AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CAUSING A STRONGER AND BETTER DRAUGHT OR CURRENT OF AIR, SO THAT HOUSE FIRES MAY BE LIGHTED OR KINDLED IN A VERY SHORT SPACE OF TIME; FOR EFFECTING A VERY CONSIDERABLE SAVING IN FUEL; AND FOR THROWING THE HEAT FROM SUCH FIRE INTO THE BUILDING OB ROOM
Year: 1863

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Thomas Snook, of 25, Vilson Street, Stockport
Road, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CAUSING A STRONGER AND BETTER DRAUGHT
OR CURRENT OF AIR, SO THAT HOUSE FIRES MAY BE LIGHTED OR KINDLED IN
A VERY SHORT SPACE OF TIME; FOR EFFECTING A VERY CONSIDERABLE SAVING
IN FUEL; AND FOR THROWING THE HEAT FROM SUCH FIRE INTO THE BUILDING
OB ROOM."
Sealed the 27th May 1864, and dated the 2nd December 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Snook at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
December 1868.
I, THOMAS SNOOK, of 25, Wilson Street, Stockport Road, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CAUSING A STRONGER AND BETTER DRAUGHT OR
CURRENT OF AIR, SO THAT HOUSE FIRES MAY BE LIGHTED OR KINDLED IN A VERY
SHORT SPACE OF TIME; FOR EFFECTING A VERY CONSIDERABLE SAVING IN FUEL; AND
FOR THROWING THE HEAT PROM SUCH FIRE INTO THE BUILDING OR ROOM," to be as
follows, viz. :-
For the purpose of creating a very strong draught or current of air up the
chimney of any house or building, so that a fire may be lighted or kindled
with very little difficulty, and in a very short space of time; for effecting a
very considerable saving in coal, coke, cannel, charcoal, wood, or other fuel;

page_text: and also for throwing the whole heat of such coal, coke, cannel, charcoal,
wood, or other fuel into the building, room, cellar, or other apartment, instead
of allowing it to escape up the chimney, to be called the "house-fire in-
vigorator and fuel economizer," and to be made in all its parts of iron, steel,
tin, brass, copper, zinc, lead, or any combination or amalgamation of such
metals, or of wood covered with any of the aforesaid metals or combination
thereof, or of glass, fire-tile, or earthenware, in manner as herein-after specified
and set forth.
A, A, A, represents the frame or groundwork, to be made of any of the
metals or materials aforesaid, or of wood covered with any of the metals or
materials aforesaid, either plain or ornamental, of shape either round, square,
oval, or otherwise, of any suitable width, breadth, or thickness, or of angle or
tee iron, of any size, shape or pattern; to be made of any shape, so as to
fit any stove or fire-place; to stand on plain or ornamental feet of any
design, or to be made without feet, so as to be fixed to any part of the stove
or fire-place; to be drilled or punched in any part; to take or allow any
number of the pieces of metal or other material marked B, B, B, and C, C, on
the plan annexed hereto to be entered; also to have eyes, hoops, or hooks
fitted on, as at D, D, or to have holes punched or drilled, for the purpose of
allowing a wire screen to be fitted on at pleasure; to move on castors, wheels,
or otherwise. B, B, B, represents strips or pieces of plain or ornamented
metal or material, as before mentioned and set forth, of any suitable width,
breadth, or thickness, to act as louvres, to be made to slide, swivel, or hinge,
for the purpose of being either opened or closed at pleasure, or to be fixed, or
made to slide upwards or downwards, or to open on hinges, centres, or other-
wise from the sides or centres as may be deemed advisable. Any number of
these strips to be used in either a curved or straight form.
ordinary usual appliances to be used for opening and closing.
louvre in one piece with perforated holes, with a back plate to open
the same. C, C, represents a sheet or sheets of plain or ornamented metal
or other material, as before mentioned and set forth, to act as
work on centres, hinges, or otherwise. The sheet or sheets to be of any
suitable length, breadth, or thickness, both below and above the centres or
hinges; to open either inwards or outwards; to be made to slide upwards
or downwards, or to be made on centres or hinges from the sides or centre, as
may be deemed, advisable; to be used in either a curved or straight form.
D, D, represents eyes, hoops,. or hooks, for the purpose of attaching a wire,
screen to the frame A; E. represents a small quadrant with spring, to retain
Jouvre C in any position. The whole to be made to any shape, so as to fit
Any of the
Or with a
and close
louvre, to

page_text: any stove or fire-place in any building, room, cellar, or other apartment, as the
shape of the stove or fire-place may suggest.
Having thus described the details so far as is requisite in order to render the
whole clear and distinct, I now declare the Invention whereof the sole and
exclusive use is intended to be secured to me by Royal Letters Patent, to be
as follows:-
Firstly, I claim the application of louvres on centre hinges, or otherwise, as
set forth at B, B, B, and C, C, for the purpose of creating a draught or strong
current of air, to be regulated at pleasure.
Secondly, I claim the application of the louvre C, C, on hinges, centres, or
otherwise to open inwards, to act as a reflector, for the purpose of throwing
the heat of the fire into the building, room, cellar, or other apartment, instead
of allowing it to escape up the chimney.
And, lastly, I claim the general arrangements as a whole, but not each
individual component part considered separately, as these have, with the
exception of the above claims (which are new in application and principle),
been heretofore adopted under variously modified forms.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Snook in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SNOOK, of Twenty-five, Wilson Street, Stockport Road, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Snook, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Snook,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Snook, 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 "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
CAUSING A STRONGER AND BETTER DRAUGHT OR CURRENT OF AIR, SO THAT HOUSE
FIRES MAY BE LIGHTED OR KINDLED IN A VERY SHORT SPACE OF TIME; FOR EFFECTING

page_text: A VERY CONSIDERABLE SAVING IN FUEL; AND FOR THROWING THE HEAT PROM SUCH
FIRE INTO THE BUILDING OR ROOM," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Thomas Snook, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under , 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 Thomas Snook, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The nature of my said Invention consists of an apparatus for invigorating
house fires, and economizing fuel, to be called the "house-fire invigorator and
fuel economizer," and is particularly. described and ascertained in and by this
present Specification, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters marked thereon.
For the purpose of causing a very strong draught or current of air up the
chimney of any house or building, so that a fire may be lighted or kindled
with very little difficulty and in a very short space of time; for effecting a
very considerable saving in coal, coke, cannel, charcoal, wood, or other fuel;
and also for throwing the heat from such coal, coke, cannel, charcoal, wood,
or other fuel into the building, room, cellar, or other apartment, instead of
allowing it to escape up the chimney. The invigorator and economizer to be
made in all its parts of iron, steel, tin, brass, copper, zinc, lead, or any com-
bination or amalgamation of such metals, or of wood covered with any of the
aforesaid metals or combination thereof, or of glass, fire-tile, or earthenware,
in manner as herein-after specified and set forth.
B, B, B, represents strips or pieces of plain or ornamental metal or material,
as before mentioned and set forth, of any suitable width, breadth, or thickness,
to work on points or pins to act as louvres; to be made to slide, swivel, or
hinge, for the purpose of being either opened or closed at pleasure; or to be
fixed, or made to slide upwards or downwards; or to open on hinges, centres,
or otherwise from the sides or centre, as may be deemed advisable. Any
number of these strips or pieces to be used in either a curved or straight form.
Any of the ordinary usual appliances to be used for opening and closing; or
with a louvre in one piece with perforated holes, with a back plate to open
and close the same, or other equivalent producing the effects herein described.
C, C, represents a sheet or sheets of plain or ornamental metal or other

page_text: material, as before mentioned and set forth, to act as a louvre, to work on
pins, points, centres, hinges, or otherwise; the sheet or sheets to be of any
suitable length, breadth, or thickness, both below and above the centres or
hinges; to open either inwards, outwards, or sideways; to be made to slide
upwards, downwards, or sideways; or to be made on points, pins, centres,
hinges, or otherwise from the sides or centre, as may be deemed advisable;
to be used in either a curved or straight form. A, A, A, represents the frame
or groundwork, to be made of any of the metals or materials aforesaid, either
plain or ornamental, of shape either round, square, oval, or otherwise, of any
suitable width, breadth, or thickness; or of angle or tee iron, of any size,
shape, or pattern; to be made of any shape, so as to fit any stove or fire-
place; to stand on plain or ornamental feet of any height or design; or to
be made without feet, so as to be fixed to any part of the stove or fire-place;
to be drilled or punched in any part to take or allow the pins, points, or
centres of any number of the pieces of metal or other material marked B, B, B,
and C, C, on the Drawings annexed hereto to be entered; or the frame A, A, A,
may be dispensed with altogether, and the stove, grate, or fire-place marked
F, F, F, be itself prepared by being punched or drilled in any part to receive
the aforesaid pieces of metal or other material marked B, B, B, and C, C;
also to have eyes, hoops, or hooks fitted on, as at D, D, or to have holes
punched or drilled, for the purpose of allowing a wire screen to be fitted on at
pleasure; to move on castors, wheels, or otherwise. D, D, represents hooks,
hoops, or eyes, for the purpose of attaching a wire screen to the frame A;
E represents a small quadrant with spring, to retain louvre C in any position,
to be used when found necessary. The whole to be made so as to fit any
stove or fire-place in any building, room, cellar, or other apartment as the
shape of the stove or fire-place may require or suggest.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the means of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not limit myself
to the details set forth, as the same may be considerably varied and modified;
but I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the application of louvres on pins, points, centres, hinges, or other-
wise, as herein-before described, and as shewn on Drawings by B, B, B,
and C, C, for the purpose of creating a draught or strong current of air, and
regulating the same as required at pleasure.
Secondly, the application of the louvre C, C, on pins, points, hinges, centres,
or otherwise, to open inwards or outwards to act as a reflector, for the purpose
of collecting and concentrating the heat from the fire, and dispersing or

page_text: throwing the same into the building, room, cellar, or other apartment, instead
of allowing it to escape up the chimney.
And, lastly, I claim the general arrangements as a whole, but not each
individual component part considered. separately, as these have, with the
exception of the above claims (which are new in application), been heretofore
adopted under variously modified forms.
I witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Snook, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness to the signature of the said
Thomas Snook,
B. KITCHEN.
THOMAS SNOOK. (L.S.)