US2542037A - Ironing board having fastening means - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 20, 1951 A. P. LANTZ IRONING BOARD HAVING FASTENING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1947 ON .N Q mN QLFC 3 I ON N mN mm 1 I On mm mN A LPHA PERRY LANTZ.

Feb. 20, 1951 A. P. LANTZ 2,542,037

IRONING BOARD HAVING FASTENING MEANS Filed Feb. 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi as es 2| Z l l 5 0 57 45 57 gmmm V ALPHA PERRY LANTZ V o 49 5&4)

Feb. 20, 1951 A. P. LANTZ 2,542,037

IRONING BOARD HAVING FASTENING MEANS Filed Feb. 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 F G. n. 3 2 0 ALPHA PERRY LANTZ Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IRONING BOARD HAVING FASTENING MEAN S.

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved hinged sectional ironing board of the type adapted: to be folded into compact form rendering the same easily portable as in a suitcase or conveniently carried package.

The invention is designed to supply a common need of people traveling from place-to-place and stopping at hotels or apartments where ironing boards are not usually at hand, in meeting emergent or desired uses, it is simply necessary for one to unfoldv his own board, accompanying his package, and attach. it to a convenient means, as the usual dresser drawer, in a position for iron- In an ironing. board. of the character referred to the sections of the board are rendered self-supporting, so to speak, that is, capable of performing their functions when extended and temporarily mounted at the inner end of. the inner section of. the board upon an opened drawer or the like; rendering it unnecessary to provide props or legs for the outer or free end section of the board, and leaving the board entirely unobstructed throughout for the slipping of garments thereover and therearound in the manipulation of the latter when. ironing the same.

- Two primary objects underlie the preferred r ironing position, in a substantially level position, the latter means comprising hooks and shanks of minimum thickness, but suflicient strength, and means associated therewith for ad-- justing the hooks and shanks to accord with conditions' found in the dresser or the like the ad justingmeans being located substantially within the area of the bottom of the inner section of the board to' oifer no substantial obstructions or projections below the plane of the bottom of the board that might interfere with the arrangement of the board when. rested upon the top of the front of the-dresser when the board is hooked into the dresser or the like, as by engagement behind the bridgepiece, always present ina. dresser or the like; and spanning. the drawer opening.

, In the said preferred embodiment of the invention will. be found important and advantageousdetails of construction and arrangement, all of which will be readily understood from the specific description hereinafter contained when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and wherein said preferred embodiment, and others, are illustrated.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of the complete ironing board in unfolded or ironing condition.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the same, detail parts being shown diagrammatically but completely illustrated inother figures.

Figure 3 is an enlarged bottom view of a portion of. the inner section of the board illustrating one of the attaching hooks and adjusting means therefor, it being understood that the hooks and adjusting means are identical wherever em ployed, a pair being sufficient in the present case.

Figure 4 is a sectional View through a central longitudinal line of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse section on theline 6-4) of Figure 3- looking to the right. or in the directtion of the arrows.

Figure '7 is a similar view on the line 'I--'! of Figure 3 looking in the opposite direction.

Figure 8 is a bottom section and elevation approximately on the line 8-8 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is an end view of Figure 4.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view of the abutting ends of the hinged sections of Figure. 1, enlarged, to illustrate one of the hinge members,- it being understood that the hinge members are alike.

Figure 11 is an end view of the same.

Figure 12 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view onthe line 12-42 of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is an end view of one of the abutting ends of Figure 10, parts of the hinged member being shown in section.

Figure 14 is an edge view of Figure 13, parts being broken away to show the inner construction of the abutting ends of the board.

Figure 15 is a vertical sectional view through abutting end portions of the board, the one section of the board being folded onto the other.

Figure 16 is abottom view of Figure 10..

Figures 17 and 18 are respectively a crossv section and a detached view illustrating a modified formation of hinge member.

Figure 19 is a detached elevation illustrating a modified form of the latching device of Fig- ..ure 3.

and strong and rigid in character, preferably wood, but in instances metal such as aluminum} or plastics may be utilized. i

In fulfilling the purposes or objects of the present invention, it is desirable that the outer section 28 may be folded over and upon the top of the inner section 2| and to better enable this to be done it will be observed that the thickness of these sections be of substantial depth for three purposes (see Figure 12) First of all it is highly important that the outer section be self-sustaining, that is, devoid of any such additional elements as legs or props to which end the abutting edges 22 extend well below the upper hinged edges 23 thereof to assist in relieving the strain on the hinges incident to downward pressure, in ironing, on the outer section 20; that the hinges be so arranged that the folding of the outer section 20 may be downwardly onto the inner section 2i without any interference in the movement of portions thereof to the complete folding of the sections; and also thatthe hinging be of a form to occupy a position completely below the plane of the upper surfaces of the board, when the sections thereof are extended for ironing, so that the combined ironing surfaces of the board will be in the same plane throughout and smooth, to avoid projecting parts above the ,upper surface of the board that would obstruct or interrupt the movement of an ironing implement over the ironing face of the board. Therefore, the upper adjacent corners of the meeting edges of the board are formed with recesses 24 of the board in which metal hinge links 25 are 10- ,cated, the parallel arms 26 of the links passing through tubular keepers 27 formed by folding flat sheet metal upon itself (Figure 12) and se curing the overlying flanges 28 and 29 thereof in complemental relatively shallow recess portions 3| in the upper faces of the board sections, so as to be flush and continuous with the ironing faces 3! of said sections. The flanges 28 and 29 being conveniently fastened through the body of the sections and through a reinforcing plate 32, similarly embedded in the bottom surfaces of the sections, by rivets 33. This arrangement and formation of hinging will permit the board sections, when extended, to be-perfectly fiat throughout their ironing face, will strongly support the outer section through the immediate hinge construction braced'for considerable depth "below the hinge by the contacting portions of the meeting faces of the sections below the hinge (Figure 12), and will permit the outer section to befolded flat onto the surface of the inner section' without interference or obstruction (Figure sections 29 and 2|, the lower plates 32 each carry lugs 34, adapted to underlie the opposite plate when the sections are opened to ironing position (Figures 2, 12 and 16), and preferably 'the metal of the plates 32 is carried upwardly and around the side edges of the sections 29 and 4 2| as shown at 35 to the top plates 29, and inwardly as at 36 to overlie or embed in the meeting ends of the sections 2|? and 2 l, The wooden, or other portions of the material of the sections is thus preserved against breaking, chipping or cracking under the changes or weight of throwing the outer section 29 to open position which may at times occur in careless or indifferent setting up and use of the board.

In folding the outer section 20 of the board over onto the section 2| thereof, it will be seen that as the section 2|] is swung upwardly it will be at the same time raised with reference to the section 2| through the medium of the hinge links 25 and the upper adjacent corners of the board sections cannot interfere with each other during the folding movement of the board. Instead of having the hinge member 25 in the form of a complete loop, as illustrated in Figure 10, the

' same may be of the formation illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 wherein it will be seen that the substitute for the link is formed of a U-shaped member 31 adapted to have its arms 28 ea'ch're ceived into the bearing portion of a keeper 39, the securing flanges of the latter being indicated at 4|] and 4| after the fashion of the equivalent construction illustrated in Figure 12.

The arms of the U-shaped member 3'! are grooved as at 4'2 and the bearing portion of the keeper 39, in this instance, indented or depressed as at 43 to permit the hinge member 2? to have freedom of rotative movement while at the same time being held against endwise displacement of the arms 38 from the keepers 39.

The foregoing described hinging feature of the ironing board is not claimed herein inasmuch as the claims thereto are withdrawn from the instant application for a co-pending divisional case. The means for enabling attachment of the ironing board to a handy piec'eof furniture, as when the same is supported on the partially opened drawer of a dresser, desk or the like, the inner member or section 2| of the board is provided with a pair of hooks l i projected outwardly from the inner end of the ironing board and adjustably held thereon through the medium of elongated hook shanks 35, slidably mounted endwise on the under face of the board, the shanks being of relatively thin formation so as to move approximately in the plane of the under face of the board to present no substantial obstructions beyond said plane when the under surface of the board is rested on the upper edge of the drawer and the hooks engaged with the customary bridge piece found above the drawer opening. Preferably there are two of these hooks and shanks as illustrated, one near each edge and running'parallel with the edges of the board (Figure 2). 1 The underpart of the board is provided "with upwardly extending recess or groove portions 45 complemental to the shanks 45 of the hooks, these groove portions being of a length commensurate with the length of the hook shanks when they,

are in closed position (Figure 4) but sufiiciently long to accommodate a number of detents to cooperate with latching means for the Various positions of adjustment of the shanks and their hooks.

The detents referred to are represented atll and are constituted by inwardly turned flanges of a plate 53 embedded in the bottom 'of 'the board section 2| and having intermediate the detents 41 arched or connecting members 49 spaced upwardly from the detents 41 providing therebe tween guideways 5|] for a widened and raisedend it at the outer: end of the shank 45,, the: guide portion of the plate, and oppositely offsetting the plate at 52 From the construction just described it will. be seen that the shanks ofv the hooks may be moved outwardly or inwardly, being guided" and confined. at all times to. the horizontal portions of the shanks by the head portions passing. between the detents 41- and the members 49 or ways 50. The latching means for engaging the detents 47 comprises a 'T-shaped member 53' composed of wire, the stem portion 5' of which is coiled into springs 55 extendedin opposite directions and sleeved upon a rod 56, riveted at its ends 51 to the raised or offset end or head 5| of the shank '45", the free ends 58 of the springs projecting in a direction opposite to the stem portion 54 and impinging upon the under surface of the oiiset end 51 to normally force the T-head of the structure upwardly and hold the same in positionto automatically engage any one of the d'e'tent's 41 as determined y the adjustment of the hook tc wards or from the inner end of the board.

The T-he'ad of the latch is specially formed by extending the" wires constituting the stem outwardly in opposite directions (Figure 3) then upwardly as at 59 to give adequate height to the latch, and then by return bend 6'0 downwardly mit sliding of the hook shank to another position of adjustment.

It will be understood that'the means for guiding and latching the hooks in position, apart from the hook shanks and latching means'pers'e, may

all be formed of a single piece of. metal and readily installed in the board section 2|, as by rivets or the equivalent G3, the end of the board itself being reinforced by having. the inner end of the plate 48 passing upwardly over the end face of the board as at 64' and over the topof the board as at 65.

Where desirable the surfaces and corners of the board may be provided with rubber or felt surfacing to prevent marring. the finish of the furniture to which the board is secured, as for example, by pads 66 on the inner end of the board section 2| and the similar lining; fi1 on the upper face of the shank 45 of the hook. The rubber lining. 61 on the upper face of the shank 45, as clearly indicated in Figure 5, is of slightly less width than. the shank to save the rubberfrom impairment by rubbing on the metal edges or surfaces of the metal guiding portions of the device, it bein noted that the oppositely offset portion 52'', cooperating with the guide 52, is spaced upwardly a su'flicient' distance to leave a space 52a through which the rubber may freely pass while the edges of the metal shank bear against the shoulders 52b, of the member 52 thereby avoiding any wear on the rubber. A similar formation of the metal 64, at the end of the board, provides a similar space 520 directly above the guide 52 so that at this point the edges of the metal shank 61 will work against the metal edge of the plate 64 and the rubber lining will have 6 free passage, that is, without rubbing contact, through. the said space 520'.

The formation of the latch 53 is effi'cient and strongior the purposes herein intended, it being pointed out that the same is conveniently made up ofv steel. wire having a springy characteristic and: coiled as at 55', but it may be desirable, in instances, to further reinforce the T-head 53, and in such case the space 68 between the opposite portions of the wirin of the T-head may beconnect'ed. by a supplemental strip or piece of metal 69 secured to the opposite ends or return bend portions of. the T-head,see Figure 19.

In: Figure 20 a slightly modified. form of the hook shank, here represented at 16, is shown, the

'same having" an upwardly bent reduced or neck portion. ll, connected with a head portion 12. This form enablesv the making of the hook and shank of a strip: of metal of uniform width throughout in lieuof: having the outwardly extending head. ortion. or flan es 5! of the previously mentioned embodiment of the invention, it being understood that, where used, the instant form of hook and shank will, of course, be such that the head portion 12 will ride in the ways formed beneath the flanges forming detents 41.

1. A portable ironing board having longitudinally extending channels at its inner end and securing means in the channels for temporarily attaching the board to an article of furniture, the securing means comprising hooks and guide members for the hooks, each of the hooks including an elongated shank, a head portion at the end of the shank, an offset portion in the shank adjacent to the head portion, and a latch mounted on the head portion, each of the guide members comprising a plate having a guide adjacent to the inner end of the board for receiving the shank of one of the hooks, a plurality of spaced U-shaped strap members pressed upwardly from the plate to provide a top' and side walls of a guideway, and horizontal, inwardly directed spaced extensions providing a bottom wall for the guideway and abutments to be engaged by the latch, the head portion of one of the hooks being slidably received in the guideway.

2. A portable ironing board havingv longitudinally extending channels at its inner end and securing means in the channels for temporarily attaching the board to an article of furniture, the securing. means comprising hooks and guide members. for the hooks, each of the hooks including an elongated shank, a head portion at the end. of the shank, an oll'set portion in the shank adjacent to the head portion, and a latch mounted on the head portion, each of the guide members comprising plate having a flange at one end bent to engage the end and top surfaces of the board, a guide adjacent to said flange to receive the shank of one of thehooks, a plurality of spaced U-shaped strap members pressed upvwardly from the plate to provide a top and side walls of a guideway, and horizontal, inwardly directed spaced: extensions providing a bottom wall for the guideway and abutments to be engaged by the latch, the head portion of one of thehooks being slidably received in the guideway.

3. A portable ironing board having longitudinally extending channels at its inner end and securing means in the channels for temporarily attaching the board to an article of furniture, the securing mean comprising hooks and guide members for the hooks, each of the hooks including an elongated shank, a head portion at the end of the shank, an offset portion in the shank ad- 'qjacent to the head portion, and a latch mounted on the head portion, each of the guide members comprising a plate having a guide adjacent to the inner end of the board for receiving the shank of one of the hooks, a plurality of spaced U-shaped -strap members pressed upwardly from the plate to provide a top and side walls of a guideway,

'and horizontal, inwardly directed spaced extensions providing a bottom wall for the guideway and abutments to be engaged by the latch, the head portion of one of the hooks being slidably received in the guideway, said guide comprising .a U-shaped strap pressed downwardly from the plate and a web in the plate adjacent to the downwardly pressed U-shaped strap.

4. A portable ironing board having longitudinally extending channels at its inner end and ecuring means in the channels for temporarily attaching the board to an article of furniture, the

securing means comprising hooks and guide members for the hooks, each of the hooks including an elongated shank, a head portion at the endof the shank, an offset portion in the shank adjacent to the head portion, a latch mounted on the head portion, and a furniture protecting pad secured to the shank, each of the guide members comprising a plate having a guide adjacent to the inner end of the board for receiving the shank of one of the hooks, a plurality of spaced U-shaped strap members pressed upwardly from the plate to provide a top and side walls of a ,guideway, and horizontal, inwardly directed .spaced extensions providing a bottom wallior 'the guideway and abutments to be engaged by the latch, the head portion of one of the hooks being slidably received in the guideway, said guide comprising a U-shaped strap pressed downwardly from the plate and a web in the plate adjacent to the strap having a depression therein and said pad being of less width than the shank and freely passing through the depression in the web.

5. A portable ironing board having longitudinally extending channels at its inner end and securing means in the channels for temporarily attaching the board to an article of furniture, the securing means comprising hooks and guide members for the hooks,.each of the hooks including an elongated shank, a head portion at the end of the shank, an offset portion in the shank adjacent to the head portion, and a latch mountinwardly directed the latch, the head portion of one of the hooks Lbeing slidably received in the guideway, said latch including a T-shaped head and spring means for holding the T-shaped head in position to rest on 1 the U-shaped strap members and to engage with the horizontal extensions.

'6. A portable ironing board having longitudi nally extending channels at its inner end and 'securing eans in the channels for temporarily attaching the board to an article of furniture, the securing means comprising hooks and guide members for the hooks, each of the hooks including an elongated shank, a head portion at the end of the shank, an offset portion in the shank adjacent to the head portion, and a latch mounted on the head portion, each of the guide members comprising a plate having a guide adjacent to the inner end of the board for receiving-the shank of one of the hooks, a plurality of spaced 'U -shaped strap members pressed upwardly from the plate to provide a top and side walls of a guideway, and horizontal, inwardly directed spaced extensions providing a bottom wall ,tor the guideway and abutments to be engaged by the latch, the head portion of one of the hooks being slidably received in the guideway, said latch comprising a T-shaped head formed from spring wire and a, stem portion coiled to form a spring for yieldably holding, the T-shaped head in position to rest on the U-shaped strap members and to engage with the horizontal extensions. 1 7; A portable ironing board having longitudinally extending channel at its inner end and securing means in the channels for temporarily attaching the board to an article Otiurniture, the securing means comprising hooks and guide members for the hooks, each of the hooks including an elongated shank, a head portion atuthe end of the shank,-a-n offset portion in the shank adjacent to the head portion, and a latch'mounii ed on the head portion, each of the guide members comprising a plate having a guide adjacent to the inner end of the board for receiving the shank of one of the hooks, a plurality of spaced U-shaped strap members pressed upwardly from the plate to provide a, top and side walls of a guideway, and horizontal, inwardly directed spaced extensions providing a bottom wall for the guideway and abutments to be engaged by the latch, thehead portion of one of the hooksbeirig slidably received in the guideway, said latch comprising a T-shaped head formed from spring wire, a reinforcing plate attached to the head, and a stem portion coiled to form a spring for yieldably holding the head in position to rest on the U-shaped strap members and to engage with the horizontal extensions. ALPHA PERRY LANTZ.

REFERENCES CITED I The; following references are of record in the file of this patent:

"UNITED STATES PATENTS D te 2,486,606 Lantz NOV. 1, 1949

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