING IRONS, AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING THE SAME," a com-
person
munication from Auguste Francois Dusautoy, Army Clothier, a
resident at Neuilly (Seine) Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst
others) that !, the said Frederick Tolhausen, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hand 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 I, the said Frederick Tolhausen, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to ba
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of smoothing and pressing
irons which are heated by a combined jet of lighting or heating gas and air,
acting in the manner of a blow pipe within the iron itself.
The manner in which this improved iron is constructed is fully shewn on
the annexed Drawings, Sheet 1, Fig. 1 being a sectional lateral elevation of
the improved iron; Fig. 2, plan of the same; Fig. 3, plan of the upper
portion or half of the improved iron; Fig. 4, plan of the lower half of said
iron; Fig. 5. plan of plate separating the two halves which are secured
together by screws. This arrangement, is mainly intended to increase or
accelerate the heating action by directing the caloric current through a
succession of flues or chambers, as shown by the arrows on the Drawings.
The heating gas is supplied through a flexible tube from any suitable meter,
and the air is injected through a like tube either by a blowing engine or fan,
as may be required; but in order to render these self-heating irons peculiarly
applicable to domestic and other purposes, such as small laundries and tailoring
establishments having no motive power. at their disposal, I propose to supply
the air necessary for blowing the gas flame either by means of a small fan to
be driven by hand or any animal power, or by means of a self-acting
mechanism resembling those used in smoke-jacks or turnspits, which is worked
by one or several spiral springs, jointly or successively, to be wound up every
one or two hours or so in order to produce the light blast required for
the purposes herein set forth.
a, Sheet. 1, Figs. I to ǎ, is the lower plate or portion of iron forming a sort
of flue into which the gas and air enter for heating the iron; c, upper plate

page_text: having a cavity or flue d for receiving the hot air and gases from the lower
flue; e, intermediate plate, separating the lower and upper halves; this
plate is perforated at so as to establish a communication between the flue b
and the cavity d; h, opening on one side of the plate a, through which the
heating jet is lighted; i, gas pipe; i, air pipe; these two pipes are mounted
so as to converge inside the flue band produce a blow-pipe jet as above
described. , 1, stop cocks or regulating taps; m, short pipe for allowing the
hot air and gases to escape; this pipe is fixed on the hole n; o, o. standards
for supporting the handle p; these uprights are either screwed or rivetted unto
the plate c.
Fig. 6 and 7 represent an elevation and plan of a heavier description of iron,
in which the intermediate or separating plate is dispensed with, all other
arrangements being analogous to those herein-before described.
Fig. 8, 9, and 10, relate to a similarly constructed iron in which the air is
injected into the gas jet before the latter enters the heating flue of the
iron. Fig. 8, longitudinal section; Fig. 9, plan; Fig. 10, end elevation,
showing the arrangement of air and gas tubes.
a', lower or ironing plate; b¹ tube with perforations through which the com-
bined air and gas jet escapes, and being lighted heats the iron very promptly,
efficiently, and economically; c¹ separating plate; d', top plate; c', escape
chamber, in which the hot air cools down as in the former arrangements, so
as to protect the hand of the operator from excessive heat; f, h, air and gas
pipes which unite into one before entering the iron.
Sheet 2. Fig. 1, is an elevation of a ventilator to be used for the supply of
air; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
2, box containing the mechanism; b, crank handle for winding up; c³,
spindle carrying a pinion &, which gears into a wheel e on the axis f;
g, ratchet wheel on the axis f;, click; P, spiral or motive spring; 2, spring
barrel;,,, u³, train of wheels for getting up the speed for the ventilator
or fan on the spindle v; 3, fan in its case; y³, 12, 83, 22, worm and wheel
and fly wheel for regulating the speed of the ventilator. Instead of using
the spring, motion may also be communicated to the ventilator by a tackle
and weight, on the "reduplication" plan. I claim,-
1st., the construction and arrangement of self-heating smoothing irons
in two or three parts, having flues and chambers as herein described for the
purposes set forth.
2d, the method of mixing the air and gas jets previous to entering the
iron, as illustrated by Figs. 8, 9, and 10, Sheet I.
3d, combining the use of a self-acting ventilator as herein set forth with

page_text: that of self-heating or gas-heated smoothing irons, so as to render the same
applicable to domestic and general purposes, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Tolhausen, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
F. TOLHAUSEN. (L.S.)