IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Godfrey Ermen of Holcombe in the Parish of Dawlish
and County of Devon Esquire for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Godfrey Ermen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1883.
GODFREY ERMEN of Holcombe in the Parish of Dawlish and County of Devon
Esquire IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO FIRE PLACES STOVES OR
GRATES
This Invention has for its objects :-
1. To increase and regulate the draught of air through the grate or fire.
2. To better utilize the heat produced by the fire.
3. To retain and utilize the greater part of the heat and hot air which now passes
up the flue or chimney.
To attain these objects I proceed mainly as follows:-
I partly close up the lower end of the existing flue or chimney at a convenient
distance above the grate or fire place, leaving only sufficient space to pass a pipe
from the grate or fireplace into the chimney to carry off the smoke from the fire.
The lower end of this pipe I enclose with a cover or lid by means of which the
draught of air is forced to pass below such cover or lid. In the pipe which
connects the flue or chimney with the cover or lid, I fix a damper for regulating
the draught of air through the grate or fire-By this arrangement the air is brought
into closer contact with the fire and increases the draught.
I fix a pipe or pipes or air cylinder inside the fire grate to come into direct
contact with the fire in the grate. These pipes or air cylinder can draw the air
either from the room in which the fire is, or from any convenient space outside the
said room, and which would take up the heat from the fire in which the pipes or
cylinder are or is placed, and which heated air I pass into the flue or chimney.
The smoke pipe which I pass through the lid or cover over the grate into the flue
or chimney I take up to the top of the chimney or it may be kept lower down in

page_text: the chimney. In either case I close the flue or chimney just below the end of
the pipe.
By this arrangement the smoke is carried off through the pipe, but the heat from
the fire by passing through the pipe will impart its heat to the air in the chimney,
which is thus formed into a hot air chamber. The air when thus heated can be
conveyed to any room or other convenient part of the house or building
In the case of a stove the heat which now passes from the smoke pipe might be
utilized in the same way as above described in reference to the pipe from an open
fire place
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Godfrey Ermen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th August
- 1883....
GODFREY ERMEN of Holcombe in the Parish of Dawlish and County of Devon,
Esquire "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO FIRE PLACES, STOVES, OR
GRATES,"
My Invention for improvements applicable to fire places and grates for the better
regulation of draught consists as follows; reference being had to the accompanying
drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows elevation of application of my Invention.-
Fig. 2 shows application for hot air generators-Fig. 3 shows same applied to
fire bara
A A, hot air chamber (sealed at a. a, and b. b.)
B B, smoke pipe
C, iron smoke shaft
c, damper.
D, lid or cover.
E, hot air cylinder
F, cold air supply pipe
G, hot air pipe into chamber.
H, end of smoke pipe.
I, hot air distributing pipe
K. Doors for front of fire bars
In carrying out my Invention, I build a chimney or flue, and use it partly as a
hot air chamber, or convert if practicable the existing chimney or flue for the same
purpose. First by introducing into the said air chamber heated air from the hot
air cylinder E, and by further increasing such heat in the air chamber, by passing
a pipe which I call a smoke pipe B B, through the said air chamber A, which
carries off the smoke from the fire.-Around this pipe at its base, or a shor
distance above the fire at B, the air chamber is sealed or made air tight, in order to
prevent any air passing into the same, except what is supplied by pipe G from the
hot air cylinder E-The air chamber is also sealed or made air-tight at the top, o

page_text: at any lower convenient part, in order to prevent the heated air escaping except
by the opening I, which opening is made into the air chamber, and from
whence the heated air is conveyed where it can conveniently be taken to or is
required-The smoke from the fire is carried off by pipe B B, which pipe I make
say six inches wide, but the size will vary according to the size of the fire place or
grate. This pipe is preferably of iron, but it may also be made of clay or any
other suitable material.-The lower end C of this pipe is connected with the lid or
cover D. The object of this pipe, besides carrying off the smoke is to utilize the
heat which rises from the fire below with the smoke, and which heat is given out
of this pipe, and retained or partially retained in the air chamber, and which heat
in the ordinary chimney or flue at present in use is carried into the air, and
consequently lost.-In many existing chimneys or flues it may not be practicable
to carry this smoke pipe to the top of the chimney, owing to the construction of
the chimney or flue, and where such cases exist, the upper end of the smoke pipe
may terminate at the point H, or any other point higher up. The air chamber
would then be reduced to the space from B to H, and from this the heated air
would then be taken.-The pipe O being the lower end of the smoke pipe I make
of an oblong shape, in order to bring the smoke that rises from the fire into closer
contact with the flame of the fire than could be effected with a round pipe, and
consequently obtain a better combustion of the smoke.-In this oblong shaped
pipe C, I apply a damper c by which I can regulate the draught of air that has to
pass up the said pipe.-I apply a lid or cover D, which lid or cover I make of iron,
but the same may be made of glass or any other suitable material.-To this lid or
cover I give a sloping position forward, in order to make the ascent of the smoke
easier into the pipe O. This lid or cover extends over the fire, and can be made
either as a fixture or to open like a flap, to confine the supply of air that has to
pass through the spaces below the same-I consequently obtain a stronger draught
through the fire. This lid or cover also keeps the smoke in closer contact with the
flame, and thereby assists in consuming it.-The object of closing up the lower
end of the air chamber marked A. A is two fold.-First, To enclose the heated air
conveyed from the air cylinder into the same, from which it can be drawn to
different parts of a room or building as before stated, and Secondly to prevent any
further escape of air up the chimney or flue, except through the smoke pipe C,
and which escape is regulated by the size of the smoke pipe and the application of
the damper C. By the application of my method of heating, it will be found that
a room is more evenly warmed and less exposed to draughts than rooms generally
are with the present open fire-places-The hot air cylinder or pipe E, which can
either be placed inside a fire grate or from the back sides and bottom of the same,
is hollow, and is supplied with air from the pipe F, which may draw the air either
from the room or place where the fire grate is placed, or from any other convenient
locality. This air cylinder takes up a large amount of the heat which otherwise
would go up the flue or smoke pipe, and as the air from pipe F passes through the
warmed or heated cylinder, the same takes up a certain amount of the heat imparted
to the cylinder, and carries same to the hot air chamber, from which the air is
taken out and distributed as before stated
With regard to the shortened smoke pipe H, I close up the chamber in an upright
direction for the purpose of conducting the dust or other particles from the coal
back into the smoke pipe, instead of same remaining in the flue.
In order to further increase the strength of the draught into the fire or grate,
I apply a door in front of the fire bars, into which I make one or more openings
from the lower part of the fire grate or front bars upwards, and keep the upper
part of the door closed-By this means the draught into the fire is confined to the
lowest part of the grate, and being so confined and concentrated, becomes very
much stronger than if such draught was extended over a larger space. This door
I make in two halves, to open from the centre of the fire grate or bars.-To these
openings I apply flaps, which can be opened or shut in order to admit a draught
either through one or more of them.-This arrangement will be found most useful

page_text: in lighting a fire as the current of air, compressed into a small space, will make the
fire burn up very quickly.-If on the other hand it is desired to keep the fire burning
low, the closing of this door with the flaps will prevent any ingress of air into the
fire, and after a short space of time, the fire will be extinguished.-This door can
either be used or not, according as the draught is required-It would probably be
found very useful for burning very hard or anthracite coal. This door would be
of further use in doing away with all danger of fire to a room or building, for
when this door is closed, no burning coal or sparks from the fire can come into the
room or building. By the application of my arrangements, it would be almost
impossible that any fire could occur in any room or building.
Having now particularly described the nature of my Invention I hereby declare
that I claim the said Invention of Improvements in and applicable to fire places
Stoves or grates" substantially as and for the purposes described
In witness whereof I the said Godfrey Ermen have hereunto set my hand and
seal this seventh day of August one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
CODEDEV DMEN