Improvements in the Construction of Domestic Fire-places.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 1st Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Domestic Fire-places.
I, JOSHUA WILLIAM TAYLOR of 102 Bury New Road, Haulgh, Bolton in the
County of Lancaster, Builder and Timber Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of my said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of domestic fire-places
and consists in forming the same of brickwork and the like with angular sides and
sloping or slanting back, and without the ordinary front fire-bars hitherto employed
for holding the fire in position.
At any convenient or desired distance below the hearth or floor level I fix or
place a metallic or other grid to carry the fire. The side of the hearth next to
the fire is supported by a metallic or other beam or rail, which may be provided
with means for receiving non-conducting material to protect the same and the
hearth from the action of the fire. Below the grid is formed a chamber or cavity
fitted with a metallic or other bucket or receptacle to receive the ashes that drop
through the grid supporting the fire; the said grid being movable when necessary
to remove the bucket or receptacle for the purpose of emptying the ashes or
otherwise. If the fire-place is built against an outside wall the bucket or receptacle
may be removed from the chamber or cavity through an opening leading to the
outside of the building.
In case there is a cellar or basement under the room containing the fire-place
the chamber or cavity may descend for any desired distance provided with one or
more dampers, and with or without bucket.
Dated the 30th March 1894
EDMUND CHADWICK, F.I.C.P.A.
Agent.
Improvements in the Construction of Domestic Fire-places.
I JOSHUA WILLIAM TAYLOR of 102 Bury New Road, Haulgh, Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, Builder and Timber Merchant, 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 and accompanying
drawings :-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of domestic fire-
places and consists in forming the same of brickwork and the like with angular
sides and sloping or slanting back, and without the ordinary front fire bars hither:o
employed for holding the fire in position.
At any convenient or desired distance below the hearth or floor level, or in the

page_text: same plane with the floor and hearth level, I fix or place a metallic or other grid
to carry the fire. Below the grid is formed a chamber or cavity fitted with a
metallic or other bucket or receptacle to receive the ashes that drop through the
grid supporting the fire, the said grid being movable when necessary to remove
the bucket or receptacle for the purpose of emptying the ashes or otherwise. If
the fire-place is built against an outside wall, the bucket or receptacle may be
removed from the chamber or cavity through an opening leading to the outside of
the building.
In case there is a cellar or basement under the room containing the fire-place,
the chamber or cavity may descend for any desired distance and be provided with
one or more dampers and with or without buckets.
To render my invention more clearly understood I will now proceed to describe
the same with the aid of the annexed sheet of illustrative drawings.
Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of the improved fire-place.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the blocks composing the fire-place.
It may be noted here that, although as aforesaid the grate bottom might be upon
a level with the hearth and floor, nevertheless I prefer to bring the fire grate
bottom, well beneath the level of the floor of the apartment, so as to bring the
effective or red-hot heart of the fire about upon a level with the floor. With this
object I place the hearth or hearth tiles upon a level with the flooring or it might
be slightly beneath the level of the flooring, the grate bottom being sunk, relatively
to the hearth. By this arrangement I find that the effective heating power of the
fire is utilised to the best advantage.
Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing. It will be seen that in pursuance of this
preferential arrangement, I place the hearth tiles a upon a level with the flooring b,
the curb c covering the junction. The grate bottom d is beneath the level of the
hearth a so that the space e to receive the fuel constitutes a sunk recess.
In practice I form the bottom of the fire-place, from a fire clay trough f, with a
raised ledge in front to take the hearth tiles a, while the back and sides support
the back y and sides of the fire-place. The sunk centre of the fire clay trough f
constitutes a recess or pit to receive the ash pan h. The ash pau is formed at the
bottom with toes upon which it rests in the recess and has also a flange at the top
resting upon the surrounding ledge at the top of the recess. The grate bottom d
is placed over the ash pan, and upon this the fuel rests. An air space exists
around and beneath the ash pan. The general shape of the back and sides of the
fire-place will be best apparent from the sectional plan Fig. 2. When the fire is
1.t, it burns upon the grate bottom d and within the sunk recess already described,
none of the usual front firegrate bars being used to retain it. The ash falls
through the grate bottom d into the ash pan h, and the heat generated in and
above the ash pan heats the air in the free space surrounding the ash pan, and this
regenerated air is partly delivered at the front of the fire so as to promote
combustion. The fire clay trough becomes heated throughout, and the mass of
heated material radiates heat into the room. To prevent danger of fire, I separate
the fire clay trough f from the flooring by a division of concrete ; or other non-
combustible material which may be supported by a metallic girder or rail when
such is necessary.
The back 9
of my fire-place rises vertically for a short distance as shown in
Fig. 1, and the inclined block k composing the remainder of the backing presents a
ledge to the ascending smoke and heated products of combustion. This has the
effect of breaking up and diffusing the currents of hot gases so that they become
re-oxygenated and consumed before entering the flue through the contracted
opening between the top of the block k and the front m of the fire-place.
The lower block, constituting the sides and back g are shown in section at
Fig. 2. The upper block k is of similar section but modified to suit the overhang
of the back. The whole mass of fire clay material consisting of the bottom
trough f, the block and the block stores up the heat given out by the fire, and
radiates or imparts the heat to the room. Thus, not only do I economise fuel and

page_text: promote combustion of the hot gases by my improved arrangement of fire-place,
but the said super-posed blocks act as regulators, storing up and giving out heat
with regularity and efficiency.
When the ash pan h is full, the grate bottom d can be lifted and the ash pan
removed, emptied and replaced.
In some cases where the fire-place is built against an outside wall, the ash pan
could be removed from the chamber or cavity through an opening leading to the
outside of the building and closed by a suitable damper or door. If there should
be a cellar or basement beneath the room containing the fire-place, a passage may run
down from the cavity in the trough funder the fire grate, into a suitable receptacle in
the said cellar or basement. In this case I would provide two dampers in the
passage, one immediately beneath the trough and another uearer the foot of
the shute.
When the fire is lit, the upper damper would be kept closed and would receive
the ash. To let the ash drop into the receptacle the damper would be opened, but
at the same time to prevent an up-draught of air beneath the fire, I should close
the lower damper and trap the ash there, until the upper damper had been re-closed,
after which the lower damper could be opened and the ash allowed to fall into the
receptacle in the cellar. Thus I obviate all danger of an up-draught, which
might carry ash forward into the room. I might however combine one damper
only with this latter arrangement.
Although I have in Fig. 1 represented the overhanging back k as diverting the
heated products of combustion to a contracted opening at the top leading to the
flue 1, I might in some instances have this contracted opening at the foot of
the overhanging back k as shown for example in Fig. 3. In such a case the over-
hanging back k would extend up to the front m. Under this arrangement a better
draught is usually obtained.
In conjunction with the use of the trough f the grate bottom & might be raised
to a level with the hearth tiles a.
I wish it to be understood that the general form of such a fire-place as I have
described is not entirely novel. For example an overhanging back such as k has
already been manufactured and it has also been proposed to place the fire in a
bottom or recess not furnished with front grate bars or ribs.
I am aware also that it has been already proposed to form a fireplace having a
firebrick trough supporting grate bars and placed in a sunk recess and I make no
general claim to such an arrangement.
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.
1. The general arrangement, construction and combination of parts constituting
iny improved fire-place substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated.
2. In a fire-place of the indicated nature, the bottom trough or block f made of
fire clay or other suitable refractory material and fashioned or recessed so as to
contain a sunk or flush grate bottom to receive the fire and also to receive the ash pan
or receptacle beneath the grate bottom, an air space being preferably left between
the ash pan and the sides of the recess containing the pan, substantially as
described and as illustrated.
3. The improved fire-place composed of the bottom trough or block with
sunk recess to receive the fire grate d and ash pan h, in combination with the
super-imposed blocks g and k substantially as described and as shown in the
drawings.
4. In a fire-place of the indicated construction, when placed against an outside
wall, the bottom trough or block f with recess to contain an ash pan, the said
recess communicating with a passage leading to the exterior of the wall and
through which the ash pan can be removed and replaced substantially as
described.

page_text: 5. In a fire-place of the indicated construction, the trough or block f formed
with a recess to receive the fire grate and fire, the said recess being prolonged so as
to communicate with a passage or shute leading to a receptacle in a cellar or
basement, the said shute being provided with one or more dampers to facilitate
the removal of the ash to the said receptacle beneath, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 29th day of December 1894.
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent.