Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 16th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 16th Dec., 1887
1 ALFRED WITHINSHAW PARKES of No. 8 Market Place Stockport in the County
of Chester Ironmonger do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is the saving of fuel, the more complete combustion
of the smoke, and the checking of down draughts in what are called smoky
chimneys.
I save fuel by obtaining from a given quantity a larger amount of radiated heat
than is usually obtainable from a similar quantity of fuel burnt in grates and fire
places of ordinary construction. I promote the combustion of smoke by bringing a
greater portion of it more intimately into contact with the scorching heat; and I
check sudden down-draughts at the entrance to the chimney by reducing the area of
the smoke way or passage, and thereby so concentrate the hot draught that it will
maintain its way whilst a sudden down-draught lasts.
To effect these results I, reverse the conditions of ordinary internal construction
heretofore prevailing. My fire holder comprises the fire chamber which contains the
burning fuel, and the hunch or projecting back and contracting sides above. It may
be made in separate parts respectively adapted to each other, or it can be made entire
in one piece, moulded or cast either of fire clay or metal.
The bottom of my fire holder is made solid, excepting an air passage and a small
rectangular central opening, wherein a small grid is placed-mea
-means being provided
for regulating the supply of air. The area of the fire chamber varies according to the
size of the grate. The internal surface of the holder is fluted convexly, the flutes
running upwards from the bottom of the fire chamber to the extreme top, including
the back and sides. The holder above the fire chamber gradually contracts in form,
becomes narrower between the sides, and the back gradually projects forwards partly
over the fire and then turns upwards, so that the smoke way instead of increasing in
D017

page_text: area gradually diminishes towards the top, the opening into the chimney being directly,
over the front part of the fire chamber. The angles and corners are all rounded off,
and the changes in the internal configuration of the holder above the fire chamber are
produced by suitable curves.
The hunch back of the holder which projects forward over the fire becomes highly
heated, and the smoke from the back of the fire passing upwards in close contact with
its projecting heated surface, has a double chance of being more effectually
consumed.
A large amount of heat becoming stored in the solid hunch back and contracting
sides of the holder, as a consequence the radiation therefrom is greatly increased, and
the draught way into the chimney being diminished, the hot draught is more swift
and concentrated, and therefore more capable of driving back and overcoming the
sudden down draughts that occur in smoky chimnies.
When adapted to a metal front, the fire holder is fitted close up to its back surface
and is adjusted to suit the height of the fire bars. When not adapted to a register or
plain metal front, the sides are built up with brick work or other material, ornamental
or otherwise.

page_text: Grates and Open Fire-places.
I ALFRED WITHINSHAW PARKES, of No. 8 Market Place, Stockport, in the County
of Chester, Ironmonger, 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 :-
The nature of my invention consists in so altering the internal form of the fire
holders and smoke way in domestic grates and fire places, that a saving of fuel is
produced thereby, the more complete combustion of the smoke is effected, and
down draughts in what are called smoky chimneys are materially checked.
In my improved form of fireplace I save fuel by obtaining from a given quantity a
larger amount of radiated heat than is usually obtainable from a similar quantity of
fuel burnt in grates and fireplaces of ordinary form and construction. The com-
bustion of smoke is promoted by bringing a geater portion of it more intimately into
contact with the scorching heat and sudden down draughts are checked at the
entrance to the chimney, by reducing the area of the smoke way or passage, and
thereby so concentrate the hot draught, that it will maintain its way whilst a sudden
down draught lasts.
To produce these results I so alter the internal form of the fire chamber, and of
the back and sides and parts above, that the lines heretofore followed in the construc-
tion of domestic fire places are to a certain extent reversed, for above the level of the
burning fuel, instead of forming the back and sides either upright, or slightly
inclining outwards in the usual way, the back is made to project forwards partly over
the fire, thereby forming a kind of hunch, and the space between the sides gradually
contracts in width, making the area of the space above the fire much narrower and
smaller than the chamber below wherein the fuel burns, generally but not always on
a solid bottom furnished with a small central grid, through which the air necessary to
support combustion is admitted in regulated quantity. In some cases the fire holder,
the hunch back and contracting sides are adapted to an ordinary bottom grid of metal.
The fire chamber, the solid bottom, the hunch, the contracting sides and parts above
leading to the chimney, may be either made in separate pieces adapted to each other,
or the whole (fire holder and parts) may be made entire in one piece, moulded or cast
either in fire clay, metal, or other suitable refractory material.
In different kinds of grates the area of the fire chamber will vary according to the
size of the grate required. The internal surface of the hunchback and sides and parts
above, is fluted convexly, the flutes running upwards from the bottom of the fire
chamber to the extreme top of the back and sides.
Referring to the figures on the drawing hereto annexed, Fig. 1, shows a front view
of my improved form of fire holder, including the enlarged fire chamber, the hunch-
back, the contracting sides, and the smoke way above. Fig. 2, is a vertical section

page_text: of Fig. 1 from a to b. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section of the fire chamber, from c to d.
Fig. 4, a horizontal section of the hunchback and sides from e to f. Fig. 5, a
horizontal section of the upper parts above, from 9 to h-and Fig. 6, shows the
improved form of fire holder, adapted to an ordinary iron grid.
A marks the fire chamber-B, denotes the hunchback-C, shows the contracting
sides and D indicates the smoke way upwards to the chimney-E marks the small
metallic grid in the solid bottom of the fire chamber-F marks the grate bars-G, the
solid bottom of the fire chamber, and H the frame of the front opening of the grate,
which opening may be either rectangular, arched, or of any other approved form.
The angles and corners of the fire holder and parts are all rounded off, and the changes
in the internal configuration from the fire chamber to the hunchback and sides and
thence to the chimney, are produced by suitable curves.
It will now be seen that the hunchback of the holder by projecting forward in the
manner described over the fire, becomes highly heated, and the smoke from the back
of the fire passing upwards in close contact with its projecting heated surface, has a
double chance of being more effectually consumed. A large amount of heat becoming
stored in the projecting solid back and sides of the holder, as a consequence the
radiation of heat therefrom is greatly increased, and the draught way into the
chimney being diminished, the hot draught is more swift and concentrated, and
therefore more capable of driving back and overcoming the sudden down draughts
that occur in smoky chimneys.
When adapted to the central opening of a fire grate with metal front, the fire
holder is fitted close up to its back surface, and adjusted to suit the height of the
firebars, but when not adapted to the frame of the central opening of a register, or an
ornamental, or a plain metal front, the sides may be built in with brickwork or other
material ornamental or otherwise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. I claim the use and construction of what is herein called an improved form of
fire holder with hunchback and contracting sides, and its adaptation to domestic
grates and open fire places, in the manner and for the purposes herein described and
shown on the drawing hereto annexed.
2. I claim the construction either in fire-clay, metal, or other suitable refractory
material of my improved form of fireholder and parts in combination, made either in
separate pieces adapted to each other, or in one piece moulded or cast.
3. I claim for the making of a small grid opening and adapting thereto a metal
grid in the solid bottom of my improved fire holder, when the said bottom is made of
the same material as the back and sides.
Dated 15th November 1887.