IMPROVEMENTS IN GRATES FOR DOMESTIC FIRE-PLACES AND SIMILAR USES FOR SAVING FUEL AND GREATLY PREVENTING SMOKE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Albert Rollo Russell, of Chesham Place,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GRATES FOR DOMESTIC FIRE-PLACES AND SIMILAR USES FOR SAVING FUEL
AND GREATLY PREVENTING SMOKE."
Sealed the 10th November 1874, and dated the 24th August 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Albert Rollo
Russell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 24th August 1874.
I, FRANCIS ALBERT ROLLO RUSSELL, of Chesham Place, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRATES FOR DOMESTIC FIRE-PLACES AND
SIMILAR USES FOR SAVING FUEL AND GREATLY PREVENTING SMOKE," to be as
follows:-
The grate may be of any required form or shape, and may be fitted
to existing fire-places; but a fire-place with a large radiating surface,
such as broad cheeks, is most suitable to the grate,

page_text: L
Into the back of the fire-place is fixed firmly a bar, which projects
forward horizontally towards the room; this bar is pierced with holes,
into which a pin is made loosely to fit.
The grate may be supposed for convenience to be square, and of less
depth from front to back than breadth or length. The front and sides
are grated with metal bars. From the framework, that is, the bounding
bars at the back of the grate, bars proceed and join a ring about the
middle, which fits loosely the fixed bar, already described, in the back
of the fire-place.
Now the grate may be pushed on to the fixed bar as near as may be 1
required to the back of the fire-place, the fixed bár passing through the
ring of the grate, and then the pin may be passed through the hole in
the fixed bar next in front of the ring to prevent the grate from
falling off.
It is obvious now that the grate can revolve about the fixed bar.
The grating of the grate, in the manner described, not being essential,
the fixed 'bar may be made long and the front of the grate like the
described back, so that the pin may be passed through the projecting
end of the fixed bar in front of the front of the grate.
The grate has two grated lids on opposite sides, which may be called:
top and bottom. These lids both open in the same way, being attached
by hinges to the top back framework of the grate, and having each a
kind of spring latch on their front bars. These spring latches pass
under catches fixed to the top front bar of the framework. By seizing
their extremities they may be pulled aside from under the catch. When
one of the lids is thus freed it may be opened and thrown back against
the chimney. Near each end of the bar may be a projection upwards,
or tongue, adapted for a pair of tongs to bite, or else, a hole for a rod to
fit into, or other contrivance if convenient, in order that the grate may
be easily turned.
To each cheek of the fire-place may be attached a metal bar capable
of being pushed under the grate in case a too great weight of coals on
one side should overbalance ít.
i
A pair of wooden tongs, plated with metal at their ends, should be
used with this grate, but ordinary metal tongs may well be employed.

page_text: To use the grate, draw the spring latch from under the catch, open
the lid, put in coals (if the fire is burning), shut the lid again, and
fasten it, reverse the grate, and then let the lid, now uppermost, bc left
shut, or open it at pleasure. Shut, it will make a good kettle rest; open,
the grate, will more resemble a common grate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis Albert Rollo Russell in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 23rd February 1875.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
ALBERT ROLLO RUSSELL, of Chesham Place, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Francis Albert Rollo Russoll, Her special
licence, that I, the said Francis Albert Rollo Russell, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis Albert
Rollo Russell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GRATES FOR DOMESTIC FIRE-PLACES AND SIMILAR USES FOR
SAVING FUEL AND Greatly PrevenTING SMOKE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Francis Albert Rollo Russell, my exccutors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and scals, 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 Francis Albert Rollo Russell, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say:-
The object of this Invention is to render domestic fire-places and
grates more economical as to the use of fuel therein, by preventing as
far as may be the formation of smoke, and by the utilisation of products
of fuel during combustion for good effect that usually pass up the
chimney.
The nature of the Invention whereby I effectuate the obove object is
as follows:-Grates upon my construction may be of any required
shape and may be fitted to existing fire-places; but a fire-place with a
large radiating surface and small aperture into the chimney is most
suitable to a grate of my construction which is this :-
Either (1) into the back of the fire-place is fixed firmly a bar which
projects forwards horizontally towards the room; this bar is pierced with
holes into which a pin is made loosely to fit,-
Or (2) if the ordinary grate has been left in the fire-place a bar pierced
with holes and provided with a pin is fastened to one of the bars of
the ordinary grate, so that the reversible grate about to be described
may be used and removed at pleasure without removing the ordinary
grate.
The grate may be supposed for convenience to be square and of less
depth from front to back than breadth or length; the front and sides are
grated with metal bars. From the framework, that is, the bounding
bars at the back of the grate bars, proceed and join a ring about the
middle, into which ring fits rather loosely, the fixed or fastened bar
already described, and with this bar as an axis the grate rotates at right.
angles to the said bar.
The back of the grate may consist of a metal plate instead of bars,
the plate having a hole corresponding to the above-mentioned ring.
Now the grate may be pushed as near as may be required to the back
of the fire-place or to the bars of the ordinary grate, the fixed bar passing
through the ring of the reversible grate. Then the pin may be passed
through the hole in the fixed bar next in front of the ring to prevent
the grate from slipping or falling off.
It is obvious now that the grate can revolve about the fixed bar.

page_text: The grating of the grate in the manner described not being essential,
the fixed bar may be made long, and the front of the grate like the
described back with bars and ring, so that the pin may be passed
through the projecting end of the fixed bar in front of the front of the
grate.
The grate has two grated lids on opposite sides which may be called
top and bottom. These lids both open in the same way, being attached
by hinges or joints to the top back framework of the grate, and having
each a kind of spring latch on their front bars. These spring latches
pass under catches fixed to the top front bar of the framework. By
seizing their extremities they may be pulled aside from under the catch.
When one of the lids is thus freed it may be opened and thrown back
against the chimney.
Near each end of the same bar may be a projection upwards, or tongue
adapted for a pair of tongs to bite, or other contrivance by which the
grate may be easily turned.
To each check or side surface of the fire-place may be attached a
metal bar capable of being pushed under the grate in case a too great
weight of coals on one side should overbalance it, or fire-dogs, which
can be easily moved, or bricks may be used for the same purpose.
A pair of wooden tongs plated with metal at their ends should be used
with this grate, but ordinary metal tongs may well be employed.
To use the grate draw the spring latch from under the catch, open
the lid, put in coals (if the fire is burning), shut the lid again and fasten
it, reverse the grate, and then let the lid now uppermost be left shut, or
open it at pleasure; shut, it will make a kettle rest; open, there will be
more resemblance to a common grate.

page_text: •
In these Figures A is the front; B, sides of the grate; C, back of
same, which may be constructed either grated, as in Figure 3, or if pre-
ferred made solid, with the opening in the centre; D is opening in the
centre of back of grate, through which the fixed bar F on which the
grate revolves is passed, which is constructed with openings into which
pin ffits for the purpose as before set forth; G, lids to the grate. On
front bar of framework of grate are catches H which hold latches I fitted
to framework of lids, under which the latch passes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or
carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of
"Improvements in Grates for Domestic Fire-places and similar Uses for
Saving Fuel and Greatly Preventing Smoke," as the same is herein-
before set forth and described, it being understood that the important
point is the herein-described arrangements for allowing the grate to
turn about an axis which is projected forwards from the back or front
of the grate or fire-place; it being also understood that I do not claim
nor do I limit myself to the use of the precise details shown by the
Drawings and hercin-described, as the same may be varied without
departing substantially from my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Albert Rollo Russell, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
:
Witness,
FRANCIS ALBERT ROLLO RUSSELL (L.s.)
John BickersTETH,
Barrister-at-Law,
3, Elm Court,
Temple.