IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE- GRATES AND FURNACE-GRATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Charles Twentyman, of Wolverhampton, in the
.
County of Stafford, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-
GRATES AND FURNACE-GRATES."
Sealed the 26th May 1877, and dated the 30th November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Charles Twentyman.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th November 1876.
ALFRED CHARLES TWENTYMAN, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-GRATES AND FURNACE-GRATES.'
I arrange underneath the bottom bars of a fire-grate a number of arms or levers
working from a fulcrum bar, fixed preferably at or near the back of the grate bars.
The said arms or levers are worked upwards and downwards. between the grate
bars when it is desired to clear the bars from ash, and are lowered into a position
underneath the bars when not required for use, as aforesaid. The arms are worked
by means of a treadle arrangement connected to the fulcrum bar, the treadle being.
placed at one corner of the front of the grate; at the opposite corner a similar,
arrangement inay be used, but terminating in a socket instead of a treadle, so that
the arms may be worked by inserting the end of the poker into the socket. The
weight of the arms keeps them in their position underneath the grate when not
required for use, as aforesaid. A similar arrangement may be used for a furnace-
grate, the position of the parts being varied, as occasion may require.
The bottom bars of the fire-grate may be made to turn up somewhat at the front,
the said arms having in this case a similar shape.
"
The front bars of the fire-grate (with the exception of the top bar) may be formed
in section, slanting downwards towards the fire, so as to prevent the fuel from
falling out as readily as with the ordinary bars.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Charles Twentyman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th May 1877.
ALFRED CHARLES TWENTYMAN, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Merchant. IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-GRATES AND FURNACE-GRATES."
This Invention refers to a method of cleaning or clearing the bottom bars of fire-
grates and the bars of furnace-grates from ash.
A fulcrum bar is fixed underneath the bottom grate bars, and preferably at or
near the back thereof. The said arms or levers are worked upwards and down-
wards between the bottom grate bars when it is desired to clear the bars from ash,
and are lowered into a position underneath the grate when not required for use, as
aforesaid. The said arms or levers are worked by means of a treadle connected to
the fulcrum bar, the treadle being placed at one corner of the front of the grate.
At the opposite corner a similar arrangement may be used, but terminating in a
socket instead of a treadle, so that the arms may be worked by inserting the end of
the poker into the socket. The weight of the arms keeps them in their position
underneath the grate when not required for use. A similar arrangement may be
used for a furnace-grate, the position of the parts being varied as occasion may
require. In this case the fulcrum bar may be worked either by means of a treadle
or a handle.
It is preferred that the bottom bars of the fire-grate be made to turn up some-
what at the front, the said arms or levers having in this case a similar shape.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will now proceed more
particularly to describe the manner of performing the same with reference to the
accompanying Drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing illustrates my Invention as applied to a fire-grate only; the
application of the said arms or levers to a furnace-grate will be sufficiently obvious,
from a consideration of the Drawing and foregoing description, to a person skilled
in the construction of furnace-grates without special illustration. The Drawing is
to a scale of three inches to a foot.
The same letters occurring upon different views indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fire-grate constructed according to my Inven-
tion; Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section on the line a, b, of
Figure 1 Figure 4 is a section on line c, d, of Figure 1.
A is the fulcrum bar (preferably of cast iron); B, the arms, which are preferably
cast in the same piece of iron with the fulcrum bar A. The arms B are cach in a
position between two of the bottom grate bars M, as shewn. C, C, are blocks or
carriages supporting the centre pins of the fulcrum bar A, and are preferably of
wrought iron, and riveted to the bottom of the grate. D, D, are projections cast
upon the fulcrum bar A; E, E, are levers having the stud pins F, F, for their
fulcrums; G, G, are links (preferably of cast iron) connecting the projections D, D,
with the shorter arms of the levers E, E. The longer arm of one of the levers E
terminates in a socket H, and the longer arm of the other lever E terminates in a
treadle K. The parts L, L, are formed projecting forwards from the face of the
grate along their upper edges so as to form stops for the levers E, E, both upwards
and downwards. The arms B are shewn in their downward position.
When it is desired to clear the ash from the grate the treadle K is pressed upon
by the foot, or the socket H is pushed down by means of the poker and the arms
nre raised into the position shewn by dotted lines at Figure 3. The arms B may
be raised and lowered several times in succession, as may be required, to thoroughly
break up and clear the ash. 0, 0, are guards to protect the upper joints of the
links G, G, from the fire. The bars P, P, are formed a suitable shape, as shewn, to
make room for the links G, G, when raised.

page_text: The bottom grate bars are preferably curved upwards at the front and carried up
to the lowest front bar, as shown.
The front bars R, R, R, are preferably shaped in section slanting downwards
towards the fire to prevent the fuel falling out between them, but I do not claim
this as a part of my Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I
claim, the mechanism for cleaning or clearing the ash from fire-grates and furnace-
grates, substantially as herein described and shewn on the Drawing; end I declare
that I do not limit myself to the exact details described and shown, as such are not
necessary to the utility of my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Charles Twentyman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
JAMES A. WYNN,
Clerk to Stephen Watkins,
Patent Office,
Wolverhampton.
ALF. C. TWENTYMAN. (L.S.)