IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING OR KITCHEN RANGES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Wright, of Lichfield, in the County of
Stafford, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING OR
KITCHEN RANGES."
Sealed the 24th October 1866, and dated the 8th May 1866:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Wright at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th May 1866.
I, BENJAMIN. WRIGHT, of Lichfield, in the County of Stafford, Builder, do
hereby declare the nature, of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING
OR KITCHEN RANGES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in cooking
or kitchen ranges, by the use of which improvements the fire-grates of the
said ranges may be converted into open grates or closed grates at pleasure.
The object of my Invention is to effect the opening and closing of the said
fire-grates in a simpler and more efficient manner than has hitherto been
adopted.
In constructing cooking or kitchen ranges according to my Invention I
make the central plate which covers the top of the grate capable of sliding
into or out of the space between the fixed tops of the ovens on either side the

page_text: fire-grate, the said fixed tops of the ovens having projecting edges or ledges
upon which the central plate. slides. Instead of the ordinary door above the
top bar of the grate I use a drop-down plate or broad bar, the said broad bar
turning upon centres in the frame of the grate, and capable of being placed
either vertically or horizontally. Around the chimney hole of the range I fix
a rectangular frame, within which another and moveable frame is fitted. The
lower end of this moveable frame rests upon the fixed tops of the ovens, and
is capable of being drawn forward out of the fixed frame for the purpose of
increasing the draught of the chimney; or the said moveable frame may be
wholly removed from the fixed one for gaining access to the chimney. The
moveable frame described carries a vertical sliding plate which can be drawn
down to the bottom of the fixed frame so as to close the opening to the
chimney, or be raised to the top of the said fixed frame so as to open the chimney.
The said sliding plate is fixed in its raised position by means of a spring at its
back engaging with a rack or holes made in a plate affixed to the upper part
of the aforesaid moveable frame. When the cooking or kitchen range is in use
for cooking purposes the drop-down plate or broad bar at the upper part of the
grate is raised vertically so as to close the upper part of the front of the grate,
and the sliding central plate is introduced into the space between the fixed tops
of the ovens in order to close the top of the grate. The sliding vertical plate in
front of the chimney hole is also depressed so. as to close the chimney hole. A
closed grate is thus produced. The closed grate is converted into an open grate
in the following manner:-The vertical sliding plate at the chimney hole is
raised to the top of its frame and fixed by the spring and rack described, and
the moveable frame carrying the said vertical sliding plate is pulled forward
from out the fixed frame, if required, so as to constitute sides to the top of the
open grate near the chimney, and thereby increase the draught of the chimney.
The central plate above the grate having been removed by sliding it outwards,
and the hinged bar turned down horizontally, the grate is converted into an
open fire-grate, and may be used for all purposes for which ordinary open fire-
grates are used. The oven or ovens of the range when the grate is open may
be readily.heated by opening the dampers and allowing the heat to travel over
them.
My improvements may be applied to cooking or kitchen ranges with one
or more ovens, and with a high or low pressure boiler.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
WRIGHT, of Lichfield, in the County of Stafford, Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Benjamin Wright, Her special licence that I, the said Benjamin
Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Benjamin Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times,
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING OR KITCHEN RANGES,
upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Wright, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
39
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Wright, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say: -
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
cooking or kitchen ranges, by the use of which improvements the fire-grates.
of the said ranges may be converted into open grates or closed grates at
pleasure.
The object of my Invention is to effect the opening and closing of the
said fire-grates in a simpler and more efficient manner than has hitherto been.
adopted.
In constructing cooking or kitchen ranges according to my Invention I
make the central plate which covers the top of the grate capable of sliding
into and out of the space between the fixed tops of the ovens on either side

page_text: the fire-grate, the said fixed tops of the ovens having projecting edges or
ledges upon which the central plate slides. Instead of the ordinary door
above the top bar of the grate I use a drop-down plate or broad bar, the
said broad bar turning upon centres in the frame of the grate and capable
of being placed either vertically or horizontally. Around the chimney hole
or flue of the range I fix a rectangular frame, within which another and
moveable frame is fitted. The lower end of this moveable frame rests upon
the fixed tops of the ovens, and is capable of being drawn forward out of
the fixed frame for the purpose of increasing the draught of the chimney, or
the said moveable frame may be wholly removed from the fixed one for
gaining access to the chimney. The moveable frame described carries a
vertical sliding plate, which can be drawn down to the bottom of the fixed
frame so as to close the opening to the chimney or flue, or be raised to the top
of the said fixed frame so as to open the chimney or flue. The said sliding
plate is fixed in its raised position by means of a spring at its back engaging
with a rack or holes made in in a plate affixed to the upper part of the aforesaid
moveable frame. When the cooking or kitchen range is in use for cooking
purposes the drop-down plate or broad bar at the upper part of the grate is
raised vertically so as to close the upper part of the grate, and the sliding
central plate is introduced into the space between the fixed tops of the ovens
in order to close the top of the grate. The sliding vertical plate in front of
the chimney hole or flue is also depressed so as to close the chimney hole or
*flue. A closed grate is thus produced. The closed grate is converted into
an open grate in the following manner :-The vertical sliding plate at the
chimney hole is raised to the top of its frame, and fixed by the spring and
rack described, and the moveable frame carrying the said vertical sliding plate
is pulled forward from out the fixed frame, if required, so as to constitute
sides to the top of the open grate near the chimney or flue, and thereby
increase the draught of the chimney. The central plate above the grate
having been removed by sliding it outwards, and the hinged bar turned down
horizontally, the grate is converted into an open fire-grate, and may be used
for all purposes for which ordinary open fire-grates are used. The oven or
ovens of the range when the grate is open may be readily heated by opening
the dampers and allowing the heat to travel over them.
My improvements may be applied to cooking or kitchen ranges with one
or more ovens, and with a bigh or low pressure boiler.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manuer in which the same
is to be performed.

page_text: Figures 1 and 2 represent perspective elevations of a cooking or kitchen
range constructed according to my Invention, Figure 1 representing the fire-
grate of the said range converted into an open grate, and Figure 2 repre-
senting the same converted into a closed grate; Figure 3 is a cross section
of Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a cross section of Figure 2, the said Figures
3 and 4 being drawn to a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2; the same letters
indicate the same parts in each Figure.
a is the central plate which covers the top of the grate, which said plate
is capable of sliding into and out of the space between the fixed tops c, d, of
the ovens on either side the fire-grate; the said fixed tops c, d, have pro-
jecting edges or ledges of the form represented, upon which the central plate a
slides and closes the top of the fire grate, in the manner represented in
Figures 2 and 4. 6 is the drop-down plate or broad bar above the top bar
of the grate, which said plate or broad bar I use in place of the ordinary
door; the said plate or broad bar turns upou centres in the frame of the
grate, and is capable of being placed either vertically or horizontally. At
the chimney hole or flue of the range is a rectangular frame e, within
which another and moveable frame f, f, g, is fitted (see Figures 3 and 4).
The said moveable frame consists of two side plates f, f, and a top plate g
provided with holes or racks; the front of the lower part of the frame is
open. The said moveable frame f, f, g, is capable of being drawn forward
out of the fixed frame e on to the fixed tops c, d, of the ovens in the manner
illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, so as thereby to increase the draught of
the chimney or flue; or the said frame may be wholly removed from the fixed
one e for gaining access to the chimney. Carried by the moveable frame f, f, g,
is a sliding plate h, which can be drawn down to the bottom of the frame so
as to close the opening to the chimney 1 (see Figures 2 and 4), or be raised to
the top of the said frame so as to open the chimney 7 (see Figures 1 and 3).
The plate his fixed in its raised position by means of a spring i connected
to the knob k engaging with the rack of the plate g; by pulling the knob k
outwards the spring i is released from the rack, and the plate h may be
drawn down to the bottom of the frame f, f, g. In using the cooking or
kitchen range for cooking purposes, at which time a closed grate is required,
the parts are arranged in the manner represented in Figures 1 and 4, that is
to say, the open top of the grate is closed by the sliding plate a, and the upper
part of the front of the grate is closed by raising the plate or broad bar 6
vertically. The moveable frame f, f, g, in front of the chimney hole is
pressed back into the chimney 7, and the sliding plate h is depressed to close
the chimney hole; a closed grate is thereby produced, the whole of the heat

page_text: from which passes by the opening at the back of the grate to the ovens
which it heats before escaping to the chimney . When an open fire-grate is
required, the parts are arranged in the manner represented in Figures I
and 3, that is to say, the vertical sliding plate his raised and fixed at the
top of the frame, and the moveable frame f, f, g, if required, is pulled forward
from out the fixed frame, so as to construct sides to the top of the open
grate near the chimney, and thereby increase the draught of the chimney.
The central plate a having been removed by sliding it outwards, and the
hinged plate or bar 6 turned down horizontally, the grate is converted into
an open fire-grate, and may be used for all purposes for which ordinary open
fire-grates are used. When the grate is open, as in Figures 1 and 3, the
oven or ovens may be readily heated by opening the dampers and allowing
the heat to travel over them.
Having now d scribed the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention;
but I claim as my Invention the improvements in cooking or kitchen ranges
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say, arranging or combining and constructing the central top plate a,
drop-down plate or broad bar b, and moveable frame f. f, g, and parts con-
nected therewith, substantially as described and illustrated, for the purpose of
readily and efficiently converting the fire-grates of cooking or kitchen ranges
into open grates or closed grates at pleasure.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Wright, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
JAMES ALSTON,
Lichfield.
BENJAMIN WRIGHT. (L.S.)