Signal for Tea Kettles or other Vessels used for Boiling Water.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 31st Dec., 1891-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Steam Signal for Tea Kettles or other Vessels used for Boiling
Water.
HENRY GEORGE PLANNER Ironmonger 27 Eastcheap E.C. London do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I fix a plate, or other attachment under, or on top of lid, or upper part of tea
kettle, or other vessel used for boiling water. The plate, attachment, or part, where
fixed, to be constructed in such a manner as to form a hollow space, this space having
an inlet and outlet for steam, which being generated by heat at, or about boiling
point, will cause the signal to sound. Or I may use two or more plates or attach-
ments to form the hollow space, and fit or fix them to the lid, or upper part of tea
kettle, or other vessel.
1001
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Steam Signal for Tea Kettles or other Vessels used for Boiling
Water.
1, HENRY GEORGE PLANNER of No. 1 Arthur Street East, in the City of
London E.C., Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in connection with tea-kettles, saucepans
and similar vessels used for the purpose of boiling water and other liquids, and
consists of the employment of a dished plate or plates or other attachments placed
within or without the lid, or upper part of the body of said vessel in such a manner
that, when the water or other liquid contained therein has reached boiling point,
the steam generated may exhaust through said attachment whereby a whistle or
other sonorous signal is given off, the object of which is that, the water, milk, eggs,
or culinary preparation within the said vessel requiring attention at the boiling
point, may be prevented from spoiling by the said signal notifying that the contents
have reached the point of cbullition..
This applies particularly to water intended for use in the infusion of tea which
should be used at the moment the boiling point is reached. Or in the cooking of
eggs, in which case it is usual to place them in a saucepan containing cold water,
and it is generally understood that the eggs are sufficiently cooked when the boiling
point is reached. Or milk that may require scalding or otherwise preparing before
use, and which needs attention when the same degree of temperature is reached, or
other preparations that may require boiling for a certain length of time and which
does not require attention until boiling commences, which would according to my
invention be notified by the signal operated upon in the manner to be hereinafter
fully described, and shewn by the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a view shewing the manner in which I prefer to construct a tea-kettle,
the signal apparatus employed therein being in the form of a whistle placed within
and upon the lid.
Fig. 2 is a plan view and Fig. 3 a sectional elevation of the lid of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is an under plan and side view respectively of the dished metallic disc
employed in forming the whistling signal used in Fig. 1.

page_text: vertical section or a saucepan according to my invention in which
similar discs to that shewn by Fig. 4 are fixed upon the top of a tube extending in
an upward direction from the side of the vessel, also shewing the method I employ
of providing a second vessel for containing milk, beef tea, broth or other liquid that
may require gentle heating.
Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a saucepan with a whistle arranged within the lid
similar to Fig. 3.
Fig. 7 is a view of a similar vessel to Fig. 5 with an alternative method of
arranging the steam outlet and the signal.
Fig. 8 is a similar vessel to that of Fig. 7 the exhaust in this case being upon
and within the lid.
Fig. 9 is a view of a mechanical signal adaptable for use in connection with
Figs. 7 and 8.
Similar letters of reference are used to indicate like parts throughout the
drawings.
In carrying my invention into effect in so far as regards the construction of tea
kettles, I prefer to form of any suitable metal the body A in the usual way with
the spout Bas near the bottom as possible in order that, should the kettle be only
half or partly filled with water the steam may not escape so readily through the
spout as it would if this was placed higher up the side of A. 1 also prefer to form
the top C so that a greater space exists between the front of the kettle and the
aperture for the lid than obtains with such vessels in general use, to prevent the
contents coming through the said aperture when 'A is tilted, the said aperture being
preferably shaped to receive a lid D constructed as shewn in Figs. 2 and 3, and
provided with deep rim E reaching nearly to the bottom of A, 50 that a chamber
is formed within E above the surface of the water for the generation of steam. A
small hole a is formed in any suitable part of the top of D, and upon the inner
surface of said top I solder or otherwise fix a dished metallic disc F having a
hole a' in the centre thereof similar to a, the disc F being so placed that, a and a²
form a continuous passage for the outlet of the steam generated within E, when the
water in A has reached boiling point, and as this passes through a and a under
pressure, a whistling sound is given off which becomes intensified as the power of
steam is raised. The handle G of A in order to permit the removal of the deep
rimmed lid D, must either extend a sufficient distance above C for that purpose, or
be hinged or pivotted upon C as shewn in Fig. 1, so that it may fold aside and so
allow the lid to be removed when needed.
It is obvious that my said signalling devices are adaptable for use with and upon
almost any and every kind of vessel in domestic use for boiling liquids, as almost
all culinary preparations require more or less attention when the boiling point is
reached.
In Fig. 5 I have shewn a form adopted by me of constructing an ordinary tin or
other metal saucepan H, provided with another type of signalling device. In this
case employ a tube extending in an upward direction from any part of the side
of H, so that when the lid is placed thereon the steam may exhaust through b, and
by soldering or otherwise fixing upon the top end of 6, two smaller discs F, each
provided with a hole a', and with their concave surfaces facing each other, the same
effect is attained when the contents of H has reached boiling point as in the case of
Fig. 1.
A saucepan thus formed may be provided with an inner vessel 1, having
an annular projecting ridge c, which resting upon the upper edge of H, occupies the
same position as would be occupied by the lid of H, which may if needed be used
to cover I as the dimensions of the upper surfaces of 1 and H would be identical.
The lower end of I is conically formed so that when placed within H a space is left
between and H for the generation of steam when the contents of H has reached
boiling point, and the signal would be sounded by the escape of steam through
and F. This arrangement is highly adapted for use in scalding milk, or making
beef tea, or for heating broth or other liquids for invalids, as by placing these
within I, the perfect heating thereof may be relied upon without the slightest

page_text: possibility of the contents of I becoming burned by dry heat, and the signal would
indicate the point of boiling of the contents of HI as aforesaid.
In Fig. 6 I show an alternative method employed by me in constructing the
vessel H, this arrangement being more adapted as a signal saucepan for use in
boiling eggs.
In this case I construct the lid D, with a deep rim E in order to
provide a steam chamber similar to Fig. 3. A hole is formed in any part of D
and a disc F placed and fixed within D as in Fig. 3, or an indentation may be
formed in D from the outer surface and the disc fixed outside with its concave
surface facing said indentation, the holes a and a' coinciding as before. The eggs
may be placed in cold water within H as shewn by the dotted outlines thereof, the
lid D may be placed in position and when boiling point is reached the signal would
sound by the escaping steam indicating that the eggs are done and should be
removed, thus enabling the domestic attendant to pursue other duties instead of
waiting to watch when the water boils.
I may as a modification of Fig. 5 arrange an exhaust as in Fig. 7 and either
place a disc F within H coinciding with the passage of b, or place within b cross
bars of metal so that the steam may impinge upon them edgewise, or I may adopt
any other contrivance that may give off a sonorous signal by the escaping steam at
the moment desired. Or may be arranged near to or upon the handle J Fig. 7,
this being arranged to open into II for that purpose. In this case I may arrange
the rim of D shallow as at E' or deep as at E", with a vertical slot d, as shewn by
the dotted outline in the same fig., in order to leave the orifice of in H free to
receive the steam when generated. Or I may arrange the deep rim E" to fit upon
the outside instead of the inside of H if desired.
Or I may arrange a vertical nozzle outside any part of D as in Fig. 8, or any
part of H or
for the same purpose, with or without the discs F, and slip or screw
thereon some mechanical contrivance capable of being operated by the escaping
steam and so give off' a sonorous signal other than a whistle. In Fig. 9 I have shewn
a contrivance that would be quite separate from the vessel and could be placed
upon at Figs. 7 or 8, in which K is a hollow tube capable of being slid or screwed
and carries externally a double or split bracket e, revolving within which is
a wheel provided with a number of vanes, upon the ends of two of which are
linked balls 9. The tube K also carries a bracket supporting a bell or its equiva-
lent L. The steam exhausting through and K would impinge upon the vanes
and give rapid motion to the wheel, causing the knobs y to strike the bell I, and so
give signal for the purpose before inentioned.
upon
f
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1st. The employment of signals with and upon tea kettles and other vessels for
giving off a whistle or other sound when the water or other contents have reached
boiling point, operated by the force of the escaping steam, substantially as herein
described and shewn by the appended drawings.
2nd. In combination with an improved signalling device the construction and use
of a tea kettle A, with spout B situated near the bottom thereof, with lid D, having
a deep rim E.
A dished plate F with central hole a fixed within or without D
operating in combination with a similarly hollow surface in D having a hole a for
the purpose of giving off a whistling sound when the contents of A has reached
boiling point, by the steam escaping through a and a substantially as described and
shewn by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
.
3rd. In combination with an improved signalling device, the construction and
use of a saucepan H with lid D and deep or narrow rim E, with dished plate F,
fixed within or without the lid D, or upon or within a tube b, upon the lid D, or
within the body of H or the handle J, with or without a mechanical device similar
to Fig. 9, combined and operating in the manner herein set forth and for the purposes

page_text: specified, substantially as described and shewn by Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of December 1891.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.