US3849054A

US3849054A - Potters wheel heads

Info

Publication number: US3849054A
Application number: US00319875A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Jordache
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-06-01
Filing date: 1972-12-29
Publication date: 1974-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-19
Also published as: GB1414162A

Abstract

A device for attachment to a potters wheel head, having a flange to grip and hold it on the wheel. The device has a recess in its upper surface to receive a tile, a chuck, or an adapter for an asbestos disc.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 11 1 3,849,054 Jordache Nov. 19, 1974 POTTERS WHEEL HEADS 406,350 7/1889 Jackson 425/459 17 Inventor: Rm 199991942 Laurier 131323 3/383 Elffiiiiiiij: 1111111111111 1527322 London England 1.377.785 5/1921 Odelberg 425/459 [22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 319,875 Primary Examiner-C. W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-Victor A. Di Palma [30] Foreign Application Priority Data ittlrgrzleiy, Agent, or Ftrm-Roylance, Abrams, Berdo June 1, 1972 Great Britain 25640/72 June i, 1972 Great Britain 25642/72 [52] US. Cl. 425/459, 425/266 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl B28b 1/29 Field of Search A device for attachment to a potters wheel head, hav- 425/266, 267, 263 ing a flange to grip and hold it on the wheel. The device has a recess in its upper surface to receive a tile, [56] References Cited a chuck, or an adapter for an asbestos disc.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 337,632 3/1886 Sheldon 1. 425/459 15 Claims, 6 Drawing; Figures This invention relates to potters wheels and is more particularly concerned with a device for attachment to such a wheel head.

A device for attachment to a potters wheel head according to thepresent invention comprises means for connecting it to the wheel head to revolve therewith and means on its upper surface to receive a member adapted to be interposed between it and the clay to be thrown.

In one preferred arrangement the device is provided with an opening in its upper surface to receive and grip the member. The clay may be received direct on the member. In one arrangement a member may be a tile.

The device is preferably formed of a flexible resilient material such as plastics material or rubber. The means for connecting it to the wheel head may comprise a peripheral beaded flange descending from its lower surface adapted to grip the periphery of the wheel head.

The opening may bethe same plan shape as the member and may be retained therein by having its walls angled slightly inwardly. Thus with the flexible resilient material the member can be easily slipped into place and will be gripped by the walls. Thus in the case of a tile the opening may be square in plan.

In an alternative arrangement the member may be in the form ofa chuck, which may also be formed of flexible resilient material and the device may be provided with an opening to receive the base of the chuck ln this case the opening may be in the form of an annular socket to receive an annular flange on the base of the chuck. Preferably the chuck includes suction means for retaining the chuck from upward movement during use.

The annular socket may be formed in the device concentrically with the square recess and below it with a shoulder in the square recess to receive the base of the tile. With this arrangement it is therefore possible to use either the chuck or a tile with the device.

Preferably also the device has an annular shoulder around its periphery adapted to receive and retain an annular ring. With this arrangement a potter can use a plaster or wooden disc which can be fitted within the ring.

In an alternative arrangement the member may be adapted to receive and retain an asbestos disc upon which clay is thrown. In this case the member may be square in plan and provided with means for retaining the disc. The member may have an opening in its centre to receive a wab of clay to provide adhesion of the disc to the bat.

Preferably also a cut out with an undercut is provided to assist in the removal of the member.

The invention may be performed in various ways and one specific embodiment together with modifications thereto will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device (referred to in this description as a bat) according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section through the bat,

FIG. 3 is a similar view to FIG. 2 showing a tile in position in the bat,

FIG. 4 is a similar view to FIG. 3 showing an asbestos disc mounted on the bat by means of an adapter,

FIG. 5 is a similar view to FIG. 4 showing a chuck in position on the bat, and,

FIG.6 is a similar view to FIG. 5 of a modified arrangement showing a ring in which is received a plaster disc.

The bat shown in FIG. land 2 comprises a generally disc shaped structure or 'main body indicated at l the lower surface 2 of which is flat and is adapted to engage the flat top of a wheel head. Extending downwardly from the lower surface 2 is a peripheral gripping flange 3 which has its inner periphery slightly angled inwardly e.g., of the order of 1 to 3 with respect to the surface 2 in order to grip the rim of the potters wheel. The end of the flange 3 has a peripheral bead 4 which acts as a tensioner to ensure that the flange 3 grips the rim. This arrangement also enables the same bat to be used with slightly differing sizes of potters wheel heads.

Theupper surface of the bat is flat as shown at 5 and has cavity or recess 6 of square shape the peripheral wall of which as indicated at 7 is'also angled inwardly with respect to the base 8 of the recess. One wall is in 'terrupted by a cut out 10 which undercuts the surface "6 in order to insert a tool to extract a tile as more fully described below.

The rectangular recess 6 is axially symmectrically po' sitioned and within the rectangular recess 6 is an axially disposed annular recess 12 extending down from the base 8. The sides of the annular recess are also angled as shown at 13.

The'bathas a peripheral shoulder 14 adapted to re ceive a ring 24 shown in FIG. 6 and the purpose of which is described below.

FIG. 3 shows a tile 9, which may be made of any suitable material but is preferably a biscuit tile inserted into the recess 6. By reason of the dimensions, the inclined surfaces and the resilient nature of the bat this will be retained in position, it being appreciated that the top of the recess 6 is marginally smaller than the tile.

In operation a potter inserts a tile into the rectangular recess and then throws the pot upon it. The tile and the pot are then removed from the bat, by the insertion of a suitable lever in the cut out under the tile, and then placed to dry. Once the pot has dried the tile will automatically separate from it and can be re-used.

An alternative arrangement is shown in FIG. 4 where it is preferred to use an asbestos disc. In this case the tile is replaced by a similar square shaped adapter 9A adapted to be retained within the rectangular recessed opening 6 but the adapter 9A has a central circular opening 34 and two diametrally opposed studs 15 on its upper surface. The asbestos disc is flat, the opening 34 being provided for the insertion of a moist wab of clay to provide adhesion of the asbestos disc to the bat. This arrangement is suitable when it is desired to throw pots with a base larger than the tile surface. The adapter may be made of cast aluminum, and the disc can be any required size.

Another arrangement is shown in FIG. 5. In this arrangement a chuck of suitable rubber or synthetic material is used in place of the tile or asbestos disc and this is used to turn a pot. The chuck comprises a cup shaped member 20 having an outwardly flared surface 21 within which a potter places the pot to be turned. The chuck has a lower surface indicated at 22 which is angled slightly downwardly before being placed in positron.

The lower surface is arranged in this way so that when it is placed in position the lower surface moves to lie flat against the upper surface of the bat to provide a suctionto retain the chuck from upward movement during use. The suction can be released by the insertion of a users finger into the centre recess in the lower surface and releases the chuck from the bat. Extending downwardly from the lower surface 22 is a downwardly directed annular flange 23 the sides of which are inclined at a similar angle to the angle l3 which is adapted to be received and retained in the annular groove 12. As the annular ring is made to be tight fit in the recess 12 the chuck is automatically centred and ready to accommodate a largevariety and shapes of pottery, for example, plates, bottles, dishes, tea pots and large bowls. The rubber of the chuck grips the clay.

In a further modified arrangement where it is desired to use a plaster disc on which the pot is to be thrown an aluminium ring 24 is received in the peripheral shoulder 14. The ring is a tight fit on the shoulder, and is retained by reason of the interengaging angles so that the lower part of the ring nests under the upper surface of the bat. A user then places a previously cast plaster disc or a shaped piece of wood as shown at 25 into the recess so formed then throws the pot on to it. A peripheral slot 26 is arranged between the disc or piece of wood 25 and the ring 24 to enable a tool to be inserted to removed the disc or piece of wood.

I claim:

l. A device for attachment to a rotatable potters wheel head comprising:

a main body having an upper and lower surface;

means, carried by said body, for connecting said body to the wheel head so that said body rotates with the wheel head; and

means, located adjacent the upper surface of said body, for receiving a member adapted to be interposed between said body and the clay to be modelled and for coupling the member to said body for rotation therewith,

said means for connecting comprising an annular,

beaded, flexible flange descending from said body lower surface and adapted to grip the periphery of the wheel head.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for receiving and coupling includes a recess formed in the upper surface of said body to receive and grip the member.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the clay is received directly on the member.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which the member comprises a tile.

5. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which said recess is the same size as the member.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which said recess is square in plan view.

7. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the member comprises a chuck.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said recess receives the base of the chuck.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for receiving and coupling further includes an annular socket located in said body below said recess to receive an annular flange on the base of the chuck.

10. A device as claimed in claim Sin which the chuck includes suction means for restraining the chuck from upward movement during use.

11. A device as claimed in claim 6 in which an annular socket is formed concentrically with said square recess in said body.

12. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body is disc shaped and includes an annular shoulder around the periphery of said body adapted to receive and retain an annular ring.

13. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the member has means for receiving and retaining an asbestos disc upon which clay is thrown.

14. A device as claimed in, claim 13 in which the member is square.

15. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body includes a cut out adjacent the upper surface and one edge of said recess for assisting in the removal of the

Claims

1. A device for attachment to a rotatable potters wheel head comprising: a main body having an upper and lower surface; means, carried by said body, for connecting said body to the wheel head so that said body rotates with the wheel head; and means, located adjacent the upper surface of said body, for receiving a member adapted to be interposed between said body and the clay to be modelled and for coupling the member to said body for rotation therewith, said means for connecting comprising an annular, beaded, flexible flange descending from said body lower surface and adapted to grip the periphery of the wheel head.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which the member comprises a tile.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which said recess is square in plan view.

7. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the member comprises a chuck.

10. A device as claimed in claim 8 in which the chuck includes suction means for restraining the chuck from upward movement during use.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13 in which the member is square.

15. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body includes a cut out adjacent the upper surface and one edge of said recess for assisting in the removal of the member.