Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Appliances for remo~ing creases from textile
materials by spraying steam produced in the appliance
onto the material itself are well known. ~wiss Patent
No. 626.129 and corresponding patents in other countries
illustrate appliances of this type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus the present invention provides an electric
appliance steaming fabric including a non-metallic hollow
body having (1) a first compar-tment for receiving and
containing water, (2) means for electrically heating the
water to produce steam, (3) means on said body for
electrically connecting said electric water-heating means
to a source of electric power, and (4) a second compart-
ment communicating with the first compartment for receiv-
ing and containing the steam, said second compartment
having a non-metallic wall with orifices formed therein
through which the steam can issue from said second com
partment for steaming said fabric without the non-
metallic wall contacting said fabric; a metallic sole-
plate having an exposed ironing surface; means for
removably attaching a sole-plate to the non-metallic
hollow body for ironing said fabric, said sole-plate
being in spaced relationship with said wall of the second
compartment so as to define therewith a third compartment
receiving steam issuing from said orifices in sai~ wall
so as to heat said sole-plate; steam outlets in said
sole-plate and communicating with said third compartment,
through which the steam issues for steaming said fabric
when said sole-plate is attached to said body; and seal-
ing means extending between said sole-plate and said
wall of said second compartment for sealing the periphery
of the space defining said third compartmentO
In another aspect the present invention provides an
electric appliance for steaming fabric including a non-
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metallic hollow body having (l) a flrst compartment forreceiving and containlng water, (2) means ~or electri-
cally heating the water to produce steam, (3) means on
said body for connecting said electric water-heating
means to a source of electric power, and (4) a second
compartment con~unlcatlng wlth the first compartment for
receivlng and containing the steam, sald second com-
partment having a non-metallic wall with orifices formed
therein through which the steam can issue from said
second compartment for steaming said fabric without said
non-metallic wall contacting sald fabric; a ~letallic
sole-plate; means for removably attaching the sole-plate
to the non-metallic hollow body for ironing sa.id fabric,
said sole-plate being in spaced relationship with said
wall of the second compartmert so as to define therewith
a third compartment receiving steam issuing from said
orifices in said wall so as to heat said sole-plate;
steam outlets in said sole-plate and communicating with
said third compartment, through which the steam issues
for steaming sald fabrlc when sald sole-plate is attached
to said body, and a peripheral raised edge on said metal-
lic sole-plate with a sealing washer mounted thereon,
the washer projecting toward and contacting the hollow
body, and said steam-containing third compartment being
sealed substantially solely by said washer.
Other aspects will become apparent from the follow-
ing specification. In certain embodiments a first part
(10) is formed by a hollow body made of plastic, a first
compartment (13) ls provided in which water may be
heated by an electric element (21) to produce steam.
The steam is able to reach a second compartment (1~)
in the hollow body, from which it can escape through the
orifices of a grill or perforated plate (22). A metallic
sole-plate (llb), provided with holes (32a) through which
the steam can escape, is attached to the first part (10).
The appliance can functlon in one of two ways: elther
as a crease-remover or as an iron.
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THE INVENTION
The attached diagrams depict, by way of examplë, three embo-
diments of the iron in accordance with the invention.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal median section of the first em-
bodiment.
Figure 2 i5 an analogous section of the second embodiment.
Figure 3 is an analogous section of the third embodiment.
Figure 4 is a partial section according to 4-4 of fig. 3.
The iron illustrated in figure 1 consists of two parts,
namely a part 10 similar to the crease-remover described in
the above-mentioned patent, which will be described in detail
below, and a part 11 consisting of a metallic sole-plate per-
manently attached to the part 10 by means of the screw 12.
The part 10 consists of a hollow moulded plastic shape,
containing a first compartment 13 separated by a wall 15 from
a second compartment 14 with which it communicates through a
space above the wall at 16.
A removable handle 17 is mounted and rotates in an opening
18 in the top of the part 10. Water is introduced into the
compartment 13 through this opening. The handle 17 serves to
manipulate the appliance when the latter is în the position of
use represented in fig. 1. In this position, a female electric
plug designed to mate with the pins 20 can be inserted into 19,
to supply power to an electric element 21, which serves to heat
the water in the compartment 13. The part 19 of the handle cons-
titutes a safety measure, since the handle 17 can not be rota-
ted and then removed unless the electric plug has been discon-
nected from the pins 20.
A grill or perforated plate situated in the lower part of
the second compartment 14 is surrounded by a piece 23 shaped
like an open chimney at the top and like a truncated cone 24
at mid-heigh~. A ball 25 moves freely inside this chimney.
When the appl~ance is in the position shown, the ball 25 rests
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on the grill or plate 22 leaving the chimney 23, 24 free.
If the appliance is inverted, the ball 25 drops into the
conical part 24 and blocks it.
This constitutes a safety measure, in that wllen the ap-
pliance is inverted the user is unable to introduce water
through the grill into the compartment 14, which would be
dangerous, particularly where the electric heating element
consis~ed of metal plates and where heating was effected by
the passage of current through the water between the immersed
plates.
The metal sole-plate 11 has an opening 26 coinciding with
the grill or perforated plate 22.
The appliance illustrated functions as follows:
The element 21 heats the water in the compartment 13 pro-
ducing steam which passes through 16 and enters the compart
ment 14, from which it escapes through the chimne~ 23 and the
holes in the plate 22. The steam issuing ~rom these holes may
serve to remove creases from a textile material when the ap-
pliance is moved in front of this material arranged vertically.
If, however, the appliance is used to iron a textile material,
the sole-plate ll functions as in a conventional iron and the
appliance operates as a steam iron with steam issuing through
the holes 22.
The appliance therefore has a two-fold use.
It should be noted that the presence of the metal sole-plate
allows a temperature of approximately 85 C to be attained,
whereas without this sole-plate the lower surface of lO would
hardly reach 70 C~
The reference numbers on the embodiment in figO 2 designate
features identical to those on fig. l, the difference being
that in figure 2, a detachable metal sole-plate lla which
hooks on to the part lO at 27 and 28 is provided. A washer
29 seals the ~int between lla and lO. The shape of the sole-
plate 11 is such as to form between it and the lower surface
30 of the part 10, a compartment 31 into which passes the
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steam issuing through the holes in the plate 22. Fur~hermore,
this sole-plate lla presents holes 32 through which the steam
in 31 can ~scape. The appliance then functions as a conventio-
nal steam iront
When the sole-plate lla is detached from the part 10, the
apparatus functions as a crease-remover.
The same reference numbers are used again on figures 3 and
4 to designate features identical to those in the example in
fi~. 1.
This third example differs from the first in that it con-
sists of a metallic iron sole-plate attached temporarily or
permanently to the part 10 and provided with an electric heat-
ing body 33 incorporated therein in a known manner. This sole-
plate is perforated by holes 32a, similar to the holes 32 in
fig. 2 and serving the same purpose.
34 is the control knob of the adjustable thermostat of the
sole-plate llb. 35 is the switch controlling 21 and 33.
The screw 37 is provided with a knob 36 which can be turned
to loosen the screw so that the sole-plate llb can be detached
from the part 10.
It should be noted that in this third example, the sole-
plate temperature is independant o the temperature of the
water, which is heated by the element 21. This presents the
advantage of a constant flow of steam through the holes 32a,
while the temperature of the sole-plate llb can be adjusted
according to the nature of the textile material to be ironed.
The appliance ma~ be used as a crease-remover in the same
manner as indicated for fig. 2.
