IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-GRATES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James McOwen, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, Iron and Brass Founder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIRE-GRATES."
Sealed the 26th November 1867, and dated the 4th June 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James McOwen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th.
June 1867.
I, JAMES MCOWEN, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Iron and
Brass Founder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-GRATES," to be as follows:-
The improvements consist in the application and use of a box, the top of
which is a fine grate for the fire to rest upon, and the bottom is a coarse
grate; in the box between the grates I place a sliding valve which can be
opened or closed at pleasure; by this means more or less air can be supplied
to the fire by opening or closing this valve, and thus the quantity of coal
consumed can be regulated according to requirements, and thereby cause a
great saving of coal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James McOwen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd December 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MOWEN, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Iron and Brass Founder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James McOwen, Her special license that I, the said James McOwen,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
McOwen, my executors, administrators, or 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 IN
FIRE-GRATES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
McOwen, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner 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 immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James M°Owen, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
In house fire-grates of the usual construction there is a grate on which the
fire rests, and through which the ashes drop.
Now the nature of my Invention consists in the application and use of two
grates, the top one of which is a fine grate for the fire to rest upon and the
bottom one is a coarse grate, and between or under the gratés I place a
sliding valve which can be opened or closed at pleasure; by this means more
or less air can be supplied to the fire by opening or closing this valve.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the accompanying Drawing.

page_text: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a box, the top of which is a fine grate and
the bottom a coarse grate; Figures 2 is a longitudinal section; Figure 3, a
cross section, and Figure 4 a plan.
a is the box, in the top of which are the fine grate bars a' which support
the fire; these bars are V-shaped on the top so as to allow the air to distribute
itself over the fire, and are tapered off on the under side so as to allow the
ashes to fall without obstruction; in the bottom of the box are the grate bars a²;
in the box between the grate a¹ and a³ is the sliding valve b, the bars of which
', see Figure 2, which are V-shaped on the top side, so that the ashes will
not rest on them, are shown over the grate bars a³, so that the spaces between
the bars as are open for the passage of air or ashes, but if the value be moved
in the direction shown by the arrow until the end bar 6' touches the end of
the box the bars b¹ on the valve will be over the spaces between the bars a²,
and the passage for air or ashes will be cut off; instead of the valve b being
above the coarse bars a³, as shown, it may be placed under them. The valve b
is moved by means of the plate c, see Figure 3, which has a stud d cast on it
which takes hold of an ear east on the valve b, so that by moving the plate c
you move the valve b, and by this means the valve b may be opened more or
less as required. These boxes are made of different lengths and widths so as
to fit into different sizes of fire ranges. The box is placed in the old grate
when the fire is made on the top of the box in the ordinary way.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the details herein set forth, as many variations may be made in the same; but
what I claim as my Invention of improvements in house fire-grates is,―
1st, the application and use of two grates between or under which is a valve
to regulate the admission of air.
2nd, the application and use of the grate bars a¹ made as shewn and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James McOwen, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
(L.S.) JAMES MCOWEN.