AN IMPROVED INSTRUMENT OR Apparatus for BRUISING, MASTICATING, OR DISINTEGRATING Food
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED INSTRUMENT OR Apparatus for BRUISING, MASTICATING, OR
DISINTEGRATING Food."—A communication from abroad by François
Aimé Tournier, of Longchaumois, Jura, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th January 1875.
I, JOHN IMRAY, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED INSTRUMENT OR APPARATUS FOR BRUISING,
MASTICATING, OR DISINTEGRATING FOOD," to be as follows :—

page_text: masticating, or disintegrating morsels of food in a manner corresponding
to that of natural chewing.
The improved instrument in form resembles nut crackers, having two
arms jointed together at the end. Near to the joint the arms are widened
out laterally for a portion of their length so as to form two jaws, and t
these jaws are formed with longitudinal projecting ribs and grooves
between them, so arranged that when the arms are pressed together tho
ribs projecting from the one arm enter into the grooves of the other arm
like a set of tenons into their mortices. The morsel of food to be
operated on being placed between the jaws the arms are moved by hand 1
to and from each other, which has the effect of bruising, masticating, or
disintegrating the food before it is placed in the mouth. A curved
projection or hook is provided at the end of the instrument, by which
pieces of food can be moved on the plate to a position convenient for
their being seized between the jaws, to be operated on. The ends of the 1
arms are conveniently formed with eyes like those of scissors, but they
may
bo made as handles of any suitable shape or material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Imray in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
16th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
IMRAY, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing dato the Twentieth day of January, in the s
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Imray, Her special
license that I, the said John Imray, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Imray, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
INSTRUMENT OR APPARATUS FOR BRUISING, MASTICATING, OR DISINTEGRATING
FOOD," a communication to me from abroad by François Aimé Tournier,
of Longchaumois, Jura, France, upon the condition (amongst others).
that I, the said John Imray, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Imray, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
bo performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say :-
This Invention relates to an instrument or apparatus which can be
used at meals by persons deficient in teeth, for the purpose of bruising,
masticating, or disintegrating morsels of food in a manner corresponding
to that of natural chewing.
The improved instrument in form resembles nut crackers, having two
arms jointed together at the end. Near to the joint the arms are widened
out laterally for a portion of their length so as to form two jaws, and
theso jaws are formed with longitudinal projecting ribs and grooves
between them, so arranged that when the arms are pressed together the
ribs projecting from the one arm enter into the grooves of the other arm
like a set of tenons into their mortices. The morsel of food to be operated
on being placed between the jaws the arms are moved by hand to and
from each other, which has the effect of bruising, masticating, or dis-
integrating the food before it is placed in the mouth. A curved
projection or hook is provided at the end of the instrument, by which
pieces of food can be moved on the plate to a position convenient for
their being seized between the jaws to be operated. The ends of the
arms are conveniently formed with eyes like those of scissors, but they
may be made as handles of any suitable shape or material.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 a plan of an instrument constructed
according to this Invention, and Fig. 3 represents an end view of the
jaws.
It consists of the two handles or levers a and b jointed together at c. §
Each handle has a widened part or jaw d with longitudinal ribs ƒ
projecting therefrom, and grooves or slots between them, the ribs of the
one jaw facing the slots of the other. Near the joint pin c is the curved
projection or hook g, by which morsels of food can be moved. The
levers are shewn in Fig. 1 to terminate in rings or eyes like scissors;
they might however be made with ivory, wood, or other handles like
knives; also the ribs ƒ might either be separate teeth inserted in tho
jaws or made in one piece therewith, as shown.
· Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to bo performed, as communicated to me by my 1
foreign correspondent, I claim, the uso for masticating or disintegrating
food of an instrument or apparatus constructed and operating sub-
stantially as herein described, such instrument consisting of two lever
handles, each of which has a toothed or ribbed and grooved jaw between
which the food is placed to be operated on.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Imray, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.