IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DRINKING VESSELS TO BE USED AS MEASURES "AL
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Tams of Longton in the County of Stafford for an
invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DRINKING VESSELS
TO BE USED AS MEASURES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tams at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1882.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
JOHN TAMS of Longton in the County of Stafford,
MANUFACTURE OF DRINKING VESSELS TO BE USED AS MEASURES"
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of drinking vessels
to be used as measures and has for its object to facilitate compliance with the
regulations and provisions of the "Weights and Measures Act 1878" by affording
a ready and efficient means for regulating the containing capacity of the vessel
to the exact measure required without defacing or damaging the vessel itself and
also for impressing the Government stamp thereon when so regulated without
injury thereto
For this purpose I form a tubular recess in the upper part of the handle of the
vessel which recess is connected by means of one or more apertures with the inside
of the vessel so as to allow of the liquid flowing into the same when the vessel is
filled-Such tubular recess. extends a convenient height above the top of the handle
of the vessel.-(say about 3/4 of an inch ;)-so that if the vessel is over measure
when fired I grind or cut down the walls of the recess either in the clay, biscuit or
glost state to a sufficient degree to reduce the containing capacity of the vessel to
the exact measure required without in any way defacing or damaging the measure
itself and so avoid wasters :-thus; supposing the vessel to be '/th of an inch over
measure I reduce the height of the walls of the recess 1/8th of an inch and by this
means exact measure can be guaranteed as if the vessel is too full the liquid will
overflow from the tubular recess when so cut down.
In order to allow of the Government stamp being impressed upon the vessel
when so regulated to the proper containing capacity I provide on the bottom of
the vessel a firmly raised or embossed countersunk tablet of metal, leather or any
other suitable substance to receive such stamp which can thus be impressed thereon
without injury to the vessel itself

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Tams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th September
1882.
JOHN TAMS of Longton in the County of Stafford "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF DRINKING VESSELS TO BE USED AS MEASURES
"
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of drinking vessels
to be used as measures and has for its object to facilitate compliance with the
regulations and provisions of the "Weights and Measures Act 1878" by affording
a ready and efficient means for regulating the containing capacity of the vessel to
the exact measure required without defacing or damaging the vessel itself and also
for impressing the Government stamp thereon when so regulated without injury
thereto.
And in order that my said invention may be better understood and readily
carried into effect I will now with the aid of the accompanying drawings (whereon
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts) proceed moro particularly
to describe and ascertain the same.
Figure 1 shews a view in external elevation of one of my improved measures
having the tubular recess A formed in the handle
Figure 3 is a view in perspective thereof shewing the aperture B which connects
such tubular recess with the interior of the measure
Figure 2 is also a view in perspective thereof shewing the recess D formed in
the bottom of the measure to allow of the Government stamp being securely affixed
thereto as presently described
Figure 4 shews a sectional view of one of my improved measures
In order to carry out my invention I form a recess (A) preferably tubular in the
upper part of the handle of the vessel or if preferred such recess may be formed
in any other convenient part of the vessel, This recess is connected by means of
one or more apertures (B) with the inside of the vessel so as to allow of the liquid
flowing into the same when the vessel is filled-Such tubular recess when formed
in the handle extends a convenient height above the top thereof (say about 3/4 of
an inch) so that if the vessel is over measure when fired I grind or cut down the
walls of the recess either in the clay biscuit or glost state to a sufficient degree as
indicated by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 4 to reduce the containing capacity
of the vessel to the exact measure required without in any way defacing or
damaging the measure itself and so avoid wasters-Thus supposing the vessel to
be 1 of an inch over measure I reduce the height of the walls of the
recess Ash of an inch and by this means exact measure can be guaranteed as
if the vessel is too full the liquid will overflow from the tubular recess when so
cut down.
In order to allow of the Government stamp being affixed when the vessel is so
regulated without injury thereto and at the same time so securely as to prevent
the subsequent removal of the stamp-I form on the bottom of the vessel a
circular shaped recess D having its external edges bevilled off to allow of a suitable
metal or other tablet being inserted and countersunk therein in order to have such
Government stamp impressed thereon-Such recess is formed out of the solid
substance of the measure in turning and when the tablet is fitted therein it cannot
be removed without breaking the vessel-With regard to this part of my invention
I would remark that I am aware that tablet frames made out of a mould and
placed upon the side of the vessel in the clay state have been used for the purpose
of placing a tablet therein for receiving the Government stamp thereon after

page_text: inspection-but such tablet frames and tablets can be chipped off without breaking
the vessel which is a great disadvantage as it admits of the possibility of the
Government stamp being used for another vessel which has not passed the
Inspector.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect I would have it
understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is-
Firstly The principle of regulating the containing capacity of any drinking
vessel intended to be used as a measure by means of a recess preferably tubular
formed therein and communicating with the interior thereof substantially in the
manner hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Secondly-The forming a circular recess on the bottom of any such vessel by
turning and shaping. it out of the solid substance in the manner herein before
described to provide for the securely affixing of the Government stamp thereon
after it has passed the inspector in such a manner as to prevent the stamp being
subsequently removed therefrom without breaking the vessel.
In witness whereof I the said John Tams have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twenty seventh day of September in the Year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
ΤΟΥΤΑΣ
JOHN TA
MS
(L.S.)