Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 2nd May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1896-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
I, ALBERT RICHARD PRITCHARD, of 421 Lake Avenue, in the City of
Rochester, County of Monroe, State of New York, United States of America,
Manufacturer, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in
which :-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one of my strainers, showing the same attached to
the spout of a teapot ; and
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of my strainers, showing the same with an
ordinary handle.
The object of my invention is to provide an efficient and dripless tea strainer,
and my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter
described and claimed.
In the drawings A is a small vessel of suitable shape, provided with a spout A'
at the upper edge thereof or at a suitable distance above the bottom of the vessel.
The vessel is preferably provided with a cap or partial cover A* adjacent to the
spout, but which leaves the spout free. A bead or rim a below the level of the
spout A serves as a support for the strainer B, which extends entirely across
the vessel A, completely separating the same into an upper and a lower part. B' is
an imperforate diaphragm fastened closely upon the upper surface of the strainer B
and extending upward therefrom from one edge to the other of said strainer and
adapted also to make a close contact with the inner sides of the vessel A. If now
the strainer B is placed upon the bead a and the liquid to be strained is poured
upon the strainer on one side of the diaphragm B', the liquid passes into the lower
part of the vessel A and if the strainer is tipped, the liquid will flow in an upward
direction and will again pass through the strainer on the other side of the
diaphragm B' and thence out through the spout. I thus obtain a double straining
of the liquid, and as the strainer B and the attached diaphragm B₁ are easily
removable from the vessel A, the whole device is arranged to be easily cleaned and
there need be no difficult corners to retain any deposit and remain unclean.
In order to fasten the strainer B to the vessel A, any suitable means may be
employed, but I prefer to make a bead or projection 61 across the diaphragm B¹
and extending forwardly therefrom, in such position as to be sprung under the rear
edge of the cap A, the diaphragm being of such contour as to fit closely against
said cap. If now the strainer is set in place, a slight bending of the diaphragm B¹
permits the bead 6' to be sprung under the rear edge of the cap A' and the two
parts of the vessel will be held firmly in place. A handle of any suitable form,
for example the wire handle b, may be used for removing the strainer from the
vessel.

page_text: My device
may
be provided with an ordinary handle C, Fig. 2, or may be
provided with suitable means of attaching the same to the spout of a vessel, as for
instance, the clamping device shown in Fig. 1. In this latter case, an ear D is
attached to the vessel A at a point diametrically opposite the spout A¹. Two
clamping arms D', adapted to extend around the spout of a tea or coffee pot, rest
one on each side of the ear D and are fastened thereto by a rivet or preferably by
the thumb bolt d, whereby the angle of the arms D¹ with reference to the vessel A,
may be adjusted and changed. The two arms D' are pressed together to clamp the
spout E between them by means of a thumb bolt d' at the other end of the arms.
When the tea or coffee pot is restored to the upright position after liquid has
been poured therefrom and the strainer has been used, all liquid contained in or
cohering to the vessel A will flow back into the lower part of the vessel and is
there retained and hence cannot drip from the vessel.
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. In a tea or coffee strainer, the combination of a vessel, a strainer passing
entirely across the same and dividing the vessel into an upper and a lower portion,
and an imperforate diaphragm extending upward from said strainer and separating
the upper portion of said vessel into two parts; whereby liquid poured into the
vessel on one side of the diaphragm passes through the strainer and into the lower
part of the vessel and passes out therefrom through the strainer on the other side
of the diaphragm.
2. In a tea or coffee strainer, the combination of a vessel, a strainer passing
entirely across the same and dividing the vessel into an upper and a lower portion,
and an imperforate diaphragm extending upward from said strainer and separating
the upper portion of said vessel into two parts; whereby liquid poured into the
vessel on one side of the diaphragm passes through the strainer into the lower part
of said vessel and passes out therefrom through the strainer on the other side of
the diaphragm, said strainer and diaphragm being removable from said vessel.
3. In a tea or coffee strainer, the combination of a vessel, a strainer passing
entirely across the same and dividing the vessel into an upper and a lower portion,
an imperforate diaphragm extending upward from said strainer and separating the
upper portion of said vessel into two parts; whereby liquid poured into the vessel
on one side of the diaphragm passes through the strainer into the lower part of
said vessel and passes out therefrom through the strainer and the other side of the
diaphragm, said strainer and diaphragm being removable from said vessel, and
retaining means for holding the strainer and diaphragm in said vessel.
4. In a tea or coffee strainer, the combination of a vessel, a strainer passing
entirely across the same and dividing the vessel into an upper and a lower portion,
an imperforate diaphragm extending upward from said strainer and separating the
upper portion of said vessel into two parts; whereby liquid poured into the vessel
on one side of the diaphragm passes through the strainer and into the lower part
of the vessel and passes out therefrom through the strainer on the other side of the
diaphragm, and angularly adjustable clamping means for attaching the vessel to the
spout of a tea or coffee pot.
Dated the 2nd day of May 1896.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
London, Chartered Patent Agent,
For the Applicant.