Iм- PROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO FIRE-GRATES AND FURNACES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Henry Isherwood, of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
99
Scaled the 14th April 1874, and dated the 21st October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Henry Isherwood.
L
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st October 1873.
I, THOMAS HENRY ISHERWOOD, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO FIRE-GRATES AND FURNACES," to be as
follows:-
1
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of grates or fuel
burning receptacles which may be termed horizontal revolving grates,
whereby the fuel is fed underneath the fire and the fire burns down.
-
A fire-grate constructed according to this Invention may consist of a
square, oblong, circular, cylindrical, or other suitably shaped fuel
burning receptacle. The front thereof is formed with vertical bars.or
"

page_text: grid. The bottom of the grate is fitted with a hinged door slightly
perforated to admit air, and arranged with a suitable fastening. The
top of the grate is fitted with a hinged cover which may be perforated or
formed with open scroll work, and arranged to close and fasten over the
fire when required, as will be herein-after explained. The grate is fitted
at each side with trunnions or pivots, which fit into a suitable frame-
work for holding the grate, which may be fixed on the sides of a hearth,
or in the masonry, or form part of an ash-tray which holds the grate.
The trunnions are fitted with a suitable system of toothed wheels, or
worm and wheel 'worked by a handle, thus causing the grate to revolve
horizontally when required.
The action of using the grate and replenishing the fuel is as follows:
―The hinged cover of the grate being opened and thrown back a fire
may be kindled in the grate in the ordinary manner. When the fire
requires replenishing with fuel the cover is shut down and fastened over
the top of the grate; the grate is then made to revolve by means of the
handle and gear about half a circle, or ninety degrees, until the bottom
comes to the top; the door in the bottom is then opened and the grate
filled up with fresh fuel; the door on the bottom is then fastened and
the grate made to resume its normal position, the cover being opened and
thrown back. In the action of turning the fire is thoroughly cleaned of
ashes and dust, which are thrown into an ash-tray or on to the hearth at
the back of the fire-place. It will thus be seen that the fire is always
kept at the top of the grate and burns down, the fuel being always
supplied through the door in the bottom of the grate.
For kitchens and cooking ranges the grate may be divided, one side
forming an oven, the other side a boiler, and the centre the fire; or the
sides of the grate may open out into suitable flues connected with ovens
or boilers. The back of the grate may be formed of a slab of fire-clay,
the sides, front, bottom, and cover being of metal; or the whole grate
may be of metal.
"
These grates may be used as dog grates in open hearths, or they may
be fitted in suitable brickwork in connexion with any closed-in hearth.
'
They are suitable for all general purposes. They are also suitable for
culinary purposes, and also may be adapted to furnaces generally.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Henry Isherwood in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HENRY ISHERWOOD, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Henry Isherwood, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas Henry Isherwood, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Henry
Isherwood, 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 Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO FIRE-GRATES AND FURNACES," upon.
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Henry Isherwood,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
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.
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Henry Isherwood, 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 :—
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of grates or fuel
burning receptacles which may be termed horizontal revolving grates
whereby the fuel is fed underneath the fire and the fire burns down.
A fire-grate constructed according to this Invention may consist of a
square, oblong, circular, cylindrical, or other suitably shaped fuel
burning receptacle. The front thereof is formed with vertical bars or .

page_text: grid. The bottom of the grate is fitted with a hinged door slightly
perforated to admit air and arranged with a suitable fastening. The top
of the grate is fitted with a hinged cover which may be perforated or
formed with open scroll work, and arranged to close and fasten over the
fire when required, as will be herein-after explained. The grate is fitted t
at each side with trunnions or pivots, which fit into a suitable frame-
work for holding the grate, which may be fixed on the sides of a hearth,
or in the masonry, or form part of an ash-tray which holds the grate.
The trunnions are fitted with a suitable system of toothed wheels, or
worm and wheel worked by a handle, thus causing the grate to revolve ]
horizontally when required.
.
For kitchens and cooking ranges the grate may be divided, one side
forming an oven, the other side a boiler, and the centre the fire; or the
sides of the grate may open out into suitable flues connected with ovens
or boilers. The back of the grate may be formed of a slab of fire-clay; 1
the sides, front, bottom, and cover being of metal; or the whole grate
may be of metal.
These grates may be used as dog grates in open hearths, or they may
be fitted in suitable brickwork in connexion with any closed-in hearth.
They are suitable for all general purposes, they are also suitable for 1
culinary purposes, and also may be adapted to furnaces generally.
The before-going being the nature, object, and purposes of this my
Invention, I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same
may be carried into practical effect, and for that purpose I have here-
unto attached a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters and figures of 1
reference corresponding with those in the following explanation, and
sufficiently illustrative as to explain my Invention to those acquainted
with the manufacture of fire-grates. Like letters on the different views
denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is an end elevation of a fire-grate constructed according to
my Invention with vertical front bars.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of a fire-grate constructed according to
my Invention shewing worm, and wheel, and horizontal front bars;
Figure 3 is a front view and Figure 4 a plan of same.
Figure 5 is a perspective front, elevation shewing half a dog grate
constructed according to my Invention.

page_text: Figure 6 shews pillar supporting dog grate and means for revolving
the same.
Figure 7 shews the application of my improved grate to a kitchen
range.
Upon reference it will be seen that my improvements consist in fitting
the top of the grate or fuel receptacle A with a cover B, which is hinged
to the grate A at C; the bottom of the grate is fitted with a door D
which is hinged to the grate at E; the front F of the grate A is by
preference formed with vertical bars. The bottom D may be perforated,
or formed with a grid, or bars, as desired; the cover B is also perforated,
or formed with a grid, or bars. The back G of the grate A may be of
metal, fire-brick, or other suitable material; the sides also may be of
metal, fire-clay, or suitable material. The sides of the grate are fitted
with trunnions or pivots H, which take into suitable bearings in the
grate frame, masonry, or upon pillars, or brackets; the cover B is fitted
with a slot or other provision, and the front of the grate is fitted with a
stud or button I so as to lock or close the cover on the top of the grate
when shut; the hinged bottom of the grate is also secured to the grate
by a stud or button K. The trunnion H may be fitted with any suitable
system of gearing, such as toothed wheels or worm wheel, as shewn at
Figure 6 and Figure 2, or other suitable means for revolving the grate
may be resorted to.
When the grate A is used for culinary purposes it may be fitted in a
kitchener, as shewn at Figure 7, between the boiler L and the oven M,
the grate being rotated by a handle N which works a worm in connexion
with a wheel on the trunnion H. .
In Figure 2, O is a worm wheel; P, a worm, which gears into O, the
worm P being held in suitable bearings and worked by a key or handle
from the room.
The action of using the grate is as follows:-The cover B being
opened the fire may be kindled in the grate in the ordinary manner.
When the fire requires replenishing the cover B is shut down and
fastened over the top of the grate A by the stud or button I; the grate
is then made to revolve in the direction of the arrow R by means of the
handle or key and gear until the bottom D comes to the top; the door D
is then opened and the grate filled up with fresh fuel; the door D is
then fastened, and the grate is then made to resume its normal position,

page_text: the cover B being opened and thrown back. In the action of turning
the fire is thoroughly cleaned of ashes and dust, which are thrown into
an ash tray or on to the hearth at the back of the fire-place. It will
thus be seen that the fire is always kept at the top of the grate and
burns down, the fuel being always supplied through the door D in the
bottom of the grate.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and
purposes of this my Invention, and shewn how the same may be put
into practical effect and operation, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to any particular shape or style of fuel burning
receptacle, as the same may be square, oblong, circular, cylindrical, or
of some other suitable shape; nor do I confine myself to any particular
means or method of mounting same, or to any particular gear for
rotating my improved grate, as any suitable means, such as spur or bevel
wheels, or a worm and wheel, or a ratchet wheel and brace, or other gear
may be used, as will be understood; but what I claim as my Invention
and secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is, a fire-grate or fuel
burning receptacle constructed with a hinged cover at the top and a
hinged door at the bottom, the grate or receptacle being fitted with
trunnions or pivots working in suitable bearings and allowing the grate
to be revolved or turned over for the purpose of supplying the grate
with fresh fuel through the door in the bottom, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes as described, set forth, and illustrated in
the before-going Specification and Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Henry Isherwood, have a
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
THOMAS HENRY (L.s.) ISHERWOOD.