An Improved Soldering Iron and Method of Heating same.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Soldering Iron and Method of Heating same.
We, THOMAS MEREDITH Cox-WALKER, of Cliffe Terrace, Darlington, in the
County of Durham, Electrical Engineer, and SAMUEL TWENTYMAN COULSON, of 21,
Langholme Crescent, Darlington, aforesaid, Accountant, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to produce a soldering iron for the use of
electricians, plumbers, tinsmiths, engineers, and others, which can be continuously
heated while in use and thus obviate the necessity of reheating the iron in fire or
gas as is the custom with soldering irons generally in use at the present time, and
avoid blacking or oxidation and wearing away of the soldering bit by frequent
cleaning.
In carrying our invention into practical effect, we construct a bellows or other
blower of convenient shape and connect this to a vessel containing or enclosing
benzoline, or other suitable hydrocarbons. Passing out of this or any enclosed
vessel at a suitable point is a pipe or connection for receiving a tube of any required
length, and to this tube is attached a pipe which may form a handle carrying the
soldering iron. The latter consists of a hollow platinum cylinder or point attached
to the said pipe or handle. Over this platinum point may be placed a metal
protecting thimble or shield having an opening or openings or perforations through
à closed end or sides and screwed or otherwise fixed to the pipe or handle; over
this protector is placed a hollowed soldering bit of suitable metal which is attached
to the tube or pipe. A suitable handle may be fixed to the pipe.
When it is required to use the apparatus, the vessel is supplied with benzoline
or other suitable hydrocarbons, the soldering bit is removed or loosened, and the
platinum point is heated by means of a match, gas jet, spirit lamp, or the like, and
the bellows or blower worked, when a mixture of air and benzoline, or other
hydrocarbon vapour will be forced through the tubes and pipes into the heated
platinum point causing the same to become intensely hot. The soldering bit is
then replaced, or refixed, and quickly heats, which latter may then be kept
continuously heated, by working the bellows or blower, if, when the supply of
benzoline or the like is exhausted out of the containing vessel, a further supply is
put in.
It is obvious that this apparatus may be greatly modified in details without
departing from the spirit of our invention. For instance-we may introduce an
air ball or reservoir, and by this secure a more even flow of air and vapour.
We may also connect a number of soldering irons to one vessel and blower, and
may replace the bellows by suitable pump, fan, or other forced draughts.
1
014
Anil 1807

page_text: An Improved Soldering Iron and Method of Heating same.
We, THOMAS MEREDITH Cox-WALKER, of Cliffe Terrace, Darlington, in the
County of Durham, Electrical Engineer, and SAMUEL TWENTYMAN COULSON, of 21,
Langholme Crescent, Darlington, aforesaid, Accountant, 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:-
The object of our invention is to produce a soldering iron for
the use of
electricians, plumbers, tinsmiths, engineers, and others, which can be continuously
heated while in use and thus obviate the necessity of re-heating the iron in fire or
gas as is the custom with soldering irons generally in use at the present time, and
also avoid blacking or oxidation and wearing away of the soldering bit by frequent
cleaning.
In carrying our invention into practical effect, we construct a bellows or other
blower of convenient shape, and connect this to a vessel containing benzoline, or
other suitable hydrocarbon. Communicating with this vessel at a suitable point
is one end of a flexible pipe or tube of any required length, and to the other end
of this tube is attached a pipe and handle carrying the soldering iron. The latter
consists of a platinum tube or point attached to the said pipe; over this platinum
point may be placed a metal protecting thimble or shield having an opening or
openings or perforations therein for the escape of gases as hereinafter explained,
and screwed.or otherwise fixed to the pipe; over this protector, when used, is placed
a hollow soldering bit of suitable metal, which is also attached to the tube or pipe
and furnished with an opening for the escape of gases.
When it is required to use the apparatus, the vessel is supplied with benzoline
or other suitable hydrocarbon, the soldering bit is preferably removed, and the
platinum point is heated by means of a match, gas jet, spirit lamp, or the like;
the bellows or blower is thien worked, when a mixture of air and benzoline, or other
hydrocarbon vapour will be forced through the tubes into the heated platinum
point causing the latter to become intensely hot. The soldering bit is then replaced
and quickly becomes heated, and may then be kept hot by working the bellows or
blower; the products of combustion escaping by means of the openings in the
protecting thimble, if used, and soldering bit before referred to.
It is obvious that this apparatus may be greatly modified in details without
departing from the spirit of our invention. For instance, we may introduce an air
ball or reservoir, and by this means secure a more even flow of air and vapour to
the platinum point.
We may also connect a number of soldering irons to one vessel and blower, and
may replace the bellows by suitable pump, fan, or other forced draught.
We will now proceed to further describe our invention in connection with the
accompanying drawings in which the same letters of reference indicate like parts
in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is a general view of the apparatus shown partly in section.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the soldering bit and the end of the
pipe or tube to which it is attached. p is a base plate of wood or other suitable
substance having attached to one end thereof a foot bellows of ordinary
construction a, furnished with a foot plate c and normally held extended by means
of a spiral spring or its equivalent b; part of the leather of the bellows being shown
cut away in order to expose this spring to view. At the other end of the plate p
is fixed a chamber or receptacle separated into two divisions by means of the
partition d, the lower of these divisions contains an air chamber which may be

page_text: compressible or not as required, and the upper division serves as a receptacle for
benzoline or other suitable light hydrocarbon. The air chamber ¹ communicates
with the hydrocarbon chamber by means of the curved metal tube t which latter
also serves as a handle to the apparatus. The air chamber is connected to the
bellows a by means of a tube t and non-return valve v, the air passing from the
bellows when worked through the tube t¹ and valve into the chamber r¹ but not
being able to return.
is a flexible tube of any required length, having its end at one extremity
attached to the screw connection k communicating with the hydrocarbon
chamber, and having its end at the other extremity attached to one end of a pipe
or tube 13; this pipe is furnished with a handle and has attached to its other
end the soldering bit. This latter consists of a platinum tube p¹ open at the ends
and communicating with the pipe 6, over this platinum tube is fitted the
platinum thimble in provided with an opening or perforation o; over this thimble
again is fitted the copper or other suitable metal soldering bit u provided with an
opening o. The copper or other metal bit u, and thimble m being preferably
screwed to the end of the pipe as shown.
A leather or other suitable washer w is interposed between the connection k and
the chamber in order to make a practically air-tight joint.
In cases where a large soldering bit must be used, or, when required, two or more
platinum points may be enclosed in one copper or other metal bit.
When it is now required to use the apparatus the connection k is unscrewed and
the required quantity of benzoline or other suitable hydrocarbon poured into the
chamber; the connection k is then replaced and screwed up tightly, the bit u is
preferably removed from the soldering iron and the platinum thimble m heated in
a gas jet or by means of a spirit lamp, or the like, or other suitable means, and the
bellows gently worked, causing a flow of air and hydrocarbon vapour to be fed to
the platinum thimble m and thus cause the latter to be highly heated; the bit u is
then replaced and becomes suitably heated, the products of combustion escaping by
means of the openings o and o¹.
If preferred the necessary amount of heat to start the apparatus may be obtained
without removing the bit u.
The air chamber r causes the flow of air to be sufficiently regular and by keeping
the bellows gently working the soldering iron can be kept hot for any length of
time, so long as the chamber contains a supply of hydrocarbon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
(1) Soldering apparatus consisting of a bellows or its equivalent and an air
chamber, connected with a hydrocarbon receptacle communicating by means of a
flexible tube with a soldering iron composed of a pipe or tube provided with a
suitable handle and terminating in a platinum tube encased in a platinum thimble
and enclosed in a hollow metal soldering bit, the said thimble and hollow metal bit
being each provided with an opening or openings to allow the passage of gas,
operated and substantially as described.
(2) Soldering apparatus consisting of a bellows or its equivalent connected with
a hydrocarbon receptacle communicating by means of a flexible tube with a
soldering iron composed of a pipe or tube provided with a suitable handle and
terminating in a platinum tube encased in a platinum thimble and enclosed in a
hollow metal bit, the said thimble and hollow metal bit being each provided with
an opening or openings to allow the passage of gas, operated and substantially as
described.
(3) In a soldering apparatus the use of a soldering iron consisting of a pipe or
tube fitted with a suitable handle and terminating in a fine platinum tube encased
in a platinum thimble and encased in a hollow metal soldering bit, the said thimble

page_text: and hollow metal bit being each provided with an opening or openings to allow the
passage of gas, substantially as described.
(4) The use of a mixture of hydrocarbon vapour and air for heating soldering
irons, substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1898.
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.
Agent for the Applicants.