IMPROVEMENTS IN ASH PANS FOR FIRE-GRATES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Langham, of Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASH PANS FOR
FIRE-GRATES."
Scaled the 27th July 1869, and dated the 19th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Langham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,. on the
19th May 1869.
I, JOHN LANGHAM, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASH PANS
FOR FIRE-GRATES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to so construct ash pans for
fire-grates that the cinders and ashes falling from a firc-grate may
readily be separated from one another, and the cinders be again put on
to the fire to be burnt. For this purpose I employ a moveable ash pan
such as now commonly used to receive the ashes from a fire-grate, and
within this ash pan, and fitting closely to the sides thereof, I place a
sifter or riddle with a perforated or openwork bottom, which is kept a

page_text: slight distance above the bottom of the ash pan to allow the ashes which
pass through the riddle to accumulate in the ash pan beneath it. The
ash pan I prefer to form to project for some distance in front of the fire,
as is now commonly the case, and the front portion of the sifter or
riddle which fits within it I close over with a covering plate, and at the
rear of this covering plate I supply what I call a guard plate to compell
the cinders and ashes falling from a fire to fall into the sifter or riddle;
this guard plate stands up above the covering plate to a level slightly
above the fire-bars of the grato, and is about two inches in front of
them. The guard plato and covering plate together hide all the ashes
in the ash pan, so that the ashes from the fire are hiddon from view.
When a quantity of cinders and ashes have accumulated on the riddle
surfhoo of the ash pan the ashes may be separated from the cinders by
moving the ash pan quickly to and fro for a few times, which may be
facilitated by placing rollers on the under side of the pan. The riddle
or sifter may then by suitable handles be lifted out of the ash pan, and
be emptied on to the fire, whilst the ashes remain at the bottom of the
ash pan. The front portion of the riddle or sifter, which is beneath the
fire-bars, I also furnish with a cover, which may be placed over it at the
time the ash pan is to be rocked to and fro to separate the ashes from
the cinders, and by this means I prevent any dust from escaping..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Langham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jous
LANGHAM, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, sond greeting,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Langham, Her special licence that I, the
said John Langham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Langham, my executors, administrators, and
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

page_text: and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ircland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASH PANS FOR FIRE-GRATES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Langham, 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 oause the same to be filed in the
Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Langham, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what mauner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention has for its object to so construct ash pans for
fire-grates that the cinders and ashes falling from a fire-grate may
readily be separated from one another, and the cinders be again put on
to the fire to be burnt. For this purpose I employ a moveable ash
pan such as now commonly used to receive the ashes from a firc-
grate, and within this ash pan, and fitting closely to the sides thereof,
I place a sifter or riddle with a perforated or openwork bottom, which
is kept a slight distance above the bottom of the ash pan to allow the
ashes which pass through the riddle to accumulate in the ash pan
beneath it. The ash pan I prefer to form to project for some distance
in front of the fire, as is now commonly the case, and the front portion of
the sifter or riddle, which fits within it, I close over with a covering
plate, and at the rear of this covering plate I apply what I call a guard
plate to compel the cinders and ashes falling from a fire to fall on to the
sifter or riddle; this guard plate stands up above the covering plate to a
level slightly above the fire-bars at the bottom of the grate, and is about
two inches in front of them. The guard plate and covering plate
together hide all the ashes in the ash pan, so that the ashes from the fire
are hidden from view. When a quantity of cinders and ashes have
accumulatod on the riddle surface of the ash pan the ashes may be
separated from the cinders by moving the ash pan quickly to and fro
for a few times, which may be facilitated by placing rollers on the
under side of the pan. The riddle or sifter may then, by suitable
handles, be lifted out of the ash pan, and be emptied on to the fire,

page_text: whilst the ashes remain at the bottom of the ash pan. The back
portion of the riddle or sifter which is beneath the fire-bars I also
furnish with a cover, which may be placed over it at the time the
ash pan is to be rocked to and fro to separate the ashes from the
cinders, and by this means I prevent any dust from escaping.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood I have
shown in the annexed Drawings, in several views, ash pans constructed
according to my Invention.
What I claim is, the construction of ash pans for fire-grates,
substantially as above described and illustrated by the annexed
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Langham, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Fifteenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-ninc.