IMPROVEMENTS IN KETTLES, SAUCEPANS, AND OTHER VESSELS FOR HEATING WATER OR FOR COOKING
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Paice Chiles, of 40, Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KETTLES,
SAUCEPANS, AND OTHER VESSELS FOR HEATING WATER OR FOR COOKING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Paice Chiles at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd September 1879.
GEORGE PAICE CHILES, of 40, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KETTLES, SAUCEPANS, AND OTHER VESSELS FOR HEATING WATER
OR FOR COOKING."
My Invention relates to culinary vessels, such as kettles, saucepans, stewpans,
and other covered vessels used for heating water or for cooking food, and it has for
its objects improved methods of constructing such vessels, so that water heated in a
kettle so constructed shall not be liable to boil over; and in saucepans or other
vessels used for cooking the contents shall not be liable to waste from such boiling
over, nor be exposed to injury by smoke, soot, or dirt being admitted, and the
usual unremitting attention of the cook or attendant is not essential, and so that
such improved vessels can be more easily and safely adjusted and used upon a fire.
In order to carry out my Invention I take a kettle, saucepan, or other covered
vessel, and at or near its top I form an opening into which I fit and fix a tube of
convenient size and shape having at its upper end a hinged lid or valve opening
outward and formed so as to close by its own weight, but balanced so that very
slight pressure is sufficient to open it.
.
The action of the apparatus formed as described is as follows:-As soon as the
water or other liquid which the vessel contains is heated to boiling point, the steam
passes up the tube, lifts the lid or valve, and passes out.
The effect of this action in kettles is to prevent the steam from forcing the water
out of the spout and lid, and in saucepans and other vessels of the like sort from
causing the water or other liquid contained therein to boil over the edges into the
fire, which is likely in such case to be extinguished.
The apparatus may be arranged in different ways, for instance, it may form a
handle or part of a handle to the vessel or lid of the vessel, and I prefer to fix the
tube in such a manner as to direct the steam which escapes from it away from that
ID 61

page_text: part of the handle which is grasped, for the purpose of removing the saucepan or
other vessel from the fire, or for other purposes.
Saucepans, kettles, stewpans, and other covered vessels fitted as described can be
left to boil without the constant watching which is necessary in such vessels as
heretofore constructed, and no soot or dirt can enter as it is not necessary to lift
the lid to allow the steam to escape.
Another part of my Invention relates to improved methods of supporting kettles,
saucepans, or other cooking vessels upon the bar of the fire grate upon which they
are placed in such manner that their position is easily altered for the purpose of
removing their contents, whilst they are safely and firmly supported.
I make one or more legs or feet projecting downward near the front edge of the
bottom of the vessel, which may be made of any convenient shape, but preferably
square in plan.
These feet project into the fire, and in front of them below the edge of the vessel
I make projections convex or curved at their lower edges, which rest upon the bar.
I make one or more similar legs at or near the back of the vessel, so that it stands
level when removed from the fire. When it is inclined forward for the purpose of
pouring out its contents the lower edges of the curved supports in front roll
without friction upon the bar, whilst the legs prevent it from slipping forward.
Where a saucepan or vessel for the purpose of cooking soups or food is used
I prefer to make it with supports and legs of the kind just described, and I make a
discharging spout in front, and across the top I arrange a curved or bent transverse
handle. I cover that part of the top nearest to the spout with a fixed cover, to
which is hinged a moveable cover fitting the remainder of the top through which
the articles to be cooked can be introduced and, removed. This moveable cover
can be held down by a catch or fastening, and it is provided with an opening
and valve similar to those first described. Where a kettle for boiling water is the
vessel to be used, I sometimes cover it in entirely at the top with the exception
of an opening through which the water can be introduced, and which is closed by
a binged cover held down by a catch, and provided with an opening and valve for
the escape of steam similar to those already described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Paice Chiles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
March 1880.
GEORGE PAICE CHILES, of 40, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KETTLES, SAUCEPANS, AND OTHER VESSELS FOR HEATING WATER
OR FOR COOKING."
This Invention relates to covered culinary vessels, such as kettles, saucepans, or
stewpans, and other covered vessels used for heating water or for cooking food, and
it has for its objects improved methods of constructing such vessels, so that water
heated in them or food cooked in them shall not be liable to boil over and be
wasted, nor be exposed to injury by the admission of smoke or dirt into them,
whilst the constant attention of an attendant to guard against such boiling over
and injury is not needed. Also that such improved vessels can be more casily and
safely adjusted and used upon an open fire than is ordinarily the case.
In order to put my Invention in operation I take a kettle, saucepan, or other
covered vessel, and at or near its top I form an opening of sufficient size into which
I fit and fix a tube of convenient size and shape open below, and having at its
upper end a hinged lid or valve opening outward, and formed so as to close by its
own weight, but balanced so that a very slight pressure from inside is sufficient to
open it. The action of this device formed and arranged as described is as
follows:-
-
As soon as the water or other liquid which the vessel contains is heated to
boiling point, the steam passes up the tube, lifts the lid or valve, and passes out.
Where a kettle is used the steam is in this way prevented from forcing the water
up through the discharge spout or lid, whilst in saucepans and other vessels of the
like kind the contents are prevented from boiling over the edge and extinguishing
the fire.
In the accompanying Drawing which is in illustration of my Invention Figure i
shows the arrangement just described applied to a kettle; a being the kettle; b, the
escape pipe, and c, the hinged lid or valve upon the latter.
The apparatus described for the escape of the steam may be arranged in various
ways. For instance, it may form a part of the handle to the vessel or to its lid,
the escape pipe being in all cases arranged so as to direct the steam away from that
part of the handle which is grasped when the vessel is lifted or moved.
Figure 2 the escape pipe b with its valve c is shewn forming part of the handle of
the kettle a.
In
Saucepans, kettles, stewpans, and other covered vessels fitted with escape pipes
and valves in the way described and shewn may be left to boil without having to be
constantly watched, and no dirt can enter them as it is not necessary to lift their
lids to allow the steam to escape.
Another part of my Invention relates to improved methods of supporting kettles,
saucepans, or other such vessels upon the bars of the fire grate on which they are
placed in such manner that their position can easily be altered for the purpose of
removing their contents, whilst they are nevertheless safely and firmly supported.
For this purpose I make one or more legs or feet projecting downward near the
front edge of the bottom of the vessel, which may be of any convenient shape, but
preferably square in plan.
In front of these feet below the edge of the vessel I make projections convex or
curved upon their lower edges which rest upon the fire bar. I make also one or
more similar legs at or near the back of the vessel, so that it stands level when
removed from the fire and placed upon any horizontal surface. When it is inclined
or tilted forward for the purpose of pouring out the contents, the lower or curved
edges of the supports in front roll without friction upon the bar, whilst the legs
prevent the vessel from slipping forward and causing any accident. Figure 5 shows

page_text: this arrangement applied to an ordinary kettle; a being the kettle; c, one of the
front projections, and f, the curved support resting upon the bar A; one of the
back legs is shewn at g.
In cases where a saucepan or vessel for the purpose of cooking food, such as soup
is to be used, I prefer to make it with legs and supports of the kind just described,
and I make in front a discharge spout with or without a perforated strainer across
its lower end, and across the top of the vessel I fix a curved or bent transverse
handle. I cover that part of the top nearest to the spout with a fixed cover, to
which is hinged a moveable cover fitting the remainder of the top of the vessel,
through which moveable cover the articles to be cooked can be introduced and
removed.
This moveable cover or lid can be held down by a catch or fastening, and the
vessel is provided with an opening for the escape of steam similar to those already
described and shewn; Figure 6 shews this arrangement, a being the saucepan ;
e and g the projecting legs, and f, one of the curved supports; i is a fixed cover at
the front of the vessel, and is a cover hinged to i and held by the fastening 7.
The pipe b with its hinged lid c is fixed in the cover i (or in the hinged cover ),
and is a transverse handle. Where a kettle for heating water is to be used
I sometimes cover it in entirely at the top with the exception of an opening
through which the water is introduced, which opening is closed by a hinged cover.
held down by a catch, and also provided with an opening and valve for the escape
of steam. This arrangement is shewn at Figure 7 where a is the kettle having the
legs,e and and the curved supports f. The fixed cover i has an opening at 1
covered with a hinged. lid in which is fixed the escape pipe b and hinged lid. c.
The handle is shewn at h.
Figure 3 shows a saucepan a, having the escape pipe b and its hinged lid c fitted
in the cover of the saucepan, d being a handle upon the pipe b. In Figure 4 the
saucepan cover is shewn with the pipe b and hinged lid e separate from the handle.
Figure 8 is a section on a larger scale, and Figure 9, a plan of the escape pipe b
and its hinged and balanced lid c.
In Figures 10, 11, and 12, my Invention is shewn applied in different forms to
kettles square in plan. In Figure 10, a is the square kettle; b is the escape pipe
with its fid c, and d is the lid of the kettle. In Figure 11 the escape pipe b is shewn
directed into the discharge spout d. In Figure 12 the escape pipe is formed at b
by one of the hollow gusset stays to the handle of the kettle, the valve c being
arranged at the outer side of the handle.
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which it is to be
performed, I do not claim the particular shape or form of the kettles or other
vessels, but I claim, first, the application of an escape pipe having a valve opening
outward to kettles, saucepans, and other vessels for heating water or for cooking,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn in the Drawing. Also
the combination of one or more legs or feet projecting downward from the bottom
of such kettles; saucepans, or other vessels, with curved or convex supports resting
upon the firebar to enable the vessels to be tilted forward easily and without
danger, substantially as described and shewu in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Paice Chiles, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 1st day of March, in the year of our Lord, 1880.