When were soldering irons first invented???

Question

When were soldering irons first invented???

Answer 1

The earliest I can find is 1916 in Holland but the wording is a little non-specific and gives no credit to the original inventor. "The company was founded in 1916 as a manufacturing company under the name ZEVA. This name had much to do with the introduction of an innovative product: the electric soldering iron (as differing from then-popular petrol and gas irons). Major customers included Philips Radio and Dutch Telecom."

http://www.vitronics-soltec.com/about%2D...

US patent number 1519246 submitted in 1921 and granted 1924 by Frank Forshee, James Woodson, Westinghouse Electric & Mfg, is for an electric soldering iron but the text suggests preexisting examples.

http://patimg1.uspto.gov/.piw?docid=US00...

There is also this reference:

"In 1921, Ernst Sachs invented, patented, and marketed the first electric soldering iron for industry."

http://www.ersa.de/en/data/fachartikel/S...