Improvements in Fire Screens.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 17th July, 1890-Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1890
TATT
PROVISIONAL
DIFCITRALIAN
Improvements in Fire Screens.
I, JAMES HALL of 9 Chapman Road, Small Heath, in the City of Birmingham,
Manager of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The screen frames, of ordinarily constructed fire screens, aro made rigid, or they
are constructed to slide vertically upon supporting, or hanging rods or arms, carried
by feet or by clamping devices connected to a mantle shelf."
My invention has for its object principally, the construction and nounting of the
screen frames of the said articles, in manner, that they shall admit of being swung
vertically, alike unto that of an ordinary looking glass, whereby the radiant heat from
a fire, before which the screen is disposed, is deflected upon the floor of a room, or to
the feet of a person screened.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I take a screen frame, enclosing glass or
other panellings, common to fire screens, and I mount the opposite sides of the same
upon centrally disposed pivot axes, supported within adjustable bearings, of standards
or upright pillars, with feet or other rests.
The pivot axes may be slightly coned, upon and within the centres of which,
clamping screws take or pass, in order to impart a stiff joint, to the swinging frame,
as aforesaid.
The said frame may be adjusted by other like clamping devices, and by the applied
pressure of spring washers.
In use, pillars or vertical supports, are connected together at their lower ends, by a
horizontal stay or bar, thus admitting the supporting framing, to be stationary,
whilst the screen frame can be turned to any position between a horizontal and
vertical plane.
The deflection or radiation of the heat of a fire, into a room, or to the feet of a person
screened, is a great advantage, and a boon, in cold weather.
According to another form of my invention, the screen frame may be mounted
upon, or to an universal, or ball and socket joint, carried either by an upright arm or
arms, supported by feet or stationary frame work, or from a hanging arin, or the like,
depending from the mantle-piece of a fire-place.
The joint is made both adjustable and stiff, in order that the screen frame can be
placed in any position, and remain there.
The joint connection may be made either upon the side, top, or bottom of the
frame.
The frames may in all cases, be made adjustable, both vertically or horizontally, by
a telescopic, sliding, or other movement.
Dated this 8th day of November 1889.
TAKER TATT

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fire Screens.
I, JAMES HALL of 9 Chapman Road, Small Heath in the City of Birmingham,
Manager of Works, 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 :-
The screen frames, of ordinarily constructed fire screens, are either made rigid, or
they are adapted to slido upon frame, or hanging rods or arms, carried either by feet,
or by frames, connected with a mantle-piece.
By my invention, the fire screen panel, with its encircling frame, is made to take
particular, or varying directions as may be required, by mounting the same either
upon pivot joints, or upon both pivot joints, and ball joints.
A most important feature of my invention, is that the panel of the screen, is made
to constitute a heat deflector, whereby the radiant heat from a fire-place, is deflected
or radiated into a room, or to the feet of a person, or persons, being screened.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in perspective, a swing fire
screen, constructed and arranged according to my invention.
It will be seen, on examination of the said drawing, that a screen may be adjusted,
opened out, and affixed, by a compound and jointed levor, directed between the frame
of the lower end of tho said screen, and its supports.
Figure 2 represents upon an enlarged scale, partly in transverse vertical section,
and partly in edge view, the lower portion of the said screen, and its support, and
with the screen shown in a vertical position.
Figure 3 represents a like view as figure 2, but with the screen part, shown
inclined, or at an elevation, and in one of the positions, or affixed positions, which it
assumes, when in use, for deflecting the heat from a fire into a room, or to the feet of
a person being screened.
Figure 4 represents a front elevation of a lower corner of the screen, with the
adjustment or affixing stay, and one of the side supports.
Figure 5 represents one of the swing joints of the screen, in section, and by which
means, stiff joints are produced, consequent upon the screwing home of millod heads,
which take upon the terminal ends of the coned axes, supported within bearings,
made through the upper ends of uprights or pillars, constituting portions of the screen
framing.
Figure 6 represents a modified form of swing joint.
Figure 7 represents another form of my invention, provided with adjuncts and
accessory parts alike unto figure 1, represented by the enlarged views.
It will be thus seen, that the aforesaid firo screens, are constructed and arranged,
upon principles calculated in cold weather, to materially enhance the value of them,
in both intercepting and radiating heat, emenating from a fire place, by setting the
screen panel verticilly, or at an angle.
a is the screen, consisting of an outer metallic frame a², enclosed by a panel,
or panels, of leaded stained glass a³, and which screen thus composed, has opposite
coned axes or pivots a', which turn within bearings 6, of uprights 62, supported upon
a base framing b, consisting of a horizontal frame 6, terminated at opposite ends, by
feet 6*.
The pivot axes a, one of which is best seen in figure 5, are terminated by screws a³,
upon which, milled heads as, take, and on being screwed home, draw the coned pivot
axes of the screen, into the coned bearings, surmounting the uprights or supports,
thereby producing a stiff joint, or a clamped joint, according to the amount of
screwing home.
Directed from the lower portions of the two opposite sides of the screen, to the
lower portions of the framing, are stay bars c, consisting of compound levers c³ ³,
jointed at their outer ends cc, to the frame and stand respectively, and their inner
ends, by a butt joint cº. These joints are arranged to work stiffly, so that a screen is

page_text: assisted in being kept open, by them, when in intermediate positions, and stayed or
secured, when in an open position, as in figure 3.
The inward movement of the screen, is limited by stops d.
In figure 6, the milled head as, has a wormed stalk a', which takes into the
screwed hole a, directed up the end of the coned axis a, so that by rotating the said
milled heads, the said coned axis, is either made a stiff joint, or is clamped in any
determinate position, as in figure 5.
The fire screen, figure 7, which constitutes one of the most important forms of my
invention, consists of a screen a, made up of leaded, or other stained glass panellings a³,
enclosed by a metallic or other frame a³, and which is supported and swings upon
pivots a, coned or otherwise, turning within bearings 6, of uprights 6, of the base
framing b. It will be observed, that the screen is hung, or swings from, elevated
pivots or axes, directed from the two opposite sides of the upper part of the framing,
and that the base, or lower part of the screen, is adjusted, or assisted to be adjusted, or
held in position, by stays c, alike in construction to those represented in figures 1, 2, 3,
and 4
Figure 8 represents another form of my invention, in which the screen is mounted
upon a universal joint, upon one side only, and at the middle of the screen,
although the same inay be disposed at the top of the framing, instead of at a midway
position.
Besides the screen being capable of moving in any direction, it admits of being
raised and lowered, by the pillar proper, or support, taking telescopically within
a tubular upright, carried by the base.
Figure
represents upon an enlarged scale, the joint or connection of the said
screen, with its supporting means.
a is a screen, composed of glass leaded and stained panellings, enclosed within
a frame a³, one side of which, is provided with a ball pitot a, which works within a
socket 63, directed through the head 6, of a stalk &', which works telescopically within
a tubular upright b³, carried by the framing b, consisting of a horizontal bar or
frame 6, and feet 6°.
To adjust the height of the screen, loose the clamping screw 67, when the stalk 6' is
free to move within the tubular support 62, and after adjustment, the clamping
screw b', is then screwed home.
The ball joint is stiffened to any degree, sufficient to hold the screen in any desired
position, by a friction plug d, with a dished fore end d², preferably faced with leather,
and which is made to impinge upon the end of the spherical joint, by a tightening
scrow e, which takes within the necked screwed inside part 68, of the socket ³.
Figure 10 represents another form of my invention, in which the screen is made to
depend from a support, secured to a mantle-ledge or shelf.
a is the screen as aforesaid, provided at the top edge of its frame, with a ball joint
socket a within which a ball joint a³, carried at the end of a stalk b, works, and which
stalk, takes and slides longitudinally within a hollowed rod 62, secured at its inner end,
by clamping means, to a mantle-shelf or ledge f.
The stalk is affixed in its adjusted vertical position, by a clamping screw b', whilst
the screen is affixed in any position, around its joint, by a screw e, as in figure 9.
The screens, which are universally jointed, admit of being inclined at an angle, for
the deflecting of heat into a room, either vertically, borizontally, or obliquely; and
further, the insides of the screens, may be provided with parabolic or other reflectors,
which may direct the rays of heat, in parallel directions, or in other ways, as may be
desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First: A fire-screen, mounting or supporting the panels, or the panel frames, upon
swing joints, or upon opposite swing plain or coned joints, disposed or situated,
at the middles, or at the tops or upper parts, of the said panels or frames, whereby the

page_text: screens admit of adjustinent, and if desired, be made to deflect the radiant heat from a
fire place, as described and set forth in figures 1 to 7.
Secondly Combining with a fire screen, mounted at top or middle, upon pivot
bearings or axes, a jointed stay or stays c, c³, c³, c', c³, and co, as set forth in
figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Thirdly-A fire-screen, mounting the panels of the frames enclosing them, upon
coned pivots or bearings, capable of being adjusted or clamped, by means, substantially
as described and set forth in figures 5 and 6.
Fourthly A fire-screen, mounting or supporting the panels, or the frames
carrying the panels, upon ball and socket swing joints, disposed upon one side,
or upon both sides of the middles, or the tops, of the panels or frames, as aforesaid,
and with adjusting means, for the production of stiff, or tight joints, substantially as
described and set forth in figures 8, 9, and 10.
Fifthly A fire-screen, the combination with a ball and socket, or pivot mounted
panel, of a vertical adjustment means, consisting of a supporting stem, working
telescopically within a single tubular stem, or upright, of the carrying or supporting
frame, and which said parts, are constructed and arranged, substantially as described
and set forth, in figures 8 and 10.
Lastly The improvements in the construction, combination, and arrangement of
the parts, of fire-screens, as herein described and set forth.
JAMES HALL.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.