Abstract: A steam iron having a soleplate to be heated by a heater, an evaporation chamber disposed upon the soleplate, a tank located above the evaporation chamber, and a pump which delivers water from the tank to the evaporation chamber, wherein the pump is driven at specified intervals so as to generate extra steam, to attain an improvement of manipulation of the steam iron in ejecting extra steam and preventing blow-off of hot water.

Abstract: A power operated string vibrating device for selectively vibrating a string of a stringed musical instrument having at least one string. The string vibrating device comprises a support member positioned on the musical instrument proximate a string. A first pulley is rotatably mounted on the support member on a first side of a string for receiving a cable. The first pulley has one of the strings associated therewith. A second pulley is rotatably mounted on the support member on a second side of the string for receiving the cable. The second pulley is movable between a first position and a second position. A spring biases the second pulley towards the first position. An endless cable is drivingly interconnected to the pulleys such that when the second pulley is in the first position the cable does not contact the string, and when the second pulley is in the second position the cable contacts the string. An electric motor is mounted on the support member for driving the cable at a predetermined speed.