An Improved Coal Box.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1892
An Improved Coal Box.
A communication to me from HERMANN PROSKE and JOHANN PIETZKA, both of
Hohenzollern-Grube, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturers.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, 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 and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
The improved coal box, which forms the subject of the present invention may be
used as a receptacle for one or more day's supply of fuel for domestic use. The
box is filled away from the house by a coal dealer, and is delivered filled to a
suitable place in the house, where it replaces an emptied one.
The house servants have therefore only to remove the coal from the box as
required, with a shovel. The receptacle (as shewn in the accompanying drawing
which is in illustration of the invention) consists mainly of an under part u, a
hollow cylinder to rest in the same, a cylindrical cup c and a cover d.
The hollow cylinder (see Figure 2) contains a bottoin e at such a distance
from its lower edge corresponding with the height of the cup c.
The hollow cylinder has above a conical head, with a sliding door which closes
the opening in the head. The box is filled at the coal store of the dealer and is
closed with the slide, and delivered in the house.
The under part a (Figure 2) standing in a convenient position in the dwelling
house carries the cup e upon an inner round edge or flange h, the cup being closed
by the cover d. The cover d and the cup e are taken off, when the apparatus is
used, and the filled cylinder is inverted so that the bottom e comes uppermost,
and the cylinder is then set in the under part a the edge of the conical head
resting upon the ring (Figure 1). By opening the lateral lid or door of the
under part, and pulling open or removing the slide f, the fuel will fall into the
under part and can be taken away at will with a shovel through the opening of
the lid .
The cupe is set when in the room above the bottom e (Figure 1) and is closed
by the cover d, and into it are put the residues and ash of the fires, and other
rubbish, and the slide can also be put there.
The outside of the cylinder will, by use, receive blows and dents and acquire a
bad appearance outside, for which reason it is advisable to surround it when in
the dwelling house with an ornamental casing k. This casing k stands on an
outside ring upon the under part a. The ornamental casing can be used to
receive advertisements fixed upon it, which can be exchanged for others from time
to time.
The users of such receptacles are led in this way to notice such business
advertisements. As however the receptacles will always stand near a wall, which
will cover some part of the advertisements a contrivance is connected with the
outer casing k, so that by opening and closing the lid the casing will be turned
somewhat round. The ring of the under part is enlarged on the side of the lid i,
and in a slit in this enlargement is moveable à piece m, to which are pivotted the
two pawls n,, and the lever or rod o, the other end of which is pivotted to
the lid i, while the outer ends of the pawls n, n', are kept against the teeth of
the wheel upon the casing k, by the pressure of the springs p..
As soon as the lid i is lifted and opened, the lever or rod o will slide the piece m
in the slit toward the casing and the pawl n will turn the casing k somewhat,
while the other pawl will slide over the teeth.

page_text: The device will change therefore from the position shewn in Figure 5 to that in
Figure 6. By closing the lid i again, the pawl n' which is provided with a hooked
end will turn the casing k somewhat the same way whilst the pawl n will slide
over the teeth. In this way the advertisements will pass gradually from behind
to the front and so on. The space occupied by the receptacle is not larger than
that occupied. by an ordinary coal box or scuttle, and it is therefore not incon-
venient in houses, as compared with the constant refilling of the ordinary boxes,
and it saves the coal cellar or space for storing the fuel, the coal sack, and the ash,
dust, and rubbish holders.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. A receptacle for dwellings, consisting of a hollow cylinder b, with a bottom e
and a conical head, closeable by a slide f, which when filled with the fuel is placed
upon the under part a, in such manner, that the cup can be put on above and
closed with the cover d, while by removing the slide f, the fuel falls into the under-
part a and can be taken away, by opening the lid i, substantially as set forth.
2. The ornamental casing k, surrounding the receptacle and provided with a
toothed wheel, in which pawls n, n', are pressed by the springs p, so that they
turn the casing k round when the lid is opened and closed, all substantially as
specified and represented in the drawing.
Dated this 13th day of July 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.