IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPER- TAINING TO DOMESTIC GRATES AND STOVES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Thompson, of Marquis Road, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPER-
TAINING TO DOMESTIC GRATES AND STOVES."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Thompson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th November 1880.
HENRY THOMPSON, of Marquis Road, Islington, in the County of Middlesex.
" IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO DOMESTIC GRATES AND STOVES."
This Invention consists in improvements in, and appertaining to, domestic
grates and stoves, whether employed in connection with ranges, "kitcheners," or in
any other suitable manner, whereby fresh fuel can be supplied to the lower part of
the same beneath the fire in an easy, most convenient, and cleanly manner, without
the necessity of employing any complicated mechanism, thereby not only lessening
the liability of derangement but also greatly reducing the cost, as compared with
apparatus as previously constructed for effecting the desired object.
The main portion of the grate or stove is formed in the ordinary manner and
with a flat closed bottoin, the uprights connecting the ends of the bars, which are
arranged in front in the usual way, are made to move vertically in grooves, or
between, or on, guides provided at each side of the grate or stove. The bottom
bar of the series has a slot through the same extending nearly from end to end, or
two bars are arranged with a small space between them, such slot or space opening
into the interior of the grate or stove a little above the said flat bottom. The fire
and the said bars are raised for the purpose of supplying fresh fuel by means of a
flat plate of metal, by preference provided with a number of perforations, corre-
sponding in shape and size with the bottom of the grate or stove; to the outer
edge of the said plate is hinged, pivoted, or otherwise suitably connected a lever.
The lower bar, hereinbefore referred to, when the front bars are in their normal
position rests on a separate bar which is loose, and is so connected with a weight
by means of cranks, that on being freed from the weight of the other bars by the
raising of the same, as hereinafter described, it will be moved up a short distance,
thereby forining a raised edge to the front of the bottom of the grate or stove, and
preventing the escape of any dirt or cinders which may be resting thereon. In its
Price & 1

page_text: upward movement the said loose bar comes in contact with the guides on either
side, and is thereby brought into the desired position.
The method of working the apparatus, herein before described, is as follows:-
When it is desired to supply fresh fuel to the grate or stove, the before mentioned
flat plate is passed through the slot in the lower bar or through the space between
the two lower bars, as the case may be, and is pushed between the fire and the
bottom of the stove or grate; the lever is then turned on a fulcrum in such a
manner as to raise the plate, thereby lifting the front bars and the fire; the fresh
fuel is placed in the space thus left between the underside of the flat plate and the
bottom of the grate or stove; the said plate is then withdrawn, when the incan-
descent fuel will rest on the top of the fresh fuel and the front bars will descend
to their normal position. The fulcrum on which the lover turns may be obtained
by bending the said lever and causing such bent part to bear on the hearth, when
by pressing down the free end thereof the desired object will be effected, or the
said lever may be made to turn on a suitable bearing connected to the grate or
stove, as will be well understood, or the lever may be straight and the plate
connected to the same a short distance from one end, so that by causing the said end
to bear on the hearth and then bringing the lever into a vertical position the plate,
bars, and fire will be lifted. The bearing end of the lever is provided with a
friction wheel, roller, or ball. The lever, hereinbefore referred to, may be either
solid, in one or more pieces, or so jointed as to allow of being turned at any angle,
or it may be telescopic.
In some cases I dispense with the lever and attach a chain or metal cord to the
plate for the purpose of lifting the latter, either with or without the assistance of a
pulley, as desired.
Although the body of the grate or stove may be, as hereinbefore stated, of any
suitable construction, I prefer to arrange them with a hollow space opening from
underneath behind the lower portion of the back plate, and I perforate the latter
at a sufficient distance from the bottom to be above the level which will be reached
by the fresh fuel when supplied; by these means a continual current of air through
the burning fuel will be obtained.
It will be readily seen that the employment of the hereinbefore described
apparatus ensures the almost entire consumption of the fuel, thereby preventing
the escape of smoke and other products of combustion up the chimney and effecting
a great economy of fuel.

page_text: PECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
May 1881.
HENRY THOMPSON, of Marquis Road, Islington, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO DOMESTIC GRATES AND STOVES."
My said Invention consists in improvements in, and appertaining to, domestic
grates and stoves, whether employed in connection with ranges, "kitcheners," or in
any other suitable manner, whereby fresh fuel can be supplied to the lower part of
the same beneath the fire, in an easy, most convenient, and cleanly manner, without
the necessity of employing any complicated mechanism, thereby not only lessening
the liabilility of derangement, but also greatly reducing the cost as compared with
apparatus as previously constructed for effecting the desired object.
The main portion or frame of the grate or stove is formed in the ordinary
manner, and with a flat closed bottom; the uprights connecting the ends of the bars,
which are arranged in front in the usual way, are made so as to be capable of being
moved vertically in grooves or between, or on, guides provided at each side of the
grate or stove. The bottom bar of the series has a slot through the same extending
nearly from end to end, or two bars are arranged with a small space between them,
such slot or space opening into the interior of the grate or stove a little above the
said flat bottom. The fire and the said bars are raised, for the purpose of supplying
fresh fuel, by means of a flat dividing plate of metal (by preference provided with
a number of perforations) corresponding in shape and size with the bottom of the
grate or stove; to the outer edge of the said plate is hinged, pivoted, or otherwise
suitably connected a lever. The lower bar, herein before referred to, when the front
bars are in their normal position, rests on a separate bar or on stops. The said
separate bar is so connected with a weight by means of crauks or levers, that on being
freed from the weight of the other bars by the raising of the same, as herein before
described, it will be moved up a short distance, thereby forming a raised edge to
the front of the bottom of the grate or stove, and preventing the escape of any dirt
or cinders which may be resting thereon. In its upward movement the said loose
bar comes in contact with the guides on either side, and is thereby brought into the
desired position.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. Figures 1 and 2 are
respectively an elevation and cross section of a stove constructed in accordance
with this Invention, the front bars being shown in their normal position; Figures 3
and 4 are like views of the stove, in which the front bars are shown in the position
to which they would be raised by the before mentioned dividing plate for the
purpose of adding fresh fuel; Figure 5 is a bottom view of the stove, and Figure 6
a plan of the same; Figures 7 and 8 are respectively elevation and side view of the
dividing plate and lever. The same letters of reference indicate like parts in all
the Figures. A is the frame of the grate or stove; B is the bottom thereof; C are
the front bars, which are shown arranged to slide on the beading a on the frame A ;
c is the slot in the lower bar or the space between the bars for the passage of the
dividing plate; D is the separate bar which is connected by the levers d to the
weight d'; E is the dividing plate, and the lever to which the same is connected
is shown at c. The method of working the improved grate or stove hereinbefore
described is as follows:-When it is desired to supply fresh fuel to the grate or
stove, the dividing plate E is passed through the slot or space c, and is pushed
between the fire and the bottom B; the lower end of the lever e is then caused to
bear on the hearth, when by bringing the lever into a vertical position, the plate E,

page_text: bars C, and fire will be lifted into the position shown at Figures 3 and 4, and
bar D will be raised as shown in the said Figures by the action of the weigh
The bearing end of the lever is provided with a friction wheel, roller or ball.
said lever may be either solid, in one or more pieces, or so jointed as to allow of be.
folded, or it may be telescopic. It will be readily understood that the form of t
lever can be modified in various ways. When the bars and fire are lifted as abo
described, the fresh fuel is placed in the space F, which is left between the under
side of the dividing plate E' and the bottom B of the grate or stove, the said plate
is then withdrawn, when the incandescent fuel will rest on the top of the fresh fuel
and the bars C will descend to their normal position, the said bars bearing upon
and pushing down the bar D. In some cases I dispense with the lever and attach
a chain or metal cord to the plate for the purpose of lifting the latter, either with
or without the assistance of a pulley, as desired.
Although the body of the grate or stove may be, as hereinbefore stated, of any
suitable construction, I prefer to arrange the stove with a hollow space, opening
from underneath, behind the lower portion of the back plate, and I perforate the
latter at a sufficient distance from the bottom to be above the level which will be
reached by the fresh fuel when supplied; by these means a continual current of air,
through the burning fuel, will be obtained.
It will be readily understood that the employment of grates or stoves constructed
as herein before described ensures the almost entire consumption of the fuel, thereby
effecting a great economy of the latter and preventing the escape of smoke and
other products of combustion up the chimney.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion, that
what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the
Invention secured to me by the said hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent,
are,-
First. The construction and arrangement of the sliding bars C, having the slot or
space c, and the employment in connection therewith of the dividing plate E,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and set forth.
And, Secondly. The construction and arrangement of the bar D, substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Thompson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
HENRY THOMPSON. (L.S.)