Funny Holidays - Electric Iron Birthday

Electrically powered household appliances for smoothing out wrinkles in clothes after washing appeared at the end of the 19th century. Before this, irons made of cast iron and metal, heated over a fire, were used. They cooled quickly and were unsuitable for ironing velvet and delicate linen. The invention of a device operating from a supplied current belongs to New Yorker Henry Seeley. On July 6, 1882, an American patented an electric iron that was heated using an arc and carbon electrodes. The device, which G. Seeley called Electric flat iron, was considered an achievement of inventive thought. In honor of this event, the birthday of the electric iron is celebrated on June 6th. The first devices with a heating element weighed 6.8 kg. In addition to being heavy, the irons took a long time to warm up. The device gave an electric shock, so consumers treated the newfangled unit with caution. After the iron was improved by providing a heating coil hidden inside the body, it became safer. In 1926, the first device with steam supply appeared, at the same time devices began to be equipped with a thermostat. Now the degree of incandescence could be adjusted depending on the type of fabric: wool, silk or linen. The further evolution of the electric iron occurred by leaps and bounds. The inventors came up with an electrical cord with a heat-resistant base, suggested using a Teflon-coated sole instead of a metal one, automatic self-cleaning of the device and other innovations. Today, the consumer chooses between a regular iron, a vertical steamer, an ironing system or a press. Looking at modern electrical appliances, it is impossible to imagine how our ancestors managed without them. In Ancient Rus', ironing tools were called “rubel”, “pralinik”, “granchak”, “ribrak” and “rolling”. All these names reflected the principle of ironing clothes using a rolling pin on which it was wound and a die with a handle moving back and forth. The first written mention of an iron in Rus' dates back to 1636. At one time, alcohol-powered ironing devices were used. Irons with burning coals inside the body appeared in the mid-18th century. This cast-iron frying pan was passed over the clothes, removing wrinkles and wrinkles. At the end of the 19th century. production of gas irons began. Inside them there was a tube made of heat-resistant metal, which was connected to the cylinder. Such devices posed a great danger due to frequent gas leaks, causing fires and explosions in houses. G. Sealy's invention can be called a real breakthrough in the history of the development of household appliances - the electric iron brought relief to housewives and became a great help in the work of laundresses and dressmakers. Now the ironing process was not associated with the risk of life and heavy lifting, because large cast iron devices weighed about 10 kg. Paying tribute to such an important invention for people, the birthday of the electric iron is celebrated annually on June 6th.