Improved Means for Transporting and Maintaining Food in a Heated Condition.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th June, 1894-Accepted, 18th Aug. 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Transporting and Maintaining Food in a
Heated Condition.
I, JOHANN LAY, of Essen on the Ruhr, Prussia, Stationer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:
Hitherto work-people if working at a considerable distance from their dwellings
or if the times allowed are too short to permit them to go home for meals, have
had great difficulty in obtaining hot food in a proper condition.
The object of the present invention is to obviate this difficulty for which purpose
food prepared at home is placed in specially constructed receptacles ready to be taken
away in heated carriages and conveyed to the manufactories or other places at
which the work-people are engaged. A service of such carriages is provided, each
carriage collecting the food receptacles in a certain district. These carriages run
to a central station where the food receptacles are sorted, and the carriage
respectively charged with those which are to go to one manufactory or to several
neighbouring manufactories.
This invention has special reference to carriages, which can be heated, and serve
for transporting food in receptacles that are made to fit therein and are provided
with several compartments or vessels.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a back-view of a carriage fitted with receptacles, the back-wall
being partly removed;
Figure 2 a longitudinal section of the carriage fitted with receptacles;
Figure 3 shows the arrangement of the food receptacles on a larger scale;
while
Figure 4 is a detail view of the sliding plate, by which the receptacles are
supported;
Figure 5 a side view of a food-receptacle.
Figure 6 is a cross section of same, and
Figure 7 a horizontal longitudinal section, while
Figure 8 represents a modified construction of the receptacle.
The car-body A serving to receive the food receptacles forms a chamber below
which, preferably at or near the four corners of the carriage, heating devices B
are provided. The latter are in the form of boxes, closed at the top. The fuel
used in these boxes may be of any suitable kind, such as prepared briquettes,
similar to those in use for heating railway-cars, or coke or the like. To prevent
loss of heat the walls of the carriage may be lined with a suitable heat retaining
material (see Figures 1 and 2).
The carriage may also be heated by means of lamps arranged or suspended
therein between the several food receptacles or between the bowls or vessels
(hereinafter called vessels) of the latter. Guide rails C made of angle iron extend
through the whole length of the carriage. These rails may be supported in their
central part by means of cross pieces (see Figure 2). The angle irons serve as
guides and supports for the sliding plates D (see Figures 3 and 4).
Upon these plates the food-receptacles are arranged one behind the other. For
preventing the receptacles during travelling being upset or violently shaken the
following arrangement is employed.
In the centre above each sliding plate D two rods or round bars E and E' are

page_text: arranged one beside the other; they extend the whole length of the carriage and
are supported in ears F and F secured preferably to the cross pieces connecting
the guide rails C with each other. The ears F¹ are immovable while the ears F
are movable and can be turned. There is arranged beside the ears F a flat bar of
iron G extending through the whole carriage and supported in a movable manner
in the front wall of the carriage and in a bracket depending from the rear end of
the carriage. The food receptacles are arranged upon the sliding plates D,
in such a manner that the handles come between the rods E and E¹ (see
Figure 3).
The flat bar G is placed in such a position, that it presses against the ears F
and presses the rod E firmly against the handles of the food-receptacles. For
this purpose a handle is applied to the rear pivot of the flat bar G which is
lengthened and formed with a square end. To withdraw the sliding plate with the
receptacles, first the flat bar G is turned back, whereupon the rod E sets free the
handles of the receptacles (see the dotted lines in Figure 3). On the back of
the carriage a door provided with a snap-lock or the like is arranged for each
sliding plate.
In order that the sliding plates D may be easily manipulated they are divided
centrally, so that in the longitudinal direction of the carriage two sliding plates
are always arranged one after the other. The rear sliding plate catches by means
of a hook into 'the fore one, so that the two plates are withdrawn together
(Figure 4).
When the two plates have been drawn about half-way out the rear sliding plate
is unhooked from the fore one, which, is then entirely withdrawn, by means of a
handle with which it is provided.
The heated air in the carriage, flows between the sliding plates thereby preventing
the food contained in the receptacles becoming cold. The temperature in the
inner space of the carriage may be controlled according to a thermometer from the
driver's seat by means of flaps H arranged in the carriage top.
The carriage, the springs of which must be of particularly good quality, has at
its rear end a roofed platform for the attendant and on each side of the platform a
hinged table is provided for receiving the food receptacles.
:―
The receptacles may advantageously be constructed as follows:-
In a frame a a certain number of vessels 6 (in the drawings two vessels are shown)
are held by means of grooves a¹ arranged on their sides, into which take projections
on the frame and by rails & secured to the bottom of the frame, so that they may
easily be removed from above (see Fig. 6).
These vessels are closed by lids c in the edge of which is inserted a ring d of
cork, india rubber or the like in order to obtain a tight closure (see Fig. 5). To
close the lids tightly pressure is applied to them by means of screws, levers or the
like, so that the edges of the receptacles are firmly pressed into the inserted cork,
india rubber etc. of the lids. This pressure may be produced for instance by the
device represented in the Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. To the lid of one of
the vessels is fastened a cross-bar e extending over the lid of the other vessel. The
handle is mounted in two strips 1 of sheet metal so that it can be turned over.
The handle is formed with a projecting portion 9 immediately above the cross
bar e (see Figure 6).
g
If the handle is turned over as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, the projecting
portion g does not press on the cross-bar e. In this position of the handle the lid
is put on the vessels. If the handle is turned up the projecting portion g acting
as a cam or eccentric presses firmly against the cross bar e and in consequence
upon the lids of the vessels. To fix the handle in this position a ring ½ sliding
on the side of the same is pushed over the strip of sheet metal f¹.
In Figure 8 another arrangement is represented for pressing the lids upon the
vessels. In this construction the handle is immovable, but there is provided a
rod or wire k, bent in the form of a bow, and having at its lower end a projecting
portion as above described. In this case the part g is bent in such a manner,

page_text: that it presses upon the cross bar e, if the rod or wire k be turned to one side, but
will not exert any pressure if the said rod or wire be turned to the other side, or
upwards, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8.
To heat each food receptacle independently of the heating devices provided in
the carriage, a lamp is placed in the frame a between the vessels. The lamp is
rendered accessible by means of a slide i arranged in the wall of the frame a and
moving in guides 1. The slide i has sufficient play to allow the air to reach the
flame of the lamp without difficulty. The products of combustion may also escape
through openings provided laterally in the upper cover of the frame a; these
openings are arranged in such a manner, that in carrying the apparatus the hand
is protected. The slide i may if desired be replaced by a glass plate so that the
food-receptacle may also be used as a lantern, which will be of great advantage for
instance for workmen who go home in the evening when it is dark. To enable the
food-receptacles to be used safely in coal-mines, wire netting or gauze is arranged
round the lamp so as to prevent the ignition of mine-gas.
As will be obvious more than two vessels may be provided. In this case they
are preferably arranged in a circle and are made in the form of segments of a
circle, so that they may be closed by a common lid screwed thereto. The lamp is
placed in a central space left between the vessels.
The above described arrangements enable food prepared at home to be
delivered to the work-people in a hot condition and, if necessary, to further heat
the food.
Improved Means for Transporting and Maintaining Food in a
Heated Condition.
1, JOHANN LAY, of Essen-on-the-Ruhr, Prussia, Stationer, 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 :-
Hitherto work-people, if working at a considerable distance from their homes or
if the times allowed are too short to permit them to go home for meals, have had
great difficulty in obtaining hot food in a proper condition. Now the object of
this invention is to obviate this difficulty for which purpose food prepared at home
is placed in specially constructed receptacles ready to be taken away in heated
carriages and conveyed to the manufactories or other places at which the work-
people are engaged. A service of such carriages is provided, each carriage
collecting the food receptacles in a certain district and carrying them to a central
station where the food receptacles are sorted and the carriages respectively charged
with those receptacles that are to go to one manufactory or to several neighbouring
manufactories.
This invention has special reference therefore to carriages that can be heated
and serve for transporting food in receptacles that are made to fit therein and are:
provided with several compartments or vessels.
Referring to the drawings filed with my Provisional Specification,
Figure 1 is a back-view of a carriage fitted with receptacles, the back-wall being
partly removed;
Figure 2 a longitudinal section of the carriage fitted with receptacles;
Figure 3 shows the arrangement of the food receptacles on a larger scale;

page_text: Figure 4 is a detail view of the sliding plate, by which the receptacles are
supported.
Figure 5 is a side view of a food-receptacle, to a still larger scale;
Figure 6 is a cross section thereof, and
Figure 7 a horizontal section.
Figure 8 represents a modified construction of the receptacle.
The car-body A, serving to receive the food-receptacles, forms a chamber below
which, preferably at or near the four corners of the carriage, heating devices B are
provided. The latter are in the form of boxes, closed at the top. The fuel used
in these boxes may be of any suitable kind, such as prepared briquettes similar to
those in use for heating railway-cars, or coke or the like may be used. To prevent
loss of heat, the walls of the carriage may be lined with a suitable heat retaining
material (see Figures 1 and 2).
The carriage may also be heated by means of lamps arranged or suspended
therein between the several food receptacles, or between the bowls or vessels
(hereinafter called vessels) of the latter. Guide rails C made of angle iron extend
through the whole length of the carriage. These rails may be supported in their
central part by means of cross-pieces (see Figure 2). The angle irons serve as
guides and supports for the sliding plates D (see Figures 3 and 4).
Upon these plates the food-receptacles are arranged one behind the other. For
preventing the receptacles during travelling being upset or violently shaken the
following arrangement is employed.
In the centre above each sliding plate D two rods or round bars E and E' are
arranged one beside the other; they extend the whole length of the carriage and
are supported in ears F and F¹ secured preferably to the cross pieces connecting
the guide rails C with each other. The ears F are immovable while the ears F
are movable. and can be turned outward as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.
There is arranged beside the ears F a flat bar of iron G extending through the
whole carrirge and supported in a movable manner in the front wall of the carriage
and in a bracket depending from the rear end of the carriage. The food-receptacles
are arranged upon the sliding plates D in such a manner that the handles come
between the rods E and E' (see Figure 3).
The flat bar G is then placed in such a position, that it presses against the ears F
and presses the rod E firmly against the handles of the food-receptacles. For this
purpose a handle is applied to the rear pivot of the flat bar G which is lengthened
and formed with a square end. To withdraw the sliding plate with the receptacles,
the flat bar G is first turned back, whereupon the rod E sets free the handles of the
receptacles (see the dotted lines in Figure 3). On the back of the carriage there
is arranged a door provided with a snap-lock or the like for each sliding plate.
In order that the sliding plates D may be easily manipulated they are divided
centrally, so that in the longitudinal direction of the carriage there are two sliding
plates arranged one after the other. The rear sliding plate catches by means of a
hook into the forward one, so that the two plates will be withdrawn together
(Figure 4).
When the two plates have been drawn about half way out the rear sliding
plate is unhooked from the forward one, which is then entirely withdrawn, by means
of a handle with which it is provided.
The heated air in the carriage flows between the sliding plates thereby preventing
the food contained in the receptacles from becoming cold. The temperature in the
inner space of the carriage may be indicated by a thermometer and be controlled
from the driver's seat by means of flaps H arranged in the carriage top.
The carriage, the springs of which must be of very good quality, has at its rear
end, a rooted platform for the attendant and on each side of the platform a hinged
table is provided for receiving the food-receptacles.
The receptacles may advantageously be constructed as follows:-
In a frame a, a suitable number of vessels (in the drawings two are shown) are
held by means of grooved guides a' arranged on the sides of the vessels and into

page_text: which take projections on the frame, and by rails & secured to the bottom of the
frame, so that the said vessel can be easily removed from above (see Figure 6).
Each vessel is closed by a lid c in the rim of which is inserted a ring d of
cork, india rubber or like material in order to obtain a tight closure (see Figure 5).
To close the lids tightly, pressure is applied to them by means of screws, levers
or the like, so that the upper edges of the vessels are firmly pressed into the
inserted cork, india rubber or like packing of the lids. This pressure may be
produced for instance by the device represented in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings.
To the lid of one of the vessels of the pair is fastened a cross-bar e that extends
over the lid of the other vessel and the handle is mounted in two strips fl of
sheet metal, so that it can be turned over. The handle is formed with a
projecting portion 9 that is arranged immediately above the cross bar e (see
Figure 6). With this arrangement when the handle is turned over, as shown in
dotted lines in Figure 5, the projecting portion g will not press on the cross-bar e.
In this position of the handle the lids are put on the vessels. Upon then moving
up the handle into the position shown in full lines, the projecting portion g will
act as a cam or eccentric and press firmly against the cross bar e and in consequence
force the lids tightly upon the vessels. To fix the handle in this position, a ring h,
sliding on one side of the same, is pushed over the upwardly projecting adjacent
strip of sheet metal f¹.
In Figure 8 another arrangement is represented for pressing the lids upon the
vessels. In this arrangement the handle f is immovable, but there is provided a rod
or wire bent into the form of a bow and having at its lower end a projecting
portion g as above described. In this case the part g is bent in such a manner that
it will press upon the cross bar if the rod or wire be turned to one side, as
shown in full lines, but will not exert any pressure if the said rod or wire be turned
to the other side, or upwards, as shown in dotted lines.
e,
To beat each food receptacle independently of the heating devices provided in
the carriage, a lamp is placed, in the frame a between the vessels. The lamp is
rendered accessible by means of a slide i arranged in the wall of the frame a and
moving in guides 1. The elide i has sufficient play to allow the air to reach the
flame of the lamp without difficulty. The products of combustion may also escape
through openings provided laterally in the upper cover of the frame a; these
openings being arranged in such a manner that in carrying the apparatus, the hand
is protected. The slide i may, if desired, be replaced by a glass plate so that the
food-receptacle may also be used as a lantern, which will be of great advantage for
instance for workmen who go home in the evening when it is dark. To enable
the food-receptacles to be used safely in coal-mines, wire gauze is arranged round
the lamp in a manner well understood, so as to prevent ignition of mine-gas.
As will be obvious more than two vessels may be combined in one frame a. In
this case they are preferably arranged in a circle and are made in the form of
segments of a circle, so that they may be closed by a common lid screwed up
thereto, the lamp being placed in a central space left between the vessels.
The above described arrangements enable food prepared at home to be delivered
to work-people in a hot condition and, if necessary, to further heat the food.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For transporting and maintaining food in a heated condition, a carriage
provided with heating devices B or with lamps arranged or suspended therein, or
both, with draught controlling flaps, and guide rails C for receiving sliding plates D
upon which the food-receptacles are placed, these rails being arranged within the
body A of the carriage through which passes the air heated by the said heating
devices substantially as herein before described and shown in the drawings.
2. In the carriage specified in the preceding claim the arrangement of the sliding
plates D in pairs the two sliding plates forming a pair being arranged in line with

page_text: each other and in the longitudinal direction of the carriage and so connected with
each other that in withdrawing one plate the other plate will follow it and the one
can be readily disconnected from the other substantially as herein described and
shown in the drawings.
3. In a carriage constructed as referred to in Claim 1, a device for holding the
food receptacles in place, comprising fixed and movable rods E E' respectively
arranged in the carriage above the sliding plates and between which the handles of
the food receptacles can be firmly held, and an adjustable bar G adapted to press
the rod E firmly against the handles of the receptacles so that the latter will be
clamped between the two rods substantially as described and shown.
4. The construction of the food-receptacle or carrier referred to in Claim 1 in
the form of two or more vessels b removably held by means of sliding joints such
as groove and tongue joints, in a frame a, the lids c of the vessels being firmly
pressed upon the latter so as to effect a tight closure therewith, by means of a
lever, screw, or equivalent device substantially as hereinbefore described and shown
in the drawings.
5. For maintaining food-receptacles such as herein referred to in a heated
condition independently of the carriage, providing the frame or holder in which the
food vessels are placed with a heating device consisting of a lamp arranged between
the said vessels and accessible by means of a slide i arranged in the said frame a,
substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
6. Food receptacles constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in Figs. 5 6 and 7 or modified according to Fig. 8, whether
or not the lamp be provided with a gauze protector to adapt it for use in mines.
and whether or not the slide i be made of glass so as to adapt the food receptacles
for use as lanterns.
Dated this 28th day of June 1894.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.