A Tray and Rack Attachment to Saucers and other similar Receptaeles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1899
A Tray and Rack Attachment to Saucers and other similar
Receptaeles.
A communication from WILLIAM THOMAS WILLINGTON and ARTHUR WILLINGTON,
both of Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, Silversmiths.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, Chartered Patent Agent, of 111, Hatton Garden.
in the County of London, 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:-
It has been usual when serving solid refreshment with tea or coffee, either
to put the bread and butter, toast, cake or biscuit on a plate separate from the cup
and saucer, or into the saucer in which the cup stands. The result very often
is that the solids get saturated with the contents of the cup, and although not
absolutely spoiled, are rendered unappetising in appearance, or are so soaked with
the liquid as to be unsusceptible of manipulation.
This invention consists of a simple wire attachment to the saucer itself, so
disposed and arranged that a hinged portion of the attachment may be turned
down into a horizontal position to receive the bread and butter or other light
solid refreshment, or may be turned up so as to form a rack in which the toast,
cake or biscuit may be gripped.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the appliance attached to a saucer, the tray part
being turned down into the horizontal position so as to form a true plate, the
same part being shown in dotted lines, turned up into the vertical position to
form a rack.
Fig 2 is an end elevation of the appliance.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.
The gripping portion of the appliance consists of two wire fingers a a¹ which
pass underneath the saucer A and over its edge, the wire being sufficiently elastic
to grip the saucer. These two fingers are formed of one piece of wire which
is bent up vertically at b so as to form one side of a rack. The bent over parts of
Above this
the fingers a a¹ are rigidly secured together by a transverse loop c.
transverse loop c is another transverse loop d on to which two fingers e are looped
in such a way as to have a certain springy effect. To the outer ends of these
fingers e is secured the disc F which forms the tray proper. This plate may be
ornamented in any suitable manner, such as by wire scroll work, shell pattern or
other design appropriately ornamental.
When it is desired to use the rack, the tray F is turned up into the vertical
position shown in Fig. 1 and into the space G, between the tray F and the
vertical member b, may be placed the piece of toast, cake or biscuit. The springi-
ness of the wire fingers e will be sufficient to retain the tray F in either the
horizontal or vertical position. When the tray F is not required to be used as
part of the rack it may be turned down into the horizontal position shown in
all the figures, and used as a plate.

page_text: My correspondents do not wish to confine themselves to the exact arrangement
shown in the drawings, as it is obvious that different manufacturers may prefer
to have, a different arrangement of parts to give the same effect. The appliance
is therefore shown merely as an illustration of the manner in which the appliance
may be rendered effective.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:.
:―
An attachment to a saucer or other similar receptacle consisting of fingers which
will grip the saucer in combination with a vertical member which will form a
permanent side of a rack and with a disc or plate which may be either turned
up so as to form the other side of the rack or laid down so as to form a plate or
tray proper as herein specified.
Dated this 27th day of February 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.