IMPROVEMENTS IN FIREPLACES AND FURNACES
Year: 1885

page_text: I CHARLES PARNHAM SKRIMSHIRE of Blaenavon in the County of Monmouth,
Surgeon do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIREPLACES AND FURNACES to be as follows :-
The improved Fireplace or Furnace consists of two or more compartments.
One Main Compartment to contain the live Coke and One or more Subsidiary
Compartments to be charged with Coal, which are so placed and arranged that
the Smoke and Gasses are drawn through the Main Compartment. For instance,
as applied to Household Fireplaces, the said improved Fireplace consists of an
Upper Main Compartment charged with live Coke or Fire which is separated from
the Under Subsidiary Compartment by a simple grating, the latter being charged
with Coal. The Heat of the Main Compartment ignites the Coal, its gasses are
drawn into and Consumed therein and when completely Coked the latter is added
to the Main Fire and replaced by green Coal.
The same principle may be applied to Land and Marine Boiler Furnaces but it
may be necessary to have more than One Subsidiary or Coaling Compartment.
By this arrangement I claim to effect a more perfect Combustion giving increased
production of Heat from a given quantity of Fuel and therefore a Saving of Fuel,
and an Abatement of the Smoke nuisance.

page_text: I, CHARLES PARNHAM SKRIMSHIRE, of Blaenavon in the County of Monmouth,
Surgeon do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIREPLACES AND FURNACES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The Improved Fireplace or Furnace consists of two or more Compartments.
One Main Compartment to contain the live Coke or Fire; and One or more
Subsidiary Compartments to be charged with Coal, the Subsidiary Compartment
or Compartments being so placed arranged and furnished that the Heat of the
Main Fire having ignited the green Coal its gasses and smoke are drawn into the
Main Fire and consumed therein.
For instance as applied to household purposes:
The Improved Fireplace or Furnace, Drawings of which accompany this Specifica-
tion consists of One upper Main Compartment lettered A which in Operation
contains the live Coke or Main Fire, and One Subsidiary Compartment B and
these Compartiments are separated by a moveable Grating or False Bottom C.
The Drawings shew this Subsidiary Compartment B furnished with a Tray D
which is fixed to a Front Plate E which closes in the space between the bottom
Bar of the Subsidiary Compartment and the bottom Bar K of the main Compart-
ment, giving a Close Subsidiary Fire.
This Tray and Front Plate is fitted with two handles G and can be withdrawn
and re-inserted at will.
The Tray is one of the means proposed for holding the Coal or for Coaling the
Subsidiary Compartment.
Another of the means proposed for Coaling the Subsidiary Compartment is a
Tray or Drawer of similar shape to the Tray D but made with a Grated bottom
like the False Botton C fixed to Drawer and having a Front Plate half the depth
of that attached to the above Tray E, or only closing in the lower half of space
between the Bars V aud K, thus shewing an Open Subsidiary Fire.
And a third, the simplest form of furnishing the Subsidiary or Coaling Compart-
ment is to fit it with a Grating or False Bottom similar to the Grating or False
Bottom C in this case the ordinary Shovel and Tongs will be used both for
Coaling and removing the Coal when Coked.
An ordinary Ash Pan, H, is shewn in the Drawings to complete the furnishing
of the Fireplace.
Having now roughly described the main features of the Improved Fireplace or
Furnace to be, in the case of household Furnaces, One upper Main Compart-
ment, A a moveable Grating or False Bottom, C and One Subsidiary Com-
partment, B and premising that the Subsidiary Compartment may be furnished
in various ways to suit varying requirements of position taste and utility I will
proceed to describe it in Operation.
A Fire is made in the ordinary way in the upper Main Compartment A, pre-
ferably of the Cokes the result of the previous days operation and clean Coke, or
Smokeless (Authracite) Coal Nibs: and the Subsidiary Compartment B is charged
by means of one or another of the methods in which it is proposed to furnish it
with Coal preferably the best Bituminous Coal. The heat in the Main Fire in A
very soon ignites the Coal in the Subsidiary Compartment B and draws its gasses
and Smoke through the Grating C into the Main Fire where they are consumed
intensifying the Combustion in the Main Fire, increasing the production of Heat

page_text: and producing a bright clear and cheerful Smokeless Fire. As soon as this Coal
has parted with its gasses and Smoke, in other words become Coked this Coke is
added to the Main Fire or deposited with the Ashes in the Ash Pan H, and a
fresh supply of green Coal succeeds it.
From the above description it is clear that the Improved Fireplace or Furnace
is a Combination of Top-fed and indirect Bottom-fed Fireplace in contradistinction
to Top-fed, and direct Bottom-fed Fireplaces.
I have described the compartments A and B as separated by a moveable Grating
or False Bottom C, and this is shewn in sectional plan of Top Grate or Main
Compartment with its interrupted supports lettered S.
These supports, S, which are a part of the Bar K in front and project from the
sides and back of the Fireplace are so shaped, see section in sectional elevation, S,
that they support the Grating and keep it in position allowing a free Air space or
draught all round the Grating, C, between the interrupted supports S.
The Grating, C, itself is an ordinary Casting the Bars running from front to
back and being cast thicker on the upper than on the under surface.
I have also described the Subsidiary Compartment B as furnished with a Tray,
Front Plate and Handles lettered respectively D, E and G in drawings.
The Tray or Coal-holder D, is really a deep Shovel with front and side plates
set at a right angle to the bottom which is whole: it has no back plate, and thus
allows of the Contents, Dust and Ash, after removing the Coke with the Tongs,
being shot out behind into the Dust-pan beneath by half drawing the Tray and
raising the handles to a sufficient angle. This Tray D is fixed to the Front Plate E
by interrupted Connecting Bolts, T, which allow of a very free draught or Air space
between the Tray D and the Front Plate E.
The Tray D, is as compared with the inside measurement of the Fireplace the
same size and shape as the Grating, C, and thus allows of free Air space or draught
at sides and back.
The Tray D and Front Plate E when in position fit and stand upon interrupted
supports S, parts of the Bar V in front and supports X from the back of Fireplace.
The same principle may be applied in the case of Land and Marine Boiler
Furnaces but it may be necessary to have more than One Subsidiary or Coaling
Compartment in order to insure the maintenance of a maximum intensity of
Combustion in the Main Fire by means of a regular succession of Coaling of
Subsidiary Compartments.
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
1. Improvements in Fireplaces and Furnaces by a Combination of Indirect
under feeding and top feeding: effecting,
2. Economy, by the Combustion of the Gasses and Smoke which are now wasted
by being discharged up the chimney.
3. Producing, the maximum amount of Heat from a given quantity of fuel.
4. An abatement of the Smoke Nuisance both within and without the house.
5. Avoidance of Dust-this style of fire not requiring the frequent use of Poker.
6. Ability to burn Anthracite (Smokeless) Coal in Open Main Fire and Small
r Dust Bituminous Coal in Subsidiary Compartment, both of which Fuels are a
Irug in the market.
Dated this nineteenth day of Novembon 100%
CHARLES PARNHAM SKRIMSHIRE.