IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND COOKING."
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Grafton, of Rolles Buildings, Fetter Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND COOKING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Grafton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th
May 1855.
I, HENRY GRAFTON, of Rolles Buildings, Fetter Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND COOKING " to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in gas-cooking apparatus consists in the
application of earthenware in moulded forms as chambers in which to generate
and enclose the heat for the purposes of cooking or heating, either by inserting
the articles to be cooked or heated therein, or by placing the vessels containing
edibles in such moulded chamber. I am aware that cooking stoves have
heretofore been lined with and built of earthenware. I mould cooking
stoves somewhat in the manner of a common earthen pot or pipe, and making
an inner projecting rib round the bottom with a hollow channel for gas,
and numerous jet appertures for the escape and ignition of the gas. Instead

page_text: of making the earthen chamber in one piece with the burner, the earthen
burner may be made separate, and constitute a foot or pedestal for various
sized earthen chambers which are placed thereon, and enclose the several jet
appertures. Passages are made through this foot for the admission of air to
support the combustion. The moulded articles may be cylindrical, square, or
of other form, and either made with the top close or made entirely open, and
covered when required by an earthenware cover for the purpose. I make a
small hole in the top or cover for the escape of steam or vapour, or to promote
a circulation of air, which hole when not so required I stop by means of a
wood peg.
When these earthen chambers are required only as an oven, I
form them somewhat like an ordinary dish cover, and use it simply to enclose
the article to be cooked, which is supported above the earthen pedestal before
mentioned, constituting the gas burner for generating the heat.
In heating cooking utensils. I use a short earthen tube as the chamber,
placing it on the burner pedestal, or having the burner formed on the interior
at the lower part, as before mentioned, and place the cooking utensil on the
top, or down within the interior of the chamber. If the earthen tube or
chamber be made with a larger opening at one end than the other, and with
the use of the pedestal by simply inverting the tube it will accommodate two
sizes of saucepans. The upper rini of the saucepan should cover as near as
may be the upper part of the chamber, to prevent too great an escape of heat.
These cooking stoves or chambers may be made in parts, the one to fit on
the other to make up the required height; or they may have vertical divisions
where the parts separate. I also mould forms of earthenware adapted as the
outer casing or oven, with an inner chamber as a receptacle for materials to be
heated or cooked.
The gas chamber or passage is furnished with an earthen nozzle, or it may
be a metal nozzle, to connect the gas supply pipe, which may be simply a
vulcanized pipe, or a pipe of a more permanent character.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Grafton, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Grafton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ilenry
Grafton, 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 APPA-
RATUS FOR HEATING AND COOKING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Henry Grafton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Henry Grafton, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of improvements in gas-cooking apparatus consists in the
application of earthenware in moulded forms as chambers in which to generate
and enclose the heat for the purposes of cooking, either by inserting the articles
to be cooked therein, or by placing the vessels containing edibles in such
moulded chamber. I am aware that cooking stoves have heretofore been
lined with and built of earthenware, to which I make no claim. I mould
cooking stoves somewhat in the manner of a common earthen pot or pipe,
and making an inner projecting rib round the bottom with a hollow channel
for gas, and numerous jet apertures for the escape and ignition of the gas.
Instead of making the earthen chamber in one piece with the burner, the
earthen burner may be made separate, and constitute a foot or pedestal for
various sized earthen chambers which are placed thereon, and enclose the
several gas emission apertures. Passages are made through this foot for the
admission of air to support the combustion. The moulded articles may be
cylindrical, square, or of other form, and either made with the top close or maado
entirely open, and covered when required by an earthen cover for the purpose.
I make a small hole in the top or cover for the escape of steam or vapour, and

page_text: also to promote a circulation of air, which hole when not so required I stop by
means of a wood peg. When these earthen chambers are required only as an
oven, I form them somewhat like an ordinary dish cover, and use it simply to
enclose the article to be cooked, which is supported above the earthen pedestal
before mentioned, constituting the gas burner for generating the heat.
In heating cooking utensils, I use a short earthen tube as the chamber,
placing it on the burner pedestal, or having the burner formed on the interior
at the lower part, as before mentioned, and place the cooking utensil on the
top, or down within the interior of the chamber. If the earthen tubo or
chamber be made with a larger opening at one end than the other, and with
the use of the pedestal by simply inverting the tube it will accommodate two
sizes of saucepans. The upper rim of the saucepan should cover as near as
may be the upper part of the chamber to prevent too great an escape of heat.
These cooking stoves or chambers may be made in parts, the one to fit on the
other to mako up the required height; or they may have vertical divisions
where the parts separate. I also mould forms of earthenware adapted as the
outer casing or oven, with an inner chamber as a receptacle for materials to be
heated or cooked.
Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings represents a plan of an article
moulded in earthenware clay of any ordinary description, which constitutes
the burner and base or pedestal A, on which the other parts of the apparatus
are placed for the purposes of heating or cooking; Fig. 2 is a vertical
section of the same, which shews the bottom enclosed, but it may be as in
Fig. 3, where the bottom is represented open. This article may be moulded
in the same manner as an ordinary brick, having the lower part hollowed out
at a, a, in the manner represented, to reduce the upper surface b, b, to the
proper thickness. This surface has a number of minute perforations through
which the gas escapes, it being ignited on the upper surface of b. c is a metal
pipe inserted in the side of base A, which is therein cemented. The inner end
of pipe c has perforations for the escape of the gas, while d is a union by which
to connect the supply pipe, which is furnished with a proper stop-cock for
cutting off or regulating the supply of gas. When base A is open at bottom
I make the lower edge of an undulating form, in order to admit air to the
hollow a, a, in the base; the air so admitted mingles with the gas in space a, a,
and passes through the perforations, producing a blue flame above surface b, b,
when ignited. When base A is to be enclosed at bottom, as shewn at Fig. 3,
Í mould the upper part as before described, and while yet plastic I place a flat
disc of clay e, and cause it to adhere thereto. The article is dried and stoved
or burnt in the same manner as ordinary tiles. The base A may be used for

page_text: cooking or heating by placing a metal stand over it, on which to rest the vessel
or article to which the heat is to be applied. In order to economise the heat
as much as possible, I prefer to support cooking vessels above the base A on
and within an earthen chamber f.f, of a simple cylindrical form, as represented
in plan at Fig. 4, and in vertical section at Fig. 5. On the top of this are
fitted a number of annular plates or rings 9, 9, of earthenware of the same
description, having the inner circle of different diameters to suit the various
sized saucepans required. These rings g, g, are all fitted in the manner shown
in the section, Fig. 5, and are simply laid on the top. Holes h, h, are made
in f.f, near the lower part, to admit air for combustion. Instead of holes h, h,
the bottom of f.f, may be made undulating, or notches cut in it for the same
purpose. This same article ƒ may be used as an oven by applying a solid
cover at top, as shewn in dotted lines at i, i, with a small hole to admit the
escape of vapour, or produce circulation of air, if required, as before mentioned.
Fig. 6 represents a form more adapted for an oven for baking purposes;
the upper k may be formed separate from the base part A, or in one piece
with it. The base A for this purpose ought to have air admitted to a, a, as
described with reference to Fig. 8. 11, are two shelves, which rest on ledges
or projections m, m, formed on or around the interior of k. Holes n, n, are
made through these shelves to permit the heat of the interior to equalize itself;
one, two, or other number of shelves may be used, according to requirements
or size of article to be operated on, which with the shelves may be removed at
pleasure. The chamber & is surmounted by a cover p to enclose it, but which
is furnished with small escape aperture, if necessary, arranged as before
described. An advantage in constructing the base separate from the chamber k
is, that the whole of the upper part with the contents may be removed and
the lower chamber got at without disturbing anything in the upper part. To
further facilitate access to the compartments of this oven, the casing & may be
made in a number of pieces, corresponding with the number of shelves, and fitted
one above the other, so that one, two, or more of the upper compartments may
be lifted off, so as only to expose that compartment to which access is desired.
Fig. 7 represents in a vertical section of another form of burner base. b, b, is
the perforated surface, below which the gas and air are admitted, as before
described; a saucepan or other vessel which contains anything desired to be
heated or cooked is placed on the upper part, which has an undulating upper
edge, on which the bottom of the saucepan rests. The heat from the burner
impinges on the bottom of saucepan, and escapes all round it. Holes q, q, may
or may not be made through the upper part, as seen dotted, in order to admit
more air to induce combustion than passes in below the surface b. Fig. 8

page_text: represents, in section, a double vessel of moulded clay; the inner compart-
ment r is to contain anything to be heated or warmed, while the outer one s
confines the heat around it. t is the gas passage all round the lower part,
admitted thereto by pipe c, as before; u, u, are the appertures of emission
where the gas is ignited; air is admitted under the undulating lower edge, while
escape holes v, v, are formed higher up, to produce in a sufficient degree the
necessary circulation. Fig. 9 represents longitudinal, and Fig. 10 transverse
vertical sections, of an article moulded in clay, applicable for heating purposes;
it is adapted to fit an ordinary fire grate. It may be moulded as described with
reference to Fig. 2. It is furnished with gas inlet c and air inlet passages w, w,
which mingles with the gas in the interior space before combustion. The air
and gas are emitted by small perforations at a, a, a, combustion taking place
on the exterior. I make the whole of the articles herein-before described of
clay, of which almost any kind is suitable, and dry and burn them as herein-
before described.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and what manner the same
may be performed, I would have it understood that what I claim as my
Invention, and desire to protect by the Letters Patent, is, the manufacture of
gas cooking and heating chambers and other parts herein-before described, of
clay moulded and formed as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Grafton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
HENRY GRAFTON. (L.8.)