IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DOMESTIC FIRE GRATES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ADAPTABLE TO EXISTING GRATES
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES HALL of Number 16 Heron Street, Edgeley, Stockport, in the County
of Chester, Foreman Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DOMESTIC FIRE GRATES, SUCH
IMPROVEMENTS BEING ADAPTABLE TO EXISTING GRATES," to be as follows:-
My invention consists of two parts, the first relating to the construction of new
grates containing my improvements, and the second part introduces the improve-
ments into grates and fire places already in use, or finished therfor.
By the aid of my invention a bright cheerful fire is maintained without constant
stirring or any appreciable increase in the quantity of fuel consumed, and which is
so completely exhausted, that nothing but very fine ashes or dust remains.
First This part of the Invention when applied in the construction of domestic
fire grates, ranges and fire places, consists in making the bottom or grid of the grate
movable, the front part being hinged to, or otherwise supported by, or adapted in
front to the bottom bar or to its ends, so that the back part of the grid is capable
of being raised; and casting or adapting to one of the back bars of the grid, a
pendant piece projecting downwards about two inches more or less according to the
length required. The front bars of the grate are made thinner or less in substance
than usual, and by placing them closer together a greater number of bars are used
than is the case in most modern domestic grates or fire places. An opening through
the centre of the ornamental piece, that generally forms the front facing beneath the
level of the bottom bar, is made for the introduction of the lower part of the poker,
the extreme end whereof when the grid requires raising for the purpose of clearing
the fire, is passed under the pendant piece, and then by depressing the handle of the
poker the grid is easily raised more or less as required, just sufficient to cause the
dust to fall through, When the ornainental front facing of the bottom bar will
not admit of a hole being made through it without spoiling its design, a fulcrum
for the poker to rest upon whilst raising the back part of the grid is otherwise
provided.
Second-This part of the invention relating to an appliance adapted to grates in
use and otherwise, consists of a frame or fire-holder containing a fixed set of front
fire bars, and a bottom grid which is movable. The distance apart of the front, fire

page_text: bars is so regulated or contrived, that one.or other of the bars of the grid shall come
into every space between the bars of the grate to which the invention is applied,
excepting the space between the bottom bar and the grid of the grate, which space
is left open for the free admission of air. The fire-holder is supported on side pieces
that form part of the frame of the holder and rest at each side upon the fixed grid
of the grate, so that the movable grid of the fire-holder is about on a level with the
first bar from the bottom. By this means the spaces between the bars of the grate
severally are so reduced that none but the smallest cinders can fall out, and instead
of a constant use of the poker, the fire (excepting very soldering coal be used) is
easily cleared by twice or thrice slightly raising the movable grid of the fire-holder,
which is done by inserting the end of the poker in the space beneath it, and making
a fulcrum of the front part of the grid of the grate.
.
The invention is applicable to most domestic grates, ranges, and fire places.

page_text: I JAMES HALL of No 16 Heron Street, Edgeley, Stockport in the County of
Chester, Foreman Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF DOMESTIC FIRE GRATES, SUCH IMPROVE-
MENTS BEING ADAPTABLE TO EXISTING GRATES" and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention consists of two parts, the first relating to the construction of new
grates containing my improvements, and the second part introduces the improve-.
ments into grates and fireplaces already in use, or finished therefor.
By the aid of my invention a bright cheerful fire is maintained without frequent
stirring, and with an appreciable decrease in the quantity of fuel consumed, which
is so completely exhausted that the remains of clean coal consist only of fine
ashes or dust, and this I effect by contracting or lessening the usual spaces between
the front bars of the grate, and of the openings between the bars of the grid,
which is movable.
First This part of the invention is shewn on the annexed drawing by Figs 1. 2
and 3; being respectively a front view of a parlour grate; a plan of the same:-
and a transverse section.-It consists in so placing the bottom or grid A of the
grate that it is free to move in its place, the ends resting on the projecting
pieces H, and the front being either hinged or otherwise supported or adapted to
the bottom bar, as shown at F (see Figs. 2 and 3) so that the back part of the grid
is capable of being raised; and casting or adapting to the back bar or part of the
grid, a pendent piece B, which projects downwards about two inches, more or less,
according to the length required-The front bars C of the grate are made thinner
or less in substance than usual and by placing them closer together, a greater or
double the number of bars are used than is the case in domestic grates of modern
construction. D marks an opening made through the centre of the ornamental
piece that generally forms the front facing beneath the level of the grid A, which
opening is made for the introduction of the thick end of the poker E or other
instrument, the extreme end whereof when the grid requires raising for the
purpose of clearing the fire, is inserted and passed under the pendent piece B and
then by depressing the handle of the poker or instrument the grid is easily raised
more or less as required, and just sufficient to shake the grid and cause the dust to
fall through, stirring or poking the fire being unnecessary. G marks stop pieces
affixed to the side cheeks to prevent the back of the grid being raised too high,
and H are similar pieces projecting from the cheeks beneath the grid whereon the
ends of the latter respectively rest.
When the ornamental front facing beneath the bottom bar will not admit of a
hole being made through it without spoiling the design, a fulcrum for the poker
to rest upon is otherwise provided.
Second-This part of the invention relates to a coal saving appliance devised for
application to grates in present use or otherwise.-It is shewn by the Figures 45
and 6 which respectively represent an end view; a plan; and a front view of the
appliance; and by the Figs: 7 and 8 which shew respectively, a front view, and a
transverse section of the apparatus applied to the fire place of an ordinary kitchen
range. It consists of a front frame or fire holder I, containing a set of front fire or
grate bars J, which are adjustably fixed to the end uprights K, and a bottom
grid L which is movable and rests upon J¹ that marks the feet or end pieces of
the apparatus. The distance apart of the front fire bars J is to be so regulated

page_text: and adjusted that one or other of the bars of the apparatus shall come inter-
mediately, one into each of the upper spaces between M which marks the grate
bars of the fireplace of a range N, to which as shewn by the Figs 7 and 8, the
invention is applied, the lower space between the two grids, vizt, the movable
grid L of the fire holder and the fixed grid O of the range, being left open for the
free admission of air. The ends P of the grid of the fire holder kept in place by
the parts R, are supported by the side pieces J¹ which are cast in one piece with
the uprights K, and form the feet of the holder resting at each end of the grate
upon the grid O of the range. It will be seen by the Fig: 8, that the bars of the
movable grid L are much thinner and closer than the bars of the grid O of the
range, and the spaces between the front bars M of the range are severally so reduced
that none but the smallest cinders and dust can fall or pass-through, so that instead
of a constant use of the poker, the fire (excepting very soldering coal be used) is
easily cleared by twice or thrice slightly raising and jerking the movable grid of
the fire holder, which is done by inserting the end of the poker in the open space Q
and making a fulcrum at S, which marks the front part of the fixed grid of the
range.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First I claim the construction of domestic fire grates and ranges with a movable
grid capable of being raised, and with an unusual number of front bars to the fire
place, all after the manner and for the purposes herein described, referred to, and
exhibited by the figs: 1.2 and 3, on the drawing hereto annexed.
Second I claim the construction and application to domestic fire grates and
ranges, of a fireholder or coal saving apparatus containing a movable bottom grid,
and adjustable front fire bars to be intermediately placed, fixed and regulated after
the manner and for the purposes herein described, referred to, and exhibited by the
Figs 4. 5. 6. 7 and 8 on the sheet of drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this third day of January 1885.