IMPROVEMENTS IN BLOWERS OR DRAW PLATES FOR COOKING RANGE AND OTHER FIRE-GRATES
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Lines Chaffer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd August 1871.
I, GEORGE LINES CHAFFER, of Birmingham, in the County of War-
wick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLOWERS OR DRAW PLATES FOR COOKING RANGE AND OTHER
FIRE-GRATES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the construction and arrangement or com-
bination herein-after described of the parts of blowers or draw plates
for cooking range grates and other fire-grates. By the use of a blower
or draw plate constructed according to my Invention, the cooking range
or other fire-grate can be converted into an open grate or close grate at
pleasure.
In constructing a blower or draw plate according to my Invention
I make the said blower of three jointed plates or flaps, namely, of a top
plate or flap jointed to the top edge of the chimney opening in the grate
and two side plates or flaps jointed respectively to the sides of the said
chimney opening, the said side plates or flaps opening and closing after

page_text: the manner of folding doors. The top edges of the side flaps or plates
are inclined, and when the said side flaps are opened the top plate or
flap is supported upon the said inclined top edges. To the outer edge
or end of the top flap an arched flap is jointed, which arched flap
when the top flap is supported on the side flaps hangs in front of the
outer vertical edges of the said side flaps and partly closes the front
opening in the blower. In order to arrange the blower or draw plate in
front of the chimney opening in the grate and at the same time convert
the grate into an open fire-grate, the side plates or flaps of the blower
are turned outwards upon their hinges or joints and placed at right
angles to the back plate of the grate, the hinged top plate or flap is then
supported upon the open side flaps. A blower is thereby made to the
grate, the front opening in the said blower being contracted by the
hanging arched flap described of the top flap. In order to adjust the
depth of the opening in front of the blower for the purpose of regulating
the draught through the chimney, the front edges of the side flaps of
the blower are furnished with a series of steps or ledges, upon any pair
of which steps the bottom of the arched flap of the blower may be made
to rest. In this way the height of the arched flap of the blower may be
adjusted and the draught through the chimney thereby regulated. By
turning one or other of the side flaps outwards beyond a right angle the
width of the blower is increased, so as to trap or ensure the passing of
any oblique smoke from the fire into the blower. When the blower
is not required and it is wished to use the grate as a close grate, the side
flaps are turned inwards and the top flap made to lie flat upon the said
closed side flaps. The chimney opening is thereby completely closed.
The jointed edges of the top and side flaps of the blower are furnished
with inner beadings or strips which when the blower is in its closed or
collapsed state form smoke-tight junctions between the chimney opening
and the parts of the blower. One or both of the side flaps may be
thrown back when it is required to use a greater extent of the hot plate
than can be used when the flaps are at right angles to the back plate.