Improvements in Thimble-pins for Supporting Earthenware while being Fired.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1391-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1891
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Thimble-pins for Supporting Earthenware while
being Fired.
I, ELIAS LEAK, of Mount Allotments, Oxford Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford-
shire, Potters' Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said 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 certain improvements in thimble-pins for supporting
carthenware in saggers or the like while being baked or otherwise fired.
As hitherto made, these devices, when socketted together in a pile or column in
condition for use in supporting the ware, are extremely liable to get wedged and
to stick together owing to their formation and the weight of the superposed series
and the ware supported thereby, to such an extent that they are very liable to split
and cannot be separated without breaking or irretrievably damaging a large
percentage thereof. The operatives being none too careful in their efforts to
separate the piles or columns into the separate thimble-pins for repeated use, are
accustomed to strike the pile with anything that may be handy, and as frequently
break the supporting arms or other ware-supporting projecting parts therefrom as
they separate the thimble-pins from each other, and not unfrequently break the
thimble-pins bodily across.
This defect is in a great measure due to the exact fitting of the thimble-pins
together, this being most usually effected by making the thiinble-pins with corre-
sponding wedge-shaped or tapering socket and spigot ends, the latter of which is
fitted into the former, and by the weight of each added thimble-pin and supported
piece of ware is wedged harder and harder thereinto, producing, as aforesaid, such
lateral pressure as frequently causes the socket to split, there being in such devices
no means of supporting or resisting the vertical thrust so as to relieve the sides of
the socket from the lateral pressure, and, consequently, nothing to prevent the
thimble-pins from almost irremovably jamming together, which, moreover, is
materially aided by the glaze which, running down the pile of thimble-pins, adheres
to and seals the junctions of the adjacent thimble-pins.
The especial object of this invention is to avoid the aforesaid defect, and to this
end the invention consists essentially in forming the thimble-pins in such a manner
that the vertical thrust of each on the one next below in the series, will be resisted
in such a manner as to relieve the socketed parts of the device from such lateral
pressure so that they will not on such account be liable to give way, and so as to
prevent the parts from getting wedged together as aforesaid and allow of the speedy
separation of the pile of thimble-pins into its constituents.
To this end, I make the thimble-pins each with some part thereof which will
rest with a vertical pressure. on some horizontally disposed part of another thereof,
it may be with the bottom of the spigot of the one resting on the bottom of the
socket of the other, or by an external ring on the spigot of the one resting on the
rim of the socket of the other, or by any intermediate ring on the spigot of the one
resting on any surrounding ledge or recess formed in the other, or by corresponding
alternating projections or recesses forward on and in the device or by a part of the
ware-supporting arms or an overhanging flange on the spigot of the one resting on
the top edge of the socket of the other or by other equivalent means.
The invention is applicable to all kinds, varieties and shapes of thimble-pins
whether of conical, pyramidal or other shape, and whether provided with one, two
or more fixed arms or other ware-supporting parts or with removable and replaceable
arms, and, therefore, I desire it to be understood that the accompanying drawings

page_text: are intended to be illustrative of the principle of my invention rather than of any
particular means limiting the scope of my claim.
On the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1, represents a pile (partly in section) of thimble-pins of the form most
ordinarily used, illustrating the tight fit of the series, the absence of any means of
resisting the vertical pressure in a vertical direction without tending to divert the
pressure laterally and to split the device, and examples of the damage so frequently
caused in attempting to separate the pile..
Figure 2, represents a pile (also partly in section) of similar thimble-pins adapted
in accordance with my present invention, showing each of the series as so constructed
at 8, that its weight is supported by the one next below, into which it but loosely
fits as represented at 9, without possibility of jamming therewith.
Figures 3, represent modifications wherein the bearing of each thimble-pin on the
one next below it is effected by a surrounding rim 8, bearing on the rim of the
Bocket of the one below.
Figure 4, represents a modification wherein such bearing is effected by a
surrounding rim 8, entering a correspondingly recessed part of the socket of the
thimble-pin below.
Figure 5, represents a modification wherein such bearing is effected by projecting
nibs 8, entering correspondingly recessed parts formed in the socket of the thimble-
pin below.
Figure 6, represents a modification wherein such projecting nibs rest on the
rim of the socket of the thimble-pin below.
Figure 7, represents a modification wherein the supporting flange 8, of each
thimble-pin overhangs the socket of the one next below and effectually prevents
the glaze from getting between the adjacent thimble-pins and cementing them
together.
In all such and in all other modifications of the present invention, the said
spigot and socket parts of the thimble-pins are so formed as that the former loosely
fit into the latter just sufficiently to allow of the parts fitting snugly together
without possibility of their getting wedged together and without allowing of
such freedom of movement as would endanger the stability of the pile of
thimble-pins.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The manufacture of thimble-pins of the improved formation herein before
described and with supporting parts adapted to co-operate as described.
Dated this 12th day of September 1891.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.