Improvements in Self-heating Sad-irons
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1894-Accepted, 9th June, 1894
Improvements in Self-heating Sad-irons,
I, JOHN BOLGIANO, of No. 26 South Calvert Street, in the City of Baltimore,
State of Maryland. United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
ature 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 :-
This invention relates to an improvement in self-heating sad-irons, being that
class which are heated by a burner located in a chamber in the iron.
The object of the invention is to provide a construction that will be efficient and
hat can be manufactured cheaply.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side view of the iron.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the body of the iron.
Figure 3 shows two views of the atmospheric gas-burner.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views of a modification of my invention.
Figure 7 is a front view of the handle showing the manner of attaching the
shield.
The body, A, of the iron is made of cast metal, and comprises a base, b, whose
bottom surface, b', is ground smooth as usual, a top-plate, c, and end-piers, d, d',
one at the front and the other at the rear end; the base, b, is relatively much.
thicker than the top-plate, c. By having the base thick and heavy it stores up and
retains heat, while the thin top-plate forms a cover to the chamber, e, in the body,
said chamber being open at the two opposite sides.
It will be seen the entire body is a metal block cast in one piece and having a
chamber open at two sides,-the base, top and eud-piers being integral in the
casting.
An atmospheric gas-burner has a mixing chamber, B, provided on top with a
nipple, f, for the attachment of a gas-hose, Q, which is to be connected to an
ordinary gas-jet (not shown). The chamber has an interior tit, i, which is a
prolongation interiorly of the nipple, f, and a gas passage, j, extends through both.
The chamber has around the nipple air-inlets, g, and from the bottom is a curved
pipe, h, which enters the heel-end of the iron-body and is open at its end, h³,
producing a blue flaine. A number of curved deflector bars, h, are formed
integral with the base, b, of the iron and separated or spaced apart, said bars
extend across the chamber, e, and serve to project the flames downward and heat
the base.
A curved perforated screen, w, covers the deflector bars, h', and is secured at
each side by a screw, z, entering the base. This screen prevents radiation of the
heat from the deflector bars and guards the clothes that are being ironed from the
flame, and allows free access of air through the chamber below the top-plate, c.
The handle, J, of the iron may be attached to the body, A, in any desired
manner.
An improved shield, K, comprises a suitable plate having a horizontal position
and mounted on the standards, 1, 1, of the handle as shown; this shield protects
the hand from the heat of the body, A. One standard, l, has a notch, m, in which
one end of the shield is slipped and held and the other standard has a hole. The
shield has at one end a notch or cut-away (not shown) and at the other end a
notch, o, provided at each side with a down-flange, n; the notch, o, takes about the
standard, /, and the two down-flanges, n, press against opposite sides of the standard;
a pin, p, passes through the said down-flange and also through the hole in the

page_text: standard, and thereby the shield-plate, K, is held firmly at one end, while the other
end is firmly held by fitting in the notch, m, as stated.
In Figures 4, 5 and 6, I have shown provision for heating the iron by means of
a fluid, such as gasoline or alcohol. In this instance the top of the base, b, in
the chamber, e, has a longitudinal groove, y, and a curved pipe, /, extends from a
gasoline or alcohol receptacle, M, through the heel-end of the iron to and straight
along the said chamber above the groove, y, and this burner-pipe is provided in its
top with two rows of jet-apertures, ³, and in its bottom with a single jet-
aperture, h; the end of the curved pipe within the receptacle, M, extends up
vertically to near the top of the receptacle and the gasoline or alcohol, whichever
is employed, is poured in the receptacle through an opening, M, And fills the
receptacle to a point below said pipe-top. The gasoline or alcohol is supplied
to the chamber, e, by the medium of a wick, M, in the pipe, h, and a cock, N, on
the burner-pipe between the fluid receptacle and the iron-body regulates the
supply thereof. The wick in the vertical part of the pipe projects therefrom and
the end of the wick hangs down into the gasoline or alcohol, and the latter (the
fluid) ascends the wick by capillary attraction and then the fluid passes into the
pipe and produces a flame at the apertures, ³.
In heating the iron, the cock, N, is first opened and a small amount of the gasoline
allowed to drip into the longitudinal groove, y, through the bottom-aperture, h;
the cock is then closed to prevent a further flow of the liquid and the liquid in
the longitudinal groove is then ignited and allowed to burn until the pipe is highly
heated, when the cock, N, will be again opened. The heat of the pipe, h, will
cause the inflowing liquid to be converted into a vapor or gas which will be
supplied as long as said pipe is heated. By igniting this vapor a blue flame of
great intensity is produced.
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 of a-sad-iron body having base, b, top-plate, c, and end-
piers, d, d', forming a chamber, e, open at opposite sides, all integral in cast metal;
and a burner-pipe, h, connected at one end with a source of fuel-supply and the
other end entered into the chamber through the heel-end of the iron.
2. The combination of a sad-iron body having base, b, top-plate, c, and end-
piers, d, d¹, forming a chamber, e, open at two opposite sides, all integral in cast
nietal a burner-pipe, h, connected at one end with a source of fuel supply and the
other end entered into the chamber through the heel-end of the iron; and a curved
perforated screen within the chamber and fitting over the pipe.
Dated this 20th day of Avril 1894.
JOHN BOLGIANO.