IMPROVE MENTS IN FIRE-PLACES FOR DWELLINGS, AND IN ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION THERE WITH TO PROMOTE VENTILATION
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hocy, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN FIRE-PLACES FOR DWELLINGS, AND IN ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION
THERE WITH TO PROMOTE VENTILATION."
Scaled the 19th April 1870, and dated the 26th October 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hocy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th October 1869.
I, THOMAS HOEY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE PLACES FOR DWELLINGS. AND IN ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION
THEBEWITH TO PROMOTE VENTILATION," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention has principally for its object the promoting of an
efficacious and healthy ventilation in dwellings, and comprises certain
constructions of fire-place which whilst contributing to that end in some
modifications of the general arrangements are also in themselves
Price 8d.]

page_text: extremely economical in fuel, and on that account very suitable for
small dwellings.
In one modification the fire-place is of the close or semi-close kind,
the fire gases from which are led into the vent or chimney by a small
smoke pipe which induces a strong upward current or draught. The
smoke pipe projects up through a sheet iron throat plate which closes
the bottom of the vent, whilst a little above this throat plate there opens
into the vent an air passage crossing through the wall from the bottom
of a trunk or casing carried up inside the room nearly to the ceiling, and
which may be formed with an expanding mouth at the top. This trunk
acts as an inverted air siphon, and the foul air from the upper part of the
room passes by it into the vent, so that the air in the room is continually
changing whilst this takes place without the inconvenience of partial
draughts in the room.
In new houses the air siphon may be formed like a fluc in the wall,
and in some cases it may be led down under the grate of the fire-place.
In some cases also a similar inverted siphon may be provided for the
ingress of fresh air into the room, the air entering the siphon outside at
the top and issuing into the room from the bottom. These inlet and
outlet air siphons secure a continual changing of the air, and their action
may be regulated by valves or dampers.
The improved fire-place herein-before referred to as suitable for small
houses is designed to be set in brickwork, and comprises a fire-box with
a grating in front and with a pair of doors in front of the grating. A door
to turn open downwards on its bottom edge is provided above the
grating to admit air above the fire for checking the combustion when
desired. An ash box is formed below the fire-box with a closed bottom
and with a front sliding plate and fender rim. The fire-box is covered
by a hot plate, which also extends over a horizontal flue proceeding from
the top of the fire-box at one side round to the smoke pipe, which is
situated at the back and a little to one side. The hot plate is formed
with apertures for cooking vessels, one being by preference directly over
the fire, and another at the bend of the side flue, and in some cases an
oven may be set under the side fluc with spaces round it, and one or
more directing plates to cause the firc gases to pass round it when
required.
In practically carrying out the ventilating arrangements herein before
described it is intended to make air communications to a ahimpor

page_text: vent not only from the chamber in which the fire-place is situated, but
also from other chambers, bed compartments, or closets in the same
house, such communications being effected by means of flues formed in
the brickwork or of pipes, which flues or pipes may be severally fitted
with valves or dampers to regulate the amount of ventilation by each,
and which may be led directly into a vent in cases where the upward
draught therein is strong enough.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Hoey in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th April 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I, THOMAS
HOEY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Hoey, Her special licence that I,
the said Thomas Hoey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Thomas Hoey, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-PLACES FOR DWELLINGS,
PROMOTE VENTILATION,',
AND IN ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Hoey, 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 Thomas Hoey, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say;-
My said Invention has principally for its object the promoting of an
efficacious and healthy ventilation in dwellings, and also comprises
certain constructions of fire-place which whilst contributing to that end
in some modifications of the general arrangements are also in themselves
extremely economical in fuel, and on that account very suitable for
small dwellings.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a Sheet
of explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to, and representing
examples of my improved constructions and arrangements. The same
reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever
they are repeated.
Figure 1 is a vertical section; Figure 2 is a horizontal section; and
Figure 3 is a front elevation of one modification of my improved fire-
places. This fire-place 1 is of the close or semi-close kind, the fire
gases from it being led into the vent or chimney 2 by a small smoke
pipe 3 which induces a strong upward current or draught. The smoke
pipe 3 projects up through a sheet iron throat plate 4 which closes the
bottom of the vent 2, whilst a little above this throat plate 4 there
opens into the vent 2 an air passage 5 crossing through the wall 6 from
the bottom of a trunk or casing 7 carried up inside the room nearly to
the ceiling 8, and which may be formed with an expanding mouth at
the top. This trunk 7 acts as an inverted air siphon, and the foul air
from the upper part of the room passes by it into the vent 2, so that
the air in the room is continually changing whilst this takes place
without the inconvenience of partial draughts in the room. The siphon
like arrangement of the trunk 7 or air duct into the vent prevents
the entrance of smoke into the room from any ordinary down
draught.
In new houses the air siphon 7 may be formed like a flue in the wall 6,
and in some cases it may be led down under the grate 1 of the fire-place.
In some cases also a similar inverted siphon may be provided for the
ingress of fresh air into the room, the air entering the siphon outside at
the top and issuing into the room from the bottom, These inlet and

page_text: outlet air siphons secure a continual changing of the air, and their action
may be regulated by valves or dampers.
Figure 4 is a vertical section showing a modified arrangement of
outlet air siphon 7 in which a valve 9 is fitted in the siphon for re-
gulating its action, whilst a similar valve 10 is fitted in the smoke
pipe 3, and another 11 in a short duct or opening in the throat
plate 4.
When it is desired to have the operation of the ventilating arrange-
ments without the heating effects of a fire in the grate 1, as in the
summer time for example, it may be conveniently obtained by means of
the apparatus shown in vertical section in Figure 5. This apparatus
consists of a chafing dish or grate 12 for coke constructed in connection
with cast-iron fittings adapted to the bottom of the air trunk 7, and so
as to be capable of being drawn out over the mantelpiece 13 for the
purpose of putting in and lighting the coke. The grate 12 is within a
box which has formed in it a passage 14 leading from an opening in
front from a continuation of the air trunk 7, and admitting air to the
bottom of the grate, the quantity of such air being adjustable by a
valve 15 actuated by means of an external handle 16. Another external
handle 17 serves for adjusting a valve 9 in the continuation of the air
trunk passage 7, and the cross passage 5 from the bottom of this into the
flue 2 is led under the enclosed passage 14. With these arrangements
the ventilating action may be regulated with the greatest nicety, the
valve 15 serving to regulate the combustion in the grate 12, and as a
consequence the intensity of the draught in the flue 2.
My improved fire-place herein-before referred to as suitable for small
houses is designed to be set in brickwork 18 (Figures 1 and 2), and
comprises a grate or fire-box 1 with a grating 19 in front, and with a
pair of doors 20 in front of the grating and shown open in Figure 3. A
door 21 to turn open downwards on its bottom edge is provided above
the grating 19 to admit air above the fire for checking the combustion
when desired. An ash box 22 is formed below the fire-box 1 with a
closed bottom, and with a front sliding plate 23 and fender rim 24.
The fire-box 1 is covered by a hot plate 25, which also extends over a
horizontal flue 26 proceeding from the top of the fire-box 1 at the side
round to the smoke pipe 3, which is situated at the back and a little to
one side, as best seen in Figure 2. The hot plate 25 is formed with
apertures, as indicated by dotted circles in Figure 2, for cooking vessels,

page_text: one being by preference directly over the fire, and another at the bend
of the side flue 26. The part of the plate 25 directly over the fire can
be opened back on hinges when it is wished to make an open fire. In
some cases an oven may be set under the side flue 26 with spaces round
it, and one or more directing plates to cause the fire gases to pass round
it when required. In Figure 4 a slightly modified arrangement of the
grate 1 is shown, and in it a door 27 covering the front grating 19, but
with a slide in it for admitting air, is hinged to the front edge of the top
plate 25, and this again is hinged at the back, and both can be folded
back when required, thus making an open fire.
In practically carrying out my improved ventilating arrangements I
make air communications to a chimney or vent by means of an inverted
siphon, not only from the chamber in which the fire-place is situated,
but also from other chambers, bed compartments, or closets in the same
house, such communications being effected by means of flues formed in
the brickwork or of pipes, which flues or pipes may be severally fitted
with valves or dampers to regulate the amount of ventilation by each,
and which may be led directly into any vent in case the upward draught
therein is strong enough.
By way of illustration an example is given in Figures 6, 7, and 8
of the practical application of my improved arrangements in a case in
which a very large amount of dwelling accommodation has been got
into a very restricted space, whilst notwithstanding ample provision is
made for thorough and efficient ventilation and for all the various require-
ments and comforts desirable in family dwellings.
Figure 6 is a vertical section showing two dwellings, cach in two flats
with its own internal stairs; Figure 7 is a horizontal section as through
the upper flats of a series of eight dwellings; and Figure 8 is a horizontal
section of the corresponding lower flats. Each set of four dwellings is
entered from a separate passage 30 leading from a common stair landing
or entrance hall 31, and having at its further end a window 32 the lower
half of which is occupied with wire gauze or perforated metal to admit
fresh air. Doors are provided at the other ends of the passages, andare also
fitted with wire gauze or perforated metal. The fresh air has access to the
interiors by inlet air siphons 33 entering the tops of these and issuing from
the bottoms into the lower rooms of the dwellings through openings
which are by preference covered with wire gauze or perforated metal. The
stair opening 34 in each dwelling allows of the passage of the air into

page_text: the upper room, and there are also various openings under seats and beds
in the upper room for the passage of air, whilst the foul air leaves this
room by an outlet siphon 7 leading downwards and into the chimney or
vent 2, as indicated by dotted lines at the right-hand side of Figure 6.
A pipe or duct 35 communicates with the top of the outlet siphon 7,
and openings are made into this duct at various points.
The upper
room or floor of each dwelling is partitioned off with various sleeping
compartments or closets each with a door to secure privacy, and the
duct 35 allows of each compartment being ventilated separately and
independently.
Figures 9 and 10 are vertical sections at right angles to each other
showing further applications of my system, and may be taken to
represent the apartment of a dwelling used as a laundry. The fire-
place is in the form of a stove 36, and in connection with it there
is a closet 37 arranged for drying clothes. A casing is formed round
the stove with bottom inlets for air which air is heated and passes by
a pipe 38 to a space in the top of the closet 37. Thence the heated
air descends through a perforated diaphragm which distributes it, and
passes amongst the clothes to the bottom, whence it passes off by a
pipe 39 to the chimney 2. The apartment is also fitted with the outlet
air siphon 7 to lead off the foul air from the upper part, this siphon
having in connection with it a pipe or duct 35, which may be extended
as far as desired round the apartment and be made with inlets at any
points.
In new houses, as already stated, the outlet air siphon 7 may be
formed like a flue in the wall, and in a similar way ducts 35 in con-
nection with such siphons and extending round one room or into other
rooms may be formed in the walls; or where there is a cornice such
cornice may be made hollow to form the duct, and the inlet openings
into it may be the interstices of ornamental details. Where there are
thin partitions and in various other cases the duct may consist of cast-
iron casings, which will form a component part of and strengthen
the wall. The inlet air siphons may similarly be formed in the walls,
and in the case of lath and plaster partitions the space between a pair
of standards may be conveniently utilised as an air siphon.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated; but that what

page_text: I believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The constructing of fire-places for dwellings in the improved
manner substantially as herein-before described.
And, 2. The ventilating of dwellings by improved arrangements
substantially such as are herein-before described, and particularly the
using of outlet air siphons in connection with the chimneys either alone
or in combination with inlet air siphons.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hocy, have hereunto sct
my hand and scal, this Twenty-third day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
THOMAS HOEY. (L.S.)