IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-GRATES OR STOVES, AND IN COOKING, BAKING, AND Heating ApparATUS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lewis, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Metallic Bedstead Manufacturer, for the Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-GRATES OR STOVES, AND IN COOKING, BAKING, AND
Heating ApparATUS.”
Sealed the 12th August 1873, and dated the 15th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Lewis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
"
15th February 1873.
I, JAMES LEWIS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Metallic Bedstead Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-GRATES OR STOVES, AND IN
COOKING, BAKING, AND HEATING APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
My improvements in fire-grates or stoves are as follows:-I construct
the frame of the fire-grate, that is the top and side plates, of a convex
figure instead of a concave figure as usual; so that when the grate is set

page_text: the said convex side and top plates project into the room, and the fire-
bars or great carried by them, instead of being in a recess some foot or
more from the wall of the room, projects by that distance into the room.
By thus constructing and setting the grate its heating qualities are
superior to those of the ordinary construction. A grate of this kind may
be converted into a stove by nearly closing the opening in the frame,
and burning therein combustible gas instead of solid fuel.
I make the bottoms of fire-grates capable of oscillating on a pivot or
centre for the purpose of readily removing the ash from the grate, and
for promoting the combustion of the fuel in the said grate. I make the
said oscillating grate bottom by preference of a nearly semicircular
figure, the front bars of the grate and the grate frame having a curved
figure to suit the figure of the said bottom. At the back of the oscil-
lating grate bottom and at the under side thereof is a hollow socket,
which socket works upon a fixed pivot or centre at the back of the fire-
place. The angle through which the oscillating grate bottom can move
is limited by shoulders at the back of the said bottom which abut against
stops at the back of the fire-place. The moving of the oscillating grato
bottom may be effected by a projecting handle at the front or otherwise.
In combination with the oscillating grate bottom I prefer to use with
the grate a series of fixed bars passing from the front to the back of the
grate, the said bars being situated a little above the bars of the oscil-
lating grate bottom. By this means, when the oscillating grate bottom
is moved the fire is effectually stirred up.
My improvements in cooking, baking, and heating apparatus consist:
in.constructing and arranging the parts in the following manner :-I
make the body of the apparatus circular, and provide it with a central
fire-place closed at top by a lid or cover. In the said fire-place solid or
gaseous fuel is burned. The said circular body is divided by radial flues
into a series of ovens or compartments, the fronts of which are furnished
with doors; the said flues open into the central closed fire-place
described. The heated air from the central fire-place is conducted by
the radial flues described to the tops of the several ovens, from whence
it circulates around the sides and bottoms of the ovens, and escapes to a
central flue below the central fire-place, the said central flue being in g
communication with a chimney.

page_text: I support the cooking and baking apparatus described on a vertical
support or column, the said apparatus being so mounted that it is
capable of rotating on the said column. By this means all the ovens
into which the apparatus is divided may in turn be brought to the front
of the opening in which the apparatus is set, so as to gain access to the
ovens. By this arrangement or combination of parts great compactness
is secured where a large number of ovens is required, and the heating of
the ovens is effected with great economy of fuel.
In order to combine with the apparatus described means for heating
water I provide the lid or cover closing the central fire-place with a
vessel or with coils of pipes which is or are filled with water. The
water in the said vessel or coils of pipes is heated by the heat of the
central fire-place, and the heated water is conducted therefrom by pipes
which are furnished with couplings, by which they may readily be
connected with and disconnected from the vessel or coils of pipes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Lewis in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th August 1878.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LEWIS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Metallic Bedstead
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Lewis, Her special
license that I, the said James Lewis, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Lewis, 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 I

page_text: FIRE-GRATES OR STOVES, AND IN COOKING, BAKING, AND HEATING APPARATUS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Lewis, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner 5
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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Lewis,. do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to 1
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say:-
My improvements in fire-grates or stoves are as follows:-I construct
the frame of the fire-grato, that is the top and side plates, of a convex
figure instead of a concave figure as usual, so that when the grate is set :
the said convex side and top plates project into the room, and the fire-bars
or grate carried by them, instead of being in a recess about a foot from
the wall of the room, projects by that distance into the room. A grate of
this kind may be converted into a stove by nearly closing the opening in
the frame, and burning therein combustiblo gas instead of solid fuel.
I make the bottoms of fire-grates capable of oscillating on a pivot or
centre for the purpose of readily removing the ash from the grate, and
for promoting the combustion of the fuel in the said grate. I make the
said oscillating grate bottom by preference of a nearly semicircular
figure, the front bars of the grate and the grate frame having a curved
figure to suit the figure of the said bottom. At the back of the
oscillating grate bottom and at the under side thereof is a hollow socket,
which socket works upon a fixed pivot or centre at the back of the fire-
place. The angle through which the oscillating grate bottom can move
is limited by shoulders at the back of the said bottom which abut
against stops at the back of the fire-place. The moving of the
oscillating grate bottom may be effected by a projecting handle at front
or otherwise.
My improvements in cooking, baking, and heating apparatus consist
in constructing and arranging the parts in the following manner :-I
"

page_text: fire-place closed at top by a lid or cover. In the said fire-place solid or
gaseous fuel is burned.
The said circular body is divided by radial flues
into a series of ovens or compartments, the fronts of which are furnished
with doors; the said flues open into the central closed fire-place
described. The heated air from the central fire-place is conducted by
the radial flues described to the tops of the several ovens, from whence
it circulates around the sides and bottoms of the ovens, and escapes to a
flue below the central firc-place; the said central flue being in communi-
cation with a chimney.
I support the cooking and baking apparatus described on a vertical
support or column, the said apparatus being so mounted that it is
capable of rotating on the said column. By this means all the ovens
into which the apparatus is divided may in turn be brought to the front
of the opening in which the apparatus is set, so as to gain access to the
ovens.
In order to combino with the apparatus described means for heating
water I provide the lid or cover closing the central fire-place with a.
vessel or with coils of pipes which is or are filled with water. The
water in the said vessel or coils of pipes is heated by the heat of the
central fire-place, and the heated water is conducted therefrom by pipes
which are furnished with couplings by which they may, readily be con-
nected with and disconnected from the vessel or coils of pipes.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation; Figure 2 in horizontal section;
and Figure 3 in vertical section a fire-grate constructed according to my
Invention.
T

page_text: The top and side plates of the frame of the grate are marked a, the
said plates having the convex figure represented. The said frame is
thus made to project into the room as will be understood by reference to
Figure 2, where the wall line is marked b. The fire-grate herein-after
described carried by the convex frame a is by this construction made to
project about a foot or nine inches from the wall 6 of the room, instead
of being situated in a recess in the room as usual. By thus constructing
the frame and setting the grate, the heating qualities of the grate are
superior to those of grates of the ordinary construction.
The fire-grate is constructed as follows:- The said fire-grate is
marked c, and has at its back a pivot or axis d, which works in the
bearing e³ carried by the back plate of the grate. The shape of the said
bearing is best seen in Figures 4 and 5. By means of the said pivot
or axis d the grate c is capable of oscillating and of being inverted, and
when inverted to bring that part which was undermost uppermost.
The said grate is furnished at top and bottom with plates or frames
of bars, marked respectively e and f, cither of the said plates serving at
pleasure as the grate bottom. The said plates e and fare connected
to the grate by the pins or centres e, f, upon which the said plates are
capable of turning in a horizontal plane. One of the plates fis shown
on a larger scale in Figure 6. h is a slot or recess in the back of the
frame of the grate, into which one of the plates e or f may be turned,
as represented. When tho parts of the grato are in the positions
represented in the Drawing the oscillating plate of bars marked e
constitutes the bottom plate of the grate, the plate fat the top of the
grate being turned aside into the slot h, so as to open the top of the
grate. The two plates or frames of bars e, f, are prevented from
turning on their centres e, f, during the oscillating or inverting of the
grate on its pivot or axis d by means of the bearing plate 9, against
which the back edges of the said plates e, f, bear.
The grate is used in the following way: When the grate requires to
bo fed with fuel fresh fuel is placed upon the burning fuel, as usual.
The oscillating plate or frame of bars ƒ at the top of the grate
is now turned or brought over the grate so as to close it at top, and
the grate is next turned on its pivot d so as to invert it. By this
means the plate e which was at the bottom of the grate is now at the

page_text: top, and by turning the top plate aside into the recess h the parts
assume the relative positions represented in the Drawing. By thus
inverting the grate the heated or burning fuel at bottom is brought
uppermost and the smoke from the lower portion of fuel in the grate
passing through the burning fuel at top is consumed. By giving
the grate an oscillating motion about the centre or pivot d, the ash is
removed from the fire between the bars of the bottom plate, and
combustion thereby promoted. By giving motion to the oscillating
bottom plate of the grate the ash may be removed therefrom without
giving an oscillating motion to the whole grate, and the combustion of
the fuel thereby promoted. The oscillating grate bottom may be moved
by a handle at front, or by a poker, or otherwise.
The oscillating grate bottom may be applied to ordinary or stationary
grates as well as to grates constructed in the manner described and
illustrated in the Drawing.
Figure 7 represents in front elevation, Figure 8 in plan, Figure 9
in vertical section, and Figure 10 in horizontal section, a compound
cooking, baking, and heating apparatus, the parts of which are
constructed and arranged according to my Invention. The vertical
section, Figure 9, is taken on the line a, b, of Figure 8, and the
horizontal section, Figure 10, is taken on the line c, d, of Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a vertical section of a portion of the apparatus taken
in a direction at right angles to that in which the section Figure 9 is
taken.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 7 to
11, both inclusive.
e is the central fire-place of the apparatus circular in cross section,
the said fire-place being closed at top by the lid or cover f. Concentric
with the fire-place is the circular body of the apparatus, which said
body is divided by radial partitions at g into a series of ovens marked h,
each oven being furnished with a door /³. The compartment marked i
of the apparatus is open at front, and through this open part access is
gained to the central fire-place e for lighting the fire and supplying fuel
to the fire. The apparatus is supported and works upon the fixed
support or circular base k, carried by the feet or legs 1, the said apparatus
being capable of rotating on the said support by means of a V-shaped

page_text: /
annular projection 7 on the under side of the said apparatus, taking into
a V shaped annular groove m in the support kas represented. In order
to reduce the friction of the apparatus when rotated, the point of the
projection may be supported upon antifriction rollers. One of these
rollers is shown in Figure 7. The grate bottom n of the central fire- 5
place e is secured to the fixed base or support k, while, the sides of the
said fire-place are connected to and travel with the rotating body of the
apparatus. The grate bottom n is carried by the screw p. working
through a screw box q² in the base k. The said screw p is turned by a
hand wheel as represented. By turning the said screw the grate bottom n 1
may be raised or lowered in the fire-place.e, and the fire spaco diminished
or increased at pleasure. By means of the fixed cross bar "passing
through an eye, or otherwise fixed on the top of the screw p, the firo in
the grate is stirred up when the apparatus is rotated.
8
The fire and heated air from the central fire-place e are made to heat 1
the ovens & in the following way :-The fire ascending to the top of the
fire-place e passes along the horizontal top flues ³ of the ovens down
the side vertical flues * between the ovens and along the bottom hori-
zontal flues h³. From the said bottom flues h³ the fire passes into the
annular flue & in the fixed base or support k, and from thence to the 2
flue & beneath the central fire-place e, the said flue s² being in communi-
cation with an ordinary chimney. The flues & and are best seen in
Figure 11, and the manner in which the fire is conducted from the
central fire-place e around the ovens so as to heat them is best seen in
Figures 9 and 10. In Figure 9 the direction of the current of heated 2
air is indicated by arrows. Besides being heated by the circulation of
heat about them in the manner described the ovens are also heated by
the heated sides of the fire-place e. The space or compartment i through
which the central fire-place e is fed with fuel may be closed by the
hinged doors, 2, and the draught through the fire may be regulated a
by the hinged doors e³, e³. The top of the apparatus is furnished with
holes at t, into which cooking vessels are placed. These holes are closed
when not in use by plates of the ordinary kind. When it is wished to
use the heat from the fire in the fire-place e to roast joints or other food,
the doors, ², are opened as represented, and the joint or food is sup- 3
ported in the recess i. The top of the recess i is in this case closed by a
plate. When roasting the food in the recess i, the circular well of a

page_text: dripping pan is dropped into the circular opening at u.
is closed when not required by a plate.
The opening "
Instead of using solid fuel to heat the apparatus combustible gas may
be employed.
By rotating the apparatus cach of the ovens h, h, into which the
apparatus is divided, may in its turn be brought to the front of the
opening or recess in which the apparatus is set, so as to gain access to
the said ovens for placing and examining the food in and removing the
cooked food from the said ovens. By this arrangement or combination
of parts great compactness and facility in use are secured where a largo
number of ovens is required, and the heating of the ovens is effected
with great economy of fuel. The lid or cover f of the fire-place e may
be removed, and a vessel or steamer for cooking food may be put in its
place; or a vessel for heating water may be placed at the top of the
said fire-place, the water in the said vessel being conducted therefrom
by pipes, as hercin-before described. The pipes connecting the flue **
with the chimney may pass through the hot water cistern w for heating
the water therein. A pipe may be placed in one of the openings tat
the top of the apparatus for increasing the draught of the fire-place
when the fire is first lighted.
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 do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and
illustrated, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention,―
•
First. Constructing the frames or the top and side plates of fire-grates
or stoves of a convex figure, so that when the grate is set the said
convex top and side plates and the fire-bars or grate carried by them
may project into the room, as herein-before described, and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Making the bottoms of fire-grates or fire-grates and their
bottoms oscillate or turn upon pivots or axes for readily removing the
ash from the grate for promoting the combustion of the fuel and con-
suming smoke, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in
5 Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Thirdly. The construction and combination of parts of apparatus for
cooking, baking, and heating, substantially as herein-before described
and illustrated in Figures 7 to 11, both inclusive, of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Lewis, have hereunto set 5
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
JAMES LEWIS. (L.S.)