US2999325A - Combination pad and cover unit for ironing table tops - Google Patents

Description

Sept 12, 1961 D. J. MUNsoN ETAL 2,999,325

COMBINATION PAD AND COVER UNIT FOR IRONING TABLE TOPS Filed Aug. 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l lllllllulllllv. lllllllllll f Il 1| f f/ f [U H l l l 4 H6 i l|- 'f E' I 7 INVENToRs 20 L DOA/,44o JMW/60N a" /6 l BY ROBERT 6057, ask 'gal i 42 Y' A/e Z9 I I A Tramways 2,999,325 COMBINATION PAD AND COVER UNIT FOR IRONING TABLE TOPS Filed Aug. e, 1958 Sept. 12, 1961 D. J. MUNsoN ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent C) 2,999,325 CMBENATN PAD AND CVER UNET EGR RONING TABLE TPS Donald J. Munson, Minneapolis, Minn., and Robert Gustin, Boston, Mass., assigner-s to The i. R. uClark Company, Spring Park, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Fiied Ang. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 7553,56?. 1 Claim. (Cl. 33-146) This invention relates to means for padding and covering the top or board of an ironing table.

The conventional ironing board is provided with a laterally tapering nose portion to facilitate the ironing of certain small objects. However, the tapered nose hampers the ironing of large flatwork objects such as sheets, tablecloths or the like where a long straight edge on the board is desirable. Accordingly, it has been found highly advantageous to construct the table top with laterally movable wings to till in the voids on either side of the tapered nose so that the top is convertible between a generally rectangular design and the conventional forwardly tapering design. Examples of this type of top construction are found in copending applications for patent Serial No. 641,149, now Patent No. 2,939,232, granted June 7, 1960, and Serial No. 731,537, now Patent No. 2,939,233, granted lune 7, 1960, respectively tiled on February 19, 1957, and April 28, i958, by the present applicant Munson. The pad and cover unit disclosed herein is particularly adapted for use With this type of convertible table top.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a combination pad and cover unit for an ironing table top, wherein the top is selectively expandable and contractable to provide different shaped ironing surfaces, which unit will automatically expand and contract with the top to fully cover 'the top in any adjusted condition.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a pad and cover for an ironing table top, the top having laterally movable wing sections for converting the top between a rectangular shape and an elongated endwise tapering shape, which pad and cover are laterally expandable and contractable to move with the wing sections to fully cover the top in either adjusted shape.

Another object of the invention -is to provide a pad of porous sponge-like material for an ironing table top having top surface members which are relatively movable on contingent planes for adjustment of the size of the ironing surface area provided by the top, the said pad having protective lining means isolating the sponge-like mateiial from the movable members to protect said material from wear and destruction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cover device for an ironing table top having a skirt for extending around the edge of the top to hold the cover in place, the said skirt so constructed as to provide a relatively tight peripheral grip on the top.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combination pad and cover unit for an ironing table top with the unit having a built-in centering means engageable with the periphery of the top to prevent lateral slippage and misplacement of the top under pressure incurred during the ironing operation.

With there objects in mind the present invention broadly comprises a combination pad and cover unit for an expandable nose ironing table top of the type described, wherein the unit is provided with a contractable skirt adapted to engage snugly around the peripheral edge of the top, and having tension members intercrossing under the nose portion of the top allowing the unit to expand and contract with the top nose portion. The invention ICC is further characterized by providing a liner means under the pad to lie immediately over the movable table top members to absorb wear and tension applied to the padding material. The unit is also provided with a continuous relatively stiff lip located just inside the skirt adapted to peripherally cap the table top to retain the pad in a centered position on the top.

The above mentioned and additional objects of the invention will be brought to light during the course of the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in Which- FIG. l is a plan view of the front portion of an ironing table top having a laterally expandable nose with wing sections of the top movable to the positions shown in broken lines.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the table top portion shown in FIG. 1 with the pad and cover unit, forming the subject matter of the present invention, applied t the top.

FIG. 3 is a transverse section through the top and pad and cover unit taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an inverted plan View of the top with the pad and cover unit applied thereto and with the nose of the ytable in expanded condition.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the side skirt of the unit in side elevation.

FIG. 6 is an inverted plan view of the top with the pad and cover unit attached thereto and with the nose portion of the top in collapsed condition.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section through the unit as applied to the top taken on line 7 7 of FIG. 2 and showing the pad and cover unit in inverted plan with the nose portion of the top expanded.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings reference characters will be used to denote like parts or structural features in the different views. The ironing table or the top thereof form no part of the present invention. However, portions of an ironing table top are shown in many of the views for a better understanding of the invention.

A form of expandable nose table top is designated generally at it?. The top is formed by longitudinal and transverse frame members denoted respectively at 11 and 12 having their ends connected by a peripheral rim 14. A section l5 of flat sheet material such a llattened expanded metal rests upon the frame members within the rim 14 to form a iiat ironing surface on the top. The

ltop is configured in conventional manner to have a tapering nose portion 16 terminating in a rounded front end 17. A pair of wing sections 18 are normally disposed within the table nose portion 1.6 and are pivoted near their rear ends on axis perpendicular to the plane of the sheet 15 for lateral movement between the relatively closed position shown in FIG. l and the expanded position denoted by broken lines. Movement of the sections lS may be eifected by a pivoted control 1.9 (FIG. 4) mounted on the underside of the table nose portion l5 and connected to the sections 18` by means of links 2t).

Accordingly, by operation of control 19 about its pivot the front portion of the top 10 may be converted between the conventional forwardly tapering shape (FIG. 1) and an expanded condition where the side edges thereof are parallel (FiG. 4).

The combination pad and cover unit for the top just described is designated generally by the numeral 24. The unit has a top sheet 25 of fabric material which is generally rectangular and substantially coextensive in area with the table top lil with the nose portion thereof expanded. One or more layers or sheets of padding material underlie the cover sheet 25. The padding is here shown as a sheet 26 of synthetic foam rubber sponge which is suiciently porous to allow the downward passage of steam therethrough. The sheet 26 is substantially equal -in area to sheet 25. Sheets and 26 are of such a size as to extend slightly beyond the peripheral edges of the table so as to have the marginal portions Z7 and Z8 thereof hang over the rirn 17 as shown in FIG. 3. A peripheral skirt for the unit adapted to engage downwardly over the rim 17 of the top andthe wing sections 18 is designated generally by the numeral 29. This skirt comprises an elongated strip of fabric which is cut on the bias as shown in FIG. 5 with the threads therein running obliquely with respect to` the longitudinal edges of the material. The upper edge of strip 30 is folded inwardly as at 31 inside a fabric strip 32 which covers the marginal edges of the sheets 25 and 26. A stitching 34 extends through the upper edges of strip 32, the sheets 25 and 26, and skirt 30 and its folded-over portion 3-1 to securely hold the various components of the unit together. The marginal portions of sheets Z5 and 26 form a lip covered by strip 312. and adapted to engage around the periphery of the table top to hold the unit in place on the top.

A folded welt strip 35 is stitched around the lower edge of the strip 30 and this holds a continuous length of elastic 36 which serves to pull the skirt 29 inwardly around the rim of the table.

Turning now to FIG. 7 which shows the unit in inver-ted plan as it appears with the table top wings 18 extended, the lip extending around the junction of the skirt Z9 with the pad 26 is clearly observable. This lip is denoted by its welt or covering fabric strip 32. It will be noted that with the pad and cover unit stretched out the lip covered by strip 32 is configured to lit closely around the periphery of the top. This assures a rm seating of the unit on the top to prevent lateral slippage under the pressures of the ironing operation. This lip also assures a taut and centered position of the pad forward portion without further effort after the table top has been converted from a contracted to an expanded position. This is due to the fact that the wings 18 engage the lip at each side of the expanding nose portion and simultaneously exert an outward force thereon.

FIG. 7 also shows the liner member 37 which is provided along the underside of the padding 26. This member has a general V-shape as shown and completely covers the underside of the padding 26 in the area along which lthe wing sections 18 move during their expanding or contracting movement. The outer edges of member 37 are stitched into the strip 32 along with the marginal portions 297 and 2-8 and the folded-over portion 31 of the skirt 3ft. Member 37 is formed of fabric and not only serves tto prevent wear or destruction of the portions of pad 26 covered thereby but also affords a relatively slippery surface, as compared to padding 26, so

as to ease the movement of the wing sections therealong.

It is found preferable to form the liner 317 in a single section to avoid any wrinkling thereof which might be caused by the lateral movement of the wings.

The pad and cover unit is mounted on the top as shown in FIG. 6 with the top in its normal forwardly tapering condition. Cross tension straps are used extending under the top to supplement the elastic skirt 29 in holding the unit snugly against the top. One such strap, denoted at 39, has one end attached to a portion of the skirt 219 and carries a clip 40 at its other end for releasably gripping the transversely opposing skirt portion. A pair of straps 41 are attached at transversely opposing points on the skirt 29 near the front end of the unit. Each of these straps 41 carries a clip 42. at its extended end. In w'ew of the normal looseness of the front portion of the unit Z4 when the wings 18 are contracted, the straps 41 are arranged in an intercrossing relation with each clip 421 being attached to the skirt 29 adjacent the opposing forward corner of the unit.

4. With such intercrossing arrangement of the straps the forward portion of the unit is held snugly around the tapered front end 16 of the table top. Straps 39' and 41 are longitudinally elastic and are stretched to be placed under tension prior to the attachment of clips 40 and 42.

It will now be understood that when control 19 is manipulated by the operator to spread the wing sections 18 to the position shown in FIG. 4 the tension straps 41 will yield allowing the unit 24 to be distended with the top. Conversely, when the wings 18 are contracted under operation of control 19 the crossed tension members 41 ywill pull the excess portions of the unit 24 again snugly around the nose portion of the top 10. Accordingly, the unit 24 automatically adjusts itself to the shape of the table.

The skirt 29 will automatically engage closely around the periphery of the top due to its inherent construction. As hereinbefore mentioned the skirt is continuous extending around the entire unit. Similarly the Welt 35 and the elastic cord 35 carried therein are continuous extending along the entire lower marginal edge of the skirt. Accordingly, the skirt is biased in a contracting direction. Moreover the contracting force of the member 36 is transmitted through the skirt strip 30 in intercrossing fortyve degree diagonal directions with respect to the plane of the top due to the fact that the strip is cut on the bias, as shown in FIG. 5. This construction assures a close binding contact of the skirt with the periphery of the top depthwise as well as throughout its continuous length.

We have thus provided a unitary pad and cover construction which economically and effectively carries out the aforementioned objectives. It is understood that suitable modifications may he made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modiications come Within the spirit and scope of the appended claim. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described our invention, What we claim to be new and desire fto protect by Letters Patent is:

A combination pad and cover unit for an ironing table top comprising a section of relatively thick padding material having a pad portion adapted to completely cover `the top and a peripheral marginal portion adapted to depend downwardly around the peripheral edge of the top, a cover sheet of fabric material completely overlapping the pad portion and having a peripheral marginal po1tion extending downwardly along the outside of the marginal portion of the padding material, a skirt extending completely around the peripheral edge of the top outside of the marginal portion of said sheet, said skirt, cover sheet and section being stitched together along the line of juncture of the section pad portion and marginal portion to form a xed continuous downwardly directed lip of said marginal portions within the skirt adapted to closely engage around the periphery of the top to prohibit lateral slippage of the unit along the top under normal ironing pressures, an elongated strip of fabric material covering the lip throughout its length, said strip being formed in a U-shape in cross section and extending downwardly inside the lip, then under the lip, and upwardly between the lip and skirt, and being held by the stitching along said line of juncture.

References (ited in the tile of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 457,033 Sanders Aug. 4, 1891 1,907,001 Gray Oct. 24, 1911 1,565,373 Kohn Dec. l5, 1925 2,521,534 Pattison Sept. 5, 1950 2,622,353 Mendelson Dec. 23, 1952 2,639,519 Polk et al. May 26, 1953 2,814,135 Freeman Nov. 26, 1957 2,850,817 Rudd et al. Sept. 9, 1958

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