IMPROVEMENTS IN AND ADDITIONS TO DINNER AND OTHER PLATES AND DISHES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Ernest Newton Mason, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, and Joseph Price, of Birmingham aforesaid,
Accountant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND ADDITIONS TO
DINNER AND OTHER PLATES AND DISHES."
Sealed the 30th July 1878, and dated the 12th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Ernest Newton
Mason and Joseph Price at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
12th February 1878.
HERBERT ERNEST NEWTON MASON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, and JOSEPH PRICE, of Birmingham aforesaid, Accountant.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN AND ADDITIONS TO DINNER AND OTHER PLATES AND DISHES."
Our Invention has for its object principally to prevent the inconvenience which
often results from the spreading and mixing of the salt, mustard, or other condiment
usually placed on the rims and other parts of dinner plates; and our said Invention
consists in constructing the rims of dinner and other plates with small wells,
depressions, or receptacles for containing salt, mustard, pepper, or other condiment
which is to be mixed with or eaten with the food on the said plates; also in
adapting to the rims of dinner and other plates detachable wells or receptacles for
the same purpose as herein-after described.
Our improvements may also be applied to dishes.
In constructing dinner and other plates according to our Invention, we make
them in the ordinary way, but during the moulding or fashioning process we form
in the rims of the said plates a small shallow well, or depression, or receptacle;
or a group of two or more shallow wells, depressions, or receptacles suitable for
holding salt, mustard, and the like. Or instead of making the shallow wells or
receptacles in groups of two or more wells, single wells, at a short distance apart,
may be moulded or fashioned in the rims of the plates. The figure of the said wells
may be varied, but we prefer to make them of a nearly hemispherical dish-like
form. By the use of these wells or receptacles the salt and mustard or other con-

page_text: diments are kept apart and are prevented from spreading on to that part of the
plate containing the food.
In constructing detachable wells or receptacles for holding salt, mustard, pepper,
and the like to be attached to the rims of plates we make the said wells or
receptacles by preference of metal, but they may be made of china or other ceramic
ware. These wells or receptacles may consist of one, two, or more small dish-like
compartments having at one side a handle, and beneath them a fork-like clip for
attaching them to the rims of the plates. By grasping the handle the group of
wells or receptacles may be passed on to or removed from the rim of the plate.
The arrangement described of wells or receptacles moulded or fashioned in the
rims of plates, or the detachable wells or receptacles may also be applied to the
rims of dishes for holding horse radish, lemons, and the like, which are usually
served with the joint or other article of food on the dish.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert Ernest Newton Mason and Joseph Price in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th August 1878.
"
IM-
HERBERT ERNEST NEWTON MASON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, and JOSEPH PRICE, of Birmingham aforesaid, Accountant.
PROVEMENTS IN AND ADDITIONS TO DINNER AND OTHER PLATES AND DISHES."
Our Invention has for its object principally to prevent the inconvenience which
often results from the spreading and mixing of the salt, mustard, or other condiment
usually placed on the rims and other parts of dinner plates; and our said Invention
consists in constructing the rims of dinner and other plates with small wells,
depressions, or receptacles for containing salt, mustard, pepper, or other condiment
which is to be mixed with or eaten with the food on the said plates; also in
adapting to the rims of dinner and other plates detachable wells or receptacles for
the same purpose as herein-after described.
Our improvements may also be applied to dishes.
In constructing dinner and other plates according to our Invention, we make
them in the ordinary way, but during the moulding or fashioning process we form
in the rims of the said plates a small shallow well, or depression, or receptacle, or a
group of two or more shallow wells, depressions, or receptacles suitable for holding
salt, mustard, and the like. Or instead of making the shallow wells or receptacles
in groups of two or more wells, single wells at a short distance apart may be moulded
or fashioned in the rims of the plates. The figure of the said wells may be varied,
but we prefer to make them of a nearly hemispherical cup-like form. By the use
of these wells or receptacles the salt and mustard or other condiments are kept
apart, and are prevented from spreading on to that part of the plate containing the
food.
-
In constructing detachable wells or receptacles for holding salt, mustard, pepper,
and the like to be attached to or placed upon the rims of plates we make the said

page_text: wells or receptacles by preference of metal, but they may be made of glass, china, or
other material. These wells or receptacles may consist of one, or two, or more
small cup-like compartments, having at one side a handle, and beneath them a fork-
like clip for attaching them to the rims of the plates. By grasping the handle the
group of wells or receptacles may be passed on to or removed from the rim of the
plate.
The arrangement described of wells or receptacles moulded or fastened in the
rims of plates, or the detachable wells or receptacles may also be applied to the
rins of dishes for holding horse radish, lemons, and the like, which are usually
served with the joint or other article of food on the dish.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which our Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in plan a portion of a dinner or other plate, and Figure 2 is
a cross section of the same; the said dinner or other plate being provided with a group
of two small shallow wells, depressions, or receptacles marked a, b, according to our
Invention. The said shallow wells or receptacles a, b, are made in the rim c of the
plate by moulding or fashioning them in the usual way of moulding or fashioning
ceramic wares during the manufacture of the said plates. We generally make the
said wells or receptacles a, b, of a nearly hemispherical cup-like shape as
represented, but we do not limit ourselves to any particular figure of the said wells
or receptacles.
Instead of making a group of two wells or receptacles in the rim of the plate as
represented in Figure 1, a group of three or more wells or receptacles may be
made in the said rim. In this case the wells serve for holding in addition to salt
and mustard, pepper, sauce, or other condiment it is desired to take with the food
on the plate. And, although we prefer to make the wells or receptacles in a group
at one part of the rim of the plate as represented in Figure 1, yet we do not limit
ourselves thereto, as two or more groups may be made at different parts of the rim ;
and instead of groups of two or more wells, a single well, or two or more wells
situated some distance apart, may be used for the purposes described.
Figure 3 represents a portion of a dinner or other plate in which single wells
marked d, d, situated at opposite parts of the rim c of the plate are used in place of
a group of wells.
When the wells or receptacles are moulded or fashioned in the rims of dessert
plates, the said wells serve to hold sugar, cream, or other material with which the
desert is to be flavoured or mixed.
We apply wells or receptacles of the kind described and represented, single or in
groups, to the rims of dishes for holding horse radish, lemons, or the like, as
herein-before explained.
Figure 4 represents in perspective a detachable group of two wells or receptacles
constructed according to our Invention; and Figure 5 represents a plan of the same
applied to the rim of a dinner or other plate.
Figure 6 represents in perspective a detachable group of three well or receptacles
made according to our Invention; and Figure 7 represents a plan of the same
applied to the rim of a dinner or other plate.
The group of wells represented in Figures 4 and 5 consists of two small cup-
like compartments or receptacles e, f, stamped or raised from sheet metal, the
said wells being used for holding salt, mustard, sauce, or other condiment or
material as described with respect to the wells made in the rims of plates; at
the side of and between the wells e, f, is a handle h, by which they may be
passed on to and removed from the rim of the plate. On the under side of the said
wells or receptacles is a fork-like clip i for attaching them to the rim c of the
plate.
In fixing the group of detachable wells, Figure 4, to the rim c of the plate,
Figure 5, the said handle h of the said wells is taken hold of, and the spring clip i
is passed under the rim c, and the said clip made to embrace the under side of the
said rim; the wells are thereby securely fixed to the rim. By pulling outwards

page_text: the handle h the wells may be detached from the rim of the dinner or other
plate.
The group of three wells represented in Figures 6 and 7, and marked k, l, m, are
constructed in a similar way to the group of two wells represented in Figures 4 and
5, excepting that the middle well is provided with a small glass bottle p for
holding pepper; but the said glass bottle p may be dispensed with, and the pepper
be contained in the middle well . The spring clip of the group of three wells,
Figure 6, is marked i, and the handle h.
Although we have represented the detachable wells as consisting either of a group
of two wells or of three wells, yet more than three wells may be grouped together,
or a single detachable well may be constructed and fixed to the rim of the plate in
the same way as the groups of wells. And although we prefer to make the
detachable wells of metal, yet the said wells may be made of glass, china, or other
material.
When the detachable wells are made of a non-metallic material, they may either
rest on the rim of the dinner or other plate, or a metallic spring clip similar to the
clip may be connected to the wells for binding them to the rims of the plates.
i
The detachable wells or group of wells described and represented may be applied
to dishes for the purpose or purposes herein-before explained with respect to wells
made in the rims of dishes.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves
to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of our Invention, but we claim as our Invention
of improvements in and additions to dinner and other plates and dishes,―
First. Making in the rims of dinner and other plates and dishes one or more
wells, depressions, or receptacles, or a group or groups of two or more wells,
depressions, or receptacles for the purpose or purposes, and substantially as herein-
before described, and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly. Constructing detachable wells, depressions, or receptacles, or groups of
detachable wells, depressions, or receptacles to be placed upon or detached to the
rims of dinner and other plates and dishes for the purpose or purposes, and
substantially as herein-before described and represented in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 of
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Herbert Ernest Newton Mason and Joseph
Price, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight..
HERBERT ERNEST NEWTON MASON. (L.S.)
JOSEPH PRICE.
(L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.