A NEW OR IMPROVED DISH OR VESSEL FOR CONTAINING PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION AND SERVING PRESERVED MEATS AND OTHER FOOD
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Enoch Bassett Keeling, of No. 1, Verulam
Buildings, Gray's Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Architect, for
the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED DISH OR VESSEL FOR CONTAINING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Enoch Bassett Keeling
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th February 1872.
I, ENOCH BASSETT KEELING, of No. 1, Verulam Buildings, Gray's
Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Architect, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED DISH OR VESSEL FOR
CONTAINING AND SERVING PRESERVED MEATS AND OTHER FOOD," to be as
follows:-
-
The consumption of many articles of food is limited from inability to
place them upon the table more than once or twice in an appetizing
form. This applies particularly to the cooked meats imported in tins
from Australia and elsewhere, which meats are rarely eaten cold, not
because they are unpalatable in that state, but because when turned

page_text: out of the tin into an ordinary dish, the act of carving causes the entire
mass to disintegrate and fall into an unsightly heap.
The object of my Invention is to provide a dish or vessel into which
preserved meats, cheese, and a variety of articles of food may be easily
introduced, and in which they may be presented at table from time to
time until entirely consumed, while retaining the appearance of a fresh
viand or one but little caten.
I propose to effect my object by constructing my dish or vessel of a
series of rings ar divisions superposed and fitting upon or into each
other, the shape, number, and dimensions of these rings or divisions, and
the material of which they are made, porcelain, earthenware, glass,
metal, or other material, being dependent upon the size of dish required
and its special employment,
The accompanying Sheet of Drawing shows in sectional clevation a
dish or vessel embodying my Invention.
A, dish or plate forming base of vessel; B, superposed rings; C, lid;
d, d', rebates securing rings B together; e, inner bottom upon which
the contents rest; f, apparatus (shown also detached), the projections
of which entering the meat or other article prevent its shifting while
being cut; g, a damper which may or may not be placed upon the
contents of the vessel; the object of this damper is to press the contents
evenly within the vessel, the said contents being in the case of preserved
meats first slightly heated; also to preserve moisture, h air holes,
i reservoir for ice or water. A cloth placed over the vessel and dipping
I
în this reservoir will by capillary attraction always be moist, and if
the vessel be placed in a draught its contents will thereby be kept
cool. The meat or other article of food being turned on to the
bottom e, the rings B are passed over it until the topmost ring is nearly
level with the enclosed contents. (or the dish being first formed by
superposing the rings, the meat or other article may be put into it as
into an ordinary well dish), the damper g is then placed upon it or not
as may be desired, the lid C placed over all, and the vessel set aside
until required at table. When placing my improved dish upon the table
the lid C and damper y will be removed, and the contents of the dish
rising slightly above the upper or any one of the rings B (as shown
in dotted lines above second ring from top on Drawing) will be so
presented to the carver that he may cut horizontally until level
therewith, when the first ring will be removed, and each ring being

page_text: UL
Lood may be
UCUDIC
meats, brawn, cheese, and other kinas
again and again, always reappearing as a dish but slightly if at all
consumed.
It will be obvious that the accompanying Drawing is merely illus-
trative of my Invention, and that I do not in any way limit myself to a
circular form of vessel or to any precise mode of fitting the rings or other
narts to each other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Enoch Bassett Keeling in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 20th August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ENOCH
BASSETT KEELING, of No. 1, Verulam Buildings, Gray's Inn, in the
County of Middlesex, Architect, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Enoch Bassett Keeling, Her
special licence, that I, the said Enoch Bassett Keeling, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Enoch Bassett
Keeling, 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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A
NEW OR IMPROVED DISH OR VESSEL FOR CONTAINING AND SERVING PRESERVED
MEATS AND OTHER FOOD," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Enoch Bassett Keeling, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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
Putent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Enoch Bassett Keeling, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
-
The consumption of many articles of food is limited from inability to
place them upon the table more than once or twice in an appetizing
form. This applies particularly to the cooked meats imported in tins
from Australia and elsewhere, which meats are rarely eaten cold, not
because they are unpalatable in that state, but because when turned out
of the tin into an ordinary dish the act of carving causes the entire mass
to disintegrate and fall into an unsightly heap.
The object of my Invention is to provide a dish or vessel into which
preserved meats, cheese, and a variety of articles of food may be easily
introduced and in which they may be presented at table from time to
time until entirely consumed, while retaining the appearance of a fresh
viand or one but little eaten.
I effect my object by constructing my dish or vessel of a series of
rings or divisions superposed and fitting upon or into each other; the
shape, number, and dimensions of these rings or divisions, and..the
material of which they are made, porcelain, earthenware, glass, metal,
or other material, being dependent upon the size of dish required and its
special employment.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawing shows in sectional elevation a
dish or vessel embodying my Invention.
A, dish or plate forming base of vessel; B, superposed rings; C, lid;
d, d', rebates securing rings B together; e, inner bottom upon which
the contents rest. A spur or any apparatus the projections of which
will enter the meat or other article and prevent its shifting while being
cut may be placed at f,f; g, a damper which may or may not be placed
upon the contents of the vessel; the object of this damper is to press
the contents evenly within the vessel, the said contents being in the
case of preserved meats first slightly heated, also to preserve moisture,
hair holes, i reservoir for ice or water. A cloth placed over the
vessel and dipping in this reservoir will by capillary attraction always be
moist, and if the vessel be placed in a draught its contents will thereby
be kept cool. The meat or other article of food being turned on to the
bottom e the rings B are passed over it until the topmost ring is nearly
level with the enclosed contents (or the dish being first formed by

page_text: superposing the rings the meat or other article may be put into it as
into an ordinary well dish), the damper g is then placed upon it or not,
as may be desired, the lid C placed over all, and the vessel set aside until
required at table.
When placing my improved dish upon the table the lid C and
damper 9 will be removed, and the contents of the dish rising slightly
above the upper or any one of the rings B (as shown in dotted lines above
second ring from top in Drawing) will be so presented to the carver
that he may cut horizontally until level therewith, when the first ring
will be removed, and each ring being thus successively removed as the
meat or other contents is consumed it will be evident that by means of
my ring dish Australian cooked meats, brawn, cheese, and other kinds
of food may be brought to table again and again, always reappearing
as a dish but slightly if at all consumed.
It will be obvious that the accompanying Drawing is merely illustra-
tive of my Invention, and that I do not in any way limit myself to a
circular form of vessel or to any precise mode of fitting the rings or
other parts to each other.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I desire
it to be understood that what I claim as secured to me by the herein.
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. The use of the combination of the rings B with each other
and with the dish A and lid C, substantially as and for the purposes
herein-before set forth.
Secondly. The use of the combination of the reservoir i with the dish A,
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Enoch Bassett Keeling, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.