Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances for Serving Mustard and other Condiments or Materials.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1891-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances for Serving Mustard
and other Condiments or Materials.
I, JAMES MURDOCH NAPIER of York Road, Lambeth in the County of Surrey,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
.
This invention has for its object improvements in that description of apparatus
or appliances for serving mustard and the like in which the mustard is served by
being forced through a serving orifice by means of a pump-like apparatus having
connected with it a supply vessel or reservoir from which it is supplied-see my
Patent of 1867, No. 3519.
My improvements refer more especially to that form of my appliances for serving
mustard, or mustard server as I shall term it hereafter, in which the pump-like
parts are placed immediately below the supply vessel or reservoir and vertically so
that the piston rod and piston are worked directly down and up in the serving of
the mustard, the mustard passing out of a serving orifice occupying a position
central with and below the pump-like apparatus.
I provide and arrange at the bottom of the cylinder of the pump-like apparatus
or piston chamber, as I shall hereafter call it, a strainer diaphragm having a number
of small holes in it. This diaphragm separates the piston chamber from a chamber
immediately below it which may be called the exit chamber. At the centre of the
bottom of the exit chamber commences the hole or orifice passage which leads to
the serving orifice so that instead of passing the mustard from the piston chamber
direct through an orifice passage to the serving orifice it will first pass through the
small holes of the strainer, by which any foreign matters or particles too large to
pass are detained in the piston chamber, into the exit chamber and from this
chamber through the orifice passage and so out of the serving orifice. In order to
put a check upon the too free discharge or squirting of the mustard from the serving
orifice when the piston is forced downwards to serve the mustard, and for other
purposes which I shall hereafter explain, I place in the exit chamber a series of
impeditive plates in pairs piled one upon the other. The top plate and the alternate
plates downwards are similar and fit the chamber with a slight allowance for
freedom and have a hole at the centre for the passage of the mustard while the
bottom plate and the alternate plates upwards are similar and have no hole at
the centre but the diameter of these plates is reduced except at certain parts of the
circumference where projections are left for guiding and centering the plate in
the chamber and with respect to the other plates. The mustard passes the plates,
which have no hole at the centre, at the circumference through the space left by
the reduction of the diameter of the plate. To keep the plates a suitable distance
apart there are provided on one side of each plate a number of small projections
placed at a convenient distance round the centre. On these projections or feet the
one plate rests when placed upon the next plate below it, the lowest plate of the pilo
resting with its feet upon the bottom of the exit chamber. Thus it will be under-
stood that after the mustard has passed through the holes of the strainer it comes
upon the uppermost impeditive plate which is arranged to rest at a short distance
away from the strainer upon the pile of plates and as it cannot pass at the circum.
ference it passes through the centre hole in this plate on to the centre of the plate
below from whence it passes to the circumference where there is space for it to
pass on to the next plate below and as that plate fits the chamber like the upper-
most, plate it passes to its centre and through the hole on to the next plate and so
on until it arrives at the lowest plate which it passes at its circumference to find
itself on the bottom of the chamber whence it passes at the centre into the orifice

page_text: passage leading to the serving orifice ;-the mustard having made as many
movements between the centre and the circumference of the exit chamber as is
required by the number of pairs of plates used, which can be regulated from one to
any required number, while the various parts and passages may also be adjusted in
size to produce the amount of obstruction required to ensure a sufficiently quiet flow
of the mustard from the serving orifice when the piston is actuated to force the
mustard from its chamber.
The arrangement of impeditive plates in an exit chamber which I have described
for preventing the too free flow of the mustard outwards, or other suitable arrange-
ment of parts by which like impediment is created for that purpose, may also serve
to prevent the excessive entrance of air at the serving orifice when the return action
of the piston takes place to recharge its chamber with mustard from the supply
vessel or reservoir but a valve may be employed more especially for that purpose
either in combination with the pile of impeditive plates or otherwise but by
preference in combination with the impeditive plates and in such case the top plate
of the pile may be used as the valve. This plate as has been explained fits the exit
chamber freely and is supported upon the plate or plates below it so that its upper
surface which may be flat rests at a short distance from the underside of the strainer
the holes in which may be formed in one or more circles the outer circle of holes,
measuring over the holes, being rather less than the diameter of the valve plate
below so that when the valve plate rises against the strainer it will close or cover
well at the holes with some surface in contact to spare. The valve plate has a hole
at its centre as has been before explained so that when the mustard is forced
through the ring or rings of holes in the strainer it comes on to the valve plate
near its circumference and passes towards its centre and escapes by the hole at its
centre on to the next lower plate and so on to the serving orifice as has been
described.
When the return action of the piston commences the mustard which fills the
space between the strainer and the valve plate is sucked back through the holes in
the strainer into the piston chamber the valve plate being also drawn up against the
strainer which it closes and so prevents more mustard being sucked back into the
piston chamber during the rest of the upward stroke of the piston at the end of
which the valve plate is free to fall to its position of rest.
The sucking back of the quantity of mustard occupying the space arranged
between the strainer and the top of the valve plate as well as the drawing up of the
valve plate both caused by the vacuum produced by the first retiring movement of
the piston causes the mustard which is below the valve plate in the exit chamber
to take an upward course and with it the mustard which is in the orifice passage
and that which may be left hanging attached to the serving orifice is drawn up into
the exit chamber. It will be understood therefore that by this arrangement of
drawing back into the piston chamber a quantity of mustard regulated more or less
by the distance arranged between the valve-plate and the strainer that, after each
serving of mustard, the orifice passage and the orifice may be practically cleared of
mustard which is received back into the exit chamber.
In conjunction or otherwise but preferably in conjunction with the impeditive
plates and valve arrangement above described I use a piston formed of a disc of
Alexible or elastic material or materials such as vulcanized india rubber either simple
. or covered on one or both sides with cloth or other suitable material.
This piston disc has a hole at its centre where it is attached to the end of the
piston rod there being immediately above it fixed to the piston rod a backing or
supporting plate of somewhat less diameter than the piston chamber which the
piston disc itself should fit.
When the piston disc is made simply of vulcanized india rubber it can be put into
its place on the end of the piston by stretching the hole in its centre over a lower
backing plate or flatly formed button of suitable diameter at the extreme end of the
piston rod arranged to support the piston disc in its upward stroke, but when it is
faced with cloth or other material not sufficiently elastic to be so stretched it may

page_text: be attached to the piston-rod by a flatly formed lower backing-plate or head with
screw to fix in a hole made up the end of the piston rod, the screw being removed
to put on the piston disc and replaced to attach it, or by a similarly formed head
upon a long pin fitted to a long hole made up the piston rod and the pin being fixed
firmly enough by friction while at the same time it can be pulled out with sufficient
ease or in any other convenient manner.
The plate which, as has been stated, is fixed to the piston rod immediately above
the piston disc serves as a backing or support to the piston disc when the pressure is
given downwards to force the mustard out of the piston chamber while the annular
space between it and the piston chamber arising from the difference in their
diameters should be sufficient to permit of the passage of the mustard from the
supply vessel or reservoir into the piston chamber. This takes place during the
upward or return stroke of the piston which at the circumference of its disc acts
somewhat as an intake valve the diameter of the lower backing plate or flat formed
head being made small enough to leave a ring of the piston disc beyond it which
can be bent down by the return action of the piston against the piston chamber and
further by the mustard which passes the piston disc into the space left vacant in the
piston chamber by the rising or retiring of the piston.
Thus the piston disc supported by the plates before referred to not only acts as a
forcing piston in its downward or forward stroke but somewhat as an intake valve
in its upward stroke, the fresh charge of mustard passing into the piston chamber
from above at the circumference of the piston disc.
When the piston has arrived at the end of its upward stroke the elasticity of its
disc enables it to regain at least partially its flat form and to fit the piston chamber
sufficiently to relieve the mustard below it in the piston chamber in some degree of
the pressure of the mustard in the supply vessel or reservoir above and so operate
to restrict leakage while the impeditive plates serve the same purpose in the exit
chamber.
I have already explained how on the first portion of the upward stroke of the
piston being made the mustard lying between the valve-plate and the underside of
the strainer is sucked back up through the strainer into the piston chamber until the
valve plate closes the holes in the strainer and how at the same time and by the same
action the mustard is withdrawn from the orifice and the orifice passage; it remains
for me to explain that the piston as arranged with a flexible and elastic disc is well
suited to assist in the operation.
When the piston commences to force the mustard out of the piston chamber in
its downward stroke the piston disc takes its position flat against its supporting or
backing plate and as it is forced down the part of the piston disc at its circumference
which extends beyond the diameter of the supporting or backing plate and is so far
unsupported by the plate may bend upwards round the edge of the plate. When
the piston gets to the end of its downward or forward course and is about to return,
this bent edge of the circumference of the piston disc may recoil and give impetus
for a short distance to the rising of the piston just at its commencement adding its
effort to that of a spring which after having been compressed by the user while
forcing down the piston to effect a serving of mustard by pressure on a button
attached to the top of the piston rod retires the piston by its re-action. While
this reaction at the circumference of the piston disc takes place the mustard does
not pass the piston disc from the supply vessel or reservoir so that a good vacuum
may be formed for the sucking back of the mustard from the space between the
valve-plate and the strainer into the piston chamber and also the mustard from the
orifice and the orifice passage into the exit chamber and the valve-plate to close
the strainer, all which operations are performed together by the first part of the
return action of the piston. When however the piston has proceeded upwards
until the piston disc is bent downwards at the circumference, the valve-plate at this
time and during the rest of the upward stroke closing the strainer against further
return of mustard from the exit chamber, the fresh mustard from the supply vessel
or reservoir passes the piston disc and fills up the space left in its chamber by the

page_text: retirement of the piston upwards. Thus the piston chamber is charged for another
serving of mustard. The parts of the apparatus may be arranged in size and in
extent of action to suit the quantity of mustard desired to be served at one stroke
of the piston.
.
Although I prefer to employ for the exit valve the valve-plate, the action of
which in the exit chamber I have explained, other forms of exit valve may be used
in the exit chamber when desired but in each case I prefer so to arrange them in
combination with a suitable piston so as to ensure the suck-back which as has been
already described takes place at the commencement of the return or upward stroke
of the flexible disc piston when the valve plate is used and which withdraws or
sucks back the mustard which may be left hanging to the orifice and that which
is in the orifice passage into the exit chamber.
Thus a valve may be used in the exit chamber with a spring below it tending to
raise it and so to close the aperture or apertures leading from the piston chamber
to the exit chamber.
The upper part of the valve may be formed to fit and act as a piston in a short
cylindrical part of the exit chamber near the valve seat while its lower part may
be guided by the projections of grooves or flutings in the lower part of the exit
chamber which allow the mustard to pass to the serving orifice when the valve is
forced down beyond the cylindrical part in which it fits, by the outgoing mustard
expelled from the piston chamber by the downward action of the piston.
When the return action of the piston takes place the valve may be raised by the
reaction of its spring aided or not by the suction of the piston according to the form
of piston employed.
The valve in rising by its spring acting as a piston for the short distance of the
length of the cylindrical part in which it fits returns the mustard which is between
it and the bottom of the piston chamber into the piston chamber and so causes the
suck-back or withdrawal of the mustard from the orifice and the orifice passage
into the exit chamber.
This valve being still held up by its spring after the piston is raised may operate
to prevent leakage and may therefore be employed if desired in conjunction with
pistons not arranged specially with a view to restrict leakage, such as the ring valve
piston shewn in my Patent of 1867 before referred to.
Or a valve may be arranged in the exit chamber consisting of a disc of india
rubber, by preference vulcanized, or other suitable flexible material-the india
rubber being simple or covered with cloth or other suitable material on one or both
sides as may be preferred. The disc is made of a diameter to fit the exit chamber
and has a hole at the centre where it may be supported on a rod rising from the
centre of a hollowed and divided foot which fits freely in the exit chamber.
On the top of the central rising rod is fixed by screw or otherwise a backing
plate for the valve and below it at a distance of the thickness of the valve another
plate for the same purpose is fixed but of smaller diameter. The valve is placed
between these plates and when the foot of the stand with its central rod support
rests on the bottom of the exit chamber the valve comes within a certain regulated
distance from the strainer or bottom of the piston chamber.
On the commencement of the upward action of the piston the valve and its
stand are drawn up in the exit chamber until the upper backing plate comes
against a stop, say against the strainer, the mustard left at the orifice and in
the orifice passage after the last serving being sucked back into the exit chamber
and the mustard which was above the top backing plate being at the same time
drawn into the piston chamber.
The downward action of the piston forces the mustard out of the piston
chamber against the top backing plate which is somewhat smaller in diameter
than the valve, and the valve which when the stand rests on the bottom of the
exit chamber is bent downwards at its circumference beyond the lower backing
plate by the pressure of the mustard so as to allow the mustard to pass it into
the lower part of the exit chamber and onwards to the orifice passage.

page_text: The valve-plate which has been explained or any other suitable valve may be
used for controlling a single aperture as well as a number of small apertures,
as in a strainer, between the piston chamber and the exit chamber in the manner
before described, or so as to cause the controlled suck-back action which removes
the mustard from the orifice and orifice passage after each serving.
The valve-plate may, when used, be arranged to rest upon any other support
which may be preferred to the impeditive plates. Any other equivalent impe-
ditive arrangement may also be employed if preferred.
The piston which I have described above arranged with disc of flexible or
elastic material and backing or supporting plates for the downward and upward
actions is the piston I prefer to use but a piston may also be arranged with
cylindrical part to fit into the piston chamber with holes through it to let the
mustard pass and with a flexible or other valve placed on its underside to close
the holes when the down stroke takes place and open them during the upstroke.
This piston to ensure the suck-back of the mustard on the return of the piston
may when required act in conjunction with a valve such as I have described with a
spring to force it upwards when the return of the piston takes place.
The ring valve piston shewn in my Patent of 1867 may be arranged with a
cylindrical part at the valve seat of suitable depth instead of a cone the portion of
the valve fixed on the piston rod may fit into a short hollow cylinder in the ring
so that on the piston rod rising the valve will not open until the cylindrical fitting
part has been drawn out of its hollow in the ring part and while this is taking
place the suck-back may be effected which draws the quantity of mustard required
from the orifice inwards into the orifice passage or further back into the exit
chamber.
The piston chamber, exit chamber and strainer of my improved mustard servers
may be formed in one piece or may be put together in parts as preferred and a
separate cover may be arranged to close the bottom of the exit chamber. This
cover may have in it the orifice passage and be formed at the lower end with a
suitable orifice point. It may be fitted to the outside of the exit chamber and
fixed to it with cement or screw or otherwise so that it can be taken off if desired
to get at the valve plate and impeditive plates or other valve or impeditive arrange-
ment contained in the exit chamber.
Although I prefer that the suck-back which I have very fully explained should
be sufficient not only to draw into the orifice passage the mustard which may be
left hanging at the orifice after a serving has been effected but also to clear the
orifice passage of the mustard by drawing it into the exit chamber it may if
preferred be arranged so that the orifice passage will not be entirely cleared after
the serving but only so much so as to ensure the complete drawing back into the
orifice passage of the mustard which may remain hanging at the orifice.
It will be observed that the two additional forms of my exit valves which I have
described operate to restrict or prevent leakage, as does the valve plate itself in a
small degree simply as an impeditive plate; and also to restrain the too free flow
or squirting of the mustard, in the one case by the force of a spring acting against
it, and in the other by the resistance of the flexible disc valve which as well as the
spring may be regulated in strength.
I prefer to make the supply vessels or reservoirs with a free open mouth and
with an easily removable cover, a ring part of the cover going inside the vessel
for a distance sufficient for guidance and steadiment, such covers having attached
at the centre the piston rod with its retiring spring, spring case, and button head
so that they may with these parts be lifted away from the vessel and the parts
may also when desired be so attached to the cover as to be easily moved from it.
Sometimes I provide a bead, moulding or flange which projects beyond the rim
of the cover outwards round the top of the vessel to enable it to be held con-
veniently for use, or a handle or handles may be provided for the purpose when
preferred as already shewn in my Patent of 1867.
Feet may be formed on or attached to the vessels or the vessels may be placed

page_text: in stands or holders as shown also in my Patent of 1867 or they may be arranged
to be supported in any other suitable and convenient manner.
Throughout this Specification I have spoken only of serving mustard but it will
be evident that the apparatus is also applicable to the serving of other similarly
arranged condiments or materials.
Did this 0141n of Ontahan 1000
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus and Appliances for Serving Mustard
and other Condiments or Materials.
I, JAMES MURDOCH NAPIER, of York Road, Lambeth, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention has for its object improvements in that description of apparatus
or appliances for serving mustard and the like in which the mustard is served by
being forced through a serving orifice by means of a pump-like apparatus having
connected with it a supply vessel or reservoir from which it is supplied-see my
Patent of 1867 No. 3519.
My improvements refer more especially to that form of my appliances for serving
mustard, or mustard server as I shall term it hereafter, in which the pump-like.
parts are placed immediately below the supply vessel or reservoir and
vertically so that the piston rod and piston are worked directly down and up in
the serving of the mustard, the mustard passing out of a serving orifice occupying
a position central with and below the pump-like apparatus.
I provide and arrange at the bottom of the cylinder of the pump-like apparatus
or piston chamber, as I shall hereafter call it, a strainer diaphragm having a number
of small holes in it. This diaphragm separates the piston chamber from a
chamber immediately below it which may be called the exit chamber. At the
centre of the bottom of the exit chamber commences the hole or orifice passage
which leads to the serving orifice so that instead of passing the mustard from the
piston chamber direct through an orifice passage to the serving orifice it will first
pass through the small holes of the strainer, by which any foreign matters or
particles too large to pass are detained in the piston chamber, into the exit
chamber and from this chamber through the orifice passage and so out of the
serving orifice.
In the drawings
Figure 1 shows a sectional elevation of my improved mustard server.
A is
the supply vessel or reservoir forming the body of the mustard server which rests
at a upon the stand or holder B. The reservoir A has a cover C, the cylindrical
portion of which fits freely into the reservoir while the surrounding ledge of the
cover rests on the reservoir at b. The moulding or rim c projects beyond the ledge
of the cover C to protect it from being disturbed when the reservoir or body part
of the mustard server is lifted and held for use. The cylindrical part A' formed
at the lower end of the reservoir encloses the piston chamber d shown formed in
one piece with the strainer diaphragm d and exit chamber d²; this latter chamber
is closed at bottom by the cap or cover e in which is the orifice passage el. fis
the piston, the piston rod, g' is a stop ring to limit the rise of the piston, his a
spring which by its re-action, after it has been compressed in the downward stroke
by the user, effects the up stroke. ', the lower and fixed part of the spring case,
is fitted to the tube part 2 rising from the centre of the cover C. The upper and
moving part 3 of the spring case is attached to the piston rod by the screwed part
at its end which passes into the button * fixed to the top of tube ³ and moves
with it, downwards, by the pressure exerted on the button by the user to serve the
I

page_text: mustard and upwards by the reaction of the spring , which is supported on the
bottom of the case, until the stop g' comes against the underside of the bottom
of through which is a hole for the upper portion of the rod g to work in freely.
In order to put a check upon tlie too free discharge or squirting of the mustard
from the serving orifice when the piston is forced downwards to serve the mustard,
and for other purposes which I shall hereafter explain, I place in the exit chamber
a series of impeditive plates in pairs piled one upon the other. The top plate and
the alternate plates downwards are similar and fit the chamber with a slight
allowance for freedom and have a hole at the centre for the passage of the mustard
while the bottom plate and the alternate plates upwards are similar and have no
hole at the centre but the diameter of these plates is reduced except at certain
parts of the circumference where projections are left for guiding and centering the
plate in the chamber and with respect to the other plates. The mustard passes
the plates, which have no hole at the centre, at the circumference through the
space left by the reduction of the diameter of the plate. To keep the plates a
suitable distance apart there are provided on one side of each plate a number of
small projections placed at a convenient distance round the centre. On these
projections or feet the one plate rests when placed upon the next plate below it, the
lowest plate of the pile resting with its feet upon the bottom of the exit chamber.
Thus it will be understood that after the mustard has passed through the holes of
the strainer it comes upon the uppermost impeditive plate which is arranged to rest
at a short distance away from the strainer upon the pile of plates and as it cannot
pass at the circumference it passes through the centre hole in this plate on to the
centre of the plate below from whence it passes to the circumference where there
is space for it to pass on to the next plate below and as that plate fits the chamber
like the uppermost plate it passes to its centre and through the hole on to the next
plate and so on until it arrives at the lowest plate which it passes at its circum-
ference to find itself on the bottom of the chamber whence it passes at the centre
into the orifice passage leading to the serving orifice ;-the mustard having made
as many movements between the centre and the circumference of the exit chamber
as is required by the number of pairs of plates used, which can be regulated from
one to any required number, while the various parts and passages may also be
adjusted in size to produce the amount of obstruction required to ensure. a
sufficiently quiet flow of the mustard from the serving orifice when the piston is
actuated to force the mustard from its chamber.
The arrangement of impeditive plates in an exit chamber which I have described
for preventing the too free flow of the mustard outwards, or other suitable
arrangement of parts by which like impediment is created for that purpose,
may also serve to prevent the excessive entrance of air at the serving orifice when
the return action of the piston takes place to recharge its chamber with mustard
from the supply vessel or reservoir but a valve may be employed more especially
for that purpose either in combination with the pile of impeditive plates or other-
wise but by preference in combination with the impeditive plates and in such case
the top plate of the pile may be used as the valve. This plate as has been
explained fits the exit chamber freely and is supported upon the plate or plates
below it so that its upper surface which may be flat rests at a short distance from
the underside of the strainer the holes in which may be formed in one or more
circles the outer circle of holes, measuring over the holes, being rather less than
the diameter of the valve plate below so that when the valve plate rises against
the strainer it will close or cover well at the holes with some surface in contact to
spare. The valve plate has a hole at its centre as has been before explained so
that when the mustard is forced through the ring or rings of holes in the strainer
it comes on to the valve plate near its circumference and passes towards its centre
and escapes by the hole at its centre on to the next lower plate and so on to the
serving orifice as has been described.
When the return action of the piston commences the mustard which fills the space
-between the strainer and the valve plate is sucked back through the holes in the

page_text: strainer into the piston chamber the valve plate being also drawn up against the
strainer which it closes and so prevents more mustard being sucked back into
the piston chamber during the rest of the upward stroke of the piston at the end
of which the valve plate is free to fall to its position of rest.
The sucking back of the quantity of mustard occupying the space arranged
between the strainer and the top of the valve plate as well as the drawing up of
the valve plate both caused by the vacuum produced by the first retiring movement
of the piston causes the mustard which is below the valve plate in the exit chamber
to take an upward course and with it the mustard which is in the orifice passage
and that which may be left hanging attached to the serving orifice is drawn up
into the exit chamber. It will be understood therefore that by this arrangement
of drawing back into the piston chamber a quantity of mustard regulated more or
less by the distance arranged between the valve-plate and the strainer that, after
each serving of mustard, the orifice passage and the orifice may be practically
cleared of mustard which is received back into the exit chamber.
The impeditive plates and their arrangement in the exit chamber as well as the
strainer and other parts are clearly illustrated in Figures 2, 24, 2B, 2C, 2º, 2º, 2º,
drawn to an enlarged size. In Figure 2 the piston chamber d, strainer diaphragm d¹,
exit chamber d² and cap or cover e are shown in section as in Figure 1 but in
Figure 2 the impeditive plates i, i, are also indicated in section in their position in
the exit chamber. i, is the top impeditive plate with hole at its centre; this
plate is also shown in Figures 2°, 2, while ¹, is the bottom plate with projections 1³,
left for guiding and centering the plate in the exit chamber; the plate is reduced
in diameter between the projections to allow the mustard to pass. This plate is
also shown in Figures 2, 2. are the projections or feet on the underside of the
plates. Figure 24 is a plan of the part which combines the piston chamber d, the
strainer d¹ and the exit chamber d², viewed from the piston chamber end, while
Figure 2B, is a plan of the same part viewed from the exit chamber end the cap or
cover e being removed.
In conjunction or otherwise but preferably in conjunction with the impeditive
plates and valve arrangement above described I use a piston formed of a disc of
flexible or elastic material or materials such as vulcanized india rubber either
simple or preferably covered on one or both sides with cloth or other suitable
material.
This piston disc has a hole at its centre where it is attached to the end of the
piston rod there being immediately above it fixed to the piston rod a backing or
supporting plate of somewhat less diameter than the piston chamber which the
piston disc itself should fit.
When the piston disc is made simply of vulcanized india rubber it can be put
into its place on the end of the piston by stretching the hole in its centre over a
lower backing plate or flatly formed button of suitable diameter at the extreme
end of the piston rod arranged to support the piston disc in its upward stroke, but
when it is faced with cloth or other material not sufficiently elastic to be so
stretched it may be attached to the piston rod by a flatly formed lower backing-
plate or head with screw to fix in a hole made up the end of the piston rod, the
screw being removed to put on the piston disc and replaced to attach it, or by a
similarly formed head upon a long pin fitted to a long hole made up the piston rod
end the pin being fixed firmly enough by friction while at the same time it can be
pulled out with sufficient ease, or in any other convenient manner.
The piston above referred to is illustrated in Figure 1 in its place in the piston
chamber and is also shown to a larger scale in Figure 3. g is the piston rod, g² the
upper backing or supporting plate, g³ the lower backing plate or flatly formed
button, the piston disc, two separate views of which are also shown in
Figures 3º, 3º. Figure 34 shows the lower backing plate g³ with its long pin g
and Figure 3B the screw 95 which may be used instead of the pin g* if desired.
The plate which, as has been stated, fixed to the piston rod immediately above
the piston disc serves as a backing or support to the piston disc when the pressure

page_text: is given downwards to force the mustard out of the piston chamber while the
annular space between it and the piston chamber arising from the difference in
their diameters should be sufficient to permit of the passage of the mustard from
the supply vessel or reservoir into the piston chamber. This takes place during
the upward or return stroke of the piston which at the circumference of its disc
acts somewhat as an intake valve the diameter of the lower backing plate or flat
formed head being made small enough to leave a ring of the piston disc beyond it
which can be bent down by the return action of the piston against the piston
chamber and further by the mustard which passes the piston disc into the space
left vacant in the piston chamber by the rising or retiring of the piston.
Thus the piston disc supported by the plates before referred to not only acts as a
forcing piston in its downward or forward stroke but somewhat as an intake valve
in its upward stroke, the fresh charge of mustard passing into the piston chamber
from above at the circumference of the piston disc.
Figure 3 shows the piston in its chamber d on its downward stroke and
Figure 3 shows the piston in its chamber on its upward stroke. The arrows in
these two figures represent the direction of the movement. The same letters used
in previous figures are employed to indicate similar parts.
When the piston has arrived at the end of its upward stroke the elasticity of its
disc enables it to regain, at least partially, its flat form and to fit the piston
chamber sufficiently to relieve the mustard below it in the piston chamber in some
degree of the pressure of the mustard in the supply vessel or reservoir above and
so operate to restrict leakage while the impeditive plates serve the same purpose
in the exit chamber.
I have already explained how on the first portion of the upward stroke of the
piston being made the mustard lying between the valve-plate and the underside of
the strainer is sucked back up through the strainer into the piston chamber until
the valve plate closes the holes in the strainer and how at the same time and by the
same action the mustard is withdrawn from the orifice and the orifice passage; it
remains for me to explain that the piston as arranged with a flexible and elastic
disc is well suited to assist in the operation.
When the piston commences to force the mustard out of the piston chamber in
its downward stroke the piston disc takes its position flat against its supporting or
backing plate and as it is forced down the part of the piston disc at its circum-
ference which extends beyond the diameter of the supporting or backing plate and
is so far unsupported by the plate may bend upwards round the edge of the plate.
When the piston gets to the end of its downward or forward course and is about
to return, this bent edge of the circumference of the piston disc may recoil and
give impetus for a short distance to the rising of the piston just at its commence-
ment adding its effort to that of a spring Figure 1 which after having been
compressed by the user while forcing down the piston to effect a serving of mustard
by pressure on a button * attached to the top of the piston rod retires the piston
by its reaction. While this reaction at the circumference of the piston disc takes
place the mustard does not pass the piston disc from the supply vessel or reservoir
so that a good vacuum may be formed for the sucking back of the mustard from
the space between the valve-plate and the strainer into the piston chamber and also
the mustard from the orifice and the orifice passage into the exit chamber and the
valve-plate to close the strainer, all which operations are performed together by
the first part of the return action of the piston. When however the piston has
proceeded upwards until the piston disc is bent downwards at the circumference,
the valve-plate at this time and during the rest of the upward stroke closing the
strainer against further return of mustard from the exit chamber, the fresh mustard
from the supply vessel or reservoir passes the piston disc and fills up the space left
in its chamber by the retirement of the piston upwards. Thus the piston chamber
is charged for another serving of mustard. The parts of the apparatus may be
arranged in size and in extent of action to suit the quantity of mustard desired to
be served at one stroke of the piston.

page_text: Although I prefer to employ for the exit valve the valve-plate, the action of
which in the exit chamber I have explained, other forms of exit valve may be used
in the exit chamber when desired but in each case I prefer so to arrange them in
combination with a suitable piston as to ensure the suck-back which as has been
already described takes place at the commencement of the return or upward stroke
of the flexible disc piston which withdraws or sucks back the mustard which may
be left hanging to the orifice and that which is in the orifice passage into the exit
chamber.
Thus a valve may be used in the exit chamber with a spring below it tending to
raise it and so to close the aperture or apertures leading from the piston chamber
to the exit chamber.
The upper part of the valve may be formed to fit and act as a piston in a short
cylindrical part of the exit chamber near the valve seat while its lower part may
be guided by the projections of grooves or flutings in the lower part of the exit
chamber which allow the mustard to pass to the serving orifice when the valve is
forced down beyond the cylindrical part in which it fits, by the outgoing mustard
expelled from the piston chamber by the downward action of the piston.
When the return action of the piston takes place the valve may be raised by the
reaction of its spring aided or not by the suction of the piston according to the
form of piston employed.
The valve in rising by its spring acting as a piston for the short distance of the
length of the cylindrical part in which it fits returns the mustard which is between
it and the bottom of the piston chamber into the piston chamber and so causes the
suck-back or withdrawal of the mustard from the orifice and the orifice passage
into the exit chamber.
This valve being still held up by its spring after the piston is raised may
operate to prevent leakage and may therefore be employed if desired in conjunction
with pistons not arranged specially with a view to restrict leakage, such as the
ring valve piston shewn in my Patent of 1867 before referred to.
The valve arrangement just described is represented in Figures 4, 44, 48.
Figure 4 is a section of part of the piston chamber d. The strainer d' the exit
chamber and the cap or cover e, the valve & and spring are also shown in
section and in the position which they would occupy when the mustard is being
forced downwards the spring being compressed and the valve so low that it is out
of the plain cylindrical portion at the upper part of the exit chamber d² leaving
openings at the flutes in the lower part of the exit chamber for the mustard to
pass. Figure 4 is a plan showing the exit chamber with the flutings j, the cap.or
cover e being removed. Figure 4B shows spring ¹ extended with valve k
upon it.
Or a valve may be arranged in the exit chamber consisting of a disc of india
rubber, by preference vulcanized, or other suitable flexible material-the india
rubber being simple or covered with cloth or other suitable material on one or both
sides as may be preferred. The disc is made of a diameter to fit the exit chamber
and has a hole at the centre where it may be supported on a rod rising from the
centre of a hollowed and divided foot which fits freely in the exit chamber.
On the top of the central rising rod is fixed by screw or otherwise a backing
plate for the valve and below it at a distance of the thickness of the valve another
plate for the same purpose is fixed but of smaller diameter. The valve is placed
between these plates and when the foot of the stand with its central rod support
rests on the bottom of the exit chamber the valve comes within a certain
regulated distance from the strainer or bottom of the piston chamber.
On the commencement of the upward action of the piston the valve and its
stand are drawn up in the exit chamber until the upper backing plate comes against
a stop, say, against the strainer, the mustard left at the orifice and in the orifice
passage after the last serving being sucked back into the exit chamber and the
mustard which was above the top backing plate being at the same time drawn
into the piston chamber.

page_text: The downward action of the piston forces the mustard out of the piston
chamber against the top backing plate which is somewhat smaller in diameter than
the valve, and the valve when the stand rests on the bottom of the exit chamber is
bent downwards at its circumference beyond the lower backing plate by the
pressure of the mustard so as to allow the mustard to pass it into the lower part of
the exit chamber and onwards to the orifice passage.
Figure 5 represents the last mentioned valve arranged in the exit chamber d²-
is the valve, the upper backing plate, 12 the lower backing plate, 13 the central
rod rising from a divided foot Figure 5 shows the valve and its support in a
separate view.
The valve plate which has been explained or any other suitable valve may be
used for controlling a single aperture as well as a number of small apertures, as
in a strainer, between the piston chamber and the exit chamber in the manner
before described, or so as to cause the controlled suck-back action which removes
the mustard from the orifice and orifice passage after each serving.
Figure 6 shows a section of the piston chamber d and exit chamber ² the
diaphragm between them having a central hole m which may be covered and
controlled by the impeditive plate when used as a valve plate instead of the
valve plate shown in Figure 2 and in Figures 2º, 2º, which has a hole at the
centre and serves to control the strainer as has been explained.
The valve plate may, when used, be arranged to rest upon any other support
which may be preferred to the impeditive plates. Any other equivalent impeditive
arrangement may also be employed if preferred.
The piston which I have described above arranged with disc of flexible or
elastic material and backing or supporting plates for the downward and upward
actions is the piston I prefer to use but a piston may also be arranged with
cylindrical part to fit into the piston chamber with holes through it to let the
mustard pass and with a flexible or other valve placed on its underside to close the
holes when the downstroke takes place and open them during the upstroke.
Figure 7 is a section of the piston referred to and Figure 7 a plan, n is the
flexible valve and n² are holes in the cylindrical part of the piston through
which the mustard passes in the upstroke of the piston and which are closed by
the valve n in the downstroke.
This piston to ensure the suck-back of the mustard on the return of the piston
may when required act in conjunction with a valve such as I have described with
a spring to force it upwards when the return of the piston takes place.
The ring valve piston shewn in my Patent of 1867 may be arranged with a
cylindrical part at the valve seat of suitable depth instead of a cone the portion of
the valve fixed on the piston rod may fit into a short hollow cylinder in the ring so
that on the piston rod rising the valve will not open until the cylindrical fitting
part has been drawn out of its hollow in the ring part and while this is taking
place the suck-back may be effected which draws the quantity of mustard required
from the orifice inwards into the orifice passage or further back into the exit
chamber.
My improved ring valve piston is illustrated in Figures 8, 84, 8", 8", 8",- is
the ring piston shown in section in Figures 8 and 84 and in plan in Figure 8-
o indicates that part of the piston valve which operates in the ring o and is fast
to the end of the piston rod y. In Figure 8 it is shown in position closing the
opening in the ring o, the position it would occupy when the piston is being forced
downwards, the cylindrical part o2 of o entering the ring piston. In the upward
action of the piston the part o² is raised out of the ring part o until the projections o³
come against the ledge or shoulder of in the ring o. In this position the valve is
open so that the mustard can pass as the piston rises. Figures 80, 80, are
elevation and plan of o¹.
The piston chamber, exit chamber and strainer of my improved mustard servers
may be formed in one piece as shown in Figures 1 and 2 or may be put together

page_text: in parts as preferred and a separate cover may be arranged to close the bottom
of the exit chamber as is shown in respect of the cap or cover e Figures 1, 2, 4, 5.
This cover may have in it the orifice passage and be formed at the lower end with
a suitable orifice point. It may be fitted to the outside of the exit chamber and
fixed to it with cement or screw or otherwise so that it can be taken off if desired
to get at the valve plate and impeditive plates or other valve or impeditive arrange-
ment contained in the exit chamber.
Figure 9 shows in section an arrangement in which the piston chamber d is made
to form part with the reservoir or body A and is screwed at its lower end to receive
the point piece e which contains the exit chamber d² and a seat for the strainer
plate which is held down by the end of the piston chamber when the point piece
is screwed on, e¹ represents the orifice passage. Figures 94, 9B are two views of
the strainer plate.
Although I prefer that the suck-back which I have very fully explained should
be sufficient not only to draw into the orifice passage the mustard which may be
left hanging at the orifice after a serving has been effected but also to clear the
orifice passage of the mustard by drawing it into the exit chamber it may if
preferred be arranged so that the orifice passage will not be entirely cleared after
the serving but only so much so as to ensure the complete drawing back into the
orifice passage of the mustard which may remain hanging at the orifice..
It will be observed that the two additional forms of my exit valves which I
have described and which are illustrated in Figures 4, 5 operate to restrict or
prevent leakage, as does the valve plate itself in a small degree simply as an
impeditive plate; and also to restrain the too free flow or squirting of the mustard,
in the one case by the force of a spring acting against it, and in the other by the
resistance of the flexible disc valve which as well as the spring may be regulated
in strength.
I prefer to make the supply vessels or reservoirs with a free open mouth and
with an easily removable cover as shown in Figure 1 a ring part of the cover
going inside the vessel for a distance sufficient for guidance and steadiment, such
covers having attached at the centre the piston rod with its retiring spring, spring
case, and button head so that they may with these parts be lifted away from the
vessel and the parts may also when desired be so attached or fitted to the cover
as to be easily moved from it.
Sometimes as shown in Figure 1 I provide a bead, moulding or flange which
projects beyond the rim of the cover outwards round the top of the vessel to
enable it to be held conveniently for use, or a handle or handles may be provided
for the purpose when preferred as already shewn in my Patent of 1867.
Feet may be formed on or attached to the vessel or the vessels may be placed
in stands or holders as shown in Figure 1 and also in my Patent of 1867 or
they may be arranged to be supported in any other suitable and convenient
manner.
Throughout this Specification I have spoken only of serving mustard but it
will be evident that the apparatus is also applicable to the serving of other
similarly arranged condiments or materials.
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 :-
1. In an apparatus for serving mustard and other condiments and materials, the
combination of parts consisting of the supply chamber, the piston chamber, the
piston in the piston chamber, the exit chamber, the strainer separating the piston
chamber from the exit chamber and the serving passage and orifice; such parts
operating substantially as described.
2. In an apparatus for serving mustard and other condiments and materials the
combination of parts consisting of the supply chamber, the piston, and piston

page_text: chamber, the exit chamber, the serving passage and orifice and the impeditive
plates in the exit chamber serving to prevent too free delivery of the material as
herein set forth.
3. In an apparatus for serving mustard and other condiments and materials the
combination of parts consisting of the supply chamber, the piston and piston
chamber, the exit chamber, the serving passage and orifice, and a valve in the
exit chamber so arranged as to allow of a pre-arranged suck-back; such parts
operating substantially as described.
4. In an apparatus in accordance with the preceding claim, the arrangement of
the valve in such manner that it operates in producing the suck-back independently
or in aid of the piston as herein set forth.
5. In an apparatus for serving mustard and other condiments and materials the
combination of parts consisting of the supply chamber, the piston and piston
chamber, the exit chamber, the serving passage and orifice, and a valve in the exit
chamber closing to prevent leakage as herein described.
6. In an apparatus for serving mustard and other condiments and materials, the
combination of parts consisting of the supply chamber, the piston chamber, the
serving passage and orifice, and a piston consisting of an elastic disc confined
between plates and arranged in such manner that in regaining its form after the
downward stroke it aids in producing a suck-back as herein described.
7. In an apparatus for serving mustard and other condiments and materials, the
combination of parts consisting of the supply chamber, the piston chamber, the
serving passage and orifice, and a loose ring piston with cylindrical part on
the rod fitting within the ring and when withdrawn on the return stroke producing
a suck-back substantially as described.
8. Apparatus and appliances for serving mustard and other condiments or
materials substantially as described and represented by the annexed drawings.
Dated this 17th day of August 1801
JAMES M. NAPIER.