AN APPLIANCE TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH FIRE GRATES FOR CONSUMING SMOKE AND RADIATING HRAM
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ephraim Taylor, of Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, Machinist, for an Invention of "AN APPLIANCE TO BE USED IN
CONJUNCTION WITH FIRE GRATES FOR CONSUMING SMOKE AND RADIATING
HRAM"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ephraim Taylor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th October 1880.
EPHRAIM TAYLOR, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
APPLIANCE TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH FIRE GRATES FOR CONSUMING
SMOKE AND RADIATING HEAT."
"AN
My Invention relates to burning a portion of the smoke, retaining a portion of
the heat, improving the draught, and economising coal in the fire places or chimneys
of dwelling houses and mansions, and consists of a perforated or slotted plate of
iron or any other suitable material.
I propose to place this plate in the flue or chimney immediately above the fire
in a diagonal position towards the back of the fire. When so fixed and the fire
lighted the perforated plate becomes hot, and burns or condenses the smoke as it
comes in contact with the heated plate or grating. The heat from the fire being
intercepted from going up the chimney by the said perforated plate, causing it to
radiate back into the room, thereby saving coals.
The draught being improved by the contraction of the space above the fire, and
as the fire by this process never requires to be agitated to cause it to burn, and the
smoke usually going up the chimney is very considerably reduced, the use of my
Invention must necessarily tend to cause the atmosphere in large towns to be
considerably purified.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ephraim Taylor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th April
1881.
EPHRAIM TAYLOR, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist.
"AN
APPLIANCE TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH FIRE-GRATES FOR CONSUMING
SMOKE AND RADIATING HEAT."
My Invention relates to burning a portion of the smoke, retaining a portion of
the heat, improving the draught, and economizing coal in the fireplaces or chimneys
of dwelling houses or mansions, and consists of a perforated or slotted plate of iron
or any other suitable material.
I place this plate in the flue or chimney immediately above the fire in a diagonal
position towards the back of the fire. When so fixed and the fire is lighted the
perforated plate becomes hot and burns or condenses the smoke as it comes in
contact with the heated plate or grating.
The heat from the fire being intercepted from going up the chimney by the said
perforated plate causes it to radiate back into the room, thereby saving coals. The
draught being improved by the contracting of the space above the fire, and as
the fire never requires to be agitated to cause it to burn, and the smoke usually
going up the chimney is very considerably reduced, it must cause the atmosphere
in large towns to become more pure and healthy.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I will now proceed to
explain it by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawing, upon which
Figure 1 is a front view of a kitchen fireplace with oven and boiler complete.
Figure 2 is a front view of a front or bedroom fireplace.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 1 at 6.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of Figure 2 at 7.
Figure 5 is a front view of my slotted plate for kitchen fire.
Figure 6 is a front view of another form of my slotted grate for front or bedroom
fires.
Figure 7 is an end view of my improved grate to form a false bottom, to be used
in connection with plate, Figure 5, or separately, as the draught of the flue may
require.
Figure 8 is a plan view of Figure 7, and
Figure 9 is a front view of same.
I will now describe the fixing of my apparatus and the effect of my Invention.
I first take the plate, Figure 5, which is made of cast or malleable iron with slots
(4) in it (or, if required, perforations will in some cases answer the purpose), and
place it in the flue g, as seen at A (Figures 1, 2); this plate is placed in a diagonal
position in the flue g, as seen at A, B, (Figures 3 and 4) and is supported either
by the brickwork or rests upon a hook E (Figure 3). When the fire is lighted in
the fire place F (Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,) the smoke in rising comes into contact with
the plate A, B, (Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,) condenses a large portion of the smoke on the
grate A, B, and the flame arising from the combustion of the coal in the fire place
causes the condensed smoke or soot that has accumulated on the grate A, B, to be
burnt. In chimneys where there is a strong down draught, and the chimney is
subject to what is commonly known as smokey chimneys, I place a grate much
longer and in a more vertical position than the one shown at A, B, (Figure 3), the
down draught is then checked before it can travel into the room.
Another important advantage in my Invention is to get more heat into a room
by the use of the same quantity of coal, or the same heat as before the application
of my Invention by a much less quantity of coal consumed. It will be observed
that as the heat from the fire F is naturally drawn up the flue g (Figure 3) it is

page_text: intercepted by plate A, B, which having a thin coat of carbon or soot becomes a
nonconductor, and causes the heat to radiate back into the room in place of being
drawn by the current up the flue, as is the case in ordinary flues without my
Invention. When the same temperature only is required in the room that existed
before the application of my Invention a much less quantity of coal is required.
I accomplish this by means of the false or loose bottom grid C (Figures 1, 3, 7, 8, 9).
This grid C or false bottom is fixed through the front bars of the fire grate, as seen
at Figures 1, 3, and 7, and can be removed without trouble to any upper bar at
any time required; for example, the false bottom C is shown at Figure 7 placed
between hars 1 and 2; but it can be without delay or difficulty raised to between
bars 2 and 3, and in very wide fireplaces a back d can be placed in this false
botton, as shown at Figures 3, 7, 8, and 9. Should the draught up the flue g be
too sluggish it can be much improved by lowering the grate A, B, (Figure 3) at A
until the flue has the required draught, and should the draught be too strong it can
be reduced by raising the plate A, B, (Figure 3) higher up the flue.
Having thus described my Invention, and the best means I am acquainted with
for carrying the same into practical effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details shewn and described, as they may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention; but what
I do claim is the use of slotted or perforated plates, for the purposes herein before
shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ephraim Taylor, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
WILLIAM HENRY MILLER,
24, King William St.,
Blackburn.
EPHRAIM TAYLOR. (L.S.)