Improvements in Tea Pots.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tea Pots.
1, JAMES EDWARD RANSOME of Holme Wood, Ipswich, in the County of
Suffolk, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Tea pots have already been provided in some cases with a separate small
receptacle of wire gauze-or having perforated sides-in which the dry tea is
placed and which being suspended in the tea pot the latter is filled or partially
filled with boiling water and when the infusion has been made and the leaves have
remained in the water a sufficient time-the receptacle with the spent leaves can be
removed from the pot and so prevent the extraction of the tannin which takes place
when the leaves remain too long in the water. This method of procedure entails
the inconvenience of having to provide a tray or dish to receive the receptacle after
it has been removed from the pot as the liquor draining from the spent leaves stains
anything upon which the receptacle is placed and is also unsightly and cumbrous
and consequently the said strainer is seldom removed from the pot.
According to this invention I use a receptacle as aforesaid and for the same
purpose-but instead of removing it outside the tea pot-I provide a distinct and
entirely separate compartment within the tea pot into which when the receptacle
with the spent leaves is taken out of the water-it can be placed so that no further
infusion can take place-as the leaves are thus entirely separated from the infusion
of tea already made.
The receptacle is preferably made to fit the compartment so that the latter shall
not take up more space in the pot than is necessary. With this object about one
half of the circumference of the receptacle is made to the same curve or
conformation as the side of that portion of the pot which is cut off by the partition
which forms the compartment whilst the remainder of the circumference is of the
same conformation as the partition which may be either plane or curved.
For existing tea pots or those in which the opening at the top is of smaller size
than the body of the pot the compartment is made soparate from the pot and is
dropped in at the opening of the lid. The opening in such cases is usually either
circular or oval or it may be rectangular and it is convenient to make the
compartment semi-circular or semi-oval or rectangular in plan as the case may be.
The compartment may be made to rest on the bottom of the pot or it can be
fixed to a ring fitting or resting on the opening and so supporting the compartment
which takes up about half the opening. The receptacle is also made in the form of
a semi-circle semi-oval or rectangle in plan respectively-fitting into the compartment
when out of use and when in use supported by the ring or hooked on to one side of
the compartment.
I prevent the lids of tea pots from dropping off by forming on the rear end and
on the underside of the lid a flange or hook pointing downwards and forwards and
which fits against a corresponding lip or projection on the rear and outside of the
pot-forming a kind of loose hinge. The lid may have a projecting rib fitting into
the mouth of the pot but such rib need not be made deep as the hook prevents the
lid from dropping off when the pot is in use but only sufficient to keep it in position
and it is important in my construction of tea pot with separate compartment herein-
before described that the division forming the compartment should come well up to
the top of the pot or nearly so and then a lid with a deep rib projecting into the

page_text: pot would be inadmissable. My improved construction of lid is more especially
adapted to pots made of china or earthenware.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tea Pots.
I, JAMES EDWARD RANSOME of Holme Wood, Ipswich in the County of
Suffolk, Gentleman, 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 :-
Tea pots have already been provided in some cases with a separate small
receptacle of wire gauze, or having perforated sides in which the dry tea is placed
and which being suspended in the tea pot the latter is filled or partially filled with
boiling water and when the infusion has been made and the leaves have remained in
the water a sufficient time the receptacle with the spent leaves can be removed from 1
the pot and so prevent the extraction of the tannin which takes place when the
leaves remain too long in the water. This method of procedure entails the
inconvenience of having to provide a tray or dish to receive the receptacle after it
has been removed from the pot as the liquor draining from the spent leaves stains
anything upon which the receptacle is placed and is also unsightly and cumbrous 2
and consequently the said strainer is seldom removed from the pot.
According to this invention I use a receptacle as aforesaid and for the same
purpose-but instead of removing it outside the tea pot I provide a distinct and
entirely separate compartment within the tea pot into which when the receptacle
with the spent leaves is taken out of the water-it can be placed so that no further 2
infusion can take place-as the leaves are thus entirely separated from the infusion
of tea already made.
The receptacle is preferably made to fit the compartment so that the latter shall
not take up more space in the pot than is necessary. With this object about one
half of the circumference of the receptacle is made to the same curve or conformation
as the side of that portion of the pot which is cut off by the partition which
forms the compartment whilst the remainder of the circumference is of the same
conformation as the partition which may be either plane or curved.
For existing tea pots or those in which the opening at the top is of smaller size
than the body of the pot the compartment is made separate from the pot and is a
dropped in at the opening of the lid. The opening in such cases is usually either
circular or oval or it may be rectangular and it is convenient to make the compart-
ment semi-circular or semi-oval or rectangular in plan as the case may be.
The compartment may be made to rest on the bottom of the pot or it can be
fixed to a ring fitting or resting on the opening and so supporting the compartment
which takes up about half the opening. The receptacle is also made in the form
of a semi-circle, semi-oval or rectangle in plan respectively-fitting into the com-
partment when out of use and when in use supported by the ring or hooked on to
one side of the compartment.
I prevent the lids of tea pots from dropping off by forming on the rear end and
on the underside of the lid a flange or hook pointing downwards and forwards and
which fits against a corresponding lip or projection on the rear and outside of the
pot, forming a kind of loose hinge. The lid may have a projecting rib fitting into
the mouth of the pot but such rib need not be made deep as the hook prevents the
lid from dropping off when the pot is in use but only sufficient to keep it in position
and it is important in my construction of tea pot with separate compartment herein-
before described that the division forming the compartment should come well up to
the top of the pot or nearly so and then a lid with a deep rib projecting into the

page_text: pot would be inadmissable. My improved construction of lid is more especially
adapted to pots made of china or earthenware.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 show an elevation and plan of a tea pot made according to my
invention.
The drawing represents an ordinary tea pot but fitted with a separate compart-
ment C within the pot and a perforated receptacle R.
In Figures 1 and 2 the receptacle R, into which the tea leaves are placed, is
shown in position for making the infusion of tea, hung on the front edge of the
compartment by a hook h.
The receptacle is surrounded by water, but there is no water in the com-
partment C.
When the water has stood on the tea for a sufficient time the
receptacle R containing the spent leaves is lifted out of the water and is dropped
into the compartment C as shown in Figures 14 and 2ª thus preventing the further
soaking of the leaves and extraction of the tannin. The compartment in these
figures is shown at the handle end of the pot.
Figure 3 is an elevation of another form of pot, in which the compartment C is
in the centre and held in its position by a ring r. This ring may be made with
springs at the fore part as shown in Figure 4, thus getting a grip of the inside of
the mouth of the pot. The receptacle R is hung by a hook outside the com-
partment when making the tea, and is placed in it when the infusion is finished.
Figures 5 and 5 and 6 and 6 show other methods of suspending the compartment.
In these there is a rib round the inside of the mouth of the pot.
Figures 5 and 5 show a spring on either side of the top of the compartment,
and clips at the back of the compartment and at each end of the springs embrace
the rib of the pot and keep it in position.
Figures 6 and 64 show a rib in the mouth of the pot. This rib is slotted through
at A and B, a clip on either side of the compartment passes through this slot, the
compartment is turned a quarter round and the clips embracing the rib keep it in
its correct position.
Figures 7 and 8 show a pot with a larger mouth. In these the compartment C
is shown in the centre of the pot and is either made in one piece with the pot as in
the case of earthenware, or is attached by a screw or other convenient method to
the bottom of the pot. The arrangement of the receptacle is the same as in the
other figures.
In all these figures a small bale b is shown hinged to the receptacle for lifting it
out of the water and dropping it into the compartment.
Figures 9 and 9* show an elevation and plan of my improved lid. This lid is
furnished with a projecting piece at the back with a flange or hook H pointing
downwards and forwards. It fits against a corresponding lip or projection P on
the rear and outside of the pot forming a loose hinge and supporting the lid when
held in a vertical position as in Figure 10.
Figures 11 and 11 show the same hook H on the lid and lip or projection P on
the rear of the pot but the ends of the hook are enclosed and embrace the ends of
the lip and so prevent any side way movement of the lid.
Figures 3 and 7 show lids with this hook arrangement, which is specially adapted
for pots made of china and earthenware but may also be made in metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of a pot, a compartment within the pot, and a receptacle
capable of being received in the pot either inside or outside the compartment
substantially as described.
2. The combination of a pot, a partition within the pot forming a compartment,

page_text: and a receptacle capable of being received in the pot on either side of the com-
partment substantially as described.
3. The combination of a pot, a lid, a lip or projection at the rear of the opening
of the pot and a hook at the rear of the lid substantially as described.
4. Pots substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 21st day of October 1892.