Abstract: The present invention is a device that automatically removes wrinkles from clothing, either at home or while traveling. It requires a minimum of effort to assemble, use or dismantle and can be packed for travel in a small, lightweight case. Clothing is placed in a modified "wardrobe" type bag that contains a secured, but removable, hand-held steamer, with an automatic shut-off valve at the bottom. The bag is secured to the top of a doorway or some other spot, the clothes are hung inside the bag at the top, and the door is zippered shut. The switch is then turned on and left on. When the cycle is complete, an automatic shut-off switch turns the steamer and an indicator light off. The clothes may then be removed for drying. When the device is no longer needed to be in use, or in preparation for travel, it can be collapsed and folded into a space that is about 1/10 of a cubic foot.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of preparing stacks of individual wet, dripless disposable towels ready for sealed packing. The apparatus includes a creel for rollably supporting a plurality of continuous rolls of disposable towel stock material formed of non-woven cotton cloth and the like. The apparatus in step sequence includes a guide for merging each length of towel stock material together and edgewise aligned after being drawn from each roll to form a web. The web is then drawn through a flood box whereinto a suitable washing and/or dermicidal liquid is pumped to completely saturate the web to produce a liquid saturated web portion. A squeeze roller arrangement positioned immediately adjacent the flood box removes some of the liquid from the saturated wet portion to produce a wet, dripless web portion which uniformly contains a preselected liquid content, depending upon preselected tensioning of the rollers. A collecting tank positioned below the flood box and the squeeze rollers collects excess liquid.

Abstract: A portable hand-held steam vacuum cleaner is provided which includes a housing having a handle portion and a nozzle portion. A reservoir is defined in the housing for retaining cleaning solution or water, and a heating unit is associated with the reservoir for heating the liquid so as to generate steam for delivery to a surface to be cleaned. A motor driven fan assembly is disposed within the housing in communication with the nozzle portion for drawing excess liquid and debris into the nozzle portion. The nozzle portion defines structure for separating and containing the liquid which is drawn into the vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: A steam generator for household use having a handpiece held by the user. The handpiece is provided with a potentiometer operable by a roller and connected, by a low voltage line incorporated in a steam conduit, to an electronic circuit which controls a motorized electro-valve for adjustment of the flow of steam. A switch mounted in series with the potentiometer, also carried by the handpiece, enables the steam flow to be interrupted completely.

Abstract: A clothes steamer which can be secured to a wall such as the wall of a hotel room, the steamer including a housing with a heating element in it. The element boils water which is in the housing and causes a flow of steam along a flexible hose to a nozzle. An audible warning device is provided for indicating that an adequate supply of steam is being generated.

Abstract: An electrical household appliance for steam cleaning comprises, within a monocoque body, a steam generator having a boiler and a steam delivery conduit extending from the boiler, a suction device arranged to draw fluids including an electrical aspirator, a container for collecting the matter drawn, and a hose assembly including a suction conduit and a sleeve in the wall of the conduit containing the steam delivery conduit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a steam system for repairing bent carpet fibres and includes a steam generator and an application tool having a head with a downwardly opening oven-like steam chamber fed by the steam generator to apply steam to the bent carpet fibres at a pressure and temperature to cause fibre relaxation. The head of the application tool further includes a fibre lifter for lifting the fibres to an upstanding position after they have been relaxed by the steam.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for generating vapor for a facial sauna includes a housing enclosing a vented liquid storage tank having an inlet for receiving liquid to be vaporized and an outlet. An electrically heated vapor generator is located in the housing and receives liquid from the tank outlet through an electrically operated diaphragm pump for producing vapor which is discharged from an vapor outlet in the housing. The housing includes an elastic wall portion immediately adjacent and confronting the diaphragm operating armature of the pump. The elastic housing portion is manually displaceable inwardly of the housing for displacement of the pump diaphragm by the armature to prime the pump. An adjustable control is provided for regulating the pumping rate of the pump. The vapor generator is provided with anti-sputter baffles to prevent liquid droplets from being discharged with the vapor.

Abstract: A combined vacuum cleaner and steam iron comprising a housing having a substantially flat bottom, which housing being provided with a chamber for containing water and another chamber for collecting dust, a heating device mounted in the water chamber by which steam is generated and thus discharged through a passage out of the water chamber, means for connecting various suction tubes, which means being formed integrally with the housing, a casing connected with the housing, in which casing a motor and a fan are provided for generating a suction force which is operable to introduce the dust through the suction tube into the dust chamber.

Abstract: A hand-held electrolytically heated steam producing apparatus, e.g., steaming iron, includes a hollow housing having an interior subdivided by a partition wall into a pair of compartments communicated by a passage. A first compartment accomodates a pair of spaced electrodes that are at different electrical potentials during steam-producing operations of the apparatus, while the second compartment is penetrated by a tubular stack extending from a steam outlet in the bottom wall of the housing to a given distance from the top wall of the housing but below the level of the passage. The top wall of the second compartment is also provided with a water inlet offset from the steam stack and equipped with a removable closure.

Abstract: An apparatus for spraying steam includes a base having a top surface, an upwardly projecting fixed pole segment and a plurality of downwardly extending openings positioned along the periphery of the top surface. A flexible steam hose includes a first end having a spray nozzle affixed thereto and a second end releasably coupled to a steam generating device within the base. A pole formed from a plurality of pole segments is vertically mounted to the fixed pole segments. The pole segments are constructed and arranged to be received in the openings in the top surface and to extend upwardly therefrom so that the pole segments and the top surface cooperate to form an open enclosure which can be used to retain the flexible hose therein. The nozzle may be suspended from the uppermost end of the pole. A cover is provided to be placed over the upstanding pole segments to provide a self-contained compact steamer with all components stored together.

Abstract: An electrically heated, hand-held portable facial sauna appliance has a top air inlet, side air inlet, an air flow adjustment arrangement and a fan to mix ambient air with steam generated from a quantity of water contained in an internal steam generating chamber having an associated electric heater and a bottom fill opening such that the appliance must be inverted to fill the chamber with water. A water trap and overflow arrangement in the container ensures that the chamber cannot be overfilled and enables the appliance to be overturned during use without leaking. The appliance is provided with attachments in the form of a facial mask, concentrator tube, brush and sponge, each designed to fit over a steam-air mixture outlet and control the quantity of air entering through the top air inlet.

Abstract: An appliance for removing creases is disclosed having a handle (1) and a body (2) comprising a tank (3) partially filled with water (4) heated by an electrical heating and vaporized element (5) connected to contact prongs (7). The vapor so produced flows through a duct (9) to orifices (11) in a plate (10) adapted to be slid over the surface from which creases are to be removed. The tank (3) is filled through opening (16) which is partially closed by an inwardly extending retainer flange (18) which is located between a stopper (20) for the filling opening (16) and a retaining finger (19). At its other end, the handle (1) has an opening (22) therein in alignment with a socket (8) which receives a removable plug (30) of a supply cord. When the plug (30) is in place (FIG. 1), it is impossible to turn the handle. Upon removal of the plug (30), the handle (1) may be pivoted about the axis of the opening (16) (FIG.

Abstract: A hand held apparatus for the vapor polishing of plastic surfaces by movement of the apparatus over a plastic surface to be polished includes a body portion defining a vaporizing chamber. A container for plastic solvent, such as methylene chloride, is mounted on one side of the body for flow of solvent into the chamber when the apparatus is positioned with the container disposed above the chamber, with the solvent flow being interrupted when the apparatus is inverted to dispose the container below the chamber. A thermostatically controlled electric heating element is disposed in the chamber for vaporizing the solvent. An open-end guide tube projects from the opposite side of the body and is in fluid communication with the chamber. The guide tube opens downwardly when the apparatus is positioned with the container disposed above the chamber for directing the vaporized solvent to the plastic surface to be polished.

Abstract: A steaming device for pressing and ironing fabric includes a hollow body and a sole plate having a pointed prow. A pair of passages lead from an electrolytically heated steam generator within the body to the front portion of the sole plate. The first passage is permanently open and leads to a plurality of first openings in a linear pattern generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the prow. The second passage leads to steam openings in the sole plate which latter openings extend transversely across the width of the sole plate rearwardly of first openings. The second passage is larger than the first and has more steam openings associated with it so that steam will flow through it more readily than through the first. A plug is associated with the top of the second passage. The plug can be moved from a position in which the passage is unblocked to a position in which the passage is blocked.

Abstract: A device for applying steam to the exposed surface of previously applied wallpaper so as to cause the same to penetrate the wallpaper and loosen the adhesive bond between the wallpaper and the underlying substrate. The device is a compact steamer for vertical surfaces which is composed of a forward steam plenum chamber and a rear water chamber having a common separating wall between them. The steam plenum chamber has a steam discharge opening in its front wall. Associated with the common wall is a steam passageway that is wholly contained within the steamer. The steam passageway leads from a steam entry port near the top of the water chamber to a steam discharge port in the steam plenum chamber. To heat the water in the water chamber to steaming temperature, a pair of mutually spaced electrodes is disposed in and near the bottom of the water chamber and is supplied with power through a manually operable switch. A cap selectively closes a fill-opening in the water chamber.

Abstract: A hand steaming device includes a housing having a reservoir adapted to contain a quantity of water, a pair of spaced apart electrodes immersed in the water in the reservoir for generating steam upon passage of electrical current between the electrodes through the water and a switch connected in circuit with the electrodes for selectively controlling the energization of the electrodes from a source of electrical power. The reservoir is provided with a fill port and a removable fill cap seals the fill port. The cap is movable between a first position wherein it seals the port and a second position wherein the port is not sealed. Control means are cooperatively associated with the switch and the fill cap and arranged such that when the fill cap is in the second position the switch is automatically opened to prevent energization of the electrodes and when the fill cap is in the first position the switch can be selectively closed to energize the electrodes or open to deenergize the electrodes as desired.