An Improved. Potato Cooker.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oc':, 1894"
Complete Specification Left, 18th July, 1895-Accepted, 31st. Aug., 1895.
An Improved. Potato Cooker.
I CHARLES SMART of 58 Beaufort Road Edgbaston Birmingham Commercial
Traveller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a cylindrical vessel made (preferably) of tinned
plate & of sizes suitable to fit within the various sizes of saucepans, the upper
portion of the vessel being made of a diameter suitable to receive the saucepan lid and
the lower portion of a diameter to enter freely into the body of the saucepan.
Between the upper and lower portions of the vessel a rim is formed to rest upon
the top edge of the saucepan so as to allow of the vessel entering into the saucepan
only sufficiently to allow of the bottom of the vessel reaching within an inch or
thereabouts of the bottom of the saucepan. The bottom of the vessel consists of a
perforated plate and if desired the sides may be to some extent perforated.
Handles are placed near the top of the vessel for convenience of lifting it in and
out of the saucepan.
The advantages of this construction and arrangement of potato-cooker are that
the potatoes take a shorter time to cook than in the ordinary steamer, the salt is
more thoroughly boiled into them, and they being down in the heat and having
been boiled for a time in the salt and water and the water strained off are left to
finish cooking in the steam, thus rendering them: more dry and mealy, instead of
the risk of the ordinary method of boiling reducing the potatoes to a pulp and
consequently causing much to be thrown away with the water. And there is no
fear of the potatoes becoming burnt after being strained & left on the fire.
Dated this 19th dox of October 1804
HENRY F. TALBOT,
Agent for the Applicant.
I, CHARLES SMART of 58 Beaufort Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, Commercial
Traveller, 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 :—
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a view of the cooker shewn with a portion of its side broken away to
expose the bottom of the interior. And
Fig. 2 is a sectional drawing shewing the cooker in position within a saucepan.
The invention consists of a cylindrical vessel A made (preferably) of tinned
plate of varying sizes suitable to fit within the various sizes of saucepans, the
upper portion B of the vessel being made of a diameter suitable to receive the
saucepan lid and the lower portion of a diameter to enter freely in the body of
the saucepan P. Between the upper and lower portions of the vessel a rim D is
formed to rest upon the top edge of the saucepan so as to allow the vessel to enter
into the saucepan only sufficiently to permit the bottom of the vessel reaching
Price &

page_text: within an inch or thereabouts of the bottom of the saucepan, as at E. The
bottom of the vessel consists of a perforated plate F and if desired the sides may
be to some extent also perforated, as at G. Handles H, H, are placed near the
top of the vessel for convenience when lifting it in and out of the saucepan.
The advantages of this construction and arrangement of potato cooker are that
the potatoes take a shorter time to cook than in the ordinary steamer, the salt used
is more thoroughly boiled into them and the potatoes being down in the heat and
having been boiled for a time in the salt and water and the water strained off are
left to finish cooking in the steam thus rendering them drier and mealy, instead
of reducing the potatoes to a pulp and consequently causing much to be thrown
away with the water which is often the case in the ordinary method of boiling.
And there is no fear of the potatoes becoming burnt after being strained and left
on the fire.
Although I have described the cooker as intended for cooking potatoes it is
equally suitable for cooking other vegetables. When so using it the vegetables
having been fully cooked, the water can be strained off and the vegetables left
in the hot cooker instead of being turned out into a cold colander as is ordinarily
done.
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 :
The construction and arrangement of a vessel as herein described and illustrated
to fit within ordinary saucepans for the purpose of cooking potatoes and other
vegetables.
7th day of July 1895.
HENRY F. TALBOT,
7 Cherry Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicant.