IMPROVEMENTS. IN OB ADDITIONS TO ASH PANS, DUST RECEPTACLES OR DUST PREVENTERS FOR FIRE PLACES AND STOVES
Year: 1883

page_text: 'LETTERS PATENT to George Asher of Balsall Heath in the county of
Worcester Pattern Maker for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS. IN OB
ADDITIONS TO ASH PANS, DUST RECEPTACLES OR DUST PREVENTERS FOR FIRE
PLACES AND STOVES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Asher at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th October 1883.
GEORGE ASHER of Balsall Heath in the County of Worcester Pattern Maker
IMPROVEMENTS IN, OR ADDITIONS TO ASH PANS, DUST RECEPTACLES OR DUST
PREVENTERS FOR FIRE PLACES AND STOVES
Ash pans, dust receptacles or preventers of the ordinary construction consist of a
rectangular box or casing placed under the grate of a fire place or stove, and into
which the ashes and embers fall.
My Invention consists essentially in constructing arranging and combining ash
pans, dust or ember receptacles or dust preventers for fire places and stoves, so
that, there is produced and combined in one apparatus a dust receptacle, cinder
sifter and trivet or rest, whereby any object can be supported while exposed to the
action or influence of the fire to which it is or may be used.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a dust pan.
I form a rectangular box, pan or dust receptacle closed at bottom, and of any
convenient height or depth, according to the use to which it is to be applied, the
said box has side plates or wings at right angles to the box or pan which form
stops for limiting its position under the grate, and which also presents a broad
front thereto The front part of the box or pan is cut away for the purpose
hereinafter described.
A false bottom or moveable grating with inclined or hopper like front and sides,
fits upon the top of the said box or pan; The loose bottom consists essentially of
a frame of bars with intervening interstices forming a grating upon which the dust
and embers from the fire place fall, the said grating has provided at its opposite
ends trunnions or rocking centres which take and turn in suitable depressions in
the top edge of the dust box or pan.

page_text: By oscillating or imparting a to and fro movement to the grating by moving it
backward and forward upon its rocking centres, the dust and embers collected upon
its bars are separated, the shaking sifts or riddles the embers from the dust which
falls through the interstices of the grating to the bottom of the box or pan, while
the embers aro retained on the bars of the grating, which may be thrown upon the 5
fire if desired, by taking hold of a handle in front of the frame of the grating, and
so removing or raising it from the top of the box or pan. The front cut away
part of the box or pan beforo described allows the fitting in of the hopper front of
the frame and also provides sufficient space for the rocking or oscillating movement
of the grating.
A button or turn fixes the rocking grating when not so used as before described.
The box and grating may be made either of sheet, wrought or cast metal or of
sheet or cast metal combined.
My Invention consists further in constructing and arranging rests or trivets for
supporting objects placed or exposed in front of fire grates or places.
1
1
In front of and flush with the top hopper edge of the grating of a dust box, pan
or preventer, whether the bottom be open or closed; a bracket is situated, and
jointed to the top of this bracket, a pair of arms crossing each other after the
manner of a pair of scissors which open and close horizontally; so that when not
in use, they collapse or fold up into a front bar or rib on the front top edge of 2
the grating front and running parallel therewith. And when to be used as a rest,
the arms are opened out or expanded, presenting a broad surface upon which any
articlo required to be exposed to the influence of the fire to which it is or may be
presented or so used.
There is thus produced a dust pan for collecting the dust, a grating for riddling 2
the ombers from the dust and a rest or trivet as described, in one object or
apparatus, the last described arrangement may be used separately with the ordinary
ash pans or dust preventers if desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Asher in the Patent Office, on the 25th April 1884.
GEORGE ASHER of Balsall Heath, in the County of Worcester, Pattern Maker
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO ASH PANS DUST RECEPTACLES OR DUST
PREVENTERS FOR FIRE PLACES AND STOVES”
8
Ash pans, dust receptacles or preventers of the ordinary construction consist of a
rectangular box or casing placed under the grate of a fire place or stove, and into 3
which the ashes and embors fall.
My invention consists essentially in constructing arranging and combining ash
pans, dust or ember receptacles or dust preventers for fire places and stoves, so that
there is produced and combined in one apparatus a dust receptacle cinder sifter
and trivot or rest, whereby any object can be supported while exposed to the 4
action or influence of the fire to which it is or may be used.
I will describe my invention as applied to a dust pan
I form a rectangular box pan or dust receptacle closed at bottom, and of any
convenient height or depth according to the use to which it is to bo applied, the
Baid box has side plates or wings at right angles to the box or pan, which forme
stops for limiting its position under the grate, and which also presents a broad

page_text: 1
front thereto. The front part of the box or pan is cut away for the purpose
hereinafter
A false bottom or movable grating with inclined or hopper like front and sides,
fits upon the top of the said box or pan, the loose bottom consists essentially of a
frame of bars with intervening interstices, forming a grating upon which the dust
and embers from the fire place fall the said grating has provided at is opposite
ends, trunnions or rocking centres which take and turn in suitable depressions in
the top edge of the dust box or pan.
By oscillating or imparting a to and fro movement to the grating, by moving it
backward and forward upon its rocking centres, the dust and embers collected
upon its bars are separated, the shaking sifts or riddles the embers from the dust,
which falls through the interstices of the grating to the bottom of the box or pan,
while the embers are retained on the bars of the grating which may be thrown
upon the fire if desired by taking hold of a handle in front of the frame of the
grating, and so removing or raising it from the top of the box or pan. The front
cut away part of the box or pan before described, allows the fitting in of the
hopper front of the frame, and also provides sufficient space for the rocking or
oscillating movement of the grating.
A stop on the frame fixes the rocking grating when not so used as before
described.
The box and grating may be made either of sheet, wrought, or cast metal, or of
sheet and cast metal combined
My invention consists further in constructing and arranging rests or trivots for
supporting objects placed or exposed in front of fire grates or places.
In front of and flush with the top hopper edge of the grating of a dust box, pan
or preventer (whether the bottom be open or closed) a bracket is situated; and
jointed to the top of this bracket, a pair of arms crossing each other after the
manner of a pair of scissors open and close horizontally so that when not in use
they collapse or fold up into a front bar or rib on the top edge of the grating front
and running parallel therewith. And when the apparatus is to be used as a rest,
the arms are opened out or expanded presenting a broad surfaco, upon which any
article required to be exposed to the influence of the fire is placed.
There is thus produced a dust pan for collecting the dust, a grating, for
riddling the embers from the dust, and a rest or trivet as described in one object or
apparatus The last described arrangement may be used separately with ordinary
ash pans or dust preventers if desired.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to tho accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my invention may be carried into effect.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation a combined ash pan or dust receptacle
cinder sifter, and trivet constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical soction of the same.
Figure 3 represents a plan of Figure 1. the trivet arms being closed or collapsed
as when out of use. Figure 4, is the same view as Figure 3 with the trivet arms
expanded ready for use, Figure 5-shows an end elevation of figure 1, the dotted
lines representing the position which the cinder sifter takes when in the act of
sifting the ash from the embers deposited upon the bars. In Figure 6 the cinder
sifter is shown removed from the dust pan. Figuro 7 is a plan of the dust pan and
Figure 8 is a front view of the dust preventer partly broken off
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawings
a is a rectangular pan or dust receptacle for collecting the dust or dirt that has
passed through the open gratings b b b which form a permanent part of the
moveable top b, a² is an ornamental plate or front rivetted or otherwise affixed to
the front part of the dust box a The ends or wings of the plate or front a limits
or determines the position of the dust preventer under the grate
The hopper like top b is capable of turning upon trunnion like centres bª ¿ª at
opposite points as represented, in order that the part 6 carrying the grating bª may

page_text: rock or vibrate for separating the dust from the embers. And after the embers
have been thus sifted, the part b may be removed from the top of the box a by the
handle b and the embers thrown from off the bars if desired.
The framing of the trivet consists of two jointed rods or bars c c jointed at c³
and resting upon the bracket b' the said bars being jointed at or near their middles.
so as to be capable of opening out as represented at Figure 4.
When the combined apparatus is in use as that indicated in Figures 1, 2 3 and 4
of the accompanying Drawings the embers and dust falling through the bars of the
grate to which it is applied, is conducted to the grating or bars 6ª crossing the
movable and detachable part 6 The hopper like top 6 effectually conducting
the embers on to the said grating. By now oscillating or imparting a to and fro
movement to the grating by moving it backward and forward as represented in
dotted lines. Figure 5 upon its rocking centres b³ 63 which rests upon the curved
top as a³ of the front part a², the dust and embers collected upon the bars b' are
thus separated by the shaking or rocking of the movable grating, the dust falling
to the bottom of the pan a while the embers are collected on the bars b which may
be thrown upon the fire and reburned if desired, by taking hold of the handle b*
and removing or raising it from above the pan. as shown at Figure 6.
The affixing of the movable part b carrying the grating is effected by the part 67
engaging with the hook like stop and seat at of the frame a as bost seen in Figures
2, 6, 7 and 8
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention-
First Constructing arranging and combining ash pans, dust or ember
receptacles for fire places and stoves, as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to
say, a movable and detachable part b carrying a frame of bars or other
grating for the purpose and operating in the way as described and illustrated.
Secondly-A combined dust receptacle cinder sifter and trivet or rest as set
forth in the several figures of the Drawings
Thirdly A jointed trivet or rest with cross arms marked c¹ c² supported
upon the front of an ash pan or dust réceptacle as described and illustrated
whether the part marked b be fixed or movable
In witness whereof, I tho said George Asher have hereunto set my hand and seal
this twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred
and eighty four
Witness
HENRY SKERRETT
Patent Agent
6 Livery Street
Birmingham
GEORGE ASHER (LS.)