Tuna Can Irons-C. Brown

Ralph Hart's patent of June 2, 1914 for a self-heating sad iron had the tank directly mounted to the iron body so that the heat off of the iron would better heat the fuel in the tank to pressurize the tank. Jay Raymond, a fellow PITCA member and historian, has studied this iron and has shared with me that this iron patent was used by C. Brown for his tuna can irons. The rectangular tank in the design was replaced by the round tank most likely due to the ease of constructing it.

Jay Raymond also shared that this Ralph Hart design patent, published on Sept. 14, 1915, shows an iron body and handle much closer in appearance to the C. Brown iron, aside from the rectangular tank.

Unknown manufacturer for this unbadged tuna can style iron, but I suspect it is C. Brown's first model iron.

Top view of unknown tuna can iron.

C. Brown Manufacturing Company of Cincinnati, Ohio made this "Standard" Self-Heating iron around 1913. This iron is unique in having a tuna can style fuel tank mounted below the handle. This iron requires a fuel key to operate the fuel valve. The small hole in the front lower right is for funnel storage.

Top view of C. Brown Standard iron.

Some minor changes for this C. Brown Standard iron with the most notible one being the fuel valve configuration change.

Top view of C. Brown iron.

Another C. Brown "The Standard" iron but this one has a metallic mint green tank. This iron is in Kevin McCartney's collection.

A Peerless iron made by C. Brown. This iron has square air intake tubes and uses a wrench to adjust the fuel valve.

Top view of C. Brown Peerless iron with only "PAT. APL'D FOR" on the tank.

Same as the iron above except for this C. Brown Peerless Iron has "PEERLESS" stamped into the top of the tank.

Top tank view of C. Brown Peerless iron.

Wrench for the C. Brown iron.

Wrench is used to manipulate the fuel valve on this Peerless C. Brown iron.

All 4 C. Brown irons next to each other for comparison.