IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS, HOT PLATES, AND COOKING APPARATUS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ebenezer Stevens, of No. 139. Cheapside, in the City
of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS, HOT PLATES, AND
COOKING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 23rd June 1863, and dated the 12th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ebenezer Stevens at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
January 1863.
1, EBENEZER STEVENS, of No. 139, Cheapside, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS, HOT
PLATES AND COOKING APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ovens, hot plates, and
cooking apparatus.
In constructing ovens according to my Invention, 1 employ a chamber made
in fire-clay; this chamber can be (unless of large size) made in one piece; it
has an oblong floor, and is open at one end only, where it is fitted with doors;
this chamber receives the loaves or other articles to be baked. In order to
prevent the clay chamber cracking when exposed to the heat of the fire, it may
be surrounded by a skin of iron. The baking chamber is contained within
another similar fire-clay chamber, there being sufficient space all around
between the two chambers to form the heating flues, and suitable openings or
Price 8d.1

page_text: flue doors are arranged for cleaning these flues when required. The oven fire
is situated under the open end of the baking chambers, and the bottom of the
outer chamber above mentioned, stopping short so as to allow room for the
fire-place, which is formed in iron and lined with fire lumps, the front of the
fire-place is closed with fire-doors, and underneath the fire-bars there is an
ash-pit, also fitted with a door. to regulate the draft behind the fire-place, and
underneath the baking chamber and its outer chamber or case there is a hot
closet suitable for warming or drying; this closet may.be constructed either
of iron or fire-clay. There may be an exterior casing around the oven, which
is also of iron, or in some cases this casing may be dispensed with. The flues
around the baking chamber communicate with a passage, in which there is a
damper with a chimney, or these ovens may be constructed to bake with gas,
to be introduced either inside the baking chamber, or between the inside and
outside casing of the ovens. Within the baking chamber and running along
the top of it, I place a thermometer, the graduated stem of which projects
through the front of the chamber. immediately over the doors, and is bent so
as to lay along horizontally in a position in which, whilst it is easily observed,
it is not liable to be damaged.
In some cases I make the outer fire-clay chamber considerably longer than the
inner or baking chamber, and the portion thus added I make open at the top. so
that the iron case over it may become heated, and serve as a hot plate; on this
hot plate I prefer to use a compound vessel, consisting of an ordinary saucepan,
with another one inside, similar to a glue pot, but having a handle to each pan
or pot; passing from the outer pot I have a small pipe, upon which I place a
steamer with another pipe or nozzic. attached to fit the pipe of the outer pot,
so that the steam passing from the outer pot, passes into the steamer to steam
potatoes and other kinds of food. The frying pan I make as a double pan, and
between the two I have a lining of fire-clay or sand, or other suitable material,
to prevent the metal bottom on which the fire strikes coming into direct contact
with the food. The gridiron I make with the bars fluted in the shape of a V.
and the outer bars are also of a V shape, but deeper than the bars that run
across the bar at the back close to the handle is more deeply grooved to
receive all fat both from the bars and the outer rim. Instead of four
ordinary feet, prefer another rim of plain iron round or square (according
to the shape of the gridiron) to form a complete stand; instead of feet I
also have a sliding bolt. under the handle, to slide in and out to rest on
the bars of the fire or plate; I also for these ovens prefer a baking dish
made double to receive water between the two parts; these parts may be

page_text: joined together, or there may be two distinct dishes fitting the one in the
other; in this double dish I rise a perforated strainer on legs for the potatoes,
and above this strainer the stand for the meat, thus there is an outer dish for
water, an inner one for pudding and gravy, then a strainer for potatoes, and
above a stand for the meat. In some cases I construct ovens in a somewhat
similar manner but arranged vertically; in this case I have an outer cylinder
or case of iron lined internally with fire-clay, and placed vertically and within
it another similar cylinder, also lined with fire-clay, and closed at the lower
end. Underneath the bottom of the inner cylinder is a fire-place and ash-pit,
each with a door as is usual. The space between the two cylinders forms the
flue from the fire-place and over the top of the inner cylinder there is a
passage leading to a chimney. The top or head of the outer cylinder is not
lined, and serves as a hot plate; it has a lid or cover in the centre, which is
removed to get at the oven or inner cylinder. which also has a cover at the
top, and below it a series of shelves to support the bread, meat, or other
articles to be baked. At the bottom of the inner cylinder, and between it and
the lining, sand or other material is placed to prevent the lowest compartment
of the oven becoming too highly heated. Ovens of similar construction may
also be made entirely of fire-clay without the iron cylinders or cases.
The ovens above described are portable ovens, but ovens on the same plan
may be made fixed, and of any size, and, if preferred, the fire may be made to
play inside the chambers in which the food is placed. These ovens admit of
considerable variation in form. I also construct ovens of small size to be
placed in front of a fire of a rectangular iron case, lined with slabs of fire-clay
on every side. There is a door or doors by which the articles to be baked are
put into and taken out of the oven. Immediately under the baking chamber is
an inclined reflector to throw upwards on to the bottom of the baking chamber
the heat which otherwise would escape in this direction; behind this reflector
is a space, which serves to receive plates to be warmed. The oven thus
arranged may be placed on a stool or support in front of the fire, and in this
case it is convenient that the said stool or support should be made adjustable
in height, or it may be supported on brackets, which hook on to the bars of
the fire-grate. The brackets have two horizontal bars, which pass through
holes in the oven case immediately under the baking chamber, and the oven
is capable of sliding on these bars to or from the fire to regulate the heat
as may be required; the brackets also serve to hold the door level with the
bottom of the oven when it is open, the door being hinged to the oven at the
bottom

page_text: The same apparatus may be used also for roasting, there being a small
aperture in the top of the oven, which allows a hook from a bottle jack to
pass; the meat to be roasted is suspended from this hook within the oven,
which is placed in front of the fire. The front of the case facing the fire is
taken out, together with the front slab of the fire-clay lining, so that the meat
is exposed to the direct rays of the fire. the door at the back can also be
opened for roasting, if required.
The same apparatus also serves for frying the bottom of the oven when the
fire-clay slab is removed, becoming so highly heated as to boil the grease in a
pan placed upon it. It is not essential in ovens of this construction that the
fire-clay slabs should be used as a lining to an iron skin; the fire-clay slabs
could be used alone to form the chamber of the oven, or the chamber may be
moulded in one piece.
Ovens of a very small size I make without the reflector at the bottom, and
I provide them with a handle, by which they can be moved about like an
ordinary pot. The fire-clay chamber may be moulded in one piece or other-
wise, and is as before, contained in an iron case with a door at the back. A
convenient form for such ovens is semicircular, the convex side being towards
the fire; and I fix two reflectors, the one on each side of the oven, to
concentrate the heat upon it; there is a hook on the oven by which it can be
hung on the bar of the fire-grate; or it may be placed over the fire; the
handle. forms the bracket to hold up the door when open. Ovens to he
placed over the fire I however prefer to make rectangular in section, but
without any reflector; these may be made all of fire-clay, or of iron and fire-
clay, as desired.
When the ovens herein described have no furnace attached to them,
I provide separate fires when the ovens are required for use in the field or for
emigrants, and these fire-grates or stoves I make double, to admit of earth or
sand between the two parts; or I line them with fire-clay; and I also have a
hot plate to cover over the open fire, and made removeable with a fixed handle
in front, and space behind to admit the escape of the flames or smoke; there
is a hole or holes in the plate, as required. Also under these fire-stoves
I have a sheet or cast-iron perforated slide or dish also removeable for roasting
or baking potatoes and other articles. This perforated slide or dish may be
made to slide on the cases or on a separate adjusting stand, or it may be fixed.
Either of these arrangements can be used with house fires.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ebenezer Stevens in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th July 1863.
.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EBENEZER
STEVENS, of No. 139, Cheapside, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me.
the said Ebenezer Stevens, Her special licence, that I, the said Ebenezer
Stevens, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Ebenezer Stevens, 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 of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS.
HOT PLATES, AND COOKING APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
1, the said Ebenezer Stevens, 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 Ebenezer Stevens, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention; and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This invention has for its object improvements in ovens, hot plates, and
cooking apparatus. 1 construct ovens, according to my Invention, .in the
manner shown in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure is a perspective view; Figure 2 a longitudinal section; and Figure 3*
a back view of an oven, as will be seen. I employ a chamber made in fire-
clay; this chamber can be (unless of large size) made in one piece, it has an
oblong floor, and is open at one end only, where it is fitted with doors; this
chamber receives the loaves or other articles to be baked. In order to prevent
the clay chamber. cracking when exposed to the heat of the fire it may, as is
shewn, be surrounded by a skin of iron. The baking chamber is contained

page_text: within another similar fire-clay chamber, there being sufficient space all around
between the two chambers to form the heating flues, and suitable openings or
flue doors are arranged for cleaning these flues when required. The oven fire
is situated under the open end of the baking chambers, the bottom of the
outer chamber, above mentioned, stopping short, so as to allow room for the
fire-place, which is formed in iron and lined with fire-lumps.. The front of the
fire-place is closed with fire-doors, and underneath the fire-bars there is an
ash-pit also fitted with a door or with a slide to regulate the draft. Behind the
fire-place and underneath the baking chamber, and its outer chamber or case,
there is a hot closet suitable for warming or drying; this closet may be con-
structed either of iron or fire-clay. There may be an exterior casing around
the oven, which is also of iron, or in some cases this casing may be dispensed
with. The flues around the baking chamber communicate with a passage, in
which there is a chimney with a damper. Or these oyens may be constructed
to bake with gas; the gas to be introduced either inside the baking chamber
or between the inside and outside casing of the ovens. Within the baking
chamber and running along the top of it I place a thermometer, the graduated
stem of it projects through the front of the chamber immediately over the
doors and is bent,, so as to lay along horizontally in a position, in which whilst
it is easily observed it is not liable to be damaged.
In some cases, as is shewn at Figure 3, which is a longitudinal section of
part of an oven, I make the outer fire-clay chamber considerably longer than
the inner or baking chamber, and the portion thus added I make open at the
top, so that the iron case over it may become heated and serve as a hot plate.
On this hot plate I prefer to use a compound vessel consisting of an ordinary
saucepan with another one inside, similar to a glue pot, but having a handle
to each pan or pot; passing from the outer pot I have a small pipe, upon which
I place a steamer with another pipe or nozzle attached to fit the pipe of the
outer pot, so that the steam passing from the outer pot passes into the steamer
to steam potatoes and other kinds of food. The frying pan I make as a
double pan, and between the two I have a lining of fire-clay or sand, or other
suitable material to prevent the metal botton on which the fire strikes coming
into direct contact with the food. The gridiron I make with the bars fluted
in the shape of a V, and the outer bars are also of a V-shape, but deeper than
the bars that run across; the bar at the back close to the handle is more
deeply grooved to receive all fat both from the bars and the outer rim
Instead of four ordinary feet, I prefer another rim of plain iron round or
square (according to the shape of the gridiron), to form a complete stand;

page_text: instead of feet I also have a sliding bolt under the handle to slide in and out
to rest on the bars of the fire-grate. I also for these ovens prefer a baking
dish made double, as is shown at Figure 3b. to receive water between the two
parts; these parts may be joined together, or there may be two distinct dishes
fitting the one in the other; in this double dish I use a perforated strainer on
legs for the potatoes, and above this strainer the stand for the meat, thus there
is an outer dish, for water, an inner one for pudding and gravy, then a strainer
for potatoes, and above a stand for the meat.
oven.
In some cases I construct ovens in a somewhat similar manner, but
arranged vertically, as is shewn at Figure 4, which is a vertical section of an
In this case I have an outer cylinder or case of iron lined internally
with fire-clay, and placed vertically, and within it another similar cylinder also
lined with fire-clay and closed at the lower end. Underneath the bottom of
the inner cylinder is a fire-place and ash-pit each with a door, as is usual; the
space between the two cylinders forms the flue from the fire-place, and over
the top of the inner cylinder there is a passage leading to a chimney. The
top or head of the, outer cylinder is not. lined, and serves as a hot plate. It
has a lid or cover in the centre, which is removed to get at the oven or
inner cylinder, which also has a cover at the top, and below it a series of
At the
shelves to support the bread, meat, or other articles to be baked.
bottom of the inner cylinder, and hetween it and the lining, sand or other
suitable material is placed to prevent the lowest compartment of the oven
becoming too highly heated. Ovens of similar construction may also be made
entirely of fire-clay without the iron cylinders or cases.
The ovens above described are portable ovens, but ovens on the saune plan
may be made, fixed, and of any size, and, if preferred, the fire may be made
to play inside the chambers in which the food is placed. These ovens admit
of considerable variation in form.
I also construct ovens of small size to be placed in front of a fire of a
rectangular iron case lined with slabs of fire-clay on every side. Figures
show several views of such an oven. There is a door or doors by which the
Immediately
articles to be baked are put into and taken out of the oven.
under the baking chamber is an inclined reflector to throw upwards on to the
bottom of the baking chamber the heat which otherwise would escape in this
direction; behind this reflector is a space, which serves to receive plates to be
warmed. The oven thus arranged may be placed on a stool or support in front
of the fire, and in this case it is convenient. that the said stool or support
should be made adjustable in height, or it may, as is shewn, be supported on

page_text: brackets, which hook on to the bars of the fire-grate; the brackets have two
horizontal bars, which pass through holes in the oven case immediately under
the baking chamber and the oven is capable of sliding on these bars to or
from the fire to regulate the heat, as may be required; the brackets also serve
to hold the door level with the bottom of the oven when it is open, the door
being hinged to the oven at the bottom.
The same apparatus may be used also for roasting, there being a small
aperture in the top of the oven, which allows a hook from a bottle-jack-to
pass; the meat to be roasted is suspended from this hook within the oven,
which is placed in front of the fire. The front of the case facing the fire is
taken out, together with the front slab of the fire-clay lining, so that the meat
is exposed to the direct rays of the fire; the door at the back can also be
opened for roasting, if required.
The same apparatus also serves for frying; the bottom of the oven when
the fire-clay slab is removed becoming so highly heated as to boil the grease
in a pan placed upon it. It is not essential in ovens of this construction that
the fire-clay slabs should be used as a lining to an iron skin; the fire-clay
slabs could be used alone to form the chamber of the oven, or the chamber
may be moulded in one piece. In some cases in place of the reflector below
the bottom of the oven being inclined, as above described, it may be hori-
zontal, as shewn at Figures 5, the bottom of the iron case itself then forms
the reflector, and the lining of fire-clay may be confined to the lower part of
the front of the oven.
Ovens of a very small size I make without the reflector at the bottom, as is
shown at Figures 6, and I provide them with a handle, by which they can be
moved about like an ordinary pot. The fire-clay chamber may be moulded in
one piece or otherwise. and is, as before, contained in an iron case with a door
at the back. A convenient form for such ovens is semicircular, the convex side
being towards the fire, and I fix two reflectors, the one on each side of the
oven, to concentraic the heat upon it; there is a hook on the oven, by which
it can be hung on the bar of the fire-grate, or it may be placed over the fire;
the handle forms the bracket to hold up the door when open. Ovens to be
placed over the fire I, however, prefer to make rectangular in section, as is
shown at Figures 7, but without any reflector; these may be made all of fire-
clay, or of iron and fire-clay, as desired.
When the ovens herein described have no furnace attached to them I
provide separate fires, when the ovens are required for use in the field or for
emigrants, and these fire-grates or stoves (as is shown at Figure 8 and at

page_text: Figure 9), I make double to admit of earth or sand between two parts, or
I line them with fire-clay; and I also have a hot plate to cover over the open
fire, and made removcable with a fixed handle in front and space behind io
admit the escape of the flames or smoke; there is a hole or holes in the
plate, as required. Also under these fire-stoves 1 have a sheet or cast-iron
perforated slide or dish, also removeable, for roasting or baking potatoes and
other articles. This perforated slide or dish may be made to slide on the bars
or on a separate adjusting stand, or it may be fixed. Either of these arrange-
menis can be used with honse fires.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ebenezer Stevens, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
E. STEVENS. (..S.)