IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING RANGES OR KITCHENERS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Dow at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th September 1883.
DAVID DOW, of Falkirk, in the county of Stirling, "IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING
RANGES OR KITCHENERS,"
This Invention, which relates to cooking ranges or kitcheners, consists in certain
improvements in the construction and nude of working the fire cover and the
open and close fire arrangements of such ranges, the present Invention being
specially applicable in connection with the improvements in cooking ranges
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to the present applicant
and dated 19th March 1880 (Nº 1186).
According to the present Invention the "back strap," which forms the top of
the range immediately behind the fire cover, is made double, and consists of an
upper movable plate resting on the half checks or underlapping flanges as usual
and a lower plate fixed under these flanges and binding together the hob or top
plate of the range, an intermediate horizontal space being left between the plates
forming the double back strap. The fire cover is of about the same breadth
throughout as the back strap, and it rests as usual on the half checks in a position
corresponding to that of the upper part of the double back strap. A bevilled
joint is formed between the back of the fire cover and the upper back strap, and
when the open fire arrangement is to be used, the fire cover is pushed back in the
half checks as a guide, and it raises the upper back strap and takes its place. The
fire cover then rests in the space which is left between the upper and lower plates
of the back strap, and in this position it is protected from the flame of the open
fire which rises over the back strap and passes into the flue or hood behind and
above it. The upper back strap is held by a pin in the lower plate fitting a hole
in the upper plate to prevent it being displaced by the fire cover sliding under it,
but it is free to rise vertically. When the fire cover is pushed back, the fire gases

page_text: rise through the opening and escape through a hood or fire flue fitted behind, which
may be of any ordinary form. It is preferred however to fit the sliding fire cover
and movable back strap in combination with the form of open fire travelling flue
described in reference to Figure 6 of the Drawings in the Specification of Letters
Patent No 1186 of 1880. In this case the sliding fire cover is connected by a
chain or wire passing round a guide pulley on each side of the lower hack strap, to
the side of the travelling fire flue referred to, so that by drawing out the fire flue,
it acts through the chain on the fire cover and draws it back to leave the open
fire; and by drawing forward the fire cover to close the fire, the fire flue is drawn
back and closed. When the fire cover is drawn forward to cover the fire the loose
back strap falls into its place in the half checks and lies flush with the top plate
of the range. Instead of connecting the fire cover and travelling flue by chains
or wires, they may be connected by levers to effect the same purpose. The
arrangement of sliding fire cover described obviates the inconvenience of having
the cover lying loose on the range when it is removed to form an open fire, and it
is adapted for use with any ordinary open or close fire range; and when combined
as described with the open fire travelling flue referred to, it has the additional
advantage that the change from a close to an open fire or vice-versa can be effected
by simply drawing forward the travelling flue or the sliding fire cover.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said David Dow in the Patent Office on the 15th March 1884.
DAVID Dow, of Falkirk, in the. County of Stirling "IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING
RANGES OR KITCHENERS"
My said Invention, which relates to cooking ranges or kitcheners, consists in
certain improvements in the construction and mode of working the fire cover and
the open and close fire arrangements of such ranges, the present Invention being
specially applicable in connection with the improvements in cooking ranges
described in the Specification of Letters Patent, granted to me, and dated
19th March 1880 (N° 1,186)
The essential feature of the present Invention is that the fire cover and the
travelling flue are so connected that when the one is pushed back or pulled forward,.
the other is moved in the opposite direction. Thus when the fire cover is pushed
back to form the open fire arrangement of range, the sliding flue is by the same
action brought forward to the back edge of the fire opening, so that the products
of combustion arising from the fire pass into the flue to the chimney; and when
the fire cover is again drawn forward to close the fire opening, the travelling flue
is drawn back. The back strap is also arranged so that the fire cover in moving
back, raises it up and takes its place at the back of the range. The Invention
may be carried out in a number of different ways, several arrangements
being illustrated in the Drawings which I have appended for the purpose of
explaining my Invention.
1880
Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of an open and close fire range of the
type illustrated in the Specification of my former Patent N° 1186 March 19 already
referred to, and shows a mode of connecting the fire cover and travelling flue by
means of chains and pulleys. Figure 2 is a similar view showing a mode of forming
the connection by levers, and Figure 3 is a plan of the range as seen when the hob
is partly removed. Figures 4 to 13 show a number of ways of connecting the fire
cover and travelling fluo by levers, racks, and pinion toothed segments and
similar devices; and Figures 14 to 17 are detailed views of the back strap and
fire cover.
Referring to Figure 1 of the Drawings, the "back strap" which forms the top
of the range immediately behind the fire cover is made double, and consists of an
upper movable plate A resting on the half checks or underlapping flanges a as
usual, and a lower plate A' fixed under these flanges and binding together the hob
or top plate B of the range, an intermediate horizontal space being left between
the plates A, A, forming the double back strap. The fire cover C is of about the
same breadth throughout as the back strap A, A¹ and it r.sts as usual on the half
checks c in a position corresponding to that of the upper part of the double back
strap. A beveled joint b is formed between the back of the fire cover C and the
upper back strap A, and when the open fire arrangement is to be used, the fire
cover C is pushed back in the half checks c as a guide, and it raises the upper
back strap A and takes its place. The fire cover C then rests in the space between
the upper and lower plates A, A¹, of the back strap, formerly occupied by the
upper back strap A, and in this position it is protected from the flame of the open
fire which rises over the back strap A and passes into the flue or hood D behind
and above it. The upper back strap A is held by a pin e of triangular or form
in the lower plate A fitting a hole in the upper plate A to prevent it being
displaced by the fire cover sliding under it; but it is free to rise vertically. Instead
of the -like pin, two or more round pins or similar devices may be used to steady

page_text: the plate A, or the pins may be fitted in the upper strap to pass through openings
in the lower strap. The rails which guide the sides of the flue D also serve to
prevent the movable hack strap being displaced. When the fire cover C is pushed
back, the fire gases rise through the opening and escape through the hood or fire
flue D fitted behind, which may be of any ordinary forin. It is preferred however
to fit the sliding fire cover C and movable back strap A, in combination with the
form of open fire travelling flue described in reference to Figure 6 of the Drawings
in the Specification of Letters Patent N° 1186 of 1880, and which is shown in the
accompanying Drawings. In this case the sliding fire cover C is connected by a
chain or wire F passing round a guide pulley G on each side of and above the
lower back strap A¹ to the side of the travelling fire flue D, so that by drawing
out the fire flue D, it acts through the chain F on the fire cover C and draws it
back to leave the open fire; and by drawing forward the fire cover C to close the
fire, the fire flue 1) is drawn back and closed. This arrangement is adapted for use
when the flue, the back strap, and the fire cover are of about equal length from
back to front, and the extent of motion of the fire cover is equal to that of the
flue; but when these parts are unequally spaced, and the flue may have less extent
of motion than the fire cover, the chains are passed round differential pulleys to
compensate for the unequal extent of motion. Instead of a pulley and chain
being fitted on each side a single pulley and chain may be used to connect the fire
cover and flue.
When the fire cover is drawn forward to cover the fire, the loose back strap falls
into its place in the half checks and lies flush with the top plate of the range. The
arrangement of sliding fire cover described, obviates the inconvenience of having
the cover lying loose on the range when it is removed to form an open fire, and it
is adapted for use with any ordinary open or close fire range; and when combined
as described with the open fire travelling flue referred to, it has the additional
advantage that the change from a close to an open fire or vice versa can be effected
by simply drawing forward the travelling flue, or the sliding fire cover. The loose
back strap may in some cases be dispensed with, by forming a shallow recess at the
back of the range, into which the fire cover may fit when it is pushed back. -This
plan I do not however adopt in practice, the object of using the loose back strap
being to keep the whole top plate of the range on a common level when acting as a
close fire range.
Instead of connecting the fire cover and travelling flue by chains or wires, they
may be connected by levers to effect the same purpose. One convenient arrange-
ment for working the flue by the motion of the fire cover and vice versa is shown
in Figures 2 and 3. The range illustrated is similar to that shown in figure 1, and
the travelling flue shown is of the same kind. The back strap is formed in two
parts A, A¹, the upper being loose, while the lower connects the hob or top plate.
The two parts of the back strap are sufficiently separated to form a recess in which
work the levers which connect the fire cover C and the flue D. The fire cover C
has formed on its rear end a pin c¹ which projects downwards and fits into a slot h
in a lever H centred or pivotted on a pin ¹ on the lower back strap A. To this
lever H is jointed a link I connecting it to a lever or tail piece J on a vertical
spindle or pivot J¹, to the upper end of which is fitted an arm Ja extending out and
through a slotted swivelling knob on the back end of the flue D. The arrangement
of these levers is such that when the fire cover C is pushed back and acts on the
lever H, the fire flue D is pressed forward by the arm J, the relative lengths of
the levers, or the position of the connecting points of the link being such as to
cause the flue D to travel out to its full extent when the fire cover C is fully
pushed back. A hand rod K provided with a knob k and fitted through the frout
of the range below the hob, may be used for actuating the fire cover and Hue when
desired. The actuating lever H is covered in front by the upper or movable back
strap, and the portions of the levers in the side are partly covered by a tail
piece on the hob, and partly by a plate fitted over them, sufficient distance being
left between the lower back strap and the hob for the free working of the levers.

page_text: Figure 4 illustrates, in plan, an arrangement of levers for actuating simultaneously
the fire cover and moving flue in the manner already described. The levers are
similar in construction to those shown in Figures 2 and 3, and are operated in the
same way, but the arm J2 is in the same horizontal plane as the lever E, instead
of being at a higher level, and it is connected by a pin and slot or equivalent device
to the flue which it moves. The dotted lines show a mode of operating the levers
without a connecting link.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modified arrangement of the
actuating levers. In this case a hand lever K is fixed on a vertical spindle h¹ on
which the lever H oscillates, and the swivelling of this rod K. from side to side
actuates the levers which are otherwise connected to the fire cover and flue in
a manner similar to that already described. The swivelling lever K is conveniently
fitted below the lintel at the side of the jamb or below or above the top plate of
the range.
Figure 6 is a plan showing an arrangement of levers for actuating the fire cover
and flue in unison as already described, the levers being in this case operated by a
worm L gearing into a toothed segment L' on the end of the lever H. The worm L
is turned by a spindle provided with a handle which is fitted to project through
the front of the grate. The connections of the actuating levers may otherwise be
similar to those already described. Figure 7 illustrates a plan of traversing together
the fire cover and flue of a range by means of racks and pinions. A rack M is
formed or fitted under the fire cover C, or on an extension formed at one or both
sides, to gear into a pinion or pinions M' which in turn gears into a rack M² which
is attached at the back end by a vertical rod m and cross bar m¹ to the flue D.
The lower rack may be supported as shown by small rollers or pulleys fitted below
the hob. When the fire has a greater or less extent of motion than the flue,
separate toothed pinions are fitted to gear into the racks, the pinions being of such
relative size as to compensate for the unequal extent of travel of the fire cover and
flue. When a single pinion is employed, it may be fitted in an orifice cut in the
lower back strap, so that it gears with a central rack formed on the bottom of the
fire cover, and with a rack connected to the back end of the flue D, and passing
forward below the under back strap, slots should in this case be formed in the back
straps to allow of the movement of the arm connecting the flue to the rack.
Figure 8 illustrates a convenient mode of connecting the fire cover to actuate a
swivelling or tilting flue of the kind commonly known as the simplex. A lever
connected to the back end of the fire cover is in this case fitted to act direct on a
tail piece d formed at the pivotted end of the fire flue D. The pushing back of the
fire cover C causes the flue D to be tilted down, to form the open fire arrangement
of range, and the drawing forward of the fire cover causes the flue to be tilted up.
The tilting up or down of the flue has of course the corresponding action on the
fire cover. Figures 9 and 10 show an arrangement of levers acted on by the fire
cover to actuate an ordinary form of smoke hood D instead of a travelling flue such
as is shown in the examples herein before described. This hood may be pivotted at
the lower end and be actuated from the top by the slotted lever J. When the
hood is pivotted at the upper end as an ordinary open fire hood, as indicated by
the dotted lines, the lever J2 may still be used to open and close it in unison with
the movement of the fire cover, but by suitably modifying the levers, as in
figure 8, the hood D may be actuated from the bottom. Figure 11 illustrates a
simple mode of connecting together the levers H and J, which are respectively
connected to the fire cover and travelling flue, the connection between the levers being
formed by toothed segments instead of by the link shown in the figures already
described.
Figure 12 shows a mode of employing a single vertical lever H, or a vertical
lever on each side of the fire cover, to actuate in unison the fire cover and flue. An
arm or arms on the fire cover and connected by pins to the slot h in the lever H
presses back the lower end of the lever, and thereby moves forward the upper end
which is connected by pins and slots or equivalent devices to the flue. Figure 13

page_text: illustrates a pair of horizontal levers H, each formed with a slot h through both of
When the fire cover is
which a pin on the lower side of the fire cover passes.
pushed back, these levers cross each other, and short slotted arins H at their
opposite ends are thrown outwards. These arms H' are connected to the flue at
cach side, and push it forward when the fire cover is pulled back. One such lever
may in some cases be used. Figures 14 and 15 are respectively a section and plan
of the loose back strap A, and Figures 16 and 17 are respectively a section and
plan of the fire cover C.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1 claim is,―
First. The various arrangements herein described and illustrated for converting
open fire into close fire ranges, and vice versa.
Second. Connecting the fire covers and movable flues of cooking ranges, by chains
and pulleys, or by levers or equivalent mechanical devices, so that the Hue is moved
forward as the fire cover is pushed back and vice versa, substantially as herein
described and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The combination in a cooking range of a double back-strap, a sliding fire
cover arranged to displace the upper back strap and a movable flue actuated through
chains, levers, or equivalent mechanical devices from the motion of the fire cover,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. In a cooking range, the combination of a movable flue and a sliding fire
cover connected together and operated simultaneously through chains and pulleys,
levers, or equivalent mechanical devices, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Fifth. In a cooking range, the arrangement of a double back strap, the lower
part connecting to ether the hob or hot plate, and the upper part fitted movably
on the hub, and adapted to rise or fall when the fire cover is pushed back or drawi
forward, substantially as herein described.
In Witness Whereof, I the said David Dow, have hereunto set my hand and seal
this Fourteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred
and eighty four.
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