IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEAMING POTATOES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FOOD
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Short, of King Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Grocer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STEAMING POTATOES
AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FOOD."
Sealed the 7th August 1877, and dated the 22nd February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Short at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd February 1877.
JOHN SHORT, of King Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Grocer.
APPARATUS FOR STEAMING POTATOES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FOOD."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for steaming potatoes
and other articles of food.
The apparatus consists of two main parts, the lower part is a pot provided with a
suitable handle and closed steam-tight at the top, it has a screw plug in it fitting a
hole by which the vessel is charged with water. From the upper part a steam pipe
passes out from the side; it descends, and after crossing the bottom of the pot, it
ascends on the other side; it terminates in an orifice immediately over the centre of
the pot or vessel. The upper part of the apparatus is also a pot-like vessel, but
with a perforated bottom; it receives the potatoes or other articles to be cooked,
and it is provided with a suitable cover. This second part of the apparatus stands
on the top of the part first described, and the hot steam issuing from the steam pipe
already referred to is delivered beneath the perforated bottom of the upper or second
part of the apparatus, and ascending up through the perforations it effects the
cooking of the potatoes or other articles of food which the apparatus contains.
In some cases where it is intended to cook articles of food yielding a gravy, a pan
is provided to receive the gravy underneath the perforated bottom of the upper part
of the apparatus. The steam pipe in this case passes up through a tubular passage
formed for it in the bottom of the pan. The perforated bottom is for convenience
made moveable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Short in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th August
1877.
JOHN SHORT, of King's Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Grocer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR STEAMING POTATOES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF FOOD."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for steaming potatoes
and other articles of food.
The apparatus consists of a compound pan adapted to produce superheated steam,
and to apply it to steam potatoes and other articles of food. The lower portion or
under body of the apparatus consists of a pan having a pipe attached to it, and
opening into it near the top. This pipe which receives steam generated from water
supplied to this portion of the apparatus passes down, crosses beneath the bottom of
the pan, and ascends on the other side. The bottom of the pan is fluted or recessed
to receive the pipe, and at the same time to increase the heating surface. The part
of the pipe beneath the bottom becomes highly heated when the apparatus is in use,
and the steam passing through it becomes superheated. The superheated steam is
delivered by the pipe into the upper body of the apparatus which is made in two
parts separable the one from the other; the upper part is a plain cylindrical pan
with a cover, and the bottom is perforated in the angle where it meets the sides.
This upper part fits into the lower part of the upper body which also is a pan, and
it has double sides; it carries also a socket fitting the upper end of the steam pipe
and conveying the steam into the space in the double side, whence it escapes into
the upper part through the perforations in the bottom and comes into contact with
the potatoes or other articles of food which it is required to cook. If the food in
the uppermost pan be of such a nature as to yield a gravy this will descend
through the perforations in the bottom into the space in the double side of the lower
pan of the upper body, and from this space there is an outlet through the side by
which the gravy passes into a receptacle provided for it on the side of the under
body of the pan. The under body of the apparatus may have put into it articles of
food which require to be cooked by boiling. The lower part of the upper body is
adapted also for cooking articles of food out of contact with water, but immersed in
the gravy which flows from them, or which may have been added.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation; and Figure 2 is a vertical section of a compound
pan or apparatus constructed according to my Invention.
a is the lower pan or under body of the apparatus; b is the steam pipe attached
to the under body, and receiving steam from it; it passes beneath, the bottom by the
channel a¹ provided for increasing the heating surface, and ascends on the other
side. c is a receptacle on the side of the pan a for any liquid escaping from the
upper pan; & and e are respectively the lower and the upper pan forming the upper
body of the apparatus. The sides of the pan d are double, as the Drawing shows.
f is a socket on the pan d fitting to the upper end of the pipe b and conveying the
superheated steam into the space in the double side of the pan d; g is an aperture
with a hood sheltering it; it allows the escape of gravy or liquid from the space in
the side into the receptacle c. The bottom of the upper pan e is perforated all round
at e¹ at distances apart. h is the lid or cover; a¹ is the channel or recess provided
for the purpose of increasing the heating surface of the pan, and to receive the
pipe b.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim, -
First. The construction of apparatus for steaming potatoes and other articles of
food, substantially as described and represented in the Drawings annexed.

page_text: Second. The arrangement of the steam pipe passing beneath the bottom of the
pan, superheating the steam which it receives from the under body and delivering it
into the upper body, in which is the steaming compartment, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Short, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JOHN SHORT. (LS.)