Improvements in Pepper, Salt, and like Boxes or Receptacles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pepper, Salt, and like Boxes or Receptacles.
F
We, JOHN PAINTER CAMPBELL, of 2129 College Avenue Spokane, in the
County of Spokane, and State of Washington, and PATRICK RYAN, of Kalispel,
in the County of Flathead, and. State of Montana, all in the United States of
America, Gentlemen, 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 relates to combined pepper and salt boxes with particular
reference to the means of dispensing the same for individual table use, whereby
either salt or pepper may be had at will with the aid of merely the thumb and
finger of but one hand.
The object is to produce a novel attractive device which is compact, convenient,
inexpensive simple and durable..
With these and other objects, in view the invention consists in the various parts
and combinations hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined in the.
claims.
In the drawings :.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the combined pepper and salt box. Fig. 2 is a.
longitudinal section thereof..
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the cover in a position to dispense pepper.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the movable disk and top of the cover in detail.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a spice canister provided with a modification of
the spring-operated cover and also showing a modified spring.
The numeral 1 designates the outer receptacle which may be the ordinary tin
box or it may be glass porcelain or other material, and may be plain or fancy
in shape. Closely fitting on the open end of box 1 is cover 2, provided with the
depending flange 3 and top 4, the latter being perforated with a plurality of
holes preferably arranged in two or more concentric circles, the outer.ones 5
being large to discharge salt, and the inner ones 6 small to discharge pepper.
Inclosing the pepper apertures is an annular flange 7 depending internally and
concentric to the flange 3. This flange 7 is adapted to receive the pepper
receptacle 8 which is in the form of a tube 9 tapered at its lower end to a conical
point 10. This conical form enables the pepper receptacle 8 to be easily forced
down into the salt contained in the box 1, and does not interfere with the salt
coming out in use. Resting in close facial contact above top 4 is disk or plate 12
centrally pivoted to said top at 13 by means of a rivet or small bolt 14 and
tightening nut 15. Plate 12 is perforated at 16 to align with holes 6, and at 17
to align with holes 5, only one set of perforations aligning, however.at the same
time. Plate 12 is also provided with a short oblique slot 18 terminating near its
periphery and adapted to co-operate as presently described with a radial guiding
slot 19. formed in top 4, the latter slot being protected by a suitable depending
housing 20 to keep out the salt therefrom. An internal flange 21 is provided as
shown in a plane just below said housing, to protect the same and to prevent binding
of the cover when forced on the box, which would otherwise be caused by the
uneven stopping of the opposite sides of flange 3 because of housing 20.

page_text: Securely attached by solder or otherwise to the cover 2 and resting vertically
against flange 3 thereof, and opposite slot 19
19, is a spring, 2 to form a finger-
In the preferred
form this spring consists of one piece of wire bent at one
hold 23 having its upper portion 24 app in the plane of the cover top 4,
and thence bent downwardly in a straight line to form the attaching member 25.
Said wire is then bent in one or more coils 26' to give the requisite spring action,
and continued up outside of and in alignment with said finger-hold and substantially
parallel thereto, to form a thumb-piece 27 being terminated in a downturned end
or plunger 28. This depending end 26 is sprung over to engage the outer end of
the oblique slot 18 and is of sufficient length to also pass through guiding slot 19.
Accordingly, all the parts being in place, if the finger be inserted in finger-hold 23
and the thumb pressed against thumb-piece. 27, plunger end 28 will pass inwardly
being guided in a direct radial line by guiding slot 19 and thereby bearing against
the inner wall of slot 18, the result being that plate 12 will be turned to the right
until the respective pepper holes of top 4 and plate 12 are in alignment and the
salt holes are out of alignment. Upon releasing the thumb-pressure, the spring
will fly back to its normal position with end 28 at the outer extremities of the
slots, thereby restoring the salt holes to operative alignment and closing the pepper
holes. It is thus always set for salt except when pepper is wanted for the reason
that salt is usually required more frequently. The cover may be either slid on or
screwed onto the box in the ordinary manner. The spring 22 need not be of the
precise form above designated, but may be of various shapes, one of which is,
shown in Fig. 5. "In this form the finger-hold is dispensed with and the outer
portion 27 is bent straight up parallel to the attaching member 25, this forming a
more compact device. In this case the box and spring are grasped bodily in the
hand and simply shaken for salt or squeezed for pepper.
In case
It is obvious that the improved cover may be adapted to various uses.
it should be used for a spice box, all the holes should align upon pressing the spring,
the object being to preserve spices normally from the air, all the holes being then
out of alignment, as it is well known that when freely exposed to the air spices
rapidly deteriorate. For this purpose the box would be of large size and the
holes would also be larger than for pepper or salt. Where one kind of spice only
is required to be contained in the box the receptacle 8 may be dispensed with.
Where the box is used' for containing two kinds of spice, the cover may be made
so that normally all the holes are out of alignment, and then by pressing the
spring first, one set of holes is put in alignment, and then by pressing the
spring more firmly the first set of holes is closed and a second set brought into
alignment.
1.
Changes in form and details may be made, within the scope of the invention,
such as varying the construction of 'the operating device which engages t the slot
of the pivoted plate, and which reciprocates in the radial slot of 'the top.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed; we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The combination of a box, canister or other receptacle, a perforated top, a
disk or plate centrally pivoted on one face of said top and provided with perfora-
tions adapted to align with perforations in said' top, and an operating spring
eccentrically connected with the pivoted plate and arranged on the exterior of the
receptacle, box or canister and adapted to be depressed to revolve the said plate,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The combination with a suitable receptacle, of a perforated top therefor
provided with a' radial slot, a disk or plate centrally pivoted to said top and
correspondingly perforated and provided with an oblique slot, the outer ends of
said slots being arranged in normal alignment, and a spring, provided with a
projecting plunger adapted to enter said slots and to reciprocate therein, whereby
pressure upon said' spring will cause said plunger to travel inwardly along said
*

page_text: slots, thereby causing said pivoted plate to rotate until part or all of the respective
perforations are brought into alignment, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a suitable receptacle provided with two compartments,
of a top provided with two sets of perforations, one set for each compartment, and
also provided with a radial slot and, an internal housing therefor, a disk or plate
centrally pivoted to said, top and provided with two sets of perforations adapted
to align alternately with the corresponding sets of perforations in said top as said
plate is revolved, and also provided with an oblique slot arranged to have its outer
end normally in vertical alignment with the outer end of said radial slot and an
operating spring provided with a depending plunger at one end, adapted to enter
said slots and to reciprocate therein and also provided with a suitable thumb
portion whereby pressure on said thumb portion will cause said plunger to
travel inwardly along said slots thereby rotating said pivoted plate so as to throw
one set of-perforations thereof out of alignment and to bring the other set of
perforations into alignment with the corresponding sets of the top, substantially
as described.
4. The combination with a suitable receptacle for salt, of a cover therefor, said
cover comprising a top having outer coarse perforations and inner fine perforations
and provided with a radial guiding slot and also provided with an outer depending
flange to fit said receptacle and an inner depending flange concentric thereto
enclosing said fine perforations and adapted to receive a pepper receptacle, said.
cover also comprising a disk or plate centrally pivoted to said top and provided
with a diagonal slot and correspondingly perforated, said two sets of perforations
being arranged so that the respective coarse perforations are normally in alignment
and the respective fine perforations are normally out of alignment, a pepper
receptacle tapering to a point at its lower end and adapted to fit the inner flange
of said cover, and a spring secured vertically to the outer flange of said cover and
provided with one or more coils at its lower end and with an upwardly-extending
member or thumb-portion bent over at the top and provided at its outer extremity
with a depending end or plunger adapted to enter and to reciprocate in said
oblique and radial slots whereby as the spring is pressed said plunger causes said
plate to revolve so as to throw the salt perforations out of alignment and to bring
the pepper perforations into alignment, all substantially as described.
5. The combination with a suitable receptacle for salt, of a cover therefor, said
cover comprising a top having outer coarse perforations and inner fine perforations
and provided with a radial guiding slot protected by a suitable internal housing
and also provided with an outer depending flange to fit said receptacle and an inner
depending flange concentric thereto enclosing said fine perforations and adapted
to receive a pepper receptacle, said cover also comprising a disk or plate centrally
pivoted to said top and provided with a diagonal slot and correspondingly perfo-
rated, said two sets of perforations being arranged so that the respective coarse
perforations are normally in alignment and the respective fine perforations are
normally out of alignment, a pepper receptacle tapering to a point at its lower
end and adapted to fit the inner flange of said cover, and a spring secured vertically
to the outer flange of said cover and having an outwardly curved portion adjacent
thereto to serve as a finger-hold, and provided with one or more coils at its lower
end and with an upwardly-extending member or thumb-portion curved outwardly
substantially parallel to said finger-hold and bent over at the top and provided at
its outer extremity with a depending end or plunger adapted to enter and to
reciprocate in said oblique and radial slots whereby as the spring is pressed said
plunger causes said plate to revolve so as to throw the salt perforations out of
alignment and to bring the pepper perforations into alignment, all substantially as
described.
6. The combination with a box, canister or analogous receptacle of a perforated
top provided with a radial slot and pivotally mounted plate arranged on the top
and having a slot disposed at an angle to that of the top, said plate being
provided with perforations adapted to register with those of the top, and an

page_text: operating device reciprocating in the radial slot and engaging the pivotal plate
in the slot thereof, whereby the said plate is actuated, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of June 1896.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicants.