IMPROVEMENTS IN KITCHEN RANGES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Jobson, of Derby, Ironfounder, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KITCHEN RANGES."
Sealed the 4th October 1867, and dated the 13th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Jobson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th April
1867.
I, JOHN JOBSON, of Derby, Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KITCHEN RANGES," to be as
follows:-
Kitchen ranges are mostly constructed of two general kinds. Those
according to one of which, being what are called "
open fire ranges, have
the fire entirely open; those according to the other are what are called
"close fire" ranges, in which the fire is either entirely or mostly closed,
leaving a hot plate or surface and an open space over it free from smoke for
the reception of various utensils to be there heated, as well as in some cases
for an open shelf or plate rack. In the first of these classes the smoke and
products of combustion from the fire usually rise freely in the open space over
the grate to the flue above; in the latter the smoke and products of com-
bustion are conducted by a channel under the top plate, or that plate of the

page_text: range which is situated just above the fire-place, to a flue behind the back
plate of the range above the top plate, so that smoke and products of com-
bustion are prevented as much as possible from rising into the space over the
fire-place.
66
"
range,
and when
In order to meet various requirements ranges are also formed to be con-
vertable from a "close" to an open fire" range by the removal of a portion
of the front and top plates of the fire-place. In these latter cases an opening
is provided above the line of the top plate for the passing away of the smoke
and products of combustion rising from the fire, but considerable inconvenience
arises in the use of this arrangement by the smoke failing to pass away by the
opening provided for it, as well as by the projection of the plate in which
such opening is formed interfering with the use of the space over the top
plate, and the object of one part of my Invention is to remedy this evil, and
to give to what are commonly called "open fire" ranges the advantage of a
clear space above the top plate closed from the flue, and free from the in-
convenience of smoke in that part. For this purpose I close from the flue
the space above the top plate, as in an ordinary "close fire
a boiler is used I apply it sufficiently below the top plate to admit of the
smoke and products of combustion passing back from the fire between the
upper surface of the boiler and the under surface of that part of the top plate
behind the fire-place. I form necks to the boiler at the places for the lids or
openings for filling and cleansing, and in some cases, as when the lid or
opening is immediately in the flue space, I simply apply a separate screw or
other cover to the boiler. When a boiler is not required to the range the
passage under the top plate may be formed on the grate, or by bricks, or
otherwise. I apply to the winding up or moveable cheek a plate to slide with
that cheek, and so contract or increase the width of the opening from the fire-
grate to the flue to the width of fire space for the time required; or I apply
other covering to that opening adapted to the varying width required. By
these means the smoke and products of combustion from an open fire range
will be at once drawn back into the flue without rising above the level of the
top plate, whilst the fire may be varied in width as in ordinary open fire ranges,
and by the application of a plate or plates over the fire space I am enabled to
use an "expanding and contracting fire" range as a "close fire" range.
The improvements also relate to means for heating the ovens of ranges.
According to this part of the improvements the side of the fire-place next the
oven is formed with bars or grating, and there is a partition between them
and the side of the oven, so as to divide the heat passing between these bars
or grating into two distinct currents, one of which is capable of passing direct

page_text: down under the oven, whilst the other is capable of passing direct over the
oven and under that portion of the hot plate above the oven. The flue space
for the heat thus passing under the oven is provided with a partition, leaving
a space in the front part thereof capable of being closed by a sliding or other
cover when the heating of the lower part of the oven is not desired. The
flue space for the passage of the heated products over the oven may be closed
by a flap or other cover closing over that portion of the bars or grating
opening to that flue space. The bars or grating to the upper of these flues
are by preference "louvre" form, with their upper edges inclining into the
flue space, thereby at the same time tending to prevent the fuel from falling
into that flue space and directing the passage of beat over the oven.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Jobson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JOBSON, of Derby, Ironfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Jobson, Her special licence that I, the said John Jobson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Jobson, 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 and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN KITCHEN
RANGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Jobson,
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 cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Jobson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof; that is to say :-
Kitchen ranges are mostly constructed of two general kinds or classes.
Those according to one kind, generally called "open fire" ranges, have the fire-
place entirely open for the exposure of the fuel in the front and at the top;
those according to the other are generally called "close fire" ranges, and they
have the fire-place either entirely or for the greater part closed, leaving a hot
plate or surface and an open space over the fire-place and adjoining parts
free from smoke and adapted to the reception of various utensils to be there
heated, as well as in some cases for an open shelf or plate rack. In the first
of these classes the smoke and products of combustion from the fire usually
rise freely in the open space over the grate to the flue above; in the latter
the smoke and products of combustion are conducted by a channel provided
for the purpose under the top plate (or that plate of the range which is
situated just above the fire-place) to a flue behind the back plate of the range,
and rising above the top plate, so that the smoke and products of combustion
from the fire are prevented as much as possible from rising into the space
over the fire-place and adjoining parts.
In order to meet various requirements ranges are also formed to be
convertible from a "close" to an "open fire" range by the removal of a
portion of the front and top plates of the fire-place. In these latter cases an
opening is provided through and above the line of the top plate for the
passing away of the smoke and products of combustion rising from the
fire, but considerable inconvenience results from the use of this arrangement
by the smoke failing to pass away by the opening provided for it, as well as
from the plate in which such opening or flue is formed projecting into the
space over the fire, and thereby interfering with the use of that space over the
top plate. The object of one part of my Invention is to remedy this evil,
and to give to what are commonly called ".
open fire"
ranges the advantage
of a clear space above the top plate closed from the flue and free from the
inconvenience of smoke in that part. For this purpose I close from the flue the
space above the top plate, as in an ordinary close fire range, and when a boiler
is used I apply it sufficiently below the top plate to admit of the smoke and
products of combustion passing back from the fire between the upper surface
of the boiler and the under surface of that part of the top plate behind the
fire-place. To facilitate access to the boiler for filling and cleansing it I
form necks at the places for the lids or openings to it, and in some cases, as
when the lid or opening is immediately in the flue space, I simply apply a
separate screw or other cover to that opening of the boiler. When a boiler

page_text: is not required to the range the passage under the top plate may be formed
in the grate or by bricks or otherwise. I apply to the winding up or
moveable cheek a plate to slide with that cheek, and so contract or increase
the width of the opening from the fire-grate to the flue to the width of fire
space for the time required, or I apply other covering to that opening adapted
to the varying width required. By these means the smoke and products of
combustion from an " open fire" range will be at once drawn back into the
flue without rising above the level of the top plate, whilst the fire may be
varied in width as in ordinary open fire ranges. By the application of a plate
or plates over the fire space I am enabled to use an "expanding and
contracting" fire range as a close fire range.
The improvements also relate to means for heating the ovens of ranges.
According to this part of the improvements the side of the fire-place next the
oven is formed with bars or grating, and there is a partition between them
and the side of the oven so as to divide the heat passing between those bars
or grating into two distinct currents, one of which is capable of passing direct
down under the oven, whilst the other is capable of passing direct over the
oven and under that portion of the hot plate above the oven. The flue space
for the heat thus passing under the oven is provided with a partition, leaving
a space in the front part thereof capable of being closed by a sliding or other
cover when the heating of the lower part of the oven is not desired. The flue
space for the passage of the heated products over the oven may be closed
by a flap or other cover closing over that portion of the bars or grating
opening to that flue space. The bars or grating (if any) to these flues are by
preference " louvre" form, with their edges inclining into the flue spaces in
the direction of their respective draughts, thereby at the same time teuding to
prevent the fuel from falling into these flue spaces, and directing the passage
of heat in the one case over and in the other under the oven.
But that the Invention may be more fully understood I will, by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings, proceed to describe meaus pursued by me in
carrying the same into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows an external front view, Figure 2 a plan view, and

page_text: be varied in width, as is well understood, by shifting the position of the moveable
cheek c; d is a tap for drawing off water from the boiler when a boiler is
required. The boiler, when one is used, is represented by the red lines fin
the different Figures; it is somewhat of the ordinary form, except that owing
to the increased space between the upper part of it and the under side of the
top plate e of the range the boiler f is provided with a neck or prolongation at
the part f¹ for the lid or cover f2; f³ indicates an opening, which may be
provided and closed by set screw for access to the back part of the boiler to
facilitate the cleansing of it; f' is a cover in the top plate e to facilitate
access to this opening fƒ³. For carrying out my improvements the space above
the plate e is closed against the passage of smoke and products of combustion
from the fire-place to the flue, and such smoke and products pass through the
channel g, between the upper part of the boiler and the under side of the plate e
direct to the flue g¹; and in order to prevent a neutralizing current of air from
passing over the boiler between the moveable cheek c and the part of the grate
for the time unoccupied by fire, and yet admit of the size of the passage g being
varied with the quantity of fire space for the time desired to be in use, the
cheek c is formed with a plate c', which is capable of sliding with that cheek,
and thus at all times of keeping the space over the boiler closed at that part.
In place however of the plate c¹ being attached to the cheek it may be
capable of sliding separately from that cheek, or of being removed altogether
when required and replaced by another or others. The use of plates c¹, which
may be kept of various sizes, will be found particularly useful with ranges
having a fire space with a cheek or cheeks for heating an oven (or for other
use) at each end thereof, as in such case the passage may be closed to the
flue from the fire-place or other part of the passage to the flue which is not
for the time in use. There is a projecting piece of iron h cast on or attached
to the plate i separating the oven a¹ from the fire-place. The form of this
casting his indicated by the Drawings, and it is such as to admit the heat of
the fire freely to the end f³ of the boiler, and also to the passages j and k for
heating the oven a¹ and the plate e over it. Between the plate i and that side
to separate the currents of heat
of the boiler a¹ next it there is a partition
passing through the channels j and k. The opening or passage ; is provided
with a bar, or there may be two or more bars to such opening, and such
bar or bars may be inclined or "louvre" form to facilitate the passage of the
current of heat downwards, and such heat will then pass in the direction
indicated by the arrows m down under the oven, and when past the screen n
mostly up the opposite side of the oven and partly behind it to the flue o
provided for it, and which flue I prefer to be conducted some three or four

page_text: feet up the interior of the main flue or chimney g¹. When desired the passage
of heat as thus described may be shut off by sliding the plate p over the interior
of the opening j; this sliding of the plate p may be effected by means of the
lever handle q, which is capable of turning on a fixed pin q, and which at its
lower end is formed with a slotted opening to embrace a pin q carried by the
plate
P, whilst its upper end projects up to serve as a handle to facilitate the
movement of this lever q and the plate p; or this plate p may be moved to
and fro as required by a key or hook passed through an opening p¹ provided
for it in the front of the range; or such movement may be otherwise accom-
plished. The heat is prevented passing from the fire by the passage k when
desired by the plate r, which turns upon its lower edge as a hinge, and is
provided with a handle passing through to the front of the range to facilitate
its movement; when this plate is turned back with its upper edge against
the side of the oven heat from the fire may pass upwards between the plate i
and the side of the oven a¹ to the space between the top of the oven and the
under side of the plate e, where by means of the partitions the heat is controlled
to pass first over the front of the oven a¹, and then round by the guide t, over
the back part of the oven a² to the flue o. The opening in the plate i is
shown without bars, and as a general rule I do not consider any bars to this
passage necessary, but if used I prefer that such bars be inclined upwards or
"louvre " form, so as to have a tendency to direct the current of heat passing
them in an upward direction. The blue lines u shew a plate applied over the
top of the fire-place with openings in it to be used when desired for heating
articles placed on it.
Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details shown and described, as such may be varied without
departing from the peculiar character of the Invention, and in place of applying
covers or slides to the interior of the passages j and k, so as to prevent the flow
of heat by those channels either under or over the oven a¹, the passage of
these currents of heat may be stopped at pleasure by employing a separate
flue o to each of them with a damper in each, and extending the guide piece t,
so as to keep the passages of heat distinct to their respective flues o, or it
may be otherwise effected; but what I do claim is the arranging parts of what
are called "open fire kitchen ranges "formed with moveable cheeks for
varying the width of the fire space, so that such ranges may have an adjustable
opening for the passage of the smoke and products of combustion from the fire
to the flue under that part of the top plate behind the fire, and over that part
of the boiler when one is fitted to the range, so that the whole of the space

page_text: over the fire and parts adjoining may be available as a hot plate as in "close
fire" ranges, substantially as explained.
Secondly, I claim the arranging and combining parts of kitchen ranges for
regulating the heat from the fire to the oven and hot plate over it by the
application of a partition in the flue space adapted to cause such heat to pass
in two separate currents, and the application of means for controlling these
currents of heat so that one of them may pass direct up the side and over the
oven to the hot plate, whilst the other by a separate channel passes down
under the oven to the opposite side and the back thereof, or so that the current
of heat in either or both directions may be suspended in manner substantially
as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Jobson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
JOHN JOBSON. (L.S.)