IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN PLACING 'GLOST, CHINA, AND EARTHENWARE IN OVENS AND KILNS FOR FIRING, BURNING, OR BAKING SUCH WARE
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Elias Leak, of Longton, in the County of Stafford,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN PLACING 'GLOST,
CHINA, AND EARTHENWARE IN OVENS AND KILNS FOR FIRING, BURNING, OR
BAKING SUCH WARE."
Sealed the 8th March 1864, and dated the 7th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Elias Leak at the Office
☐ of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th October
1863.
I, ELIAS LEAK, of Longton, in the County of Stafford, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN
PLACING GLOST,' CHINA, AND EARTHENWARE IN OVENS AND KILNS FOR FIRING,
BURNING, OR BAKING SUCH WARE," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists principally of loose arms (with points or branches)
cupping, matching, or fitting into holes or recesses formed in any suitable
kind of pillar to be used in lieu of the thimble pillar with fixed points and
branches now employed for that purpose. Each of these loose arms is provided
with two branches, one formed in the shape of a wedge, cupping, matching, or
fitting into a corresponding hole or recess formed in the side of the pillar, and
the other projecting horizontally or otherwise to support the ware, so that
when a series of these loose arms are cupped, matched, or fitted into a number
of the said holes or recesses, one above the other, they form a pillar with points.
and branches projecting horizontally. Each piece of ware is supported by
three of these arms placed at about equal distances round the circumference

page_text: thereof, the points extending under the edge of the ware in such a manner
that each article only bears its own weight, and will bave only three marks
instead of six or twelve as by the cockspurs and stilts now ordinarily employed.
This arrangement also allows of the ware being placed closer together than
ordinarily, and consequently time and space are economised. It also allows
of the pillar, into the side of which the loose arm is cupped, matched, or fitted
to be manufactured or made of any composition cheaper or inferior to earthen-
ware. And whereas by the old method of placing "glost," china, and earthenware
in the "seggars" during the operation of burning, baking, or firing such ware,
namely, by means of the thimble pillar with fixed points and branches, any
point or branch projecting horizontally from such pillar, being damaged,
injured, or broken, the whole of the thimble with point and branch was
rendered useless. An evident economy is observable in this Invention, by reason
of the loose arm cupping, matching, or fitting in the side of the pillar; the
point or branch so damaged, injured, or broken is easily replaced by means
of another arm or branch being cupped, matched, or fitted in the place or
stead of the arm so damaged, injured, or broken, and the pillar remains equally
as good as before.
This Invention also allows of an indefinite variety of shapes and sizes to be
cupped, matched, or fitted into one and the same pillar. The pillars and
loose arms or branches may be made of any size, or shaped to suit any kind
or class of china or earthenware; but I prefer to make the pillar of a series of
thimbles cupping or fitting into each other, and each provided with one or
more lugs or projections having holes or recesses in which the loose arms are
fitted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Elias Leak in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELIAS
LEAK, of Longton, in the County of Stafford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the 27th year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Elias Leak, Her special license that I, the said Elias Leak, my executors,
administrators, and assigns,- or such others ȧs I; the said Elias Leak, my

page_text: executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED
IN PLACING 'GLOST,' CHINA, AND EARTHENWARE IN OVENS AND KILNS FOR FIRING,
BURNING, OR BAKING SUCH WARE," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Elias Leak, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of
them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Elias Leak, 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 in writing, and on reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, that is to say :-
The Invention consists principally of loose arms with points or branches
cupping, matching, or fitting into holes or recesses formed in any suitable
kind of pillar, to be used in lieu of the thimble pillar with fixed points and
branches now employed for that purpose. Each of these loose arms is
provided with two branches, one formed in the shape of a wedge, cupping,
matching, or fitting into a corresponding hole or recess formed in the side of
the pillar, and the other projecting horizontally or otherwise to support the
ware, so that when a series of these loose arms are cupped, matched, or fitted
into a number of the said holes or recesses, one above the other, they form a
pillar with points and branches projecting horizontally. Each piece of ware
is supported by three of these arms placed at about equal distances round the
circumference thereof, the points extending under the edge of the ware in
such a manner that each article only bears its own weight, and will have only
three marks instead of six or twelve, as by the cockspurs and stilts .now
ordinarily employed. This arrangement also allows of the ware being placed
closer together than ordinarily, and consequently time and space are economised.
It also allows of the pillar, into the side of which the loose arm is cupped,
matched, or fitted to be manufactured or made of any composition cheaper or
inferior to earthenware. And whereas by the old method of placing glost,
china, and earthenware in the "seggars" during the operation of burning,
baking, or firing such ware, namely,,by means of the thimble pillar with fixed

page_text: points and branches, any point or branch projecting horizontally from such
pillar being damaged, injured, or broken, the whole of the thimble with point
and branch was rendered useless. An evident economy is observable in this
Invention by reason of the loose arm cupping, matching, or fitting in the side
of the pillar, the, point or branch so damaged, injured, or broken is easily
replaced by means of another arm or branch being cupped, matched, or
fitted in the place or stead of the arm so damaged, injured, or broken, and
the pillar remains equally as good as before.
This Invention also allows of an indefinite variety of shapes and sizes to be
cupped, matched, or fitted into one and the same pillar. The pillars and loose
arms or branches may be made of any size or shape to suit any kind or 'class
of china or earthenware; but I prefer to make the pillars of a series of thimbles
cupping or fitting into each other, and each provided with one or more lugs
or projections having holes or recesses in which the loose arms are fitted.
.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improved
Apparatus to be used in Placing Glost,' China, and Earthenware in Ovens
and Kilns for Firing, Burning, or Baking such Ware," I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be
distinctly understood, I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative
thereof, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference corres-
ponding with those in the following explanation thereof, that is to say:-
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a plań
view, illustrating one modification of my Invention. I employ a stand a, a,
and thimbles b, b, similar to those described in the Specification of former
Letters Patent granted to me the Twenty-first day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six (No. 1715), but instead of having arms or branches
fixed to the thimbles, I employ loose arms c, c, (see also Figure 3), the lower
branch of these arms is formed in a wedge shape, and fits or matches into a
hole or recess formed in a projection or lug d, d, on the thimbles, and the
other branch terminates in a point which supports the ware. The arms c, c, may
be either curved, as shown at Figures 1 and 3, or straight, as shown at
Figure 4, or of any other convenient form to suit the nature of the ware to be
supported. Figure 5 shews a front view, and Figure 6 a plan view, of one
.of the thimbles detached, from which it will be perceived that both the taper
hole and the exterior of the thimble have one side flattened, which will
.effectually prevent any thimble from turning round. Figure 7 is a thimble
adapted for two arms which may sometimes be used; in this case only two
pillars will be required, viz., one with two points and the other with only one.

page_text: Figure 8 and Figure 9 are side and plan views of a modification of my In-
vention, adapted for supporting plates and saucers; in this case only very small
arms are required. Figure 10 is a plan view, Figure 11 a side view, and
Figure 12 a front view of this modification of the the thimble, and Figures 13
and 14 are plan and side views of the arms used therewith.
It will be evident that various other modifications in the forms of the thimbles
and branches may be made without departing from the main feature of my
Invention, which consists in making the arms which support the ware separate
and distinct from the thimbles which form the pillar, by which means a double
economy is effected. In the first place only the arms require to be made of
earthenware, the stand and thimbles being made of a coarser and cheaper
material; and, secondly, should one of the arms or points become damaged
or broken the arm alone requires renewing, the thimble being still available.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"Improved Apparatus to be used in Placing Glost,' China, and Earthenware
in Ovens and Kilns for Firing, Burning, or Baking such Ware," together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention
the employment of loose arms for supporting the ware matching or fitting into
holes or recesses formed in a suitable pillar, whether such pillar be composed
of thimbles, as shown in the Drawings, or constructed in any other suitable
manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Elias Leak, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
ELIAS LEAK.
(L.S.