Improvements in Heating or Cooking Appliances.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heating or Cooking Appliances.
JOHN HOWARD Ross, 35 Wills Street, Aston, Birmingham, Lighting Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements in heating or cooking appliances consist in a special arrange-
ment of parts attached to or connected with an oven pipe or chamber or ovens
pipes or chambers to be heated, whereby a rapid circulation of the hot products of
combustion of an oil or gas flame or other source of heat is effected, through the
space enclosed within the said oven pipe or chamber or ovens, pipes, or chambers;
to carry out my invention where a flame or source of heat is used which requires a
chimney to produce perfect combustion, I use a chimney of suitable material round
the flame or source of heat; above this chimney is an opening or tube, to receive
and convey the products of combustion into the top of the ovens pipes or chambers.
Surrounding this chimney is another chimney or enclosure, the space between these
two chimneys, or inner chimney and enclosure surrounding it, is connected by
suitable air ducts or passages leading into the bottoms of the ovens, pipes or
chambers a stove such as is described in my Specification No. 11808 and dated
19th June 1894 may be used; in which case the chimney of stove will answer the
purpose of the inner chimney referred to. The flame or source of heat I preferably
place on a horizontal line with and extending above the bottom of the ovens, pipes
or chambers to be heated. The rapid circulation of heat is effected as follows:-
The hot products ascending rapidly from the source of heat through the inner
chimney or chimney which surrounds the source of heat, are forced through the
opening, tube, or passages directly above the chimney, and are conveyed into the
top of the ovens, pipes, or chambers, causing a compression therein, the air between
the two chimneys becomes heated by radiation from, and by coming in contact with,
the outside of the inner chimney, it therefore becomes lighter and rapidly ascends,
and cold air from the ovens, pipes, or chambers is consequently drawn through the
air ducts or passages to take its place, and thus the compression is not only relieved
in the ovens pipes or chambers, but a partial vacuum is created therein, assisting in
drawing the hot products, which entered at the top, down through the ovens, pipes,
or chambers; the air drawn from the ovens pipes or chambers becoming heated in
turn, the hottest part ascending from between the chimneys, passes through the
opening, tube, or passage above the inner chimney along with the direct products of
combustion, the colder part being allowed to escape by a tube, passage or opening
arranged above the level of the inner chimney or chamber, and of sufficient capacity
to prevent any backward pressure upon the direct products of combustion from the
If a tube or passage
flame or source of heat within the inner chimney or chamber.
is used instead of an opening, I extend the top of such tube or passage above the
top of the ovens, pipes, or chambers, but just above the level of the inner chimney
I arrange openings or passages from the outer air leading to the said tube or
passage, in such a manner that if the tube or passage for the escape of the colder
products of combustion becomes very much heated, it will not cause the flame to be
drawn up, as the suction therein is relieved by external air entering in through the
said openings or passages; by this arrangement of parts, not only do the direct
products of combustion circulate through the ovens, pipes or chambers, but after it
has passed through them, part of it is re-heated as already described and again
circulated, and consequently as the direct products after passing through, still
retain a large percentage of the initial heat, they are easily re-heated, and thus a

page_text: large amount of heating or cooking can be done with a comparatively small flame
or source of heat.
For cooking purposes this arrangement can be applied to one or more ovens as
required; and the direct products, as they leave the inner chimney are arranged
where required to strike against a vessel which may contain water to be boiled for
steaming food, in steamers similar to those described in my Specification herein-
before referred to, or for other purposes, before entering the top of the oven or
ovens or passages round them; where two ovens are used I arrange the source of
heat between the two ovens, the space surrounding the chimney of lamp, stove, or
source of heat, being enclosed on two sides by the sides of ovens, and enclosed at
'back and front in such a manner that this enclosure answers the purpose of the
outer chimney referred to; the sides of ovens next the stove or source of heat have
openings at top and bottom, leading to the top and bottom of ovens or-passages
round them. The top of the space surrounding stove or source of heat between the
oven's is closed in by a plate, which may be an addition to, or extension of, the oven
tops, and in centre or over the inner chimney, may have an opening or openings,
which can be closed with a lid or lids, or by placing any vessel to be heated, over
them; under the opening or openings leading to the ovens, in the sides next to the
source of heat and joined to them, and also to the back and front plates forming
the walls of the enclosure round the inner chimney, I fix a plate having a hole or
tube of suitable dimensions in it, arranged directly over the inner chimney, through
which the direct and re-heated products pass, on their way into the top of the ovens.
or passages round them, this plate I preferably make conical or raised in the centre,
so that as the re-heated products ascend, the hotter portion is directed in towards
the direct products and is carried with them into the ovens, pipes, or chambers:
and at the lower part of this plate or between it and the level of the top of the
inner chimney I arrange the lower end of the tube or passage or of the opening to
carry off or allow to escape the colder portion of the products, after passing through
the ovens. The bottom of the chamber is closed in by a plate which extends, as
does the top, below the ovens and is joined to the outside and to the back and front
plates enclosing also the space under the bottom of ovens; part of this plate
I make to slide in, with part of the front plate so as to be easily removable for the
convenience of taking out the stove, burner or other source of heat when necessary;
above the plate carrying the slide and which extends under the two ovens and
central part, in the bottom of each oven I place a plate parallel with the bottom
plate which forms the bottom of the inside of the oven, this plate joins with the side
of oven next to the source of heat, just above the opening or openings at bottom,
and also with the back and front plates, but where the passage is not continuous
round the oven has openings or is sufficiently far from the other or further side
from the source of heat to allow, first the cold air in the ovens to be drawn down
and across underneath into the enclosed space surrounding the chimney or source of
heat, to be heated and partly forced into top of ovens, and then the hot products to
follow and be re-heated in turn as already described, and again circulated; this
circulation goes on raising the temperature of the ovens or passages round them
until they nearly approach to the temperature of the chamber between the ovens ;
any shelves or grids placed in the ovens where the hot products pass directly
through them must be suitably perforated, to allow the hot air to pass down through
on its way to be re-heated.
Between the plate having the opening or tube, through which the hot products
from the inner chimney first pass, and between it and the top, and extending to the
back and front plates, I arrange a vertical plate which is free to be moved along to
close the passage leading to or around either oven or which can be left between the
ovens equally or otherwise dividing the heat between the ovens as required, this
plate I pull or push from one side to the other by means of a rod passing along
from its centre under top plate of ovens and extending through the outside plate of
either oven, and having a suitable knob fixed upon its outer end to operate it with;
or I operate it by having a rack fixed to it at right angles preferably running along

page_text: the front of ovens or space between them and having a toothed wheel to engage
with said rack, the spindle of which passes out through the front plate and has a
hand or handle secured to it to turn it with, and the front plate may have a dial or
part of a dial, figured, so that by turning the hand round to a given figure or point,
the wheel inside is turned also and causes the rack to be moved in the same direction
as the part of wheel which engages with it, carrying with it the plate to the
indicated position over the hole which admits the hot products to the top of ovens
or passages; or I may use a square opening for the hot products from the stove to
pass through into the tops of ovens or passages; this opening having vertical walls
extending up to top plate, between ovens on each side of hole on which steamers &c.
are placed and extending to back and front plates, the sides opposite each oven
being open; a frame is made to fit in the square opening and is balanced upon
pivots projecting through the centres of the vertical walls above referred to, this
frame carries plates preferably formed on the outside as segments of a circle the
circumference of which would correspond with a circle drawn round the pivots,
taking the edge of the square hole as radius, one of the pivots I extend and pass
through the front plate and attach to it a hand or handle to operate the frame
with, by using a dial for accurately adjusting the proportion of heat to either or
both ovens as herein before described. By any of these means, the heat may be
distributed to or around either oven as required.
Where I use a Bunsen gas burner preferably arrange the air inlet under the
burner with a regulator, so as to be able to control the quantity of air which
passes up through the burner and the chimney, tube or chamber which surrounds it.
Where I use a flame or source of heat which does not require a chimney to
produce perfect combustion, such as a Bunsen gas borner or electrically heated coil
or substance, may dispense with the inner chimuey herein before described, in
which case the air drawn from the bottom of the ovens, pipes or chambers to be
heated, would be heated and re-heated by radiation from or by coming directly in
contact with the flame or source of heat, and becoming lighter would ascend through
the pipe or chamber connected with the top and bottom of the ovens, pipes or
chambers to be heated, along with the hot products from the source of heat. The
chamber, chimney, or tube surrounding the source of heat may be of any section to
suit the various kinds of burners, stoves or sources of heat which are known and
used for heating purposes; and where I use electricity as a source of heat.
I dispense with the outlet for the products of combustion from this pipe chimney or
chamber as herein before described, the only openings from it being at top and
bottom into the ovens, pipes or chambers to be heated, so that the same air within
the ovens, pipes or chambers is heated, circulated, and re-heated, and being all
confined, the loss of energy is reduced to the smallest possible limit.
I preferably make my ovens of cast metal, the back and front having raised ribs
between which the sides and bottoms of the ovens are held securely by simply
bolting to them the top and bottom parts, corresponding ribs being raised on the
sides to take the outer edges of the bottom plate and shelves or grids, so that it can
be readily put together and taken to pieces for packing.
"To avoid as far as possible the loss of heat by radiation, I employ a preparation
of asbestos or other bad conductor of heat with which I line the whole or any part
of the interior, or encase the whole or any part of the outside, of the oven or ovens
and central part.
Upon the top plate of oven as described, in order to utilise the heat radiated
therefrom, I may place, removably or otherwise, at each side of the opening to
receive the steamers, ovens or chambers closed in at bottom by the top plate of
these ovens or chambers may be utilised for cooking or for heating plates &c.
ovens,
DL1 1901

page_text: Rating
COOKING Appliances.
JOHN HOWARD Ross 35 Wills Street, Lozells, Birmingham, Lighting Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to heating and cooking appliances and consists in a special
arrangement of parts attached to or connected with an oven, pipe or chamber, or,
ovens, pipes or chambers to be heated, whereby a rapid circulation of the .hot
products of combustion or heated air is effected within the said ovens, pipes or
chambers.
In order that iny invention may be more fully understood, I will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. I is a perspective view of a two oven kitchener made according to my
invention in which the source of heat is from an oil stove as described in my
Specification No. 11808 dated 19th June 1894, but any other form of oil or gas
burner may be used ;-A set of steamers is shewu on top, but it is obvious that
any vessel containing anything to be boiled or heated may be placed thereon.
Fig. II is a plan of Fig. I with the steamers and top of kitchener N, taken off,
and the grids H taken out so that the slots in plates I admitting air from the ovens
to passages E' can be seen.
Fig. III is a section of Fig. I on dotted line A. B. but with the top shewn in
its place.
Fig. 1V is a section of Fig. II on dotted line A. C. but with the top shewn in
its place.
Fig. V shews a heating chamber similar to that in Figs. I to IV but attached.
to pipes for heating purposes.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the various figures.
In Figs. III and IV the flame only of stove or burner is shewn, not the stove
itself.
D is a heating chamber.
D is a stove or burner, which in this case is the source of heat.
D2 is a chimney surrounding a flame which may be from either oil or gas.
D is a moveable front to the chamber D. fixed to a part of bottom plate J,
which works in suitable guides and is free to pull out with it for the purpose of
being able to take out the stove or burner when required.
D is a flue or passage arranged sufficiently high above the chimney D* to admit
of the colder products at the lower part of dome F escaping without interfering
with the draught of chimney D* and
D' are holes through the back plate M of kitchener to admit cold air to flue D
from the outside to keep it from drawing the flame, especially if it is found necessary
to connect a tube to this flue, to carry the products outside the apartment in which
the kitchener is used.
E. E. are ovens connected to and communicating with the heating chamber D
at top and bottom by passages E¹ and E.
F. is the top of heating chamber, preferably domed so as to direct the hottest
products from the chimney D' to the flue F' through which they pass into the
.passages E, ovens E and passages E³, back into the chamber D to be re-heated
and passed again through the flue and re-circulated as shewn by the arrows
along with the fresh products coming from the flame or source of heat out of the
chimney D'.
G is a plate resting vertically on dome Fi and free to slide across the top of
Alue F' and fitted so close to the top plate N, back plate M and front plate L of

page_text: kitchener, that when moved over to the right or left edge of flue F, it causes the
hot air or products to be circulated in the oven on the opposite side only, but in
whatever position it is, it allows the hot air or products to first strike upon the
bottom of any vessel placed over the hole N₁ in kitchener top plate N before
circulating through the oven or ovens.
G' is a rack attached to G, but free to slide in suitable guides and having teeth
on its lower edge which engage with the pinnion G. The pinnion G has a boss
or projection from its centre, passing through and free to revolve in a hole in
kitchener front plate L and having a handle G³ fixed to the end of boss to operate
it with, so that as the handle G is turned round from left to right or vice versa, it
moves the pinnion G2 in the same direction, and carries the rack G₁ which engages
with the pinnion (and consequently the plate G which is attached to the rack,
from one side to the other. to regulate the heat between the ovens as required..
A dial on front plate L having for its axis the hole through which the boss of
pinnion passes, indicates the position of plate G.
Instead of the rack G¹ pinnion G³ and handle Gʻ, the plate G may have in place
of the rack simply a sliding bar attached to it, and free to move from left to right
in a similar manner to the rack, and having a stud from said bar projecting through
a slot in kitchener front plate L, on which stud may be fastened a handle by which
it can be moved to either left or right; or, instead of the sliding bar, a rod may
be secured at one end to the centre of plate G, the other end passing through a
hole in the corresponding position of the side plate K of kitchener, and having
a suitable handle to pull or push it out or in with, at the same time moving the
plate G to the desired position.
H. H. are grids resting upon projections from oven sides and having a sufficient
number of perforations or openings, to allow of the free passage of the hot air or
products of combustion, passing down through the ovens, when the food to be cooked
is resting on them.
I. I. are plates forming the top bottom of ovens and having a slot, preferably at
the end furthest from the heating chamber D, for the products to pass down under
this plate on their way to the heating chamber.
J. is a plate extending under both ovens and heating chamber, and connected to
back plate M, front plate L and sides K. K. of kitchener, forming the lower side
of passages E' and the bottom also of heating chamber D, and having a hole of
suitable shape in centre of part forming heating chamber bottom, to take the
chimney D² of stove or burner.
T. is approximate position of an oil or gas flame or flames or source of heat.
K. K. are the side plates of kitchener.
L is the front plate of kitchener.
M is the back plate of kitchener.
N. is the top plate of kitchener, having a hole in centre N¹ over source of heat,.
closed when in use either by suitable lids or vessels to be heated.
It is obvious that the heating chamber may be connected only to one oven or to
any number of ovens as required.
When electrically heated coils are used as a source of heat, they are placed
within the heating chamber D, in this case dome F may be dispensed with, also the
chimney D², flue D₁, holes D', and opening for chimney in bottom plate J, so that
the only openings from heating chamber are from the top into the top of the ovens
and from the bottom of ovens into the bottom of chamber, which can be readily
understood; the hot products from the heating chamber D instead of going
directly through the ovens, may be passed round in the usual form of double cased
ovens, without altering my invention.
The advantages of this arrangement of heating chamber and ovens are:-
1st. A great saving in fuel, as part of the same air is used over and over again
before it has cooled to any great extent.
2nd. The steam from the foods placed in the ovens is taken down with the hot
air and products and by being passed through the heating chamber again, is dried,.

page_text: so that only dry hot air is sent into the top of ovens, thus doing away with the
necessity of ventilating the ovens in the usual manner, and the loss of heat
occasioned thereby.
For heating purposes see Fig. V, I attach the same or a similar heating chamber
to pipes or passages arranged horizontally one above the other, and connected at
their other ends by upright pipes or passages, the top pipes O convey the hot air
from the heating chamber D to the passages P, to be returned by lower pipes Q
to the heating chamber D to be re-heated and again circulated in a similar manner
to that described in kitchener ;-when long lengths of pipes are used, the hot air
condenses upon the cold pipes and provision is made by small pipes R for running
the water condensed from the air in the pipes, into suitable receptacles S where it
can be taken away as shewn.
When the heat is derived from the flame of gas or oil, from a burner so constructed
that a chimney is not necessary to produce perfect combustion, the chimney D³ may
be dispensed with; in this case the openings in centre of plate J should be closed
so as to admit only sufficient air to properly support combustion, and the vertical
walls of chamber D suitably arranged and in such form as to cause the most rapid
circulation.
I do not confine myself to any particular shape or configuration of the chamber D
or passages or flues so long as they are arranged to act in manner as described.
If desired, ovens may be placed on either side of hole N¹ on top of plate N
for cooking food requiring bottom heat, or for other purposes, or the top plate N
may be formed hollow and utilised as a water tank and having suitable taps for
drawing off with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and io what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a kitchener the heating chamber D, surrounding a flame or other source of
heat and connected at top and bottom to an oven or ovens substantially as and for
the purposes described.
2. In a kitchener the heating chamber D domed top F with flue F¹ flue D' and
holes D' substantially as and for the purposes described and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. In a kitchener the heating chamber D domed top F flue F¹ flue D₁ holes D
chimney D' moveable front D and passages E' and E connecting the said heating
chamber D with an oven or ovens E substantially as and for the purposes described
and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a kitchener the heating chamber D domed top F flue F1 flue D* holes D
chimney D moveable front Da passages E' E oven or ovens E perforated grids H
regulating plate G rack G' pinnion G handle G and top plate N substantially as
and for the purposes described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. A heating chamber D surrounding a flame or other source of heat substantially
as and for the purposes described and as illustrated in relation to Figs. I to V in
the accompanying drawings.
6. In a stove, for distributing the heat between ovens or chambers as described,
without interfering with the direct heat to steamers or other vessels above an oil
or gas flame or other source of heat, the plate G rack G' pinnion G2 handle G³ or
mechanical equivalents, as and for the purposes described and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of April 1895
JOHN HOWARD ROSS.