AN IMPROVED FIRE- PLACE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lanc, of Grovo Park West, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of AN IMPROVED FIRE-
PLACE
"
"
Sealed the 28th October 1876, and dated the 5th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Lane at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th May 1876.
THOMAS LANE, of Grove Park West, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer. "AN IMPROVED FIRE-PLACE"
This Invention relates to an open fire-place chiefly designed for household
purposes, and whose upper portion is constructed upon the principle of a rever-
beratory furnace. This upper portion is concealed from view, so that the said
fire-place presents the usual cheerful appearance of an open fire-place.
The reverberatory upper portion is constructed of slabs of fire-clay, slate, or other
suitable refractory material, and the back and sides of the fire-place are formed of
similar material. At the upper part of the front of the fire-place, and at the
bottom of the reverberatory upper portion thereof, I formn a small aperture
leading to the chimney for the passage of the draught, and this small aperture
forms the only means of communication between the fire-place and the chimney.
The effect of the reverberatory portion built over the top of the fire-place, as
above described, is to cause the combustion of the smoke and gases rising from the
fire, and the whole of the heat produced in the furnace or fire-place is thrown by
radiation into the room or apartment in which the fire-placo is fixed. Moreover,
by the use of fire-clay or similar material instead of metal in the construction
of the back and sides of the fire-place, I effect a great saving of heat.
A very slow draught is produced along the floor of the room to the fire-place,
whereby the combustion of the coal is improved, and a very strong draught caused
through the aforesaid small aperture into the chimney, which ensures a thorough
ventilation of the upper portion of the room or apartment.
The chimney of my improved fire-place will seldom require sweeping. The cost
of the said fire-place will not exceed that of the register portion of an ordinary
open fire-place.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Thomas Lane in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th November
1876.
THOMAS LANE, of Grove Park West, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer. "AN IMPROVED FIRE-PLACE."
The object of this Invention is to utilize as far as possible the heat generated in
domestic fire-places. This I propose to effect by applying to such fire-places a
reverberatory chamber, which will deflect the heat of the fire on the principle
of the reverberatory furnace, and prevent its escaping in great part up the
chimney.
In adapting my Invention to a drawing-room grate, or similar fire-place, tho
reverberatory chamber' is concealed from view, so that the said fire-place presents
the usual cheerful appearance of an open fire-place.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3 a fire-place
suitable for a sitting room fitted with my Invention.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the fire-place showing by dotted lines the position
of the reverberatory chamber; Figure 2 is a vertical section of the samo on the
line x, x, of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the liuc y, y, of
Figure 2.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
a is the grate; b is the ordinary space above the same; c is the reverberatory
chamber; aud d is the chimney. The reverberatory chamber c I form of slabs of
fire-clay, or other suitable refractory material, supported upon suitable bearings
carried by the brickwork.
It may be described as an inverted open box placed above the fire-place, and so
arranged in relation thereto as to intercept the gaseous products of combustion,
as they ascend from the grate in their passage to the chimney. The sides or ends
of the box or chamber may be cast in one piece in a mould, and the top or cover
will rest thereon, being made practically air-tight by a loose sand joint. In front
of the chamber (between it and the chimney breast) an opening e is left to conduct
the gaseous products of combustion to the chimney d.
The effect of this arrangement is to cause the smoke and gases, which would
otherwise pass directly into the chimney and escape therefrom without any useful
result, to be intercepted by the said chamber, in which they will circulate and yield
up a large proportion of their heat. When the fire-clay or other refractory material
of which the chamber is composed has become highly heated its reverberatory action
will commence, the mass of coal in the grate will be brought to an incandescent
state, the production of smoke will almost entirely cease, and the heat reverberated
by the chamber will be thrown into the apartment.
When my improved fire-place is in use there will be a slow draught or current
of air along the floor of the room to and through the grate, and consequently a
slow combustion of the fuel in the same. At the upper part of the fire-place
however there will be a sufficiently strong draught to ensure the products of
combustion (after circulating in the reverberatory chamber and yielding up a
large portion of their heat) entering the opening e, and so passing off by the
chimney.
As the chimney of my improved fire-place will seldom require sweeping I have
shewn in the Drawing no special provision for this operation, but an opening may
be readily gained to the chimney by lifting off the loose top of the chamber from
its sent, and temporarily removing it from the fire-place.
My Invention when applied to kitchen ranges or kitcheners will effect considerable
economy. In such cases I by preference mould the fire-clay box in one piece, and
set it (inverted) immediately over the fire-place in such manner that no air can
enter it except through the fire-place. This arrangement is shewn in Figure 4,
where a is the fire-place; c, the reverberatory chamber forming a closed cover to

page_text: the fire-place; and f, f, the usual lateral flues branching from the fire-place, and
leading around the oven or ovens and boiler, as the case may be. The joint between
the bottom edges of the inverted box or chamber and the upper edges of the fire-
place must be inade air-tight, so that no air can enter the latter without passing
through the firo.
It will be understood that in this example, as in that first described, the gaseous
products of combustion ascend into this chamber, and after circulating in the same,
where they are superheated, descend to the ordinary flues, in passing along which
they heat the boilers or ovens, and escape by the chimney, the direct draught to
which is checked or cut off.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Lettors Patent I claim, the combination with a fire-place or grato for household and
similar purposes of a reverberatory chamber, as above set forth and for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Lane, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
cight hundred and seventy-six.
THOMAS LANE, C,E. (L.S.)