An Improved Construction of Cover or Grating for Covering Openings or Receptacles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1894-Accepted, 23rd June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Construction of Cover or Grating for Covering
Openings or Receptacles.
I, WILLIAM IVES, of Waterhouse Street, Halifax, in the County of York,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In constructing my improved grating which may be used for covering openings
or receptacles in any positions or spittoons and when used for the latter I insert
into the floor of a railway carriage or other vehicle a suitable form and size of dish to
be covered by one or more sliding lids. The lid is preferably divided into two
parts connected together on the underside by cords or tapes made of metal or other
suitable material and spiral springs, the arrangement being such that on a person
sliding one half of the cover, say with his foot or walking stick, the movement of
such half of the cover causes the other half of the cover also to slide from the top
of the opening or spittoon in the opposite direction by which means the top of the
opening or spittoon is fully opened, but as soon at the foot of the person is removed
from the covering, the spiral springs cause the two covers to slide back and so cover
up the opening or spittoon. It will be understood that whilst the opening of the
spittoon is dependent upon the user the closing is automatic.
Whilst this form of spittoon and the peculiar covering is specially adapted for
railway carriages or other vehicles they may be used in hotels and other places
because as they project very little above the level of the floor there is less liability
for persons to knock against or fall over them. When the receptacle or basin is
used as a spittoon they may be of metal or composed of paper, sheet tin, or other
like cheap material so that instead of the basins requiring to be cleaned out they
may be removed and destroyed.
In some cases it may be preferable to dispense with the basin and let the saliva
drop through the opening onto the ground or into a funnel.
Dated this 16th day of August 1893.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Construction of Cover or Grating for Covering
Openings or Receptacles.
I, WILLIAM IVES, of Waterhouse Street, Halifax, in the County of York,
Architect, 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:-
In constructing my improved grating or cover which may be used for covering
openings or receptacles in any position or more especially for covering spittoons in
railway carriages and other vehicles, I would observe that when used for the latter
purpose I place my cover over any suitable form and size of receptacle, basin, or
dish which would be inserted in the floor of such carriage or vehicle, the cover
being made any shape or form and size, to suit either square, oval, angular, or
round openings the receptacle or spittoon would by this means be covered by one
or more of the sliding lids which are hereafter described.
The object of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
Price 1

page_text: performed and carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference
to the annexed sheets of drawings and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved cover or grating, and Fig. 2 is
plan view of same with the lids or covers on the left side (which must be under-
stood are alike to those shewn in the drawings but which are omitted or removed
for the purpose of shewing the interior). The apparatus comprises a rectangular or
other form of box A let into the floor of a railway carriage or other place, the
said rectangular box being partially covered by serrated lids B and B'. Under-
neath these said lids B and B are sliding plates C and C¹ with rabitted edges D
or otherwise so as to insure a complete covering up of the receptacle or spittoon.
Within the rectangular box is another smaller box E or there may be two boxes E
one at each end as thought desirable in which a lug F projecting from the sliding
lid C enters, and within the said box E is a closed spiral spring G one end of which
is attached to the lug F and the other end of said spring being attached to a fixed
portion of the box, the function of which spring will be shortly explained.
Underneath the lids C and C₁and at one or both sides thereof I attach cords,
tapes, chains, or other equivalent devices H, either one or more on each side as I
think, such cords, tapes, or chains passing around guide pulleys I and passing from
the underside of one sliding lid to the underside of the other sliding lid so that if
a person pushed stud J (one of which studs J will be on each lid) with his foot or
walking stick in the direction of the arrows, the other lid would through the inter-
vention of the cords, be also opened at the same time in the direction of its arrow
consequently the orifice or receptacle L would be exposed and ready for use, but
as soon however as the pressure of a person's foot or walking stick was removed
from the stud J on either side of the opening the spiral spring or springs G which
has or have been temporarily in an extended state would close up and thereby
reverse the movement of the lids C and C¹ and instantly close and cover up the
orifice L.
In Fig. 3 the same construction of receptacle is shewn likefto Fig. 2 except instead
of employing a closed spiral spring G an open spring or springs one at either end
as thought desirable may be employed which will be compressed when the sliding
lids C and C¹ are opened but on pressure being removed from one of the studs J
the compressed spring will fly open and force the lids C and C³ together again.
In the drawings already referred to, I have illustrated spiral springs lineable
with the centre of the apparatus, but in Fig. 4 I have shewn a spiral spring on
each side of the receptacle which springs may be either open or closed the arrange-
ment of the tape or cord being also slightly modified but there of course may be
two cords or chains at each side if thought necessary but in all the illustrations
the action of opening both lids is performed by pushing either of the lids by means
of its stud J in the manner described which on being released are closed by the
action of springs. In case the pegs or studs J which project slightly above .the
floor may prove to be some impediment and also to prevent lids sliding when being
walked over I have made then so that they will sink flush with the floor on being
walked upon, this being done through the action of the bent spring M which while
it allows the stud to descend will raise it into its normal position when pressure is
removed off it. I would here observe that although I have shewn and described
how two lids may be used working simultaneously, it is evident that the orifice L
may be exposed and covered again through the movement of only one lid, in
which case the cords, tapes, or chains may be dispensed with but I prefer the
double lids.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inver-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly. The construction of a cover or grating for spittoons or other receptacles
consisting of two sliding lids operated simultaneously in the manner shewn in the
1

page_text: Secondly. The improved construction of covering or grating for covering openings
or receptacles, such said cover or covers being operated in one direction by
manual labour, and in the opposite direction by springs.
Dated this 16th day of May 1894
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.