IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING DOWN-DRAUGHT IN CHIMNEYS
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 9th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 10th June, 1887.
I, JULES DE BAERE of St. Wilfreds, Shoreham Street Sheffield, in the County of
York Priest do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING DOWN-DRAUGHT IN CHIMNEYS to be as follows :-
My invention has for its object to prevent or cure smoky chimneys, by means of an
apparatus for stopping the down-draught.
It consists (broadly speaking) of a box or casing of any suitable material, made
double the width of the chimney flue or thereabouts, and of any desired depth; in the
top and bottom, an opening is made near the back of the case, corresponding with the
opening or flue of the chimney.
Midway between the two openings a horizontally placed stop plate projects from the
back of the case, halfway or so across the interior of the case, so as to offer resistance
to and stop any vertical current of cold air between the top and bottom openings
before described.
As the stop plate however only projects halfway across the width of the case, there is
a passage for the smoke and heated products of combustion to pass round the stop
plate and so up the chimney.
In order to permit the chimney to be readily swept, I make the stop plate in the
form of a trap door so that it can be raised and turned back against the front of
the case, and a small door may be provided in the casing by means of which the stop
plate may be replaced in position, and the interior of the case be cleaned, or the
IP 871

page_text: stop plate may be lowered by other means, such as its own axis projecting through the
side of the case.
In some cases it may be desirable to enlarge the box or casing, and to have two
projecting stop plates from the back and one from the front, its position being midway
between the others, thus forming a double bend in the current of smoke or heated
gases.
The shape of the casing may be varied to suit different situations, and I do not
confine myself as regards its position in the chimney, it is however built in the chimney
so that the openings correspond with the flue, and I prefer to place the apparatus near
the top or in the upper portion of the chimney.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Down-draught
in Chimneys.
I, JULES DE BAERE of St. Wilfreds, Shoreham Street Sheffield, in the County of
York Priest, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention of improvements in Apparatus or Appliances for preventing down-
draught in Chimneys with the object of preventing them smoking into the room
consists in the special construction, and arrangement of stop plates, valves, or baffle-
plates either placed in the flue of the Chimney, or in the Chimney-pot as preferred,
and made in the form of a complete detachable or separate apparatus, or fitted
separately to the chimney.
And in order that my invention may be clearly understood, I annex a sheet of
Drawings illustrating various ways in which the invention may be carried into practice;
the same letters of reference indicate the same or similar parts in any of the figures in
which they occur.
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of one of my apparatus with the front side
removed.
Fig. 2, is a side elevation of a similar apparatus as fixed in a chimney, with one
side removed.
Fig. 3, the same apparatus with the valve plates open.
Fig. 4, the apparatus as arranged for a chimney top.
Fig. 5, plan of apparatus when open.
Fig. 6, sectional elevation of apparatus in earthenware or terra cotta, with one valve,
and projecting ledge.
Fig. 7, earthenware Chimney Top.
Fig. 8, modified apparatus.
In carrying my invention into practice in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, I
make a box or casing such as A, to fit into an opening made in the side of the chimney
for the purpose, the casing may be made of any suitable material, such as cast iron,
or sheet iron or terra cotta and it may be supported in any suitable manner in the
required position.
The casing is open at the top and the bottom to correspond with the chimney opening
or flue.
In the interior of the casing I arrange one or more valves or baffle-plates B,
supported upon a hinge pin C, upon which the plate can be turned or raised from the
position shown in Fig. 2, to that shown in Fig. 3.
These plates are made to extend partly across the opening of the casing--and where
two or more are used they are placed alternately on opposite sides of the casing as
shown.

page_text: These baffle plates may be supported in the position shown in Fig. 2, by the lower
edge of the plate coming in contact with the wall of the casing, but I prefer to use
projecting ledges D, upon the inner sides of the casing which afford a better means of
support.
The top edge of the baffle plate is curved for two purposes, first to deflect any
current of air coming down the chimney, and second to allow the sweeps brush to be
readily withdrawn in the downward direction, when the plates are raised to the position
shown in Fig. 6; from the underside of the baffle plate depend two rods or prongs E,
placed near the edges of the plate; when the battle plates are raised by the sweeps
brush to the position shown in Fig. 3, the opening in the flue is similar to Fig. 5, but
when the brush is drawn down the expanded bristles catch upon the prongs and bring
down the plate to its original position.
It will thus be seen that by the arrangement of the baffle-plates, as described, a
bend or a series of bends is formed in the chimney or flue, each baffle plate being
constructed to stop and return any current of air descending the chimney, and
yet offering no impediment to the sweeps brush passing up or down in a vertical
direction.
In Fig. 4, I have shown its application to a casing, to be inserted into and rest upon
the top of a chimney, and in Fig. 7 to an earthenware Chimney-pot with or without
side outlets.
Fig. 6, represents an earthenware casing with one baffle plate, the front of the casing
is made to extend into the room and may be utilized as a shelf F, upon which things
may be placed to be kept warm; an opening is provided at G, for cleaning purposes,
which may be closed by a plate or door. I is a removable division plate.
Fig. 8, represents a modified arrangerment as made in earthenware, the object being
to obtain a larger bend; I therefore make the casing of larger size than the chimney
on one side, so that it projects beyond the flue or opening, and I construct a division
plate H, which is made removable for convenience in cleaning.
I am aware that diagonally placed plates have been proposed to be used in chimneys,
and therefore I do not make a claim for the use of such plates broadly, but :-
Having now fully and particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what way the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1-An apparatus for preventing down draught in Chimneys provided with hinged
baffle plates or valves, constructed with depending prongs, arranged substantially as
herein before described and illustrated.
2-In apparatus of any description for preventing down draught in Chimneys, the
use of hinged baffle plates having depending prongs or rods, for the purpose specified,
and acting in the manner substantially as hereinbefore described.
3-In apparatus for preventing down draught in Chimneys, the particular
arrangement and combination of parts marked, B, C, D, E, either with or without a
casing such as A.
4 The various apparatus for preventing down draught in Chimneys as illustrated
in the drawings from Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, and as herein before described.
Dated the 2nd day of May 1887.
ROBT. F. DRURY,
Agent for the Applicant.