IMPROVEMENTS IN KITCHEN RANGES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander MacPhail at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd October 1880.
ALEXANDER MACPHAIL, of 43, Cannon Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KITCHEN RANGES."
My Invention relates to improvements in the form and construction of kitchen
ranges, whereby fuel is economised, the smoke is consumed, and a larger amount of
radiated heat obtained therefrom than is the case with the kitchen ranges hitherto
made and used.
In carrying out my said Invention construct the horizontal or upright open
bars, fire box, or grate, to a kitchen range of a circular form, the bars radiating
from the centre and projecting entirely forwards from the body of the range.
body of the range contains the flues, ovens, boiler, and other parts common to such
ranges.
The
By this arrangement the heat is radiated from the entire length or circumference
of the fire grate, instead of from its front side alone, as in ordinary kitchen ranges,
and roasting or other cooking can be done on each side of the fire as well as in
front.
When horizontal fire bars are used I regulate the volume or capacity of my
improved fire grate to the amount of heat required by the employment of a
moveable false bottom or grating, one or more bars of which are passed between
the horizontal bars of the fire grate, and made to fit into slots or other convenient
devices for adjusting the false bottom to various heights.
The capacity of the fire grate may be still further diminished when desired by a
division plate, sliding centrally and vertically or otherwise as found most con-
venient, in order to confine the heat to one side only when it is not required to use
the whole of the range.

page_text: I also form the ash pan with a hopper projecting outwards, at the bottom of which
I insert a sliding plate below and in front of the draught bars in order to shut out
the draught, and thereby reduce the consumption of fuel, as desired.
To the fire grate I also fit a hinged blower made by preference in three double
parts in the form of folding doors. When all these doors are shut the entire grate
is enclosed, but when the false bottom or division plate is used all or any of these
doors may be closed or left open, as required.
I also surround the entrance of the flues of the said range with a series of small
bars, on the outer side of which I place wire gauze or netting for the purpose of
consuming the smoke, the whole forming a compact efficient and superior cooking
range.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander MacPhail in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th March 1881.
ALEXANDER MACPHAIL, of 43, Caunon Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KITCHEN RANGES."
My Invention relates to improvements in the form and construction of kitchen
ranges whereby fuel is economised, the smoke is consumed, and a larger amount of
radiated heat obtained therefrom than is the case with the kitchen ranges hitherto
made and used.
In carrying out my Invention I construct the horizontal or upright open bars,
fire box, or grate to a kitchen range of a circular form, the bars enclosing the fire
radiating from the centre and projecting entirely forwards from the body of the
range, which body contains the flues, ovens, boiler, and other parts common to such
ranges.
By this arrangement the heat is radiated from the entire length or circumference
of the fire grate instead of from its front side alone, as in ordinary kitchen ranges,
and roasting or other cooking can be done on each side of the fire as well as in
front.
When horizontal enclosing fire bars are used I regulate the volume or capacity of
my improved fire grate to the amount of heat required, by the employment of a
movable false bottom or grating, one or more bars of which are passed between
the horizontal bars of the fire grate, and made to fit into slots or other convenient
devices for adjusting the false bottom to various heights.
The capacity of the fire grate may be still further diminished when desired by
a division plate sliding centrally and vertically, or otherwise, as found most
convenient, in order to confine the heat to one side only when it is not required to
use the whole of the range. .
I also form the ash pan with a hopper projecting outwards, at the bottom of
which I insert a sliding plate below and in front of the draught bars in order to
shut out the draught, and thereby reduce the consumption of fuel, as desired.
To the fire grate I also fit a hinged blower made by preference, in three
double parts in the form of folding doors. When all these doors are shut the entire
grate is enclosed, but when the fulse bottom or division plate is used all or any of
these doors may be closed or left open, as required.
I also surround the entrance of the flues of the said range with a series of small
bars, on the outer side of which I place wire guaze or netting, for the purpose of
consuming the smoke, the whole forming a compact, efficient, and superior cooking
range.
And in order that my said Invention may be well understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer
to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, like letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in the respective Figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective front elevation of my improved kitchen range;
Figure 2 a sectional plan thereof, and Figure 3 a section on line 1, 2, in Figure 1.
a, a, represent the horizontal open bars enclosing the fire box and grate a¹, and
arranged in a circular form, radiating from the centre of the fire box, and projecting
forwards or outwards from the body of the range, as shewn. By this arrangement
the heat from the fire box is radiated from the entire projecting circumferential
surface or area of the latter instead of from a flat front surface only, as in
ordinary ranges. The body of the range contains the flues b, b', b, ovens c. c',
boiler d, and other parts common to kitchen ranges. The front sides of the
ovens c, c², or range are splayed or recede at an angle from each side of the bars a, a,

page_text: or fire box towards the sides of the range (see Figure 2), whereby the radiating
circumference of the projecting bars a, a, is greatly increased, and roasting or other
cooking can be done on each side of the fire as well as in front.
If desired, in lieu of arranging the bars a, a, horizontally and in a circular form,
they may be placed vertically, and with an elliptical or other shaped configuration,
producing a similar effect. When used horizontally as shewn, I regulate the
volume or capacity of the fire box to the amount of heat required by a false bottom
or grating e, as shewn in Figure 4, formed with two or more bars passed between
any two of the horizontal bars a, a, and across the fire box at such level, their
inner ends being supported by taking into slots or recesses in the inner wall of the
fire box, or the false bottom or grating e may be supported without such slots or
recesses, by forming the front or connecting rim or edge of its bars with lugs or
ribs which taking between the bars a, a, are confined or locked by the latter. Or
the false bottom or grating e may be supported in a horizontal position by a
combination of such devices, or in any other manner found most suitable. By its
use the height of the fire may be increased or diminished according to the degree
of heat desired.
f, g, is the ash pan formed conically or hopper shaped, its lower portion g, when
in its place (as seen in Figure 3) surrounding and closing the space beneath the
fire grate a', whilst its upper part f is enlarged or projects outwards, and is formed
internally with a circular web or ring i, the upper edge of which takes against the
bottom front edge of the fire grate a. Through this web or ring i are rectangular
or other shaped holes or openings j, opened or closed by a sliding plate which is
operated by a handle, or otherwise, so as to admit or exclude the draught to or from
the space h, and thereby regulate the consumption of fuel in the fire box, as
desired; k is a noveable grating placed across the lower portion of the ash pan,
and used or not, as desired, for separating the cinders dropping from the fire box
from the ashes which will fall through the grating k to the bottom of the ash
pan f, g. On removing or drawing out the latter from its place, the grating
be taken out and the cinders returned to the fire box.
can
Around the fire box front and bars a, a, hinged blowers are arranged in pairs
one above the other in the form of flaps or doors meeting in the middle and hinged
to the sides of the range, so that when closed or placed against the bars a, a, the
entire fire box is enclosed, and (the draught openings in the ash pan f, g, being
open) the action of the blower ensues; but on opening all or either of the Haps or
doors this action is more or less diminished. Or in lieu of hinged flaps or doors,
as here described, the blower may consist of a series of plates arranged vertically
and sliding horizontally or otherwise one over the other and into pockets at the
sides of the ovens, so as to cover or uncover the fire box front and bars a, a, as in
the former case.
At the back of the fire box, and close to the front of the boiler d, may be placed
a segmental or rectangular shaped box or flue m of cast iron or other suitable
material, closed at the back nearest the boiler d, and in the front, but open at its
bottom end, its top end being formed with a grate or series of holes, over or under
which is placed wire guaze or netting, by which arrangement the draught rising
from the space h, beneath the fire grate u¹, up the box or flue m is thereby heated
and passes through the grate or holes in the top of the latter and through the wire
guaze or netting, where it mixes with the gases in their passage to the boiler and
ovens, and, by so causing a more active combustion of the gases, the smoke is more
or less consumed, and increased heating power is obtained.
Suitable valves or dampers are provided for opening and closing the various
flues b, b', b, for regulating the heating of the ovens c, c¹, boiler d, and other parts
of the range, that is to say, when it is desired to heat one oven only, the dampers
on that side are opened, and those on the other side closed, the gases from the fire
box being thereby caused to circulate round the oven to be heated before escaping
into the uptake flue b*; and when not desired to heat either oven, or when required
to cause the fire to draw up quickly on first lighting, the two lower valves or

page_text: dampers are closed, and the gases pass directly over the top of the boiler & into
the uptake flue 62. In the latter case the grill fire box n, which is removable, is
lifted out, and the hole for the same through the hob is closed by a lid.
In lieu of supporting the portable hot closets o (Figure 1) directly on the hob at
the back of the range, as usually done, each of them is let into the open top of a
shallow rectangular trough p, which is again carried in the middle at the top of the
tube q, which is of the same shape as the hole in the hob over which the closet o is
usually placed, the lower end of the tube being formed where it is let into the
hole with a fillet or flange, which takes its bearing on the hob and firmly supports
the whole thereon. By this arrangement a space is left between the closet o and
hob, in which space saucepans or other utensils may be placed, thus economising
room and increasing the heating surface of the range.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. Making the front bars of the fire box and grate to a kitchen range of a
circular form projecting forwards from the body of the range, the front of which is
splayed or recedes at an angle from each side of the fire box, substantially as
and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly. The general combination and arrangement of range, substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander MacPhail, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty third day of March,
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
ALEXANDER MACPHAIL. (L.S.)