AN IMPROVED REVERSIBLE CRESSET GRATE
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Higgins Owen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd December 1880.
JAMES HIGGINS OWEN, of the City of Dublin, Ireland, Architect. "AN IMPROVED
REVERSIBLE CRESSET GRATE."
The coals are contained in an iron cresset having the front and back formed of
iron bars, the sides of iron, either open or close, hung on pivots, so that by reversing
or turning upside down, the top may become the bottom and the front the back at
pleasure.
Above and below the bars, grooves or other arrangements will be provided in the
sides or cheeks for sliding in two plates of iron. The plate in the grooves next the
coals will be a solid one, on which the coal will rest during combustion; the plate in
the other grooves will be an open grating for convenience of removing ashes.
The method of using is as follows, viz. :-The cresset resting on its pivots and
being quite empty, put the solid plate into the grooves at the bottom next to the
bars, then fill in with fuel on the said solid bottom plate, as far as is necessary for the
amount of fire required; then on the coal so arranged proceed to light a fire in the
ordinary manner, taking care to make the body of the fire so kindled as small as
possible, its only function being to start the consumption of the fuel underneath,
which will be gradually deprived of its gases by their being burned in the fire above,
and almost the only smoke to ascend the chimney will be that which arises from
the fire first lighted. This fire when once lighted will continue to burn for several
hours if kept consolidated, but if quicker combustion be desired and the coal be
burned away, and it becomes necessary to replenish the fire, the process to be gone
through is as follows, viz. :-First insert the grated bottom in the grooves below
the solid bottom, pull out the solid bottom and allow the fire to settle down on the
grating; break up any excessively large lumps of ignited coal, clear out all dust
and ashes, and pack the remaining ignited coals into a close compact mass; then
place as much fresh coal as is required over the ignited coals in as closely packed
and solid a mass as possible; insert the close bottom into its proper grooves over the
fresh coal, and turn the grate over and remove the grating. The live coals will then
be on the top and the fresh coal underneath.
The pivots on which the grate turns may be cast on the cheeks or sides or fixed
with screws, and may work in any sort of hobs, or cheeks, or fire dogs; but the

page_text: preferable plan is to arrange a frame of iron, wrought or cast, for it to hang in
quite independently of all brickwork or setting of any kind, only taking care that
there should be a catch or bolt provided to fasten into or on the pivots to keep the
grate fixed in its position when not required to be reversed.
The grate may be of almost any shape or size provided the top and bottom are
similar, that the back and front correspond, and that the double sets of grooves and
plates are provided.
For convenience of working the plates should be made with eyelet holes for
drawing them out, and there should be a small poker or iron bar with a hook
at the end to fit in the eyelet holes; this will be found very useful also for clearing
out dust and ashes and arranging the coal.
Instead of having a large, rough, unfinished cavity to be afterwards filled in by a
grate backed with brickwork, the proper course for the reversible grate will be to
build the recess at once of suitable size, lining it with bricks or tiles, as may
be desired, fixing a register if approved in the usual position in the neck of the
flue.
The heated fire not being in contact with any part of the surrounding fire place,
the face will not be affected by the heat, but will act as a reflecting surface and will
absorb very little of the heat generated by the fire.
The reversible grate if working in fire dogs will be easily removable from room
to room, and in ordinary houses where there are rooms which only occasionally
require fires it may be found that two grates would serve all purposes for three
rooms.
In the absence of the grate there will be nothing unsightly about the fire place,
as it will be finished and complete without it.
The novelty claimed is the combination of the grate or cresset made capable of
being reversed with the removable solid and grated bottoms as a means of
allowing fresh coal or other fuel to be added to a fire already burning, in such a
way that it shall be consumed under the existing fire.
The advantages of this system are, greater heating power from the fuel from the
consumption of smoke; in the heat which is absorbed by the surroundings of
ordinary grates being projected into the room by radiation and reflection.
Better control over the consumption of the fuel; reduced necessity for sweeping
chimneys or risk of fire from overheating of surrounding brick work.
Adaptability to any sort of fuel, and specially to small refuse coal; a constantly
clear bright upper surface of fire without waste of coal.
Great economy in first expense from the simplicity of the grate itself and the
absence of any setting, and great durability as there is nothing to wear or burn
out.
This grate affords a very handy means of cooking on a small scale as in an
invalid's bed room, or in a nursery, by inserting the grated bottom in the grooves
over the fire, a very handy perforated hot plate is provided.