IMPROVEMENTS IN LAUNDRY STOVES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hall Nicoll, of Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, North Britain, Ironmonger, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LAUNDRY STOVES."
Sealed the 4th September 1855, and dated the 28th March 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hall Nicoll at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th March 1855.
I, GEORGE HALL NICOLL, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North Britain,
Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LAUNDRY STOVE3" to be as follows, that is to say:
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of laundry
stoves for heating the various utensils employed in getting up or finishing
freshly-washed linen or clothes, in such a manner as to obtain a more uniformi
and certain result, with economy in the fuel used. According to one modifi-
cation of the present improvements, the stove is a neat rectangular cast-iron
structure or casing, supported upon legs, so as to have its upper part at a con-
venient level for the attendants. The cast-iron casing is oblong, having a door
at one end for the introduction of fuel into the grate. The grate bars extend
back horizontally just below the fire door, somewhat more than half the length

page_text: of the casing, and the remainder of the length of the casing is filled up with
fire brick to within a short distance of the top plate of the casing. The sides
of the casing at the front or grate end are lined with fire brick to a hight
slightly less than that of the filling-up piece behind. The smoke and gases
pass off up a vent pipe springing up from the back end of the casing. The
whole is covered with a flat horizontal plate, which is heated by the fire
beneath, and serves to heat smoothing-irons or other utensils placed upon it.
The sides of the casing, are perforated above the fire brick lining of the grate
space for the introduction of Italian-iron bolts or other similar utensils, and
when not in use the holes through which the bolts are introduced are closed
by caps turning on pivots. Towards the back end of the stove a, door is formed
laterally in the casing for the introduction of the heaters of box smoothing-
irons. These heaters are placed on the fire brick filling-up piece towards the
back of the stove, where they are rapidly heated to the required temperature;
an ash pan is introduced beneath the grate, and is drawn out in front when
the ashes require to be removed. The minor details of arrangement of the
stove may obviously be variously modified, the main feature of the apparatus
being the employment of a fire brick lining, which retains the heat and causes
a considerable economy in fuel. The lateral openings for the Italian-iron bolts
and for the heaters of box-irons also obviate the necessity of opening the main
fire door, and thereby admitting a mass of cold air into the fire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Hall Nicoll in the Great Seal. Patent Office on the
28th September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HALL NICOLL, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Iron-
monger, send greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto
me, the said George Hall Nicoll, Her special license, that I, the said George
Hall Nicoll, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others: as I,
the said George Hall Nicoll, my executors, administrators, or 'assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: 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 "IMPROVE
MENTS IN LAUNDRY STOVES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, 'the
said George Hall Nicoll, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 George Hall Nicoll, 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 in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and 'figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates. to the arrangement. and construction of laundry
stoves for heating the various utensils employed in getting up or finishing
freshly washed linen or clothes; in such a manner as to obtain 'a' more uniform
and certain result, with economy in the fuel used: And in order that my said
Invention may be properly understood; I have hereunto annexed: a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings; and of. these Drawings Figure 1 is.a..side elevation,
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectión, Figure;s is a plan; with the top
plate removed, and Figure 4 is an end elevation, of a laundry. stove as con-
structed and fitted: up: according to my. said Invention: According to one
modification of the present improvements, the stove is a neat rectangular cast-
iron structure or casing A, supported upon legs B, so as to have its upper part
at'a convenient level for. the attendants. The cast-iron casing A is oblong,
having a door C at one end for the introduction of fuel into the grate. The
grate bars D extend back horizontally just below the fire, door somewhat more
than half the length of the casing, and the remainder of the length of the
casing is filled up with fire brick E to within a short distance of the top
plate F of the casing. The sides of the casing at the front or grate end are
lined with fire bricks, as at G, to a height slightly less than that of the filling-
up piece E, behind. The smoke and gases pass off up a vent pipe H, spring-
ing up from the back end I of the casing. The whole is covered with a flat
horizontal plate F, which is heated by the fire beneath, and serves to heat
smoothing-irons or other utensils placed upon it. The sides of the casing are
perforated above the fire brick lining of the grate space, as at J, for the
introduction of Italian bolts or other similar utensils, and when not in use
the holes through which the bolts are introduced are closed by caps turning

page_text: on pivots. Towards the back end of the stove a door K is formed laterally
in the casing for the introduction of the heaters of box smoothing-irons.
These heaters are placed on the fire brick filling-up piece E towards the back
of the stove, where they are rapidly heated to the required temperature. An
ash pan L is introduced between the grate, and is drawn out in front when
the ashes require to be removed. The minor details of arrangement of the
stove may obviously be variously modified, the main feature of the apparatus
being the employment of a fire brick lining, which retains the heat and
causes a considerable economy in fuel. The lateral openings for the Italian-
iron bolts and for the heaters of box-irons also obviate the necessity of
opening the main fire door, and thereby admitting a mass of cold air into
the fire.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of laundry stoves, as herein-
before described.
Second, the application and use in laundry stoves of a lining of fire brick,
arranged in the manner herein-before described.
Third, the system or mode of constructing laundry stoves with separate
openings for the introduction of the heaters of Italian and box irons, as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hall Nicoll, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
GEORGE HALL NICOLL. (L.S.)