IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO DOMESTIC FIRE-PLACES FOR ECONOMIZING FUEL.”.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ellis Collier, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED
TO DOMESTIC FIRE-PLACES FOR ECONOMIZING FUEL.”.
TO DOMESTIC FIRE-PLACES FOR ECONOMIZING FUEL.”.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ellis Collier, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st February 1873.
I, ELLIS COLLIER, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE
APPLIED TO DOMESTIC FIRE-PLACES FOR ECONOMIZING FUEL," to be as follows:-
This Invention is applicable to kitchen ranges and other domestic
fire-places, and consists principally of a false back, either perforated or
otherwise, which is so arranged that it can be either drawn forward
bodily in a vertical or nearly vertical position, or it can be drawn forward
only at the bottom into an inclined position, so as to fill up a greater
part of the bottom of the grate, and leave the whole top its usual width if
required for boiling, or if the top of the fire-bar be not required, it may be

page_text: drawn forward at the top only, so as to reduce the top and leave the
bottom part the usual depth. The false back is provided with a top
plate hinged to it, and sliding in a horizontal recess made in the brick-
work at the back of the grate, so that when it is drawn forwards no
coals or cinders can fall in behind the false back. It is also provided
with studs or pivots at the top which rest on notched bearers fixed to
the sides of the grate, so as to secure it in any desired position, and at
the bottom it is also furnished with a rack hinged to it, and projecting
forwards. The front end of this rack, which projects in front of the
bottom bar is provided with a knob, or with a ring or hole, by means of
which it can be drawn forwards or pushed backwards, as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ellis Collier in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELLIS
COLLIER, of Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Ellis Collier, Her special license that I,
the said Ellis Collier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Ellis Collier, 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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED
TO DOMESTIC FIRE-PLACES FOR ECONOMIZING FUEL," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Ellis Collier, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and 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

page_text: calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ellis Collier, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention is applicable to kitchen ranges and other domestic
fire-places, and consists principally of a false back, either perforated or
otherwise, which is so arranged that it can be either drawn forward
bodily in a vertical or nearly vertical position, or it can be drawn forward
only at the bottom into an inclined position, so as to fill up a greater
part of the bottom of the grate, and leave the whole top its usual width
if required for boiling, or if the top of the fire-bar be not required, it
may be drawn forward at the top only, so as to reduce the top and leave
the bottom part the usual depth.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now
proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to
be or may be performed or carried into practical effect; and in order that
the same may be clearly understood I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of
Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof.
In the annexed Drawing, Fig. 1 is a section, and Fig. 2 a front view
of a fire-grate, showing one modification of my Invention.
The false back a, a, is provided with a top plate b, b, hinged to it and
working in a slide c, c, fixed in a horizontal recess made in the brick-
work at the back of the grate, so that when it is drawn forwards, as
shown in dotted lines, no coals or cinders can fall in behind the false
back. It is also provided with studs or projections at the top, which
rest on notched bearers d, d, fixed to the sides of the grate, so as to
secure it in any desired position, and at the bottom it is also furnished
with a rack e, e, hinged to it, and projecting forwards. The front end
of this rack, which projects in front of the bottom bar, is provided with
a knob, or with a ring or hole, by means of which it can be drawn
forwards or pushed backwards, as required.
Fig. 3 is a section, Fig. 4 a similar view in a different position, and
Fig. 5 a front view of a slight modification of the above. In this

page_text: arrangement the notched bearers d, d, at the top are dispensed with,
and the rack e, e, is bolted on to the bottom grate, the false back a, a,
being provided with a sliding catch for holding into the same. The
dotted lines in. Figs. 3 and 4 (as well as in Fig. 1) indicate different
positions which the false back may be made to assume, according to the 5
purpose for which the fire is required.
Fig. 6 shows a still simpler modification wherein all racks are dis-
pensed with, the plate a, a, is shortened, and the plate b, b, instead of
being hinged thereto is cast in one piece therewith.
In both of these modifications a hole is drilled in the top of the false 1
back, and it is pulled forwards or pushed back by means of a hook,
shown at Fig. 7.
.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-.
formed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I 1
claim as my Invention the improved apparatus, herein-before described
and illustrated by the Drawings annexed, or any mere imitation or
modification thereof, constructed and operating in substantially the same
or a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ellis Collier, have hereunto set 2
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witnessed by
JOHN HUGHES,
Clerk to George Davies, C.E.,
Patent Office,
St. Ann's Square,
Manchester.
ELLIS COLLIER. (L.S.)