Decorative flatware handles and process for their preparation
AssigneeRosenthal Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsHartmut Keller, Axel Krauth, Roswitha Kreiner
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Abstract
Ceramic flatware handles of hard porcelain, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide or titanium oxide, with a center bore for receiving the tang, wherein the surface of the flatware handle is provided with a press-molded relief pattern. Flatware handles of this type are obtained by mixing the ceramic raw materials with a thermoplastic plasticizing agent and shaping them into blanks at 90.degree. to 150.degree. C. The blanks are then given their surface profile by means of a press molding device and thereafter fired. Such a process is particularly suitable for oval flatware handles and handles having a center bore which is to be equipped with ceramic screw threads.
Claims8
A process for preparing a ceramic flatware handle comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a mixture of powdered ceramic raw materials;
- (b) drying the mixture;
- (c) intermixing the ceramic mass from 15 to 25 weight percent of a thermoplastic plasticizing mixture comprising 12 to 18 weight percent of a binder and 3 to 7 weight percent of a release agent based on the weight of the ceramic mass;
- (d) shaping the resulting plastic mixture into blanks at a temperature from 90.degree. to 150.degree. C;
- (e) pressing a relief pattern on the ceramic blanks at a temperature from 60.degree. to 80.degree. C.;
- (f) degassing the binder component at a temperature up to about 300.degree. C.;
- and
- (g) firing the handle at a temperature from 1350.degree. to 1550.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.