AN IMPROVED METHOD OF WARMING DWELLING HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS, ECONOMIZING FUEL, BURNING SLACK, REDUCING THE BULK OF THE REFUSE, IMPROVIng Draughts, anD CURING SMOKY CHIMNEYS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to The Reverend Thomas Wolstencroft, Rector of
Syde, near Cirencester, in the County of Gloucester, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF WARMING DWELLING HOUSES AND OTHER
BUILDINGS, ECONOMIZING FUEL, BURNING SLACK, REDUCING THE BULK OF THE
REFUSE, IMPROVIng Draughts, anD CURING SMOKY CHIMNEYS.”
Sealed the 2nd September 1873, and dated the 19th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Reverend Thomas
Wolstencroft at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 19th March 1873.
.
I, The Reverend THOMAS WOLSTENCROFT, Rector of Syde, near Ciren-
cester, in the County of Gloucester, do hereby declare nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF WARMING DWELLING HOUSES AND
OTHER BUILDINGS, ECONOMIZING FUEL, BURNING SLACK, REDUCING THE BULK OF
THE REFUSE, IMPROVING DRAUGHTS, AND CURING SMOKY CHIMNEYS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of,-
First. As regards thoroughly warming. This is accomplished by cutting
off all communication between the draught and the room to be warmed,
and supplying the air to a chamber in connection with the fire-place,
either from without or within the building.

page_text: Second. When the fire is lighted (which in many cases will be done
with wood shavings and cinders only, thus greatly reducing the con-
sumption of wood in lighting fires), a vacuum is formed in the chamber
connected with the fire-place, which causes the air to rush in and act
directly upon the fire, and this action being continued so long as the air
is supplied to the chamber thorough combustion is obtained.
Third. As combustion goes on the ashes and small cinders fall through
the bottom of the grate; these are sifted in a very fine sieve (inch).
The fine ashes which fall through being thoroughly burnt are valuable
as a fertiliser, and the remainder being again mixed with slack is burnt,
and thus eventually nothing but very fine ashes remains.
Fourth and Fifth. The air from the chamber passing through the fire
is more rarefied than in the ordinary way, and thus the draught is
improved, and the smoke is to a great extent consumed, and smokey
chimneys as a matter of course cured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Reverend Thomas Wolstencroft in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 12th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, The Reverend
THOMAS WOLSTENCROFT, Rector of Syde, near Cirencester, in the County
of Gloucester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Thomas Wolstencroft, Her special license
that I, the said Thomas Wolstencroft, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Wolstencroft, 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 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF WARMING DWELLING HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS, ECONOMIZING. FUBLI

page_text: BURNING SLACK, REDUCING THE BULK OF THE REFUSE, IMPROVING DRAUGHTS, AND
CURING SMOKY CHIMNEYS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Thomas Wolstencroft, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands,
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 Thomas Wolstencroft, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention of an improved method of warming and ventilating
rooms and buildings, economizing fuel, and improving draughts consists
of the following arrangements:-
=
I arrange my stove, fire-place, or other receptacle for fire in such a
manner that communication between the room or building to be warmed
or ventilated, and the draught or air inlet under the fire may be wholly
or partially cut-off, and at the same time I arrange-a- -chamber or
chambers, called the air chamber or chambers, communicating with the
outside or any other part of the building at the one end, and at the other
end having communication with the under side of fire, so as to bring the
draught from any convenient place directly under and through the fire-
bars.
Although I describe and shew only a few ways of carrying my object
into effect, the same effects may be produced in many ways to suit
special circumstances.
And in order that my said Invention may be better understood I will
now proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 shews a front elevation and cross section of a fire-grate fitted
against an outside wall, through which runs the air chamber covered at
the outer end with a perforated zinc or wirework, or other plate, to
which by preference a valve is affixed to regulate the admission of air.
5 This chamber communicates as shewn with the under side of the fire-
grate to which a steady flow of air is thus supplied. The front of the
grate being continued down to the floor, air admitted into the room from

page_text: the fire-place must pass through the fire. The chamber under the fire
forms an ash-pit, which may be cleaned out through a door left for the
purpose.
Figure 2 shews a front elevation and cross section of a fire-grate
supplied with air from beneath the floor, and through the front of the
ash-pit; by this means the bottom of the grate may be extended and
form a hot plate, at the same time taking the place of a trivet or
fender.
Figure 3 shews the front elevation and cross section of an arrange-
ment for supplying air to the fire by means of a pipe or chamber
running under the floor and hearth, and returning to the air chamber
under the fire-bars. Air is admitted under the floors through ventilators
in the outer walls, whereby a complete circulation of air is obtained
under the floors, and the woodwork preserved.
Figure 4 shews the front elevation and cross section of an arrange-
ment with fire-bars resting on the hearth, and air supplied under the`
floor from a cellar below. In this case the ash-pit may be extended
to the cellar floor, and ashes removed through the door as shewn in-
section.
Figure 5 shews an arrangement by which the Invention may be 2
applied to existing fire-grates. An ash pan closing the front of the ash-
pit may be attached to the grate to exclude all front draught, then by
inserting under the floor an air chamber communicating with the under
side of the grate air may be admitted as before. By this means
"draught "
may be wholly or partially cut off from the room at 2
pleasure.
Figure 6 shews the front elevation and cross section of a "mediæval
moveable grate air being admitted by any of the previous arrangements.
This fire-place may be decorated with encaustic tiles, or in any other
appropriate manner.
Figure 7 is a front elevation and cross section of a kitchen range
shewing how the principle may be applied to the open fire, oven, and
hot hearth separately or combined.
3
Figure 8 shews a method of applying the principle to mansions,
hospitals, fever wards, warehouses, ships, &c., the air being supplied to g
one common air shaft communicating by pipes or chambers with the
fire-place in each department of the building, and an arrangement made

page_text: for purifying the air from drains, closets, &c., by causing it to pass
through the fire in the adjacent or upper rooms. As all air passing
through the fire is brought from directly under the fire-bars, & more
thorough combustion is obtained, and the rooms more easily warmed
and ventilated than by the ordinary arrangements. By my arrangement
the supply of air can be regulated to any degree by means of dampers
or valves, so as to be entirely under control.
References to Figures.-Similar letters in all cases denote similar
parts. A, the air chamber; B, the front of the grate extended to the
hearth to cut off communication between the draught and the room;
C, the pipe or passage for supplying the chamber with air; D, the fire-
grate; E, the valve for regulating the supply of air; F, small door in
front of the grate on the hearth for removing ashes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and how the same is to be carried into practical operation
I would have it understood, that what I claim and desire to secure by
the herein-before recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. The separate chamber or chambers for supplying and regu-
lating the air to the fire through the fire-bars.
And secondly. The closing the front of fire-grate or ash-pit from the
room, so that no draught can get through the fire, except through the
air chambers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Wolstencroft, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
THO. WOLSTENCROFT. (L.S.)
Witness,
H. ELLIS HILL,
Of the Firm of Barlow & Co.,
23, Southampton Buildings,
London.
W.C.