IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS OR HOLDERS FOR CONDIMENTS OR FLAVOURING MATERIALS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOD AND DRINK
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas White, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, ·
Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS OR HOLDERS
FOR CONDIMENTS OR FLAVOURING MATERIALS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOD AND
DRINK."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas White at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1880.
THOMAS WHITE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS OR HOLDERS FOR CONDIMENTS OR FLAVOURING
MATERIALS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOD AND DRINK."
My Invention consists of the improvements herein after described in the said
vessels or holders, whereby two, three, or more compartments are provided for the
reception of different condiments or flavouring materials, the said compartments
being so constructed and arranged that the contents of any one of them may be
delivered at pleasure from the holder.
According to one of my improvements I construct a central tubular vessel
supported by a foot or stand, the said tubular vessel having two, three, or other
number of smaller tubular vessels symetrically arranged around it and secured to it
by soldering or otherwise. I prefer to connect the smaller tubular vessels with the
central one at an angle of about forty five degrees, but I do not limit myself to any
angle. The central and smaller vessels have perforated or unperforated covers.
The nature of the covers I prefer to employ is herein after described.
According to another of my improvements I connect two of the tubular vessels
base to base and fix a handle near the junction of the two vessels, the figure of the
whole resembling the letter T, the handle having the position of the upright, and
the tubular vessels the position of the cross head of the said letter T. According
to another of my improvements I employ a cylindrical or tubular vessel surrounded
by a vessel having a spherical or other bulbous form, a handle being secured at the
base of and in a line with the tubular vessel. The outer bulbous vessel has perfora-
tions, and may be conveniently used as a sugar sifter, and the axial tubular vessel
may he used to contain a different flavouring material, or by being closed with a
stopper may be used for containing a liquid flavouring material or essence. I employ

page_text: with a compound vessel of this kind a concave rest, on which the vessel is placed
for the purpose of preventing it rolling on the table.
I do not limit myself to the use of any particular materials in manufacturing the
said vessels or holders, but I prefer to make them of a hard and ductile metal
where there is no objection to its use. When however the material to be kept
in the vessels or holders would be injured by contact with metal, or the metal
injured, I employ glass or porcelain, or I employ. metal with a lining of glass or
porcelain.
When the vessels are used for holding ground or powdered condiments I employ
perforated covers similar to those of an ordinary castor, excepting that perforations
are made only in part of the cover. By this means one condiment may be sifted
from its tubular vessel without the contents of the other vessels passing out, or the
covers may be perforated all over and made double. By turning the outer one on
the inner one their holes may be made coincident or non-coincident. When the
compound vessel is not in use all the outer covers are turned so as to close the
perforations in the inner covers, and when about to be used the outer cover of the
tubular vessel containing the condiment wanted is turned so that that condiment
may be delivered from its vessel. By the use of covers of this kind the flavour of
aromatic condiments is preserved much longer than by the uso of covers of the
ordinary kind.
Where the central vessel is made for containing mustard the spoon may be fixed
in the centre of the cover, and consist of a tube open at top and bottom and
expanded at its lower end. By pressing the thumb on tho open top of the tubo,
and removing it and the cover, the mustard in the expanded lower end of the tube
is supported by atmospheric pressure. When the spoon is brought over the plate
and the thumb lifted the mustard is delivered at the required place on the plate.
A spring pusher may be situated in the tubular spoon for the purpose of pushing
down the mustard when it is too thick to fall by its own weight.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas White in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th October
1880.
THOMAS WHITE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS OR HOLDERS FOR CONDIMENTS OR FLAVOURING
MATERIALS FOR ARTICLES OF FOOD AND DRINK."
My Invention consists of the improvements herein after described in the said
vessels or holders, whereby two or more compartments are provided for the reception
of different condiments or flavouring materials, the said compartments being so
constructed and arranged that the contents of any one of them inay be delivered at
pleasure from the holder.
According to one of my improvements I construct a central tubular vessel
supported by a foot or stand, the said tubular vessel having two, three, or other
number of tubular vessels or compartments arranged around it. I prefer to connect
the smaller tubular vessels with the central one at an angle of about forty fivo
degrees, but I do not limit myself to any angle. The central and smaller vessels
may have perforated or unperforated covers; the nature of the covers I prefer to
employ is herein after described.
According to another of my improvements I connect two of the tubular vessols
base to base, and fix a handle near the junction of the two vessels, the figure of the
whole resembling the letter T, the handle having the position of the upright, and
the tubular vessels the position of the cross head of the said letter T.
I do not limit myself to the use of any particular materials in manufacturing the
said vessels or holders, but I prefer to make them of a hard and ductile metal where
there is no objection to its use. When however the material to be kept in the
vessels or holders would be injured by contact with metal, or the metal injured, I
employ glass or porcelain, or I employ metal with a lining of glass or porcelain.
When the vessels are used for holding ground or powdered condiments I employ
perforated covers similar to those of an ordinary castor, excepting that perforations
are made only in part of the cover. By this means one condiment may be sifted
from its tubular vessel without the contents of the other vessels passing out, or the
covers may be perforated all over and made double. By turning the outer one on
the inner one their holes may be made coincident or non-coincident.
When the compound vessel is not in use all the outer covers are turned so as to
close the perforations in the inner covers, and when about to be used the outer
cover of the tubular vessel containing the condiment wanted is turned so that that
condiment may be delivered from its vessel. By the use of covers of this kind the
flavour of aromatic condiments is preserved much longer than by the use of covers
of the ordinary kind.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing
the manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in perspective a vessel or holder for condiments or flavouring
materials constructed according to my Invention, and Figures 2 and 3 represent
sections of the same taken at right angles to one another. The vessel or holder
represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3 is arranged to hold mustard, salt, and pepper,
but it may be used for holding other condiments or flavouring materials.
a is the central vessel or compartment of the holder, and b, c, are two other
vessels or compartments arranged at opposite sides of the central vessel or
compartment a. The central vessel or compartment contains mustard, and is
furnished with a lining of glass a² which fits closely in the metal vessel a, and the
top of the vessel a is provided with a jointed cover c.
The sido vessels or com-
partments b, c, are made of a metal body which is divided transversely by the
central partition d (represented separately in Figure 3) the said partition & fitting
the interior of the body and the exterior of the central vessel or compartment a.
The open end of each of the outer compartments b, c, is furnished with a perforated

page_text: cover b² and c² which may be made of a single piece as represented, or be made
double as herein after described, for the purpose of opening and closing the com-
partments of the holder at the pleasure of the user; fis a handle for lifting and
holding the compound vessel or holder when required. Access to the contents of
the central vessel or compartment a is obtained by turning back tho jointed lid or
cover e, and by inclining one or other of the outer vessels or compartments b, c, the
contents of that vessel may be delivered through its perforated cover.
Instead of arranging the two outer vessels or compartments b, c, at opposite
sides of the central vessel or compartment a, both, of the outer vessels or com-
partments may be arranged at one side of the central vessel a, and the handle ƒ at
the opposite side, as illustrated in perspective and plan in Figure 34.
In the arrangement, Figure 34, the body is divided by a division in the line of
the handle f, as indicated at g, to form the two compartiments b, c, in which the
pepper and salt are contained.
Instead of dividing the body of the holder by a cross division into two com-
partments for holding pepper and salt, a tube closed at one end may be fixed in
the said body for holding the pepper, as illustrated in the horizontal section,
Figure 3B, where the tubular compartment for holding the pepper is marked c, the
compartment for holding the salt is marked b, and the central compartment for
holding the mustard is marked a. By this arrangement a large compartment b for
holding the salt is provided, the said compartment opening into the spaces above
and below the small tubular compartment c. The open end of the pepper com-
partment c is furnished with a conical funnel at c which prevents the too rapid
discharge of the pepper from the compartment. The ends of the compartments b, c,
are fitted with perforated covers as represented with respect to the other holders.
The arrangement of the tubular compartment c, c, represented in Figure 3B, may
be applied to the holders represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, and may also bo
used for holding mustard or other condiment or flavouring material.
Figure 4 represents in section a vessel or holder containing two compartments
only for holding pepper and salt. In this arrangement the central vessel or
compartment for containing the mustard is omitted and a central partition h
divides the body into two compartments b, c, as represented in the Drawing. In
this holder a fixed cap i closes the top of the body, the two compartments b and c
being filled with the condiments at their open ends by removing the perforated
covers b, c, which may be single or double.
Although I have represented in Figures 1, 2,.3, 34, and 3B, holders consisting
of a central vessel or compartment, and two outer vessels or compartments arranged
either at opposite sides or at one side of the central vessel or compartment, yet
three or more outer vessels or compartments may be arranged around the central
vessel for the reception of different powdered condiments or of flavouring materials
either in a powdered or liquid form, those compartments containing liquid
flavouring materials or essences being closed by stoppers, and the body of the
holder, Figure 4, may be divided into more than two compartments.
I do not limit myself to the shape represented of the bodies of the holders, as
the said bodies may be varied in shape without departing the nature of my
Invention.
Figure 5 represents in elevation and Figure 6 in section another holder constructed
according to iny Invention for containing pepper and salt or other powdered condi-
ments, or two kinds of spices or powdered flavouring materials, or powdered sugar
and a spice or flavouring material. This holder consists of two tubular vessels
arranged base to base, the said holder being formed of a cylindrical tube with a
cross division & dividing it into two parts or compartments I, m. At the middle of
the case l, m, a handle n is fixed. Each of the open ends of the two vessels or
compartments is closed by a double perforated cover 12, m². When one or other of
the covers or m² is opened in the manner herein after described, the contents
of the opened compartment may be sifted through the perforated cover onto the
food to be flavoured, the holder being held by the handle n.

page_text: Figure 7 represents in elevation and Figure 8 in section a modification of the
last described holder, whereby the inverting of the holder for delivering one or other
of the two condiments held in it may be facilitated. In this arrangement the outer
tubular case, which is divided into two compartments, is supported at its middle
by the pivots p, p, on which it is capable of rotating, the said pivots turning in the
uprights g, g, carried by the base or foot r. The said base or foot and its uprights
constitute the handle by which the holder is held when in use. The pepper and
salt or other powdered condiments or flavouring materials are contained in the
glass linings 8, G, fitted in the two compartments s, t, of the holder, the open ends
of the case being provided with doublo perforated covers u, v. Elliptical (or other
shaped) perforations w, w, x, x, are made in the tubular case opposite the two com-
partments s, t, so that the contents of the said compartments may be seen through
the glass linings in the said compartments. In order to use the holder the compart-
ment from which the condiment or powdered flavouring material is to be delivered
is brought uppermost by turning the holder upon its pivots p,p, and the perforated
cover of that compartment is opened and the condiment sifted through its open
cover by grasping the holder by its base and uprights q, q.
All the vessels or compartiments of the several holders herein before described
may be furnished with glass or porcelain linings when it is desired that the condiment
shall not come in contact with the metal of the holders.
The construction of the double cover which I use for opening and closing the
compartments of the holders will be best understood by referring to the section and
end view Figure 9. The said double cover consists of two parts, an outer one y
and an inner one y³, both parts being perforated. The inner one y³ constitutes the
cover proper, and its tubular part is fitted on the open end of the vessel or com-
partment of the holder. The outer part y of the cover consists of a perforated
disc turning on a pin or centre on the inner party. By turning the disc or
outer part y upon its pin or centre z the holes in the two covers may be made
coincident or non-coincident.
In the Drawing their holes are represented coincident, and when in this position
the condiment may be delivered from its vessel or compartment to which the cover
is applied without the contents of the other vessel or vessels or compartments
passing out. A stop or pin on the outer part y of the cover working in a slot in
the inner part 2 limits the motion of the outer part y upon the inner part y².
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,
the improvements in vessels or holders for condiments or flavouring materials for
articles of food and drink, herein before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawing, that is to say, constructing the said vessels or holders with two,
three, or more compartments for the reception of different condiments or flavouring
materials, the said compartments being so constructed and arranged that the contents
of any one of them may be delivered or removed at pleasure from the holder,
substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas White, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
THOMAS WHITE. (L.S.)