Improvements in Fire Places and Cooking Ranges.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1892-Accepted, 2nd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Places and Cooking Ranges.
I, EDWARD WRIGHT, of High Street, Southend, in the County of Essex,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
In the Specification of another application for Letters Patent filed by me dated
the 12th day of January 1891 No. 596 there is described a construction of fire
places and cooking ranges with a fire box and grate located either wholly or
partly within a covered ash pit arranged below the floor level and provided with
an air inlet or inlets controlled by a valve or regulator, the arrangement being
such that fuel can be charged into the fire box from above and air can be
admitted to the ash pit and thence to the fire box from below so as to pass
through the grate at the bottom of the fire box and thus to the fire, and when the
fuel has been properly ignited the air supply to the ash pit can be partly or wholly
cut off so that a slow combustion of the fuel may take place.
According to my present invention I arrange the grate on a level with or above
the floor so that the fire box is wholly above the floor level, air being admitted to
the ash pit or space below the grate by a valve or regulator as before from an air
way located below the floor level or otherwise so arranged as not to be in direct
communication with the apartment in which the fire place or cooking range is placed
except through the fire box.
When the grate is above the floor level, the ash pit is closed at the front by a
removable plate or door and at the bottom may be provided with a perforated floor
for the passage of air from the air way below. The front of the fire box will usually
be solid but may for appearance sake only be formed with slits or perforations
through which the incandescent fuel can be seen but through which very little, if
any, air will pass. The slits or perforations may be closed by transparent or
translucent material such as sheet-mica.
If desired one or more bars may be arranged above the close front side of the
fire box in order that the improved fire place may more nearly resemble those in
ordinary use.
In order that cinders and ashes may be readily removed from the fire-box of
fire places and cooking ranges of the kind. herein referred to preparatory to
re-making a fire, I so pivot the grate that it can be tilted in such a manner that
cinders and ashes thereon will fall into the ash pit below from which they can be
easily removed. With a like object the front of the fire box may be made removable
for which purpose it can be arranged to slide in grooves formed in the jambs of the
stove or range.
In some cases I find it advantageous to line the fire box with badly conducting
material such as asbestos, or to place such material between the fire brick lining of
the front side of the fire box and a removable ornamental iron brass or other front
employed therewith in order to prevent discolouration of such front by the intense
heat within the fire box.
To supply moist air to an apartment fitted with a fire place or cooking range of
either of the constructions herein referred to, I provide a water vessel so arranged
in relation to the fire box that water within such vessel will be heated and
vaporized and become mixed with air supplied through a pipe or coil that may
traverse the vessel and the outlet end' of which terminates above the level of the
water which is maintained constant by any suitable means such as a ball valve, the
arrangement being such that whilst a fire is burning in the fire box, moist air can,

page_text: when desired, be admitted, to an apartment through a suitably arranged pipe or
passage provided with a valve or damper.
Dated this 21st day of September 1891.
W. LLOYD WISE;
Per F.J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Fire Places and Cooking Ranges.
I, EDWARD WRIGHT, of High Street, Southend, in the County of Essex,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
In the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me dated the 12th day of
January 1891 No. 596 there is described a construction of fire places and cooking
ranges with a fire box and grate located either wholly or partly within a covered
ash pit arranged below the floor level and provided with an air inlet or inlets
controlled by a valve or regulator, the arrangement being such that fuel can be
charged into the fire box from above and that air can be admitted to the ash pit
and thence to the fire box from below so as to pass through the grate at the bottom
of the fire box and thus to the fire, and when the fuel has been properly ignited the
air supply to the ash pit can be partly or wholly cut off so that a slow combustion
of the fuel may take place.
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According to my present invention I arrange the fire box and grate on a level
with or above the floor, or hearth so that the fire box is wholly above the floor
level, air being admitted to the ash pit or space below the grate (which is also
above the floor level or hearth and is closed at the front) by a valve or regulator
from an air way located below the floor level or otherwise so arranged as not to be
in direct communication with the apartment in which the fire place or cooking range
is placed except through the fire box.
11
To supply moist air to an apartment fitted with a fire place or cooking range of
the construction herein referred to, I provide a water vessel so arranged in relation
to the fire box that water within such vessel will be heated and vaporized and become,
mixed with air supplied through a pipe or coil that may traverse the vessel, and
the outlet end of which terminates above the level of the water which is maintained
constant by any suitable means such as a ball valve, the arrangement being, such
that whilst a fire is burning in the fire box, moist air can, when desired, be admitted
to an apartment through a suitably arranged pipe or passage provided with a val
valve
or damper.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a vertical section ;
Fig. 2 an elevation; and
Fig. 3 a sectional plan of a fire place constructed according to my present
invention.
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1 is the fire box located above an ash pit 2 which as well as a grate 1ª, are
arranged above the level of the floor 3 of the apartment in which the fire place is
situated. 4 is a passage through which air is supplied from the space 5 below the
Hoor to the ashpit 2, the communication between the two being controlled by a
sliding regulator 6 that is provided with a knob or projection 6 so arranged that
the position of the regulator can be easily adjusted to control the flow of air to suit
requirement.
The ashpit 2 is closed at the front by a removable plate or door 7 in order that
the ashpan 2 may be removed when necessary. This ashpan may advantageously
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page_text: be constructed with a corrugated bottom in order that it shall not seriously interfere
with the passage of air through the regulator 6.
Also if desired one or more bars may be arranged above the close front side of
the fire box in order that the improved fire place may more nearly resemble those
in ordinary use.
13 is an
The fire place may, as shown in Fig. 1, be provided with an inclined fire back or
smoke consumer 9 of suitable material such as metal, hinged at 10 and formed with
a perforated or slotted part 11 through which smoke may pass to the chimney
above, when the fire back is turned into the position shewn in dotted lines, as when
lighting the fire or after adding fresh fuel thereto. 12 is a water vessel located
behind the fire box 2, so that water within it will be heated and vaporized. It is
suitably connected with a water supply, the level of the water being maintained
constant by any suitable means such as a ball valve as well understood.
air supply pipe having its lower end in comtaunication with the external atmosphere
and its upper end terminating within the water vessel 12 above the level of the
water therein. 14 is a pipe by which the air moistened with steam generated in
the water vessel can be conducted to any desired place. 15 is an ordinary register
for controlling the passage of hot gases and smoke to the chimney. 16 is the air
brick or regulator usually employed for admitting air to the space 5 below the
floor 3. With the construction described it will be understood that, although the
grate and the ashpit are above the level of the floor, the whole of the air that
passes through the fire box comes from the space below the floor, or it may be
be from some other source external to the room or apartment in which the fire place
is located.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section; and
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line ax Fig. 4 illustrating a modified
arrangement in which the floor of the ashpit 2 is above the level of the floor 3 and
the flow of air through the passage 4 to the ashpit is controlled by a throttle
valve 6 situated in the said passage and provided with an external adjusting knob
or handle 6. 17 is a doubly inclined fire back formed with perforations 17".
Between this fire back and the rear wall 17b is formed a combustion chamber 18.
A shield 19 hinged at 20 serves when moved into the position shown in full lines, to
cause smoke from the fire to pass through the lower perforations 17 into the
combustion chamber 18, where combustion of such smoke is more or less completed,
and thence out through the upper perforations into the space leading to the
chimney.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section and Fig. 7 a part sectional elevation on the line y Y.
Fig. 6 illustrating a modified construction in which the air inlet passage 4 is
provided with lateral and vertical extensions 4* 4° respectively that communicate
with the ashpit 2 at points 4 located above the floor thereof which in this case is
unperforated so that the ashpan 2* can rest flatwise thereon. The fire place may be
constructed with a chamber 12 and air pipe 13 as in the construction illustrated in
Fig. and for a like object; or this chamber may be used for heating air alone
that may be directed by the pipe 14 to any desired place.
Fig. 8 is a vertical section illustrating another modification wherein the ashpan 2*
is carried by the removable front 7 of the ashpit so as to be held above the
perforated floor which is provided with a sliding air regulator 6 as in Fig. 1. 18 is
a smoke consuming channel perforated at the front side and to which is hinged the
slotted or perforated fire back 9.
In some cases I find it advantageous to line the fire box with badly conducting
material such as asbestos, or to place such material between the fire brick lining of
the front side of the fire box and the removable ornamental iron brass or other
frout 8 employed therewith as indicated at 8 in Fig. 4 in order to prevent dis-
coloration of such front by the intense heat within the fire box.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are respectively a vertical section, a side elevation and a
horizontal section on the line z z Fig. 9, illustrating the application of my invention
to a pedestal fire place or stove. 4 is the air inlet passage as before, provided with

page_text: lateral and vertical extensions 4" and 4 the latter extending into the ash pit 2 and
terminating above the floor thereof upon which rests the ash pan 2. 1 is the fire.
box formed of refractory material such as fire clay and having its grate 1° above
the ash pit and above the floor 3 of the room or apartment in which the said fire
place is located. 21 is a metal casing the lower portion of which forms the ash pit 2
and the upper portion of which encloses the fire box and carries the chimney 21ª.
This casing is provided internally with an annular chamber 21° into which water or
air can be admitted by a pipe 21°. The water vapour thus produced or the heated
air, as the case may be, escapes through the perforated top of the chamber and
thence upward and around the fire box, finally escaping into the apartment in which
the fire place is located through the top of the casing which for this purpose is
perforated. The upper part of the casing is formed with an opening that is normally
closed by a hinged door 28 and through which fuel can be charged into the fire box,
which is formed with a corresponding opening. The lower portion of the casing is
provided with a removable portion 7 in order that the ash pan 2ª may be removed
and emptied when necessary.
Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 13 a front elevation illustrating the
application of my invention to a close cooking range wherein 22 is the oven, 23,
and 27 boilers, and 24 and 24 flues passing partly around the oven and boilers and
communicating with the uptake flues 25 and 26 respectively which are each
provided with a damper 29 all as well understood. 1 is the fire box the grate 1 of
which as well as the ash pit 2 are located above the floor level 3, 28, are hinged
doors that normally close the fuel inlet to the fire box. Air is supplied to the ash
pit from the air inlet pipe 4 through the lateral extensions 4" which communicate
with the ash box through openings formed in the side or back walls, or both, of the
ash box and located above the floor thereof, the air supply being controlled by a
suitable valve as before.
Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modified construction of cooking
range in which the oven 22 is placed above the raised fire box 1, and air is supplied
to one side of the ash pit 2 from the air passage 4 through a lateral passage 4*
controlled by a regulator 6 arranged to slide between corresponding perforated fixed
plates 6º.
Fig. 15 is an elevation illustrating another construction of cooking range in
which the oven is arranged over the boiler and both are arranged to one side of the
fire box and ash pit.
The air instead of being delivered through the side or sides or back of the ash
pit, may be delivered through the bottom thereof, which must then be perforated,
from a space below as in Figs. 1 and 4, but I prefer the arrangement shown in
Figs. 12 and 14, as an ash pan can then be dispensed with, the ashes being
removed, when necessary, from the unperforated floor of the ash pit through an
opening in the front thereof that is normally closed by the door 7.
.
In order that cinders and ashes may be readily removed from the fire-box of fire
places and cooking ranges of the kind herein referred to, preparatory to remaking
a fire, the grate may be pivoted so that it can be tilted in such a manner that
cinders and ashes thereon will fall into the ash pit below, from which they can be
easily removed. Such an arrangement is illustrated in plan and cross section in
Figs. 16 and 17 wherein the grate 1 is shown provided with trunnions 1' that rest
in bearings 1 and are so arranged that the rearward portion of the grate will be
heavier than the forward portion so that it will normally rest in a horizontal or
approximately horizontal position upon a shoulder 1. The fuel, which will usually
Le of greater depth at the back of the grate than at the front, will also by its
weight assist in keeping the grate in its normal position. Or the grate may be
retained in its normal position by a suitable catch; in this case the grate may he
pivoted centrally. With a like object the front 8 of the, fire box may, be, made
removable for which purpose it can be arranged to slide vertically in grooves 8b
formed in the jambs of the stove. or range as shewn, in. Eig. 3.
In Fig. 17. the portion of the floor of the ashpit directly below the grate is not

page_text: perforated so that ashes can fall upon it, the ashes being prevented from passing
through the front perforated portion of the floor and air regulator 6 by a bridge 25.
By this construction an ash pan can be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In a fire place or cooking range of the kind wherein a fire box having close
sides front and back, and a grate or air openings at the bottom thereof, is combined
with an ash pit into which the necessary air for effecting combustion of the fuel is
introduced from some source external to the room or chamber to be warmed, or in
which the fireplace or range is located, and with means for regulating or stopping
at will the flow of air through the fire box, arranging the said fire box so that its
grate and also the ashpit below, which is closed at the front, are above the floor
level or hearth substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A fire place of the kind referred to, constructed with a water vessel such as 12,
an air inlet pipe such as 13 terminating above the level of the water in the said
vessel, and a suitably arranged delivery pipe 14, the arrangement being such that
whilst the fire is burning in the fire box, moist air can be produced in the said water
vessel and be admitted to an apartment through the said delivery pipe substantially
as hereinbefore described.
3. Fire places such as referred to in Claim 1, constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference respectively to and shown in
Figs. 1, 2 and 3; in Figs. 4 and 5; in Figs. 6 and 7; in Fig. 8; and in Figs. 9,
10, and 11 of the drawings annexed, whether or not the grate 1* be pivoted as in
Figs. 16 and 17, or the front of the fire box be made removable for the purpose
specified.
4. Cooking ranges such as referred to in Claim 1, constructed and arranged
substantially as herein before described with reference to and shown in Figs. 12
and 13; in Fig. 14 and in Fig. 15 of the drawings annexed whether or not the
grate 1 be pivoted as in Figs. 16 and 17 for the purpose specified.
Dated this 10th dow of Mar 1809
EDWARD WRIGHT.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.