IMPROVEMENTS IN TEATS, RINGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES SUCKED BY INFANTS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hickisson, of Southgate Road, Hackney,
in the County of Middlesex, Marking Ink Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TEATS, RINGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
SUCKED BY INFANTS."
Sealed the 23rd September 1873, and dated the 16th July 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hickisson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th July 1873.
I, JAMES HICKISSON, of Southgate Road, Hackney, in the County of
Middlesex, Marking Ink Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TEATS, RINGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
SUCKED BY INFANTS," to be as follows:-

page_text: articles shall be more easy to the gums of infants than those at present
in use, and shall assist them in cutting their teeth and in retaining the
said teats or articles between their lips.
The ordinary artificial teat is an ovoidal, bulging, or inflated nozzle of
vulcanized caoutchouc or other material made smooth on the surface,
and this construction has many disadvantages; whereas according to
my Invention the teat is formed with corrugations, lines, striæ, inden-
tations, roughnesses, undulations, protuberances, bosses, marks, or other
unevenesses on the surface of the body of the teat, and also if desirable
on the collar or shoulder of the teat. By these means the child uses
the teat more readily and securely, its gums are eased, and the cutting
of its teeth facilitated.
Also, I sometimes make the teat of a flattened, flat, or nearly flat
shape instead of a bulging, ovoidal, or spheroidal shape, and in this case
I also generally use striæ marks, corrugations, indentations, lines, pro-
tuberances, roughnesses, or unevennesses in manner before described.
I likewise apply the said improvements in so far as regards the
employment of striæ, corrugations, indentations, protuberances, rough-
nesses, or unevennesses to sucking rings and other articles sucked by
children.
I sometimes perforate or form the collar or shoulder of the teat or
other article with a number of small orifices or openings for the passage
of the air
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Hickisson in the Great Seal Patent Office 25
on the 16th January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HICKISSON, of Southgate Road, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex,
Marking Ink Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Hon mont Ballant Mainst

page_text: means the child uses the teat more readily and securely, its gums are
eased, and the cutting of its teeth is facilitated.
Also, I sometimes make the teat of a flattened, flat, or nearly flat
shape instead of a bulging, ovoidal, or spheroidal shape, and in this case
I also use striae, corrugations, indentations, undulations, protuberances,
roughnesses, or unevennesses in manner before described.
I likewise apply the said improvements in so far as regards the
employment of striae, corrugations, indentations, undulations, pro-
tuberances, roughnesses, or unevennesses to sucking rings, caoutchouc,
doll heads and toys, and other articles sucked by children.
I sometimes according to my Invention perforate the collar or shoulder.
of teats or nipples and of other articles sucked by children, that is to
say, I form the collar or shoulder with a number of small orifices or
openings for the passage of air.
The accompanying Drawings exemplify sucking appliances made
according to my Invention, various modifications being shewn :-
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of an article intended
for children to hold or suck between their gums to assist them in cutting
their teeth, and which article I call a pad or rubber.
Figure 3 is an elevation, and Figure 4 a plan of a teat or nipple to be
attached to a feeding bottle for infants.
Figure 5 is a plan of a ring for children to suck.
Figure 6 is an elevation of another form of teat.
Figure 7 is an elevation, and Figure 8 a plan of a combined corrugated
"pad" or "rubber" and plain ring.
Figure 9 is an elevation showing the ring corrugated.
Sometimes according to my Invention I perforate or form orifices in
the collar or shoulder of the pad rubber, teat, or other article, but leave
or form the body or main portion of the pad, teat, or nipple, or part held
between the gums or teeth without undulations, corrugations, inden-
tations, striae, roughnesses, or unevennesses. Figure 10 is an elevation,
Figure 7 is an elevation, and Figure 8 a plan of a combined corrugated
"pad" or "rubber" and plain ring.
Figure 9 is an elevation showing the ring corrugated.
Sometimes according to my Invention I perforate or form orifices in
the collar or shoulder of the pad rubber, teat, or other article, but leave
or form the body or main portion of the pad, teat, or nipple, or part held
between the gums or teeth without undulations, corrugations, inden-
tations, striae, roughnesses, or unevennesses. Figure 10 is an elevation,

page_text: and Figure 11 plan of such a teat, and Figure 12 is a section of such a
pad or rubber.
In all the Figures A is the nozzle, pad, or part of the article held
between the child's lips; B is the collar or shoulder of the article; m, m,
are the perforations.
It is sometimes advisable that the corrugations or roughnesses should
not extend the whole length of the pad or teat, but that there should be
none in close proximity to the collar or shoulder so that the child's lips
may not be chafed.
It is evident that the form of teat, nozzle, nipple, "pad," "rubber,"
or other article held between the child's lips or gums, and the form,
device, or arrangement of the corrugations, striac, indentations, rough-
nesses, or undulations, protuberances, bosses, or unevennesses, and also
of the perforations or orifices may be varied without departing from the
nature of the Invention.
:
I may mention that in carrying out the Invention the material which'
is most advantageously used for the manufacture of articles formed
according to my improvements is vulcanized india-rubber, which I mould
or press in a hot state and in the manner usual in the manufacture
of moulded or pressed india-rubber articles, but the moulds have on
their inner surfaces devices either sunken or projecting as required in
order to produce the undulations, indentations, protuberances, striae,
bosses, unevennesses, or roughnesses on the article so that the same are
applied thereto or formed thereon, or I cut or stamp out the article by
means of a die, and then press the material between perforated zinc or
other perforated material, and then vulcanize it, or I cut it into shape,
perforate it, and then place it between strips of zinc or other suitable
material having the necessary devices thereon. I then screw or wedge
it up firmly and tightly so that the corrugations or unevennesses are
produced in the vulcanizing process. But of course I do not confine
myself to these modes of manufacture in carrying out my Invention.
When the article is used as a teat or nozzle for a feeding bottle it is
made hollow, and an orifice or passage is formed at the end.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that my Invention relates
to teats, rings, and other articles sucked by infants, and that I claim,-

page_text: First. Forming such teats, rings, and articles with corrugations, striae,
indentations, roughnesses, undulations, protuberances, bosses, or uneven-
nesses, substantially as described.
Second. Forming the collars or shoulders with perforations or orifices,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hickisson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
E. DE PASS,
Patent Office,
68, Fleet Street,
London.
JAMES HICKISSON. (L.S.)