AN EGG-COOKING APPA- RATUS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Symons, of the Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN EGG-COOKING APPA-
RATUS." A communication.
Scaled the 24th August 1855, and dated the 28th February 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Symons at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th February 1855.
I, ALEXANDER SYMONS, of the Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN EGG-COOKING
APPARATUS" (being a communication from a foreigner residing abroad) to be as
follows:-
It consists of a portable metallic vessel to be heated by a suitable lamp.
The vessel may be vase-shaped or urn-like, having a suitable cover fitting it
closely, and may be mounted upon scrolls or brackets from a suitable base
plate or stand. The bottom of the vessel should be of such a form and size
internally as to contain but a small quantity of water, which, being converted
into steam by the heat applied externally, is sufficient for the purpose of cooking
the eggs contained within the vessel.
Vessels may be made of various sizes, so as to contain 3, 4, or more eggs in

page_text: a suitable frame, receptacle, or stand for holding them suspended above the
water contained in the bottom of the vessel, and the base or foot of such frame
or stand should be made to fit into the bottom of the vase or urn-like vessel,
and be perforated, so as to restrain the water from violent ebullition, and readily
permit the escape of the steam as it is formed, so that it may fill the vessel
and cook the contents thereof.
The lamp may be simply a stamped metal cup or thimble-piece, with an
annular channel or groove, into which may be placed just sufficient spirits
necessary for the purpose of cooking the eggs to the required degree. The
lamp may be moveable, or fixed under the bottom of the vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Symons in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th August 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
SYMONS, of the Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the
year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alexander Symons, Her special license that I, the said Alexander Symons,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Symons, 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 EGG-COOKING APPARATUS," (a commu-
nication,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
Symons, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 Alexander Symons, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:
My Invention consists of a portable inetallic vessel to be heated by a suit-
able lamp. The vessel may be vase-shaped or urn-like, having a suitable cover
fitting it closely, and may be mounted upon scrolls or brackets from a suitable
base plate or stand. The bottom of the vessel should be of such a form and size
internally as to contain but a small quantity of water, which, being gradually
converted into steam by the heat applied externally, is sufficient for the purpose
of cooking the eggs contained within the vessel.
Vessels may be made of various sizes, so as to contain three, four, or more eggs
in a suitable frame, receptacle, or stand for holding them suspended above the
water contained in the bottom of the vessel, and the base or foot of such frame
or stand should be made to fit into the bottom of the vase or urn-like vessel,
and be perforated, so as to restrain the water from violent ebullition, and readily
permit the escape of the steam as it is formed, so that it may fill the vessel
and cook the contents thereof.
The lamp may be simply a stamped metal cup or thimble-piece, with
an annular channel or grove 7 (see Figure 6), into which may be placed
just sufficient spirits necessary for the purpose of cooking the eggs to the
required degree. The lamp may be moveable, or fixed under the bottom of
the vessel.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of the egg boiler;
Figure is a section of Figure 1. The letters of reference are the same in
both. a is the vase or body of the vessel; b, the cover, which fits closely upon
the mouth of the vessel, but is drilled with a small hole to permit the steam to
escape slowly; c is a lower chamber, being part of the vessel a, but projecting
from the bottom thereof, as shewn; d, d, d, are three brackets rising from the
stand and supporting the vase or urn-shaped vessel; e, the base, shewn circular
on the plan, and stamped in the form shewn in section, Fig. 2, with the
recess for holding the lamp or burner f, and moulded or stamped up in any
suitable style or pattern; f is a lamp or burner, stamped out of a disc of metal,
having an annular groove 9 (see Figure 6) wherein the spirit is placed, which
spirit being ignited heats the water contained in the small chamber c. This
lamp or burner receives the air for the combustion of the spirit through small
holes punctured around its edge, as shewn at t, t, (Figures 5 and 6,) and
delivers the air into the centre of the frame through the opening shewn in f,
and at s (Figure 6) is the frame or stand for holding the eggs, better seen
at u, u, &c. (Figures 3 and 4), which is shewn as suitable for holding four eggs.
The base or foot of this frame is lettered y, being a ring to fit into the neck

page_text: between the chambers a and c. The hollow cone, as shewn at a (Figures 3
and 4), has a row of holes perforated around its base, to permit the steam
formed in the vessel c to escape and impinge upon the eggs contained in the
upper chamber a. At the apex of the cone a small hole is also made for
the same purpose (as seen in Figure 2). Figures 3 and 4 are views of the egg
frame or stand, as already described. Figures 5 and 6 arc views of the lamp
or burner, also previously described. I prefer that these vessels should be
made of copper, hammered or stamped into the shape or configuration shewn
in the Drawing, and at each of the respective parts, viz., the egg stand and
lamp or burner, should also be of copper, stamped out or hammered up into
shape in the ordinary way of making such light copper goods; but the interior
of the vessel a, c, as also the cover band the stand g, must be well tinned, so
as to prevent the green oxide of copper being forined, which is so injurious to
whatever may be contained within the vessel. But the external surface of the
urn, cover, and stand may be bronzed or plated, electro-silvered or electro-gilt,
if preferred; or the entire of the vessel may be electro-plated instead of being
tinned internally, and bronzed or plated outside.
The method of using my egg-cooking apparatus is as follows:-I first put
as much water as may by practice be found necessary for cooking the number
of eggs required into the lower part of the urn c, never putting in more than
will fill that chamber alone. I then place the stand g into the contraction or
neck between a and c, and close the urn or vessel a with the cover b. I next
take the lamp or burner f, and fill the annular space 2 (see Figure 6) full or
partially full of spirit, and I prefer the spirit of wine as being cleaner than
either pyroligneous or other spirit. I now ignite the spirit, which, burning
with a high flame, impinges upon the bottom of the vessel c containing the
water, and in a few moments steam is rapidly given off, filling the chamber
a and imparting heat to the eggs contained therein. By proportioning the
respective quantities of spirit and water to each other, eggs may be cooked
precisely to the extent desired, as by filling the lamp with spirit and using a
smaller quantity of water in the chamber c, more rapid and thorough cooking
may be effected. But if the eggs should be required to be only lightly boiled,
a larger quantity of water may be put into the chamber c than before, and a
smaller quantity of spirit in the annular space q (see Figure 6) of the lamp or
burner f; or if hot water be poured into the chamber c, less spirit will be
required in proportion to the temperature of the hot water used. The
annular space 2 (Figure 6) is made to contain only enough spirit for one
cooking.
Having described my Invention, and the method of using the same, I wish

page_text: it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise form or con-
struction of the vessel, nor to the material of which it is made; but I claim
the portable apparatus described as my Invention for cooking eggs by means
of a lamp applied to the bottom of the vessel, whether spirits of wine, woodl
or other spirit, or oil be used in the lamp or burner where the cooking is
effected, by the vaporization of a small quantity of water, the eggs not being
immersed in or directly in contact with the water from which the steam is
generated for cooking the contents of the vessel.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Symons, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
JOHN WILLIAM TIBBERT,
10, Salisbury Street, Adelphi.
ALEXANDER SYMONS. (L.S.)