US635632A - Self-heating flat-iron. - Google Patents

Description

No. 635,632. Patented Oct. 24, I899.

J. ABRAHAMSON.

SELF HEAT|NG FLAT IRON.

(Application filed Feb. 20, 1899.)

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" i'iE Sians JACOB ABRAHAMSON, OF WEST BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

SELF-HEATING FLAT =-IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,632, dated October 24, 1899.

Application filed February 20, 1899. $eria1 No. 706,200. (No model.)

To all whom it ntay concern.-

Beit known that I, JACOB ABRAHAMSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Heating Flatlrons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to fiat-irons, and pertains more particularly to self-heating fiatirons using hydrocarbons, such as kerosene or gasolene, for fuel.

The improvements consist in certain arrangements and combinations of the parts of the gas-generating device, which will be fully set forth and described in these specifications.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a selfheating fiat-iron that will require but little attention or skill to operate; second, to provide means whereby the hydrocarbon fuel will be thoroughly vaporized before it enters the tube leading to the atomizing-valve and during its passage through the reheating-chambers communicating with the above-mentioned tube this vapor will be reheated and freed from solid particles, gum, the. and, third, to provide an auxiliary heater by which the process of vaporization may be started.

In connection with this specification reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, throughout the several views of which similar figures of reference are used to designate similar parts and devices.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a fiatiron, showing my improvements attached thereto. Fig. 2'is a view-of the interior of the iron as it would appear if seen from above. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the vaporizing and reheating tubes. Fig. at is a transverse section of the iron, taken on the line 3 'y of Fig. 1 and viewed from the back end of the iron.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the device consists of a flat-iron shell 1 of any usual or suitable shape and having a removable cover 2 and handle 2, by which the iron is moved. A tank 3 for the gasolene or other hydrocarbon fuel is carried by the flat-iron and has a main supply-tube 4 and an auxiliary supply-tube 5 with shut-off valves 4: and 5 communicating with the interior of the shell 1.

Located within the shell 1 is a closed tank or receiver 6, adapted to receive and vaporize the hydrocarbon fuel supplied from the tank 3. I find it desirable in practice when using certain grades of commercial gasolene to place a chamber 11, similarly constructed to the chambers 11, which will be more fully de scribed hereinafter, between the supply-pipe 4 and the receiver 6 for the'purpose of depositing a part of the solid matter from the liquid gasolene on the surface of the wires in the cylinder 11 before the liquid enters the receiver 6. A vapor-tube 7 communicates with the chamber 6 and extends longitudinally along the fiat-iron to a reheating-chamber 11, into which it discharges. From the reheating-chamber 11 a second section of tube 7 is arranged to carry the vapor to a second reheating-chamber 11, similar to the first. The interior of the second chamber 11 is preferably in direct communication with the interior of the receiver 8, which discharges the heated vapor through theatomizing-valve 9.

As above described, one or more reheatingchambers are inserted at intervals along the tube 7. These heaters consist of hollow cylinders 11, communicating with the tube 7 and placed sufficiently near the burner-tube 10 to be heated by the flame therefrom. Within the cylinders 11 copper or other suitable wires 116 are laid loosely, as is shown in Fig. 3. These reheaters form an important feature of my invention, and their operation will be further described hereinafter.

As is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the front end of the burner-tube 10 extends'under the bottom of the tank 6, which is raised in the middle to receive the tube.

An auxiliary burner consisting of a hollow cup 12, having perforations 12 in its upper surface, is located under the end of tube 10 and communicates with the auxiliary supplypipe 5.

The operation of the heater is as follows: A small quantity of gasolene from tank 3 is admitted through the valve 5* and the tube 5 to the auxiliary burner 12 and is ignited by inserting a match through openings in the side of the shell 1. These openings are omitted from the drawings for the sake of clearness. The heat from the auxiliary burner raises the temperature of the receiver 6 above the point at which gasolene normally vaporizes. WVhen the receiver 6 is sufficiently hot, the valve 5 may be closed and the valve i gradually opened,th us allowing the gasolene to flow into the receiver 6 from the tank 3. Gasolene descends by gravity through the pipe 4 and the cylinder 11 and drops into the receiver 6, where it is immediately vaporized. The vapor thus formed passes out through the tube 7 and the reheaters 11 into the receiver 8 and is thence ejected through the atomizing-valve 9 by the pressure of the vapor in the receiver 6 as it expands under the action of the heat from the burner-tube 10. The jet of vapor from the atomizing-valve is injected into the open end of the burner-tube l0, entraining with it a portion of air from the open space 9 between the valve-opening and the end of the burner 10. The mixture of vapor and air passes out through the perforations 10, arranged along the pipe 10, and burns in proximity to the bottom of the flat-iron.

The forward end of the burner-tube,which extends under the raised bottom of the receiver 6,has perforations in its upper surface, as shown in Fig. 1, adapted to heat the receiver 6 after the flame of the auxiliary burner 12 has been extinguished.

In practice I prefer to bend the tube 7 around the burner-tube 10, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, for the twofold purpose of bringing it nearer the flame of the burners and for supporting the reheaters 11 in proper relation to the burner-tube.

I have found in actual use that a flat-iron of the kind described, in which the reheatingcyliuders 11 are not used, will in a short time become obstructed in the tube and atomizingvalve by the gum and heavier matter contained in commercial gasolene unless heavy pressure is maintained in the tank 3 by compressed air or equivalent means.

To produce an iron that will feed by gravity and at the same time be entirely free from danger of becoming obstructed, I have introduced the reheaters 11 before described. The gum and heavier matter in the gasolene collects upon the surface of the loose copper wire with which the cylinders are filled, due to the reduced velocity of the vaporized gas passing through them, while the high conductingpower of the copper and its relatively great heating-surface serves both to effectively superheat the gas and to vaporize a large part of the heavier matter that accumulates on the wires.

I prefer to arrange the reheaters as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8, using one on each side of the burner-tube 10; but if a single one or more than two were used the spirit of my invention would still be preserved.

By raising the bottom of the receiver 6 in the middle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:, I not only provide a simple means for heating it from the burner-tube 10, but two lower side portions or drip-chambers 6 are thus formed, into which the unvaporized gasolene may fall, thus preventing the liquid from entering the tube 7. A further means for preventing the entrance of the heavier matter into the flatiron is to extend the tubes 4 and 5 into the body of the tank 3 and above the level of the heavier oil, as shown in Fig. 1.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a self-heating flat-iron the combination with the supply-tank, the supply-pipe, the atomizing-valve, and the burner-tube having series of perforations; of a vaporizingchamber in proximity to the perforations of the burner-tube; an auxiliary burner below the vaporizing-chamber and arranged to project flame against said chamber; of a pipe connecting said auxiliary burner with the supply-tank; a tube for conducting vapor from the vaporizing chamber to the atomizingvalve; a reheating-chamber extending in proximity to the perforations of the burnertube, and containing pieces of heat-conducting metal, said chamber being interposed in the length of said vapor-tube and forming therewith a continuous vapor-passage, substantially as described.

2. In a self-heating flat-iron having a supply-tank, supply-pipe, atomizing-valve and burn er-tube having series of perforations, the combination of a vaporizing-chamber located within the body of the fiat-iron; of reheatingchambers containing loose pieces of heat-conducting material, said chambers being interposed between the vaporizing-chamber and the atomizing-valve; of-a vapor-conducting tube connecting in series the vaporizingchamber, reheating-chambers and the receiving-chamber of the atomizing-valve; of an auxiliary burner located below the vaporizing-chamber and having perforations in proximity to said chamber; and a tube connecting the auxiliary burner with the supply-tank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB ABRAHAMSON.

IVitnesses: I

GEO. B. WILLooX, O'rro R. GARBER.

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