IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OVERMANTELS OF CHIMNEY PIECES
Year: 1882

page_text: :
LETTERS PATENT to George Harris Haywood, of the firm of Yates, Haywood,
and Co of Upper Thames Street, in the City of London for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OVERMANTELS OF CHIMNEY
PIECES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Harris Haywood
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th May 1882.
GEORGE HARRIS HAYWOOD, of the firm of Yates, Haywood, and Co :-of Upper
Thames Street in the City of London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OVERMANTELS
OF CHIMNEY PIECES
"
My Invention relates especially to what is now well known as an overmantel, or
the ornamental frame arranged above the mantel piece which is situated above and
forms a part of an ordinary chimney piece.
It has for its object a novel method of constructing and arranging such
overmantel so that it is cheaply and simply made, effective in appearance, and
readily and easily adapted for the ornamental and useful purposes to which it is
to be applied.
In an overmantel to be used above the chimney piece in a drawing room or
other chamber it is usual to construct the front of such chimney piece of marble,
stone, or other suitable material ornamented in a manner appropriate to the position
which it is to occupy, the mantel piece or shelf above it being made of wood, stone,
marble, or other material adapted to the purpose, and such overmantel has
heretofore ordinarily been constructed of wood framed and carved and panelled to
receive mirrors, pictures, or other ornamental appliances, as well as projecting
shelves carried by columns, brackets, or other suitable supports, and the effect of
such method of construction is that the several parts described are liable to warp,
crack, and separate, from the heat or other causes, their durability being small and
the cost of manufacture considerable, whilst the wood is also liable to danger
from fire.
My present invention has for its object a novel method of constructing the over
mantel, either in combination with the chimney piece or separate from the latter,

page_text: so that whilst it is cheap in construction, it is simple, durable, very readily fixed in
position, and capable of the ready application of ornamental design to any required
extent.
In order to put my invention in operation I make the chimney piece preferably
of metal, such as cast iron, from a pattern upon which the desired ornamentation
has first been prepared, or I make it of marble, stone, wood, or other material as
may be desired, and upon its upper part I arrange the mantel piece or shelf, upou
This overmantel I make of
which is supported the back of the over mantel itself.
metal such as cast iron, and of any desired shape and design, such ornaments as
may be desired being cast upon it and the back being made hollow where possible
so that the quantity and weight of metal may be made as small as possible
consistently with the necessary strength and durability.
In the back of the over-mantel constructed in the novel method described, I
make openings or recesses of any desired shape into which may be inserted and
fixed mirrors, pictures, panels of wood, brass, leather or other material, or other
ornamental devices. Where it is desired that the over mantel itself should be
provided with one or more projecting shelves I cast such shelves upon the metal
back itself, supporting them by brackets or columns either forming part of the
same casting or attached separately. Or such shelves may themselves be made
separately and attached to the cast back of the over mantel.
'
By the novel method of construction described, very great facility is attained in
fixing the over mantel and it is impossible that the relative position of the several
parts of the latter should become altered, whilst it is very durable, great economy
is effected in its manufacture, and it is entirely free from danger of fire.
The several parts of the overmantel constructed in the manner described may
be painted, coloured, or otherwise ornamented, in any desired way.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Harris Haywood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th November 1882.
GEORGE HARRIS HAYWOOD, of the firm of Yates, Haywood, & Co of Upper
Thames Street, in the City of London "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OVERMANTELS
OF CHIMNEY PIECES
,,
My invention relates especially to what is now well known as an overmantel,
or the ornamental frame arranged above the mantel piece which is situated above
and forms a part of an ordinary chimney-piece.
It has for its object a novel method of constructing and arranging such over-
mantel so that it is cheaply and simply made, effective in appearance and readily
and easily adapted for the ornamental and useful purposes to which it is to be
applied.
In an overmantel to be used above the chimney-piece in a drawing room or
other chamber it is usual to construct the front of such chimney-piece of marble,
stone, or other suitable material ornamented in a manner appropriate to the position
which it is to occupy, the mantel piece or shelf above it being made of wood, stone
marble, or other material adapted to the purpose, and such overmantal has
heretofore ordinarily been constructed of wood framed and carved and panelled to
receive mirrors, pictures, or other ornamental appliances, as well as projecting
shelves carried by columns, brackets, or other suitable supports, and the effect of
such method of construction is that the several parts described are liable to warp,
crack, and separate, from the heat or other causes, their durability being small and
the cost of manufacture considerable, whilst the wood is also liable to danger
from fire.
My present invention has for its object a novel method of constructing the
overmantel, either in combination with the chimney-piece or separate from the
latter, so that whilst it is cheap in construction it is simple, durable, very readily
fixed in position, and capable of the ready application of ornamental design to any
required extent.
In order to put my invention in operation I make the chimney piece preferably
of metal, such as cast iron, from a pattern upon which the desired ornamentation
has first been prepared, or I make it of marble, stone, wood or other material as
may be desired and upon its upper part I arrange the mantel piece or shelf, upon
which is supported the overmantel itself.
This overmantel I make of metal such as cast iron, and of any desired shape and
design, such ornaments as may be desired being cast upon it and the back being
made hollow where possible so that the quantity and weight of metal may be
made as small as possible consistently with the necessary strength and durability.
In the back of the overmantel constructed in the novel method described, I
make openings or recesses of any desired shape into which may be inserted and
fixed mirrors, pictures, panels of wood, brass, leather, or other material, or other
ornamental devices.
Where it is desired that the overmantel itself should be provided with one or
more projecting shelves I cast such shelves upon the metal back itself, supporting
them by brackets or columns either forming part of the same casting or attached
separately. Or such shelves may themselves be made separately and attached to
the cast back of the overmantel.
By the novel method of construction described, very great facility is attained in
fixing the overmantel and it is impossible that the relative position of the several

page_text: parts of the latter should become altered, whilst it is very durable, great economy
is effected in its manufacture, and it is entirely free from danger of fire.
The several parts of the overmantel constructed in the manner described may be
painted, coloured, or otherwise ornamented in any desired way.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, Figure 1 being
a front view, and figure 2 a side view of a chimney piece, mantel piece, and
overmantel.
a is the chimney piece, b the stove, c the mantel piece or shelf and d the
overmantel. The overmantel is of cast iron suitably ornamented and made hollow
at the back so as to be sufficiently light and strong. e, f, and g, are mirrors
inserted and fixed in recesses cast to receive them in the back of the overmantel ;
and h and i are projecting ornamental shelves supported by the back of the over-
mantel and by columns in front at k, k.
By the novel method of constructing the overmantel d, as described and shewn,
it can be made very effective and ornamental in appearance at small cost, it is
little liable to injury, is readily and quickly fixed in its position, and of unlimited
durability.
The method of constructing and using the metal overmantel as herein before
described and shewn in the drawing, may also be applied to ornamental castings of
a like kind arranged and fixed above doorways.
Having now described my invention and the manner in which it is to be
performed, I claim -The method of constructing overmantels, (to be used alone or
in combination with chimney pieces and mantel pieces,) of cast metal having any
desired ornamentation upon their surface, and hollowed at their back, with or
without projecting shelves or columns, substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Harris Haywood, have hereunto
set my hand and seal this 18th day of November in the year of our
Lord 1882.
GH HAYWOOD. (L.S.)