Carpet seaming iron
AssigneeGoodrich-Woo Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsGary Goodrich, Carl Sparks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carpet seaming iron has two heating elements to maintain the iron at desired temperature with a minimum of temperature oscillation. One element remains energized as long as the iron is switched on, while the other is controlled by a thermostat. With proper selection of the power of the first heating element, the iron achieves a very steady, minimally-oscillating temperature by cycling the second element on and off in response to actual iron temperature during use, supplementing the first element as needed. Larger oscillations such as exhibited with single-element thermostat-controlled irons are avoided by the relatively smaller power of the second element, the only element cycled on and off, even when the thermostat is mechanical.
Claims23
An electric carpet seaming tape iron, comprising:
- a base plate,
- a housing secured to the base plate and having a handle,
- a first heating element secured to the base plate and contained in the housing,
- a second heating element secured to the base plate and contained in the housing,
- a power cord supplying electric power to the iron and connected into the housing,
- a first circuit connected to power from the power cord and connecting power to the first heating element at all times when the iron is in an “on” condition for use, and
- a second circuit connected to power from the power cord and including a temperature control means for cycling the second heating element on and off in response to sensed temperature of the iron's base plate, as needed to maintain a desired range of temperature of the base plate during the iron's “on” condition.
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first circuit also includes a diode and first circuit switching means, for maintaining the first heating element at least at one-half power at all times when the iron is in the “on” condition and for selectively powering the first heating element at full power, whereby further combinations of power settings of the first and second heating elements are possible, permitting smaller increments of power levels to the heating elements.
An electric carpet seaming tape iron, comprising:
- a base plate,
- a housing secured to the base plate and having a handle,
- a first heating element secured to the base plate and contained in the housing,
- a second heating element secured to the base plate and contained in the housing,
- a power cord supplying electric power to the iron and connected into the housing,
- a first circuit connected to power from the power cord and connecting power at a base level to the first heating element at all times when the iron is in an “on” condition for use,
- a second circuit connected to power from the power cord and including a diode and second circuit switching means providing for powering the second heating element at either zero power, one-half power or full power, and
- temperature control means connected to the second circuit switching means, for cycling the second heating element on and off, at one-half power or full power, in response to sensed temperature of the iron's base plate, as needed to maintain in combination with the first heating element a desired range of temperature of the base plate during the iron's “on” condition.
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first circuit also includes a diode and first circuit switching means, for maintaining the first heating element at least at one-half power at all times when the iron is in the “on” condition and for selectively powering the first heating element at full power, whereby further combinations of power settings of the first and second heating elements are possible, permitting smaller increments of power levels to the heating elements.
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first heating element has a power capacity of 200 watts, and the second heating element has a power capacity of 400 watts.
An electric carpet seaming tape iron, comprising:
- a base plate,
- a housing secured to the base plate and having a handle,
- a heating element secured to the base plate and contained in the housing,
- a power cord supplying electric power to the iron and connected to the housing,
- a circuit connected to power from the power cord and including a diode and circuit switching means providing for powering the heating element at one-half power or full power, and
- temperature control means connected to the circuit switching means, for cycling the heating element on at half power or full power, in response to sensed temperature of the iron's base plate, as needed to maintain a desired range of temperature of the base plate during the iron's “on” condition.
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the temperature control means includes means for switching off all power to the heater element, so that to maintain a desired minimum temperature when the iron is idle, one-half power to the heater element can be cycled on and off as needed, and during active use of the iron, power to the heating element can be switched between one-half power and full power.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.