Improvements in Drawers and Trays for the Use of Dentists or Jewellers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar,, 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1399
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drawers and Trays for the Use of Dentists
or Jewellers.
I, THOMAS CHARLES HOWLCROFT, of The Hollies, Bridge Street, Uttoxeter, in
the County of Stafford, Dental Surgeon, 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 dentists and jewellers desks or benches, and the
object is to provide in such desks or benches trays or drawers provided with means
for trapping and saving the filings of gold and other precious metals. It is a well
known fact that the filings of gold and other precious metals in the shops or
offices of dentists and jewellers are ordinarily allowed to fall into a drawer of
ordinary construction, and which is not lined at all or has only a metal lining
of the same shape as the drawer inside, and the filings and scrap get mixed up
and have to be periodically separated by sifters. It is a further well known
fact that the filings and other small particles accumulate at the back end of
the drawer which is brought about by the closing of the drawer, the latter usually
coming to an abrupt stop, and this action serving to shake or move the filings
in the direction of the rear end of the drawer. My improvement is intended
to make use of this action and thereby to trap all the filings and hold them
till the receptacle provided is full, and also to keep the pieces of scrap and other
larger portions separate from the filings. The invention is fully described in
the following specification of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in
which Fig. I is a plan view of the drawer of a desk or bench and provided with
my improvement, Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof on the line 2-2 on
Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 on Fig. 1. Like
parts are designated by the like numerals of reference in all of the views. In
the practice of my invention, I provide a drawer 5 in which is placed a down-
wardly and backwardly inclined tray 6 having vertical sides 7 which closely fit
the interior of the drawer, and a projecting front portion 8 which facilitates the
lifting of the tray from the drawer. The tray is provided at its rear edge with a
transverse depression 9. which is perforated throughout as shown at 10, and below
which is placed a suitable receptacle 11, the rear wall 12 of which extends to the
top of the drawer, and the front wall 13 is lower than the rear wall and serves
as a support for the central part of the tray. Mounted transversely to the
drawer or tray and preferably approximately over the front portion of the recep-
tacle 11 is a guard or grid 14 consisting of a rod 15 on which is mounted a metal
plate provided with depending teeth or projections or the like 16. The tray 6
and the receptacle 11 may be made of any desired material, such as sheet tin, zinc,
or other suitable metal and the guard 14 may be composed of similar material.
The guard 14 may be constructed in any desired manner, but I prefer to emplov
the rod 15 so as to give strength and form thereto. The tray 6 and receptacle 11
are both removable. The front part of the drawer is shown at 17 and the rear
part at 18 and the operation will be readily understood from the foregoing

page_text: description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the
following statement thereof. When the drawer is partly drawn out, the filings,
scrap, or other substances fall on the tray 6 in front of the guard 14, and the
movements of the drawer occasioned by pulling the same out, or pushing it back
into the bench or desk, cause the filings to pass back beneath the guard into the
depression 9, and through the perforations 10 into receptacle 11. In this opera-
tion the scrap and other larger substances are caught by the guard 14 and separated
from the filings. The guard 14 however is not absolutely essential as the perfora-
tions 10 in the rear portion of the tray would separate the filings from the scrap.
My improvement is simple in construction and operation and comparatively inex-
pensive, and is perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended,
and by means thereof a great saving may be made in working precious metals.
The whole of the tray, or any portion thereof may be perforated, the receptacle
beneath being made to correspond. The space beneath the near part of the tray
may be used for storing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
―
1. A drawer for use by dentists, jewellers, and others, said drawer being pro-
vided with a receptacle at the back, and a downwardly and backwardly inclined
tray which overlaps said receptacle, the rear end of said tray being perforated,
substantially as shown and described.
2. A drawer for the purpose herein described provided with a receptacle in the
rear end thereof, and a downwardly and backwardly inclined tray which overlaps
said receptacle, the rear end of said tray being perforated, and a transverse guard
which is placed over said tray, substantially as shown and described.
3. A drawer for the purpose herein described provided with a receptacle at the
rear end, and a downwardly and backwardly inclined tray, the rear portion of
which is provided with a transverse perforated depression said tray and said
receptacle being removable substantially as shown and described.
4. A drawer provided with a receptacle at the rear, and a downwardly and back-
wardly inclined tray which overlaps said receptacle, the rear portion of said tray
being provided with a transverse perforated depression, said tray and receptacle
being removable, and the tray being provided with a transverse guard substantially
as shown and described.
5. A drawer for the purpose herein described provided with a transverse remov-
able receptacle at the rear and a downwardly and backwardly inclined removable
tray, the rear portion of which overlaps said receptacle and is perforated, said
tray being also provided with a transverse guard or grid having depending teeth
or projections or the like, and the front of said tray being provided with a raised
projection substantially as shown and described.
Dated this Twenty-second day of March 1899.
W. B. JOHNSON,
4, Clayton Square, Liverpool, Agent.