CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN EARTHENWARE, GLASS, AND CHINA DRINKING VESSELS TO BE USED AS * MEASURES AND IN REGULATING AND ADJUSTING THEM FOR STAMPING."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Dunn, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Glass and China Merchant, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN EARTHENWARE, GLASS, AND CHINA DRINKING VESSELS TO BE USED AS
* MEASURES AND IN REGULATING AND ADJUSTING THEM FOR STAMPING.""
>
GALL 1L 1000
1 1
1570
•
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Dunn at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd October 1879.
ALFRED DUNN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Glass and China
Merchant. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN EARTHENWARE, GLASS, AND CHINA
DRINKING VESSELS TO BE USED AS MEASURES, AND IN REGULATING AND
ADJUSTING THEM FOR 'STAMPING.'"
Since the coming into operation of the "Weights and Measures Act, 1878,"
enforcing uniformity of weights and measures, it has been necessary to have any
such drinking vessels named or referred to in the title as are intend for " measures,"
to be duly stamped by the government officials, and before this can be done the
greatest exactness in the size or capacity of the vessel is required.
This is difficult to attain in vessels of pottery and glass, as will be readily
understood, and where a vessel to hold the exact quantity (and no more) of any
liquid is required to be produced by the potter, or the blower, the the expense of
production is naturally very materially increased.
The object of this Invention is to attain the same result with less trouble and at
a very much smaller expense.
By my Invention, when the earthenware, china, or glass vessel holds too large a
quantity, and is thus required to be reduced in bulk, the vessel required to be so
reduced is held by a convenient apparatus against a grinding machine of suitable
construction, until its cubical contents are sufficiently lessened, and in such manner
that the vessel shall not be cracked, or otherwise injured during the operation.
When the vessel is approved by the government authorities, it is ready for
"stamping," and the other part of my Invention relates to provision for this.
I provide therefore for this purpose a wood, vulcanite, or composition tablet,
which is placed or secured in or upon the surface of the vessel, and upon this
tablet the government stamp can then be suitably impressed without fear of
breaking or cracking the measure, which is found in practice often to occur where
the stamp is impressed directly upon the surface of the vessel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Dunn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd April
1880.
"
ALFRED DUNN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Glass and China
Merchant. CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN EARTHENWARE, GLASS, AND CHINA
DRINKING VESSELS, TO BE USED AS 'MEASURES,' AND IN REGULATING AND
ADJUSTING THEM FOR STAMPING."
Since the coming into operation of the "Weights and Measures Act, 1878,”
enforcing uniformity of weights and measures, it has been necessary to have any
such drinking vessels named or referred to in the title, as are intended for
"measures," to be duly stamped by the government officials, and before this can be
done, the greatest exactness in the size or capacity of the vessel is required.
This is difficult to attain in vessels of pottery and glass, as will be readily
understood, and where a vessel to hold the exact quantity (and no more) of any
liquid is required to be produced by the potter or the blower, the expense of
production is very materially increased.
The object of this Invention is to attain the same result with less trouble and at
very much smaller expense.
By my Invention, when the earthenware, china, or glass vessel holds too large a
quantity, and is thus required to be reduced in bulk, either in its "biscuit" state or
after being glaized, the vessel desired to be so reduced is held by a convenient
apparatus against a grinding or cutting machine of suitable construction, until its
cubical contents are sufficiently lessened, and in such manner that the vessel shall
not be cracked or otherwise injured during the operation.
When the vessel is approved by the government authorities it is ready for
stamping, and the other part of my Invention relates to provision for this.
I provide therefore for this purpose a wood, vulcanite, or composition tablet,
which is placed or secured in or upon the surface of the vessel, and upon this tablet
the government stamp can then be suitably impressed without fear of breaking or
cracking the measure, which is found in practice often to occur where the stamp is
impressed directly upon the surface of the vessel.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the
same may be carried into effect, I desire it to be understood that without limiting
myself to the precise details hereinbefore described, what I claim as the Invention
to be protected by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. Reducing the bulk or cubical contents of such drinking vessels as are
hereinbefore described, and as may be intended to be used as "measures," by
grinding, cutting, or otherwise reducing, substantially as described.
Second. Providing for the purpose of receiving the government stamp, a wood,
vulcanite, or composition tablet, and placing or securing the same upon the surface
of the vessel, substantially as described.
But although described separately, I desire it to be understood that I make these
claims in combination the one with the other.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Dunn, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord 1880.