A New or Improved Means for Improving the Combustion of Fuel in Open Fire Grates.
Year: 1897

page_text: A New or Improved Means for Improving the Combustion of Fuel
in Open Fire Grates.
We, ROBERT GEORGE SHAPCOTT of "Devonia," Sandpit Lane, St. Albans, in the
County of Hertford, Manager of Works, and HENRY ERNEST BROWN of 41 Evershot
Road, Tollington Park, London N. Assistant Manager of Works. do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention to be as follows
The object of our invention is to provide means for effecting a proper or complete
combustion of coal, coke and other fuel in ordinary fire grates whereby a greater
amount of heat is obtained whilst the consumption of fuel and the production of
smoke is reduced.
According to our invention we provide an inclined flat or curved bridge or support
for the fuel the ends of the bridge being supported by suitable sides, and in some
cases a back, formed integral with the bridge. The bridge and sides are perforated
with a number of holes for conducting a constant supply of air in a heated state to
the centre of the fuel:
The bridge or support is preferably formed of fire clay or analogous material
moulded with insertions of wire; but we do not confine ourselves to this construction
as the bridge can be readily made of any suitable incombustible material or metal.
The bridge is so arranged that it can be readily placed in an ordinary grate in close
proximity to the back of the stove, the air passing up through the grate bars on which
the bridge rests or through space at the bottom of the front of the bridge and thence
through the perforations to the fire.
A New or Improved Means for Improving the Combustion of Fuel
in Open Fire Grates.
We, ROBERT GEORGE SHAPCOTT of "Devonia" Sandpit Lane, St. Albans, in the
County of Hertford Manager of Works, and HENRY ERNEST BROWN of 41 Evershot
Road, Tollington Park London N. Assistant Manager of Works. do hereby declare
the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
The object of our invention is to provide means for effecting a proper or complete
combustion of coal, coke, and other fuel in ordinary fire grates, whereby a greater
amount of heat is obtained, whilst the consumption of fuel and the production of
smoke is reduced.

page_text: And in order that my said invention may be 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 front view of a fuel economizer constructed according to our invention.
Fig 2 is a vertical section of the same and illustrating its application to an
ordinary open fire grate.
According to our invention we provide an inclined flat or curved bridge a which
serves to support the fuel, the ends of the bridge being in the example shown
supported by suitable sides b, and in some cases a back, formed integral with the
bridge. The bridge and sides are perforated with a number of holes c through which
a constant supply of air passes to the fuel, the air being heated during its progess.
The bridge or fuel economizer is preferably formed of fire clay, asbestos, or analogous
material moulded with or without an insertion of wire; but we may sometimes form
the bridge of any other suitable incombustible material or metal.
The bridge is arranged to be readily placed in an ordinary grate in close proximity
to the back of the stove, as shown in Fig 2, the air passing upward through the grate
bars on which the bridge rests in the case of an ordinary stove and through the
space d at the bottom of the bridge more especially in the case of a slow combustion
stove, with solid bottom on which the bridge rests, to the interior of the bridge, where
it becomes heated, whence it passes through the perforations c to the fuel.
The bridge a may be curved, that is to say, it may have a convex or concave face
or support for the fuel and may be inclined from front to back or it may be vertical
and with or without the sides b.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, We declare that what we claim is :-
1 The new or improved bridge or fuel economizer, for improving the combustion
of the fuel in ordinary open fire grates, and reducing the quantity of smoke,
constructed and arranged substantially as herein before described.
2 In means for improving combustion of fuel in open fire grates, the application
and use of a bridge having an inclined or vertical flat or curved face or support for
fuel and with or without sides of suitable shape, the face and sides being perforated
for the admission of heated air to the fuel, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
3 In means for improving combustion of fuel in open fire grates, the combination
of fire-clay, asbestos, or analogous material and metal wire or net work, the whole
formed and applied in a manner substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated th Now 1907
GEORGE DOWNING & SONS
8 Quality Court London WC Agents.