Improvements in Fire Box Partitions for Cooking Stoves and Ranges.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 11th Dec., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Box Partitions for Cooking Stoves and
Ranges.
We, FRANCES MAY HAMILTON of 514 Madison Street, Baltimore State of Mary-
land, United States of America, Gentlewoman and CARLETON GILBERT,
PO Box 2490 New York City, in the County and State of New York, United
States of America, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of our invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement.
This invention relates to Fire Box Partitions for Cooking Stoves and Ranges,
its object being to provide a partition that may be adjusted to fit varying sizes of
fire-Loxes in order that the interior of the fire box may be divided into two sections
and the fire confined within one of the sections..
With this and other objects in view the invention consists in the details of con-
struction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and particularly
pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stove with parts broken away showing the
improved partition in place;
Figure 2 is an elevation of the partition looking at the front side;
Figure 3 is a similar view looking at the opposite side;
Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section, on the line -- of Figure 2.
1 represents the fire box and 2 the grate bars. The partition is indicated as a
whole by 3 and it consists of two sections marked 4 and 5 respectively. The
section 4 is provided near its upper end with an elongated opening 6, and near
its lower end with a series of perforations 7, said perforations being arranged in
a line parallel with the elongated opening 6. The lower end of each section is
cut out to form a series of teeth, indicated by 8, the object of forming the lower
ends in this manner being to provide openings 9 for the admission of air to the
fire. Each of these teeth 8 is partially cut through transversely, as indicated
at 10, substantially on a continuous straight line, for the purpose of weakening
the teeth at this point in order that their ends may be broken off, if necessary, to
enable the partition to be set into a shallow fire-box. A rod 12 projects outwardly
from the outer face of one section near its lower end and close to its outer edge,
and these rods are detachably connected to the section in any suitable manner.
As shown in the drawings, one of the sections, 5, is perforated for the passage of
the end of the rod, which is threaded, and nuts 13 are screwed on the threaded
end of the rod, one on each side of the section, to clamp the section between them
and hold the rod in position. One of these nuts is received in a recess 11 of the
section 4, preferably in the outer teeth thereof, allowing the other section 5 to
slide across either way unobstructed, since the said nuts are countersunk. It is

page_text: to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to this particular
method of detachably connecting the rods to the section.
14 represents an upper rod having one end threaded, and this threaded end
extends through the elongated opening.6 in the section 4 and through a per-
foration 15 in the section 5. Nuts 16 are screwed on the threaded end of the
rod 14, one of which engages the section 4, and the other section 5, thereby clamp-
ing the two sections together and holding the rod 14 in position. Each of the
rods 12 and 14 is provided with a series of notches 17 in its outer end portion,
which notches are for the purpose of weakening the rods to enable them to be
more readily broken at either of the notches, as may be desired, in order that the
partition may be adjusted to fire-boxes of different lengths.
18 represents a bolt passing through a hole in the section 5 and adapted to fit
in either of the perferations 7 in the section 4, by which means the lower ends of
the sections are locked together. A nut 19 holds the bolt in position.
Instead of the bolt, we may employ a pin rigid with the section 5, and engaging
one of the perforations 7. The section 5 has converging inclined side edges as
shown, so that the lower end of that section is of less width than the upper end;
the side edges of the other section 4 are parallel and vertical and the angle of one
section relatively to the other, may be adjusted so that the partition may fit snugly
into a fire-box which has either its front or its rear wall inclined inwardly at its
lower end. The partition can be used irrespective of which of the walls is inclined
and in either end of a fire-box, making it possible to use the most convenient side
of the stove, for if the rear wall of the fire-box inclines the partition will be placed
in the stove so that the ends of the rods 12 and 14 will engage the end of the
fire-box, and if the front wall of the fire-box is inclined it will be reversely arranged,
as will be readily understood.
In the event that both walls are perpendicular, the stove bolt 18 will be
removed, and the nuts 16 on the top rod 14 will be loosened and the bolt will be
engaged in one of the perforations 7 to make the lower end of the partition of
proper width to fit in the fire-box, and the upper ends of the section will be moved
relatively to each other to bring the outer edges of the partitions parallel to each
other, a proper position to fit the walls of the fire-box when the nut 16 and the
nut on bolt 18 can be tightened and the two sections locked together in the proper
place. In adjusting the width of the partition, the rod 14 will be engaged in
one of the perforations 15, and moved sidewise in the elongated opening 6.
It will, of course, be understood that these partitions may be made of different
sizes, that is, one size may be used for different sized stoves or ranges, such as are
in ordinary use in private families, and a larger size may be made for use in
larger sized ranges or stoves which are frequently used in hotels and restaurants.
It will be readily seen that by the use of our invention, a fire-box may be
divided and a fire confined in one end only of the fire-box, thereby economizing
the use of fuel when desirable and avoiding unnecessary heat in room.
The sections 4 and 5 are preferably made of cast iron and the rods 12 and 14
are preferably made of malleable iron. The partition is loosely fitted in the fire-
box with the teeth 8 resting on the grate, and the ends of rods 12 and 14 abut
against one end of the fire-box. The fuel will hold the partition in place without
fastening devices between the partition and the stove and the partition may be
easily removed even when the fire is burning, should it be necessary. It will be
understood that changes in the form, proportions and minor details of construction
may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advan-
tages of this invention, among which are, chiefly, a great economy of fuel and
the avoidance of unnecessary heat, thus combining comfort and economy, par-
ticularly in warm weather."
It will be obvious that on ironing day alone a considerable saving will be effected
as sufficient heating surface for irons can be secured by burning a small amount
of coal and thereby avoiding unnecessary heating of room and waste of coal.
The improved partition secures a better draft and more complete combustion.

page_text: It can easily be adjusted to the stove, and after once being adjusted, it can
readily be taken out or placed in the stove without further trouble, even while the
fire is burning.
The outline or shape of the partition may be varied according to the shape of
the fire-box, for instance, for a circular cr rounded fire box, the partition will
have a curved outline.
Having now particularly described and ascertain the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. A partition for a fire-box, consisting of two sections, adjustably connected
together and a rod or rods projecting therefrom to engage one of the end walls of
the fire box, substantially as described.
2. A partition for a fire-box, consisting of two sections adjustably connected
together and having a series of draft openings at their lower ends, and a rod or
rods detachably connected to the partition to engage one of the end walls of the
fire-box, substantially as described.
3. A partition for a fire-box, consisting of two sections adjustably connected
and having a series of spaced teeth in their lower ends, siod teeth being trans-
versely notched to facilitate the breaking off of their ends for the purpose of
adjusting, and the open spaces between the teeth serving as draft openings, sub-
stantially as described.
4. A partition for fire boxes, consisting of two sections, one of which section has
an elongated opening in its upper portion, and a series of perforations in its lower
portion arranged in a line parallel with said opening, a device adapted to pass
through either of said perforations and engage the other section to lock the lower
ends of the section together, a threaded rod passing through the said elongated
opening, at an opening in the other section and nuts on said threaded rod to engage
the opposite faces of the two sections and clamp them together, substantially as
described.
5. A partition for fire-boxes consisting of two sections adjustably connected and
adapted to be supported on the grate, engaging the front and rear walls of fire-
box, and a rod or rods projecting from said sections to engage one of the end
walls of the fire box said walls being notched at intervals in their length to
facilitate breaking portions of them to permit of adjustment, substantially as
specified.
6. A partition for fire-boxes, consisting of two sections, one having both sides
inclined, the other having both sides straight, whereby the upper end of one section
is wider than its lower end to permit of adjusting the two sections relatively to
each other, and means for locking them together to form a partition of proper
width at top and bottom, substantially as described.
7. The combination of the two adjustable sections, one of which is provided
with recesses on one of its faces, and perforations in said recesses, and a rod or rods
adapted to pass through said perforations and threaded to receive nuts countersunk
within said recesses, substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of November 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents 53 Chancery Lane London.