A New and Improved Strainer Attachment for Tea and Coffee Trays,
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New and Improved Strainer Attachment for Tea and Coffee Trays,
We, JOHN WENDELL CARTER, of No. 408A, Jefferson Avenue, in the City of New
York, Borough of Brooklyn and State of New York, U.S.A., Gentleman, and
OSCAR HÜTTLINGER, of No. 771, Carroll Street, in the City of New York, Borough
of Brooklyn, and State of New York, U.S.A., Exporter, 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 invention has reference to a new and improved strainer attachment for
tea and coffee trays, and is constructed in such a manner that on raising or remov-
ing the tea or coffee pot from the tray, for the purpose of serving, a pivotally
supported strainer above the tray assumes by gravity a position over the cup into
which the tea or coffee is to be poured, said strainer being returned into position
vertically above the tray on replacing the pot in its former position on the tray.
The invention consists in the combination, with a tea or coffee tray, of a sup-
porting-frame hinged thereto and provided at its lower end with a bail extending
over the tray, and a strainer pivoted to the upper end of said supporting-frame;
and, further, in certain details of construction and combinations of parts herein-
after more fully described and finally pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a tray provided with our improved
strainer attachment, and showing a tea or coffee pot placed upon, and a cup and
saucer at the side of, the tray; the strainer attachment being in position of rest.
Figure 2 is a perspective view, showing the strainer attachment in position
ready for use, and
Figure 3 is a detail vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.
Referring to the drawings, A represents a tray for tea or coffee pots, which
tray is made in the usual manner preferably with concentric corrugations, as
shown and provided near one point in its circumference with a hinged wire-
frame B that is bent of one piece of wire so as to form upright standards b b and
a U-shaped bail B' that is bent approximately at right angles to said uprights bb,
at shown clearly in Figures 2 and 3. The U-shaped bail B₁ rests,
when the frame B is in the upright position, in corresponding
grooves, a, that extend across the corrugations of the tray. When the
pot P is on the tray it extends over the bail, and by its weight upon the same,
retains the supporting-standards. b b, in the upright position as shown in Figure 1.
At its upper end each standard is provided with a short forward bend b which
bends are themselves bent at their extremities inwardly towards each other, said
inwardly-bent portions forming pivots entering perforations in the strainer S
near its upper edge, and thereby pivotally supporting the strainer. At its lower
part, the supporting-frame B is connected at each side at the point of bending or
angle, with the tray, within and below the level of the rim of the same, by any

page_text: Any
suitable hinge-joint; that shown in Figures 2 and 3 being simply a strap of
sheet-metal, the ends of which are provided with prongs which are passed through
an opening in the tray and bent outwardly at the underside of the same.
other hinge-connection of the supporting-frame B with the tray A may however
be used. In use, the downward movement of the wire-supporting-frame or crane
is limited by coming in contact with and resting against the rim of the tray, as
clearly indicated in Figure 3.
As a further improvement, the tray A may be provided with a drip-cup C either
integral with or attached to the tray near the point of support of the supporting-
franie B, said drip-extension serving to catch the drip from the strainer when
the same is in the raised position. If desired, this extension may be stamped up
with the tray. It is open at the side toward the tray, as shown, but may be
closed, if preferred.
At a point in the tray adjacent to the bend in the bail B' when the wire-frame B
is in the upright-position, is pivoted a metal catch or button c, by means of which
the wire-frame B may be retained in the upright position when a tea or coffee
pot is not placed on the tray, as when the tray and attachment are set away in
a closet, or otherwise disposed of when not desired for immediate use.
Our improved strainer attachment is used as follows. When the tea or coffee
pot is placed on the tray, its weight presses down the bail B' of the wire crane B,
and holds thereby the latter in the upright position, and the strainer above the
drip-extension C of the tray. When the coffee or tea is to be poured, the pot is
lifted away from the tray. This being done, the strainer by gravity tilts the
supporting-frame into an inclined position, as shown in Figure 2, so as to bring
the strainer over the cup, the cup having previously been properly located for
this purpose. The coffee is then poured into the strainer until the required
quantity is in the cup. The pot is then placed on the tray so that the bottom
engages the upwardly-projecting bail B', which it depresses and thereby returns
the strainer attachment into the upright position as seen in Figure 1.
The advantages of our improved strainer attachment are that the strainer is
always ready for use when wanted, without the annoyance caused by the loss or
misplacing of the ordinary detached strainer. The tilting action is automatic
as soon as the pot is removed from the tray, and the strainer is firmly held in
convenient position for pouring. When it is desired to remove the strainer for
cleaning or replacing with a new one, the wires of the supporting-frame are easily
spread apart so as to withdraw their bent extremities from the strainer; the
strainer is replaced by reversing the operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The combination, with a tea or coffee tray, of a supporting-frame hinged
thereto and provided at its lower end with a bail extending over the tray, and
a strainer pivoted to the upper end of said supporting-frame, substantially as
set forth.
2. The combination, with a tea or coffee tray provided with grooves in its upper
surface, of a supporting-frame hinged to said tray and provided at its lower end
with a bail adapted to enter said grooves, and a strainer pivoted to the upper end
of the supporting-frame, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination, with a tea or coffee tray, of a drip-cup extending there-
from, a wire-supporting-frame hinged to said tray adjacent to the drip-cup, said
frame consisting of uprights and a bail extending at an angle therefrom over the
tray, a strainer supported above the drip-cup by said frame when the bail is
lowered, and a button on said tray for engaging the bail and retaining the same
in the lowered position, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination, with a tea or coffee tray provided with a raised rim, of a
supporting-frame hinged to said tray. within and below the level of said rim and

page_text: limited in its downward movement by the same, and provided at its lower end with
a bail extending over the tray, and a strainer pivoted to the upper end of said
supporting-frame, substantially as set forth.
Dated the 3rd day of February 1899
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.