IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STOVES AND FIRE PLACES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinand Greatrex of 34 Hillingdon Road Uxbridge
in the County of Middlesex Esquire for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF STOVES AND FIRE PLACES,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinand Greatrex at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th November 1882.
FERDINAND GREATREX, of 34 Hillingdon Road, Uxbridge, in the County of
Middlesex, Esquire, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STOVES AND
"
FIRE PLACES,"
My said invention has for its objects the prevention of smoke, economy in fuel,
and the production of greater heat from the combustion of fuel, in open fire
places, and kitchen ranges.
The means whereby I effect these improvements consist in producing a double
draught or current of air in and through the incandescent fuel, one current of air
being horizontal and the other vertical.
In addition to the ordinary vertical flue or chimney as usually constructed, I
form a short back vertical flue, parallel to and behind the ordinary flue. This
back flue commences on a level with the lower bars of the grate and extends
upwards to about the height of the chimney breast, where it terminates and enters
the ordinary flue, the two flues uniting at that point.
At the back of the grate, behind the burning fuel, there is an opening into the
back flue, about the width of the back of the grate. This opening induces the
horizontal current of air to pass through the fuel and enter the back flue, after
which this current ascends vertically and mixes with the currents in the ordinary
flue. The vertical current is of the ordinary kind, passing upwards through the
bottom of the grate and the fuel to the flue or chimney. The combination of these
two currents, one horizontal and the other vertical, forms the essential feature of
my invention, economy of fuel and the prevention of smoke resulting from such
arrangement.

page_text: In applying my said invention to kitchen ranges, I place a suitable boiler in
such a position that it forms the division between the back flue and the front flue,
and the brickwork or other equivalent is so set that the horizontal current from
the fire passes under the boiler, horizontally, round the backs, sides, and tops of the
ovens, and then into the back flue as before. The vertical current taking the
ordinary course.
I use smokeless fuel in my said improved fire places, except when the fire is being
lighted, when a little bituminous coal may be used. And by using gas fire lighters
the use of bituminous coal may be entirely dispensed with, and no soot will be
formed in the flues:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Ferdinand Greatrex in the 'Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd May 1883.
FERDINAND GREATREX of 34 Hillingdon Road Uxbridge in the County of
Middlesex Esquire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STOVES AND
FIRE PLACES
"
My said Invention has for its objects the prevention of smoke, economy in fuel,
and the production of greater heat from the combustion of fuel, in open fire places,
and kitchen ranges.
The means whereby I effect these improvements consist in producing a double
draught or two currents of air in and through the incandescent fuel, one curront of
air being horizontal and the other vertical.
In addition to the ordinary vertical flue or chimney as usually constructed, I
form a short back vertical flue, parallel to and behind the ordinary flue This
back flue commences on a level with the lower bars of the grate and extends
upwards to about the height of the chimney breast, whoro it terminates and enters
the ordinary shaft the two flues uniting at that point
At the back of the grate, behind the burning fuel, there is an opening into the
back flue about the width of the back of the grate. This opening induces the
horizontal current of air to pass through the fuel and enter the back flue, after
which the current ascends vertically and mixes with the currents in the ordinary
shaft. The vertical current is of the ordinary kind, passing upwards through the
bottom of the grate and the fuel to the chimney. The combination of these two
currents, one horizontal and the other vertical, forms the essential feature of my
Invention, economy of fuel greater heat, and the prevention of smoke resulting
from such arrangement.
In applying my said Invention to kitchen ranges I place a suitable boiler in
such a position that it forms the division between the back flue and the front flue,
and the brickwork or other equivalent is so set that the horizontal current from
the fire passes under the boiler, horizontally, round the backs, sides and tops of
the oven and then into the chimney shaft. The vertical current taking the
ordinary course
I use smokeless fuel in my said improved open fire places, except when the fire
is being lighted, when a little bituminous coal may be used. And by using gas
fire lighters the use of bituminous coal may be entirely dispensed with, and no soot
will be formed in the flues,
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood reference
is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of reference
indicate similar parts in the several figures
Fig: 1 is an elevation of a portable open fire kitchen range, and Fig: 2 is a plan
of the same. a is the fire place, b the boiler, c. o ovens, a the boiler supply pipe
and e the boiler cock.
The lower flue leads into flues right and left which traverse the ovens as herein
before mentioned and the gases, after parting with their heat to the ovens, enter
the uptakes ff which terminate at gg. The upper flue enters the middle
uptake h
The flues connected with the ovens are regulated by the dampers i. i where
they enter the auxiliary flues jj leading to ff and the centre flue is regulated by
the damper k
Fig 3 shews an arrangement of open fire kitchen range where no ovens are
used. is the upper flue leading into the uptake h, and m is the lower flue
leading into the uptake f., b is the boiler

page_text: Fig 4 shews my said Invention in section as adapted to open fire stoves in
sitting rooms. m is the lower flue and n is the upper flue, regulated by the
dampers i and k.
It is obvious that my said Invention may be adapted to all kinds of fire places
and to various kinds of furnaces for the purpose of effecting a more perfect com-
bustion of the fuel than hitherto has been practicable.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I claim:
The manufacture and use of stoves fitted or constructed with upper and lower
flues leading the spent gases by means of distinct and separated uptakes, into the
chimney shaft for the purposes and in manner substantially as herein before
described and shewn on the drawings, or any mere modification thereof
In witness whereof I the said Ferdinand Greatrex have hereunto set my
hand and seal the twenty first day of May in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three
FERDINAND GREATREX (L.S.)