Improvements in or applicable to Fire-grates.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Fire-grates.
I NATHAN PENDLEBURY FRITH SANDIFORD of 14 King Street Manchester
in the County of Lancaster, Wine and Spirit Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to domestic fire grates the objects being principally to
economize fuel and to prevent accidents when a fire is left to die out in the grate
at any time.
My invention may be adapted to many known forms of grate but I provide the
grate with a solid bottom so as to induce slow combustion and I make a vertical
slide or groove at each side of the front thereof in or along which projections on
either edge of a transverse vertical plate (of suitable form to correspond with the
shape of the front of the grate) can be moved.
I make cuts or recesses in the upper part of each of the above named slides or
grooves (sloping preferably downwards) in a direction towards the grate and of
such a width that the above named projection on the edges of the transverse front
plate can be pushed thereinto when the said plate has been raised as hereafter
described.
I also so arrange the bottom plate of the grate that it can slide in and out of
place and I provide the same with convenient notches or other means for readily
removing and replacing the same as required.
This bottom plate, or the front rail or bar on which it rests, projects beyond the
front of the grate bars and may be provided with a ledge or groove to receive.
the lower edge of the above named sliding front plate when raised as hereafter
described.
The bottom plate is wider of course than the corresponding slides or ledges in
or upon which it rests but sufficiently narrow to allow of its expansion by heat
without being liable to become stuck fast in the grate.
The uses of these improvements are as follows:-
If at any time it is desired to put out the fire in the grate, the front plate (which
usually rests on the hearth in front of the ashpit or space beneath the fire) is raised
by a suitable handle or handles, or other equivalent device, until its lower edge
rises level with the bottom of the grate. It is then pushed towards the grate,
along the cuts or recesses in the slides or grooves above named until it comes close
to the bars and can rest upon the bottom plate or the fixed bottom rail as above
described and it will thus (being solid like the bottom plate) shut off all air from
the fuel and the fire will soon die out and can be safely left as no burning coal can
escape and fall accidentally on the floor or carpet of the room.
I make other cuts or recesses in the side grooves or slides at suitable heights so
that the front plate can be raised further and fixed a little above the level of the
bottom of the grate if at any time a strong draught or current of air is required
at the bottom of the fire or if the grate is to be cleaned out.
In the latter case
the bottom of the grate is withdrawn and the unconsumed fuel cinders and ashes
will fall into the space beneath from which they can he easily removed and the
grate can then be thoroughly and most conveniently cleaned, and the bottom of
the grate brushed and replaced ready for a fresh fire to be laid.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1893
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Fire-grates.
NATHAN PENDLEBURY FRITH SANDIFORD of 14 King Street Manchester
in the County of Lancaster, Wine and Spirit Merchant, 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 relates to domestic fire grates the objects being principally to
economize fuel, and to prevent accidents when a fire is left to die out in a grate at
any time.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference
to the sheet of drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 on the annexed drawings is a front elevation of a domestic fire grate with
my invention shown as applied thereto, and
Fig. 2 is a similar view with the movable front in a different position.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, and Fig. 4 a vertical section of the same.
My invention may be adapted to many known forms of domestic fire grate, a
simple example of which is shown on the drawings for the sake of illustration.
For the purposes of my invention provide the grate with a solid bottom a so as
to induce slow combustion and I make a vertical slide or groove b at each side of
the front thereof in or along which projections e (see detached views Fig. 5) on
either edge of a transverse vertical plate or movable front c (which is of a suitable
form to correspond with the shape of the front of the grate) can be moved.
1 make horizontal cuts or recesses d towards the upper part of each of the above
named slides or grooves sloping preferably downwards (as shown at Fig. 4) towards
the grate, and of such a width apart that the above named projections c¹ on the ends
of the transverse movable front plate c can be pushed thereinto when the said front
plate c has been raised as hereinafter described.
1 also arrange the bottom plate a of the grate so that it can slide horizontally in
and out of place and I provide the same with convenient notches a¹ or other means
for readily removing and replacing the same.
This bottom plate a (or the front rail or frame e on which it rests) projects beyond
the front of the grate bars fand may be provided with a ledge or groove to receive
the lower edge of the above named movable front plate c when raised as hereinafter
described.
The bottom plate a is wider of course than the space between the corresponding
grooves or ledges in or upon which it rests but sufficiently narrow to allow of its
expansion by heat without being liable to become stuck fast in the grate.
The uses of these improvements are as follows:-
If at any time it is desired to leave the fire in the grate to die out safely the
movable front plate c (which usually rests on the hearth in front of the ashpit or
space g beneath the fire as seen at Fig. 1) is raised by suitable handles or knobs h or
other appliances (which are preferably removable) until its lower edge becomes
level with the bottom a of the grate. It is then pushed towards the grate,
the projections e sliding into the horizontal or sloping recesses d, until it comes
close up to the front bars f with its lower edge resting upon the bottom plate a or
fixed rail or frame e as above described, and (being solid like the bottom plate a) it
will thus shut off all air from the front of the fuel and the fire will gradually and
slowly die out, and can be safely left as no burning coal can possibly escape and fall
accidentally onto the floor or carpet of the room.
The fire in this condition will take several hours to die out, as the only supply
of oxygen is from the top, and in order that it can be revived at any time, if not
entirely dead, I make other cuts or recesses d' in the side grooves bat suitable heights
so that the movable front plate c can be raised into a higher position than that shown

page_text: at Fig. 2 so as to leave a space between its lower edge and the bottom plate a or
rail e and by thus admitting a keen draught or current of air at the bottom the fire
may be quickly revived.
When it is desired to clean out the grate the bottom a is drawn out in the
direction shown by the arrow at Fig. 4 when the spent fuel cinders and ashes will
fall into the ashpit or space y beneath from which they can be easily removed and
the grate can then be thoroughly and most conveniently cleaned and the bottom a of
the grate brushed and replaced ready for a fresh fire to be laid.
I may here observe that if preferred the slides or grooves b may be dispensed
with and the movable front plate instead of sliding up and down as previously
described, may be made altogether detachable and simple means such as projections
books or buttons and slots or holes may be provided whereby it can be readily
removed from one position to the other and fixed as required.
The handles, knobs, or other appliances for taking hold of the movable plate c I
prefer to make removable in any simple manner so that they will not become too
heated to be handled with safety.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improvements in or applicable to fire grates consisting of the movable front
plate, and the sliding solid bottom, constructed and operating substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.
Dated this 28th day of July 1893.
GEO. DAVIES: & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.