IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREENS OR SHIELDS FOR CLOSING OR PARTIALLY CLOSING OR COVERING DOMESTIC AND OTHER LIKE FIRE-PLACE OPENINGS WHEN NOT IN USE FOR HEATING PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Hoult, of the Phoenix Japan Works,
Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Japanner and Tin
Plate Worker, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREENS OR
SHIELDS FOR CLOSING OR PARTIALLY CLOSING OR COVERING DOMESTIC AND
OTHER LIKE FIRE-PLACE OPENINGS WHEN NOT IN USE FOR HEATING
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 16th July 1869, and dated the 2nd February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Hoult at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd February 1869.
I, CHARLES HOULT, of the Phoenix Japan Works, Wolverhampton,
in the County of Stafford, Japanner and Tin Plate Worker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREENS OR
SHIELDS FOR CLOSING OR PARTIALLY CLOSING OR COVERING DOMESTIC AND OTHER
LIKE FIRE-PLACE OPENINGS WHEN NOT IN USE FOR HEATING PURPOSES," to be as.
follows (that is to say) :-

page_text: 'This Invention has for its object the manufacture and use of highly
ornamental and durable screens, shields or covers for closing or partially
closing and concealing when required the fire-grates and the chimney
openings of domestic or other like fire-places when out of use for
heating purposes, but is not applicable for use when there is a fire in
the grate like the ordinary fire screens.
These improvements are effected chiefly by the use of sheets of glass
which are highly ornamented on the surface by cutting, or being pressed
or moulded, or other convenient method, as is well understood, but in
most cases in constructing the improved screens it is preferred to use
one or more sheets of plain glass, and applying to the surface intended
to be the back thereof any desired ornamental design in gold, silver, or
colours, or any combinations thereof, or by placing behind such sheet
or sheets of glass any painting in oil or water, or otherwise, or photo-
graph, plain or coloured, or otherwise, after which the sheet or
sheets of ornamented glass are fitted into a frame of metal or other
material, by preference stamped out of sheet metal, iron or tinned
iron being preferred.
The metal frames it is proposed to japan, paint, or varnish, and that
the said frames should be in themselves of an ornamental character.
The glass is backed up with some solid or yielding material, such as
wool or plaster of Paris, so as to bear equally over the plates of glass,
and which backing is enclosed by a backboard or sheet of metal rigidly
attached to the surrounding frame.
The improved shields it is proposed to construct in some cases so
as to partake of a like curve with the fire-grate bars and in elevation,
round, oval-shaped, square, or of shapes corresponding to the various
forms of grates, as well as with those of heraldic shields or other
devices, and attaching the same to the grate bars by cliphooks or
screws attached to the back plate or frame of the screen or as crinoline
bars are attached, or otherwise, or they may be mounted on feet resting
on the hearthstone immediately in front of the grate.
In some cases it is preferred to dispense with the surrounding metal
frame, and in lieu thereof using a backboard or plate of metal recessed
or dished for containing the backing for the glass plates, which in this
modification are attached to the back by metal claws or pins, or
otherwise.

page_text: Where the designs on the sheets of glass do not form the same
perfectly opaque, in some cases it is proposed to dispense with the
back bedding, and backing the ornamental glass with a sheet of plain
or cut glass, or to use a mirror also, so that the same may be illuminated
by placing a jet of gas or other light in. the fire-place to improve the
effect of the screen at night..
In the ease of the use of transparent backs the clipping or supporting
back frame may be formed with a flange, in which is formed a groove
or channel running round the face or bed of the frame on which the
back of the glass rests to receive a strip or cord of india-rubber or other
elastic material to prevent the jarring of the glass..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Hoult in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
HOULT, of the Phoenix Japan Works, Wolverhampton, in the County
of Stafford, Japanner and Tin Plate Worker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Hoult, Her special licence that I, the
said Charles Hoult, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Charles Hoult, 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 SCREENS OR SHIELDS:
FOR CLOSING OR PARTIALLY CLOSING OR COVERING DOMESTIC AND OTHER LIKE
FIRE-PLACE OPENINGS WHEN NOT IN USE FOR HEATING PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Hoult, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and

page_text: 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 Charles Hoult, 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 statement (that is to say): :-
This my said Invention has for its object the manufacture and use of
highly ornamental and durable screens, shields, or covers for closing or
partially closing and concealing partially or wholly (when required) the
fire-grates and the chimney openings, or the back of the grate of domestio
and other like fire-places, by a work of art, when out of use for licating
purposes, but is not applicable for use when there is a fire in the grate
like the ordinary fire screens, which are used to intercept the passage of
the heat.
These improvements I effect chiefly by the use of sheets of glass,
transparent, semi-transparent, or opaque, some of which are highly
ornamented on the surface by cutting, or being pressed, or moulded, or
silvered at the back to serve as mirrors, or in any other convenient
method, as will be well understood, but in most cases in constructing
the improved screens I prefer to use one or more sheets of plain glass,.
and applying to the surface intended to be the back thereof any desired
ornamental design in gold, silver, or colours, or imitation jewels or stones,
or any combination thereof, or by placing behind such shect or sheets
of glass any painting in oil or water, or otherwise, or (photograph, plain
or coloured), or otherwise, glass into a frame of metal or other material,.
by preference stamped out of sheet metal, iron, or tinned iron, or they
may be cast in copper, brass, or steel, or other material.
Some of the metal frames I prefer to japan, paint, or varnish in such
a way that they should be in themselves of an ornamental character.
The glass I back up with some solid or yielding material, such as wool
or plaster of Paris, so as to bear equally over the back of the plates of
glass, and which backing is enclosed by a backboard or sheet of metal
rigidly attached to the surrounding frame.
The improved shields I propose to construct in some cases so as to
partake of a like curve with the fire-grate bars, and in elevation round,

page_text: oval-shaped, square, or of shapes corresponding to the various forms of
grates, as well as with those of heraldric shields or other devices, and
attaching the same to the grate bars by chiphooks, or soldered, attached
the back plate or frame of the screen, or otherwise, or they may be
mounted upon feet resting on the hearthstone immediately in front of
the grate, or put or fixed on the bottom or back of the grate in rear
of the front, bars.
In some cases I prefer to dispense with the surrounding metal frame,
and in lieu thereof using a backboard or plate of metal recessed or dished
for containing the backing for the glass plates, which in this modification
are attached to the back by metal claws or pins or otherwise.
Where the design on the sheets of glass do not form the same perfectly
opaque, in some cases I propose to dispense with the back bedding, and
backing the ornamented glass with a mirror or a sheet of plain or cut
glass, or to paint on or transfer from other paintings or printings on
part to the front of the glass which then will require no backing, so
that the same may be illuminated by placing a jet of gas or other light
in the fire-place to improve the effect of the screen at night.
In the case of the use of transparent backs, or when using no back, the
clipping or supporting frame may be formed with a flange constructed
with a groove or channel running round the face or bed of the frame on
which the back of the glass rests for receiving a strip or cord of
india-rubber or other elastic material, to prevent the jarring of the
glass.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and
understood I have hereunto annexed Drawings illustrating three forms
of my improved stove or fire-place opening decorator, which will be
sufficient to show how the improvements may be carried into effect,
like letters and figures being marked thereon to denote similar
parts.
Figure 1 is a front view or elevation of one of my improved decorative
screens with a curtain piece formed at the bottom of the frame, and
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same taken from a to b
(Figure 1); Figure 3 is a perspective view (seen detached) of a
clip fastener for attaching the decoration to the grate bar or other
fixture.
Figure 4 is an elevation or front view of another form of stove or

page_text: fire-place, decorator, and Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section of the
same
Figure 6-is a front view of another design which is suitable for
attaching to the grate bar or to be supported on feet resting on the
hearthstone, and Figure 7 is a vertical transverse section of the same seen
With the joined screw clip attached.
A (Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5), the centre, which may be a sheet of glass
having the ornamentation thereon, or seen therethrough, produced by
staining, painting, moulding, cutting, etching, or by being backed by
a painting, engraving, lithograph, quicksilver, or leaf metal, or other
Fevident device, or the effect may be produced by a combination of any
two or more of the methods, and which in Figures 1 and 2 are shown
surrounded by B, a frame, which may be of wood, "papier maché," or
other suitable material, but I prefer to form them from galvanized or
tinned sheet iron, stamped to the required form, or from sheet metal,
and afterwards japanned either plainly or ornamentally, or in steel,
copper, or brass not japanned; C is a small metal rod, bent to a right
angle, and formed with a screwed thread at each end, and the horizontal
arm of which is fitted with D, a knob which forms a binding nut for
holding the shield in position; E is a double jawed clip, which is fitted
on to the grate bar and is securely attached thereto by means of F,
binding screws.
In applying my improved decorators, as shown in the Drawings, to an
ordinary grate I. adjust the vertical arm of the bent rod C to the
required length below the double jawed clip bar (E) by means of the
screwed end, which passes through a projection on the clip bar; I then
secure it to one of the grate bars, then, removing the knob D, place the
shield on the lower limb of the bent rod C, and secure it thereto by
mcans of the binding nut knob (D).
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my
said Invention, and the best means I am acquainted with for the
practically carrying out the same, I wish it to be clearly understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise relative proportions or dimensions
herein-before illustrated, described, and set forth, or to the exact
materials specified, as it will be readily seen by all aquainted with the
art that the same may be considerably varied without departing from
the Invention; but what I claim as new and useful is, the construction
and application of the improved stove or fire-place decorators, sub-

page_text: stantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described
and set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said Charles Hoult, have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty
nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
CHARLES HOULT. (L.S.)