IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR BURNING FUEL AND IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF HEAT
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Vincent Gardner, of 24, Norfolk Street
Middlesex Hospital, County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR BURNING FUEL AND IN THE DISTRIBUTION
OF HEAT."
Sealed the 6th October 1857, and dated the 20th June 1857.
FROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Vincent Gardner
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th June 1857.
I, EDWARD VINCENT GARDNER, of 24, Norfolk Street, Middlesex Hospital,
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR BURNING FUEL AND IN THE
DISTRIBUTION OF HEAT," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in diverting the products of combustion from their
usual course by means of an arch or arches, or a deflector or series of
deflectors, situated at the back or sides, or both, of fire grates or boxes, and in
an arrangement for supplying them with pure air to effect their perfect com-
bustion, in a manner and by means similar to those described in my Patent of
March 14th, 1855. The heated products are couducted through a continuous
pipe or passage, arranged so as to expose a large amount of heating and
distributing surface, which pipe or passage terminates in the flue or chimney,
[Price 8d.1

page_text: Also in the construction of the continuous passage or pipe, which is
arranged in pieces, the respective ends of which are contrived to form a
"sand lag" or "joint," affording great facilities for cleaning, readjusting, &c.
Also in arranging above the fire box or grate, in that part usually opening
to the chimney, a fuel space communicating at once with the fire box, by
which means I preserve a continuous supply of fuel without any machinery or
external aid.
Also in enclosing the parts described in an outer casing, wherein the fire
may, if desired, form the front, and an open fire; through suitable openingsin
the outer casing the external pure air is admitted to circulate through the
interior and around the pipe or heating surface, and in its heated state is
afterwards conducted and distributed where necessary.
Also in constructing fire grates, furnace bars, or fire boxes with the usual
air space wholly or partially closed, or in using solid bottoms; thus partially or
wholly cutting off the air supply from the usual direction. When I employ
these bars or solid bottoms in furnaces I sometimes use an arch in preference
to the deflector, in either case the draughtway is arranged to bring the pro-
ducts of the heated fuel into contact with streams of pure air, provided by
means of air diaphragms properly disposed for the purpose.
Also in the separate or combined use of the parts described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Vincent Gardner in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
VINCENT GARDNER, of No. 24, Norfolk Street, Middlesex Hospital, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Vincent Gardner, er special licence that I; the said Edward
Vincent Gardner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward Vincent Gardner, 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

page_text: of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR BURNING FUEL AND
IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF HEAT," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Edward Vincent Gardner, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, 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 Edward Vincent Gardner, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, 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 in improvements in the means employed for burn-
ing fuel, obtaining heat, and distributing the same, whereby great cleanli-
ness and convenience is produced, and considerable economy effected;
some parts of which are applicable for smoke-consuming purposes.
By my Invention I am enabled at an exceedingly small cost to provide a
continuous current of pure and heated air, and to preserve the same
throughout any given period, by means which combine extreme simplicity
with great certainty and power of result.
In this contrivance the great want of a good "hot-air generator," without
the closeness and ungenial appearance of "hot-air stoves" in general, will be
found fully supplied, combined with all the cheerfulness of an open fire, and
without the unpleasant smell of the one or the dust and dirt of the other.
The air supplied for warming purposes not being allowed to come in contact
with the heated fuel, it never becomes burnt or robbed of its arterial and
vital principle, it will never be found to produce sickening or headache, nor
to injure the most delicate tones of color, owing to its great state of purity.
Another great advantage of these improvements will be found in the ready
means they furnish for removing all the tendency to that household nuisance,
a smokey chimney. By their use a down draught is prevented, and the most
obstinate chimney effectually cured, while their great economy and cleanliness
will in every instance be found not the least novel and desirable of their
pecularities. It will be seen, by a perusal of the following descriptions of the
Drawings, that an open fire used in one room can be easily made to furnish
sufficient heated pure air for one or two other rooms without extra expense
for fuel. The attention required by stoves and fires in general will be found
unnecessary, the apparatus when once charged continues its offices without

page_text: interruption throughout the day. The waste of time and fuel, the dust and
inconvenience resulting from the necessary poking, coaling, and attention
required by ordinary fires, are entirely obviated.
By the employment of my patent diaphragms and deflectors I fully oxidate
the fuel, and produce therefrom the greatest effective amount of heat.
I will now proceed to describe the Drawings. Figures 1, 3, and 5 are
front views, and Figures 2, 4, and 6 vertical sectional views, of stoves of my
improved construction. The same letters refer to the same parts. A, A, A, A,
is an outer casing, made of iron or any suitable material, in front of which
the fire bars or grate B are situated; C is a solid plate, forming the bottom
of the fire box D; E, E, E, are diaphragms, made deflecting or otherwise;
F, F, F, are the flues; G, G, is a receptacle or vessel for containing water;
H, H, is the fuel space, situated directly over the fire, and communicating
therewith; I, I, is the door for charging the fuel space; K are the air
diaphragms, the admission of air to which is regulated by the valve or
regulator L; M, M, are the jointures of the flue pipes or passage; 0,0,0,0,
are openings in the outer casing for the admission of the exterior pure air;
N is a valve for regulating the exit of the same when warmed; P, a pipe
for directing the current in any desired direction.
I will now proceed to describe the use and action of these several parts.
The fire box D, being charged with the necessary fuel for ignition, the fuel
space H is completely filled with fuel by the door I, and the door perfectly
closed; after charging the fuel space, the valve L is closed, and the fuel
ignited through the spaces of the fire bars E. When the fuel has become
red hot, the valve L is opened, so as to admit air through the air diaphragms
K, the supply of which is regulated according to the rate of combustion
required. The products given off from the burning fuel pass between the
deflectors or diaphragms E, E, E, E, which, becoming heated, communicate
their heat to the products in their passage through them. In this heated
condition they are met by the current of air supplied through the diaphragms
K, as shewn by the arrows, and their combustion rendered perfect; the
resulting highly heated and invisible products pass through the flue F,F, F,F,
to the chimney. The air diaphragms K, being heated by conduction, the air
becomes heated in its passage through them, so that the cooling of the heated
gases is effectually prevented. The pure air enters at the lower portion of
the outer casing A,A,A,A, by the openings O, 0, 0, 0, it circulates around
the flue pipes or passages, and by contact therewith becomes quickly heated,
eventually escaping through a perforated top directly into the room, or by
means of the conducting air flue P is conducted in any desired direction.

page_text: To preserve the usual hygrometric conditions, the water lag or vessel G, ca st
on the lower leg of the flue F, F, is provided, which, becoming heated, causes
the contained water to evaporate, ensuring the necessary humidity. When
once in action the stove requires no more attention throughout the day.
The fire bars B may be separate or in one piece; I usually prefer the latter
because more convenient; they may be placed either horizontally or vertically.
The front of the fire box D is arranged to move on a centre or centres, or is
hinged at its upper or lower portion, as shewn at the dotted lines a, a,
Figures 1 and 4, thereby affording ready means for cleaning and recharging.
The deflectors or diaphragms E, E, E, E, are shewn at an angle. This is not
necessary to their use; they may be placed in any other desirable direction;
nor do I confine myself to any precise number of diaphragms, nor to their
precise situation; they may be placed in the back or sides of the fire box 1)
or in both situations; they may be constructed of iron, fire clay, or any other
suitable material; they may be of any suitable shape, cylindrical or other-
wise, and they, as well as the fire bars B, may be hollow instead of solid, and
form a water way communicating with a reservoir of that fluid (such as a
boiler in kitchen ranges); they may also be employed for heating water, as
in a hot water apparatus, and the water circulated by any of the well-known
methods. It is also evident that the deflectors or diaphragms E, E, E, E,
might be dispensed with, and an arch or arches, passage or passages used in
place thereof. I do not confine myself to either, but what I wish to claim
is the diversion of the heated products from their usual course by one or,
more deflectors or diaphragms on arch or arches, passage or passages,
whether such be hollow and used for heating fluids, or otherwise, in the
mode and manner described.
The flues F, F, are rectangular passages, forming a continuous syphon, but
their place may be supplied by the use of one or more pipes. They may be
made of any serviceable shape and material; to facilitate the clearing of the
flues they are constructed to form a "sand lag" jointing at each juncture,
and while I wish to claim the use of such "lags," whether filled with sand or
other material, in such situations, I do not confine myself to them; any other
suitable mode of junction could be employed. The fuel receptacle H is kept
tight by means of a cover or door I, fitting into sand or fitting against a
packing in any of the usual methods. I usually prefer a conical shape for
the fuel space H, but any convenient form would be suitable. Sometimes
I employ a feeding hopper for recharging the fuel space when empty, and
while the fire is still burning, where a long period of continuous action is
required, but when this is not the case it is unnecessary.

page_text: What I wish to claim in this part of the apparatus is the use of a fuel space
or box immediately above or inclining to the fire box, and communicating
therewith directly or indirectly, by means of which a continuous supply of fuel
can be preserved, whether provided with a recharging apparatus or otherwise.
The air diaphragms K, placed either vertically or horizontally, are fitted in a
box or drawer for convenience of cleaning and removing dust; their use is
more fully described in my Patent of March Fourteenth, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five. The outer casing A, A, A, A, may be filled with iron
chippings or other conducting substance where increase of surface is desirable,
or projections may be cast on the interior surface thereof; it may also be
filled with hygrometric materials, such as lime, in coarse lumps, or on trays,
when a very dry air is wanted.
Figures 4 and 5 shew the application of these improvements to a parlor
register stove; Figure 4 is a sectional, and Figure 5 a front view. The
several parts will be understood from the previous description.
Figure 6 is another modification of my principle, wherein the flues F,F,F,F,
are horizontal instead of vertical. To increase the effect I employ distributing
plates R, R, R, R, as shewn, the use of which is to cause the air current
to impinge upon every portion of the heated surface; the other parts have
been already described. The water vessel or reservoir G is kept supplied from
a pneumatic reservoir, upon the same principle as the self-acting glasses
attached to bird cages, and needs no further description here.
Figure 7 is a front view, and Figure 8 a sectional view, of a kitchen range
'with my improvements. In Figure 7 the top hot plate is supposed to be
removed to shew the course of the heated products; the flue is directed so as
to form an oven space, and to cause the heated products to surround the
boiler; the boiler itself may form the fire box, but it is generally found
sufficient to cause the water to circulate through the diaphragms or deflectors
and fire bars, on the principle already described. The fuel space H is here
shewn not extending above the oven plate; it may, however, be enlarged,
if convenient so to do.
In all these adaptations I employ a solid bottom C to the fire box D.
I sometimes find it useful to employ fire boxes and furnaces wherein the
bottom of the fire boxes are partially and not wholly closed, but I do not
confine myself to this; but what I wish to claim is, the use of solid, or closed,
or partially closed bottoms to furnaces or fire boxes, whether effected by
bars of fitting construction or otherwise, by means of which the usual air
current is partially or wholly diverted. When I employ these closed or
partially closed bottoms to furnaces or fire boxes I sometimes use an arch in

page_text: preference to a deflector. I will proceed to describe the application thereof
to a furnace.
Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of a furnace fitted with my closed fire box;
the place B of the fire bars is fitted with a closed bottom.. S, S, is an arch,
extending from the front end of the fire box back to the bridge, and attached
thereto, cutting off the passage of the heated products in this direction; air
is supplied at both sides of the arch through the air diaphragms K¹, K,
by the valves L, L. The furnace is lighted in the usual way, the valve L'
closed and the valve L opened until the fuel is thoroughly ignited, when the
second valve L' is opened to admit a sufficient supply of pure air to fully
oxidize the fuel. The heated products pass from the back of the arch
towards the front of the furnace, and are there met by the air supply from
the air diaphragms K, and thoroughly oxidized; the smokeless products
now ascend over the front of the arch S, S, beneath the boiler to the flue
and pass off by the shaft or chimney.
The arch S,S, serves to divert the products of combustion towards the front
of the furnace, and to spread them out in contact with the boiler. The arch
is sometimes thickened at one part, as shewn at T, to increase the effects
described.
Figure 10 is a plan view of a set of bars partially closed. I employ
these in place of ordinary fire bars with the arch above described, or with
my smoke-consuming arrangement, described in my Patent of March the
Fourteenth, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Among the most prominent applications of these improvements are "hot
air stoves," register stoves, kitchen ranges, licensed victuallers' stoves,
japanners' stoves, and to all stoves and furnaces.
I have not in every instance particularized the materials used in the
construction of the foregoing; these may be iron, cast or otherwise, fire
clay, or any other suitable material.
Having thus fully described the nature of my improvements, what I
wish to claim is,-
First, the suspension of the front bars or grate of a fire box by means
of hinges, or by centre pivots, in the mode and manner described.
Secondly, the application of hollow bars to ordinary stoves, grates, or
ranges, whereby water may be heated, in the mode and manner described.
Thirdly, the diversion of the heated products of combustion from their usual
course by one or more diaphragms, an arch or arches, passage or passages,
whether such behollow and used for heating fluids or otherwise, and whether
they be situated at the back or sides of the fire box, or both, as described.

page_text: Fourthly, the arrangement of the flues F, F, F, F, whether vertical or
horizontal; also the application of a lag for sand or other material to the
respective ends of the flue junctions; also the use of the divisional distributing
plates R, R, R, R, Figure 6, as described.
Fifthly, the application of a "water lag" or vessel cast on the flue, and the
self-acting means of supply for the same, either together or separately, as
described.
Sixthly, the application of a fuel space or box communicating with the
fire box, by means of which a continuous supply of fuel is preserved, whether
provided with a re-charging apparatus or otherwise, as described.
Seventhly, the application of the air diaphragms K to stoves, register stoves,
and ranges, and the current of air supplied through them, for the purpose
and in the manner described.
Eighthly, the construction of fire grates, fire bars, or fire boxes with the
usual air space wholly or partially closed, or the use of solid or closed
bottoms in such situations, as described.
Ninthly, the construction of furnaces in the mode and manner described.
Tenthly, the combination of any or all of these in the manner herein
described, or in any other manner substantially the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Vincent Gardner, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
EDWARD V. (L.S.) GARDNER.