Improvements in Fire Boxes and Grates for Furnaces, Stoves, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Boxes and Grates for Furnaces, Stoves, and
the like.
I, BRADLEY WOODHULL of Scranton, County of Lackawanna, State of Pennsyl-
vania, U.S.A., Designor and Pattern Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly describod
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to fire boxes and gratos for furnaces, stoves and tho like and
more particularly, though not exclusively, to that kind of grates having grate sections
which rotato or oscillate on their longitudinal centres so as to discharge clinkers,
unburnt portions of the fuel and ashes without requiring tho same to pass through
the interstices of tho grate itself.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fire box and grate in nocordanco with the invention,
the fire brick section and grate frame being shewn separated from the fire box proper
and a portion of the wall of the fire box broken away to shew the internal arrango-
ment of the parts.
Figs. 2 and 3 are detail transverse sectional views looking towards opposite ends of
tho fire box.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the middle of the same.
Fig. 5 a similar section taken through the middle of one of the grate bars.
Fig. 8 a detail end elevation with the end plate removed in order to shew the
manner of removing the grate bars without disturbing the other portions of the
setting, the front being shown at one side in perspective.
A is the fire box of any desired pattern, and may be in part or whole formed by
the walls of the stove or furnace.
On the inner side of the fire box, at approximately the level of the grate bars, are
bearing ribs or brackets a, which are adapted to support the edges of the grato
frame B. This grate frame B is preferably formed in solid halves, which have
interlocking projections 6 on their meeting arms, so as to hold the framo in its
proper form, and at the points of meeting 1 provide supplemental supporting
brackets CC, projecting the one C, from the rear end of the fire box and the
other C', projecting from the front end of the fire box.
The bracket C has its base connected with the fire box at a point below the
front plate opening, and said base at C is extended to form a shield or guard
outside of which the gear wheels for rotating the grato sections are located, as will
be presently explained.
Tho bracket C, preferably, is cast intogral with and forms a part of the ond plate
of the fire box, and on each side of this bracket this end plato is provided with a
bridge bearing plate D, in which the bearings for the journals d at the rear ends
of the grate bars E are formed. The bridge bearing plates, it will thus be soon,
stand away from the end plate of the fire box and consequently there is a circulation
of air around them to prevent them from burning out, and there can be no
accumulations of ashes or dust to prevent such circulation, any ashes or dust getting
behind the bridge bearing plates, at ouce dropping through into tho ash pit.
At the front end of the fire box the grate bars E are provided with the usual
intermeshing gear wheels e, said gear whools lying outside of the bottom of tho
bracket C und end of the grate frame, and beyond the gear wheels the grate bars
D

page_text: 1
are provided with journals which tako into bearings F in a bridge plate F, formed
or attached to the inner side of the removable front plate G. One of these journals
extends away through the front plate G and is adapted for the reception of a handle
or crank, by means of which the grates are oscillated or rotated to dump or shake
the fire, and both the bearings on the face plate G are formed in a bridge plate,
which stands away from the face plate at the bottom, to permit of a free circulation
of air around the parts as well as to provont the accumulation of ashes or dust in the
bearings. This bridge plate F may be cast separate from the face plate and
attached thereto by rivets or otherwise, if so desired, although I prefer to have it
form a permanent portion of said face plate.
Such construction, it will be seen, permits of the ready and convenient removal
of the grate bars without disturbing the grato frame or fire box otherwise than to
simply remove the face or ond plate G and draw the grate bars out at that end
of the fire box. Consequently it is entirely practical to arrange the usual water
fronts or backs or their linings in the fire box above the grate frame, and while
I have shewn herein a simple rectangular fire brick frame G which rests on and
is supported by the grate frame, it will be understood that this section of fire
brick may be in part or whole displaced by a water fire back or front, and that
the same may constitute a permanent part of the setting. I prefer that the fire
brick section should have a flange a seating outside of the flange g' on the grate
frame, while the inner face of the fire brick overhangs the central opening in said
frame, in order to prevent the burning out of the frame or the accumulations of ashes
or dust therein.
As a convenient means for holding the front or ond plate in position, I may
employ bolts H, having countersunk heads or turn buttons h, ar any other approved
form of fastening device which will permit of said plate being removed at will to
allow of the removal or repair of the grate bars.
The grate bars themselves are of an ordinary pattern. For convenience in casting
the rear end of the fire box with the bridge plate boarings thereon, I may form
a separate central section I in said end, which section may be secured in place by
rivets or otherwise, prior to the setting up of the fire box, thus forming a closed end
of the fire box when this is desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with the fire box having the opening in one end, and the
Inwardly projecting brackots rigidly connected with said fire box, one of said
brackets extending up in line with the opening, of the grate frame supported on
said brackets, a removable section closing the opening in the fire box and the
grate supported in bearings beneath the grate frame and in position to be with-
drawn through the opening in the fire box without disturbing the grate frame or
the fire box lining overlying the grate frame, substantially as described and shewn.
2. The combination with the fire box having the opening in one end thereof
and the brackets rigidly connected with said fire box at the ends and projecting
Inwardly, of the grate frame supported on said brackets, the pivotted grate sections
mounted in bearings in the fire box, intermeshing gears connecting said grate sections
located outside of the bracket at the end of the fire box adjacent the opening and a
removable section for closing said opening, substantially as described and shewn.
3. The combination with the fire box having the grate framo supporting ribs on
its front and rear and the inwardly projecting brackets at opposite ends, of the
sectional grate frame supported by said ribs and brackets; the fire box lining over-
lying the grate frame and the sectional grate supported in bearings below the grate
frame on opposite sides of the brackets, substantially as described and shewn.
4. The combination with the fire box having the inwardly projecting grate frame
supporting bracket formed with the wide base, and the grate framo supported by said
bracket, of the oscillatory grate formed of grate bars located at opposite sides of the

page_text: bracket and having intermeshing cog wheels, said cog wheels lying outside of tho
wide base of the supporting bracket for the grate frame, substantially as described
and shewn.
5. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting the combined
fire box and grate, substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 19th day of November 1896.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.