Improvements in Tea-pots.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tea-pots.
I, THOMAS RAMMOHUN ROY DAVISON of the Oriental Club, Hanover Square,
London, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to tea-pots and its object is to so construct them that
after the tea leaves have been infused for any desired length of time, the liquid or
tea can be run off into a part of the pot in which it will no longer be in contact
with the leaves.
The extraction of the deleterious elements or properties of the leaves which takes
place when they are allowed to remain in the liquid for an undue length of time
is thus avoided.
For the purpose of my invention I divide the tea-pot into upper and lower
chambers or compartments by a partition which is placed at a slight inclination
from the horizontal and can be either removable or fixed. At the lowest part
of this partition is an opening or passage for forming a communication between
the two compartments, but this communication is normally kept closed by means of
a valve or tap. The preferred form of valve is a loose ball which rests upon a
conical seat in the said opening or passage and in connection with this ball I
employ a device such as a bent rod or pin which at one end is contiguous to the
ball while its other end passes through the side of the pot and is fitted with a
knob or like contrivance; by moving this knob the rod moves the ball from its
seat and thereby opens the communication between the two compartments. The
ball will return to place by gravity when the bent rod is put back to its normal
position. It is, however, obvious that other forms of valve or tap will answer the
purpose.
I provide a removable openwork receptacle or basket for the tea leaves, and this
will be placed upon the partition which may be formed with a socket or like
contrivance to receive it.
The tea-pot is used as follows: The openwork receptacle containing the tea
leaves is put into the pot and the boiling water poured in. This will remain in
the upper compartment because the communication with the lower compartment is
closed. After the desired length of time the valve or tap is opened and the
liquid tea will then run into the lower compartment out of contact with the leaves,
and can be poured out as required through the ordinary spout.
Dated this 28th day of Anril 1891.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tea-pots.
I, THOMAS RAMMOHUN ROY DAVISON of the Oriental Club, Hanover Square,
London, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, 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 :-
My invention has reference to tea-pots and its object is to so construct them that
after the tea leaves have been infused for any desired length of time, the liquid or
tea can be run off into a part of the pot in which it will no longer be in
contact with the leaves. The extraction of the deleterious elements or properties

page_text: of the leaves which takes place when they are allowed to remain in the liquid for
an undue length of time is thus avoided.
For the purpose of my invention I divide the tea pot into upper and lower
chambers or compartments by a partition which is placed at a slight inclination
from the horizontal and can either be removable or fixed. At the lowest part
of this partition is an opening or passage for forming a communication between
the two compartments but this communication is normally kept closed by means of
a valve in the form of a loose ball which rests upon a conical seat in the said
opening or passage and in connection with this ball I employ a device such as a
rod or pin which at one end has an excentric disc contiguous to the ball while its
other end passes through the side of the pot and is fitted with a knob or like
contrivance; by moving this knob the excentric disc on the rod moves the ball
from its seat and thereby opens the communication between the two compartments.
The ball will return to place by gravity when the rod and disc are put back to its
normal position.
I provide a removable openwork receptacle or basket for the tea leaves and this
will be placed upon the partition which may be formed with pins or like contrivances
to receive it.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in vertical section a tea pot
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a top view partly in section on the line x-x of Figure 1.
The tea pot shown is a spherical metal pot, but of course my invention is equally
adapted for pots of other shapes and for pots of any material. a is the body of the pot,
provided with a lid b, handle c, and spout d, all of which may be of any ordinary kind.
e is a partition placed at a slight inclination from the horizontal and dividing the pot
into upper and lower chambers or compartments fand g. At the lowest part of this
partition is an opening for forming a communication between the two compart-
ments but this communication is normally kept closed by means of a truly turned
ball i which rests upon a conical seat k. I is a rod or pin passing through a sleeve
or tube m in the side of the pot; this rod has a knob or button n at the outer
end for turning it axially and an excentric disc p at the inner end, which disc
when the rod is turned to the extent of about half a revolution lifts the ball to the
position indicated by dots in Figure 1 so as to open the communication between
the compartments fand 9. j is a sort of cage to prevent the ball i getting out of
place when the pot is turned on its side or inverted for cleansing or other purpose,
it may be covered by wire gauze removable or not; this cage however is not
essential. 9 is a removable openwork receptacle or basket for the tea leaves; it
is placed upon the partition e and is held thereon by means of pins on the
partition which pass through holes in lugs on the said receptacle; these pins
are slightly inclined so as in a manner to become jammed in the said holes.
The tea pot is used as follows:-The openwork receptacle 9 containing the tea
leaves is put into the pot and the boiling water poured in. This will remain in
the upper compartment because the communication with the lower compartment
is closed by the ball i. After the desired length of time the ball is lifted by means
of the excentric disc p and the liquid tea will then run into the lower compart-
ment 9 out of contact with the leaves, and can be poured out as required
through the spout. The ball will again close the communication between the
two compartments when the disc p is returned to the position shown in full lines
in Figure 1.
In order to allow of the lower compartment 9 being cleansed a suitable large
opening is formed in the bottom and provided with a hermetically closing cover.
In the drawings I have shown this opening with a flange or depending rim t into
which a corresponding cover u is forced; this arrangement will answer the
purpose when the cover u is made of stamped tin plate or other metal possessing
little elasticity or flexibility; but if formed of rigid material such as Britannia
metal or earthenware the cover u may be made to screw into its place a suitable
washer being added if found desirable.

page_text: 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. In a tea pot, a slightly inclined partition dividing the body of the pot into
upper and lower compartments and having an opening or passage forming a com-
munication between these compartments, a truly turned ball resting upon a
corresponding seat and normally closing the said communication and an excentric
disc or equivalent contrivance worked from the outside of the pot so as to lift the
ball from its seat when it is desired to open the said communication, substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
2. The improved tea pot hereinbefore described with reference to the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of January 1892.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.