IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DOMESTIC AND OTHER FIRE-GRATES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrea Crestadoro, of No. 21, Rumford Street,
·
Chorlton-on-Medlock, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, for thic
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DOMESTIC AND
OTHER FIRE-GRATES.”
Sealed the 13th February, 1874, and dated the 21st November 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrea Crestadoro at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st November 1873.
I, ANDREA CRESTADORO, of No. 21, Rumford Street, Chorlton-on-
5 Medlock, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF DOMESTIC AND OTHER FIRE-GRATES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the useful consumption of
smoke and to dispense with scuttles or other separate coal holders. For

page_text: this purpose the fire-grate is so constructed and arranged that it presents
on each side an opening say equal in area to the lateral area itself of
the grate or thereabouts. Each opening communicates with the bottom
of a corresponding receptacle or chamber formed in brick or concrete, or
made of sheet, wrought, or cast iron, or other suitable material, and
intended to hold a quantity of coal or other fuel ready to feed the fire.
These receptacles are so placed and arranged that starting from the level
of the bottom of the grate behind the chimney piece or front of the
fire-place they rise either perpendicularly or so inclined as to allow the
coal freely to descend to the bottom by its own weight, and they
terminate at a convenient height on each side respectively in suitable
openings fitted with suitable doors through which they are filled with
coal.
When the fire is lighted fresh fuel is supplied by the use of an ordinary
poker or other suitable fire-iron, whereby the coal is made to pass from
the receptacles into the grate, whilst at the same time the coal in the
receptacles drops by its own weight to the bottom, ready in its turn at
the entrances of the grate for admission to feed the fire when
required.
In consequence of the coal gradually acquiring a high temperature
while in the receptacles the gases evolved by it, when brought into
contact with the ignited fuel, instead of being wasted in the form of
smoke, are converted into and utilized as flame, thereby causing a
proportionate saving in the consumption of fuel.

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Andrea Crestadoro, Her special licence that
I, the said Andrea Crestadoro, my executors, administrators, and assigns,"
or such others as I, the said Andrea Crestadoro, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION
OF DOMESTIC AND OTHER FIRE-GRATES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Andrea. Crestadoro, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Andrea Crestadoro, 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; reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed
and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
1
The object of my Invention is to facilitate the useful-consumption of
smoke, to effect a saving in fuel, and to dispense with scuttles or other
coal holders. For this purpose the fire-grate is so constructed and
arranged that it holds its own stock of coal in lateral receptacles or
chambers one on each side of the grate. These receptacles form an
inner appendage to the fire-grate in the wall recess usually appointed as
a space for the fire-grate, and are formed in brickwork or made of sheet,
wrought, or cast iron or other suitable material. At each side of the
grate a suitable opening communicates with the corresponding receptacle
to allow of the passage of coal from the receptacle into the grate when
required: Each opening is fitted with a suitable door or damper to
open or close the communication as required. The receptacles are filled
with coal at the top through suitable apertures fitted with suitable doors

page_text: placed at a convenient height in the same room, in a room above, or
in a back room, the construction of the receptacles being arranged
accordingly.
The operation is as follows:-When the fire requires feeding a fresh
supply of coal is drawn from each or either receptacle into the grate
simply by the use of an ordinary poker or other suitable fire-iron. At
the same time the coal in the receptacles keeps falling by its own
weight ready to be drawn into the grate as before described when
wanted.
In consequence of the coal acquiring a preparatory high temperature,
and also in consequence of its being drawn into contact with the ignited
fuel laterally instead of on the top of the fire, the gases evolved are not
wasted as smoke but converted into and usefully consumed as flame. In
place of an ordinary poker I prefer using a "feeder" constructed similarly
to an ordinary poker, except that it is flattened at the end like a chisel.
The flat part may be of any convenient width, but in practice I find
that a breadth of about one inch and a half and a length of nine inches
answers best for using the "feeder" either from the top of the grate or
through the front bars.
To enable my Invention to be more fully understood, I will now
proceed to particularly describe the same by reference to the accompany-
ing Drawing, in which Figure 1 shews a front elevation, Figure 2 a
plan, and Figure 3 a section of a lateral feeding stock holding grate
constructed according to my Invention. Similar letters in all the
Figures represent similar parts.
R, R, are the receptacles; E, E, the apertures from the receptacles to
the grate; D, D, the doors through which the receptacles are filled with
coals when fixed in the same room over the mantelpiece; G, G, shew
the doors fixed in a room above; C, Figure 3, shews the same as fixed
in a room at the back; Figure 4 shews the flat side of the "feeder " I
prefer employing; and Figure 5, edge view of the same.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is performed, I would have it understood that what I
claim as my Invention is, the constructing, arranging, and using
domestic and other fire-grates so as to effect the lateral feeding with or

page_text: without stock holding, in the manner substantially as shewn and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrea Crestadoro, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
A. CRESTADORO. (L.S.)