AN IMPROVED CINDER SHIFTING SHOVEL."
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Mann, of Horsham, in the County of Sussex,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CINDER SHIFTING SHOVEL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Mann at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd January
1854.
I, THOMAS MANN, of Horsham, in the County of Sussex, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CINDER
SHIFTING SHOVEL" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved shovel for sifting cinders, and con-
sists in fitting a wire net or straight wire work to the bottom of an ordinary
shaped shovel in place of the usual perforated plate; the wire possesses many
advantages over the plate by allowing the small dust rapidly to pass through
without circulating, whilst the cinders and small coal are retained. When not
required as a sifter, a metal plate may be fitted inside the shovel, such plate
being retained in its place by a spring catch.
The body of the shovel may be made either of wood or metal, as found
most desirable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters l'atent, filed
by the said Thomas Mann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
July 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MANN, of Horsham, in the County of Sussex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Mann, Her special license that I, the said Thomas Mann, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J, the said Thomas Mann,
my executors, administrators, or 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 CINDER SHIFTING SHOVEL,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Mann, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Mann, 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,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to the so constructing shovels that they may con-
veniently be used either as ordinary solid lifting shovels, or as permeable cinder
sifters with an effect much superior to that derivable from the use of the
common shovel. The body of my improved shovel is made with a plain solid
frame forming three retaining ledges and a straight discharging edge. The
open centre of this frame has fitted into it a panel of wire net or straight
wire work, and in this condition the utensil affords great convenience for sifting
cinders, allowing the small dust to pass rapidly through without circulating,
whilst the cinders and small coal are retained. When not required as a sifter,
a solid metal plate is fitted beneath suitable catches, and an adjustable button
catch upon the framework, the button being upon the plate.

page_text: Fig. 1 on my Sheet of Drawings is a plan of the improved shovel as arranged
for sifting, the solid cover plate being removed; Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan
of the cover plate detached. The sides A, A, B, of the solid frame form the
usual retaining ledges of the shovel, the fourth side C being a plain edge or
lip piece. The wire work or sifting diaphragm D is composed, in this instance,
of a series of longitudinal wires with transverse supporters. At E are fixed
retaining catches to receive the edge F of the solid plate G when the shovel is
to be used for removing purposes only. On the other side there is also a fixed
catch to receive the adjustable button I on the plate G, so that when the
shovel is to be used for merely lifting objects, the edge F is inserted beneath
the catches E, and the button I being turned to catch the holder H, the plate
is securely retained in position. The solid portions of the shovel may obviously
be made of wood or other suitable material, and the permeable diaphragm is
capable of arrangement and formation in various ways.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made 'therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my said Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of cinder sifting shovels,
as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of constructing cinder sifting shovels wherein a
wire work panel is fitted in to be used as the sifting diaphragm.
Third, the application and use in cinder sifting shovels of wire work or
permeable diaphragms with solid removeable cover plates.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Mann, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.
THOMAS MANN. (L.8.)