IMPROVEMENTS IN WAITER-TRAYS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Yates, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WAITER-TRAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Yates at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th March 1879.
WALTER YATES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
WAITER-TRAYS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The object of this Invention is to enable a waiter (or waitress) to register, on
the tray in a visible manner, the various orders taken so as to prevent mistakes
in taking a number of orders for various kinds of liquids or other refreshments,
instead of trusting entirely to memory in transmitting and executing the orders.
The Invention consists principally in attaching to one edge of the tray a con-
venient form of register tablet marked with the different kinds of liquids or other
refreshment most likely to be in demand, such for instance as brandy, gin, scotch
and irish whiskey, rum, ale, stout, cigars, and so forth, so that by turning a small
button or indicator marked with figures, the number of glasses of liquor or other
articles demanded may be readily registered.
The particular form of register tablet as well as the form of the indicator may be
varied, without departing from the peculiar distinctive feature of my Invention as
above set forth; but for the sake of illustration I will here describe a simple form
which I have found to answer well in practise.
Along one edge of the tray is fixed a narrow tablet or plate having various
square openings, against each of which is written or printed the name of a liquid
or other article most likely to be in demand.
Just beneath this plate is mounted a corresponding series of small rollers marked
with figures on the circumference, the openings and rollers being so arranged that
one figure only at a time can be seen. Each roller is provided with a narrow
flange which projects upwards slightly above the surface of the plate, so that any
of the rollers can be easily turned by the finger or thumb acting on the edge of its
flange. A washer of india rubber or other suitable material is applied to one of
each roller, to create just sufficient friction to prevent their being accidentally
turned.
The waiter as he receives the orders registers them on the tray by turning the
corresponding roller till the right number appears at the opening, and when the
tray is presented at the bar; the orders being visibly registered thereon he has no
occasion to repeat the same aloud.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Walter Yates in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th September
1879.
WALTER YATES, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
WAITER TRAYS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The object of this Invention is to enable a waiter (or waitress) to register on
the tray in a visible manner the various orders taken, so as to prevent mistakes in
taking a number of orders for various kinds of liquids or other refreshments,
instead of trusting entirely to memory in transmitting and executing the orders.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing shows a plan view of a waiter tray with my
improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through about the
line A-B, in Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detached views of parts drawn to a
larger scale.
The Invention consists principally in attaching to one edge of the tray a con-
venient form of register tablet marked with the different kinds of liquids or other
refreshments most likely to be in demand, such for instance as brandy, gin, scotch
and irish whiskey, rum, ale, stout, cigars, and so forth, so that by turning a small
button or indicator marked with figures, the number of liquors or other articles
demanded may be readily registered.
The particular form of register tablet as well as the form of the indicator may be
varied without departing from the peculiar distinctive feature of my Invention as
above set forth; but for the sake of illustration I will here describe a simple form
which I have fouud to answer well in practise.
Along one edge of the tray a, a, is fixed a narrow tablet or plate b, b, having
various square openings, against each of which is written or printed the name of a
liquid or other article most likely to be in demand.
Just beneath this plate is mounted a corresponding series of small rollers c, c,
marked with figures on the circumference, the openings and rollers being so
arranged that one figure only at a time can be seen. Each roller is provided with
a narrow flange d d, which projects upwards slightly above the surface of the
plate, so that any of the rollers can be easily turned by the finger or thumb acting
on the edge of its flange.
A washer of india rubber or other suitable material may be applied to one end
of each roller to create just sufficient friction to prevent their being accidentally
turned.
I prefer however to furnish each roller at one end with a small ratchet wheel e, e,
having as many teeth as there are figures on the circumference of the roller, each
wheel being provided with a spring catch f, f, taking into the teeth thereof.
Round the axle at the other end is coiled a small strip of india rubber g, g, which
has a constant tendency to pull the roller back to zero. A sliding rod h, h, is also
provided with pins, so that when pushed in the direction of the arrows it releases
all the spring catches f, f.
The waiter as he receives the orders registers them on the tray by turning the
corresponding roller till the right number appears at the opening, the spring
catches f, holding the rollers in the required position, and when the tray is
presented at the bar the orders being visibly registered thereon he has no occasion
to repeat the same aloud.

page_text: As soon as the orders have been fulfilled the waiter presses the sliding rod h, h,
with his finger in the direction of the arrows, which will depress all the spring
catches f, f, and allow the india rubber strips 9, g, to draw all the rollers back to
zero. He then presses the other end of the bar h, h, releasing the spring catches,
and the tray is ready to receive fresh orders. Or in some cases the tablet or
registering apparatus may be used apart from the tray if preferred.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention the
combination with a waiter tray of an apparatus for registering the orders con-
structed and operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Yates, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.