Improvements in or applicable to Domestic and other Fire-grates.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th Sept., 1897--Accepted, 30th Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Domestic and other Fire-grates.
I, HARLAN PAGE VAN DUSEN, of 74 St. George's Road, South Belgravia, in the
County of Middlesex, Physician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or applicable to domestic and other
fire-grates and is designed to provide simple and convenient means whereby the air.
entering from beneath the grate, can be heated before it comes into contact with the
fuel, so promoting the combustion of the fuel and increasing the amount of heat
given out by the fire, whilst at the same time diminishing the amount of smoke and
other products escaping to the chimney, as well as the amount of ashes produced,
and effecting great economy in the consumption of the fuel.
For the purposes of my invention I close in the space beneath the grate in which
the ashes usually collect, and I provide in the said space a horizontal or approximately
horizontal plate or partition dividing the same into two compartments, the lower of
which communicates with the upper only by means of a space or opening left at the
rear of the said plate or partition. Suitable inlets are provided for admitting air at
the front of the lower compartment, and the arrangement is such that the air is
caused to flow under the plate towards the space or opening at the rear thereof, and
after passing up through the said opening, flows back over the upper surface of the
plate and distributes itself to the fire at the same time.
As the horizontal partition or plate becomes very highly heated owing to the
radiation from the bottom of the fire, the air flowing under the same as above
described also acquires a high temperature, and is thus ready to enter into combustion
immediately it comes in contact with the fuel, the combustion being thereby
promoted and rendered very complete.
According to one arrangement the space below the grate may be closed by
a suitably shaped front formed of sheet iron and provided with apertures or air inlets
as desired. From the inner side of this front projects the aforesaid horizontal
plate or partition which may also be formed of sheet iron and have its ends turned
down to serve as supports. The whole may be made removable to facilitate the
withdrawal of the ashes which collect on the top of the horizontal partition or plate
instead of on the hearth. Holes or apertures provided with suitable doors or covers
to render them air tight or practically so, may however be arranged in the front of
the upper compartment to permit of such withdrawal of the ashes without removing
the said front and partition.
The compartment below the horizontal plate or partition may, owing to the heat
existing in the same, be used in some cases as an oven in which to cook small articles
of food.
In some cases I may, in a domestic grate, close in the lower front part of the fire
immediately above the bottom of the same, for instance by a strip or sheet of metal
attached to the bars to prevent cold air reaching the bottom of the fire from the front
thereof

page_text: Obviously the invention may be applied to the grates of steam boilers and furnaces
as well as to domestic grates.
Dated this 19th day of December 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & CO.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or applicable to Domestic and other Fire-grates.
I, HARLAN PAGE VAN DUSEN, late of 74 St. George's Rond, and now of 29 Morton
Place, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, Physician, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in or applicable to domestic and other
fire-grates and is designed to provide simple and convenient means whereby the air
entering from beneath the grate, can be heated before it comes into contact with the
fuel, so promoting the combustion of the fuel and increasing the amount of heat
given out by the fire, whilst at the same time diminishing the amount of smoke and
other products escaping to the chimney, as well as the amount of ashes produced, and
effecting great economy in the consumption of the fuel.
For the purpose of my invention I close in the ash space beneath the grate, and
provide therein a horizontal or approximately horizontal plate or partition dividing
the said space into two superimposed compartiments, the lower of which communicates
with the upper only by means of a space or opening left at the rear of the said plate
or partition. Suitable inlets are provided at the front of the lower compartment, for
admitting air thereto, and the arrangement is such that the air is caused to flow
rearwardly under the plate or partition towards the space or opening at the rear
thereof, and after passing up through the said opening flows forwardly over the upper
surface of the plate and distributes itself through the grate bars to the fuel above.
As the aforesaid horizontal partition or plate becomes very highly heated owing to
the radiation from the burning fuel, the air flowing under the said partition as above
described also acquires a high temperature and is still further heated as it flows
over the upper surface of the partition, being in this manner brought into
a satisfactory condition to enter into combustion immediately it comes in contact
with the fuel, such combustion being thereby promoted and rendered very complete.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect, I will proceed to describe the same more fully by aid of the accompanying
drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a front view, and
Figure 2 is a transverse section of a fire-grate, provided with one arrangement
embodying my improvements.
Figure 3 illustrates a slight modification thereof..
Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, a a represent the ordinary fire bars
and b the brick work of the grate. c represents a plate of sheet iron or other suitable
material which serves to close in the space d below the grate and in the example
illustrated forms a removable front for this space, being provided with a handle e to
facilitate its being placed in position or removed as desired. ff are the apertures or
air inlets with which the front is provided which aperture may be provided. into
a movable plate or slide for regulating the entrance of the air. g is the horizontal
partition or plate which extends rearwardly from the said front and has turned down
portions such as g' to serve as supports. It is preferably secured to the said front so
that they can be withdrawn together, and thus form one single device. h is the

page_text: opening or passage which is at the rear of the partition to permit the flow of air to
take place as indicated by the arrows.
The principal object in making the device removable is to facilitate the withdrawal
of the ashes which collect on the top of the horizontal partition or plate instead of
on the hearth. Holes or apertures provided with suitable doors or covers to render
them air-tight or practically so, may however be arranged in the front c to permit of
the withdrawal of the ashes without removing the device and in some cases the said
plate c may be cast in one with the front of the grate.
The compartiment or space below the horizontal plate or partition g, owing to the
high temperature existing in the same due to the downward radiation from the said
horizontal plate, may be used in some cases as an oven in which to cook small
articles of food, the said compartments being protected by the partition from dust or
ashes falling out of the grate.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 3, the front c is extended upward beyond the
lowest bar of the grate, so as to close in the lower front portion of the grate as well
as the space below it and prevent cold air reaching the bottom of the fire from the
front thereof.
It may be found advantageous in some cases to provide the lower compartment
with a number of vertical partitions or baffles which divide the said lower
compartment into sub-compartments through which the incoming air will pass in
a circuitous manner and thus have its temperature raised to a higher degree by
a prolonged contact with the aforesaid highly heated horizontal partition.
In some cases however, instead of extending the front e upward I may employ
a separate strip or sheet of metal attached to the bars to close in the lower front
portion of the grate, or I may cast the grate with this portion thereof closed iu.
Obviously my invention may be applied to steam boilers and other furnaces as
well as to domestic grates.
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. A domestic or other fire-grate having the space beneath the same enclosed,
and divided into compartments, substantially as described and for the purposes set
forth.
2. A domestic or other fire grate provided with means for heating the air supply
substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or with reference to
Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
HASELTINE, LAKE & CO.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.