US3007192A - Ironing aid - Google Patents

Description

H. N. QUOSS Nov. 7, 1961 IRONING AID Filed Dec. 11, 1958 I mum INVENTOR Henry N. Quoss ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofilice 3,007,192 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 3,007,192 IRONING AID Henry N. Quoss, 2124 Clearview Circle, Dallas 24, Tex. Filed Dec. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 779,652 1 Claim. (Cl. -561) This invention relates to fountain type sponges, or the like, and it has particular reference to devices which combine a water absorbent material, such as a sponge, with a water container whereby the sponge can be maintained in a moist condition.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a water container which has a suitable handle and to which is permanently attached a sponge having one of its faces applied to the container in such a manner as to absorb water dispensed therefrom through a plurality of orifices in one face of the container, such orifices being of a size calculated to dispense water in relatively small quantities thus preventing the sponge from becoming water-logged or soaked.

A prime object of the invention is that of providing a device having peculiar adaptation for dampening cloth for ironing in which operations it is desirable to apply moisture sparingly to avoid over wetting the garment to be ironed.

It is well known that fabrics should be moist when ironed and the conventional practice is to lightly sprinkle the garment with water and fold or roll the same for a brief period before ironing in order that its dampness can be as uniform as possible, but this practice is not always entirely satisfactory because the sprinkling process often fails to impregnate all portions of the garment resulting in dryness in spots which do not respond satisfactorily to the hot iron.

An object of the invention, therefore, is that of providing a device by which the dry spots, which will invariably occur after the usual sprinkling process, can be uniformly moistened to a proper degree so that ironing can proceed uninterrupted in a uniform manner and the garment will have no wrinkled or rough spots.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described in which the water-discharge orifices have expanded outlets, or recesses formed in their outer ends, providing receptacles in which the water can accumulate, soaking into the sponge gradually rather than flowing out of the container in continuous streams as would be the case if the outer dimension of the orifices was the same as the inner dimension since the capillary attraction of the sponge would tend to withdraw the contents of the container more rapidly.

While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing a transparent water container having a handle and having a sponge attached to its under surface.

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view showing a portion of the top broken away to illustrate the enlarged portion of one I of the orifices.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3 illustrating the enlarged outlets of the orifices open to the sponge, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional illustration, on lines 55 of FIGURE 3, showing the recess formed in one of the orifices in the outer surface of the bottom of the container.

The invention primarily comprises a container generally designated by the numeral 1 and is preferably formed of a transparent plastic material. A planar top 2 is provided for the container as well as a planar bottom 3v and parallel sides 4 and ends 5 which are bonded together to form an integral unit, or molded as desired. A handle 6 is formed With the top 2 and extends from one end thereof. As illustrated in FIGURE 3 the handle 6 has a greater thickness than the top 2 and a shoulder 7 is ormed to engage the upper edge of one end Wall 5. When the container is molded in a single unit the shoulder 7 can be eliminated.

The container 1 is provided with a closure plug 8 in the filler opening 9 in the top 2 and the plug 8 may be formed with a suitable handle 10. 'It is desirable that the container 1 be airtight to provide a vacuum therein so that its water content cannot flow freely therefrom through the orifices 11, which have enlarged recesses 12 in their outlet ends, but only when the container is shaken to cause the water to be expelled in droplets formed in the recesses 12 to be absorbed by a sponge 13 applied as by cementing to the under surface or bottom 3, as shown in greater detail in FIGURE 4.

The cavities or recesses 12 may be of any desired shape, such as providing a conical recess in the outer surface of the bottom 3 at each orifice 11 instead of the enlarged bore shown particularly in FIGURES 4 and 5. It is essential to the proper function of the invention to flare the orifices 11 outwardly to form the recesses 12 to prevent the sponge 13 from drawing the liquid out of the container 1 too rapidly. The sponge 13 should not be saturated but maintained only in a moistened state so that its moisture content can be transmitted to the work in relatively small quantities by gently tapping the fabric with the sponged surface of the container.

Although the invention has been described in detail, it is obvious that certain changes and modifications may be resorted to from time to time, in its structure and assembly of parts, without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An applicator for use in moistening articles of cloth preparatory to ironing them comprising a normally closed, relatively shallow receptacle having a planar top, a planar bottom, an elongated handle integral with the top and extending horizontally beyond one of its ends, and a sponge having planar top and bottom surfaces, and conforming generally to the shape of the receptacle, bonded to the under side of the bottom of the receptacle the receptacle having a plurality of uniformly spaced restricted orifices in its bottom, in opposed relation to the top surface of the sponge, and having an opening in its top whereby the receptacle may be filled with water, the arrangement being such that the receptacle, with its handle, and the sponge, is capable of being, employed as a paddle, to beat the surface of an article of cloth whereby the opposed surface of the cloth is moistened repeatedly as the sponge is brought in contact therewith, the orifices in the bottom of the receptacle being progressively enlarged as they approach the under side thereof, the receptacle having a closure for the opening in its top and, when closed, being substantially air tight whereby water may be discharged from the orifices only upon shaking the receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Leger Aug. 3, 1926 Kurtz et a1. Jan. 29, 1935 Seeberger July 30, 1940 Zimmerla Oct. 14, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Aug. 1, 1955

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