Improvements in Oil Stoves.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
Improvements in Oil Stoves.
We, JOHN HARPER AND COMPANY LIMITED, of Albion Works, Willenhall
in the County of Stafford, Iron Founders, and CHARLES RETALLACK, of the
same address, Manager to the said Company, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Perforated plates used as air gratings around the burners of oil stoves have
heretofore, or generally, been made as loose plates of perforated sheet zinc, which
rest upon ledges of the galleries which support the chimneys. These perforated
zinc plates, being very thin, are liable to become bent out of shape and broken,
and being loose are liable to become lost. Moreover, they occasionally become
burnt by the heat of the stove and sometimes even melted; and they afford no
substantial support to the burners.
Now, each air grating is, according to one part of this invention, formed in cast
metal and in one casting with the gallery. The grating is, preferably, cast as thin
as the metal will run in the mould, and the perforations for the passage of the air
are formed in the process of moulding and casting. The usual opening (or
openings) for the passage of the burner (or two or more burners) is formed
through the grating, and as the grating is itself rigid and is also a rigid fixture
being formed in one piece with the gallery, it affords a sideway support all round
to the upper portion of the burner (or burners) and keeps the same central with
the slot (or slots, respectively) through the top of the dome (or domes). It cannot.
be bent out of shape or become lost, and it is not liable to be burnt by any heat to
which it can be exposed in use. The perforations may consist of small round..
holes, as in the case of the zinc plates heretofore or usually employed, and in such
case corresponding perforations are, preferably, formed in the portion of the
pattern from which the grating is moulded, each hole enlarging considerably in
diameter from the upper face of the plate or web to the under face so that the
pattern may be readily withdrawn from the mould leaving a number of cores, each
of the shape of the frustrum of a cone, which form holes of corresponding shape
in the casting. The perforations may, however, be of any desired shape which
admits of their being readily formed in the process of moulding and casting. The
grating may have its upper surface flush or in the same plane with that of the
ordinary ledge of the gallery, forming a continuous surface therewith; and, if .
desired, the ledge may be entirely replaced by a perforated diaphragm or web.
forming the air grating and having an opening (or openings) therethrough for the..
passage of the burner (or burners); and, in either case, the perforated plate or
web forming the air grating, may be dished or domed, or formed of any desired
shape in section.
In the case of an oil stove in which a burner is surrounded and supported by a
bridle-piece which is used in combination with the gallery in the manner described
and claimed in our Patent Specification No. 23,645 of 1893, the perforated loose
plate heretofore employed is dispensed with, and according to this invention the
space between the gallery and the bridle-piece is closed in all round with a
perforated curtain or web which is cast in one piece with the gallery and bridle-
piece. The perforations in this case may consist of small round holes, if desired,
formed by cores left by the pattern; or the perforations may be formed in a

page_text: similar manner, but of the shape of slots running downwards, or they may be of
any desired form. If two or more bridle-pieces are used with a single gallery, the
space between the bridle-pieces and the gallery is filled in with such a curtain ;
and the space (or spaces) between the bridle-pieces is similarly filled in also.
An air grating cast together with the gallery may be used not only to give
sideway support all round to the upper portion of a burner (or two or more burners
passing through a grating) but may be adapted also for use in fixing a burner (or
two or more burners passing through a grating) in place upon the oil reservoir in
a manner which renders unnecessary the use of the screws commonly employed for
such purpose and which renders unnecessary also the use of a bridle-piece (or bridle-
pieces) such as described in the aforesaid Specification. For this purpose, a down-
ward rim or flange may be cast with the air grating in position to project along one
edge of the opening (or each opening) through which the burner (or burners)
passes and to bear upon the boxing of the burner (or each burner) through which
the spindle (or spindles) passes on which the toothed wheels used in raising and
lowering the wick (or wicks) are fixed; and such downward flange (or flanges)
will keep the burner (or burners) pressed tightly down upon the top of the
reservoir. An air grating formed with a downward rim or flange as described
may thus take the place and perform the functions of the bridle-piece described in
the aforesaid Specification in addition to performing the ordinary function of an
air grating. If the air grating is dished sufficiently downwards, or if the gallery
is kept sufficiently low, or if the boxing of the burner is in position sufficiently
high, a downward rim or flange may be dispensed with and the plate or web
forming the grating bear direct upon the boxing to hold the burner down.
It will be seen that, according to either application above described of an
air grating cast with the gallery, a perforated web of metal formed in one casting
with the gallery constitutes the air grating, in lieu of the loose perforated zinc
plate heretofore or generally employed for the purpose.
When two or more burners of an oil stove are arranged in such close proximity
to one another that a single dome or hollow shield surrounding the burners, with
two or more slits for the wicks, is used in lieu of a distinct dome or hollow shield
for each burner of which dome or shield each side answers as a wall or boundary
of itself only, it is found that there is a tendency to fluctuation in the flames and
consequently in the heat, as the air which passes through the air grating enters
a space which is common to both or all the burners and is not necessarily equally
distributed between or amongst them. Moreover, if, in such case, one of the wicks
is turned higher or lower than the other or others there is a tendency for the stove
to smoke.
Now, to avoid such inconveniences, the dome or shield used for two or more
burners is divided by a plain division plate or wall, or two or more of such, which
may be conveniently cast therewith, so that when the dome is in position in relation
to the burners such division is, or such divisions are, parallel with the burners, and
the interior of the dome is thus divided off into separate compartments one for
each burner. The bottom of each compartment is, of course, open to the air
grating, whether the same is loose as in the ordinary type or cast with the gallery
as above described, and any air passing through the grating into a compartment
supplies the burner only in such compartment.
Dated this 14th dow of Tann1005

page_text: Improvements in C SLOVES.
We, JOHN HARPER AND COMPANY, LIMITED, of Albion Works, Willenhall
in the County of Stafford, Ironfounders, and CHARLES RETALLACK, of the
same address, Manager to the said Company, 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 :-
Perforated plates used as air-gratings around the burners of oil stoves have
heretofore, or generally, been made as loose plates of perforated sheet zinc, which
rest upon ledges of the galleries which support the chimneys. These perforated
zinc plates, being very thin, are liable to become bent out of shape and broken,
and being loose are liable to become lost. Moreover, they occasionally become
burnt by the heat of the stove and sometimes even melted; and they afford no
substantial support to the burners.
Now, each air-grating is, according to one part of this invention, formed in cast
metal and in one casting with the gallery. The grating is, preferably, cast as
thin as the metal will run in the mould, and the perforations for the passage of
the air are formed in the process of moulding and casting. The usual opening
(or openings) for the passage of the burner (or two or more burners) is formed
through the grating, and as the grating is itself rigid, and is also a rigid fixture
being formed in one piece with the gallery, it affords a sideway support to the
upper portion of the burner (or burners) and keeps the same central with the slot
(or slots, respectively) through the top of the dome (or domes). It cannot be bent
out of shape or become lost, and is not liable to be burnt by any heat to which it
can be exposed in use.
This part of the invention is illustrated in transverse section by Figure 1, and
in longitudinal section, taken on line of Figure 1, by Figure 2; but in
Figure 2 the dome is omitted. In these figures, B is the oil reservoir, C the gallery
for supporting the chimney, b the perforated air-grating cast in one piece with the
gallery, A. the burner fitted with the usual spindle a which carries the toothed
wheels by means of which the wick is raised and lowered, and E the dome having
the slot for the flame. The perforations through the grating b may consist of
small round holes, as in the case of the zinc plates heretofore or usually employed,
and corresponding perforations are, preferably, formed in the portion of the pattern
from which the grating is moulded, each hole enlarging considerably in diameter from
the upper face of the plate or web to the under face, so that the pattern may be
readily withdrawn from the mould leaving a number of cores, each of the shape of
the frustrum of a cone, which form holes of a corresponding shape in the casting.
The perforations may, however, be of any desired shape which admits of their being
readily formed in the process of moulding and casting.
b
The air-grating fits fairly well around the burner A, and thus gives it efficient
sideway support and maintains it central with the slot g of the dome. The air-
grating may be formed of a domed or dished shape, or of any other desired
shape, in section. As will be obvious, no ledge is required when the air-grating is
cast in one piece with the gallery, such grating extending over the space usually
occupied by the ledge.
Figure 3, which is a view corresponding to Figure 1, shews the application of
this part of the invention to a stove having two burners A, arranged near together,
with a single gallery C which is intended to support a chimney which will serve for
both burners. In this case, the perforated air-grating b, cast with the gallery, has
two openings through it for the passage of the two burners.
In the case of an oil stove in which a burner is surrounded and supported by a
bridle-piece which is used in combination with the gallery in the manner described

page_text: and claimed in our Patent Specification No. 23645 of 1893, the perforated loose
plate heretofore employed is dispensed with, and according to this invention the
space between the gallery and the bridle-piece is closed in with a perforated curtain
or web which is cast in one piece with the gallery and bridle-piece.
This part of the invention is illustrated by Figure 4, which is a corresponding
view to Figure 1. A. cast metal perforated air-grating b is cast in one piece with
the gallery C and bridle-piece D, such grating forming a web or curtain which
closes in the space between the gallery and bridle-piece. The perforations in this
case may consist of small round holes, if desired, formed by cores left in the
pattern; or the perforations may be formed in a similar manner, but of the shape
of slots running downwards, or they may be of any desired form. If two or more
bridle-pieces are used with a single gallery, the space between the bridle-pieces and
between the bridle-pieces and the gallery may be filled in with a perforated curtain
such as b.to form the air-grating.
It will be seen that, according to either application above described of an air-
grating cast with the gallery, a perforated web of metal formed in one casting with
the gallery constitutes the air-grating, in lieu of the loose perforated zinc plate
heretofore or generally employed for the purpose.
An air-grating cast together with the gallery may be used not only to give
sideway support to the upper portion of a burner (or two or more burners passing
through a grating) but may be adapted also for use in fixing a burner (or two or
more burners passing through a grating) in place upon the oil reservoir in a manner
which readers unnecessary the use of the screws commonly employed for such purpose,
and which renders unnecessary also the use of a bridle-piece (or bridle-pieces) such
as described in the aforesaid Specification. For this purpose, a downward rim or
flange such as c, Figures 1 and 2, (or downward rims or flanges such as c, Figure 3)
may be cast with the air-grating & in position to project along one edge of the
opening (or each opening, respectively,) through which the burner A (or burners)
passes, and to bear upon the boxing of the burner (or each burner, respectively,)
through which the spindle a (or spindles) passes; and such downward flange (or
flanges) will keep the burner (or burners) pressed tightly down upon the top of the
reservoir B. An air-grating formed with a downward rim or flange, as described,
may thus take the place and perform the functions of the bridle-piece described in
the aforesaid Specification, in addition to performing the ordinary function of an
air-grating. If the air-grating is dished sufficiently downwards, or if the gallery is
kept sufficiently low, or if the boxing of the burner is in position sufficiently high,
a downward rim or flange may be dispensed with and the plate or web forming the
grating bear direct upon the boxing to hold the burner down.
When two or more burners of an oil stove are arranged in such close proximity
to one another that a single dome or hollow shield surrounding the upper portion
of the burners, with two or more slots for the wicks, is used in lieu of a distinct
dome or hollow shield for each burner, it is found that there is a tendency to
fluctuation in the flames and consequently in the heat, as the air which passes
through the air-grating enters a space which is common to both or all the burners
and is not necessarily equally distributed between or amongst them. Moreover,
if, in such case, one of the wicks is turned higher or lower than the other or others,
there is a tendency for the stove to smoke.
Now, to avoid such inconveniences, the dome or shield used for two or more
burners is divided by a plain division plate or wall, or two or more of such, which
may be conveniently cast therewith, so that when the dome is in position in relation
to the burners such division is, or such divisions are, parallel with the burners, and
the interior of the dome is thus divided off into separate compartments one for
each burner. The bottom of each compartment is, of course, open to the air-
grating, whether the same is loose as in the ordinary type or cast with the gallery
as above described, and any air passing through the grating into a compartment
supplies the burner only in such compartment.
This part of the invention is illustrated, by way of example, by Figure 3, in

page_text: which two burners only are shewn. The interior of the dome or shield E used
for the two burners A A is divided into two compartments, one for each burner,
by a plate or wall d.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. In an oil stove, an air-grating cast in one piece of metal with a gallery which
is intended to support a chimney, substantially as described.
2. In an oil stove, an air-grating cast in one piece of metal with a gallery which
is intended to support a chimney, and adapted to hear upon a portion or portions
of a burner or burners to hold the same securely down, substantially as described.
3. In an oil stove, an air-grating cast in one piece of metal with a gallery which
is intended to support a chimney, and provided with a projection or projections,
such as c, to bear upon a portion or portions of a burner or burners to hold the
same securely down, substantially as described and shewn.
4. In an oil stove provided with a dome or hollow shield surrounding the upper
portion of two or more burners arranged in close proximity to one another, the
interior of such dome or shield divided into separate spaces for each burner, by
means of a wall or walls, such as d, substantially as described, and shewn.
Dated this 26th day of September 1895.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.