Steam Pressing Iron With Automatic Condensate Removal

Abstract

An improvement in a steam powered pressing iron, in which steam is supplied by a boiler. The steam collects in a steam chamber inside a body 5 , and heats the iron. A lever 8 is depressed by a thumbpad 9 to actuate a steam discharge valve 10 . The steam discharge valve 10 discharges the steam to a garment being pressed. The improvement includes a steam trap valve 36 . The steam trap valve discharges condensate to a discharge return connector 38 , through the return hose to the boiler. The steam trap valve 36 is a thermodynamic steam trap, for preventing the flow of hot steam back to the boiler. But when in contact with cold condensate, the steam trap valve 36 automatically permits the flow of condensate back to the boiler. Cold condensate is automatically purged from the iron without operator intervention.

1 . A steam powered pressing iron, which receives steam from a boiler through a steam intake hose, to a steam intake connector;
 said boiler is capable of receiving condensate from the iron through a return hose;   said steam collects in a steam chamber inside a body  5 , and heats the iron;   a lever  8  is depressed by a thumbpad  9  to actuate a steam discharge valve  10 ;   said steam discharge valve  10  discharges the steam, under its steam pressure through a plenum to a plurality of vents  12  in a bottom  14  of the iron  2 , applying steam to a garment being pressed;   an improvement comprising:   a steam trap valve, to discharge condensate from the iron to a discharge return connector  38 , through the return hose to the boiler.   
     
     
         2 . A steam powered pressing iron, according to  claim 1  in which:
 the steam trap valve  36  is a thermodynamic steam trap, for preventing the flow of steam back to the boiler; 
 but for, when in contact with cold condensate, automatically permitting the flow of condensate through the steam trap valve  36 , out return connector  38 , through the return hose, to the boiler. 
 
     
     
         3 . A steam powered pressing iron, according to  claim 1  in which:
 the steam trap valve  36  is a thermodynamic steam trap, sometimes called a disc type steam trap valve, which comprises:
 a valve body  40 , 
 a threaded return connector  38 , 
 a valve seat  42 , 
 and cap threads  44 ; 
 
 to which the cap threads  44  are screwed a cap  46 ; 
 a disc  48  is captive between the valve seat  42  and the cap  46  when the cap  46  is screwed in place by its threads  50  to threads  44 , and is thereby assembled to valve  36 ; 
 disc valve  36  prevents the flow of steam back to the boiler; 
 but when in contact with cold condensate, valve  36  automatically permits the flow of condensate through valve  36 , out return connector  38 , through the return hose, to the boiler. 
 
     
     
         4 . A steam powered pressing iron, according to  claim 1  in which:
 no manual valve turning is needed to open valve  36 ; and 
 the cold condensate is automatically purged from the iron without operator intervention. 
 
     
     
         5 . A steam powered pressing iron, according to  claim 1  in which:
 the steam connector  24 , is located on a back  26  of the body  5 ; with both the intake hose and the return hose attaching near each other on the back  26 . 
 
     
     
         6 . A steam powered pressing iron, according to  claim 3  in which:
 no manual valve turning is needed to open valve  36 ; and 
 the cold condensate is automatically purged from the iron without operator intervention; 
 the steam connector  24 , is located on a back  26  of the body  5 ; with both the intake hose and the return hose attaching near each other. 
 
     
     
         7 . A steam powered pressing iron, in which:
 steam is supplied by a boiler through a steam intake hose, to a steam connector;   said steam collects in a steam chamber inside a body  5 , and heats the iron;   said boiler is capable of receiving condensate from the iron through a return hose;   a lever  8  is depressed by a thumbpad  9  to actuate a steam discharge valve  10 ;   said steam discharge valve  10  discharges the steam, under its steam pressure through a plenum to a plurality of vents  12  in a bottom  14  of the iron  2 , applying steam to a garment being pressed;   an improvement comprising:   the steam connector  24 , located on a back  26  of the body  5 ; with both the steam intake hose and the return hose attaching near each other, at the back  26  of the body  5 , to facilitate smooth movement of the iron.   
     
     
         8 . In a method of operating a steam powered pressing iron, comprising the following steps:
 steam is supplied by a boiler through a steam intake hose, to a steam connector  24 ;   said steam collects in a steam chamber inside a body  5 , and heats the iron;   a lever  8  is depressed by a thumbpad  9  to actuate a steam discharge valve  10 ;   said steam discharge valve  10  discharges the steam, under its steam pressure through a plenum to a plurality of vents  12  in a bottom  14  of the iron  2 , applying steam to a garment being pressed;   an improvement comprises the following step:   a steam trap valve  36  discharges condensate to discharge return connector  38 , through the return hose to the boiler.   
     
     
         9 . A method of operating a steam powered pressing iron, according to  claim 8 , in which the steam trap valve  36  is a thermodynamic steam trap, sometimes called a disc type steam trap valve, which comprises:
 a valve body  40 , 
 a threaded return connector  38 , 
 a valve seat  42 , 
 and cap threads  44 ; 
 
       said cap threads  44  have been screwed to a cap  46 ; 
       the steam trap valve  36  prevents the flow of steam back to the boiler; 
       but, 
       when in contact with cold condensate, the steam trap valve  36  automatically permits the flow of condensate through steam trap valve  36 , out return connector  38 , through a return hose, to the boiler. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a steam powered pressing iron, according to  claim 8 , including a step of moving said iron across a work surface;
 the improvement includes the steps of:   locating the steam connector  24 , at a back  26  of the body  5 ;   locating the threaded return connector  38 , near the steam connector  24  at the back  26  of the body  5 ;   said intake hose and a return hose thus both apply similar forces to the iron as said iron is moved across the work surface, thereby minimizing horizontal twisting forces on said iron, and thereby minimizing a tendency of said iron to yaw from hose-dragging forces.   
     
     
         11 . A method of operating a steam powered pressing iron, according to  claim 9 , including a step of moving said iron across a work surface;
 the improvement includes the steps of:   locating the steam connector  24 , at a back  26  of the body  5 ;   locating the threaded return connector  38 , near the steam connector  24  at the back  26  of the body  5 ;   said intake hose and a return hose thus both apply similar forces to the iron as said iron is moved across the work surface, thereby minimizing horizontal twisting forces on said iron, and thereby minimizing a tendency of said iron to yaw from hose-dragging forces.   
     
     
         12 . A method of operating a steam powered pressing iron, according to  claim 11 , comprising the steps of:
 locating a disc  48  between the cap  46  and the valve seat  42 , in a chamber formed thereby,   said steam causing the disc  48  to seat against the valve seat  42 ,   thus preventing a loss of the steam from the hot iron through the return hose;   but   said condensate pushing the disc  48  from the valve seat  42 , thus permitting draining of the condensate from the iron through the return hose;   automatically draining the condensate from the iron through the return hose.