Improvements in Fire-guards for Fire-places.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1897-Accepted, 4th Sept. 1897
VISIONAL SPECT
ATION.
Improvements in Fire-guards for Fire-places.
CHARLOTTE MILDRED WOODS (Mrs.) 11 Bisham Gardens, Highgate, N., do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The guard consists of a net work front 14 inches square to which are affixed
perpendicularly two hinged wings horizontally a shelf to catch any coal or cinders
which fall out. When in position this goes one or two inches under the grate of
the fireplace. This shelf is adjusted to the height required by the hook attached
to it being inserted in one of the interstices of the wire netting. The wings are
brought round & placed at just the angle required by the size of the grate.
to the wings are attached crossway triangular shaped flaps, these are dropped on to
the sides of the shelf & fastened in position required for the size of the grate by
two wire hooks dropped into convenient interstices of the network. The guard can
thus be adjusted to fit almost any sized grate & it is held fastened together (securely)
by these three hooked wires. It can be adjusted to size & fixed together in a few
seconds.
Dated this 18th day of September 1896.
CHARLOTTE MILDRED WOODS (MRs.).
I CHARLOTTE MILDRED WOODS Inventor of 11 Bisham Gardens, Highgate,
London, N. 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 :-
This invention is designed to furnish an effective mode of obviating the noise
caused by the falling of coal or large cinders from the fire-grate on to the hearth
an occurrence so disturbing in the sick-room.
The Guard is contrived to fit any sized grate, and is constructed for its several
parts to be folded together, so as to occupy only a small space for taking abont.
In carrying out my invention, I construct the Guard as follows:-
A strong wire oblong frame is provided measuring about 18 inches deep by
12 broad, and this is filled in with the ordinary iron or brass wire net-work; when
placed in position this stands on the hearth in front of the fire distant about 6 inches
from the bars of the grate.
To the two stout uprights of this front piece, there are attached movable wings
also consisting of frames filled with crossed wire-work, they are fastened to the front
piece by the ends of the top and bottom wires of the frame being clasped round the

page_text: uprights or by wire loops or hinges. By opening these wings more or less, the
Guard can be made to fit any sized fire-place.
About four inches above the bottom of the front piece of the Guard on the side
presented to the fire, I construct another small frame or shelf filled with similar
wire-work about 12 inches long by 6 inches wide which is hinged to the front piece;
it can be adjusted to any height required by a short length of chain fastened in
position by hooking it on to the wire in the top part of the front piece. I term
this shelf a cinder catcher.
Each of the side wings have cinder catchers similarly constructed and attached
horizontally to the wings. These winged catchers when placed in position rest on
the sides of the front catcher, and are kept in their place by being passed over an
upright pin, or being fastened by a shifting wire hook attached to a cross bar in
the front catcher, thus holding in position the wings when adjusted to the size of
the fireplace.
In order to allow these side cinder-catchers to adequately cover the space that
may be required, I construct them of a triangular shape with one side curved.
In another pattern, I place a wire shelf in front of the main frame parallel to the
chief cinder catcher, hinged in the same way and supported by chains and hooks;
this shelf serves for the purpose of putting food or articles in front of the fire to
keep them warm for invalids.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front view of the Guard
opened for use, showing the front and the two hinged wings, and the three cinder
catchers.
a is the main front piece, b the left side wing, c the right side wing; d, e, f are
the three cinder catchers, the suspending chain and hook. m m. represents the
floor line of the hearth.
Fig. 2 is a side sectional view shewing the front piece with its hinged main
cinder catcher e adjusted by the chain and hook k into position for protruding under
the lower bar of the grate. Il shows the section of the grate bars; m m is the
hearth, and the position of the fender is indicated.
Fig. 3 presents a back view of the frame work of the front piece and wings, with
their catchers resting on the main cinder catcher held up by the chain and hook.
a is the front piece,
The wire net-work covering the several frames is not drawn.
c is the upright of the frame of the right wing, b that of the left wing; e is the
main cinder catcher; f and d the two wing catchers; kk the suspending chain and
hook; n n the projecting pins to retain the cinder catchers of the side wings in
position; m m is the hearth.
Fig. 4 is a birds eye view of the Guard opened and adjusted to position. e is the
front cinder catcher, d that of the right wing, e left wing.
Fig. 5 shows the frame work of the Guard folded up.
net-work is not drawn.
The covering wire
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of the inven
tion, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is -
The invention of a cinder & coal catcher so attached to a winged Fire Guard
that it can be adjusted to fit a grate of any size.
Dated this Fourteenth day of June 1897.
CHARLOTTE MILDRED WOODS.