Improvements in or relating to Domestic Fire-places or Stoves.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Domestic Fire-places or Stoves.
I, GERHARDUS LAMBERTUS VERVER, Civil Engineer, of Holme Lea, Thurlow
Park Road, West Dulwich, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in domestic fireplaces or stoves and
has for its object the construction of a fireplace in which the heat produced by
combustion of the fuel is utilized much more efficiently than those as at present
constructed; further in the improved stove the rate of combustion is easily
regulated, while the ventilation of the room is not impaired.
In carrying out this invention I provide the grate with a fire box having
an air space round it, and communicating through a smoke box with a series
of tubes or passages inside the chimney. The fire-box smoke-box and tubes
are conveniently corrugated or otherwise constructed so as to readily radiate
heat. The smoke tubes pass through a plate or equivalent which divides the
chimney into two parts, the upper part forming the usual outlet for the smoke
whilst the lower part constitutes a chamber wherein air may be heated and
circulate.
Air is admitted at the top and bottom of the fire-place or stove and circulates round
the fire-box, smoke box and tubes returning into the room through suitable passages.
These passages are preferably controlled by doors or shutters, and may have
branches leading to other rooms, so that the heat from the one fire may warm
several apartments.
In order to regulate the rate of combustion the stove may be provided with
sliding or pivoted doors, shutters or equivalents, which are preferably made so
that they can be easily opened or removed, leaving the front of the fire quite
open. The doors themselves may have slides or windows in them, so that the
stove may be partially opened, or the fire inspected without opening the main
door.
The fire box may be provided with a casing so arranged that the incoming air
passes between it and the fire-box; there may also be a space for the circulation
of air between the outside of the casing and the wall of the chimney.
If desired the smoke tubes may be dispensed with, a series of tubes through
which the air may circulate, being arranged in the chimney, so as to be heated
by the products of combustion.
1000

page_text: improvements in or relating to Domestic fire-places of Stoves.
I, GERHARDUS LAMBERTUS VERVER, Civil Engineer, of Holme Lea, Thurlow
Park Road, West Dulwich, in the County of Surrey, 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;
This invention relates to improvements in domestic fireplaces or stoves and
has for its object the construction of a fireplace in which the heat produced by
combustion or the fuel is utilized much more efficiently than in those at present
constructed; further in the improved stove the rate of combustion is easily
regulated, while the ventilation of the room is not impaired.
In carrying out this invention I provide the grate with a fire box having
an air space round it, and communicating through a smoke box with a series
of tubes or passages inside the chimney. The fire-box smoke-box and tubes
are conveniently corrugated or otherwise constructed so as to readily radiate
heat. The smoke tubes pass through a plate or equivalent which divides the
chimney into two parts, the upper part forming the usual outlet for the smoke
whilst the lower part which may be of any desired height constitutes a chamber
wherein air may circulate and be heated.
Air is admitted at the top and bottom of the fire-place or stove, and circulates
round the fire-box, smoke-box and tubes returning into the room through suit-
able passages. These passages are preferably controlled by doors or shutters, and
may have branches leading to other rooms, so that the heat from the one fire
may warm several apartments.
In order to regulate the rate of combustion the stove may be provided with
sliding or pivotted doors, shutters or equivalents, which are preferably made so
that they can be easily opened or removed, leaving the front of the fire quite
open. The doors themselves may have slides or windows in them, so that the
stove may be partially opened, or the fire inspected without opening the main
doors.
The fire box may be provided with a casing so arranged that the incoming air
passes between it and the fire-box; there may also be a space for the circulation
of air between the outside of the casing and the wall of the chimney.
If desired the smoke tubes may be dispensed with, a series of tubes through
which the air may circulate being arranged in the chimney, so as to be heated
by the products of combustion.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure is a front elevation of a fire place constructed according to this
invention adapted for a hall or large room, the fire box doors and screen being
omitted:
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, but with the fire
box screen shown in its closed position:
Figure 4 is a front view on a larger scale of the screen with its counter weights:
Figure 5 is a front view of the pivotted doors; and
Figure 6 is a horizontal section showing the screen and doors in position;
Like letters indicate like parts in all figures.
The brick work and masonry of the chimney flue and chimney piece may be
of the usual construction. The fire-box A is set within the fire place so as to
leave a space between it and the brick work at the sides and back. Preferably
it is formed with corrugated or undulating sides A¹ as shown in Figure 2, giving

page_text: a largely increased surface; it is provided with bottom bars A2 of ordinary con-
struction and angular front bars A³, and is preferably shaped, as shown in
Figure 1, with its greatest area at about the height of the top front bar. The
sides of the fire box are prolonged downwards as at A to form the ash pan.
Placed around the back and sides of the fire box is a casing B, extending from
near the top of the fire-box to the bottom, where it is connected to a horizontal
plate B fastened into the brickwork. The casing B is not corrugated, and so
forms with the corrugations of the fire box a series of vertical canals, through
which a brisk circulation of air is set up by the heat of the fire.
The narrow top of the fire box is connected with a smoke box C which is
extended laterally to occupy the greater part of the chimney area but with a
space left between it and the brickwork. From the top of the smoke box pro-
ceed two or more vertical tubes C', extending to any desired height up the chim-
ney flue, and having their upper ends secured in openings in a plate C2 fastened
in the brickwork of the flue. The tubes C may be provided with radial ribs
such as C3 to increase the surface for radiation.
Preferably the plate C2 is placed at or near the top of the flue, but if that be
inconvenient from constructive reasons, it may be placed even as low as shown
by the chain lines in Figures 1 and 3, or even lower if necessary.
By this construction the lower portion of the chimney constitutes an air-
heating chamber D, which is provided with ducts or channels D¹ through which
the heated air may be carried back into the room in which the fire-grate is located
or to any other desired place or places such as a room or rooms on an upper or
other story. The ducts D₁ may open in any desired position, either at the
side when the fireplace is in a projection, as shown in the figures, or over the
fireplace in front. The openings of the ducts are provided with adjustable
shutters or valves D2 of any ordinary construction to control the delivery of the
air.
:
The air enters the chamber through openings D3 at the bottom of the fire-place
jambs. These openings extend as shown, above and below the plate B of the
casing B. Desirably openings 14 are also provided at the top of the fire-place
front.
When in operation, the products of combustion pass from the fire-box Asinto
the smoke box C and through the vertical tubes C into the upper portion of
the flue above the plate C².
The air entering through the lower portion of the openings D³ pass up the
channels formed between the fire-box wall A¹ and the casing B. Additional
air, drawn in through the upper half of the openings D³, passes up between the
casing B and the brick-work of the fire-place, and joins the more highly heated
air from the fire-box channels, and a further fresh supply from the upper open-
ing D. The whole circulates around the smoke box C and tubes C and is
then fed through the ducts D¹ to one or more places, the supply being regu-
lated as desired by the shutters 1)².
It is evident that the openings D3 D4 for the entry of air might be placed at
the back of the fireplace and so arranged as to draw a supply of pure fresh air
from the outside of the building; or that they might be placed both ways at the
back and at the front, and in that case might be provided with shutters.
It is desirable, although not absolutely necessary, to provide the whole of the
chimney wall beneath the plate with a smooth plaster surface, to lessen the
friction of the air and prevent the accumulation of dust etc.
The
In order to regulate the combustion of the fire, an iron shutter or screen E
is provided, covering in the front of the fire box above the bars, on the top
one of which its bottom formed with a projection for the purpose, rests.
screen is arranged to slide vertically in grooves E3 and is hung on chains E and
balanced counterweights E2 so as to be easily adjusted. It is provided with two
windows or shutters E', adapted to slide horizontally behind the fireplace jambs
as shown in Figures 4 and 6.

page_text: Beneath the screen are two doors F, pivotted at F3, so as to describe an arc
of 90°, and pass, through side openings in the jambs, behind the grate front as
shown in Figures 5 and 6.
Each door is provided with a sliding mica window or shutter F¹, covering the
front bars of the grate, and a sliding iron shutter F, covering the front of the
ash-pan.
By this arrangement the whole front of the grate can be readily and quickly
closed or opened to any desired degree.
When a quick burning fire is wanted as for instance when lighting the same
or when a room is to be warmed quickly the screen E is lowered and the doors F
closed, but the shutters I, below the fire bars, opened. When the fire is burn-
ing well the shutters F in front of the bars can be opened to economise fuel,
and especially in case of a large quantity of densely heaped fine coal being used
to provide air over the fire and prevent imperfect combustion of the gases.
When radiation, and the cheerfulness of an open fire are wanted, the screen
can be partially or wholly lifted.
If the temperature grows too high the shutters 12 of the air ducts can be
wholly or partially closed, the lower doors F closed and the screen E raised.
Combustion is then very slow and the fire lasts for many hours. If radiation from
the fire, however, is too strong, the screen can be entirely lowered but its
shutters E¹ opened. No heat worth mentioning will then penetrate into the room
but a good ventilation will be maintained and very little fuel consumed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. In a fireplace or stove an air heating chamber surrounding the firebox
and extending up the chimney flue, of which it occupies the whole
arca, the
products of combustion passing from the firebox through vertical tubes in the
air chamber, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a fire box, such as A smoke box such as C and tubes
such as C¹ of an air chamber such as D having openings D3 D* for the entry of
air and ducts D¹ with adjustable shutters, for controlably delivering the air at
any desired place substantially as described.
3. The combination with a fire box surrounded by an air chamber of a casing
'such as B B₁ substantially as described.
4. The combination with a fire place or stove of doors such as F pivotted at
one corner substantially as described or illustrated.
5. In a fireplace or stove the combination with a vertically adjustable counter-
weighted upper screen of two lower doors, each pivotted at one corner, both screen
and doors having horizontally sliding shutters substantially as described.
6. The complete fireplace substantially as described or as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of December 1898.