IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE- GRATES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Young Robbins, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United
States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-
GRATES."
Sealed the 25th February 1868, and dated the 3rd September 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Young Robbius
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd September 1867,
I, EDWARD YOUNG ROBBINS, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-GRATES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in fire-grates, and the
improvements relate to such fire-grates as are open in front.
The improvements consist in förming the front of the grate basket or part
of the grate in which the fuel is held concave in its horizontal or vertical, or
in both its horizontal and vertical sections, so throwing the fuel into such
position that there is cross radiation from one part of the front of the fuel
upon another part, or rather from every part upon every other part, keeping
the entire front surface of the fuel hot and brightly incandescent; also forming
a highly heated channel of draught, drawing up smoke, and the dust of ashes
into the flue, this channel of draught being entirely within the fire-place, and
the bars so shaped that any smoke coming from the fuel between the bars is
under the arch and within the jambs and not likely to get out into the room. The
front of the grate is made very high, while the back wall or fire back, which

page_text: is built in general nearly parallel with the general front of the grate, is only
from four to six inches, more or less, from the bars; thus the fuel is put into
such shape as to have a very large front surface which is kept hot by cross
radiation. Over the back part of the fire, and some inches above the top of
the fire basket, there may be placed a covering, either horizontal or curved,
to throw the blaze forward before it rises into the flue.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Young Robbins in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd March 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
YOUNG ROBBINS, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Young Robbins, Her special licence that I; the said Edward
Young Robbins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Edward Young Robbins, 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 FIRE-GRATES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Edward Young Robbins, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument 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 Young Robbins, do hereby
declare the nature of the said. Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, 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 fire-grates, and the
improvements relate to such. fire-grates as are open in front.

page_text: The improvements consist in forming the front of the grate basket or part
of the grate in which the fuel is held concave in its horizontal or vertical, or
in both its horizontal and vertical sections, so throwing the fuel; into such
position that there is cross radiation from one part of the front of; the fuel
upon another part, keeping the entire front surface of the fuel hot and brightly
incandescent; also forming a highly-heated channel of draught, drawing: up
smoke and the dust of ashes into the flue, this channel of draught being
entirely within the fire-place or stove, and the bars so shaped that any smoke
coming from the fuel between the bars is under the arch and within the
jambs, and not likely to get out into the room. The front of the grate is
made very high, while the back wall or fire-back, which is built in general
nearly parallel with the general front of the grate, is only from four to six
inches, more or less, from the bars; thus the fuel is put into such shape as
to have a very large front surface, which is kept hot by cross radiation.;. Over
the back part of the fire, and some inches above the top of the fire basket,
there may be placed a covering, either horizontal or curved, to throw the blaze
forward before it rises into the flue.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe
more fully the manner of performing the same.
1
In case of making the front of the grate concave in its horizontal sections
only I make the concavity extend throughout the height of the grate. This
is the form in which I usually prefer to construct a grate for ordinary fire-
places and stoves.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed. shews a vertical section, and
Figure 2 a horizontal section of the same.
In these Figures A, A, are the curved horizontal front: bars; B, the bottom
bars; C, the front face of the jambs; and D is a curved back concentric with
the front bars; this back may either be of fire-brick or iron. E, Figure 1, is
a covering plate or canopy, which may be either straight or curved; horizontal
or inclined; the plate extends out from the fire-back a few inches above the
fire, with a space either in front of it or at the ends for the smoke to pass up.
F is the throat of the smoke flue. The shape of the front of the grate shewn
at Figures 1 and 2 is that which I most commonly give, to the front of a
grate, each of the front bars being similarly bent to the segment of a circle;
but the shape of the concavity may be varied at pleasure so that its cross or
horizontal sections and its front horizontal bars shall be in shape of an
ellipse or other curve; or the concavity of the front of the grate may be
formed by two, three, or more planes meeting each other at angles, as shown in
horizontal section at Figure 3 and Figure 4... The back wall or fire-back I by

page_text: preference in all cases make parallel, or nearly so, with the front of the grate,
as shown. In general I make the concavity of the front of the grate the same
throughout its height; but this may be varied at pleasure, making the front
lines of the horizontal sections and the front horizontal bars vary successively
in length and curvature one above another; all the front bars however should
be more or less curved or depressed backward in their middle parts so as to
make the concavity of the front of the grate extend throughout its entire
height. By thus diminishing the length of the horizontal bars one above
another the front of the grate, represented by Figures 1 and 2, would become
of the shape of the inner or circular side of part of a truncated cone; also
those represented by Figures 3 and 4 would assume the shape of truncated
pyramids. Figures 5 represent a horizontal and a vertical section of one of
these variations. Such a grate elevated several feet above the level of the
floor will radiate downward and scatter the heat over a large room, warming
the entire floor. The front of the grate may also be curved in its vertical as
well as in its horizontal sections. A variation of this kind is shown in
horizontal and vertical section by Figure 6; or the grate may be made in
form of a complete cone or pyramid. Such a variation of this grate is shown
in horizontal section at Figure 7, and in vertical section at Figure 8. This
grate I place near the middle of the room near, to, the ceiling, or at least
several feet above the floor, in the position shown at Figure 8.
tion of my grate the curved front is face downward, as shown. Such a grate
heats powerfully by radiation downward all over the floor. The back wall of
the fire-grates I generally build of fire-brick, and, make them parallel or
nearly parallel with the front of the grate at a distance of about five inches
behind the front bars. I. also. usually form the front of the grate higher than
is commonly the case with other grates whilst the horizontal depth of fire
space
is less, so that a given quantity of fuel is thrown into such a position as
to have greater front surface for radiation: outward into the room; also, as
before stated, the concave or hollow form given to the front of the grate throws
the fuel into such position that there is cross. radiation.from every part of the
front of the fuel upon other parts, so keeping the entire front surface of the
fuel hot and brightly incandescent, and so giving out much beat into a room.
In addition the concavity up through the entire front of the grate to the top
of the fire forms a highly-heated channel of draught entirely within the fire-
place up which the smoke and dust of ashes are drawn, with much force. The
fire also being entirely within the fire-place any burning coals falling from it
are not likely to be projected out into the room to burn the carpet or, floor; also
as the front bars and the fire.do not protrude out into the room as in ordinary
In this varia.

page_text: grates there is less danger of female dress coming in contact with the fire and
causing painful or fatal accidents.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Young Robbins, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
EDWARD YOUNG ROBBINS. (L.S.)