IMPROVE- MENTS IN PORTABLE APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH MEANS POR CARRYING AND COOKING FOOD, FOR CONTAINING AND HEATING LIQUIDS, AND WITH APPLIANCES FOR THE TOILET AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Weldon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
December 1869.
I, EDWARD WELDON, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Steel Letter
Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PORTABLE APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH MEANS POR CARRYING AND COOKING
FOOD, FOR CONTAINING AND HEATING LIQUIDS, AND WITH APPLIANCES FOR THE
TOILET AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a portable apparatus which contains within
itself in a compact and convenient manner a number of utensils or
vessels and other appliances or devices, as herein-after described.
The said Invention consists partly in the peculiar construction of
portions of the said apparatus and partly in the novel character of
the entire apparatus, whereby I render it practicable for travellers
and others who may be temporarily situated beyond the reach of the
ordinary means for obtaining or cooking food, washing or making their
toilet, obtaining water and other necessaries, to carry with them the
means for supplying their various necessities without encumbering
themselves with numerous or heavy articles of baggage.

page_text: The said apparatus is also well adapted for offices, for the breakfast
table, bedrooms, the camp, as well as for tourists, and for picnic and
pleasure parties, for boating, yachting, and many other purposes.
The outer portion or case of the said apparatus is of sheet steel, or iron,
or other suitable metal and is of a cylindrical form, and the various
utensils and appliances are so constructed that they may be readily
packed within the said case, occupying the least possible space therein,
and fitting compactly and conveniently together, and so that they may
be readily unpacked and taken out when they are to be used. This
outer case or cylinder may be used for various purposes, such as
carrying water for filling the kettle or for supplying a horse or other
animal, and its lid or cover serves as a washing bowl. A cylindrical
frame is made to fit within the case, the chief purpose of which frame is
to form a support for a tea kettle, or frying pan, or other utensils, to
which heat is applied by means of a spirit lamp placed at the bottom of
the cylindrical frame. The said frame is perforated around its periphery
to admit the air freely to the interior. The said frame is constructed
of thin steel which is bent into the required form and rivetted.
One advantage derived from the use of this frame is that in case the
traveller or other person using the apparatus should not be able to
obtain the spirit for the lamp a piece of wood or other material may be
used within the frame. The lamp is of a flat circular form and of a
diameter nearly the same as that of the cylindrical frame, and the wick
and feed apertures are provided with caps or covers.
I also provide my apparatus with a box or case divided into com-
partments for containing various articles of food, as, for instance, meat,
sugar, tea, coffee, mustard, pepper, and salt. The said box is of a
peculiar construction to adapt it conveniently to the purposes of my
Invention. It is annular in form, its outer diameter being such that it
will pack conveniently within the cylindrical frame. Each compartment
is provided with a lid or cover. And one compartment I propose to reserve
for the reception of a small cylinder or tube separated transversely into
compartments for salt, mustard, pepper, or other condiments. The
circular space left at the centre of the said box is utilized for the
reception of drinking cups. Three, four, or any other convenient
number of these cups of different sizes may be packed one over the other
within the space, the outer or largest one having handles which fold
down upon its outer cylindrical portion. The space within these cups

page_text: may be utilized for the reception of a match box. If desired I may also
place around the inner diameter of the box a leather ring provided with
small straps or loops to receive various implements, such as razors,
scissors, knives and forks, the latter for convenience being made to fold
or double together like a pocket knife. The outer metal case may also
be provided with pockets or receptacles for knives and forks.
The tea kettle, which may be used for various purposes, has a folding
handle and a very short spout which I cover with a cap or thimble.
Within the said kettle I place a small perforated vessel into which the
tea is placed. This small vessel may also be used for various other
purposes. The kettle is of a shallow circular form, and its top is made of
such a shape as to lie conveniently within the lid or cover of the outer
case.
The frying pan is of such a shape and size as to lie conveniently
within the bottom of the outer cylindrical cover, and the meat or sandwich
box, which is a flat circular utensil with a lid or cover, is placed inside
the frying pan, the handle of the latter being turned down over it. The
pan and meat case lie in the bottom of the cylindrical case. The said pan
has a flange or rim of such a diameter as to allow it to be conveniently
placed in the bottom of the case and also form the means of supporting
the pan upon the top of the metal frame when the pan is being
used. If desired, a small mirror may be fitted in the lid of the meat
box.
I provide the said apparatus with two or other number of metal plates
which are of suitable size to lie conveniently within the outer case.
The said case may be provided with a strap, whereby it may be held and
carried, or it may be placed within a leather cover or box with a broad
rim somewhat resembling in form an ordinary hat box, in the rim of
which may be carried a napkin or cloth.