Improvements in or connected with Lids for Pans and Kettles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Lids for Pans and Kettles.
I JOHN MITCHELL of 2 County Bridge Todmorden in the County of York, Draper
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
over.
My invention relates to lids of pans and kettles for culinary purposes and consists
in improved arrangements for permitting the escape of steam and preventing boiling
Wben a pan filled for instance with water and vegetables is placed on the fire
and the water begins to boil, the steam lifts up the lid and the water in consequence
of the generation of steam rises and flows over. The lid in that case has to be lifted
off and placed partly to one side whereby the pressure under the pan and temperature
is reduced, while through the uncovered part soot may fall into the pan.
The object of my invention is to remedy these inconveniences which I effect as
follows:-
I form an opening in the middle of the lid and place above this opening a box or
casing soldered or otherwise fixed to the lid which forms the bottom of the casing.
To the top of the box or casing I fix centrally with the opening in the pan lid a wire
or equivalent spindle which reaches below the lid. Upon the wire 1 arrange a loose
plate of sheet metal or mica baving a hole in the centre for the wire to pass through
and made a little smaller than the section of the box or casing This plate covers the
opening in the lid. The box or casing which may be circular polygonal or rectangular
in section, is closed at the top and has openings in its sides near to the top. By
preference I arrange a slide or slides which can be operated from the outside and by
which the openings can be closed.
When a pan with my improved lid is used for boiling liquids the steam will lift the
plate in the box or casing, this plate acting as a kind of safety valve and when desired
the openings in the casing can be left open and the liquid evaporated without the lid
having to be removed from the pan. When the openings are closed the pressure will
be kept in the pan as if closed by an ordinary lid. When the water or other liquid
rises instead of boiling over as with an ordinary lid it will lift the plate in the box
and fill the lower part of the latter without running out into the fire, and steam can
escape through it and the openings in the box or casing. A pan with my improved
lid can thus be safely left on the fire without attention and the dropping of soot into
the pan is also prevented.
The box or casing may be formed solid with the lid by pressing the latter outwards
and a plate with an opening soldered or fixed to the underside of the lid to form
the bottom, this plate having an opening covered by the lifting plate herein before
described. In some cases I omit the latter and form the lid with a central raised part
only, having openings at the side and by preference slides to cover them for the
escape of steam.
Dated this 19th day of November 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Lids for Pans and Kettles.
I, JOHN MITCHELL, of 3, Garden Street, Todmorden in the County of York,
Draper, 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 relates to lids of pans and kettles for culinary purposes and consists

page_text: .
in improved arrangements for permitting the escape of steam and preventing boiling-
over. When a pan filled, for instance, with water and vegetables is placed on the
fire and the water begins to boil, the stean lifts up the pan lid and the water, in
consequence of the generation of steam, rises and flows over. The lid in that case
has to be lifted off and placed partly to one side, whereby the pressure under the lid
and the temperature of the water is reduced, while through the uncovered part soot
may fall into the pan. The object of my invention is to remedy these inconveniences,
which I effect by providing the pan lid with an escape valve surmounted by a raised
part into which the water can rise and which is provided with openings for the escape
of steam.
On the sheet of drawings appended hereunto
Fig. 1 shows a side view of a pan lid fitted with my improvements.
Fig. 2 a vertical section of the same.
Fig. 3 a horizontal section through the upper part of the same.
Fig. 4 a vertical section showing a modification of the arrangement.
In carrying my invention into effect, I form an opening in the pan lid a and place
above this opening a box or casing b which may be soldered or otherwise fixed to the
lid a as shewn by Figs. 1 and 2, or formed solid with the same by pressing the
⚫ central part of the lid outwards, as shewn by Fig. 4. In the former case I make
the opening in the lid a of a smaller diameter than the box b, and in the latter case I
solder or otherwise fasten a ring c, (Fig. 4) to the underside of the pan lid, so as to
form a projecting ledge inside the box upon which a loose valve plate of sheet metal
or mica d, which is preferably dished or concave on the underside as shewn, can rest.
In the box b one or more openings are made near to or in the top of the box. By
preference I arrange a slide or slides which can be operated from the outside and by
which the opening or openings f can be closed. This may be arranged conveniently
in the manner shewn by Figs. 1, 2 and 3. A wire g is passed loosely through the
top of the box formed into a ring g' at the top for lifting the lid and turning the
wire, and has two collars hi soldered or otherwise fixed on it above and below the top
plate of box b which secure the position of the wire. Above the collar i a wing
plate is fixed to the same having a number of wings corresponding with the number
of openings f, which wings are turned down at the ends and form shutters for the
openings By turning the wire g by the ring gl the wing plate l is turned and the
.openings fclosed or opened as desired. The wire is prolonged below the pan lid and
passes freely through the valve plate d, which it serves to guide, the diameter of this
valve plate d being made less by a quarter inch or thereabout than the diameter of
the box b.
Γ
"
In some cases I omit the wire g and wing plate 1, and form the box simply with
an opening and valve plate d as shewn by Fig. 4. Instead of the box 6 being
circular as shewn on the drawings, it may be made square, oblong or polygonal, and
flat sides operated from the outside by means of a knob or its equivalent attached to
them may be used. Instead of the orifices f being in the sides of the box b, they may
be in the top of the same, or the box or casing may be made open at the top..
When a pan with my improved lid is used for boiling liquids, the steam will lift the
valve plate d in the box or casing b, this plate acting as a kind of safety valve and
when desired the openings fin the box 6 can be left open and the liquid evaporated
without the lid having to be removed from the pan. When the openings are closed,
the pressure will be kept in the pan as if closed by an ordinary lid. When the water
or other liquid rises, instead of boiling over as with an ordinary lid, it will lift the
valve plated in the box b and fill the lower part of the latter without running out
into the fire and the steam can escape through the openings f, while after the
ebullition has ceased, the water or other liquid can drain back into the pan. A pan
with my improved lid can thus be safely left on the fire without attention and the
dropping of soot into the pan is also prevented.
I am aware that pan lids with flap valves for the escape of steam have been used
before, but these were not surmounted by boxes for the prevention of overflow.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined, I declare that what 1
chain is:
The arrangement of valve plates (d) covering openings in lids for pans and kettles
in combination with boxes or casings (6) surmounting said valve plates and having
outlet orifices with or without slides or shutters for closing the same su stantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 19th day of August 1890.
EMMOTT & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.