Improvements in Ironing Boards.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Ironing Boards.
We, JAMES BRIGGS RUSSELL, THOMAS WARDROP, Junr., and JOHN STIRLING YULE,
all of 11, Pritchard Street, Charles Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester,
Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention to be as follows:-
It consists of a new construction of shirt-front ironing board (separate, or combined
with a shirt-cuff ironing board), approximating, by preference, in size to the largest
size of front, and half of another front; with two of its sides parallel, or thereabouts,
one of its ends or other sides formed with a semi-circular gap or recess for receiving
the neck-band of a shirt, the remaining portions of the same end or side sloping off
towards the parallel sides, and the opposite end or remaining side of the board also
inclined to one of the parallel sides, and at the corner or junction of such end with
the said parallel side, formed with a gap or recess equal to about half the gap afore-
said in the other end.
Such construction of shirt front ironing board lends itself to the ironing of divided
shirt fronts, or the fronts of shirts divided down the back, whilst it accommodates
various sizes of fronts, and in conjunction with a cuff-ironing board arranged along-
side the parallel side of the board with gap in corner, the half part of a shirt front
and one of the cuffs of the shirt can be ironed at one and the same time.
In mounting the board in the ironing machine we prefer to so arrange it as to
cause the ironing roller to roll over it in a direction at right angles to the
said parallel edges, and so first operate upon the cuff board, and whilst ironing
one half of front dry the part which has been previously occupied by the other
half.
1000
JAMES BRIGGS RUSSELL,
THOMAS WARDROP, JUNR.,
JOHN STIRLING YULE,
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.
We, JAMES BRIGGS RUSSELL, THOMAS WARDROP, Junr., and JOHN STIRLING YULE,
all of 11, Pritchard Street, Charles Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester,
Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
[Price 8d.1

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
It consists of a new construction of shirt-front ironing-board, separate, or com-
bined with a shirt-cuff ironing board, by preference, approximating in size to the
largest size of shirt front and half of another shirt front, with two of its sides 5
parallel or thereabouts, one of its ends or other sides formed with a semi-circular or
like gap or recess for receiving the shirt neck-band, the remaining portions of the
same end or side sloping off towards the parallel sides, and the opposite end or side
of the board also inclined to one of the parallel sides, and, at the corner or junction
of such end with one of the said parallel sides, formed with a gap or recess equal to 1
about half the gap aforesaid in the other end.
Such construction of shirt-front ironing-board lends itself to the ironing of
divided shirt fronts, or the whole fronts of shirts divided down the back, whilst
it accomodates various sizes of fronts, and, in conjunction with a cuff-ironing
board arranged alongside the parallel side of the board with corner gap, the half- 1
part of a shirt front, or a whole front, and one, or both cuffs of the shirt can be
passed under the ironing roller at one traverse of the ironing board.
In mounting the board in the ironing machine we prefer to so arrange it as to
cause the cuff-board to first pass beneath the ironing roller, and so first iron the cuff,
or cuffs, and then the shirt-front, and, whilst ironing one half of a front, dry that part 2
of the board previously occupied by the other half-front.
To enable our said invention to be more readily understood and carried into
practical effect we have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings in which :
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 plans (repeated) of a shirt-front and shirt-cuff ironing-board
constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 shews in dotted lines one half
of a divided shirt front in the position it occupies whilst being ironed, and Fig. 3
shews in dotted lines the position of the other half of the same front, or the
corresponding part of another shirt front, whilst being ironed.
Fig. 4 shews in dotted lines the position of the whole front of a shirt divided down 3
the back. These views also shew in dotted lines the position of a cuff
whilst being ironed. The shirt-ironing board (A) is made of metal or other hard
substance and covered with india-rubber and blanket to afford the required elastic
cushion for ironing. The cuff-ironing board (B) mounted upon the same (or an
adjoining) base is covered in like manner.
The sides (A¹), (A2) of the board (A) are, by preference, parallel with each other.
In the side (A³) we form a gap (C) and in, and at the junction of the side (A¹) with
side (A4) we form a gap (D).
The boards are fed beneath the ironing roller (E) in the direction of the arrow (a)
with the cuff-board first coming below the ironing roller and then the shirt-board. 4
After once coming in contact with the cuff-ironing board the boards are moved
rapidly to-and-fro by the ironing roller in the ordinary manner.
To give a continuous surface for the ironing roller to work over we form the cuff-
board as shewn with side extensions (B*) and thereby cause the cuff-board (B) to
lap" with the board (A).
6:
In using the boards to iron the two halves of a divided shirt front and the cuffs of
the same shirt, we place one half of the front upon board (A) in the position shewn
by dotted lines in Fig. 2 with the half neck-band arranged to lie in gap (D), and we
so manipulate those parts of the shirt above the board as to lie flat upon the board,
and the other parts to lie under or alongside the board. We next bring up one of 5
the sleeves through gap (F) and in an open and flat condition place the cuff of such
sleeve on the cuff-board with its outer edge or end parallel with the edge of the
board, and at right angles to the line of motion in which the ironing board
moves.
The boards are then fed beneath the ironing roller, and with the outside edges of
both shirt and cuff coming under the roller before the cuff proper and hosom of the

page_text: front, these latter and the said edges are properly ironed, whilst all creases (if any)
appear at the edges adjoining the sleeve or shirt body where they are not
perceptible.
In ironing the other half-front and shirt cuff of the same shirt (or the cor-
responding half of any other divided shirt front) we place such half-front upon the
board (A) in the position shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 3, with the neck-band lying
in gap (C) and with the other and ironed half-front and cuff carefully placed below
the board. The sleeve of the cuff to be ironed is brought up through gap (F) and
the cuff placed on the cuff-board in like manner to the other cuff. The boards are
then again fed beneath the ironing roller and the cuff and half-front thereon are
ironed in the same effective manner as the other cuff and half-front, that portion (A*)
of the board (A) upon which the other half-front was ironed, being at the same time
dried by the ironing roller and made ready for the half-front of the next shirt.
The parts by which the board (A) is supported on its base are of a character which
allows ample room for the manipulation of the shirt, and for the reception of those
parts of the shirt which require to lie out of the way of the roller. In Fig. 4 we
shew the position in which a whole front is placed, the entire neck band lying in
gap (F) and the said front and shirt body entirely covering the board. The cuffs are
ironed in like manner to the cuffs aforesaid. The sides (A³) and (A+) of board (A)
are made slightly sloping to humor the shoulder parts of the shirts, but we may make
them straight. The gaps or recesses (C), (D) are of a curve suited to the neck-
band of the shirts.
Although preferring the shirt-ironing board in combination with the cuff-board, we
may use the shirt-board separately, and when used separately (or even with the cuff-
board) the part (A*) may serve for ironing the cuffs on when the half front shewn in
Fig. 3 is being ironed. Two cuffs may be ironed with one half-front, and in conjunc-
tion with the board (B) and part (A*) of board (A) upon both sides.
The expression "ironing-board," includes, and is synonymos with, the expression
"ironing-table," the same object being known by some persons as an "ironing-board,"
and by others as an ironing table."
66
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1: The manufacture and use of a shirt-front ironing-board (or table), substantially
as herein set forth.
2: The manufacture, use and combination of a shirt-front ironing-board (or
table), and cuff-ironing board substantially as herein set forth.
1. 1000
JAMES BRIGGS RUSSELL
THOMAS WARDROP, JUNK.,
JOHN STIRLING YULE.
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Patent Agents to the Applicants, 55, Market Street, Manchester.