Improvements in the Construction of Fire Grates.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Fire Grates.
1. SAMUEL FIRTH Engineer 94 Westbourne Park Road Bayswater do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
My improvements consist in constructing fire grates for household purposes in
such a manner that a proper supply of air is applied at the back & sides of the
grate so as to consume the smoke and cause an economy of fuel. For this purpose
I construct grates with an opening or openings at the bottom of the grate and
I then put in a fixed or removeable intermediate back or back and sides in one or
several parts with an opening or openings at the bottom and with slits or apertures
towards the fire. These can be made of any material, asbestos firebrick, iron or
steel. The tops may be open or closed in, especially at the sides.or they may be
provided with hinged lids which may be opened or shut at will. "The air travels
under the fire and comes up through the opening or openings. Some of it is
thrown inwards through the slits or apertures towards the fire and some unites
with the smoke that is passing over the fire and this is almost entirely consumed
and, as the bulk of the air is not forced through the fire or over the top of the
fire as in the ordinary grate, there is a slow combustion of the body of the fire
and the smoke is almost entirely consumed by a bright flame at the back of the
grate and there is in consequence not only a brighter fire requiring little or no
poking, but a considerable saving in fuel.
The back of the grate is of fire brick as usual and, as soon as the fire has got
well hold, this is heated through the slits or apertures and this increases the con-
sumption of the smoke and not being covered up by coal as in the ordinary
manner a considerable amount of extra heat is radiated into the room.
Dated this 16th day of January 1895.
SAMUEL FIRTH.
I, SAMUEL FIRTH, of 94 Westbourne Park Road, Bayswater, London, 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 improvements consist in constructing fire grates for household purposes in
such a manner that a proper supply of air is applied at the back and sides of the
grate so as to consume the smoke and cause an economy of fuel. For this
purpose, I construct grates with an opening or openings at the bottom of the grate,
and then put in a fixed or removable intermediate back or back and sides in one
or several parts with an opening or openings and with slots or apertures towards
the fire. These can be made of any material, asbestos, firebrick, or iron or steel.
The tops may be open or closed in especially at the sides, or they may be provided
Price 8

page_text: with hinged lids which may be opened or shut at will. The air travels under the
fire and comes up through the opening or openings, some of it is thrown inwards
through the slots or apertures towards the fire and some unites with the smoke that
is passing over the fire and this is almost entirely consumed and as the bulk of the
air is not forced through the fire or over the top of the fire as in the ordinary
grate, there is a slow combustion of the body of the fire, and the smoke is almost
entirely consumed by a bright flame at the back of the grate and there is in con-
sequence not only a brighter fire requiring little or no poking but a considerable
saving in fuel. The back of the grate is of firebrick as usual and as soon as the
fire has got well hold this is heated through the slots or apertures and this increases
the consumption of the smoke and not being covered up by coal as in the ordinary
manner a considerable amount of extra heat is radiated into the room.
My invention will be fully understood by reference to the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 exterior perspective elevation and Figure 2 internal perspective
elevation of a portable back grating for domestic stoves into, up, and from which
a supply of air from the ash pit can be maintained to induce and assist combustion
of fuel and development of heat for distribution into the room in which the stove
is fitted, said backing being shaped for sitting on the bottom grate, at the back of
which if necessary an air space can be formed by cutting away a portion of the
firebrick back.
Figure 3 represents a perspective elevation of a combined back grating and
bottom grating.
Figure 4 shows a back grating with a forwardly projecting foot to be lodged on
an ordinary bottom grate of a domestic stove, and in such manner that the air
supply to the back grating can pass up through the spaces between the bars of the
bottom grating to rise and issue from the bars of the back grating, as before
explained.
Figure 5 indicates a fire basket with bottom grating and back grating cast or
in two parts secured together and when necessary raised up a short distance by
solid sides and back to be set in as an ordinary fire stove or when the ordinary fire
basket has to be reduced.
Figure 6 represents a dog stove with my invention applied, there being a fire
brick or an iron back plate with my back grating bearing or lodged against it.
Figure 7 represents in perspective section, a back grating and a back plate
combined in one casting or in two parts secured together for insertion into a
domestic stove.
It is not essential that my back grating with air supply chamber should fill up
the width of a fire basket, as it inay occupy only a portion of such width, and
such back grating can be permanently fixed by lugs to the back edges, or to the
side cheeks of a stove, said lugs being secured by screw or other bolts.
A is the back grating of my construction. B, B, side walls which may or may
not have holes or slots in them, the depth of the side walls B, B, providing an air
space or chamber from the bottom upwards for separation and issue from between
the bars C, C, of the back grating, the upper ends of which are always above the
top surface of the fuel, so that a portion of the air which is highly heated in
transit can mix with the smoke and gases escaping from the fuel and be rendered
combustible before they really enter the chimney, thus economising the heat in
them for distribution into the apartment. D, bottom grate. E, fore-foot. F, back
plate of metal or of fireclay. G, G, lugs for attachment of back grate to back
or side cheeks of stove.
With ordinary domestic stoves the air enters the ash pit only from the front but
with dog stoves supported on feet H, H, the bottom sides are also open, I however
prefer to stop up the lower sides I and also the lower back J, so that air can enter
only from the front to be rarefied by the bottom heat and make it the better
fitted for taking up the heat in the back chamber on its way to the back bars C, C,
for issuing to mix with the fuel and with the products of combustion and gases,
as before explained.

page_text: I am aware that back gratings to domestic stoves have been previously employed
and I make no claim thereto but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction of fire grate backs A of or for domestic/ stoves with
sides B, B, in such manner that an air chamber or space is formed between said
grating like back and the stove back proper, said chamber being supplied with air
from the ashpit to flow up between the two backs for issue among the fuel and
above the fuel at the back for commingling therewith and assisting combustion
and distribution of heat as described and substantially as shown in or by the
annexed drawings Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 thereof.
2. The combination of grating back and bottom grating in one casting, said
grating back having an air chamber between its bar C and the back proper,
whether it be the usual back of the stove or of a back of the casting, as described
with reference to the annexed drawings.
3. The construction of back grating A with grating bars C and forefoot E for
supply of air from ashpit through bottom grate D into chamber between said back
grate and the back proper of stove, or of back grate A, as described with
reference to Figures 4 and 6 of the annexed drawings.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Samuel Firth.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Samuel Firth.