IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING OR CLEANING CHIMNEYS, AND ALSO IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING CHIMNEYS FROM SMOKING
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Holt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th January
1868.
I, GEORGE HOLT, of No. 5, Canterbury Place, Lambeth Road, in the
County of Surrey, in the employ of Messrs, Hodges & Co., Distillers,
Lambeth, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR SWEEPING OR CLEANING CHIMNEYS, AND ALSO IN APPARATUS FOR
PREVENTING CHIMNEYS FROM SMOKING," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for sweeping
or cleaning chimneys, and also in apparatus for preventing chimneys from
smoking. For sweeping or cleaning chimneys I fix a bar across the chimney
at its lower end; this bar forms a step or support for an axis passing from top
to bottom of the chimney; this axis is jointed at intervals, so that it may
follow any bends there may be in the chimney, and it has hoops fixed on it at
distances apart, which resting against the sides of the chimney keep the axis
central or nearly so. There are also fixed to the axis at distances of a few
inches apart springs of thin metal sufficiently long to bear against the sides of
the chimney, so that it will be seen that if the axis be caused to rotate, and at
the same time to traverse slowly a short distance lengthways of the chimney,
the springs will come in contact with every part of the interior surface of the
chimney, and will effectually remove any soot which may have lodged thereon.
The required motion is given to the axis in the following manner :-On the
cross bar in the chimney an upright stem is fixed; this stem at its upper end

page_text: has a screw cut upon it, of a length somewhat exceeding the distance it is
desired that the axis should traverse longitudinally in the chimney. The lower
end of the axis is made tubular, and fits over the screw, and at the bottom of
the tubular portion there is a screw nut, which the screw enters, so that it will
be seen that if the axis be made to revolve the screw ensures its longitudinal
traverse. To give to the axis the rotatory motion a bevilled wheel is fixed on
the upright stem immediately below the screw thereon; with this another
bevilled wheel on a horizontal axis gears, and the end of this horizontal axis
projects to the outside of the chimney immediately over the stove, the passage
is made smoke-tight around the axis by means of india-rubber or otherwise;
the projecting end of the axis receives a key by which it can be turned, and
this rotates the jointed axis in the chimney, there being two rods attached to
the lower end of this axis, which pass through holes in the bevilled wheel on
the upright stem.
In order to prevent chimneys smoking, I employ a blower or metal plate,
which is capable of sliding up and down in a casing which is built into the
brickwork immediately over the stove; the blower or plate is connected by
chains or bands passing over pulleys with a counterbalance weight working up
and down in a tube behind the casing, so that the blower or plate will remain
at a level at which it may be placed, and will move very readily. I joint the
blower or plate at intervals, so that it may not interfere with anything there
may be projecting from the stove, either fixed or temporarily placed thereon,
as for example, a pot or kettle; if desired, there may be a door in the blower
or plate.