Improvements in Smoothing Irons.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1899-Accepted, 8th July, 1899
Improvements in Smoothing Irons.
I, HELEN GARDEN MOORE, of 54, Lambton Quay, Wellington, in the Colony
of New Zealand, Married Woman, 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 to irons used in laundries and elsewhere for smoothing
or ironing body linen and other articles, the said irons having a polished face;
and the method of using the same being to heat them to a high temperature and
then to apply the polished face to, and glide it over, the articles to be ironed,
whilst applying pressure by the hand.
I am aware that smoothing irons have been made in many forms, and I do
not claim these broadly, but limit myself to the improvements hereinafter set
forth.
My iron has all the advantages of the irons at present in use, and at the same
time is adapted to work into such places as the gatherings at the top of the
sleeve of a lady's blouse; and it is so formed that it will not catch or drag the
article being ironed, thus avoiding the occurrence of undesirable creases.
I make the body of my iron approximately pear shaped in plan, that is, with
one end semicircular or rounded, and the other running into a point; and the
lower corner or angle formed by the junction of the face with the vertical sides
is slightly rounded.
The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention applied to an ordinary
solid smoothing iron, but a skilled person will be able readily to adapt my improve-
'ments to other kinds of irons, as for example, to hollow irons heated by gas, or
to those packed with asbestos and the like.
Figure 1 is a side view of the iron.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts where they occur in
the different views.
The body (1) of the iron is made with a semicircular rounded end (2) and
a pointed end (3). The lower corner or angle (4) is rounded as shewn. The
handle (5) may be of any ordinary shape or construction, and affixed to the
body (1) in any usual manner.
The point (3) is used for ironing between the folds where a garment is gathered
for the purpose of giving a desired shape or for other reasons, the shape of the
said point allowing this operation to be effected with facility and in such a
manner that highly satisfactory results ensue.
The rounded edge (4) and the round end (2) allows the iron to pass over the
surface of the material being ironed without catching or creasing the said material.
The irons are made in various sizes to suit different classes of work and may be
made of any suitable material, though I prefer cast iron for cheapness.
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 A smoothing iron comprising a body having a rounded end and a pointed

page_text: end, and the angle rounded where the face and the vertical sides join, substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth herein.
2. The improved smoothing iron, constructed and shaped, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth herein.
Tatal th 10th are of in 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.