Lemon Squeezers
by Mark Nye
Issue No. 246 - October 1993
During its early years, the Cambridge Glass Co. manufactured many utilitarian items, a fact of which many beginning collectors are unaware. It often comes as a surprise to them to learn that Cambridge made a number of kitchen items. As late as 1920, two complete catalog pages were devoted to showing Kitchen Glass Ware. Among the items pictured on those pages are mixing bowls, measuring cups. measuring jugs and the Bennett lemon juicers.
Mr. Bennett obtained two separate patents for the juicers. The first was granted February l6, 1909. In April of that year, Mr. Bennett submitted an application for another patent and it was granted some six weeks later. The text of the first application follows.
"Be it known that I, Arthur J. Bennett, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Guernsey, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Lemon-Squeezers, of which the following is a specification.
"This invention relates to improvements in lemon squeezers, and relates more particularly to an improved type of dam whereby the seeds of the lemon are held in restraint during the pouring of the lemon juice, subsequent to the squeezing operation, into a receptacle or other receiving vessel.
"Further the invention aims to generally improve, simplify and increase the efficiency of articles of this class, further and other objects being later manifested.
"In the drawings, Figure 1, is a view in perspective of the improved article. Fig, 2 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.
"The article as now contemplated includes an annular rim 1, formed with a handle 2, and a pouring or discharge mouth 3, there being a partition 4, midway of the height of the rim. A cone 5, formed with ribs 6, is made integral with partition 4, and forms in conjunction with rim 1 a channel 7. The channel 7, at the point where the pouring mouth communicates therewith is formed with a depressed or deepened part 8, to facilitate the poudng of the accumulated lemon juice and to further assist in perfect draining of the channel during the pouring operation.
"Extending across the channel 7, are two dams which are arranged on opposite sides of the pouring mouth 3, and which are divergently related, each dam being composed of a pair of vertical lugs 8 which have their other ends contacting with the rim 1, and the cone 5, and have a V-shaped space 9 between their inner ends. Each lug has its opposite sides beveled, to form a sharp top `cutting edge, so as to assist the ribs 6, of cone 5, in performing their function during the expressing of the lemon. The purpose and function of the dams is to engage and hold in restraint any seeds which may have accumulated in the channel 7, during the process of expressing, at the time the lemon juice is being poured from the discharge mouth 3. The juice readily passes through the space 9, between the broken dams, and since said space is V-shaped being widest at the top, the juice can easily flow over or past any seed or seeds which may have lodged in said space of the broken dams. It will be further observed that during the act of expressing the evident tendency of the broken dams is to catch the seeds in the V-shaped space thereof so as to prevent same from entering the depression or well 8, which lies directly to the rear of pouring mouth 3.
"The whole structure is preferably formed of one piece of glass.
"What is claimed is:
- A lemon squeezer composed of an annular rim, a pouring mouth integral with said rim, a partition integrat with the rim and extending midway of the height thereof, a ribbed cone centrally located on the partition forming an annular channel in conjunction with said rim, and a pair of dams located in the channel on opposite sides of said pouring mouth, each dam consisting of a pair of vertically disposed lugs which at their outer ends contact with the rim and cone and which have their inner ends separated by a V-shaped space, said lugs having their sides beveled to form a sharp top edge.
- A lemon squeezer, composed of an annular rim, a ribbed cone forming a channel in conjunction with said rim, a pouring mouth communicating with said channel, and a pair of broken dams arranged on opposite sides of said pouring mouth and extending across the channel to contact with said rim and cone.
- A lemon squeeaer composed of a rim, a ribbed cone forming a channel in conjunction with said rim, a pouring mouth communicating with said channel, and dams arranged across said channel on opposite sides of the pouring mouth, said dams having their top edges sharpened.
- A lemon squeezer composed of a rim, a ribbed pyramidal-like element forming a channel in conjunction with said rim, a pouring mouth communicating with said channel, and a pair of dams on opposite sides of said pouring mouth arranged to extend across said channel between said rim and element.
"In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses."
Signed by Mr. Bennett and witnessed by W. C. McCartney and Freeman T. Eagleson.
Apparently not a great deal of what we today call "fleld trials" were carried out. On* April 1, 1909, about six weeks after the first patent was granted, a second applicadon was filed, this one covering improvements to the original squeezer. The reason the company felt improvements were needed is stated in the second paragraph of the application. A large portion of the second applications text follows.
"This invention relates to improvements in lemon squeezers, and pertains more particularly to an improvement on the article forming the subject matter of patent granted to me on February 16, l909, No. 912443.
"In my prior patent above identified, I have found, in actual use, that during the expressing operation, seeds freed from the lemon will enter the space between the two dams and consequently will not be held in restraint during the pouring of the accumulated juice into the receiving vessel or receptacle.
"The present improvement is therefore aimed particularly to overcome the objection above pointed out, in a manner later specified, and has still further objects which will he hereinafter more fully pointed out.
"In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improved article. Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.
"The article as improved, includes an annular rim 1, formed with handle 2, and a pouring or discharge mouth 3, there being a partition 4, midway of the height of the rim. A cone 5, formed with ribs 6, is made integral with partition 4, and forms in conjunction with rim 1, a channel 7. The channel 7, at the point where the pouring mouth communicates therewith is formed with a depressed deepened well or part 8, to facilitate the pouring of the accumulated lemon juice and to further assist in perfect draining of the channel during the pouring operation.
"Extending across tile channel 7, are two dams which are arranged on opposite sides of the pouring mouth 3 and which are divergently related, each dam being composed of a pair of vertical lugs 8 which have their outer ends contacting with the rim 1, and the cone 5, and have a V-shaped space 9 between their inner ends. Each lug has its opposite sides beveled, to form a sharp top cutting edge, so as to assist the ribs 6, of cone 5, in performing their function during the expressing of the lemon. The purpose and function of the dams is to engage and hold in restraint any seeds which may have accumulated in the channel 7, during the process of expressing, at the time the lemon juice is being poured from the discharge mouth 3. The juice readily passes through the space 9, between the broken dams, and since said space is V-shaped being widest at the top, the juice can easily flow over or past any seed or seeds which may have lodged in said space of the broken dams. It will be further observed that during the act of expressing the evident tendency of the broken dams is to catch the seeds in the V-shaped thereof so as to prevent same from entering the depression or well 8 which lies directly to the rear of pouring mouth 3.
"The parts above described and depicted in the drawings are present in my prior patent. In my improvement however, I utilize a third dam which is composed of three vertically extending lugs 10, the outer ones of which are disposed at substantially right angles to the adjacent lugs 8, practically constituting continuations of the latter as observed in Figs, 1 and 3 of the drawings. The lugs 10, are separated by V-shaped spaces 11, and are disposed so that their top edges project above the top edges of the lugs 8, the purpose and function of which will be later set forth.
"The present article differs from my prior patent in that lugs 8 and cone 5, are disposed so that the lugs form continuations of two of the ribs 6, of the cone, and further are so related that two of the lugs 8 are disposed directly at each side of the entrance of the pouring mouth 3, thus providing a more practical relationship of the parts wherein greater cooperating efficiency of the parts results than in my former invention. It will moreover, he seen that in the present article the three broken dams and the cone 5, form a complete inclosure for the well 8, thus providing added means for excluding the seeds from the pouring mouth whereby should seeds succeed in passing the dams constituted of the lugs 8, they will, during the pouring step, be prevented from entering mouth 3, due to the presence of the dam constituted of lugs 10. Since lugs 10, are of greater height than lugs 8, it will be evident that seeds contained in the well 8, will be reliably held against ingress into mouth 3. During the expressing operation, it will be manifest that the major portion of the seeds will enter channel 7, while but a small portion, if any, will enter well 8. In still further addition, I employ dams 14 and 15, each composed of a pair of lugs identical in character with lugs 8, above described, but located on opposite sides of handle 2, thereby providing the channel with four wells, designated A, B, C, and 8. Thus regardless of the number of seeds the lemon may possess, ample assurance is given of their being reliably trapped in the four wells, whereas should there be but one well, any large quantity of seeds would succeed in passing the barriers which control the entrance to the pouring mouth, as is obvious. When the body is tilted to drain the channel of the accumulated juice some of the seeds will be trapped in each of the wells A, B, C, and 8, while such seeds as might have entered well 8' will be encountered by and held from entering the pouring mouth by the lugs 10. Should any seeds pass the dams which extend transversely to channel 7, the auxiliary barrier afforded by lugs 10 will lie in their path, and thus effectually restrain the seeds from entering mouth 3. Further it will be manifest that well 8 has two inlets provided by the broken dams formed by lugs 8, and an outlet provided by the broken dam formed by lugs 10. Thus well 8 is inclosed on four sides, one constituted by cone 5, and the remainIng three by the broken dams above referred to.
The application then went on, in the same manner as the first, with the section "What is claimed is:" As in the first, the information is essentially a repeat of the descriptions given in the first part. In the interest of space, the section is not repeated here.
Produced in Crystal and in two sizes, lemon size and a larger version for oranges and grapefruit, the Bennett squeezer or reamer is readily recognizable. The smaller of the two sizes is not difficult to obtain in the revised version. However, the original style will be very difficult, if not impossible to find due to the short period it was produced, Obtaining a large size Bennett reamer will not be easy and in the original style, virtually impossible. The bottom rim of some squeezers has little glass nubs on the underside. These act as miniature feet.