Wiktor Wise
The electric flat iron was invented in 1882 by Henry W. Seely, also known as Henry Seely, from New York City. Seely's model had built-in coils and was heated on a rack. This invention came at a time when irons were heated by fire or filled with hot materials like charcoal, and it solved the problem of having to constantly reheat irons. However, it took a long time to heat up and cooled down quickly. The widespread electrification of American homes in the 1880s and the introduction of electric irons with cords in the early 20th century further revolutionized ironing, making it more convenient and accessible.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Henry W. Seely |
| Location | New York City |
| Year | 1882 |
| Date | June 6 |
| Patent Number | 259,054 |
| Design | Built-in coils, heated on a rack |
| Problem | Long heating time, rapid cooling |
| Partners | Dyer, Samuel Insull, Richard N. Dyer |
| Patent Year | 1883 |
| Patent Object | Utilize electric currents to heat flat-irons |
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Henry W. Seely's 1882 patent
On June 6, 1882, Henry W. Seely of New York City patented the first electric flat iron. The patent was called a "smoothing iron" or "electric flatiron" at the time. Early electric irons developed concurrently in France used a carbon arc to generate heat, but this was deemed unsafe and unsuccessful. Seely's invention aimed to harness electric currents from any suitable power source to heat flat-irons, fluting-irons, and similar utensils. His model featured built-in coils and was heated on a rack. However, it had the drawback of requiring a long heating time and rapidly cooling once in use.
The development of the electric iron coincided with the widespread electrification of American homes in the 1880s. Before the advent of electricity, irons were heated by fire or filled with hot materials like charcoal. The use of hot, flat surfaces for fabric smoothing and crease removal dates back millennia and can be traced to various ancient civilisations. For instance, the Chinese employed hot charcoal in metal pans, while Western cultures utilised smoothing stones in the 8th and 9th centuries.
Henry W. Seely's patent built upon earlier innovations in ironing technology. By the early 1880s, several individuals had contemplated using electricity to power ironing, but Seely was the first to create a workable design and obtain a patent. In 1871, an iron with a removable handle was introduced, marketed as "Mrs. Pott's Removable Handle Iron." Prior to that, during the Industrial Revolution, irons were filled with hot coals or placed directly in the fire to heat their surfaces.
Seely's patent played a pivotal role in the evolution of the electric iron, paving the way for subsequent advancements. In 1883, Seely, in partnership with Dyer, patented a different "electric flat iron." They devised a "cordless" iron that utilised a stand heated by electricity, addressing concerns about the inconvenience of a continuously plugged-in iron. The introduction of irons with electric cords in the early 20th century marked a significant breakthrough, eliminating the longstanding need for constant reheating.
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Early electric irons
The invention of the first resistively heated electric iron is credited to Henry W. Seeley (or Seely) of New York City in 1882. The electric iron was invented at the time of the widespread electrification of American homes. Early electric irons had no easy way to control their temperature and took a long time to heat up, cooling rapidly once in use.
Before the invention of the electric iron, irons were heated by combustion, either in a fire or by filling the iron with hot materials like charcoal. Other methods included placing the iron directly on a stove plate or gas flame. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, irons were heated by fuels such as kerosene, ethanol, whale oil, natural gas, carbide gas, or even gasoline.
In 1880, an iron heated by a carbon arc was introduced in France, but it proved too dangerous to be successful. Early electric irons developed in France around the same time as Seeley's patent used a carbon arc to create heat, which was also unsuccessful and unsafe. Seeley's electric iron had built-in coils and was heated on a rack. In 1883, Seeley and his partner, Dyer, patented a "cordless" iron, which was heated on a stand by electricity. They were concerned about the inconvenience of having the iron continuously plugged into an electrical circuit.
The first electric iron to have any commercial success was the Hotpoint iron, designed by Earl H. Richardson of Ontario, California, and launched in 1905. By the 1920s, enough people had electricity in their homes for electric irons to spread across the US and parts of Europe. In the 1920s, the first thermostatically controlled electric iron was introduced, allowing users to control the temperature. In 1926, the first commercially available electric steam iron was introduced by a New York drying and cleaning company, Eldec, but it was not a commercial success. It wasn't until the 1950s that electric steam irons became popular, with the introduction of irons capable of both wet and dry operation.
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Gas irons
The use of hot, flat surfaces to smooth out creases in fabrics dates back thousands of years. In China, for instance, hot charcoal in metal pans was used. Gas irons were patented in the 1870s, making the process of ironing easier. A gas line would carry fuel to the appliance, which contained a burner to heat the iron. These irons were much lighter than their predecessors, which often weighed up to 15 pounds.
The Coleman Company, founded in 1900, sold its first gas irons in 1924. The Model No. 3 was produced in Wichita, Kansas, and their final irons were made in Toronto, Canada, in 1982. The Coleman gas iron was popular with those in rural areas without electricity.
To use a Coleman gas iron, one had to fill the tank with fresh white gas, replace the tank filler plug, pump air into the tank, and tighten the knob. The user would then turn the gas tip cleaning lever and allow the iron to heat up before regulating the burner. Once the desired temperature was reached, the burner would be adjusted for proper ironing and to keep the handle cool. When finished, the iron could be turned off using the generator valve wheel.
While the invention of the electric iron in 1882 by Henry W. Seeley of New York City was a significant milestone, it had its drawbacks. Seeley's flat iron weighed almost 15 pounds, took a long time to heat up, and the temperature could not be controlled. It wasn't until the 1920s that thermostatically controlled electric irons appeared, around the same time as the Coleman gas iron.
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Electric cords
The invention of the electric iron, or flatiron, is credited to Henry W. Seely of New York City, who patented the device in 1882. However, Seely's invention did not include an electric cord. In fact, Seely and his partner, Dyer, had doubts about having the iron continuously plugged into a power source. They instead invented a sort of "cordless" iron, heated by electricity on a stand.
The first electric irons with cords appeared in the early 20th century, coinciding with the widespread electrification of American homes. These irons were a significant improvement over their predecessors, solving the centuries-old problem of constantly reheating the iron.
Early electric irons with cords were designed with the cord pointing upward, likely towards a ceiling light fitting. This design feature is evident in early patent drawings. By the 1920s, electric irons with cords had become commonplace in the United States, with 17.5% of Swiss homes owning one—a higher percentage than in the US at the time.
The introduction of electric irons with cords marked a significant advancement in ironing technology, doing away with the need for open flames, hot coals, or stove plate heating. This innovation not only improved convenience and safety but also contributed to the broader electrification of households, shaping daily routines and domestic life.
Today, electric irons have evolved to include features such as steam functionality, thermostats for temperature control, and non-stick soleplates. These advancements have further enhanced the ironing experience, making it more efficient and effective.
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Steam irons
The electric iron was invented in 1882 by Henry W. Seely, also known as Henry Seely, from New York City. Before the invention of the electric iron, irons were heated by fire or filled with hot materials like charcoal. The use of hot, flat surfaces to smooth out fabrics dates back to ancient civilisations. For example, in China, hot charcoal was placed in metal pans to iron clothes.
The widespread electrification of American homes in the 1880s provided the impetus for the invention of the electric iron. Seely's model had built-in coils and was heated on a rack. However, it took a long time to heat up and cooled quickly. In 1883, Seely and his partner, Dyer, patented a "cordless" iron that was heated on a stand using electricity. They chose to make the iron cordless because they believed that having it "permanently connected with the circuit [...] may be inconvenient in some cases".
In the early 20th century, irons were made with electric cords, solving the centuries-old problem of constantly reheating irons. In the 1920s, irons became equipped with thermostats to control the level of heat. During this decade, most irons were selling well in the US and some parts of Europe. By 1941, 79% of American households owned an electric iron.
The Eldec Company unveiled the steam iron in the mid-1920s. This innovation facilitated the pressing of dry material as steam was funnelled from a receptacle to small holes on the soleplate. Irons capable of both wet and dry operation were introduced in the 1950s.
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Frequently asked questions
Henry W. Seely invented and patented the first electric flat iron in 1882.
Seely's model had built-in coils and was heated on a rack.
Before electricity, flat irons were heated by fire or filled with hot materials like charcoal.
The first electric flat iron took a long time to heat up and cooled down quickly.
Seely partnered with Richard N. Dyer to patent a "cordless" iron in 1883.
