Improved Lid which may have a Strainer Attached for Tea-pots, Coffee-pots, and other like Vessels.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 27th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 27th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Lid which may have a Strainer Attached for Tea-pots,
Coffee-pots, and other like Vessels.
I, FREDERICK HANCOCK of 47 Furlong Lane, Burslem, in the County of
Stafford, Potter's Turner do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention may be applied to articles of earthenware, metal, and other
materials, and will be found particularly useful for tea-pots, coffee-pots and the
like.
The details of the invention may vary but usually the following features would
be embraced.
The lid instead of being hinged is independent of the body of the vessel and may
be lifted out and entirely removed if desired, but to accommodate locking purposes
prefer to construct the lid with two rims, both of which shall engage with the rim
of the vessel sufficiently to prevent the lid from accidently slipping out when the
vessel is in use.
The shallow rim of the lid which must surround the deeper one is of sufficient
dimensions to just pass down the outside of the rim of the vessel, and the deeper
rim of the lid of sufficient dimensions to just pass down the inside of the rim of the
vessel, the distance dividing the two rims being sufficient to allow them to engage
with each other to form a groove, the entire circuit of which is of uniform latitude,
and not greater than is necessary to enclose the rim of the vessel without friction,
when the lid is placed therein.
The length of the rims of the lid need only be sufficient to effect combination
between the vessel and lid, which when effected the whole weight of the lid will be
held in suspension by its shallow and outward rim being in contact with the body
of the vessel the latter needing complete inversion for the lid to fall out on its own
accord.
So long as the lid is securely held it will be understood that it is not necessary
that the inner or deeper rim of the lid should in all cases have an unbroken circuit,
as in the case of an oval shape rim, square or rectangular and the like, it would
frequently be found desirable to remove those sections of it situated at right angles
to the spout and handle of the vessel so that the density of the wares may be
reduced. Also when desirable to remove a strainer suspended in a vessel, as in the
case of tea-pots and the like, I prefer to construct on the aforementioned inner rim
of the lid, two slot holes, each situated perpendicularly to the other, and of such a
shape that they would engage with the arms of a strainer suspended, and accommodate
the removal of strainer and lid simultaneously.
The principle of this invention might be carried out with a circular, oval,
octagonal, and other lids with irregular circuits. The actual shape of the lid
would of course correspond with the shape of the vessel to which it appertains.
Dated this 25th day of June 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Lid which may have a Strainer Attached for Tea-pots,
Coffee-pots, and other like Vessels.
1, FREDERICK HANCOCK of 47, Furlong Lane, Burslem, in the County of
Stafford, Managing Director of The Winton (Stoke-on-Trent) Pottery Company
Ltd. 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 has for its object (inter alia) a cover or lid suitable for tea-pots,
coffee-pots, kettles, urns, hot-water jugs and other articles; which, while being
quite separate from the tea-pots, etcetera, (hereinafter called vessels) having neither
hinges nor any other attachments, is so constructed that it cannot accidently fall
off when in use unless the vessel be completely inverted. This object is attained by
forming the lid or cover with two rims, an outer and an inner one, of such dimensions
as to form (in conjunction with the rim of the vessel) a simple locking device. It
is also adapted to engage with a strainer suspended in the vessel in such a manner
that, when the lid is removed, the strainer can be removed with it, or, if desired,
the lid can be removed without disturbing the strainer.
The manner in which I prefer to carry out the invention may be understood by
the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings.
In these―
Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a tea-pot with the improved lid and
strainer attachment;
Figure 2, a perspective view of lid, strainer and portion of tea-pot;
Figure 3, a vertical section of an improved strainer;
Figure 4, a side elevation partly in section; and
Figure 5, a front elevation of a coffee-pot with the improved lid and strainer
attachment;
Figure 6 a view showing a device for further securing the lid or cover;
Figures 7 and 8 show a method of attaching elliptical covers to the strainer;
Figure 9 represents a lid having only one vertical rim and resting inside the rim
of the vessel; and
Figure 10, a device for attaching glasses, cups, etcetera, to trays and the like.
A, is the vessel and B the lid or cover, which is provided with two circular
rims Band, the inner one B¹ being preferably much deeper than the outer one b.
These rims are adapted to so engage with the rim a of the vessel as to form a
locking device which shall make it impossible for the lid to fall off when in ordinary
use. The strainer may be of any suitable construction. In the example shown,
C is the strainer having projections or pins c which rest, when in use, in grooves or
recesses a¹ formed in rim a of the vessel (preferably at right angles to the spout)
and by means of which the strainer is suspended. The slits D are vertical, and, if
continued round the curve of the base d as shown in Figure 3, it is found that about
six are sufficient to ensure adequate straining. The base d aforesaid is preferably
solid and may be enlarged if desired, so that, when taken out of the vessel, it may
serve as a stand for the same. D₁ is a perforated disc having a handle D³ to
facilitate its removal. The said disc may rest loosely on a projection D2 or the
strainer may consist of two parts and the disc formed in one with the upper part
which can itself be screwed or otherwise secured to the lower part. The tea, coffee,
or the like is placed on the disc and any sediment passing through the perforation d
will collect in the part d' at the bottom of the strainer.
The projections or pins c aforesaid are preferably of metal, and are formed taper

page_text: passing through suitably formed holes in the strainer. The sleeve c' is slipped
onto the taper pin c, whereby the latter is held firmly in position, the pin head and
the sleeve preventing it falling out.
The inner rim B₁ of the lid or cover B has slots 13' formed therein, each slot
taking the form approximately of a right angle, these slots, together with their
corresponding projections c, forming bayonet joints which constitute the strainer
attachment.
The mode of action of the latter is as follows-
the
The strainer C being suspended in the vessel by means of its projections c,
lid B is put on with the vertical portion of the slots B2 in a line with and passing
over the projections c aforesaid, sufficient space being allowed between the rim a of
the vessel A. and the strainer C, to admit the inner rim B' of the lid. If it be
required to lift the strainer C out with the lid B, the latter is slightly rotated, which
causes the horizontal portion of the slots B32 to engage with the projections c of the
strainer, the same could be indicated by so placing the vent hole in the lid as to be
in a line with the spout of the vessel when the connection is made. It will be
obvious that the strainer and lid can also be inserted together, and, by rotating the
latter in the opposite direction till the vertical portion of the slots is in a line with
the projections, the lid can be removed without the strainer.
In the case of coffee-jugs, hot water jugs and the like, it will be necessary to cut
away a portion of the outer rim b, (Figures 4 and 5) where it would overlap the
spout E, also to allow of the lid being rotated when it is required to raise the.
strainer. The portion E' of the inner rim B' opposite the spout E would also
require to be perforated as shown in Figure 4 to allow for the passage of the
liquid. In the case of vessels where perforations El are provided, I prefer to adopt
a tubular spout, so that the vessel (Figures 4 and 5) would be complete without
using the strainer, as the perforated portion E' of the inner rim B' is sufficient to
strain the sediment from any liquid with which it is amalgamated and thus obviate
cutting away more of the rim B than directly overlaps the lip of jug. The portion E
opposite the spout E may be removed and substituted by a metal one of an elastic
nature, attached to the inner rim B₁ and so arranged that it adheres closely to the
side of vessel when the lid is placed therein.
Figure 6 shows a device which may be employed if necessary to further secure
the lid it consists of a lever or catch F pivoted at f to the handle f¹ of the vessel,
which, when pressed down, as shown in dotted lines, engages with the lid B and
holds it firmly in position. It will be evident that a spring or other device may be
substituted for the catch, but I think it will be found quite unnecessary to use any
of them with the improved lock lid.
The above description applies only to lids having circular rims. In the case of
lids or covers having elliptical, octagonal or other irregular shaped rims which
cannot be rotated, the projections c (Figures 7 and 8) of the strainer C are carried
up above the same and formed into a loop, the outer part of which rests in the
grooves a¹ in the rim a of the vessel. The slots B2 in the inner rim B₁ are of the
form shown in Figure 7. To put the lid on, it is first placed at an angle and slid
down with the slots B2 engaging the looped projections e until it arrives at the
position shown in Figure 7, when it is dropped into position on the vessel. If the
lid be raised vertically, it will take the strainer with it, but, by taking the lid off at
an angle, it can be removed without the strainer.
In Figure 9, the lid B has a vertical rim which prevents the lid from falling off
when the vessel is tilted, and a flange which rests inside the rim a of the vessel on
the unbroken ledges a' a'. The strainer is supported by the same, the arms of
strainer fitting in cavities.
I do not limit the application of this invention solely to covers or lids for vessels,
as it is obvious that it will apply equally to basements of vessels, such as glasses,
cups and the like, attached to trays or to tables on board ship to prevent them
falling off. Figure 10 represents a glass A with a portion of a tray, the latter
having two rims B' and b, similar to the lids herein before described. The annular

page_text: space between these rims receives the rim a of the vessel A and forms the locking
device. Any number of vessels may be attached in this manner.
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. In combination with a tea-pot or other vessel, a lid or cover B formed with two
rims B₁ adapted to so engage the rim of the vessel as to form a locking device
which will render it impossible for the lid to fall off when in ordinary use, substan-
tially as described.
2. In combination with a tea-pot or other vessel, a strainer formed of a hollow
receptacle C perforated at the lower part, and provided with projections or pins c
at the top which rest, when in use, in grooves or recesses in the rim of the vessel,
substantially as described.
3. In a tea-pot or other vessel, the combination with the strainer, of a taper pin c
and a sleeve c¹ fitting thereon, and unitedly forming a projection for engaging the
rim of the vessel, substantially as described.
4. Forming the bottom of a strainer for tea-pots or other vessels with a cup or
like receptacle, whereby any sediment passing through the perforations of the
strainer will collect therein, and can be removed in the cleaning, substantially as
described.
5. In a tea-pot or other vessel, a device for securing the lid and preventing it
accidentally falling off, said device being so arranged in proximity to the handle
that it can be depressed by the finger when the vessel is lifted, and thus made to.
engage or hold the lid substantially as described.
6. The improvement in tea-pots, coffee-pots or other vessels, which consists in
forming the lid or saucer with two vertical annular rims, adapted to so engage the
rim of the vessel as to render it impossible for the lid or saucer to fall off when the
vessel is lifted or tilted substantially as described, or any mere mechanical equivalent
thereof such as forming two rims on the vessel and one rim on the saucer or lid.
7. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts substantially as
described.
TAL
ML 1002
WM., P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.