IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-GRATES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Chalk, of Accrington, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF FIRE-GRATES.”
Sealed the 23rd October 1874, and dated the 24th April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Chalk at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th April 1874.
I, ROBERT CHALK, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-GRATES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, first, in the employment in kitchen ranges
of a moveable sliding grate placed on pulleys, bars, or other guides, so
that the back of the fire can be brought more or less in line with the
facings of the oven and boiler or other fittings, and also in the appli-
cation of this description of sliding grate to all other domestic ranges or
fire-places, the object being in all cases to obtain a greater amount of

page_text: heat and warmth from a given quantity of fuel than has hitherto been
attained, and thereby effect great economy.
This Invention relates, secondly, to the moveable sliding fire-grate,
and also to ordinary stationary grates, and consists in the employment
of a raker, scraper, or scaler formed of a number of pins on a cross
bar, which with the pins can be moved forwards and backwards by a
rod having a handle or knob.
The cross bar is below the bottom of the grate, the pins passing
through the spaces between the grate bars, and projecting about an inch
above them, and when a forward and backward movement is given to J
the raker the grate is effectually cleaned without the use of a poker,
and dust to a great extent is prevented from spreading into tho
apartment.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Chalk in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
CHALK, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Chalk, Her special license that I, the
said Robert Chalk, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Robert Chalk, my executors, administrators, and
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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE-GRATES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Chalk, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and

page_text: 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 Robert Chalk, 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 Figures on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked
thercon (that is to say) :—
This Invention consists, first, in the employment in kitchen ranges
of a moveable sliding grate placed on pulleys, bars, or other guides, so
that the back of the fire can be brought more or less in line with tho
facings of the oven and boiler or other fittings; and also in the appli-
cation of this description of sliding grate to all other domestic ranges or
fire-places, the object being in all cases to obtain a greater amount of
heat and warmth from a given quantity of fuel than has hitherto been
attained, and thereby effect great economy.
This Invention relates, secondly, to the moveable sliding fire-grate;
and also to ordinary stationary grates; and consists in the employment
of a raker, scraper, or scaler formed of a number of pins on a cross
bar, which with the pins can be moved forwards and backwards by a
rod having a handle or knob.
The cross bar is below the bottom of the grate, the pins passing
through the spaces between the grate bars, and projecting about an inch
above them; and when a forward and backward movement is given to
the raker the grate is effectually cleaned without the use of a poker,
and dust to a great extent is prevented from spreading into the
apartment.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of a
kitchen range provided with one of my moveable fire-grates.
Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are end views representing the grate in different
positions.
Fig. 5 is a front view; and Fig. 6, a plan of the grate without the
front and side bars; and Fig. 7, a skeleton plan of the inner sides of the
plates of the boiler and oven, and parts connected with them.

page_text: To the standards or sides a forming the inner sides of the oven and
boiler is fixed a cross bar 6 and bearings c having rollers d, which
cross bars and rollers carry the sliding frame e having vertical
guides f, and a bottom plate i with an open space. The sides of the
frame above the open space support an ordinary moveable grid m
forming the bottom of the grate, which is directly over the open space,
and on the vertical guides fare placed moveable grids n, o, forming the
front and sides of the grate, there being a moveable metal or fire-brick
back p of any desired shape, and having a fluc q in the middle, as
shown; or formed to allow one at the top, and to the front of the frame e
are fixed eyes, hooks, or handles for enabling the frame with its grate
to be moved forwards and backwards on the rollers d and cross bar b, so
that when desired it can be in its most backward position, as in Fig. 2,
at an intermediate position, as in Fig. 3, and in its extreme forward
position, as in Fig. 4. Behind the sides of the fire-back p there are
spaces & in the frame e to allow the heat to impinge with the greatest
effect on the inner sides of the oven and boiler when the grate is in a
forward position, and at the back of the moveable frame e there is a
damper t, which can be regulated to allow the smoke and gases to pass
more or less up the ordinary chimney, or through the flues of the oven
and boiler to the chimney. The raker, scraper, or scaler consisting of a
number of pins on a cross bar having a handle is shewn in Figs. 5 and 6,
the pins being marked u, the cross bar v, and the handle wo, and this
description of raker, scraper, or scaler, and also the moveable grates can
be advantageously employed in all descriptions of fire-places.
یا
Having now described. the nature and particulars of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be porformed, I désire it to be
understood that I claim the improvements in the construction of fire-
grates, as herein described, and illustrated on the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings.
1.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Chalk, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
ROBERT CHALK. (L.S.)