IMPROVE- MENTS IN SPUR-SUPPORTING RINGS FOR FIXING PLATES, DISHES, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES IN GLOST OVENS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Wentworth Buller and Jabez Hearn Mugford, both
of Bovey Tracy, in the County of Devon, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SPUR-SUPPORTING RINGS FOR FIXING PLATES, DISHES, AND OTHER
LIKE ARTICLES IN GLOST OVENS."
Sealed the 27th May 1863, and dated the 28th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Wentworth Buller and
Jabez Hearn Mugford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 28th November 1862.
We, WENTWORTH BULLER and JABEZ HEARN MUGFORD, both of Bovey
Tracy, in the County of Devon, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPUR-SUPPORTING RINGS FOR FIXING PLATES,
DISHES, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES IN GLOST OVENS," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist, "firstly," in making the spur-supporting rings
in the form of a circular rim and in one piece with three or more legs, which
form admits of the plates or other earthenware articles being placed in close
proximity to the article immediately underneath, and thus effecting a very
considerable saving of room in the ovens; secondly, in supporting the plates,
saucers, or other articles on small moveable "points" or pyramidal pieces
placed upon or otherwise inserted in small eylet-holes or grooves made for
this purpose in the circular rim, and so as to be renewable at pleasure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Wentworth Buller and Jabez Hearn Mugford in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 28th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,. WENTWORTH
BULLER and JABEZ HEARN MUGFORD, both. of, Bovey Tracey, in the County of
Devon, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Wentworth Buller and Jabez Hearn Mugford, Her special licence,
that we, the said Wentworth Buller and Jabez Hearn Mugford, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Wentworth Buller
and Jabez Hearn Mugford, our 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPUR-SUPPORTING RINGS FOR FIXING PLATES, DISHES, AND
OTHER LIKE ARTICLES IN GLOST OVENS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Wentworth Buller and Jabez Hearn Mugford, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or one of our or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
preformed, 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 we, the said Wentworth Buller and Jabez Hearn
Mugford, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, referénce being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
.
These improvements consist, first, in making the spur-supporting rings in
the form of a circular rim and in one piece with three or more legs, which
form admits of the plates or other earthenware articles being placed in closer
proximity to the article immediately underneath, and thus effecting a very con-
siderable saving of room in the ovens ; second, in supporting the plates, saucers,
or other articles on small movable "points" or pyramidal "spur" pieces placed

page_text: upon or otherwise inserted in small eyelet-holes or grooves made for this
purpose in the circular rim, and so as to be renewable at pleasure."
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a plan of the top, and Figure 2
is a plan of the bottom or under side, of a spur-supporting ring, constructed
according to our Invention ;; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same.
a is the body of, the ring; b, b, are the recesses for receiving the legs c, c;
and e, e, are the recesses for the spurs or movable points on which the articles
to be glossed rest:
3
It will be seen that those portions of the rings to which the legs are attached
project, somewhat beyond the general surface of the exterior of the ring, so
that when the rings are placed in the "seggar" to be fired, the body of the
rings lie closely together, whereby any twisting is avoided, and at the same
time they occupy, very little space, which is of great importance when they are
required to be packed for transport. The combination of the movable points
or spurs with the supporting rings forms one of the essential features of our
Invention, as the rings may be used repeatedly, and new points or spurs placed
in the recesses.
We prefer to form the points or spurs with a circular or any other suitably
shaped base, the outer edges of which are made to agree with the lower or
inner sides of the recesses in which they are used, whereby slipping is pre-
vented. On the upper side of this base a conical point is formed, while the
under part is left plain or with three or more slight projections. To make the
rings of uniform shape and size we employ dies or moulds made of iron or
steel, or other suitable material, in the following manner :-We fit into an
outer case or cylinder, having the contour of its inner surface similar to the
outer edge of the ring to be produced, an annular piston or ring capable of
moving freely up and down therein. This piston forms the bottom of the disc
or mould, and has on its upper side projections exactly similar to the recesses
required on the upper surface of the ring to be produced. The top or upper
part of the die or mould is also an annular piston or ring, and fitted to slide
freely up and down in the outer case or cylinder, the under side thereof being
recessed to form the body of the ring, while the legs are formed by recesses
cut in the edge. These dies or moulds may be worked in any ordinary fly
press by fixing the case or cylinder to the bed of the press, while the upper
piston or ring is made to move up or down by means of the screw. The
bottom piston or ring is put to the bottom of the case or cylinder, which, after
the clay ring has been formed thereon by means of the top piston or ring, is
lifted out of the cylinder, and put in a stove or other convenient place to dry,
until the clay ring is sufficiently stiff to be removed from the piston. In order

page_text: that no more delay than is absolutely necessary may occur, any convenient
number of these bottom pistons or rings may be used.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,-
First, the employment in glost ovens of spur supporting rings in the form of
a circular rim and in one piece with legs, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the employment of movable points or spurs inserted in recesses or
holes in the circular rings, substantially in manner and for the purposes
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Wentworth Buller and Jabez Hearn
Mugford, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth day
of May, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
WENTWORTH BULLER. (L.S.)
JABEZ H. MUGFORD.
(L.S.)