Improvements in Fire-guards or Fenders.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1893
Improvements in Fire-guards or Fenders.
I, GEORGE GATton Melhuish HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Civil Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention (a communication to me from Robert William Wyett, of
Yarram Yarram, in the Colony of Victoria, Accountant,) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved fire-guard or fender, which is light and
inexpensive to manufacture.
The improved fire-guard or fender has a flexible web which can be rolled up
into small compass when the fire-guard is not required. It can be conveniently
employed where an ordinary fire-guard or fender requiring floor-space and taking
up a different position relatively to the fire-place could not be used.
The flexible web of the fire-guard is connected to and when not extended is
coiled upon a drum or barrel furnished with an internal spring. The unrolling of the
web tightens the spring; the rolling up of the web being effected by the reaction
of the said spring. One end of the spring is attached to a rod passing through
the barrel the other end being secured to the barrel itself. Projecting from the
guard at the barrel end are two brackets, which fit into and can be removed from
sockets secured to the side of the fire-place. Ou a vertical rod at the other end
of the guard are eyes or other means adapted to engage with hooks at the side of
the fire-place so as to keep that end of the extended guard in position.
The web may be made of straight bars linked or of spirally-woven wire. Or the
hollow barrel and internal spring may be dispensed with and a plain rod employed
instead; the web itself being furnished with one or more springs in the form of
steel bands which are normally coiled, thus ensuring the compact and automatic
rolling up of the fire-guard when the same is not required for use.
The edges of the web are finished off in a manner which does not interfere with
the rolling up of the fire-guard. The edgings preferred are flexible bands, coiled
wires or chains.
The rod passing through the barrel may have one of the brackets made integral
with it; the other bracket consisting of a separate piece slipped on the rod and
retained in position by a nut. Or, both brackets may be separate pieces.
Any appropriate alternative mode of fixing the guard to the fire-place may be
used, and the rod may have any suitable attachments on or modifications in the
shape of its ends accordingly. For instance, two eyes on each end of the guard
taking into hooks or pins projecting from the fire-place could be employed. The
flexible guard may be permanently fixed, if preferred.
Dated the 29th day of June 1893.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire-guards or Fenders.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Civil Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention (a communication to me from Robert William Wyett,
of Yarram Yarram, in the Colony of Victoria, Accountant,) and in what manner
DO17

page_text: the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved fire-guard or fender, which is light and
inexpensive to manufacture.
The improved fire-guard or fender has a flexible web which can be rolled up into
small compass when the fire-guard is not required for use. It can be conveniently
employed where an ordinary fire-guard or fender needing floor-space and taking
up a different position relatively to the fire-place could not be used.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of the improved fire-guard in its extended
position.
Fig. 2 shows the left-hand part of a modified form of guard in position in a
fire-place.
Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views representing flexible metallic webbing adapted
for use in carrying out'this invention.
In Fig. 1, the flexible web A of the fire-guard is connected to, and when not
extended is coiled upon, a drum or barrel B furnished with an internal spring C.
The unrolling of the web tightens the spring; the rolling up of the web being
effected by the reaction of the said spring. One end of the spring is attached to a
rod D passing through the spring and barrel; the other end of the spring being
secured to the barrel itself.
Attached to the ends of the rod D are hooks E which fit into and can be removed
from sockets or eyes F secured to the side of the fire-place. On a rod M at the
other end of the guard are hooks G adapted to engage with sockets or eyes N at
the other side of the fire-place so as to keep that end of the extended guard in
position; or the sockets or eyes may be on the guard and the hooks at the sides
of the fire-place.
The rod D may have one of the hooks Ę integral with it; the other hook being
a separate piece slipped on the end of the rod and retained in place by a nut or
otherwise. Or both hooks may be separately made, as shown in Fig. 1.
The web may be of woven wire as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, or of straight
bars P connected as in Figs. 3 and 4. Or the hollow barrel and internal spring
may be dispensed with, and a plain rod M' employed instead; the web itself being
furnished with one or more flat steel spiral springs K shown stretched out in Fig. 2,
and which, when released, reassume their spiral form, thus ensuring the compact
and automatic rolling up of the fire-guard when the same is not required
for use.
The edges of the web are finished off in a manner which does not interfere with
the rolling up of the fire-guard. The edgings preferred are a wire coil, such
as L in Fig. 1, a flexible band, such as J in Fig. 3, or a chain, such as O in
Figs. 2 and 4.
Any appropriate alternative mode of fixing the guard to the fire-place may be
used, and the rod may have any suitable attachments on or modifications in the
shape of its ends accordingly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved fire-guard or fender comprising a web made of flexible wire-
work or other suitable fire-proof material adapted to be rolled up when not required
for use, substantially as herein described.
2. The improved fire-guard or fender comprising a flexible web and a spring for
rolling up the same, substantially as herein described.
3. In a fire-guard or fender comprising a flexible web, the employment of spiral
wire as an edging to the web, substantially as described with special reference to
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a flexible fire-guard or fender, the employment of hooks and eyes or

page_text: equivalent means for holding the guard in its extended position in the fire-place,
substantially as herein described.
5. In a flexible fire-guard or fender, the combination, with the web A and the
barrel B, of the spring C, the rod D, and the hooks E, substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
6. The improved fire-guard or fender constructed substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 26th day of August 1893.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM.