Improvements in Cooking Utensils.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1896-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cooking Utensils.
I, ANTON GRAF BERCHTOLD, of the 1st Regiment of the Tirolar -Kaiser
Jäger, Innsbruck, in the Empire of Austria, Captain, 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 :-
This invention relates to cooking utensils for military and household purposes
and for use by tourists, the novel feature of the invention being the particular
arrangement of cover and the method of fastening the same. Cooking utensils
provided with my improvements possess considerable advantages over such utensils
as hitherto made.
In the accompanying drawing,-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a cooking utensil made according to my invention;
Figure 2 is a plan of the same; and,
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the fastening device for the lid or cover
drawn to an enlarged scale.
The cooking utensil consists essentially of an oval or round vessel a which has at
its upper edge on two opposite sides lugs b, b¹ which, as hereinafter described, are
adapted to receive a spring. The upper open end of the vessel is designed to
receive an accurately fitting lid or clastic cover preferably of iron, steel or other
suitable sheet metal, the said cover having at opposite sides a notch d corresponding
with the lugs b, b₁ on the vessel a. These notches d are designed, when the cover
is placed in position, to engage with the lugs b, b¹ of the vessel a as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2. In the centre of the cover ca strengthening plate e is soldered,
rivetted or otherwise fixed, the said strengthening plate being provided with a
support or stirrup i which serves as a nut for the fastening screw.
The fastening of the cover in position is effected by means of a spring f which is
thickest in the middle and tapers towards each end and possesses a resistance to
deflection of from 4 to 8 kg. The two ends of the spring are inserted in the two
lugs b, b' at each side of the vessel a. The spring has at its centre a longitudinal
slot g through which the fastening screw can be passed. As already described
the nut for this screw is formed in the support i of the cover and by tightening the
screw force is exerted on the spring whereby the lid or cover is slightly lifted off
and the steam which is developed in the vessel is allowed to escape.
When using the vessel the salted meat for example, is placed in the vessel and
cold water is poured on the same until it is completely covered. The lid or cover c
is then placed in position, the spring fis passed through the lugs b, b¹ and fastened
by means of the screw and the vessel is then placed on the fire. At the end of
about 6 to 8 minutes the water begins to boil whereby the superfluous steam which
has been developed can escape through the opening which is formed around the
edge of the vessel, which opening is formed by tightly screwing up the screw h
and thereby slightly raising the edge of the cover.
About 20 minutes after the
formation of steam the meat is sufficiently cooked.
My improved cooking vessel is most suitable for military purposes, for, as
already described, the length of time occupied from the beginning to the end o.
the cooking operation is only from a third to a quarter of the time usually
employed and this is of great advantage for military purposes. On account of the
simplicity of its construction and the rapidity of its operation my improved
cooking utensil is also valuable for tourists and for household purposes.

page_text: Ordinary cooking utensils can be easily converted into vessels having my
improvements as to do this it is only necessary to provide the utensil with lugs ind
the cover with a spring as described.
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 :-
1. A fastening device for cooking utensils comprising a flat spring f the ends of
which engage with lugs b, b' on the cooking utensil, which lugs pass through
notches d, d in the elastic lid or cover c, the said spring resting at its centre on the
projecting support i of a plate e in such a manner that by screwing up the fastening
screw h pressure is exerted on the cover whilst the edge of the latter rises when
the pressure of the steam in the vessel increases substantially as described.
2. The improvements in cooking utensils hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 15th day of June 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.