AN IMPROVED COAL SCUTTLE
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Banfill, of No. 4, Fredericks Place, West-
moreland Road, Walworth Common, in the County of Surrey, Brazier,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED COAL SCUTTLE."
Sealed the 13th July 1866, and dated the 17th January 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Banfill at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
January 1866.
I, JOHN BANFILL, of No. 4, Fredericks Place, Westmoreland Road,
Walworth Common, in the County of Surrey, Brazier, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED COAL SCUTTLE," to be as
follows:-
The handle for lifting the scuttle being attached to the hinge of the
cover on being moved backwards lifts the cover, and when again put
upright causes the cover to resume its original position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Banfill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
July 1866.
"
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BANFILL, of No. 4, Fredericks Place, Westmoreland Road, Walworth
Common, in the County of Surrey, Brazier, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Banfill, Her special licence that I, the said John
Banfill, my executors, admininistrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Banfill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED COAL SCUTTLE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Banfill, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in.
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the. said John Banfill, do hereby declare the.
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of coal scuttle, and
consists of a novel arrangement of the lid or cover in connection with
the handle of the scuttle. At present coal scuttles formed with lids or
covers are opened and closed by lifting and lowering the lid by direct
application of the hand to such lid or cover, which is hinged to the body
of the scuttle and has no connection with the handle by which the scuttle
is carried.
Now my Invention consists in applying the handle of the scuttle to the
axis of the hinge or joint on which the lid or cover turns by extending

page_text: the square or other heads of the axes or shafts of the lid or cover slightly
beyond the edge of the scuttle and bringing the two arms of the handle.
down thereto and fastening them thereon, so that by pressing the handle
backwards the lid or cover rises upwards on its hinge or bearing; the
handle being brought to its uppermost position causes the lid or coyer to
close upon the mouth of the scuttle.
:
In order to illustrate the principle of the Invention completely I annex
a Drawing which represents a side elevation of the improved-scuttle when
closed. a represents the body of the scuttle, and 6 the lid or cover; c
is the handle joined at d to the pivot or axis of the cover; the letters b
and c shew the lid and handle when the lid is opened, the handle being
depressed towards the back of the scuttle.
By this Invention when coals are being carried from place to place, or
up or down staircases, the weight of the scuttle and coals sustained by the
handle forces the lid firmly down on the mouth of the scuttle and effec-
tually prevents the possibility of any portion of the coals falling from the
scuttle, an event which constantly occurs in other scuttles having lids or
covers uncontrolled by the handle. The arms of the handle may, how-
ever, work on an independent bearing or joint in the body of the scuttle
in rear of or above the hinge or the lid, and a short lever may be brought
from the arms underneath or over the top of the scuttle and under or
above the lid so as to raise or close the same as before described. In
scuttles having two lids, one in front and one behind, the handle may be
made to open and close either lid as desired by means of two levers
attached to the arms, one lever communicating with the front lid and the
other lever with the rear lid. These levers must be in two parts and
jointed or hinged together so as to allow of free play or to permit of the
motion of the handle to open one lid while the other is closed.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be carried into effect, I would remark, in conclusion,
that I do not limit myself to the precise details and configuration of parts
I have expressed and shewn, as the same may obviously be varied or
modified without in any way departing from the principles on which my
Invention is based, but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by
the herein in part recited Letters Patent are, the general arrangement
and combination of the lifting handles of coal scuttles in connection with
their lids or covers in such manner as that such lids or covers shall be
opened, closed, or controlled by the action of the handles, either by con-

page_text: necting the arms of the handle to the shaft of the lid or cover, or by
placing the arms in separate bearings in the body of the scuttle and
bringing levers therefrom in connection with the lid or lids, according as
single or double scuttles are used, substantially as herein specified and
shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Banfill; have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
J. C. H. SIEVIER,
Clerk to Prince & Co.,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
JOHN BANFILL. (L.s.)