Improvements in Hearth Tidies.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hearth Tidies.
I, JOHN WILLIAM CHEETHAM, of 5, Chester Street, Werneth, Oldham, in the
County of Lancaster, Ironmonger, 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:-
My invention refers to what are known as hearth tidies for embellishing
domestic fire-places, hitherto made of plain burnished or lacquered metal in fixed
sizes, and the object of my invention is to produce such tidies with a decorated or
moulded surface, and in an adjustable form, first to increase their embellishing
effect, and secondly to enable the tidies to be shortened or lengthened to suit the
various widths of grates or hearths to which they are applied, and particularly in
the case of removal from one house to another, when the grates may differ and when
it sometimes occurs that a tidy of fixed length is either too long, or too short.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the various forms of my invention and
with the aid of the figures and reference numerals I will now proceed to describe
the same in detail.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the ordinary tidy of fixed definite length, but
instead of being left plain as heretofore it is moulded with an ornamental pattern,
and motto, as illustrated, or an ornamental pattern only, or any combination of
letters, figures or devices.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same kind of tidy with adjustable ends.
a plan.
Fig. 3 is
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are broken off front elevations and Figs. 78 and 9 plan
views of certain modifications.
(A) designates the face of the tidy, and ( ) the angular rests which support the
tidy at an angle of about 45 %, and thereby cause it to lie against the hearth at
one edge, and the grate front at the other edge. Upon the said face of the tidy
I provide any suitable form of decoration, but preferably a series of raised letters
forming a motto arranged in an ornamental manner.
(A) (see Figs. 2 and 3) designates central part of the tidy when made with the
adjustable ends (C) which are secured by small studs cast on the back of part (A*)
or by loose bolts (D) passing through holes (E) and (F) and clamped by nuts (G).
By changing the bolts to the various holes (F) the total length of the tidy may
be increased or diminished as desired.
Each end part (C) is formed with the angular rest (B) for giving the angular
repose, but I may provide the back of part (A*) with such rests, as shewn in
Fig. 3 and thereby permit of the central part (A*) being used with, or without the
end pieces. In lieu of such rests I may provide the tidy with a foot or bent stay (I)
(seen dotted in Fig. 7).
In Fig. 4 I shew how the end pieces (C) are adjusted by a slot (J) near each edge
of the end pieces. In Fig. 5 I shew them adjusted by a slots (K) in the centre of
cach end piece and part (A*), and in Fig. 6 by slots (L) in the part (A*) only of
the tidy.
In Fig. 7 the central part is adjustable, and the end pieces overlie such part,

page_text: the pattern in each application being, by preference, one that is not broken by the
said adjustment.
If desired the end pieces may be left plain, and used with a plain central portion;
and likewise the pattern may be produced by perforations, or indentations as well as
by moulding.
In lieu of a sliding or adjustable end piece I may employ interchangeable end
pieces of different sizes as shewn in Fig. 8, and to allow for the front surface of the
tidy being level for its entire length, I form the end pieces in the manner shown in
Fig. 9, interchangeable with end pieces of different sizes, or with the central
part (A) interchangeable with longer, or shorter parts.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
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...
14
1 The improvements. in hearth, tidies, in one or more parts and with moulded
pattern or motto uppon the face side, as..herein. set forth and shewn on the
accompanying drawings.
...
2: A hearth tidy of the kind described, comprising a central portion and two
end pieces (plain or ornamental), one or other of which is adjustable or inter-
changeable, and all of which are fixed by bolts and nuts, as and for the purpose
herein set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
noted this 3rd day of March 1809
JOHN WILLIAM CHEETHAM,
By J. G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.