US2300230A - Thermometer unit for electric irons - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 27, 1942. F. KUHN ETAL 2,300,230

THERMOMETER UNIT FOR ELECTRIC IRONS Filed June 16, 1941 INVENTORS BY FRANK KUHN LAURENCE H. THOMAS ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 27, 1942 THERMOMETER UNIT FOR ELECTRIC IRONS Frank Kuhn, Detroit, and Laurence H. Thomas, Birmingham, Mich., assignors to American Electrical Heater Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 16, 1941, Serial No. 398,352

1 Claim.

The invention relates to electric laundry irons of the type in which the sol plate is heated by an electric heating unit clamped to the upper fac thereof and is covered by a hood to which th operating handle is attached. Such irons are generally provided with heat control means including an automatic thermostatic switch which cuts off the heat at a predetermined temperature. It is, however, desirable to accurately indicate the temperature of the sole plate while the iron is in operation, and for this purpose a thermometer may be provided.

It is an object of the instant invention to obtain a construction of thermometer unit which may be easily engaged with or disengaged from the iron without disassembly of other parts thereof.

It is a further object to obtain a unit in which the temperature measured is that of the sole plate adjacent to its working surface and in which the indicator is at the outer surfac of the hood.

Still further, it is an object to obtain a construction in which this thermometer unit may conveniently be placed within the space beneath the handle and between the supporting posts thereof.

With these objects in View, the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of an electric laundry iron with a part broken away and parts in section showing our improved thermometer unit in engagement therewith;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the unit detached;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

As illustrated, the electric iron is provided with a sole plate A having an electrical heating unit B in contact with its upper surfac and secured by a clamping plate C. D is the hood for covering the sole plate, and E is th handle secured to this hood. As shown, the hood D has a deck F covering a portion of its upper surface and forming a heat insulating air space between the hood and the handle E. The thermostatic switch for controlling the heating unit is not illustrated, but this is usually arranged within the hood in the space above the clamping plate C and forward of the longitudinal center of the iron. An indicator dial G for this thermostatic switch may be placed at the forward end of the deck F in rear of and adjacent to the forward post of the handle. This leaves an unoccupied space between the dial and the rear post of the handle, which we utilize for the placement of the thermometer.

The thermometer unit comprises a dial member H which is adapted for insertion in an aperture in the deck F, being provided with a peripheral flange H, for engaging the periphery of said aperture, and a radially outwardly projecting flange H for resting on the deck. The dial has suitable indications on its upper face and is preferably covered by a transparent panel I, which is secured to the flange H by an annular frame I and inbent ears I J is a bracket arm secured to the under face of the dial and depending therefrom and extending into a reces K formed in the sole plate. At the lower end of the bracket arm J is a laterally extending circular flange L beneath which is arranged a spiral thermostatic strip M. The outer end of the spiral is attached to an ear N depending from the flange L, while the inner end of the spiral is attached to a shaft 0 passing upward through the flange L an dial H. P is an index hand in the space between the dial and the transparent panel I and which is secured to the upper end of the shaft 0. For holding the unit in position, a resilient clip Q is attached to the underside of the dial, thi being adapted to pass through an aperture R in the hood and to form a snap engagement with the periphery thereof. When in position with the flange H resting on the deck, the flange L and spiral thermostatic strip will be held within the recess K, but free from contact with the walls thereof. Thus, the temperature of the sole plate will be accurately indicated by the position Of the hand P in relation to the indications on the dial.

What we claim as our invention is:

The combination with a laundry iron having an electrically heated sole plate and a hood covering the same, said hood being provided with a deck portion spaced above the same to form an intervening air chamber, of a thermometer unit comprising a dial plate arranged within an aperture in said deck, a bracket arm depending from said dial plate passing through an apertur in said hood and having its lower end positioned within a recess in said sole plate, a spiral thermostatic bar mounted on the lower end of said bracket arm, a shaft operatively connected with said spiral thermostatic bar extending upward through said dial plate, an index hand mounted on said shaft above said dial plate, and a clip on th lower side of said dial plate extending through said aperture in the hood and forming a snap locking engagement with the periphery of the latter.

FRANK KUHN. LAURENCE H. THOMAS.

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