Improvements in Gas-heated Hand Irons.
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas-heated Hand Irons.
I, DUNCAN RAMSAY BLAIR, of 9, Southampton Street, Bloomsbury Square,
London, in the County of Middlesex, Secretary, 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:-
This invention has reference to irons for laundry work and similar smoothing
and pressing purposes and has for its object the production of an iron that (a)
requires no chimney, (b) gives off heat downwards into its base in a superior
manner, and (e) at the same time greatly lessens or entirely removes the tendency
of properly mixed gases to light back at the gas-nozzle when swayed to and fro by
the user.
In order to fully explain my 'invention, I have annexed a drawing showing
Figures 1 to 6.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of my iron.
Figure 2 is a plan, one half (the whole being symmetrical on each side of the
centre line) being drawn in section to more clearly show my series of gas-diffusing
and heat conducting side wings, together with the gas exit holes from the inner
tube.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section. Figure 4 is a cross section through the
line X, Y, looking to the blunt end of the iron, while Figure 5 is a similar section
looking to the point of the iron. Figure shows a mode of building up and
arranging the inner gas-pipe from tubes, etc. in lieu of casting it in one piece.
The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.
Except so far as modified in Figure 6, the metal portion of my iron is made in
two major pieces, A being the body and B the lid; A the base, and A2 the sides
of the body, whilst 13 is the handle bracket arranged at the cooler end of the iron,
and preferably carried rearwardly for the sake of greater coolness and hand space,
and B2 the inner tube.
The gas enters through the nipple B and mixes with the air in the usual
Bunsen style and passes forward into the inner tube B2 before mentioned. From
this tube its exit is made through a series of specially arranged holes B*, giving,
when lighted, horizontal flames which strike and play in and between a series of
gas diffusing, and heat-conducting wings A³ which carry the heat of the flames
downwards to the base A¹.
The inlet holes A* for further air for combustion are arranged in the lowest plane
in the body of the iron, and they are specially slanted forward, as shown, so that any
air forced into the body of the iron, by being waved in the user's hands, is dispersed
by the diffusing wings A3 and is thus unable to play directly on the small flames
with the consequent diminution of the side wafts of flame or gas.
The exit holes A³ for the consumed gases are arranged in the upper plane of the
inner chamber and these are simply drilled straight in.
By making my irons chimneyless I am able to introduce a sheet of asbestos Bo

page_text: (used for radiating the heat downward) and to extend it right into the nose of the
iron, as shown; and in this manner I greatly enhance the supply of heat so
essential to the nose of the iron.
The sides of the iron are continued up and brought into contact with the asbestos
pad and thus assist in conducting the top heat to the base, the escaping products
of combustion giving up heat to the last even when passing through the exit
holes.
The asbestos sheet fits down on the top edge of the sides and thus makes a good
joint forcing the products of combustion to make their exit through the holes A
specially provided.
The handle is made of wood and is hollow, and a hollow tube B6 is made to form
the fixing bolt with the object of keeping the handle cool.
A shield B7, shown in dotted lines, is made to extend from between the end of
the handle and the special loose wooden ring B8, and a cool contact is thus secured;
the other end of the shield may be rivetted-through a non-conducting pad if
desired to the front of the ornamental portion of the lid.
The lid is arranged to nip the asbestos sheet or pad between it and the top edge
of the iron sides and is fixed by screws as shown. An ornamental knob or swell
helps to counterbalance the heavier rear end of the iron.
Referring to the modification of the inner gas tube shown in Figure 6, the
tail B of the lid has a hole drilled to receive an iron or other pipe B2 on which a
nut Bo has been screwed. After the pipe has been placed in position a deeper nut
than necessary B is used for fixing it, and into the extra length of nipple thus
formed the Bunsen burner tube B12 is screwed, as shown.
It is obvious that a front handle-bracket could be arranged, or if desired handle-
brackets, fore and aft, but neither of these plans gives such a cool result as the rear
handle-bracket, and I have therefore shown no other.
It will be noticed in the drawings that the diffusing-wings and the inlet holes
for air tend to converge all gas, flames, and air towards the nose of the iron as it is
there that a sufficiency of heat is most desirable. The counterbalancing knob B¹³ is
arranged behind the front uniting screw, the whole being designed to allow the
user a good view downward on the nose of the iron when standing over it:
Referring again to Figure 6, a further modification may be made by casting the
tail piece 139 solid with the base of the iron, instead of solid with the lid, the fixing
of the tubes being then proceeded with as before.
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. In a gas-heated hand iron a chimneyless lid in combination with a rear
handle-bracket and handle, a continuous sheet of asbestos reaching from end to
end, and a horizontal inner tube with horizontal exit holes, complete with the outer
Bunsen air mixing tube and nipple, substantially as described and shown, with
the object set forth.
2. In a gas-heated hand iron the combination, in one piece, of the body of the
iron, with a series of gas and air diffusing wings and heat conductors, admission
holes for additional air drilled in lines slanting to the nose complete with exit holes
in the otherwise solid sides, substantially as described and shown, with the object
set forth.
3. The combination of the lid, as in Claim One, with the body of the iron, as in
Claim Two, the whole united by three screws and forming a complete hand iron
in which the flames play on and between the said wings, substantially as described
and shown, with the object set forth.
4. In a gas-heated hand iron the built up tube arrangement as shown in Figure 6,
whether the tail piece 139 be cast solid with the base or with the lid, substantially
as described, with the object set forth.
5. In a gas-heated hand iron a series of inlet holes for air arranged in slanting

page_text: lines converging to the nose, substantially as described and shown, with the object
set forth.
6. In a gas-heated hand iron a hollow wooden handle fixed by a hollow bolt and
nut, substantially as described and shown, with the object set forth.
7. The general arrangement of gas iron as described and shown with a special
reference to Figure One, having a rear handle-bracket and handle, and an
ornamental counterbalancing knob near the nose, with the object set forth.
Dated this Twelfth day of August 1898.
WM. SNOWDON,
(Agent for the Applicant),.
(Box W.S.) 24, Basinghall Street, Leeds, Yorks.