IMPROVEMENTS IN CROCKERY SUSPENDERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jeremiah Rhodes, of Darley Street, Bradford, in
the County of York, Earthenware Merchant, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CROCKERY SUSPENDERS."
Sealed the 28th March 1876, and dated the 1st October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jeremiah Rhodes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
'the 1st October 1875.
I, JEREMIAH RHODES, of Darley Street, Bradford, in the County of
York, Earthenware Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CROCKERY SUSPENDERS," to be as
follows:-
Hitherto the various kinds of crockeryware have been exposed to
view in shop windows, show cases, and china cabinets by suspension in
such a manner that on the least vibration the suspender drops the
crockery, the construction of such suspenders are heavy and clumsy, and
gripping the plate also in such a manner as to prevent an uninterrupted
view of the design and workmanship.

page_text: The object of my Invention is to suspend to shelves or other pro-
jections the various descriptions of crockery, such as dishes, plates, cups,
saucers, or any other kind of glass and chinaware safely, and in such a
manner that the figure and ornamentation may be more clearly seen.
I accomplish this in the following manner :-With two pieces of t
common wire I form with each a close spiral spring, and leave the ends
of the wire at the termination of each spring at an angle of say about
90 degrees to each other;' one end of the wire of each spring which I
call the top wire is then at the requisite distance from the spring bent
over and points in the same direction as the bottom wire from the other ]
end of the spring; the extreme ends of the first-named or top wires are
attached together in any convenient way, and bent again at an angle of,
say about 90 degrees, and the ends which are pointed sharp come to
within a short distance of the bottom wires from the other end of the
spring; these last-named wires are bent at a point under the sharp
pointed ends of the top wires before described, and brought back in the
direction of the springs and secured together, the ends projecting out
are bent to whatever form required to suit the shape of the crockery to
to be suspended, the extreme ends are bent in the form of a hook to
grip the plate and prevent the same from falling off the suspender.
It will be easily understood that when the top and bottom wires are
opened out or spring from together until the same will grip the shelf or
projection that the crockery is to be suspended from, and when relieved
the action of the springs will cause the points of the top wires to pierce
the wood and thus secure the suspender, the plate is then placed on the
bottom wires and the weight of the ware is brought to act on the under
side of the shelf, by which means the pointed ends of the top wires are
penetrated further into the wood and gives additional security.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Jeremiah Rhodes, Her special
licence, that I, the said Jeremiah Rhodes, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jeremiah Rhodes, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CROCKERY SUSPENDERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Jeremiah Rhodes, my executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jeremiah Rhodes, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
Hitherto the various kinds of crockeryware have been exposed to
view in shop windows, show cases, and china cabinets by suspension in
such a manner that on the least vibration the suspender drops the
crockery, the construction of such suspenders is heavy and clumsy, and
they grip the plate also in such a manner as to prevent an uninterrupted
view of the design and workmanship.
The object of my Invention is to suspend to shelves or other pro-
jections the various descriptions of crockery, such as dishes, plates, cups,
saucers, or any other kind of glass and chinaware safely, and in such a
manner that the figure and ornamention may be more clearly seen.
I accomplish this in the following manner:-With two pieces of
common wire I form with each a close spiral spring, and leave the ends
of the wire at the termination of each spring at an angle of, say about

page_text: ninety degrees to each other; one end of the wire of each spring which I
call the top wire is then at the requisite distance from the spring bent
over and points in the same direction as the bottom wire from the other
end of the spring; the extreme ends of the first-named or top wires are
attached together in any convenient way, and bent again at an angle of,
say about ninety degrees, and the ends which are pointed sharp come to
within a short distance of the bottom wires from the other end of the
spring; these last-named wires are bent at a point under the sharp
pointed ends of the top wires before described, and brought back in the
direction of the springs and secured together, the ends projecting out
are bent to whatever form required to suit the shape of the crockery to
be suspended, the extreme ends are bent in the form of a hook to grip
the plate and prevent the same from falling off the suspender.
To suspend a cup and saucer together at the same time with one
suspender I attach an additional piece of wire to any convenient part of
the afore-mentioned top wire, which is bent so as to receive the body of
the cup and is kept in position by a sliding hook. It will be easily
understood that when the top and bottom wires are opened out or
sprung from together until the same will grip the shelf or projection
that the crockery is to be suspended from, and when releived the
action of the springs will cause the points of the top wires to pierce
the wood and thus secure the suspender, the plate is then placed on the
bottom wires, and the weight of the ware is brought to act on the under
side of the shelf, by which means the pointed ends of the top
wires are penetrated further into the wood and gives additional
security.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein described and represented
in the Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from
the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention a new and
improved apparatus for suspending the different kinds of glass or china-
ware, the parts of which are arranged in the manner herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.

page_text: "
Fig. 3 is an elevation arranged to suspend both cup and saucer;
Fig. 4 is a plan of the same.
A, A, are the spiral springs; B, B, the ends of the springs standing
perpendicular, and herein-before described as the top wires which are
bent, as shown with pointed end O, O, and coupled together by means
of loop D; the other ends of spring E, E, are at right angles to the
top wires, and are bent back under the points C, C, and brought between
the springs A, A, and projecting are bent to the desired form for holding
the glass or chinaware, the ends are bent in the form of a hook G to
prevent the same from falling off. Figs. 3 and 4 shew the suspender
arranged for carrying both cup and saucer; H is a piece of wire secured
to the perpendicular ends B, B, and bent so as to receive the body part
of cup; J is a hook attached to the perpendicular portion of H for
holding the cup in position.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jeremiah Rhodes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of March, in
the year of our Lord 1876.
Witness,
JOHN WAUGH,
Engineer & Patent Agent,
Bradford.
JEREMIAH RHODES. (L.s.)