US502453A - Spice-box - Google Patents

Description

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

ANDREW J. WORTHEN, OF MURPHYSBOROUGI-I, ILLINOIS.

SPICE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,453, dated August 1, 1893.

Application filed November 1l, 1892. Serial No. 4551.650. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that LANDREW J. WORTHEN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Murphysborough, in the county of Jackson, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spice-Boxes, of which the following is a specification,` reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in measuring devices and it has for its objects among others to provide a simple and convenient -case or receptacle for holding spices and like articles and designed for use say in stores, orit may bein a pantry or kitchen where it will be found most useful to the housewife. Y

I form a revoluble case with a plurality of compartments in which may be placed the various articles to be measured, and Within each of these compartments is arranged a smaller receptacle having aplurality of slides or movable partitions by which the desired quantity of the article within that particular compartment may be measured and 'discharged therefrom. Each of these smaller receptacles terminates at its upper end in a hopper-like device of a shape corresponding to that of the main receptacle and through which hopper the spices or other articles may fall and then be measured by the proper manipulation of the slides. The device may be made of any suitable material, andv may assume the required shape; the preferable shape is that of a polygon as shown in the present instance. I may arrange at a point where it will be beneath each of the discharge spouts a funnel through which the article will pass to a bag or other receptacle held under the said funnel. This funnel is stationary and the receptacle is revolved to bring the desired compartment over the same. Then the slides are manipulated to measure and then discharge the required quantity of material therefrom. The device as a whole is simple, cheap of manufacture, not liable to get out of order, and in practice has proved most efficient for the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective `View of my improved device with the cover shown removed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the inner receptacle and its slides removed, showing also by dotted lines its position relatively to the other receptacle. Fig. 3 is a detail in` vertical section.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the main body portion of the device which may assume any desired shape, preferably of substantially the shape shown,`and this'body portion is rotatably mounted on asuitable baseBwhich may be of anysuitable form,'having a ange b by which and suitable means it may be secured to a counter() or any other ,desired support. The central shaft D about which the body portion revolves extends somewhat above the top of the case as seen in Fig. l and is designed to engage a socket in the depending portion c of the removable cover E which is designed to close the upper end of the compartments of the case and is provided with a suitable handle e as seen in Fig. 1 by which it may be manipulated.

The various compartments of the case Aare substantially pyramid shape incross section as seen in Figs. l and 2 and may have upon their outer faces the name ofthe article contained in the said compartments. These compart ments are designed to be filled with spices or any other material from the top when the cover is removed as shown in Fig. l. The cover is then replaced.

Within each of the compartments of the case I place a smaller receptacleF which may assume any desired shape but preferably of rectangular form as seen best in Fig. 2 and terminating at its upper end in a hoppershaped portion F as seen in Figs. Zand 3 conforming to the shape of the compartment so as to'fit snugly to the inner walls thereof as seen in said Figs. 2 and 3. The smaller compartments F are sub-divided by horizontal slides or partitions G which are tted to slide in suitable guides or openings in the walls of the compartments, their outer ends IOO being formed into suitable handles g and their inner ends preferably turned either up or down so as to prevent their Withdrawal beyond a certain predetermined point as willA be understood from Fig. 3. I have shown guides H in which the side edges of the slides may run but such provision is not necessary. The slides or partitions may be arranged at any suitable distance apart, say for instance in one compartment they may be so arranged as to measure between them two pounds, one pound, halfapound orone quarter of a pound; and in another they may be arranged to measure ounces; this, however, is a matter wholly within the discretion of the maker.

The operation will be readily understood; the various compartments of the case are Iilled with the desired materials and the slides are closed so as to prevent the discharge thereof from the smaller compartments into which the material feeds through the hopper F; the slides are then manipulated to measure and discharge the desired quantity of the desired material. In order that the material may be discharged into abag or any other de-.

rality of compartments and supplemental compartments within the same and having 35 movable partitions, as set forth.

2. A revoluble case having a plurality of compartments, and supplemental compartment-s within the same and provided with movable slides and hoppers at their upper ends, as set forth.

3. A polygonal case having a plurality of separate compartments and rotatably mounted, and provided with independent removable inner compartments with hopper-shaped upper ends, and movable slides, as and for the purpose specified.

et. The combination with the rotatable polygonal case having a pluralityof compartments with movable slides, of a removably supported funnel beneath the case, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination with a pyramidalcompartment, of a smaller compartment within the same and having at its upper end a hop- 55 per conforming to the shape of the outer compartment, and movable slides in the smaller compartment and accessible from outside the outer compartment, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aftiX my signature in 6o presence of two Witnesses.

ANDREW J. WORTHEN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT H. WHITE, Guo. W. SMITH.

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