Improvements in Lids or Covers for Jugs and other Vessels.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1897-Accepted, 11th Dec., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lids or Covers for Jugs and other Vessels.
I, LEWIS FINDLAY EAST, of 19 Lorne Street, Prahran, in the Colony of Victoria,
Civil Servant, 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:-
Claret, hot water, milk and other fluids being best kept covered, jugs and other
vessels therefor have been provided with covers (sometimes perforated), which for
greater convenience of cleansing and use, have been made easily removable and
replaceable, and which have had hinged thereto a lip adapted to open automatically
upon the vessel being tilted.
My improvements relate to covers of the above class. My improved cover can
be readily attached to and detached from jugs (and the like) of different diameters;
-secondly-the lip will when the jug is tilted open automatically. This opening
is not effected by means of a counterpoise or balance weight which would simply
cause the lip to remain horizontal, but by means of a device which causes the lip
When the jug is very
to rise above the horizontal when tilting of the jug occurs.
full, and in some other cases an aperture sufficiently large for the unimpeded exit
of the fluid is not gained by the use of a simple counterpoise. My cover is made
of any suitable material, and size, and is shown in the accompanying drawings in
which Figures 1 to 4 exhibit one form of my invention, and figures 5 to 7 a
modification (on a smaller scale), the latter views omitting the hinged lip at the
front of the cover, and the device for causing the lip to open automatically.
Figures 1 and 5 each show a plan from beneath; figures 2 and 6 side elevations in
section on the line X in figures 1 and 5 respectively, figures 3 and 7 show in each
case a cross section on the line Y in figures 1 and 5 respectively; and figure 4
shows the position of the parts in figure 2 when the jug is tilted.
I use a spring, preferably of bent wire, which is cheap and durable, the rear part A
being slipped removably (to allow of cleansing and replacement, or substitution of
another spring) into a sleeve or socket B which is fixed to the underside of the rear
From the sleeve
part C of the cover, which has, at its front part, any hinged lip D.
each member of the spring has a downward rearward extension E to meet the jug Z,
and each then extends with a forward curve F adapted to contact with the inner wall
of the jug over more than half its circumference. The parts F form the body of
the spring. From the fore end of each curve F the spring has an upward extension (
to some position in which its ends can be pressed or drawn together so as to enable the
spring to be contracted with ease to make it enter and securely fit, or to withdraw it
from a jug, without having to handle or damage the body of the spring. This can
be effected in various ways. The simplest and cheapest way is shown in figures 5
In the latter the spring ends H are
to 7 and figures 1 to 4 show a modification.
carried inwardly, and removably joined to the respective ends of a centrally pivoted
Plate I on
plate I, actuated by a knob or handle J on the outside of the cover.
being partly rotated contracts the spring. In the simpler form (figures 5 to 7) the
or knobs J, and the same
spring ends H¹ are carried outwardly to handles
compressive action is put on the spring. If a tight fitting lid is wanted, there can

page_text: be a depression in the lid to receive each wire where it crosses the edge of the
jug.
Referring to the lip D, a short downwardly projecting shank K (having an eye or
the like L) is rigidly attached to said lip, and to this eye is connected one end of a
link M which has its other end connected to a shank K¹ pivoted or hung to the rear
of C. The base of K¹ is weighted, and the length of the shank K above link L is
less than that of K¹ above the said link. In consequence of the weight, shank K¹
will tend to remain vertical however the jug is tilted. This tendency so affects link L
and shank K, as to raise the lip above its horizontal or normal position (dotted in
figure 3). This effect is due to the fact that an are on the radius of shank K, of
equal length to an are on the radius of shank K¹, contains a greater angle. The
shorter the shank K is, the greater will be the clearance between it and the liquid
issuing from the jug when tilted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim' is :—
1. In a cover of the class indicated, the combination of a socket under the back of
the cover, a spring connected to the socket, and extending therefrom backwardly
and downward to meet the jug, thence forward to contact with and press against the
jug at each side, thence upward to the cover and thence inward (or outward) in
such manner as to permit of compression of the spring from the exterior substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
1.
2. In a cover of the class indicated the spring with the connections thereto for
compressing the same substantially as set forth with reference to figures 1 to 4.
3. The combination with a cover of the class indicated of a weighted shank hung to
the rear part thereof, a shorter shank fixed to the hinged lip thereof; and a link
connecting the bases of the shanks substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of October 1897
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE
40 Chancery Lane London, W.C. Agents.