New or Improved Portable Apparatus for Cooking Cockles and Mussels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1897-Accepted, 28th Aug., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Portable Apparatus for Cooking Cockles and Mussels.
I, THOMAS MCDONALD 5 Upper Mount Street, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent,
Staffordshire, Ironworker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This my Invention refers to new or improved portable apparatus for cooking cockles
and mussels by steam. The object of this my Invention being to enable such shell-
fish to be efficiently and readily cooked, or prepared for being eaten, and to maintain
such cooked shell-fish in a heated or warm condition until required for consumption.
In carrying my said Invention into practice I take a sheet of tin, copper, iron or
the like suitable metal of suitable size and thickness, which I bend, roll or form into
a parallel or slightly tapered cylinder, the meeting edges of which metallic sheet
cylinder I solder, rivet or otherwise suitably join or connect, in such metallic cylinder
and one above the other at a suitable distance or distances apart I form a suitable
number of suitably shaped openings which I provide with suitable metallic coverings
or doors so as to permit suitably shaped metallic tins, or other suitable cups or
receptacles to be placed upon revoluble metallic shelves having suitable ridges or
projections formed on their upper surface, or attached or fixed thereto, and radiating
from a central hole in such plates to, or near to their periphery, for enabling the said
tins or cups to be readily placed in position, such projections or ridges instead of being
straight, or nearly straight may be formed or fixed semi-circularly or segmentally
upon such shelves.
The said revoluble plates or shelves are supported one above the other on a level
with, or about level with the lower edge of each door-way or opening by means of
suitably shaped fixed or adjustable metallic rings or collars upon or around a vertical
central metallic rod within such cylinder, one end of which rod is fixed or attached
by any suitable means to a tin or other suitable metallic plate secured within, or
attached to the bottom end of such cylinders.
Near to the bottom or lower end of such cylinders in any suitable position I form
one, or more suitably shaped openings to permit of water being poured into such
cylinders.
It will be readily understood that such apparatus may be made of any convenient
diameter and height, with any suitable number of revoluble circular shelves arranged
within same upon or around a central vertical metallic spindle or rod, which is fixed
or soldered at its lower end to the bottom plate of such cylinders, and when such
apparatus is, or are placed on, or over, or suspended above a coal-fire, gas-fire or other
suitable heating agent, that steam generated from water at the bottom end of such
cylinders will rise or percolate upwards through holes formed in the several shelves,
and through a hole formed centrally or nearly so through the bottom of each tin or
cup, such ascending steam in passing upwards through the several tins or cups on such
shelves will serve to cook the cockles or mussels placed in such tins or cups.
Such cups or like vessels I preferably make with a vertical, or nearly vertical, tin
of other suitable parallel or nearly parallel tube of suitable height within same
through which the ascending steam passes, instead of permitting steam to pass

page_text: between and against the shell-fish placed in such tins or cups for being cooked. After
opening a door, or the like covered way in the side of such cylinders or apparatus,
the several tins or cups on the shelf opposite to such opening inay with their contents
be readily removed therefrom, or be placed upon such shelf by hand, or by any
suitable means.
In a modification of the above I make the outer casing or cylinder of such apparatus
square or rectangular in transverse section, within which casing I support any suitable
number of metallic shelves at a suitable distance above each other by suitable ledges
or projections formed on, or attached to the inner surface of each side of such casing,
holes being formed through such shelves, and ribs or projections of suitable height
formed on, or attached to their upper surface in any suitable positions, the front or
outer edge of each of such shelves may have a suitably shaped recess or, recesses
forined therein, or a suitable handle or handles attached thereto for enabling such
shelves to be readily placed upon, and slid along such ledges, a suitable door or doors,
slides or shutters being mounted upon such apparatus for enab'ing same to be closed,
and ready access obtained to the several shelves, such apparatus if square or
rectangular in cross-section having. their top or upper end fixed, or permanently
closed, if circular in cross-section I provide the top or upper end of such apparatus
with a suitable detachable metallic lid or cover.
Such apparatus may be made of various sizes and heights with any suitable number
of shelves, the shell-fish placed on the shelves of the modified form of apparatus
being cooked by steam generated from water at the bottom end of same, as before
described.
I, THOMAS MCDONALD 5 Upper Mount Street Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire,
Ironworker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This my Invention refers to a new or improve 1 portable apparatus for cooking
cockles and mussels by steam, the object of this my Invention being to enable such
shell fish to be efficiently and readily cooked, or prepared for being eaten, and to
Inaintain such cooked shell fish in a heated or warm condition until required.for
consumption.
.:
In carrying my said Invention into practice I take a tubular cylinder with one of
its ends closed, of any suitable size and thickness made of or from. tin, copper or like
suitable metal, upon the inner surface of the closed end of such cylinder and at..right
angles thereto I solder, rivet or otherwise fix a tin, copper or other suitable footstep
bearing of suitable size, in which bearing when such cylinder is placed in an upright
i position I place the lower end of a straight tin-covered iron rod of suitable size and
circular in cross-section, upon such rod I rigidly fix at a suitable distance or distances
tapart any suitable number of perforated circular metallic shelves a little less in
diameter than the internal diameter of such cylinder, such metallic rod or-spindle
being held vertically by its upper end fitting or passing through a circular thole
formed in a suitably shaped removable tin, copper or like suitable lid or cover, the
upper end of the said rod or spindle having a suitably shaped removable brass or like
metallic handle, knob wheel or the like screwed on or otherwise fitted or attached

page_text: 5
thereto to enable such spindle and the shelves to be rotated within the cylinder when
required so that perforated tin cups or mugs containing cockels or mussels may be
placed through doors or openings formed in such cylinders on to the said shelves for
being cooked by steam generated from water at the lower end of such cylinder, or
such steam may be conducted by pipes or hose from a suitable steam generator or
generators to the lower portion of such cylinder.
In a modification of the above I fit a number of perforated metallic slidable shelves
one above the other at a suitable distance apart within a rectangular or square shaped
casing of any suitable beight provided with a suitable hinged, or slidable door or
doors, steam being generated at the lower end of same, or conveyed thereto by a
suitable pipe or pipes as before described.
In order that my said Invention may be more readily understood and explained in
detail I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings illustrating a circular form of
such apparatus drawn to scale, on the several figures of which letters of reference are
marked on corresponding parts alike.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of such apparatus made according to my Invention.
Fig. 2 is a similar elevation to that shewn at Fig. 1; but partly in section.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cover or lid of such apparatus.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the circular shelves having metallic radiating ribs
soldered or rivetted to its upper surface.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of the perforated metallic cups or mugs I preferably
use in connection with such apparatus for containing the cockles or mussels to be
heated or cooked, and Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5.
Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 are drawn about one-sixth of their full size, and Figs. 5 and 6
one-half of their full size.
On reference to the drawings hereto annexed a represents the tin or like suitable
metallic cylinder of such apparatus having a suitable metallic footstep-bearing b
soldered or rivetted to the upper surface of its lower end in which the part c2 of the
tin covered iron rod or spindle c loosely fits so as to be revoluble therein, the upper
end of such rod passing through the removable tin or like suitable metallic lid or
cover by which such rod is kept in a vertical position so that the perforated shelves et
which are soldered or otherwise rigidly fixed to such rod may be kept in a horizontal
position, represents an iron spider-wheel with radiating arms or rods fitted or fixed
on to or around a square portion near to the upper end of the rod c so that such rod
and its shelves may be rotated.
After a suitable number of suitable mugs or cups g containing mussels or cockles
have been placed on the shelves e and the doors a² of such apparatus closed, steam
generated from water in the lower part 3 of such apparatus by means of lighted gas,
an oil stove, or by standing such apparatus over a coal fire or other suitable heating
agent will rise upwards through the perforations in the several shelves, around such
shelves and fill such cylinder, through the perforations gt in such cups between their
contents and against same, and so heat or cook such shell fish.
The radiating projecting ridges e on the upper surface of the shelves e enabling
the tins, mugs or cups g to be readily placed upon such shelves, handles a being
rivetted to the outer surface of the cylinder a to facilitate removing such apparatus
from place to place, a projecting metallic pocket as with a suitable lid being rivetted
or otherwise suitably connected to such apparatus near to its lower end for enabling
water to be poured into the lower part of such apparatus, and for inspecting height of
water within same a gauge or water-level indicator may also be fixed in a suitable
position to the lower part of such apparatus if required."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I
claim is
1st. The construction of portable apparatus for use in cooking mussels and cockles
fitted with a removable vertical revoluble metallic spindle with perforated metallic

page_text: shelves having projecting radiating ridges on their upper surface rigidly fixed thereto
at a suitable distance apart, the said spindle being rotated by means of a metallic
knob, spider-wheel or like suitable appliance fixed to its upper end, the lower end
of such rod resting in or bearing upon a footstep or brass fixed or attached to the
upper surface of the bottom plate of such apparatus, a removable cover or lid, a
water-pocket with a suitable lid being fixed near to the lower end of such apparatus
for enabling water to be poured into same and its height therein ascertained, tin or
the like suitable perforated mugs or cups for containing the shell fish to be cooked
to be used in combination with same as herein substantially described, set forth and
illustrated on the drawings hereto annexed.
2nd. The construction of portable apparatus for use in cooking mussels and cockles
having a casing of any suitable height square or rectangular in transverse section
fitted or provided with any suitable number of perforated slidable inetallic shelves, a
water pocket or receptacle, a water-level indicator, an aperture or external pocket
near to its lower end, and fitted with a suitably hinged or slidable metallic door or
doors as herein substantially described and set forth.
Deted this 92nd dow of T... 100%
JOHN
NEWTON,
Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Agent for Applicant.