IMPROVEMENTS IN SPOONS (MOUSTACHE SPOONS
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 7th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Feb., 1887.
I, ROBERT NEWTON HELME of Lancaster in the county of Lancaster, Manufacturer
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SPOONS
(MOUSTACHE SPOONS) to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a Shield or Cover fixed longitudinally over a portion of
the Spoon equal to about half the area of the spoon (or more or less) & having a lateral
opening, the object of the said shield or cover being to prevent contact of Moustache
with soup or other spoon foods.
The said Shield or Cover would be of Sheet Metal or other suitable material made
or blocked in one piece with the spoon; or spoon & shield may be blocked or made
separately & then permanently fixed or fitted together or, having hinge or other
mechanical contrivance for opening and cleaning; or, the Cover or Shield may be.
made separate & distinct from the spoon, having clips or other arrangements for
attaching to or removing from the spoon at will.
The whole or part of the said cover or shield may or may not be perforated, to
provide for the escape of or to drain off any soup or other spoon food which might be
caught thereon.
Preferably the edge of cover or shield commencing gradually at each end of the
lateral opening above referred to & extending to each end of spoon, would be slightly
sunk, to better guide or direct the delivery of soup etc.
The shield or cover may or may not be formed at end with short prongs to use as a
fork for manipulating solid portions in soup etc.
Having thus described the nature of my invention I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to any particular form outline or design.
ROBERT NEWTON HELME.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spoons (Moustache Spoons).
I, ROBERT NEWTON HELME of Lancaster in the county of Lancaster, Manu-
facturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SPOONS
(MOUSTACHE SPOONS) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This Invention of a shield or cover "a" fixed longitudinally over a portion of the
spoon, equal to about half the area of the spoon (or more or less) and having a lateral
opening "the object of the said shield or cover being to prevent the contact of
Moustache with Soup or other spoon foods. The said shield or cover would be of
Sheet Metal or other suitable material made or blocked in one piece with the spoon ;
or the spoon and shield may be blocked or made separately & then permanently fixed
or fitted together; or having hinge or other mechanical contrivance for opening &
cleaning; or the cover or shield may be made separate & distinct from the spoon,
having clips or other arrangements for attaching to, or removing from, the spoon at
will. The whole or part of the said cover or shield "a" may or may not be per-
forated" to provide for the escape of or to drain off any soup or other spoon food
which might be caught thereon.
Preferably the edge of the cover or shield should be slightly sunk "D" below the
edge of the spoon at the lateral opening referred to & gradually rise to the level of the
edge of the spoon at each end, to better guide or direct the delivery of the soup etc.
The Shield or Cover or Spoon may or may not be formed at end with short prongs "e"
to use as a fork for manipulating solid portions in soup etc.
I claim as my Improvements in spoons
First. A longitudinal shield or cover permanently fixed, hinged or attached by clips
or other arrangements over a portion of the spoon, having a lateral opening.
Second. The cover may be perforated & the edges of the cover slightly sunk below
the edge of the spoon, at the lateral opening & gradually rising to the level of the
spoon at each end.
Third. The cover or spoon may be formed at end with short prongs to use as a fork.
Having thus described the nature of my invention I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to any particular form, outline or design but substantially to
a spoon as herein described.