If You Find One Let Us Know
*LOL*
One assumes these gas heated Ironrite and Maytag units were sold for commercial use and perhaps a certain segment of the domestic market.
For the former heating for ironers and pretty much anything else electric is usually low down the list after steam and natural gas, propane and even oil (for certain types of ironers). Steam makes sense since many large commercial laundries already had boilers going to produce steam for everything from heating wash water to ironing. Am told much of this came down to cost, in that electric rates were almost always higher than gas, especially for the amounts a laundry uses.
Simplex was the first and probably the only other maker of domestic ironers that heated with gas. One must say can see today why the thing would no longer fly today and possibly be considered dangerous.
Until worker safety laws and or legal action forced a change many operators of gas heated ironers in commercial settings suffered all sorts of health problems. Much of this had to do with the fumes that come from combustion especially incomplete. Then there are the issues of leaks etc... This is why today gas heated ironers in commercial setting are always used in conjunction with some sort of venting system and or other ways to bring in fresh air and remove the fumes. You can still find smaller gas heated ironers on the market today for commercial and "small" use such as in a hotel or B&B. But one imagines local codes speak to make-up air and worker safety.
Early Simplex ironers could burn Naptha, gas, gasoline and IIRC even alcohol! *LOL*
One thing in favour of using gas, steam or whatever instead of electric is that you get more heating and faster recovery for your buck. IIRC most early domestic ironers sold in the USA topped out at around 1650 watts of heating power. That gas Ironrite could probably blow that number away.
