IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING APPARATUS OR KITCHEN RANGES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ebenezer Thornton, of Bradford, in the County
of York, Ironmonger and Hot Water Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING APPARATUS OR KITCHEN RANGES."
Sealed the 26th February 1872, and dated the 1st September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ebenezer Thornton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st September 1871.
I, EBENEZER THORNTON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Iron-
5 monger and Hot Water Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COOKING APPARATUS OR KITCHEN
RANGES," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to those ranges technically known as the
"Yorkshire" and the "Leamington" class, and the improvements
O consist in combining the two in order to simplify and render kitchen
ranges better adapted for ordinary use. To effect this object I construct
ranges with an open fire-grate, the bars of which I place outside the
frontage plates; the fire is open at the top and front, having an oven as

page_text: usual. On the other side is a hot plate over the flue, and extending
partly over the flue; this construction of hot plate gives large increase
of heating surface. Connected with the said hot plate is a midfeather
for increasing and dispersing heat from the fire over the whole extent of
such plate; also, attached to the under side thereof is a "contact plate"
for absorbing and giving off heat to the hot plate; this plate is provided
with the ordinary recesses for pans and other cooking utensils. The
bottom grate in which the fire rests is by rack, pinion, and hand wheel
or lever readily adjusted to the height required, so that the fire may be
maintained at a uniform height, level with the top of the fire-grate and 1
hot plate; and extending the whole width of the range is an iron "hob"
or projecting flange, fixed or moveable. I also arrange over the fire one
or more ribs level with the hot plate, forming an additional support for
cooking utensils.
"
In connection with the construction of ranges as above described, the 1
boiler for heating water may be placed at the back of the fire-place, and
pipes communicating with the said boiler. For cottage ranges, portable
grates inserted from the front may be employed for regulating the depth
of the fire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ebenezer Thornton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EBENEZER
THORNTON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Ironmonger and Hot
Water Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors
give and grant unto me, the said Ebenezer Thornton, Her special licence
that I, the said Ebenezer Thornton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Ebenezer Thornton, 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 g
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COOKING APPARATUS OR KITCHEN RANGES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Ebenezer Thornton, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ebenezer Thornton, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 Sheet of Drawings, that
is to say:-
66
"
This Invention relates to those ranges technically known as the
"Yorkshire" and the Leamington' class, and the improvements
consist in combining the two, in order to simplify and render kitchen
ranges better adapted for ordinary use. To effect this object I construct
ranges with an open fire-grate, the bars of which I place outside the
frontage plates; the fire is open at the top and front, having an oven as
usual. On the other side is a hot plate over the flue and extending
partly in front of the fire-grate; this construction of hot plate gives
a large increase of heating surface. Connected with the said hot plate is
a midfeather for increasing and dispersing heat from the fire over the
whole extent of such plate; also, attached to the under side thereof is
a contact plate" for absorbing and giving off heat to the hot plate;
this hot plate is provided with the ordinary recesses for pans and other
cooking utensils. The bottom grate on which the fire rests is by means
of rack and pinion, and hand wheel or lever, readily adjusted to the
height required, so that the fire may be maintained at an uniform level
with the top of the fire-grate and hot plate. I also arrange over the fire
one or more ribs or brackets level with the hot plate, forming an
additional support for cooking utensils.
In connection with the construction of ranges as above described, the
boiler for heating water may be placed at the back of the fire-place, and
pipes communicating with the said boiler. For cottage ranges, portable
grates inserted from the front may be employed for regulating the depth
of the fire.

page_text: Such being the nature and object of this my said Invention, I will
now proceed to describe the same, and in order that it may be clearly
understood, I have hereunto annexed two Sheets of Drawings, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference, the same letter
referring to the same part in the various views or Figures.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a stove constructed and fitted according
to this Invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the line A, B, of
Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan on the line C, D, of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is
a vertical section on the line E, F, of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a plan view of
hot plate, oven, and flues. At G is shewn the fire-grate, the bars G³ of
which are outside the frontage plate, the fire being open at the top and
bottom. is the oven, the bottom of which is securely closed by means
of the sand joint H² (see Fig. 4). At I is the hot plate extending over the
flue, this plate as shewn extends partially in front of the fire. I', I', are
brackets extending partially over and level with the fire, on which pans
or other cooking utensils are supported. J is a midfeather for increasing
and dispensing the heat over the said hot plate, and on the under side of
the said plate is a contact plate K for absorbing and giving off heat to
the hot plate. The bottom grate L on which the fire rests is adjustable
by means of the rack M and pinion shaft M', operated by the hand
wheel N, so that the fire may be maintained at any desired height or
level with the top of the grate or hot plate. N' are side fire plates. P
is the boiler for supply of hot water. R is the ashes guard or "tidy."
S is an ashes sifter, the small ashes falling into the pan T.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ebenezer Thornton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand night hundred and now
Witness,
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Tasker & Brierley,
Halifax & Bradford.
EBENEZER THORNTON. (L.S.)