Improvements in or relating to Tea, Coffee, or other such Saucers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
COME LEIE DIDUIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Tea, Coffee, or other such Saucers.
I WILLIAM WEBBER of 6 Saltram Place, Citadel Road Plymouth, Secretary
of Joint Stock Company do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to tea, coffee, or other such saucers as are usually made
of china in conjunction with cups.
Saucers are commonly used in conjunction with tea, coffee or other such cups as
are used to contain liquids; for the purpose of receiving and holding any tea coffee
or other liquids which may overflow or be spilt from the cup, with the object of
preventing the soiling of the table, table linen or clothes of the person using the
same. The saucer as ordinarily made and used is however imperfect as hereinafter
described. It is made so as to necessitate the cup being allowed to stand in the
bottom of the saucer on the same level as that on which the liquid spilt from the
cup lies, and by which the bottom of the cup becomes immersed on the underside
in the liquid, and when the cup is raised a portion of the said liquid adheres to it,
until it drops in spots on to the table, table linen or clothes of the person as afore-
said. I am aware that the liquid thus adhereing to the bottom of the cup may be
aguin caught in the saucer, if the said saucer be raised, and held immediately
underneath the cup during the action of drinking, or it can be drained off again
into the saucer by scraping the rim of the cup repeatedly and carefully on the edge
These expedients however are clumsy, inconvenient, uncleanly, and
liable to be forgotten, with the result that the person drinking from the cup
frequently and unintentionally allows the spots of liquid as aforesaid to drop on to
the table, table linen, or his clothes as aforesaid, by which they become more
less soiled.
of the saucer.
or
The object of my invention is to make a saucer in such a manner as will allow
the liquid which it receives to drain off to a lower level than that on which the
bottom rim of the cup rests when standing in the saucer, and thus prevent the liquid
from adhereing to the bottom of the cup, and effectually avoid the dropping of
the spots of liquid as aforesaid when the cup is raised from the saucer.
To effect this instead of making the saucer with a smooth inside bottom as is
ordinarily done I make it in the form shown in Fig. 1, on the sheet of drawings here-
unto annexed. Fig. 2 on the same sheet of drawings shows a section of Fig. 1 at
points marked A & B.
It will be seen that the said saucer has a series of channels, gravitating to the
centre and terminating in a small well or hollow. The said channels may be more
or less in number, and may be made to terminate at a point in the centre instead of
a well or hollow as shown, and the said channels may also be of any suitable width,
length, depth, or shape as may be required for the purposes of any particular size,
pattern, or design of saucer.
Any liquid spilt or overflowing from the cup into the saucer is thus allowed to
drain away from the cup, down the channels to a lower level in the bottom of the
saucer, whilst the cup rests safely on the upper level or ridges of the said channels
without being retained in immediate contact with the liquid in this manner drained
beneath.
I am aware that saucers are made of various grooved patterns, but such only as
are designed purely for artistic or ornamental effect. The said grooves in saucers
of this artistic pattern gravitate only to the same level as that on which the cup is

page_text: required to rest, and thus do not provide for the liquid draining away to a level
lower than the bottom of the cup as in my invention.
My improved saucer may be manufactured by any of the ordinary methods in
vogue for the shaping and perfecting of saucers and china ware generally.
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. A tea, coffee or other such saucer made of china or other material usually
employed, having a number of channels of any suitable design shape, width, length
or depth, gravitating to a point in the centre or terminating in a small well in the
centre of the said saucer, so as to allow the tea, or other liquid which it receives to
drain to a lower level than that on which the bottom rim of the cup stands, when
resting in the saucer, as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the sheet of
drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of October 1892.
WILLIAM WEBBER,
6, Saltram Place, Citadel Road, Plymouth, Applicant.