IMPROVE- MENTS IN FIRE GRATES
Year: 1884

page_text: I ROBERT HOLMES, of St Ann's Wharf, King Street, in the City of Norwich,
Corn Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRE GRATES" to be as follows:-
:-
My Invention consists of an arrangement for feeding the fire from below in such
manner that the fresh coals are inserted beneath those which are already partly
consumed so that the smoke arising from the fresh coal has to pass through the
incandescent coals and is thus consumed.
According to my Invention I place a pan or receptacle into which the coals are
to be fed under the grate and make the grid, or part of the grid, moveable and
reversible in such manner that it may be made to sweep the coals up from the
receptacle into the grate under the burning coals.
"
I make the receptacle in shape the sector of a horizontal cylinder, closed at the
ends. The grid or so much of the grid as I may desire to make moveable I place,
in suitable bearings and guides so that it may be drawn or made to slide forwards
horizontally or nearly horizontally from under the burning coals and then turned
over by passing the front part of it downwards and backwards until it is again
horizontal. When fuel is to be added to the fire it is to be placed in the receptacle,
the grid is then to be drawn forwards by means of a hook until the front of it
reaches nearly to the front part of the receptacle, the front of the grid is then to be
pressed downwards and backwards against the fuel in the receptacle which is thus
pushed backwards and upwards into the grate under the fire, and on the grid.
reaching the horizontal position it is secured by a suitable catch which prevents its
return It will be observed that the drawing forward of the grid allows some of
the burning coals to fall into the back of the receptacle on to the fresh coal, but
very little disturbance of the fire takes place as the burning coals generally adhere
together sufficiently to support themselves while the grid is withdrawn, so that only
a few loose pieces fall, and these are immediately returned as the contents of the
receptacle is pushed up by the grid.

page_text: Improvements in Fire Grates.
"
I, ROBERT HOLMES, of St Ann's Wharf, King Street, in the City of Norwich,
Corn Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRE GRATES and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
reference being had to the accompanying sheet of drawings forming part of this
my Specification and to the letters and figures marked thereon:-
-
My invention consists of an arrangement, hereinafter described, for feeding the
fire from below in such manner that the fresh coals are inserted beneath those
which are already partly consumed so that the smoke rising from the fresh coal has
to pass through the incandescent portion and is thus more or less completely
consumed.
According to my invention I place a pan or receptacle, into which the coals are
to be fed, under the grate, and make the grid, or part of the grid, moveable and
reversible, in such manner that it may be made to sweep the coals up from the
receptacle into the grate under the burning coals.
I make the receptacle in shape the sector of a horizontal cylinder, closed at the
ends. The grid, or so much of the grid as I may desire to make moveable, I place
in suitable bearings and guides so that it may be drawn, or made to slide forwards.
horizontally or nearly horizontally from under the burning coal and then be turned
over by passing the front part of it downwards and backwards until it is again
horizontal or otherwise in its proper position.
When fuel is to be added to the fire it is to be placed in the receptacle, the grid
is then to be drawn forwards by means of a hook until the front of it reaches nearly
to the front part of the receptacle, the front of the grid is then to be pressed down-
wards and backwards against the fuel in the receptacle which is thus pushed
backwards and upwards into the grate under the fire, and on the grid reaching the
horizontal or other proper position it is secured by a suitable catch which prevents
its return. It will be observed that the drawing forward of the grid sometimes
allows some of the burning coal to fall into the back of the receptacle on to the
fresh coal, but very little disturbance of the fire takes place as the burning coals
generally adhere together sufficiently to support themselves while the grid is with-
drawn, so that only a few loose pieces fall, and these are immediately returned as
the contents of the receptacle are pushed up by the grid.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, represent my invention as applied to an open fire grate;
. Fig. 1, is an elevation; Fig. 2, is a transverse vertical section taken on the
line Y, Y; Fig. 3, is a plan taken on the line X, X, and Fig. 4, is a plan of the
revolving bar and grid (the grid being represented in an intermediate position) and
an end elevation of the bar. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, represent a modification
of the above showing how ordinary grates already in use may be converted. Fig. 5,
is a plan of the underfeeding receptacle, revolving bar and reversible grid. Fig. 6,
a transverse vertical section. Fig. 7, a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 8, the
bottom bar and grid of an ordinary grate with the centre part cut away to make
.

page_text: room for the insertion of the underfeeding arrangement. Fig. 9, the ash pan.
Fig. 10, the ash pan and receptacle fitted together and Fig. 11, an ordinary grate
converted into an underfeeder by the adaptation of my apparatus thereto. Figs. 12,.
13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, represent my invention applied to a cooking range. Fig. 12,
is a section; Fig. 13, is a plan; Fig. 14, is a front elevation partly in section taken
on the line z, z; Fig. 15, is a full size sectional representation of the moveable grid
and the pivots supporting it and on which it moves; Fig. 16, is a side view of the
grid removed from its supports, and Fig. 17, a side elevation of the underfeeding
receptacle and attached parts.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, A, represents the receptacle, into the central part of which
the fresh fuel is fed from time to.time, and the parts of which beyond the cheeks
or divisions a, a, (which extend to the back of the receptacle) serve to receive the
ashes. B, is a revolving bar pierced with a longitudinal slot through and in which
the reversible grid C is made to work, studs c, c, project from the grid C and
prevent its slipping entirely out of the slotted bar B, the latter is made with
recesses into which the studs pass so as to let the grid pass home. The bar has
also two openings b, b, into which the hooked poker is introduced to hook the grid
in order to draw it forwards, this opening also serves for the insertion of the poker"
in order to revolve the bar B and reverse the grid, and the bar B may be pierced
with holes shown at b¹,.b, for the latter purpose.
A poker with rectangular hooks, of the shape shown at D, may be conveniently
used for the purpose; E, E, are small fixed grids one on each side of the reversible
one; J is a spring pawl or catch which takes into a ratchet forming part of the
bar B, having two or more inclined teeth as shown at k; F, represents the fire
brick back; G the ordinary fixed bars of the grate; H, H, are the usual sides of
the stove.
'In order to put more coal to the fire in a grate of this construction the coals must
be put into the central portion of the receptacle A, the hooked poker must then be
introduced into the opening b, and the grid hooked and drawn forwards from under
the burning coal until it projects in front of the bars very nearly to the front edge
of the receptacle. The grid is then pressed down on the coal in the receptacle and
the poker inserted into one or other of the holes b, b', and the bar turned round
until the coal has been driven up under that which was previously burning and
the grid is again horizontal.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, represent a modification of the foregoing and show
how ordinary grates already in use may be converted. The central part of the
ordinary lower bar of the grate is to be removed as shown in Fig. 8, being sawn
out, and that part of the fixed grid behind the opening so made being removed the
parts about to be described are inserted into the said opening. A, indicates the
receptacle for the fuel: B, the revolving bar carrying in its slot the reversible
grid C. This bar differs from that previously described and shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3
and 4, inasmuch as it is shorter and instead of turning on gudgeons resting in the
sides of the grate, is supported by and revolves on the ends or cheeks a', a', of the
receptacle A. c, c, are studs on the grid C; b, b, are openings in the bar B to admit
of the grid being hooked with the poker and to facilitate revolving the bar. The
reversible grid is retained in its horizontal position by a catch and spring L, taking
into recesses at the end of the bar B Fig. 9'; M, M, represents the ash pau made to
fit on both sides of the receptacle A, and to receive the ashes' which fall through
the fixed grids on each side of the reversible one. Fig. 10, is a plan showing the
ash pan fitted to the receptacle and Fig. 11, represents an ordinary grate to which
the underfeeding apparatus just described has been fitted.
Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, represent the arrangement of underfeeding
apparatus as applied to a cooking range. A, represents the underfeeding receptacle;
C, is a reversible grid which instead of being hung in a slotted revolving bar as in
the manner before described I hang on two points N, N, which points take into a
groove in the side of the grid C and one of which grooves is shown in Fig. 16,
and indicated by the letters Q, Q, extending nearly, but not quite, the entire length

page_text: of the grid from back to frout. The grid thus hung is free to be drawn forwards,
sliding on the points N, N, until they reach the ends of the groove when the front
part of the grid may be passed downwards and under, and the grid thus reversed.
turning on the points N, N, and sweeping up the fresh coal into the grate as
previously described. E', is a fixed grid supported in two lugs one of which is
shown at p, attached to or forming part of the cheeks or end of the receptacle A,
and resting at the back against the fire brick or other back of the range.
9, 9, represent the usual front pieces by means of which the underfeeding apparatus
is attached to the body of the range; r, r, are the ordinary front bars of the range
and & is the range door; t is a projection within the receptacle A, serving to support
the moveable grid and prevent its falling back. It rises obliquely on the under
side and terminates abruptly on the upper so that the moveable grid in passing it
is lifted by it slightly and then drops over the top of it into the position shown in
Fig. 12.
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. Constructing underfed grates with a reversible single grid substantially in the
manner and for the purpose set forth.
2. Converting ordinary grates into underfed grates by cutting away part of the
bottom bar and grid and inserting into the.space so made vacant the apparatus
hereinbefore described for that purpose as and in the manner shown in Figs. 5, 6,
7, 8, 9 and 10.