Year: 1897

page_text: I, JOHN FREDERICK NICHOLLS, of 20, Lewes Crescent, Brighton, Consular Agent
for France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to fire places or stoves for domestic use and consists in
means for rendering the same self feeding.
Stated in general terms my system is to mount the fire basket on a scale beam
and counterpoise it so that when the fire in the basket becomes low it is lifted by
the counterpoise and this movement causes a door to open at the bottom of a fuel
container arranged above the fire basket; the fuel then drops from the container
into the fire basket which descends to its original position.
In the arrangement which I prefer the fuel container is divided by vertical
partitions into four compartments, each closed as described by a door at the lower
end. An axis passes vertically through the centre of the container and at its
lower end is provided with a flange on which the doors rest and so are kept closed.
There is however a notch in the flange which when brought to a certain position
allows one of the doors to open and the fire to be fed. Similarly when the flange
is turned to a second position, a second compartment of the fuel container is
discharged and so on.
The vertical spindle is geared by bevilled wheels with a horizontal axis on which
is a drum. A chain is attached to the drum by one end; it is wound upon the
drum and at its other end a weight is connected. This weight thus tends to turn
the spindle but it is normally prevented from doing so by a disc on the horizontal
axis and projections on the disc, which are locked by corresponding projections
on a frame. This frame is connected with the scale beam already referred to.
When the fire basket rises in consequence of the fuel in it having in great part
burnt away, the frame with the teeth upon it is moved in such manner as to
liberate the corresponding teeth upon the disc and so to permit the same to turn;
one of the doors of the fuel container then opens and discharges its contents.
The parts are arranged so that the vertical spindle at each operation makes a
quarter revolution and is then retained ready to again operate.
The fuel container is removable to permit of refilling.
The fuel falls from the fuel container onto the inclined slab which guides it
to the back of the fire basket and in its path it finds a balanced valve which opens
to permit the fuel to fall through and then closes to prevent smoke from passing
by this route.
Two smoke flues are provided, ascending from the two sides of the fire basket,
and the fuel container and parts in connection therewith occupy a space between
these flues.

page_text: མ
2333
I, JOHN FREDERICK NICHOLLS, of 26, Lewes Crescent, Brighton, Consular Agent
for France at Brighton, 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:-
:-
This invention relates to fire places or stoves for domestic use and consists in
means for rendering the same self feeding.
Stated in general terms my system is to mount the fire basket on a scale beam
and counterpoise it so that when the fire in the basket becomes low it is lifted by
the counterpoise and this movement causes a door to open at the bottom of a fuel
container arranged above the fire basket; the fuel then drops from the container
into the fire basket which descends to its original position.
In the arrangement which I prefer the fuel container is divided by vertical
partitions into four compartments, each closed as described by a door at the lower
end. An axis passes vertically through the centre of the container and at its
lower end is provided with a flange on which the doors rest and so are kept closed.
There is however a notch in the flange which when brought to a certain position
allows one of the doors to open and the fire to be fed. Similarly when the flange
is turned to a second position, a second compartment of the fuel container is
discharged and so on..
The vertical spindle is geared by bevilled wheels with a horizontal axis on which
is a drum. A chain is attached to the drum by one end; it is wound upon the
drum and at its other end a weight is connected. This weight thus tends to turn
the spindle but it is normally prevented from doing so by a disc on the horizontal
axis and projections on the disc, which are locked by corresponding projections
on a frame. This frame is connected with the scale beam already referred to.
When the fire basket rises in consequence of the fuel in it having in great part
burnt away, the frame with the teeth upon it is moved in such manner as to
liberate the corresponding teeth upon the dise and so to permit the same to turn;
one of the doors of the fuel container then opens and discharges its contents.
The parts are arranged so that the vertical spindle at each operation makes a
quarter revolution and is then retained ready to again operate.
The fuel container is removable to permit of refilling.
The fuel falls from the fuel container onto the inclined slab which guides it
to the back of the fire basket and in its path it finds a balanced valve which opens
to permit the fuel to fall through and then closes to prevent smoke from passing
by this route.
Two smoke flues are provided, ascending from the two sides of the fire basket,
and the fuel container and parts in connection therewith occupy a space between
these flues.
Figure 1 of the drawings annexed is a side view partly in section of a fire place
or stove constructed in the above manner. Figure 2 is a front view of the same,
and Figure 3. a vertical section taken through the line ab Figure 1. Figure 4
is an underside view of the coal box, and Figure 5 a separate view of an escapement
for controlling the turning of the horizontal axis.
A is the fire basket mounted on one end of scale beams B. C are weights carried
by the other end of the scale beams to overbalance the fire basket when the fire in
it becomes low. D) is a fuel container such as is described in the Specification of
a former Patent granted to me No. 23660 in the year 1894. It is divided by
vertical partitions into four, compartments each closed at the bottom by a door D¹-
these are held closed by a disc E¹ on an axis E which passes up vertically through
the centre of the container. By turning this axis a notch in the disc can be

page_text: brought into such a position as to allow of any one or other of the doors opening.
E is a bevil wheel fast on the top of the axis E.
Along the top of the sides of the container I are projecting flanges which rest
on fixed supporting bars F. The container when filled can be slidden into position
along these bars or can be withdrawn when it requires refilling. When it is
slidden into position the bevil wheel E2 comes into gear with a corresponding
bevil wheel G on the horizontal axis G. H is a chain attached at one end to a
drum on an axis I which is in a line with the axis G, and carries a weight H' at
its other end. K is a chain attached to a similar drum on the axis I and after
being wound around it led away over guide pulleys to the front of the fire place.
By pulling upon this chain the axis I can be turned and the weighted chain H
thereby caused to be wound up on to its drum.
A pawl and ratchet wheel connection between the axes G and I allows of the
axis I being turned without the axis G being turned along with it when the
weighted chain H is being wound up on to its barrel-but when turned in
the opposite direction the axis G turns along with it.
L is an escapement wheel fast on the axis G it has four teeth projecting from it
to engage with teeth on a vertical frame M. This frame is connected by rods N
with the weighted ends of the scale beams B and receivers from them an up and
down motion as above explained and at each up and down motion allows the axis G
to be turned one quarter of a revolution-and at each quarter revolution a door at
the bottom of one or other of the compartments of the fuel container is released
and the contents of that container allowed to drop down into the fire basket.
O is an inclined slab forming the back of a hopper which guides the fuel in its
descent from the container to the fire basket. P is a balanced valve forming the
lower part of the front of the hopper. Normally it is held by the weighted arm P1
on its axis in a position to close the bottom of the hopper but when fuel descends
on to it, it opens and allows the fuel to pass.
Preferably I provide a second weighted arm on the axis of the valve as shewn
in Figure 1. This facilitates the balancing of the valve in such a way that after
each time it is opened and again closes it may make a few oscillations and so
ensure that all of the descending fuel shall be free to drop down into the fire basket.
QQ are side flues passing upwards from each side of the fire basket.
Having now 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:-
1. A fire place or stove having its fire basket carried by scale beams so weighted
that the fire basket is raised when the fire in it gets low and having an escape-
ment moved to and fro by the movement of the fire basket to set in action fuel
feeding mechanism to deliver fuel into the fire basket whenever the fire basket
rises.
2. A fire place or stove having its fire basket carried by scale beams so weighted
that the fire basket is raised when the fire in it gets low and having a fuel container
supported above the fire basket with a door at the bottom which is caused to be
opened when the fire basket rises to permit fuel to descend from the container to the
fire basket.
3. The construction of fire places or stoves substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in the drawing annexed.