IMPROVEMENTS IN KITCHEN RANGES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, GEORGE TURNBULL, of Graemes Dyke, Falkirk, in the county of Stirling,
Foreman Founder, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KITCHEN RANGES," to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference to improved fittings connected with the plate over
the flue at the back of the fire of cooking or kitchen ranges, so as to convert them
more easily either into close or open fires or ranges, than by the other fittings
heretofore in use for this purpose.
By my improvements, the ordinary loose plate with covered openings for pans
over the front part of the fire is made to lift off by the usual bandles entering an
undercut recess for the purpose, and laid aside, or set on catches or brackets on
a convenient part of the cove plates as a convenient hot shelf. for setting pans on;
or it may be made to draw forwards on its side bearing edges as slides, with snugs
on the back edge of plate projecting under the slides, to hold it as a projecting
plate in front of the fire for setting anything on when desired. The top plate of
the grate over the fire, immediately behind the said loose front plate is cut away
quite back to the cove plate, which has a port at its lower edge cut out of it the
full width of the fire leading direct into the flue behind, through which the gases
and flames pass to the chimney when the arrangement is to act as an open fire or
range, and be closed when acting as a close fire range. To effect this, a movable
raising and lowering plate is fitted over this back part of the grate and fire, with
a vertical part or plate at its back edge projecting and sliding close up against the
cove plate, closing up the said port and passage into the flue behind when down;
but when raised opens these, so that the horizontal cover plate which has side
edges projecting down into the recess in top of grate and the fire-place forms a
direct flue or channel in the chimney flue making the top plate very hot for setting
any small pot on when desired. The raising aud lowering of this closing and
opening channel or flue plate is effected by a narrow flat bar attached to its
bottom edge in the centre, working up through a slot in and on a guide on the
lower inner side of the cove plate, actuated in one arrangement by teeth on the
side or edge of this bar and a segmental toothed wheel working into these, on
the inner end of a short hand lever spindle projecting through an eye for it in the
cove plate, and it might be a journal hole in a kneed bracket on the back of cove

page_text: plate, with a projecting stop on the spindle, which when turned to raise the plate
and push it laterally in one direction, would enter a notch for it and keep the flue
plate up until drawn out, when the plate would fall by its own weight. However,
a short crank and pin with a link or slot, at the inner end of the hand spindle or
other equivalent, could be connected to the back bar of the flue plate to open and
close this quite as well as the toothed bar and segment first described, to convert
the range into an open or close fire arrangement. This raising flue plate would
also be fitted with a narrow slide plate under its front edge (preferably with side
flanges projecting down to the top level of the grate) which could be drawn out
over the fire when desired to lengthen the flue plate and prevent the escape of any
smoke or gases into the house.

page_text: I, GEORGE TURNBULL, of Graemes Dyke, Falkirk, in the County of Stirling,
Foreman Founder, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN KITCHEN RANGES" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention has reference to improved fittings connected with the plate over
the flue at the back of the fire of cooking or kitchen ranges, so as to convert them
either into close or open fires or ranges more easily than by the ordinary fittings
heretofore in use for this purpose.
By my improvements, the ordinary loose plate, with covered openings for pans
over the front part of the fire, is made to lift off by the usual handles entering an
undercut recess for the purpose, and laid aside, or set on catches or brackets, on a
convenient part of the cove plate, forming a convenient hot shelf for setting pans
upon; or it may be made to draw forwards on its side-bearing edges, as slides,
with snugs on the back edge of the plate projecting under the slides, to hold it as a
projecting plate in front of the fire for setting anything on when desired. The top
plate of the grate over the fire, immediately behind the said loose front plate, is cut
away quite back to the cove plate, which has a port at its lower edge cut out of it,
the full width of the fire leading directly into the flue behind, through which the
gases and flames pass to the chimney, when the arrangement is to act as an open
fire or range, and be closed when acting as a close fire range. To effect this a
movable rising and lowering plate is fitted over this back part of the grate and fire,
with a vertical part or plate at its back edge, projecting and sliding close up
against the cove plate thereby closing up the said port and passage into the flue
behind when down: but when raised opening these, so that the horizontal cover
plate which has side edges projecting down into the recess in the top of grate and
the fire place, forms a direct flue or channel in the chimney flue making the top
plate very hot for setting any small pot thereupon when desired. The raising and
lowering of this closing and opening channel or flue plate is effected by a narrow
flat bar attached to its bottom edge in the centre, working up through a slot in and
on a guide on the lower inner side of the cove plate, actuated in one arrangement
by teeth on the side or edge of this bar and a segmental toothed wheel gearing
therein, thus forming a rack and pinion, to the axle of which pinion a short hand
lever is fitted for actuating the same. Instead of this arrangement for raising and
owering the plate the same may be effected by means of a kneed bracket on the
back of the cove plate, with a projecting stop on the spindle, which when turned to
raise the plate and move it laterally in one direction, would enter a notch provided
herefor and thus keep the flue plate up until again drawn out, when the plate
would fall by its own weight. Or a short crank and pin with a link or slot, at the
nner end of the hand spindle or other equivalent, could be connected to the back
ar of the flue plate so as to open and close the same and thus convert the range
nto an open or close fire arrangement. This raising flue plate is also fitted with
narrow slide plate under its front edge (preferably with side flanges projecting

page_text: down to the top level of the grate) which can be drawn out over the fire when
desired to lengthen the flue plate, and prevent the escape of any smoke or gases
into the house.
And in order that my said invention may be more particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the upper part of a range, fitted with my
invention, the same being shewn in a closed position. Fig. 2 is a perspective front
view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation shewing the range "open," and
the plate c raised to the position shewn, where it forms a convenient hot shelf for
pans. Fig. 4 is a perspective view shewing the back plate raised, (as also shewn in
Fig. 3) and the front plate c drawn forward over the front of the fire. Fig. 5 is a
detail shewing the manner of sustaining the plate c in the position shewn in Fig. 3,
and Fig. 6 is a perspective front view of Fig. 3. a is the fire-place, b is the flue,
c is the loose plate, which (according to size) may be fitted with one or more
covered openings, c¹ being one such covering. d is the cove plate, e is the top plate,
which is cut away at ff to an increased width. g is a rising and lowering plate,
the back, gl, of which is formed at right angles thereto. This bracket piece g¹ is
connected, by screws, with the slotted bar and toothed rack 7. The screws pass
through a slot in the cove plate, when the plate g g¹ is raised. i is a pinion
actuated by the hand lever . d¹ is a bracket which is fitted to the plate d.
kare two of the fire bars of the grate. The plate g2 is made to slide backwards
and forwards, being shewn as it is when pushed back in Figs. 1 and 4, and drawn
forward in Figs. 3 and 6.
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
1. The manufacture and use of kitchen ranges, so constructed as to be capable
of use as open or close ranges and fire places, operating substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described and shewn on the drawings.
2. The general combination and arrangement of the several and respective parts,
together forming my improvements in kitchen ranges, substantially as herein
before described and shewn on the drawings.