Improvements in Smoothing Irons, Heaters, Stands, and Parts Used therewith.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1886.
Specification Accepted, 5th Jan., 1887.
Improvements in Smoothing Irons, Heaters, Stands, and Parts
Used therewith.
1 GEORGE PICKUP of 78 Market Street, Bacup in the County of Lancaster, Mill
Operative 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 relates firstly to box smoothing irons, and consists in the combination
arrangement and construction of the same.
The box is somewhat of the usual shape but longer and more pointed and the wide
end of the bottom operating surface is rounded off in a curve turning upwards from
the flat bottom.
The upper side of the box is open and can be closed when the heater is placed therein
by a lid which is attached to the handle for lifting and moving the box about when
in use.
The lid is arranged so as to be entirely removed from the box and is attached and
secured thereto by projections at the wide end of the lid which are made to enter and
engage with corresponding holes in that end and side of the box, the small or pointed
end of the lid having a catch jointed upon it that enters a notch in a projection formed
at the corresponding end of the box.
This catch turns upon a vertical sind fixed on the lid, and is or may be acted upon
by a spring also secured to the lid which keeps the catch in the said notch when the
lid is in position on the box.
There is a knob or projection on the catch so that it can be readily unlatched by
pressing upon it by one finger of the hand holding the handle.
The catch is or may be arranged upon a horizontal axis if desired.
To make the latch or catch on the vertical axis more secure there is a bar sliding
vertically the end of which passes on one side of the latch and enters a hole or recess
in the lid, and thus prevents the catch from moving and getting detached by accident.
Secondly. My invention relates to the heater and consists in making it hollow at the
wide end. It is also reversible, and can be used either side up and is not liable to
warp or twist by heat.

page_text: It can be readily taken from the box by inserting the projections on the lid into the
holes in the hollow end or by a lever or handle having projections or prongs upon its
end which can be inserted in holes in the hollow end or sides to lift the heater out of
the fire whether in a vertical or horizontal position and carry it about without fear of
accident.
Thirdly, My invention relates to a stand for smoothing irons when heated but not
in use, and consists in making it hollow, or with a cavity which takes up and retains
the heat from the smoothing iron when on the stand, and thus acts as a reservoir for
and gives the heat back to the smoothing iron when again placed upon the stand, thus
keeping the smoothing iron hot much longer than ordinary open stands.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal side elevation and fig. 2 an end elevation of the smoothing
iron.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top side of the lid and smoothing iron with the handle
and connected parts removed.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section and fig. 5 a plan and fig. 6 an end view of the
heater.
Fig. 7 is an edge and fig. 8 a front view of the handle for carrying the heater.
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section and elevation and fig. 10 a plan view of the stand.
a is the box iron, it has two holes a¹ in a projection at the wide end, and a notch a²
or groove in the front pointed end.
bis the lid, at the wide end it has two projections which can be inserted in the
holes al as shown in figs. 1 and 2.
It has a latch e which oscillates upon a centre in the lid the end of the latch passes
into the notch a² securing the lid when in the position shown in figs. 1 and 3.
c' is a knob on the latch e for oscillating or withdrawing it from the notch a² in the
small end of the box, and c² is a spring secured at one end in a projection from the lid
at a³, the other end of the spring c² acting upon the latch e to keep it in position.
There are also two projections 62 and 3 from the upper surface of the lid to act as
stops to limit the oscillations of the latch e, and prevent it from moving accidentally,
there is a sliding bar or rod d fitting and passing freely through two projections from
the handle (e) the lower end of this rod entoring a hole or cavity in the lid and as it
passes on one side of the latch when in the position shown in fig. 3, it holds the latter
from moving.
C
There is a knob d¹ and collar 2 on the rod d for lifting it, the collar
from being lifted too high.
C
prevents it
The rod will hold the latch e when in the position shown in fig. 3, and also against
the pressure of the spring e² when the latch is opened or turned to remove the lid b.
The handle e is of the form and construction shown and is secured by two screws
shown in dotted line passing from the inside of the lid band screwing into the feet e¹
of the handle e.
One of these screws is in the centre of a projection which forms the pivot or fulcrum
of the latch c. Or there may be a collar on the screw forming the fulcrum of the latch,
the foot of the handle being drawn by the screw firmly against the end of the collar.
The heater shown by figs. 4, 5 and 6 is hollow at the wide end, it has two holes or
slots at the wide end for each side, and two holes 2 at the sides and the heater is
carried or lifted by inserting the prongs of the handle figs. 7 and 8 in the holes f¹
or at the ends or sides by which it can be taken from the box iron carried to the fire
or stove for heating; removed from the latter and carried back to the box iron.
The heater can also be removed from the box by inserting the projections & on the
lid b, in the holes for
1
Figs. 9 and 10 show the stand for box irons. It is entirely closed at the bottom,
and there is a cavity formed by screwing a thin plate h¹ to the base part of the stand
as shown. This cavity is or may be filled with asbestos or other non-conducting
material that is not injured by heat.
A few small holes are or may be formed in the thin plate h¹ for air if desired.
The smoothing iron when on the stand rests on the thin plate /¹.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1. The combination and arrangement of box smoothing irons substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The form of heater with hollow end substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The forked handle (g) as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings.
4. The cavity stand for smoothing irons substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.