IMPROVEMENTS IN STOVES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Woodcock, of No. 5, Bessborough Gardens,
Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STOVES"
Sealed the 10th August 1860, and dated the 17th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Woodcock at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th February 1860.
I, WILLIAM WOODCOCK, of No. 5, Bessborough Gardens, Pimlico, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare, the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOVES," to be as follows:-
The appearance of the improved stove, when viewed in front, is similar to
that of an ordinary open fire-place. The grate or fire chamber which holds
the fuel is, however,perforated at the back, or provided with a perforated back
of iron, or other suitable material through which a portion of the flame or
products of combustion passes into a close stoveorlarge pipe placed behind or
at the side of the open fire-place. This close stove is made of cast iron or
other suitable material, and is made with a number of ribs on its exterior,
exposing a large surface to the air. The chief portion of the smoke and pro-
ducts of combustion rises from the fire and becomes mixed with air but
[Paid]

page_text: instead of passing direct into the chimney it is caused to descend by a flue
behind or at the side of the fire, and to meet and unite with the portion which
passes directly from the back of the fire, thus having its temperature raised to
the point of ignition. The smoke is thus entirely, or almost entirely,consumed.
The mixed products pass into the aforesaid close stove, and thence into the chim-
ney. Valves or registers are provided for allowing the stove to be closed during
the summer, or forallowing the products of combustion to ascend in the ordinary
manner while the fire is being lighted, in case the draught is not at first sufficient
to bring the whole into proper action. The perforated back is made to slide in
and out, or is otherwise capable of easy removal when requisite for cleaning
out the chimney, or for inserting a new back. The back may be a perforated
or slotted plate, or may consist of separate bars. The sides of the open fire-
place and the back or sides of the descending flue may be provided with metallic
ribs or radiating plates, which are inclosed with the close stove in an air
chamber, which communicates with the external atmosphere, and with a
number of openings in the upper part of the front of the fire-place. Aconstant
supply of warmed fresh air is thus delivered into the room, and cold draughtsat
the doors and windows are prevented, and fuel is economized. A portion of
the fresh air may be diverted or directed to the supply of the fire. When it is
not practicable to cause the air chamber to communicate with the external
atmosphere, it may be allowed to receive the air from the room in which the
stove is fixed. By this combined stove I am enabled to retain the ordinary
appearance of the open fire-place with its bright hearth and the advantage of
the radiant heat from the bottom as well as the front of the fire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Woodcock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WOODCOCK, of No. 5, Bessborough Gardens, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex, send, greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Woodcock, Her special licence that I, the said William

page_text: Woodcock, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Woodcock, 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 Islauds, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN STOVES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Woodcock, my executors or administrators, by an instrumentin 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 Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Woodcock, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described. and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-.
The appearance of the improved stove, when viewed in front, is similar to
that of an ordinary open fire-place. The grate or fire chamber which holds
the fuel is, however, perforated at the back,or provided with a perforated back
of iron or other suitable material, through which a portion of the flame or
products of combustion passes into a close stove or large pipe placed behind or
at the side of the open fire-place. This close stove is made of cast iron or
other suitable material, and is made with, a number of ribs on its exterior,
exposing a large surface to the air. The chief portion of the smoke and pro-
dncts of combustion rises from the fire and becomes mixed with air, but
instead of passing direct into the chimney, it is caused to descend by a flue
behind or at the side of the fire, and to meet and unite with the portion which
passes directly from the back of the fire, thus having its temperature raised to
the point of ignition. The smoke is thus entirely or almost entirely consumed.
The mixed products pass into the aforesaid close stove, and thence into the
chimney. Valves or registers are provided for allowing the stove to be closed
during the summer, or for allowing the products of combustion to ascend in
the ordinary manner while the fire is being lighted, in case the draught is not
at first aufficient to bring the whole into proper action. The perforated back
is made to slide in and out, or is otherwise capable of easy removal when
requisite for cleaning out the chimney, or for inserting a new back. The back
may be a perforated or slotted plate, or may consist of separate bars. The

page_text: sides of the open fire-place, and the back or sides of the descending flue may
be provided with metallic ribs or radiating plates, which are enclosed with the
close stove in an air-chamber, which communicates with the external atmo-
sphere, and with a number of openings in the upper part of the front of the
fire-place. A constant supply of warmed fresh air is thus delivered into the
room, and cold draughts at the doors and windows are prevented, and fuel is
economized. A portion of the fresh air may be diverted or directed to the
supply of the fire. When it is not practicable to cause the air chamber to
communicate with the external atmosphere, it may be allowed to receive the
air from the room in which the stove is fixed. By this combined stove, I am
enabled to retain the ordinary appearance of the open fire-place, with its bright
hearth, and the advantage of the radiant heat from the bottom as well as the
front of the fire.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing is an elevation or frout view of a
stove constructed according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section of
the same; Figure 3 is a horizontal section, and Figure 4 is a plan of the
same. The same letters refer to similar parts in each Figure. A, A, A, are
the fire-bars, and B is the grate, and C the front plate, as in an ordinary fire-
place; D, D, are the cheeks or sides, which I prefer to make with ribs d, d;
E is the back of the fire-place; F is a plate which covers the top of the fire-
place, and has a door or register G opening into the chimney. The back
plate E does not reach up to the top plate F, but a space is left between them
for the passage of the smoke or products of combustion. The lower part of
the back is perforated, or the plate E is made to terminate at or about the
level of the top fire-bar A, and a separate plate H is employed to form the
lower part at the back of the fuel. This plate is perforated, and it drops into
a groove on each of the cheeks, or is otherwise so secured as to be capable of
easy removal.
I and J are two plates, forming, with the sides g, g, a large
pipe or close stove K behind the fire-place. The sides g, g, are prolonged to
meet the cheeks D, D, so as to inclose the space L between the plates E and I,
thus forming a flue, which communicates with the lower part of the pipe K.
The cheeks and the plates E, I, J, may be cast of cast iron, in one or more
pieces. I make the sides g,g, with ribs upon them, and I also apply these
ribs to the sides of the passage between the plates E and I, and also to the
cheeks D, D. The pipe K passes through the plate F into the chimney.
The whole stove is fixed in a chamber or recess M under the chimney, but
which is separated from the chimney by the plate F, and is closed in front by
the front plate C. Air is introduced into this chamber by a flue under the

page_text: floor or otherwise, and escapes into the room through apertures c, c, in the
front plate C.
To put the stove in action, the register G is opened, and the fire is lighted
in the fire-place in the ordinary manner. When a draught in the chimuey is
established, the register G is closed; the smoke and gas and products of
combustion mixed with air then pass over the top of the plate E, and down
the passage L, and under the bottom of the plate I up the large pipe K into
the chimney. At the same time a portion of very hot flame passes through the
perforated plate H, and ignites the mixture of air and gas which descends the
passage L. The smoke or the greater part of it is thus cousumed, and the flame
thus produced passes into the pipe or close stove K, and communicates heat
through the plates and ribs to the air which enters the chamber M. The ribs
on the sides of the passage L, and on the cheeks 1), D, also communicate heat
to the air. A large quantity of fresh air can thus be warmed to the tem-
perature of the room, or more or less, as may be required, and delivered into
the room through the apertures in the front plate C. Fuel is thus economized,
and the room is supplied with fresh air at a moderate teinperature, instead of
drawing in cold air at the crevices about the windows and doors. In lieu of
admitting the air into the room through apertures or perforations in the
corners of the front plate C, it may be allowed to enter behind the flange or
beading a, which may be set forward a little for that purpose.
The stove shewn in the Drawing is adapted for placing in a recess or
chamber of moderate depth, and for this purpose the front plate I of the
pipe K is made to serve as the back plate of the passage L. When, however,
there is sufficient space in the recess, I sometimes make the pipe or close
stove K separate from the other part, being merely connected to the passage L
by a short neck or pipe at the bottom, and I make the pipe or stove K with
ribs all round it, so as to expose a very large surface to the surrounding air.
The back E and H may be made to incline back wards, if preferred, and a
variety of changes inay be made in the form and decoration of the stove.
My improved stove retains the cheerful appearance and pleasant radiant
heat of the open fire-place. The grate B is not shut in, and the light of the
fire shines through it on the hearth, and gives the cheerful effect of the
ordinary bright hearth or ash-pit. At the same time a large additional
quantity of heat is abstracted from the products of combustion by the ribbed
pipe or close stove behind the fire-place, thus combining more or less of the
economy of the close stove with the cheerful and healthy radiant heat of the
open fire. The smoke is almost entirely consumed, and the apartment is

page_text: supplied with a large quantity ofair at a comfortable temperature, thus prevent-
ing the influx of cold draughts at the windows and doors. The top of the pipe
or close stove K may, if desired, be furnished with a register or valve for
regulating the draught, or for closing the opening when the stove is
out of use.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
generally the construction of stoves with ribs, nor do I claim generally the
node of consuming smoke by mixing it with air and a portion of very hot
flame or products of combustion; but what I claim is the combination of an
open fire-place with its open bright hearth, and having a descending flue and
perforated back, with a close stove or pipe furnished with ribs, and inclosed in
an air chamber, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Woodcock, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
W. WOODCOCK. (L.S.)