IMPROVEMENTS IN TOPS, CAPS, AND WINDGUARDS FOR CHIMNEYS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE SAME
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Solomon Deacon, of Alma Street, New North Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Builder, and Charles Deacon, of Rushton
Street, Saint John's Road, in the said County, Carpenter, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOPS, CAPS, AND WINDGUARDS FOR
CHIMNEYS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE SAME."
Sealed the 15th May 1863, and dated the 21st November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Solomon Deacon and
Charles Deacon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 21st November 1862.
We, SOLOMON DEACON, of Alma Street, New North Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Builder, and CHARLES DEACON, of Rushton Street, Saint
John's Road, in the said County, Carpenter, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOPS, CAPS, AND WINDGUARDS
FOR CHIMNEYS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
Hitherto in tops, caps, and windguards formed or provided with covers
at top the covers have been fixtures, and resist the ascent of the brush or
cleaning instrument so that damage is likely to result..
Now our Invention first consists in constructing the covers in such manner
that they shall open and close, that is to say, they shall be opened by the brush.
or cleaning instrument as it is moved upward, and allow the latter to pass.
up through the top, and when the brush is withdrawn they close or return.
to position of themselves.

page_text: Various arrangements may be adopted for carrying this into effect, but I
prefer one or other of the following modes, in the first of which I form the
cover of two flaps, lids, or doors hinged or jointed to the chimney top, cap,
or windguard, and meeting together over the top of the chimney; these
doors are weighted. When the brush or cleaning instrument is driven against
them they are forced open and allow the brush or instrument to pass through,
and when the said brush or instrument is lowered the weights bring the doors
together again causing them to close over the chimney top. A convenient
shape for the doors or flaps is angular, recessed, or concave, the sides forming
planes inclined inward or segments curved inward towards the part where the
doors or flaps meet.
0
In another arrangement the doors or flaps which are weighted are suspended
or jointed to the windguard, cap, or top by slotted pieces sliding on rods or
supports so that the doors or flaps are free to turn or swing in either direction,
the brush or cleaning instrument when driven upward forcing them to swing
or turn outward, and so open and allow the brush to pass through, and
they work or swing in a contrary direction or inward when the brush or
cleaning instrument is lowered, and thus return to their closed position.
Instead of weights, springs may be used in either arrangement. Guards,
shields, or flaps may be jointed or suspended by their upper parts to chimney
caps, tops, or windguards over the slots or openings in the sides, and being
weighted or fitted with springs they stand outward or at an angle, and open
the slots or openings, except the wind drives against them with sufficient force
when they are forced inward and close the slots or openings.
The object of the improved cleaning apparatus is to clean the inside of the
guards, shields, or plates fixed outside the openings or slots of windguards,
tops, or caps. The apparatus consists of scrapers, brushes, or other cleaning
appliances fixed to a ring, band, or frame by shanks which pass out through
the said slots or openings, the ring or frame being within the body of the
windguard, cap, or top. When the usual brush or cleaning machine is pushed
up against the ring or frame it is forced upwards, and of course carries with
it the scrapers or other cleaning appliances attached to it, so that these rub
against and clean the inside of the guards, when they reach the top of the
slots or openings, and the brush clears the ring or frame, the latter drops to
its previous position, and leaves; the brush free to pass upward. Though the
frame may generally be described as annular, it need not be circular, but may
be square or of any required shape, and if desirable correspond to the section
or inside form of or lie close round the windguard, cap, or top on the inside,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Solomon Deacon and Charles Deacon in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SOLOMON
DEACON, of Alma Street, New North Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Builder, and CHARLES DEACON, of Rushton Street, Saint John's Road, in
the said County, Carpenter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Solomon Deacon and Charles Deacon, Her special licence that
we, the said Solomon Deacon and Charles Deacon, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Solomon Deacon and
Charles Deacon, our 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
TOPS, CAPS, AND WINDGUARDS FOR CHIMNEYS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING THE
SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Solomon Deacon
and Charles Deacon, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
of us or them, 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.
KNOW NOW YE, that we, the said Solomon Deacon and Charles Deacon,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
Hitherto in chimney top, caps, and windguards formed or provided with

page_text: covers at top these covers have been fixtures, and consequently resist the
ascent of the brush or cleaning instrument from which cause damage is likely
to result.
Now our Invention first consists in constructing the covers of chimney
tops, caps, or windguards in such manner that the said covers shall open and
close, that is to say, they shall be opened by the brush or ordinary cleaning
instrument when it moves upward so as to allow such brush or instrument to
pass up through the top, and shall close or return to their previous position
when the said brush or instrument is lowered or withdrawn.
Various arrangements may be adopted for carrying this into effect, but we
prefer one or other of the following modes, in the first of which we form the
cover of two flaps, lids or doors hinged or jointed to the top, cap, or windguard,
and meeting together over the top of the chimney; these doors are weighted.
When the brush or ordinary cleaning instrument is driven against them they
are forced open and allow the brush or instrument to pass through, and when
the brush or instrument is lowered the doors come together again, and close
over the chimney top. A convenient shape for the doors or flaps is angular,
recessed, or concave, the sides forming planes inclined inward or segments
curved inward, that is, towards the part. where the doors or flaps meet.
In another arrangement the doors or flaps are weighted and are suspended
or jointed to the cap, windguard, or top by sliding pieces sliding on rods or
supports, so that the doors or flaps are free to turn or swing in either direction;
the brush or ordinary cleaning instrument, when driven upward, forces them to
swing or turn outward, and so to open and allow the brush to pass through,
and they work or swing in a contrary direction or inward when the brush or
cleaning instrument is lowered, and then return to their closed or original
position. Instead of weights, springs may be used in either arrangement.
Guards, shields, or flaps may be jointed to the chimney caps, tops, or wind-
guards over the slots or openings in the sides, such guards, shields, or flaps
being fitted and worked as herein-after described to open and close the said
slots or openings.
Our Invention next relates to an improved cleaning apparatus, the object
of which is to clean the inside surfaces of the guards, shields, or plates fixed
outside the openings or slots of windguards, chimney tops, or caps. This
cleaning apparatus consists of scrapers, brushes, or other cleaning appliances
fixed to a ring, band, or frame by shanks which pass out through the said
slots or openings, the ring, band, or frame being within the body of the cap,
windguard, or chimney top. When the usual brush or cleaning machine is
pushed up against the ring, band, or frame the latter is forced upwards, and

page_text: of course carries with it the scrapers or other cleansing appliances attached to
it, so that these rub against and clean the inside of the guards, and when they
reach the top of the slots or openings, the brush clears the ring or frame, and
the latter drops to its previous position, and leaves the brush free to pass
upwards. Though this frame may generally be described as annular, it need
not be circular, but may be square or of other required shape, and correspond
to the section or inside form of the cap, windguard, or top, and lie close round
it on the inside, but it must always have a space or open way through it for
the brush to pass.
The accompanying Drawings exemplify in what manner our Invention may
be carried into effect.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a chimney top, cap, or windguard, having covers,
constructed according to our Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section, and
Figure 3 horizontal section, of Figure 1.
A is a top, cap, or windguard of any ordinary or desired form; B, B, is the
cover, which, instead of being a fixture as heretofore, is capable of being
opened and closed; it consists of two doors or flaps B, B, hinged at a to the
body of the chimney cap A and meeting together at 6; c is a weight suspended
by chains d to the doors B; there is a similar weight on the opposite side. M
is an ordinary brush. When the brush is pushed up it forces the doors B open
and passes freely through. When the brush is lowered and clears the doors
the latter close. Their angular shape facilitates the return of the brush.
Figure 4 is an elevation, Figure 5 vertical section, Figure 6 horizontal
section, and Figure 7 perspective view, of an improved chimney cap or wind-
guard, having a similar arrangement to the one just described. B, the doors;
c, weight; and d, chains; all arranged and worked as described in reference
to Figures 1, 2, 3. E, E, Figures 4, 5, 6, are openings in the sides of the
cap or windguard A, protected by fixed guards F, within which are shutters or
vanes G fitted on pivots 9. These vanes G when actuated by the wind open
and close the openings E, across which they work. The pivots g may project
through the top of the guards F and carry outside vanes h. I sometimes use
these arrangements F, G, h, when no cover or when other forms of cover than
the one shewn are used.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modification of cover, and Figures 9,
10, and 11 are vertical sections of the same shewn in three different positions.
A is the chimney top or cap; B, the cover, consisting of two doors suspended
by pins or pivots i, which are fixed to the cap A, and pass through slotted eyes j
formed in projecting parts of the doors B; M is a brush of any ordinary form.
The doors are weighted at their edges, and remain closed when not acted on

page_text: by the brush. When the brush is pushed up against them it causes them to
turn or swing on their axes, as shewn in Figures 9 and 10, and opens them
and passes through. When the brush descends they swing back in the oppo-
site direction, as shewn in Figure 11, and close.
Figure 12 is a vertical section of an arrangement in which the cover con-
sists of a plate B hinged to the inside of the cap A and lying across it in an
inclined position; it rests on abutments or projections e, f, formed on the inside
of the cap; g is an angle piece or bent part at one edge of the cover B; h, h,
are metal rods which are fixed on the outer surface of the cover (one on each
side) and pass through it, their lower ends being bent at an angle. When the
brush is pushed upward it raises or opens the cover, as indicated by the dotted
lines, and when the brush descends the cover returns to position, the brush
by engaging the rods h helps to draw it down.
Figure 13 is a vertical section of a modification of the preceding arrange-
ment, constituting an improved windguard; here there are two plates B¹
hinged to the cap A at opposite sides thereof; each plate B¹ is fitted and con-
structed like the cover B, Figure 12, except that instead of extending wholly
across the inside of the cap, it only extends partially across it. f,f, are abut-
ments, and h, h, rods, as in Figure 12. E, openings or slots in the sides of
the cap.
The brush when inserted raises the plates B' as in Fig. 12. There
may be more than two plates B¹ in the cap A.
Figure 14 is a vertical section, and Figure 15 plan, of an arrangement in
which the cover slides up and down, and so opens and closes the top; this
cover consists of a plate B, preferably convex, to the under side of which are
fixed guide rods s, s, passing through guide eyes t in the mouth of the cap A;
the lower ends of these rods s are secured to a ring v. The brush when
inserted into the cap pushes against the ring v (thus warning the sweep of its
approach to the mouth), and drives the ring upward, thereby raising the
cover B from the mouth of the cap and passing through.
withdrawn the cover drops back to its seat. The mouth of the cap A may be
hollowed out to form a ledge for the cover to rest on, and so afford it a firmer
seat.
When the brush is
Figure 16 is a vertical section, and Figure 17 plan, of an arrangement in
which the cover consists of a number of plates B, B, hinged round the top edge
or mouth of the cap A. When all the plates are shut down the cap is covered
in, but they may be prevented from so closing down by inside stops l, and may
be weighted at m, so that they may be caused to assume either a vertical or an
outwardly inclined position. n are stops to prevent them from being forced
too far outward.

page_text: Figure 18 is a vertical section, and Figure 19 à horizontal section, of an
improved arrangement of chimney cap, top, or windguard, in which a number
of flaps, plates, or louvres F extend across and close openings E in-the sides of
the cap
; these flaps are fitted on pivots or axes b, which pass through them
and rest in angle frame pieces A, which form the corners of the cap; the
plates F are prevented from moving too far inward by stops c on the angle
pieces A. When in a state of rest these flaps lean against the abutments c,
but when the brush passes through the cap they are opened outward.
Figure 20 is a perspective view of an arrangement constituting what we
term a ventilating hearth, and recommend as a contrivance which may some-
times be used with advantage in combination with our improved chimney tops.
W is a case or chest, the upper side of which consists of a grating or perforated
plate w. ✗ is a tube open at both ends, one end leading into the interior of
the chest W, and the other into the atmosphere; the chest W is inserted in
an aperture in the hearth under the ash-pit, its top w lying flush with the
hearthstone. The object of this arrangement is to obtain an increased draft
through the tube X to the fire.
Figure 21 is a plan of our improved cleaning apparatus, which is also.
shewn in the cap A in Figures 1, 2, and 3. This apparatus consists of a
ring n, on which are short shanks or projections o, having at their ends
scrapers or other cleaning appliances p; the shanks o pass through the slots,
wind holes, or openings E in the sides of the cap A, and the outer edges of
the scrapers p extend to the guards F fixed before these openings. The
ring n with its shanks and scrapers when in the ordinary position rests on the
bottom of the guards F; and when the brush M is introduced and reaches
the ring n, it pushes it upward, and the scrapers p rising with it rub against
and cleanse the inner surfaces of the guards F. When the brush has forced
the ring to the top of the guards F, it clears the ring and passes through it,
and the ring drops with its scrapers to its previous position at the bottom of
the guards. The ring may be of any desired shape to suit the inside of the
cap, and the scrapers or appliances p may be of any desired shape to suit the
shape of the guards.
We are aware that chimney tops, caps, and windguards have been con-
structed with slides at top that can only be opened and closed by hand, but
these we do not claim, as they entirely differ from our principle or mode of
constructing covers, our covers opening and closing otherwise than by hand.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and in what manner the
same may be performed, we declare that we wish it to be understood that we
do not restrict ourselves to the exact forms or mechanical details of covers

page_text: shewn in the Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from our
principle of construction and action as herein set forth; and we declare that
we claim,―
First, constructing and fitting the covers of chimney tops, caps, and wind-
guards in such manner that the said covers shall be opened by the brush or
cleaning instrument when such brush or instrument is moved or passed up the
said top, cap, or windguard, and shall close or return to position when such
brush or instrument descends, without requiring to be opened or closed by
hand.
Second, the improved opening and closing covers herein-before described
with reference to the Drawings, having their parts arranged, combined, fitted,
and worked substantially as set forth.
Third, the improved chimney caps, tops, or windguards described, having
their parts arranged, combined, and worked, as herein-before set forth.
Fourth, the improved cleaning apparatus, having its parts arranged, com-
bined, and operating substantially as described, in which scrapers or other
cleaning appliances are connected with a ring, band, or frame by shanks which
pass through openings in the top, cap, or windguard, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Solomon Deacon, for myself and on behalf
of the said Charles Deacon, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
CHARLES DEACON,
59, Alma Street,
New North Road,
Hoxton.
SOLOMON DEACON. (L.S.)