IMPROVEMENTS IN AMERICAN STOVES OR CLOSE COOKING RANGES AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OF HEATING THE WATER BOILERS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Dobbie and Peter Forbes, both of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, and of Larbert, in the County of
Stirling, North Britain, American Stove Manufacturers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AMERICAN STOVES OR CLOSE COOKING
RANGES AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OF HEATING THE WATER BOILERS
CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 21st December 1874, and dated the 6th July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Dobbie and
Peter Forbes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 6th July 1874.
We, ROBERT DOBBIE and PETER FORBES, both of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, and of Larbert, in the County of Stirling, North
Britain, American Stove Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AMERICAN STOVES.OR. CLOSE COOKING
RANGES AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OF HEATING THE WATER BOILERS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
This said Invention refers first to a new or improved mode and means
of heating the water boilers of American stoves or close cooking ranges,

page_text: fitted with a close chamber at one end or side of the fire-place or box,
and which is more convenient and economical in fuel than the arrange-
ments heretofore in use. And the nature and novelty of this part of the
Invention consist in forming a large aperture nearly the whole size of
the fire-place right through the plate of the side thereof, and of the
stove into the narrow recess or chamber containing the water boiler, and
in covering this with a narrow open cheek perforated or preferably made
as a barred grating in the form of a hollow air-space, into and through
which the heat from the fire radiates directly on to the side of the water
boiler itself, and so that the heated air can pass and circulate round it
within its heating recess. The bottom of the heating space within the
side grating is left quite open down into the ash-hole or chamber below
for air to pass up, and the ashes to fall out which might pass in through
the grating, and when preferred (in addition to the ordinary air door of
the ash-pit) this bottom hole might be fitted with a swivelling door or
_damper with a handle outside to regulate the admission of the air up the
heating space and still allow the ashes to fall out below, and the hollow
grating may be held in position by distance pins or projections at the.
ends, and by holding or fitting slips on the bottom of the ordinary grate
or sides of the fire-box.
Another improvement and novelty in these stoves or ranges consists
in making and fitting a portable or false bottom grating to and some
distance above the ordinary bottom grate of the firc-box, supported on
side fitting pieces and for easy insertion when a less fire is required, and
for removal when the ordinary deep fire is required.
•
A further improvement and novelty consists in forming and arranging
the ordinary oblong or circular openings in the tops of these stoves and
close ranges filled up by round lids at the end, and straight piece with
hollow semicircular ends in the middle, diagonally or at a great angle, as
at about 45°, to the sides of the stove, which is found most convenient
for the better utilizing of the space, especially when two such-recesses
are required, as in this way two rows of such openings can be formed in
the same surface space as hitherto occupied by one row.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Dobbie and Peter Forbes in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 1st January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
DOBBIE and PETER FORBES, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
and of Larbert, in the County of Stirling, North Britain, American
Stove Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Robert Dobbie and Peter,
Forbes, Her special licence, that we, the said Robert Dobbie and
Peter, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Robert Dobbie and Peter Forbes, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and nọ
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
AMERICAN STOVES OR CLOSE COOKING RANGES AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS OF
HEATING THE WATER BOILERS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Robert Dobbie and Peter Forbes,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
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 we, the said Robert Dobbie and Peter Forbes,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, reference
being had to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings, and to the
reference letters and numerals marked thereon, which we have hereunto
appended for the purpose of showing the best modes and means we are

page_text: at present aware of for putting our said Invention into effect or practice,
the same reference letters and numerals indicating the same or like
parts in all the Figures where shown.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the accompanying Drawings are respectively
longitudinal and transverse vertical sections and a horizontal section
taken through the lines 1. 1, 22, Figure 3, and 3 - - 3, on Figure.
1; each on the other, and all corresponding, of an ordinary American
stove or close cooking range fitted with a modification of the most
important of our said improvements as applied thereto, while Figure 4.
is a plan of the same stove showing a further improvement.
Our said Invention refers first to a new or improved mode and means
of heating the water boilers of American stoves or close cooking ranges
fitted with a close chamber at one end or side of the fire-place or box,
and which is more convenient and economical in fuel than the arrange-
ments heretofore in use.
Referring to. these Figures 1 to 3, à is the sides, and a¹, the top of
the close stove or range; b is the ends, and c, c¹, the closing fire-box
with ash-hole c" below, with front doors c¹, c³, and having the oven d on
the right and the chamber e for receiving the water boiler f on the left
of the fire-box c. The water boiler ƒ is preferably made of copper tinned
on the inside and of any ordinary construction, especially so plain as to
be easily cleaned and inserted into its chamber e from above for ease of
removal and replacement by simply unscrewing or reattaching the
tap or cock at f", all so far much of an ordinary construction supported
on the usual bottom and hearth with feet g, g¹.
The nature, novelty, and mode of performing the first part of our said
Invention or improvements consist in forming a large aperture E nearly
the whole size of the fire-place c, right through the plate e¹ (of the side
thereof across the stove) into the narrow recess or chamber e containing
the water boiler f, and in covering this opening E on the side next the
fire with a narrow open cheek A, A', preferably made in the form of a
barred grating (or it might be otherwise perforated) having an open or
hollow air space B between it and the boiler chamber and hole e, E,
through which A, B, E, the heat from the fire c radiates directly on to
the side f¹ of the water boiler fitself, and so that the air heated in that
'space B may pass and circulate round it within its heating chamber or
recess'e. The bottom of the heating space B within the side.grating

page_text: A, A', at B is left quite open down into the ash-hole or chamber c¹
below the fire c for air to pass up, and for any ashes to fall out which
might pass in through the grating A to insure this side of the fire
always burning properly when stirred or cleared, and when desired (in
addition to the ordinary air door c³ of the ash-pit), this bottom hole
B', might be fitted with a sliding or swivelling door or damper with a
handle outside to regulate the admission of the air up the heating space
el, and still allow the ashes to fall out through it below. The hollow-
grating A, A', is held in position by its projections A' at the ends above,
resting in a slight holding recess e' on the sides of the fire-box c, and by
its lower edge resting and fitting on the recess with retaining slips c
on the bottom of the grate c³ and edge of the air-hole at B¹.
As shown in red lines in Figure 2 another improvement and novelty
in these stoves or ranges consists in making and fitting a portable or
false bottom grating C to and some distance above the ordinary bottom
grate of the fire-box c, supported on side fitting pieces or other
equivalents suitable for easy insertion when a less depth of fire is desired,
and also for removal when the ordinary deep fire is required.
A further improvement and novelty consists in forming and arranging
the ordinary oblong or circular openings in the tops a¹ of these stoves
and close ranges, filled up by round lids h at the ends h¹, h³, and by
parallel pieces i, i, with hollow semicircular ends in the middle,
diagonally, or at an angle h³, h¹, at about 45° to the sides a, a, of the
stove, and which is found most convenient for the better utilizing of the
top heating plate a¹, and space of such stoves or ranges, especially when
two such recesses are required, as in this way two rows of such openings
can be formed in the same surface space as hitherto occupied by one row
usually, all as shown in the plan view, Figure 4. The small coal, dross,
charcoal, or other fuel is fed into the fire e through one of the pot-
heating holes * over it, and the air is admitted and regulated through-
its front grate and door c¹, or through the ash-pit door c² as required,
and indicated by the blue arrows in Figure 2, and the red arrows indicate
the direction of the current of heated air (from the right side of the fire)
through the new side grate A, A¹, and space B, E, for heating the water
boiler and of the products of combustion passing over the top & and
down the end d", and along the bottom d¹ of the oven d to heat it,
regulated by the damper or valve door j`in the throat of the chimney k,
and by a handle in front so as to pass off direct at " or up the back

page_text: opening after heating the oven at j² to the chimney. And when desired
for heating the oven also, although not shown in the Drawings, the side
d of the oven d might be heated direct by and through an open barred
cheeked gate A, A¹, and recess B, B¹, all fitted on the left side of the
fire e next the oven (as shown on the right side) instead of the fire-
brick d³.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention and the
manner in which the same is or may be performed, we have to state that
we do not restrict ourselves to the precise details herein described or
delineated, but what we believe to be novel and original and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The construction or arrangement of the parts generally of
American stoves or close cooking ranges, all substantially in the new or
improved manner herein described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The construction and use of American stoves or close cooking
ranges with the new or improved hollow open side grating.A and space
B open below, between their fire-place and water boiler for heating the
latter direct from the fire, all substantially as herein described and shown
in the accompanying Drawings or any mere modification thereof.
In witness, whereof, I, the said Peter Forbes, on behalf of the said
Robert Dobbie and myself, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Twenty-ninth day of December; in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
P. FORBES. (L.S.)