AN IMPROVED SPRINKLER FOR POWDERED SUBSTANCES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes
and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED SPRINKLER FOR POWDERED SUBSTANCES."-A com-
munication from abroad by George Jones, of the City and County of
New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 26th May 1868, and dated the 28th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th November 1867.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 128, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SPRINKLER FOR POWDERED SUBSTANCES," &
communication to me from abroad by George Jones, of the City and County
of New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America, to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to furnish a neat and convenient cup or
vessel for the reception of salt, sugar, pepper, or other spices or condiments
or other powdered or finely grained materials or substances from which when
so desired its contents may be discharged or sprinkled in a most convenient

page_text: manner upon any article or articles of food or otherwise, according to the
nature of the substance contained in the vessel. And for this purpose the
Invention consists principally in a novel construction or formation of the
interior of the cup or vessel whereby the material or substance contained in it
is made to always move or fall toward an opening made at or near the centre
of its under side or base in combination with a valve so arranged in such
opening that it can be opened or closed at pleasure, and thus when opened
enable the material with which the vessel is filled, or partially so, to be dis-
charged and sprinkled through it upon the article of food which it is desired
to season, or upon any other article or surface according to the nature of the
material contained in said vessel or cup, the said valve when closed preventing
the escape of any portion of the material contained within the cup or vessel.
In the accompanying Drawings this improved sprinkling cup or vessel is
illustrated.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 2 a central vertical section
of the same; Fig. 3 a vertical section of the same modified; Fig. 4 a
modification of the valve stem.
H represents the cup or vessel which upon its outside may be made of any
desired form, shape, style, and size, but which it is desirable should be made
of such a shape and size as may be conveniently held by the grasp of the
band or thumb and finger, and also of any material whether metal, china,
glass, gutta percha, india-rubber, ivory, wood, or any other material. This
vessel at its upper end K is opened for convenience of filling; its inside is
made of a tapering or inclined shape or form from its upper or open end down
'towards its base or bottom L, in which at or near its centre is made an
opening A through which the material contained in the cup or vessel H can
be discharged in a manner herein-after described, the downward tapering or
inclined sides of the interior of the cup causing the material placed in it to
always tend and move towards the discharge opening at the lower end of each
of such tapered sides," the importance of which will be manifest from the
explanation which hereafter follows. The edge or periphery of the opening
in the bottom of the vessel is bevelled or flared outward, as shewn at A in the
Drawing, and in this opening fits a similar shaped valve plate or head E
secured to the lower end of a vertical stem or rod D; this rod D passes up
through the vessel or cup H, and its cover or lid B, and has a knob F secured
to its upper or projecting end, which by means of a spiral spring G arranged
within the interior of the recess or socket 0 of the upper side of the said
cover, and about or around the stem D between the lower end or shoulder S
of its knob, and the bottom of the said recess is caused to be retained at

page_text: such a height as to keep the valve against its seat in the opening in the
bottom of the cup, and thus closing said opening until by depressing such knob
with the finger or thumb of the hand the valve is opened, when by the action
of such spring, the pressure being removed from the knob, the valve is returned
to its seat and again closes the opening in the bottom of the vessel. The
portion of the valve stem or rod D upon the interior of the vessel or cup is
provided with a series of teeth, barbs, flanges, or other suitable projections T,
the object of which will be presently explained. Within the vessel or cup H
having the form upon its inside, and provided with the valve E as above
described, by sufficiently removing its cover B therefrom is placed the material
or substance which it is designed to contain, as, for instance, salt, sugar,
pepper, or other spices or other powdered or finely grained substances, when
replacing the cover upon the vessel such material can then be discharged or
sprinkled in quantities more or less through the opening in the bottom of
the vessel by simply bearing or pressing down with the finger or thumb
of the hand upon the knob F on the outside of the cover B sufficiently
to press down the valve from its seat in said opening, which discharge or
sprinkling can be greatly facilitated by quickly repeating such up-and-
down motion thus given to the valve stem; upon the cessation of such
pressure and motion given to the valve stem by the action of the spiral spring
the valve E is returned to its seat, thus preventing any further escape of the
material contained in the vessel or cup. By providing the stem of the valve
with a series of barbs, teeth, or flanges, it will be perceived that it furnishes
means for grating and crushing adhering lumps which may come in contact
therewith, thereby obviating the difficulty that has existed in sprinkling vessels
heretofore. The barbs, teeth, or flanges also at the same time serve to carry
the material downward, and precipitate it through the opening in the bottom
of the cup, all the advantages of which are very obvious.
By the peculiar arrangement herein above explained of the spiral spring G,
in connection with the cover of the vessel, and the knob upon the upper end
of the valve stem, it is apparent that not only does it act to bring the valve to
its seat and there hold it, but also to retain the cover firm upon the vessel,
while at the same time it freely allows the cover to be sufficiently removed
from the cup or vessel to permit it to be filled or partially so with the material
which it is designed to contain. By making the valve seat flaring or bevelling,
and the valve of a shape corresponding thereto, a more perfect sealing of the
opening is secured, and a more perfect discharge of the material from the cup
is effected. I deem it proper to add that although the vessel or cup H is
described as provided with a cover or lid, such cover may be dispensed with

page_text: by substituting cross bars or any other convenience for holding or guiding the
Valve stem D and furnishing a rest for the spring G, and furthermore in lieu
of the spiral spring a rubber cushion or any other suitable spring may be used,
and, if desired, the projections upon the valve stem may be dispensed with,
but with them the desired effect is much better attained, especially if the
material be lumpy or inclined to lump.
"
In the arrangement above described the cover cannot be removed without.
some difficulty and delay, and when it is so removed the valve stem has
nothing to sustain it, and consequently fails to hold the valve in place, 'thus
permitting the escape of whatever pulverulent matter there is in the box. So
long as the spring which acts on the valve and stem is confined or held in
place by the cover these disadvantages must continue, and to obviate theni
the modification is devised which I will proceed to describe by reference to the
accompanying Drawings, Figs. 3 and 4, the said modification consisting
principally in the adaptation of a brace or open frame, or other equivalent
device to the box or receptacle in which the pulverulent matter is contained,
through which brace or frame the valve stem plays, and against which the
spring for holding the valve in its seat bears, the upper end of such spring
being as before against a flange or other suitable stop near the upper end-of
the valve stem.
The apparatus consists of a box or receptacle A whose interior has a
conoidal form tapering toward the bottom. A cover B is fitted to the top of
the receptacle A, and is secured thereto in any suitable manner. An orifice o
is formed in the centre of the cover, and a like opening e is formed in the
bottom of the box A; the exterior edges around the latter opening are bevelled
or slanted so as to receive the conical valve or plug herein-after described.
In and through these openings the valve stem C plays. This stem is con-
structed as shewn in the Drawing, its upper end being provided with a knob a
and flange c, the latter projecting some distance from the periphery of the
stem proper. On the lower part of the stem are a series of barbs or flanges d
the functions of which have been described, and the stem extending through
the bottom of the box A terminates in a conical valve or plug D, which has
its seat in the opening e above described. In order to hold the valve D firmly
in its seat I make use of a spiral spring E or equivalent mechanism, one end
of which bears against the under side of the flange c, while the other and
lower end presses upon and is held in place by a brace or open frame F
which is secured to the sides of the box A, and not only supports the spring,
but also guides and steadies the valve stem C which passes through it at m.
The spiral spring E which surrounds the valve stem may in turn be enclosed

page_text: within a tube f which is secured at the lower end to the brace F, by this
means effectually preventing the powdered matter in the box from choking or
impeding, the spring. The tube, however, is not indispensable, and need not
be used unless desired, though, as just explained, its use is attended with
some advantages. The valve stem C moves in the opening 6 in the cover B.
(which opening is large enough to allow the cover. to be lifted and removed.
from the stem, and is operated by pressing the finger on the knob a as-before-
explained, the valve stem being depressed and the valve opened by this means,
thus allowing the pepper or other pulverulent substance to escape from the.
opening e in the bottom of the box..
From the arrangement of parts above described it will be seen that the
cover B is entirely disconnected. and separate from the valve mechanism, and
can be removed from or fitted to the receptacle A without interfering in the
least with the valve stem, which, whether the cover is on or off, is maintained
in place by the brace F, and is held up by the spring E so as to keep the
valve D firmly in its seat. The flanges d on the lower part of the valve stem
may have a spiral form like the thread of a screw, or instead of flanges or
barbs bristles may be employed with equally good effect, or any other
equivalent device, whereby the substance or material in the box without being
hindered from freely passing out is prevented from falling from the box in
lumps or in mass. The conical plug or valve D may be made of increased
length or with its sides x, x, elongated, for by this means the more even dis-
tribution of the pulverulent matter is attained. The valve stem C may be
jointed or formed of two pieces hinged together, as shewn in Fig. 4, so as to
allow the cover to be tilted, and thus obviate the necessity of removing the
cover or lifting it from the valve stem whenever the box A requires to be
filled. When the stem is thus constructed the tube f which surrounds the..
spring E cannot of course be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL. COME, I, EDWARD.
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 128,
Chancery Lane, London, 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.

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 SPRINKLER FOR POWDERED SUBSTANCES," a com-
munication to me from abroad by George Jones, of the City and County of
New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America, upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly 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 Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings (that is to say):
:-
The object of this Invention is to furnish a neat and convenient cup or
vessel for the reception of salt, sugar, pepper, or other spices or condiments
or other powdered or finely grained materials or substances from which when
so desired its contents may be discharged or sprinkled in a most convenient
manner upon any article or articles of food or otherwise according to the
nature of the substance contained in the vessel. And for this purpose the
Invention consists principally in a novel construction or formation of the
interior of the cup or vessel, whereby the material or substance contained in
it is made to always move or fall toward an opening made at or near the
centre of its under side or base in combination with a valve so arranged in
such opening that it can be opened or closed at pleasure, and thus when
opened enable the material with which the vessel is filled or partially so to be
discharged and sprinkled through it upon the article of food which it is desired
to season, or upon any other article or surface according to the nature of the
material contained in said vessel or cup, the said valve when closed pre-

page_text: venting the escape of any portion of the material contained within the cup or
vessel.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the sprinkling
cup or vessel; Fig. 2 a central vertical section of the same; Fig. 3 a vertical
section of a sprinkling cup differently constructed, and Figs. 4 and 5 modi-
fications of the valve stem.
In Figs. 1 and 2, H represents the cup or vessel which upon its outside
may be made of any desired form, shape, style, and size, but which it is
desirable should be made of such a shape and size as may be conveniently
held by the grasp of the hand or thumb and finger, and also of any material
whether metal, china, glass, india-rubber, gutta percha, ivory, wood, or any
other material. This vessel at its upper end K is opened for convenience
of filling; its inside is made of a tapering or inclined shape or form from its
upper or open end down towards its base or bottom L, in which at or near its
centre is made an opening A through which the material contained in the
cup or vessel H can be discharged in a manner herein-after described, the
downward tapering or inclined sides of the interior of the cup causing the
material placed in it to always tend and move toward the discharge opening
at the lower end of such tapered sides, the importance of which will be
manifest from the explanation which hereafter follows:-The edge or periphery
in the opening in the bottom of the vessel is bevilled or flared outward, as
shewn at A in the Drawing, and in this opening fits a similar shaped valve plate
or head E secured to the lower end of a vertical stem or rod D; this rod D
passes up through the vessel or cup H and its cover or lid B, and has a knob F
secured to its upper or projecting end, which by means of a spiral spring G
arranged within the interior of the recess or socket ☐ of the upper side of the
said cover and about or around the stem D between the lower end or shoulder S
of its knob, and the bottom of the said recess O is caused to be retarded at
such a height as to keep the valve against its seat in the opening in the
bottom of the cup, and thus closing said opening until by depressing such
knob with the finger or thumb of the hand the valve is opened, when by the
action of such spring, the pressure being removed from the knob, the valve is
returned to its seat and again closes the opening in the bottom of the vessel.
The portion of the valve stem or rod D upon the interior of the vessel or cup
is provided with a series of teeth, barbs, flanges, or other suitable projections T,
the object of which will be presently explained. Within the vessel or cup H
having the form upon its inside and provided with the valve E as above
described by sufficiently removing its cover B therefrom is placed the mate-
rial or substance which it is designed to contain, as, for instance, pepper-

page_text: or other spices or other powdered or finely grained substances, when replacing.
the cover upon the vessel such material can then be discharged or sprinkled
in quantities more or less through the opening in the bottom of the vessel by
simply bearing or pressing down with the finger or thumb of the hand upon
the knob F on the outside of the cover B sufficiently to press down the valve
from its seat in said opening, which discharge or sprinkling can be greatly
facilitated by quickly repeating such up-and-down motion thus given to the
valve stem; upon the cessation of such pressure and motion given to the
valve stem by the action of the spiral spring the valve E is returned to its
seat, thus preventing any further escape of the material contained in the vessel
or cup. By providing the stem of the valve with a series of barbs,, teeth,
or flanges, it will be perceived that it furnishes means for grating and cutting
adhering lumps which may come in contact therewith, thereby obviating the
difficulty that has existed in sprinkling vessels heretofore. The barbs, teeth,
or flanges also at the same time serve to carry the material downward and
precipitate it through the opening in the bottom of the cup, all the advantages
of which are very obvious.
By the peculiar arrangement herein-above explained of the spiral spring G
in connection with the cover of the vessel and the knob upon the
upper end
of the valve stem it is apparent that not only does it act to bring the valve to
its seat and there hold it, but also to retain the cover firm upon the vessel,
while at the same time it freely allows the cover to be sufficiently removed
from the cup or vessel to permit it to be filled or partially so with the material
which it is designed to contain. By making the valve seat flaring or bevilling,
and the valve of a shape corresponding thereto, a more perfect sealing of the
opening is secured, and a more perfect discharge of the material from the cup.
is effected.
From the above description of this improved sprinkling or dredging cup
the advantages I claim in the construction of vessels for containing or
sprinkling therefrom salt, sugar, pepper, spices, &c., more especially for
table use, will be readily seen and appreciated over all other vessels heretofore
invented and now in general use, not only in utility and convenience, but as a
table ornament, and it is worthy of consideration that this Invention does
more readily and perfectly secure the material contained within from the
action of air and moisture than any other Invention for similar use. I deem
it proper to add that although the vessel or cup H is described as provided
with a cover or lid, such cover may be dispensed with by substituting cross
bars or any other convenience for holding or guiding the valve stem D and
furnishing a rest for the spring G; and furthermore in lieu of the spiral

page_text: spring a rubber cushion or any other suitable spring may be used, and if
desired the projections upon the valve stem may be dispensed with, but with
them the desired effect is much better attained, especially if the material be
lumpy or inclined to lump...
In the arrangement above described the cover cannot be removed without
some difficulty and delay, and when it is so removed the valve stem has
nothing to sustain it, and consequently fails to hold the valve in place, thus
permitting the escape of whatever pulverulent matter there is in the box. So
long as the spring which acts on the valve and stem is confined or held in
place by the cover these disadvantages must continue, and to obviate them
the modification is devised which I will proceed to describe by reference to
the accompanying Drawings, Figs. 3 and 4, the said modification consisting
principally in the adaptation of a brace or open frame or other equivalent
device to the box or receptacle in which the pulverulent matter is contained,
through which brace or frame the valve stem plays, and against which the
spring for holding the valve in its seat bears, the upper end of such spring
being as before against a flange or other suitable stop near the upper end of
the valve stem. The apparatus consists of a box or receptacle A whose
interior has a conoidal form tapering toward the bottom. A cover B is fitted
to the top of the receptacle A, and is secured thereto in any suitable manner.
An orifice 6 is formed in the centre of the cover, and a like opening e is formed
in the bottom of the box A. The exterior edges around the latter opening
are bevilled or slanted so as to receive the conical valve or plug herein-after
described. In and through these openings the valve stem C plays; this stem
is constructed as shewn in the Drawing, its upper end being provided with a
knob a and flange c, the latter projecting some distance from the periphery of
the stem proper.
On the lower part of the stem are a series of barbs or
flanges d, the functions of which have been described, and the stem extending
through the bottom of the box A terminates in a conical valve or plug D
which has its seat in the opening above described. In order to hold the
valve D firmly in its seat I make use of a spiral spring E or equivalent
mechanism, one end of which bears against the under side of the flange c, while
the other and lower end presses upon and is held in place by a brace or open
frame F which is secured to the sides of the box A, and not only supports the
spring, but also guides and steadies the valve stem C which passes through it
at m. The spiral spring E which surrounds the valve stem may in turn be
enclosed within a tube f which is secured at the lower end to the brace F, by
this means effectually preventing the powdered matter in the box from
choking or impeding the spring. The tube however is not indispensable

page_text: and need not be used, unless desired, though as just explained its use is
attended with some advantages. The valve stem C moves in the opening b
in the cover B (which opening is large enough to allow the cover to be lifted
off and removed from the stem), and is operated by pressing the finger on the
knob a, as before explained, the valve stem being depressed and the valve
opened by this means, thus allowing the pepper or other pulverulent substance
to escape from the opening e in the bottom of the box. From the arrange-
ment of parts above described it will be seen that the cover B is entirely dis-
connected and separate from the valve mechanism, and can be removed from
or fitted to the receptacle A without interfering in the least with the valve
sten, which whether the cover is on or off is maintained in place by the
brace F, and is held up by the spring E so as to keep the valve D firmly in
its seat. The flanges d on the lower part of the valve stem may have a
spiral form like the thread of a screw, or instead of flanges or barbs bristles
may be employed with equally good effect, or any other equivalent device,
whereby the substance or material in the box without being hindered from
freely passing out is prevented from falling from the box in lumps or in
mass. The conical plug or valve D may be made of increased length or with
its sides a, a, elongated, for by this means the more even distribution of the
pulverulent matter is attained. The valve stem C may be jointed or formed
of two pieces binged together, as shewn in Fig. 4, so as to allow the cover to
be tilted and thus obviate the necessity of removing the cover or lifting it
from the valve stem whenever the box A requires to be filled, or the stem
may be provided with an universal ball joint, as seen in Fig. 5. When the
stem is thus constructed, the tube f which surrounds the spring E cannot of
course be used.
Having described this Invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. The valve stem D when provided with teeth, barbs, flanges, or their
equivalents, and for the purposes herein described.
Second. A combination of the valve stem D when barbed, or flanged, or
provided with their equivalents, cup H, spring G, cover B, operating sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Third. In apparatus for sprinkling powdered substances as described I
claim so arranging the valve operating devices that the cover of the vessel
which contains the pulverulent material may be removed from and applied to
said vessel without deranging or interfering with the said valve operating
devices, substantially as and for the purpose shewn and set forth.
Fourth. I claim in apparatus for sprinkling powdered substances as

page_text: described, the combination of the valve stem and surrounding spring or
equivalent mechanism with the brace or frame or equivalent means for holding
in place the said stem and spring independently of the cover, substantially as
shewn and set forth.
Fifth. Providing the valve stem with a ball or other joint, as seen in
Figs. 4 and 5, or in equivalent manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of May 1868.
E. T. HUGHES. (L.B.)