An Improvement applicable to Fireplaces and Grates for Dwelling Houses and other Buildings.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1892-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
COMT LEID DIBUITIVATIO
An Improvement applicable to Fireplaces and Grates for Dwelling
Houses and other Buildings.
I LIONEL CRESSWELL of Fagley House Eccleshill in the County of York
Barrister-at-Law of the Middle Temple, 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 relates to appliances and apparatus which may be used in connection
with fire-places in dwelling houses and other buildings for the prevention of the
outbreak of fire.
The chief object of my invention is to afford an efficient protection against the
escape of live coals red hot cinders or sparks from the fire and grate into the room,
an accident frequently causing ignition of hearthrugs carpets mantel hangings and
other highly combustible furnishings to the destruction of property and endangering
of human life, notably when the people of the house have retired for the night
leaving unextinguished fires in the grates or at other times when fires have to be
left alight but unguarded.
Incidentally my invention is also an efficient remedy for the complaint known as
smoky chimneys caused by contrary down draughts forcing volumes of smoke and
coal fumes out into the room occasioning much discomfort to any persons happening
to be present and defiling the furniture of the apartment; and is also an efficient
means of kindling fires expeditiously or drawing up fires which have burnt low and
also of preventing the egress of fallen soot onto the hearth during any temporary
discontinuance of fires as in summer.
According to my invention I take an automatic or self-checking spring or ratchet
roller made of light metal tubing (though one without springs or ratchets worked
by the ordinary cord or handle system will answer also) which I adjust in brackets
affixed to the fireplace. On this roller I fasten in any convenient way as by sewing
around, a piece of fireproof flexible material asbestos cloth preferably on account of
its absolute incombustibility, of sufficient length to reach completely to the
hearthstone or tiles and of sufficient width to cover over all to prevent the escape
of any of the contents of the grate and to exclude draught. The length and width
of the blind will vary with the design and dimensions of each fireplace to which it
may be applied. Along the bottom of the blind I fasten a light metal lath as a
stay to prevent its becoming disarranged and to ensure its hanging neatly in position
when drawn.
Along the side edges of the blind I make eyes or button holes to fasten on hooks
buttons or studs fixed to the fireplace for the like purpose of neatness and also to
prevent any accidental rolling up of the blind when drawn from improper working
of the spring rollers when they are used. I also hide the roller and blind when
rolled up with a neat cover or shield of thin metal fixed to the fireplace just above
the roller thus preventing all unsightliness should the blind become dirty or
discoloured.
The material I use for the blind is preferably a fine asbestos cloth specially
woven of strong yarn but for the sake of additional strength and durability wire
woven asbestos cloth, may be employed, that is, cloth woven of yarn having a fine
wire intertwisted or cloth composed in part only of wired yarn may be used the
other part being ordinary yarn. The blind may be made of dyed material or
painted with some suitable fireproof preparation when it is desired to destroy its
porosity the more completely, to stop the passage of air, and may be ornamented
in such manner as best accords with the furnishings of the apartment and the taste
of the user.

page_text: Fig. 1 on the annexed drawing is an elevation of an ordinary domestic fire grate
with my invention applied thereto but with the shield or cover of the blind removed
a being the roller.
Fig. 2 is a similar view with the blind 6 fully drawn down and fixed with the
buttons c or other similar devices whereby the fire is completely cut off from the
room and the draught being almost or wholly stopped the fire becomes extinct in a
shorter time than would otherwise be the case and it is impossible for live coals or
red hot cinders or sparks or slaty coal to fly out and ignite any combustible
materials that may happen to be adjacent to the fireplace.
When the blind b is pulled down intermediate distances say in the first case, from
one third to one half the whole, smoking of the chimney will be stopped more or
less effectually, consequently the defilement of the furniture and hangings of the
room and the discomfort of any persons present will be obviated. In the second
case when pulled still lower somewhere between the top of the grate and the hearth
or tiles but not quite down a forced draught will be created which will quickly
cause a fire to become thoroughly ignited and when the fire is not required; the
blind fully drawn will act as a screen if suitably decorated, possessing the advantage
of preventing the egress of fallen soot onto the hearth by reason of its close fitting
nature.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The combination with a domestic or other fire grate of a roller blind of
asbestos cloth or other fire-proof flexible material substantially in the manner and
for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.
Secondly. I claim the construction and use of a spring or other roller blind of
asbestos cloth or other fireproof flexible material adapted to be applied to domestic
and other fire grates substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 12th day of May 1892.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.