IMPROVED MEANS FOR PROMOTING THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL, OR FOR LESSENING THE PRODUCTION OF SMOKE IN FIRE-GRATES OR STOVES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Blocksage, of Dukinfield, in the County
of Chester, Brick Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MEANS FOR PROMOTING THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL, OR FOR LESSENING THE
PRODUCTION OF SMOKE IN FIRE-GRATES OR STOVES."
Sealed the 9th May 1873, and dated the 18th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Blockṣage at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th November 1872.
I, THOMAS BLOCKSAGE, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester,
Brick Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVED MEANS FOR PROMOTING THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL, OR FOR
LESSENING THE PRODUCTION OF SMOKE IN FIRE-GRATES OR STOVES," to be as
follows:
"My Invention relates to the fire-grates or stoves employed for warming
or cooking purposes in dwelling houses or in other buildings, and has
for its object to obtain a more perfect and economical combustion of the

page_text: fuel used in such grates or stoves, and to prevent to a great extent the
formation of or to effect the combustion of smoke in such grates or
stoves. To this end I apply a hollow air conductor or distributor to such
grates or stoves, the said air conductor being preferably of a tapering or
conical form, the larger end resting on the bottom grate, or being fixed
thereto or formed thereon. One or more holes, slots, or perforations is
or are formed in the upper end or side or sides, or in both the upper end
and side or sides. Air is allowed to enter at the lower end, and flowing
through the said holes, slots, or perforations promotes the combustion of
the fuel. The said air conductor is by preference made of fire-clay, but
it may be made of iron or of any other suitable material. Two or more
of the said conductors may be employed in a single grate or stove, as for
example conductors may be applied at the sides and back of the said
grate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Blocksage in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BLOCKSAGE, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Brick Manufac-
turer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said-Thomas Blocksage, Her special license,
that I, the said Thomas Blocksage, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Blocksage, 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 "IMPROVED MEANS FOR
PROMOTING THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL, OR FOR LESSENING THE PRODUCTION OF SMOKE
IN FIRE-GRATES OR STOVES," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the
said Thomas Blocksage, by an instrument in writing under my hand and

page_text: seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Blocksage, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to the fire-grates or stoves employed for warming
or cooking purposes in dwelling houses or in other buildings, and has
for its object to obtain a more perfect and economical combustion of the
fuel used in such grates or stoves, and to prevent to a great extent the
formation of or to effect the combustion of smoke in such grates or
stoves. To this end I apply a hollow air conductor or distributor to such
grates or stoves, the said air conductor being preferably of a tapering or
conical form, the larger end resting on the bottom grate or being fixed
thereto or formed thereon, or to or on the back or sides of the said grate.
One or more holes, slots, or perforations is or are formed in the upper
end or side or sides, or in both the upper end and side or sides. Air is
allowed to enter at the lower end, and flowing through the said holes, slots,
or perforations promotes the combustion of the fuel. The said air con-
ductor is by preference made of fire-clay, but it may be made of iron
or of any other suitable material. Two or more of the said conductors
may be employed in a single grate or stove, as for example conductors
may be applied at the sides and back of the said grate.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I will
in this place refer to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, which is
marked with letters of reference, corresponding letters indicating the
same parts in the various Figures.
In the said Drawings Fig. 1 represents a vertical section, and Fig. 2 a
plan of one of the said air conductors formed of fire-clay. The said air
conductor is drawn about the full size, but the size and proportions and
also the form thereof may be varied to such an extent as is found to be
most suitable. A central air passage a communicates with other
passages b, b, through which air may flow as herein-before mentioned.

page_text: Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate two methods of applying the said air
distributors.
In Fig. 3 two distributors are placed in a vertical position on the
bottom grate, and when in use would be surrounded and covered, or
nearly covered with fuel.
4
In Fig. 4 four distributors are represented as fixed or formed on the
back part of the grate. In such a case the air distributors may be
formed with extended bases, and the said bases be built into the back of
the grate, or they may be formed either separately or two or more
]
together in one piece with the slab, tile, or piece which forms or
partly forms the back or part of the back, or the back and sides of the
grate. Air passages communicating with the central air passage a are or
may be formed in the back part of the grate. The said air conductors
are of particular advantage when small coal is used.
Having now fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I would have it
to be understood that I claim, the employment of the air conductors
formed and applied substantially as set forth and indicated herein-before,
and by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Blocksage, have hereunto 2
set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.