Improvements in Cinder Sifters.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1896
Improvements in Cinder Sifters.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM HOWLETT, 26 Highgate, Cleethorpes, Tailor, 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 improved cinder sifter consists of a four sided frame, fitting into the open
top of a lower box. The box and frame may be made of any suitable wood or
metal, but wood answers very well. The top of the four sided frame is closed by
a hinged and well fitting lid, and a rack or the like may be provided for keeping
the lid up when open. Within the mouth of the frame is a hopper made of metal
or other suitable material and having an opening extending from one side of the
frame to the other. Below the hopper is a cylinder of perforated metal, wire
mesh or other suitable material. The cylinder has an opening from one end to
the other for the admission of the cinders and is closed by a door sliding in grooves
around each of the ends of the cylinder, and the door is fastened, when shut, by a
suitable catch. I also "weight" the cylinder so that when at rest the door in it
is always at the top. The cylinder is supported on a spindle passing axially
through it, and running in bearings provided in two sides of the frame for the
purpose and having a handle at one end by which it can be removed in the aforesaid
bearings. The diameter of the cylinder may be about equal to the distance from
the front of the frame to the back. Below the cylinder is a drawer of not less
capacity than the cylinder, sliding in from the front of the frame. I also provide
a fall down flap of wood, metal, or other material for closing the drawer opening
when the drawer is taken out and I make the drawer slide in sufficiently, so that
when entirely in, the flap shuts down flush with the front of the box. The flap
can be held up by a hook or the like and when down fastened by buttons or the
like. A ledge is provided all round the outside of the frame, near the bottom for
the purpose of resting on the top of the bottom box, the inside of which is of
same dimensions as the outside of the frame. The sifter is used as follows; The
flap is raised and hooked up, the drawer below the cylinder is removed, and the
opening closed by unhooking and letting fall the flap and buttoning it when down.
The lid of the frame is then raised and the door in the cylinder slid back. The
cinders are then put in through the hopper and fall into the cylinder through its
open side. The door of the cylinder is then closed and the lid of the frame shut
down. The handle is now turned and the dust falls into the lower box. The flap
is then unbuttoned, raised and hooked up, and the drawer inserted. The lid is
again raised and the door in the cylinder opened and on turning the handle the
cinders fall into drawer and can be taken away. When the button box is full of
dust it can be emptied by removing the frame.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood I make reference to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, but I do not confine myself to any precise
dimensions, relative proportions, conformations of parts or other details as any or
all of them may be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of my
invention.
Fig. 1 is a front view of the sifter, Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 a vertical section
through A B Fig. 1 assuming the lid to be raised and the flap opened.
a is the frame, fitting into the box b, c is the lid which can be kept open by
means of a rack or the like d. e is the hopper. f the perforated or meshed sifting

page_text: cylinder, the spindle passing axially through the cylinder and 2 the handle for
revolving the cylinder in the bearings g. is the lid of the cylinder which can be
slid back into grooves i, there being a groove at each end of the cylinder for the
purpose. is the flap which can be held up by hook l or buttoned down by the
button m. n is the drawer running on ledges o.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In sifters for cinders the combination consisting of an upper frame fitting into
the open end of a box: the upper frame being provided with a lid, hopper, sifting
cylinder, spindle and handle, drawer and flap or their equivalents, the whole acting
as and for the purposes set forth in the above Specification and exemplified in the
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 5th day of December 1895.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23 Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.