IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH DOMESTIC FIRE-GRATES.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ann Knevett, of George Street, Hampstead
Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH DOMESTIC FIRE-GRATES.
Scaled the 5th August 1873, and dated the 6th February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ann Knevett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on the
6th February 1873.
I, ANN KNEVETT, of George Street, Hampstead Road, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declaro the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH DOMESTIC FIRE-GRATES,”
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of certain
improved apparatus to be applied to domestic fire-grates, and whereby
economy in the consumption of fuel is effected, combined with other
advantages. In the case of ordinary fire-grates in which a considerable
space exists between the fire-bars and the hearth, a receptacle or box,
composed of sheet, wrought, or cast iron, or other suitable meterial is
placed between the same. The receptacle or box is closed at the

page_text: bottom, and at a convenient distance below the fire-bars are placed two
plates, one of which is fixed at the hinder edge thereof to the back plate
of the receptacle or box, and placed at an inclination towards the front
plate of the latter, but not extending thereto. The other plate extends
partially across the receptacle or box, and over the anterior edge of the
hinder plate, and has its forward edge provided with a spindle or
gudgeons which works or work in suitable apertures or bearings in the
side plates of the receptacle or box, and is capable of being raised or
turned upwards upon the spindle or gudgeons by actuating a knob or
lever connected therewith, and placed at the side of the apparatus.
When the plates are respectively in their normal positions, that is to
say, extending across the interior of the receptacle or box, except as to
that part thereof which is not covered by the forward plate as before
mentioned, the hot ashes resulting from the combustion of the fuel fall
upon the plates which consequently become heated; such heat is
necessarily radiated upwards towards the fire-bars, thus assisting in the
combustion of the fuel, whilst by reason of the space between the fire-
bars and the hearth, or bottom of the receptacle or box being closed, all
upward draught from the external atmosphere through the fire-bars is
prevented, thus economising the combustion of fuel in the grate.
When it is desired to remove the ashes from the plates, the forward
transverse plate is lifted or raised by the knob or lever as before
mentioned so as to incline upwards from the front of the receptacle or
box. The ashes upon the said forward plate consequently slide down
the same to the bottom of the receptacle or box, as do those upon the
hinder inclined plate, such ashes can then be removed from the lower
part of the receptacle or box, access to which is permitted by means of
a suitable moveable door or trap.
In the case of fire-grates which are so set as to leave only a shallow
space between the fire-bars and the hearth, a shallow receptacle formed
of sheet, wrought, or cast iron, or other suitable material, is fitted into
such space, the same being supported, when necessary, by means of a
column, or rod, or tube, or by an arrangement of telescopic tubes for
the purpose of adjusting the height of the receptacle. Above the close
bottom of the receptacle are placed flat plates centred at their rear ends
to a pivot attached to the back part of the receptacle, their forward ends
passing through a slot in the front of the receptacle, so that they can be

page_text: placed and arranged radially across the receptacle immediately above tho
bottom thereof, and of being closed or brought into coincidence with
cach other so as to allow the ashes to fall to the bottom of the receptacle.
When it is desired to remove the ashes, the receptacle is displaced from
under the fire-grate and emptied, and then reinstated for use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ann Knovett in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANN
KNEVETT, of George Street, Hampstead Road, in the County of
Middlesex, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Ann Knevett, Her special licenco
that I, the said Ann Knevett, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Ann Knevett, 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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS
TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH DOMESTIC FIRE-GRATES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Ann Knevett, my executors
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 Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
or

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say :—
My said Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of
certain improved apparatus to be applied to domestic fire-grates, and
whereby economy in the consumption of fuel is effected, combined with
other advantages. In the case of ordinary firc-grates in which a con-
siderable space exists between the fire-bars and the hearth, a receptacle
or box composed of sheet, wrought, or cast iron, or other suitable
material is placed between the same. The receptacle or box is closed at
the bottom, and at a convenient distance below the fire-bars are placed
two plates, one of which is fixed at the hinder edge thereof to the back
plate of the receptacle or box, and placed at an inclination towards the
front plate of the latter, but not extending thereto. The other plate
extends partially across the receptacle or box, and over the exterior edge
of the hinder plate, and has its forward edge provided with a spindle or
gudgeons which works or work in suitable apertures or bearings in the
side plates of the receptacle or box, and is capable of being raised or
turned upwards upon the spindle or gudgeons by actuating a knob or
lever connected therewith, and placed at the side of the apparatus.
When the plates are respectively in their normal positions, that is to
say, extending across the interior of the receptacle or box, except as to
that part thereof which is not covered by the forward plate as before
mentioned, the hot ashes resulting from the combustion of the fuel fall
upon the plates which consequently become heated, such heat is
necessarily radiated upwards towards the fire-bars, thus assisting in the
combustion of the fuel, whilst by reason of the space between the fire-
bars and the hearth, or bottom of the receptacle or box, being closed, all
upward draught from the external atmosphere through the fire-bars is
provented, thus economising the combustion of fuel in the grate.
When it is desired to remove the ashes from the plates, the forward
transverse plate is lifted or raised by the knob or lever as before
mentioned, so as to incline upwards from the front of the receptacle or
box. The ashes upon the said forward plate consequently slide down
the same to the bottom of the receptacle or box as do those upon the
hinder inclined plate, such ashes can then be removed from the lower
part of the receptacle or box, access to which is permitted by means of
a suitable movcable door or trap, or a moveable drawer or tray may bo
emploved.

page_text: If desired, the before mentioned arrangements may be so arranged as
that the whole shall be removeable at pleasure as will be well under-
stood.
In the case of fire-grates which are so set as to leave only a shallow
space between the fire-bars and the hearth, a shallow receptacle formed
of sheet, wrought, or cast iron, or other suitable material, is fitted into
such space, the same being supported when necessary by means of a
column or rod, or tube, or by an arrangement of telescopic tubes for the
purpose of adjusting the height of the receptacle. Above the close
bottom of the receptacle are placed flat plates centred at their rear ends
to a pivot attached to the back part of the receptacle, their forward ends
passing through a slot in the front of the receptacle, so that they can be
placed and arranged radially across the receptacle immediately above
the bottom thereof, and of being closed or brought into coincidence with
cach other so as to allow the ashes to fall to the bottom of the
receptacle. When it is desired to remove the ashes the receptacle is
displaced from under the fire-grate and emptied, and then reinstated for
usc. Instead of the pivotted plates radially arranged as before mentioned,
one or more removeable plates may be employed.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observo
in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and therefore
claim as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and arrange-
ment of parts and apparatus, substantially as and for the purposes
herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ann Knevett, have hercunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of August, in the ycar of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred.and seventy-three.