IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR BAKING BREAD, BISCUITS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake,' of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR
BAKING BREAD, BISCUITS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."-A communication
from abroad by George Edson Bailey, of Mansfield, Charles Brown
Goodrich, of Charlestown, and Jesse Albert Locke, of Watertown,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st March 1872.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
5 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS CHIEFLY DESIGNED
FOR BAKING BREAD, BISCUITS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES," a communication,
to be as follows :—
These improvements relate more particularly to ovens intended for

page_text: the baking of bread, biscuits, cake, and other articles of food, although
an oven constructed according thereto is susceptible of use for drying
and other purposes.
Heretofore ovens most commonly used for the baking of biscuits
and bread more especially have been constructed to be heated by
making the oven chamber the combustion chamber, requiring a with-
drawal of the debris or cinders from the oven before inserting the
material to be baked. To such ovens there are many objections, among
which may be mentioned that much time is lost; a large amount of fuel
is required, owing to the fact that a heat must be given to the oven
much above what is actually required to compensate for the heat lost
on withdrawing the cinders; that the heat throughout the oven is not
even, it being the greatest at the upper portion of the oven, thus
producing an uneven baking of the bread or biscuits, and causing to a
greater or lesser degree the browning or burning of the upper side of
the bread or biscuits, or in other words, a very uneven baking.
To overcome these several objections has been the object of many
Inventions heretofore patented, among which it may be well to here
refer to ovens having a wheel, if it may be so called, adapted to receive
the bread or biscuits to be baked, and to be revolved by power so as to
subject the same to the heat of the oven at the varying degrees therein.
There are also ovens having the fire chamber within, but bounded by
walls, the oven more or less surrounding it; also ovens in which the
fire-pot is below, but at its upper side in direct contact with the oven
floor. In both of these latter cases, however, an uneven diffusion of
the heat is the result.
The main object of this Invention is to secure a uniform heat
throughout the oven chamber, that is, to have no greater heat at the
bottom than at the top, and in addition thereto, so arranging the heating
apparatus as to economise fuel and time.
Under this Invention the oven proper is constructed in any of the
ordinary. modes, that is to say, of brick or masonry, provided with a
door or doors suitably arranged for convenience to enter the same. The
fire-chamber proper is outside and at the front portion of the oven
within a chamber constructed under the whole extent of the oven floor.
separating it from the fire-pot.
This chamber containing the fire-pot is in communication with the

page_text: fire-pot through apertures in the walls, and also with the oven proper
at the rear end of the oven floor, which is there left open. The fire-pot
in addition to the above communication with the oven chamber is
connected therewith by flues or passages leading direct from it through
the chamber in which it is arranged to the rear, or sides, or both of the
oven chamber, by preference to the rear. These passages in their
length are closed to the chamber containing the fire-pot. They are
provided with suitable dampers, and are entirely free and clear of the
oven floor.
The chamber containing the fire-pot is constructed with its floor on
an inclination from the boundaries of the oven floor toward the fire-pot
proper. The flues leading from the fire-pot to the oven chamber at
their ends open into the same, and have a fender or guard, whereby the
heat issuing from the said flues into the oven chamber is "fended" by
being guided or directed upward into the oven chamber. It is thus
prevented from impinging against the material being baked at such
portion of the oven chamber, which would tend to scorch or burn it.
A fender or guard arranged along the rear opening between the oven
chamber and the chamber containing the fire-pot prevents a direct
impingement of the heat at such portion of the oven against the material
being there baked. The fender or guard is constructed of double walls
with a space between them, whereby too strong a radiation of heat is
prevented. A supplementary oven chamber is combined with the
ordinary oven chamber. This supplementary chamber is above and
connected with the said ordinary chamber in such a way as to be
put into and out of communication therewith when required. An
escape is provided for the gases and steam generated from baking in
the oven, whereby without any, loss of heat the said gases and heat
pass off.
30 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
5 Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special license
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OVENS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR BAKING BREAD, BISCUITS,
AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES," a communication to me from abroad by
George Edson Bailey, of Mansfield, Charles Brown Goodrich, of Charles-
town, and Jesse Albert Locke, of Watertown, all in Massachusetts,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or 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 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 accom-
panying Drawings forming a part of this Specification :-
These improvements relates more particularly to ovens intended for
the baking of bread, biscuits, cake, and other articles of food, although
an oven constructed according thereto is susceptible of use for drying
and other purposes.
Heretofore the ovens most commonly used for baking biscuits and
bread more especially have been constructed to be heated by making
the oven chamber the combustion chamber, requiring a withdrawal of
the debris or cinders from the oven before inserting the material to be
baked. To such ovens there are many objections, among which may be

page_text: mentioned that much time is lost; a large amount of fuel is required,
owing to the fact that a heat must be given to the oven much above
what is actually required to compensate for the heat lost on withdrawing
the cinders; the heat throughout the oven is not even, it being the
greatest at the upper portion of the oven, thus producing an uneven
baking of the bread or biscuits, and causing to a greater or less degree
the browning or burning of the upper side of the bread or buiscuits, or
in other words a very uneven baking. To overcome these several
objections has been the object of many Inventions, among which it may
be well to refer to ovens having a wheel, if it may be so called, adapted
to receive the bread or biscuits to be baked, and to be revolved by
power, to subject the same to the heat of the oven at the varying
degrees therein. There are also ovens having the fire chamber within
but bounded by walls, the oven more or less surrounding it; and also
ovens in which the fire-pot is below but at its upper side in direct
contact with the oven floor%; in both of these latter cases however an
uneven diffusion of the heat is the result.
The main object of this Invention is to secure a uniform heat through-
out the oven chamber, that is, to have no greater heat at the bottom
than at the top, and in addition thereto so arranging the heating
apparatus as to economise fuel and time in the working of the oven.
According to this Invention the oven proper is constructed in any of the
ordinary modes, that is to say, of brick or masonry, provided with a door
or doors suitably arranged for convenience of entrance to the same. The
fire chamber proper is outside of and at the front portion of the oven,
within a chamber constructed under the whole extent of the oven floor
separating it from the fire-pot. This chamber containing the fire-pot
is in communication with the fire-pot through apertures in the walls,
and also with the oven proper at the rear end of the oven floor, which is
there left open. The fire-pot, in addition to the above communication
with the oven chamber, is connected therewith by flues or passages
leading direct from it through the chamber in which it is arranged to
the rear open portion of the oven floor. These passages in their length
are closed to the chamber containing the fire-pot, and are provided with
suitable dampers, and are entirely free and clear of the oven floor.
The chamber containing the fire-pot is constructed with its floor on an
inclination from the boundaries of the oven floor toward the fire-pot
proper.

page_text: The flues leading from the fire-pot to the oven, at their ends leading
into the latter, are provided with a fender or guard, whereby the smoke
and heat escaping from the said flues are fended," that is, guided
upward and sidewise into the oven chamber, and thereby kept from a
too direct impingement against the material being baked at such portion
of the oven. Moreover, along the opening making the communication
between the oven and chamber under the oven and around the fire-pot
there is arranged a fender or guard constructed of double walls, with a
space between them; this contrivance prevents a too strong radiation
and a too direct impingement of heat at such portion of the oven
against the material being baked. Furthermore, an escape for the gases
and vapors induced by baking in the oven chamber is provided, whereby
without any escape of heat the gases, steam, or vapor, may pass freely
0
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line y, y, Figure 1, with the
oven floor removed and parts shown as broken away for the sake of a
more clear illustration.
Figure 1 is drawn to a scale of one-sixth full size, and Figures 2 and 3
to a scale of one-twelfth full size.
A is an outer casing, which may be made of brick or other masonry,
or of any other suitable material; B is the oven chamber proper, located
within the upper portion of the masonry A, and made with an interior
arched top C and with a horizontal floor D, constructed by preference of
tiles and soapstone supported upon girders E; F is the door for per-
mitting entrance to the oven B; G is a chamber within the masonry A
below the floor D of the oven B, and between this chamber G and the
oven B there is an open and free communication H at the rear of the
oven floor D; I is the fire-pot arranged by its walls within the chamber G
at the front thereof. This fire-pot is considerably less in width than the
chamber G, and only extends toward the rear of the said chamber for a
portion of its depth. The fire-pot I is closed upon its upper side by a

page_text: tile flooring J projecting beyond the boundaries of the fire-pot, as
shown, and between its upper side and the oven floor the chamber G
extends unobstructedly; furthermore, the fire-pot I upon its sides has
holes a, making a communication between the fire-pot I and the
chamber G, which holes are separated by projecting side walls. K, L,
is a door opening into the fire-pot; M is the ash-pit and N its door;
O is a door opening into the chamber G and into the portion thereof
between the top of the fire-pot and bottom of the oven floor; P is the
floor of the chamber G, which floor is made inclining from the boun-
daries of the oven floor to the walls of the fire-pot I; Q, Q, are pipes or
passages leading from the fire-pot to the corners or nearly so of the
opening H along the rear of the oven floor; and R, R, are damper slides
to the passages Q.
•
These dampers have operating rods b, and the passages are entirely
distinct and separate from and not in contact with the oven floors. S is
the escape flue at the front end and upper portion of the oven; T, T, are
fenders or guards, one to each flue Q. These guards are arranged at the
rear ends u of the flues Q, and are in a more or less vertical position,
projecting into the oven.chamber through the opening H of its floor, as
clearly shown in Figure 1. V is a fender at and along the rear edge of
the oven floor D. This fender V is made of double walls c with a space d
between them that they may be either left open or filled with ashes or
any other suitable non-conductor of heat. W is a passage leading from
a point at or near the top of the oven chamber B downward, and by
preference, although not necessarily, thence upward, opening into the
external air.
With the dampers R of the passages Q open the operation of the oven,
constructed as above described, is as follows:-The products of com-
bustion pass through the passages Q to the oven chamber, escaping
more or less into the chamber G below the oven floor, and from it
passing into the oven, imparting in both instances heat to the latter;
in one instance by entering the said oven, passing upward and
following its top, heating the upper portion of the oven; and in the
other instance passing through the oven floor, heating the bottom
portion of the oven, the described inclination of the floor to the chamber,
as is obvious, causing the products of combustion to be more thoroughly
and perfectly thrown in contact with the oven floor. When the
dampers Rare closed the products of combustion passes only through the

page_text: apertures a of the fire-pot into the chamber below the oven chamber,
wherein through the inclination of the floor they are brought more
directly and perfectly in contact with the oven floor, flowing finally into
the oven chamber through the open space H at the rear, and thence to
the escape flue.
By the fenders T to the open ends of the flues Q the heat issuing
therefrom is prevented from a too direct contact with the material being
baked at the rear of the oven. The same may be also said of the rear
fender or guard V, its double wall construction being obviously advan-
tageous. The arrangement of the passage W insures the escape of the
gases, steam, or vapor from the oven chamber without letting the heat
pass off, for the reason that as the heat ascends and does not descend it
forces the gases; steam, or vapor through the passage downward, their
heavier specific density facilitating their descent.
Among many advantages secured by the present improvements may
be mentioned the following, viz. :-Fuel is saved; the oven can be used
continuously, not requiring to be re-heated as with the common ovens
in which the oven chamber is the combustion chamber; a uniform heat
can be obtained through the whole area of the oven; the oven is adapted
for all kinds of baking, bread, cake, biscuits, and the like; the oven is
simple, and requires no power as other ovens do to work it.
The flues Q, in lieu of running to the rear of the oven, may run to
the other portions of the same; and in lieu of the escape flue W for
gases opening into the atmosphere, as described, it may open into the
fire-pot or chamber, or into the ash-pit; the arrangement shown is pre-
ferable. For the chimney flue a damper is to be provided as usual,
and this damper is to be kept closed, except when the fire is being
kindled.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, a
I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. The combination of the oven B and fire-pot I when the fire-
pot is below the oven with an air space between them, and the said
fire-pit is connected to the oven by flues or pipes Q, substantially as
described for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination of the fire-pot I, oven B, and chamber G
3

page_text: about the fire-pot, the said chamber being in communication with the
fire-pot, and having an inclined floor, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
Third. The guards or fenders T to the flue passages Q, substantially
as described for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The rear guard or fender V constructed of double walls, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
Fifth. The flue, or passage W, entering the oven chamber at or near
its top, and thence outside of the oven chamber passing downward,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
F. MILLION.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)