Improvements in Ash Pan Fronts or Ash Guards.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1893-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ash Pan Fronts or Ash Guards.
I, EDGAR AUGUSTUS JOSEPH HOOPER, of Hospital Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to ash-pan fronts or ash guards employed in connection
with fire places, and has for its object, an adjustable fitting front or guard, or a
front or guard which is capable of being adjusted to fit the curvature or figure of
any grate or fire-place within certain limits.
Ash-pan fronts or ash guards are now made only to fit or be fitted to grates or
fire places for which they have been measured. Now as fire grates and fire places
are of varying sizes, shapes and sweeps, it is impossible for a maker to keep in
stock such articles, as almost every fire-grate will require a different ashpan, or an
ashpan with a different shaped front.
Now according to my invention, this difficulty is overcome by making the said
ash-pan fronts or ash guards flexible, and thereby adjustable, and this I accomplish
by making the same up of compound lengths, portions, sectional parts or the like,
arranged contiguous to each other and united at back to a flexible or yielding rod,
band or their equivalents.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I take a series of upright sectional
lengths of metal, with the upper, or both the upper and lower edges, made into, or
provided with, inwardly directed and V shaped wings or portions which form the
top, or both top and bottom to the said fronts.
The opposed edges of the sides come together, and work as it were hinge-wise
upon each other, one making a curve on the same being fitted to the desired sweep,
and fitted to the backs of these sectional frents, is a band or rod (or bands or rods)
which when bent, remains in its bent condition, although the same may be of
tempered steel, and be held in any given position by the same being rivetted or
connected to the ash-pan, or to the part enclosed by the front.
Or I may make the said sectional parts constituting the front alike unto a series
of links united together by hinges at their adjacent or meeting edges, or the edges
of the said sectional parts may be made to slightly overlap each other, but with the
same connected together either by rods or strips threaded at the back of them, or
threaded through parts of them, so that the said rods shall form stays for
connecting the parts constituting the said sectional parts together.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the shape of the said
sectional parts, nor to the method of connecting or carrying, so long as the said
front is capable of making any curved or other figure as may be desired, so as to
follow the sweep, curvature or figure of the grate.
Further the attachment of the front to a pan, or to means employed in lieu of a
pan, may be made by hooks, screw pins and nuts, hinges or any other joints or
connections.
1
CML 1902

page_text: .
Improvements in Ash Pan Fronts or Ash Guards.
I, EDGAR AUGustus Joseph Hooper, of Hospital Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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 relates to ash-pan fronts or ash guards, employed in connection
with fire places, and has for its object, an adjustably fitting front, kerb or guard, or
a front or guard capable of adjustment, so as to fall to or take the general curvature
or figure of any grate or fire place.
Ash-pan fronts or ash guards are now made only to fit or be fitted to grates or
fire places for which they have been measured. Now as fire grates and fire places
are of varying sizes, shapes and sweeps, it is almost impossible for a maker or
dealer to keep in stock such a variety of articles to meet all demands, as almost
every fire-grate requires a different shaped ash guard or an ashpan with a different
shaped front.
Now according to my invention, this difficulty is overcome by making the said
ash-pan fronts or ash guards or hearth curbs, flexible, and thereby adjustable, and
this I accomplish by making the same up of compound lengths, portions, sectional
parts or the like, arranged contiguous to each other and united at back to a flexible
or yielding rod, band, joint or their equivalents.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I take a series of upright sectional
lengths of metal or other materials, with the upper, or both the upper and lower
edges, made into, or provided with, inwardly directed and V-shaped wings or
portions which form the top, or both top and bottom to the said fronts.
The opposed edges of the sides come together, and work as it were hingewise
upon each other, and fitted to the backs of these sectional fronts, is a band or rod,
(or bands or rods) which when bent, remains in a set condition, although the same
may be of tempered steel, and be held in any given position by the same being
rivetted or connected to the ash pan, or to the part enclosed by the front.
may make the said sectional parts constituting the front alike unto a series of link-
like parts united together at their opposed edges by hinges.
Or I
Or the edges of the said sectional parts may be made to slightly overlap each
other, but with the same connected together either by rods or strips threaded at the
back of them or threaded through parts of them.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in front elevation, an ash pan
front or an ash guard constructed according to one form of my invention.
'
Figure 2 represents a horizontal longitudinal section of the said ash-pan front or
guard upon the dotted lines a Figure 1, showing how the sectional or component
parts of which the said article is made up or united together by flexible connections
capable of being bent or shaped so as to fall or bend to the shape of an ash-pan,
when used as a front to the same, or to the shape of a grate, when used as an ash
guard or kerb.
Figure 3 represents a back elevation of a part of the said front, guard or kerb,
whilst Figure 4 shows a cross section upon the dotted lines C D Figure 1, showing
the eyes at the backs of the sectional parts, and the soft metal rods passing through
them.
The said compound front, kerb or guard A, is made up of a series of sectional or
component parts a, a', with feet or rests a², and upper parts a³, and with the opposed
and contiguous sides of them turning about each other as centres, on the front as a
whole being bent or cambered.

page_text: Now these said component sectional or segmental parts have knuckle-shaped
eyes a, at their backs, wherethrough soft metal wires or rods c, pass, and form
both the staying medium for connecting together the said segments, and also the
flexible medium upon which the front is bent, whilst located between the said rods
and the back of a compound length, and also threaded upon the eyes at, is a thin
sheet metal screen strip b.
This compound length is either used to form the front of an ash pan d (shown in
dotted lines in Figure 2) or it is simply placed immediately under and made to
take the figure of the front of a fire place.
The compound length is usually made in the flat, and then curved to the grate
or ash pan required to be fitted, and if the same be too long, then the fitter has
only to remove the nuts e, from the ends of rods, which pass through the boxed ends
of the outer sections a', shorten the said rods, retap their ends and refit them as
desired.
Figure 5 represents an edge view of a modified form of my invention. In this
arrangement the necessary camber to the sectional front is given by a stay rod,
which passes from end to end of the front as a chord from the extremities of an arc.
Figure 6 is a back view of Figure 5.
A is a compound front made up of a series of sectional or component parts a, a',
united or connected together by a thin sheet metal screen strip b, to which the said
sectional parts a, may be united by rivetting or otherwise. f is a stay, with its
screwed ends, taking through holes in the end segments a', and with nuts a³,
taking upon the said ends, so that by screwing up the nuts on one or both ends, the
front is drawn to or made to take the necessary camber or curve as may be desired.
Figure 7 represents in horizontal section a still further form of my invention.
Figure 8 represents a front elevation of a portion of the same, whilst Figure 9
represents a horizontal section, upon an enlarged scale, showing how the segments
or sections composing the compound front are united by soft metal joints, which
admit of the said front as a whole bending and taking a permanent set to the curve,
camber or shape required.
The front A consists of hard metal sectional parts a, with end parts a', and with
the same united one to another by soft metal joints c, consisting of trough or channel
shaped thin and soft metal webs or connections, which are united to the said
sectional parts either by soldering, rivetting or otherwise, which sections may have
feet or flanged lower parts a².
Assuming that the said compound front is made in a flat length, the same is then
fitted to the camber or shape of a grate, ash-pan front or the like by bending the
component parts about the soft metal webs or connectors which, when bent, take a
permanent set.
Figure 10 represents in longitudinal section, a further form of my invention;
Figure 11 is a back view of the same.
In the compound front A, a are middle section parts, and a' the end sections, the
whole being connected joint-wise and edge to edge by a thin sheet and soft metal
strip or band b, to which the segmental parts are united by soldering, rivetting or
otherwise.
By bending the said front to any curve as desired, the same takes a permanent set.
Figure 12 represents a longitudinal section of another form of my invention, and
Figure 13 is a front elevation of a portion of the same, whilst Figure 14 represents
one of the sections separately.
The compound length A, is made up of a series of intermediate sectional parts a,
aud ends a', with the same connected to each other by a vertical rib or bulbous
tongue a², of the one taking into a like shaped she recess or long socket a³, in the
other. The rib or tongue a², is preferably split or divided, so that when the same
is inserted into the long socket of the adjoining section, it springs out and makes a
stiff joint, which will allow the segments to remain or take a set in any positions in
which they may have been placed.

page_text: In this form the
Figure 15 represents a modified form of Figures 12, 13 and 14.
sectional parts are without backs, or are fetched up from sheet metal, whilst the
segments of the last named form are preferably made by drawing.
Figure 16 represents a still further modification of Figures 12, 13 and 14.
It is understood that the he parts of the one fit tightly within the she parts of
the other, so that the sectional lengths take any set positions in which they may
have been put, and further, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the shapes of the said segments as the same may be varied without departing from
the nature of my invention; and still further, in the event of the he part of one
segment taking into the she part of the other not making a sufficiently stiff joint,
then the necessary stiffness may be acquired by driving a flat spring in between the
opposed faces of the parts forming the joints.
Figure 17 represents in front elevation another form of my invention with the
segments or component sectional parts jointedly united together by hinged con-
nections, whilst Figure 18 is a horizontal section of the same. a are middle
segments and a¹ end ones, whilst a² are knuckle joints of the same which interlock
one with another and are united by pins a³, passed down the middles of them so
tightly that the said joints are capable of turning only with considerable stiffness.
My invention is applicable to kerbs for the hearths of fire places as well as to
fronts to ash pans and guards for fire places generally. The segments of the
compound lengths may if necessary be made of tiles or like earthenware articles,
preferably let within metal frames which are provided with the connections or
attachments herein described.
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. In ash-pan fronts, ash-guards and kerbs for fire places, making up the
same of a series of segments or sections made adjustable by flexible connections or
soft metal connections or by stiff joints, substantially as and for the purpose as
described and set forth.
Secondly. In ash-pan fronts, ash-guards and kerbs for fire places, making up the
same of a series of component or sectional parts placed side by side or edge to edge,
and united together by a soft metal rod or rods placed at the backs of them, or
running through eyes at the backs of them and with or without an interposed
screen strip or band, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set forth
in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Thirdly. In ash-pan fronts, ash-guards and kerbs for fire places, making up the
same of a series of component sections with a metal back or a thin sheet steel back,
and with the said front drawn into shape by an adjustably fitted stay or tie rod,
substantially as described and set forth in Figures 5 and 6.
Fourthly. In ash-pan fronts, ash-guards and kerbs for fire places, making up the
same of a series of component sections connected together by soft metal joints or
unions, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 7, 8 and 9.
same of
Fifthly. In ash-pan fronts, ash-guards and kerbs for fire places, making up the
series of component or sectional parts placed side by side or edge to edge
and united together by a soft metal band or bands, substantially as described and
set forth in Figures 10 and 11.
Sixthly. In ash-pan fronts, ash-guards and kerbs for fenders, making up the same
of a series of component or sectional parts, having respectively he and she con-
nections so that the he-connections of the one take into the she-connections of the
other, and work stiffly therein and form joints upon which the segments turn,
substantially as described and set forth in Figures 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16.
Seventhly. In ash-pan fronts, ash-guards and kerbs for fenders, making up the
same of a series of component or sectional parts, united together at their edges by
stiffly working joints, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 17 and 18.

page_text: Eighthly. In adjustable ash-pan fronts, ash-guards and kerbs for fenders, the
general construction, arrangement and combination of the parts of the same,
substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 18th day of December 1893.
EDGAR AUGUSTUS JOSEPH HOOPER,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.