IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO STOVES OR FIRE-PLACES.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Large, of Lyneham, in the County of
Wilts, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO STOVES
OR FIRE-PLACES.".
Sealed the 10th March 1871, and dated the 14th September 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Large at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th September 1870.
I, JOHN LARGE, of Lyneham, in the County of Wilts, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS
TO STOVES OR FIRE-PLACES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to enable the front of stoves or fire-
places to be entirely or partially closed when required, so as to entirely
or partially shut off the communication between the fire and the apart-
ment in which the stove is fitted.

page_text: My Invention consists in fitting behind the upper part of the front
plate of the stove a vertical iron or other plate, which is free to be
drawn down so as to reach the hearth. This plate should be divided
horizontally into two or more plates (by preference two) which overlap
each other, so that when they are raised they may not occupy much
room in a vertical sense. The movable plates are provided with counter-
weights attached to them by chains or wire ropes passing over pulleys.
One of the plates has a knob or other device by which it is moved down
or up. In drawing this plate down, when it gets about halfway, pro-
jections on it catch corresponding projections on the other plate, so that
the second plate begins to move. The projections should be such as to
leave no openings between the plates for air to get in. When the fire is
burning and it is desired to put it out for the night, or at any other time,
it is only necessary to draw down the plates until the lower one reaches
the hearth; all draught or supply of air to the chimney will thus be
stopped and the fire no matter how fierce will be extinguished. If, on
the other hand, it is desired to revive a dull fire the first plate is drawn
down to about the level of the fire-bars, a better draught through the fire
is thus caused.
To prevent children or others drawing down the plates part of the way
and thereby creating a dangerous draught up the chimney, I provide the
plates with any suitable locking apparatus which can be released only by
a special key.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Large in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LARGE, of Lyneham, in the County of Wilts, send greeting.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Large, Her special licence that I, the
said John Large, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such

page_text: others as I, the said John Large, 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 OR ADDITIONS TO STOVES OR
FIRE-PLACES," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said John
Large, 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 John Large, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
The object of my Invention is to enable the front of stoves or fire-
places to be entirely or partially closed when required, so as to entirely
or partially shut off the communication between the fire and the apart-
ment in which the stove is fitted.
My Invention consists in fitting behind the upper part of the front
plate of the stove a vertical iron or other plate which is free to be drawn
down so as to reach the hearth. This plate should be divided hori
zontally into two or more plates (by preference two) which overlap each
other, so that when they are raised they may not occupy much room in
à vertical sense. The movable plates are provided with counterweights
attached to them by chains or wire ropes passing over pulleys. One of
the plates has a knob or other device by which it is moved down or up.
In drawing this plate down, when it gets about halfway, projections on it.
catch corresponding projections on the other plate, so that the second.
plate begins to move. The projections should be such as to leave no
openings between the plates for air to get in. When the fire is burning
and it is desired to put it out for the night, or at any other time, or if the
chimney should happen to catch fire, it is only necessary to draw down
the plates until the lower one reaches the hearth, all draught or supply

page_text: of air to the chimney will thus be stopped, and the fire no matter how
fierce will be extinguished. If on the other hand it is desired to revive
a dull fire the first plate is drawn down to about the level of the fire-
bars, a better draught through the fire is thus caused.
To prevent children or others drawing down the plates part of the way
and thereby creating a dangerous draught up the chimney, the plates.
may be provided with any suitable locking apparatus which can be
released only by a special key.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 a transverse section of a stove constructed according to my
Invention.
a is the fire-grate, and 6 is the front plate of the stove. Behind the
upper part of this plate 6 is a vertical plate composed of two pieces or
plates c and d, which overlap each other. Each of these plates is pro-
vided with counterweights e attached to them by chains or wire ropes f
passing over pulleys g. The plate c is provided with a loop or knob h,
by which it can be moved down or up as required. In drawing this
plate down when it gets about halfway a flange or projection i on its
upper part catches a corresponding flange or projection % on the lower
part of the other plate d, so that this plate d begins to move.
As before
explained, when it is desired to extinguish a fire in the grate, or if the
chimney has caught fire, it is only necessary to draw down the plates c, d,
until the plate c touches the hearth, so as to shut off the supply of air to
the chimney; and on the other hand when it is desired to revive a dull
fire the plate c is drawn down to about the level of the fire-bars. In
raising the plates c, d the plate c is first lifted about halfway by the loop
or knob h, and as the spindle of this knob then takes under the bottom
of the plate d the two plates are lifted together to the top. In the
Figures the lower plate c is shewn as drawn partly down, and the upper
plate d as up.
In banks, offices, or other places where it may be thought necessary to
adopt measures to prevent thieves entering the premises by the chimney
the plates c, d, may be secured in their lowest position by means of a
bar placed across the front of the stove, and having an aperture to
receive the loop h, the bar is then secured by a lock or otherwise.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, fitting

page_text: or providing stoves or fire-places with vertical plates which can be drawn
down to entirely or partially shut off the communication between the
fire and the apartment in which the stove or fire-place is situated,
substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Large, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-one.
JOHN LARGE. (L.Ś.)