AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF COAL Box
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Alexander Benetfiuk, of the firm of
Benetfink and Company, of Cheapside, in the City of London,
Ironmongers, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION
OF COAL Box."
Sealed the 8th March 1854, and dated the 22nd September 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Alexander
Benetfink at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 22nd September 1853.
I, SAMUEL ALEXANDER BENETFINK, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF COAL BOX
as follows:_
This Invention relates to a novel construction of coal box or scuttle,
which, while it shuts the coals out of sight, also admits of the coals
being removed with facility by a shovel or coal scoop. The box, which
may be of any desired ornamental or plain form, is suspended by
pivots on a forked frame, which is either fixed to a foot or pedestal, or
is capable of turning on a central pivot to bring round the mouth of
the coal box. The mouth or opening of the box is closed by a hinged
door, which is to be thrown back when the coals are required to be

page_text: removed from the box, and then by rocking the box on its pivots it
may be brought into a proper position to reecive the scoop, and allow
of its being withdrawn with a charge of coals. By thus mounting
the coal box the coals may be readily removed therefrom, even to the
last lump, without the necessity of lifting the box. At the sides or
other convenient part of the box handles are provided to allow of its
being carried away to be refilled. In that case the frame and stand
remain in the apartment.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Alexander Benetfink in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 22nd March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
SAMUEL ALEXANDER BENETFINK, of the firm of "Benetfink and Com-
pany," of Cheapside, in the City of London, Ironmongers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Alexander Benet-
fink, Her special license that I, the said Samuel Alexander Benetfink,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Samuel Alexander Benetfink, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland,' the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF COAL Box," upon
the condition (amongst others) that 1, the said Samuel Alexander
Benetfink, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Alexander Benetfink, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
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 letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
This Invention relates to a novel construction of coal box or scuttle,
which will shut the coals out of sight, and, when required, will permit
of the coals being removed with facility by a shovel or coal scoop:
The box, which may be of any desired ornamental or plain form, is sus-
pended by bearing pins on a forked frame, which is either rigidly affixed
to a foot or pedestal, or is capable of turning on a central pivot-pro-
jecting vertically from the foot or pedestal for the purpose of bringing
round the mouth of the coal box to the required position. The mouth
or opening of the box is closed by a hinged cover, which is to be thrown
back when the coals are required to be removed from the box; or a
removable lid may be applied to the box, if thought more desirable, and
by tilting the box on its pivots it may be brought into a proper position
to allow of the ready insertion of the scoop and of its withdrawal with a
charge of coals; by thus mounting the coal box the coals may be readily
removed therefrom, even to the last lump, without the necessity of
lifting the box, and all liability of spilling the coals about the apartment
(which frequently happens when shovelling coals from the common
construction of scuttle) will be avoided. At the sides or other con-
venient part of the box handles are provided to allow of its being lifted
off its frame, and carried away to be refilled.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a coal
box constructed according to this Invention. Fig. 2, is an elevation
taken at right angles thereto. a, a, is the box or vessel for containing
the coals. It is provided at opposite sides with bearing pieces, which
are fitted to receive and rest upon bearing pins projecting from the ex-
tremities of the forked frame b, b. This frame is attached by a central
pivot to the foot c, and is capable of turning thereon; or, if preferred,
a rigid connection may be made between the two parts. The lid d, of
the box a, is connected thereto at e, by a hinge, or it may be made

page_text: removable. ff, are the handles for lifting the box off its bearings.
When coal is required to be removed from the box the servant raises
the lid d, by its handle, and rocks the box upon its bearing pins until
it is brought to a proper angle to receive the coal scoop; the coals are
then shovelled up, and when the scoop is withdrawn the lid is closed,
and the box is allowed to return to its original position. The central
pivot, it will be understood, somewhat facilitates the removal of the
coal by permitting of the mouth of the box, when not in a convenient
position, being brought round under the hand of the servant. When the
supply of coal in the box is exhausted the box is lifted by its handles off
the bearing pins on which it rocks, and it is carried away to be refilled,
the frame or stand remaining in the meantime in the apartment.
Having now set forth the nature and object of my Invention of "An
Improved Construction of Coal Box," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim the application to
coal boxes of a frame for carrying the same, and permitting of their
being tilted to any required angle, and of receiving an axial motion, as
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Alexander Benetfink,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-four.
Witness,
SAMUEL ALEXANDER BENETFINK. (L.S.)
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.