IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Aikin Brodribb, of 22, Robertson Street, Hastings,
in the County of Sussex, Surgeon, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GAS STOVES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Aikin Brodribb
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th October 1880.
CHARLES AIKIN BRODRIBB, of 22, Robertson Street, Hastings, in the County of
Sussex, Surgeon. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES."
My Invention relates to improvements in gas stoves, and has for its object such
a construction and combination of the various parts of the same that when in use
they will be perfectly free from smell, whilst at the same time they will be bright
and cheerful in appearance and will diffuse a greater amount of heat than gas stoves
as heretofore constructed.
One of the greatest drawbacks or disadvantages connected with the use of gas
stoves at present in use is the smell which they produce, and which arises from the
improper or imperfect combustion of the carbon and other products evolved from
the burning jet or jets of gas. Moreover in many cases the heat is concentrated
around the burner or burners and is improperly diffused, or is given off or radiates
in one direction only.
By my Invention, however, I obviate these disadvantages and ensure the proper
consumption of the carbon or products of combustion, while at the same time ensuring
the diffusion of the heat in all directions.
In carrying this Invention into practice, I arrange upon a suitable base or support
formed of wood, metal, china, porcelain, or other suitable material, a casing or
cylinder of metal, china, porcelain, or other material through which the supply pipe
to the burner passes in an upward direction. This pipe extends above the upper
end of the casing and terminates in a burner which is preferably star-shaped, that
is to say, it is cylindrical and provided with a series of horizontal apertures through
which the jets of gas pass. The said pipe is supported centrally in a casing by a
series of stays extending up from the base, or by stays, or the casing itself, or in any
other suitable manner.

page_text: Upon the aforesaid casing or cylinder I provide projections or lugs which support
a conical reflector, preferably of copper. This reflector surrounds the gas supply
pipe, and its apex is nearly level with the burner, its base resting on the lugs as
aforesaid. Extending upwardly from the support or cylinder are rods or supports
which are connected at their upper end to a ring or rim. This ring or rim is
level or nearly so with the burner, and is adapted to support a cover or top. This
cover, lid, or top is formed of terra cotta, fire clay, or similar material, and is
preferably hollowed out on its under surface so as to cover or surround the burner
and the jets or flames of the same. The said cover is preferably formed in two or
more parts or divisions to enable it to withstand great heat, and is provided with
perforations which constitute an important feature of my Invention. These
perforations are made through the said cover in circles at varying distances from
its centre or otherwise arranged, and are of such a size and number that all carbon
and products of combustion from the gas jets will be consumed in passing through
the cover, which becomes highly heated when the gas is alight and evolves or
throws out great heat. The number of these holes is proportioned to the number
of jets of gas or the size of the burner, and their size is such as to permit
the products of combustion to enter them and be consumed, but the combined
area of these openings is not sufficient to create a draught to such an extent
that the smoke or products of combustion would pass through without being
thoroughly consumed. By this contrivance I render the stove perfectly free
from smell, as the terra-cotta top covering and surrounding the gas jets becomes
heated to such an extent that the products of combustion are effectually
consumed, and as there are no metal parts in the stove which are liable to become
heated I avoid the unpleasant odour of heated metal. Moreover by arranging the
conical reflector below the burner and cover, the heat thrown downwards from the
same will be diffused in all directions equally and the stove will present a bright
and cheerful appearance.
In some cases I combine with the said stove means for evolving moisture or
vapor. For this purpose I arrange within the aforesaid casing or cylinder a
receptacle for water or other liquid, and on the interior of the said casing I provide
a sheet or ring of felt, spongio-piline, or other absorbent material, which dips into
the liquid in the receptacle and extends up beyond the bottom of the reflector so
that as the liquid rises in the absorbent by capillary attraction it will evaporate
or be converted into steam or vapor by the heat given off or diffused by the said
reflector. Or when the casing or cylinder and base are made of china or similar
material the liquid may be contained directly therein without the necessity of
employing a separate receptacle for the same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Aikin Brodribb in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th April 1881.
CHARLES AIKIN BRODRIBB, of 22, Robertson Street, Hastings, in the County of
Sussex, Surgeon. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES."
My Invention relates to improvements in gas-stoves, and has for its object such
a construction and combination of the various parts of the same that when in use
they will be perfectly free from smell, whilst at the same time they will be bright
and cheerful in appearance, and will diffuse a greater amount of heat than gas-
stoves as heretofore constructed.
One of the greatest drawbacks or disadvantages connected with the use of gas-
stoves heretofore in use is the smell which they produce, and which arises from the
improper or imperfect combustion of the carbon and other products evolved from the
burning jet or jets of gas. Moreover in many cases the heat is concentrated around
the burner or burners and is improperly diffused, or is given off or radiated in one
direction only.
By my Invention, however, I obviate these disadvantages, and effect the proper
consumption of the carbon and other products of combustion, whilst at the same
time ensuring the diffusion of the heat in all directions.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved gas stove, and
Figure 2 is a central vertical section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the said stove.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
In carrying this Invention into practice, I arrange upon a suitable base or
support a, formed of wood, metal, china, porcelain, or other suitable material, a
casing or cylinder b, which is preferably formed of porcelain or similar ware, and
which may be decorated in any appropriate style or manner to give an ornamental
and cheerful appearance to the stove, though, if desired, this cylinder may be
formed of metal or any other suitable material. Through this cylinder the gas
supply pipe c extends upward and terminates at the upper part of the stove in
the burner d, which is preferably shaped as shewn, that is to so say, it is a flat
cylindrical piece placed horizontally on the end of the pipe, and provided in its
periphery with a series of holes from which the jets or flames of gas radiate.
The said pipe c is supported centrally in the casing by a series of stays extending
up from the base, or by stays on the casing itself, or in any other suitable manner.
Upon the aforesaid casing or cylinder 6 I form an interior seat or ledge at b' (or
if the said cylinder is of metal I provide projections or lugs thereon) to support a
conical reflector 6", which is preferably formed of copper, and which should be
highly polished. This reflector surrounds the gas-supply pipe; its base rests on
the said cylinder, and its apex is nearly level with the lower edge of the burner.
Extending upwardly from the said support or cylinder b are rods or standards g,
which are connected at their upper end to a ring or rim h. This ring or rim is
level or nearly so with the burner d, and is adapted to support a cover or top i.
The construction and arrangement of this cover, lid, or top constitute a very
important feature of my Invention, as will appear from the following description:-
It is formed of terra-cotta, fire-clay, or similar refractory porous material, and is
preferably made arched, hollow, or concave, as shewn, so as to cover or surround
the burner and the jets or flames of the same, and it will be observed that the
said cover is placed very near the burner. The said cover is preferably formed in
four parts or divisions to avoid the danger of fracture, which if the said cover were
made in one piece might in some cases be caused by the intense heat to which the
said cover is subjected, and for appearance sake I prefer to place over the central
upwardly extending portions of the said parts of the cover a hollow cap or knob **

page_text: The said cover is perforated with small holes j, as shewn. These holes or perfora-
tions are preferably arranged in one or more circles concentric with the periphery
of the cover, and are of such a size and number that all carbon and other products
of the partial combustion of the gas will be thoroughly burned in passing through
the cover.
I have ascertained by a series of careful experiments that the number
and size of these holes must be properly proportioned to the capacity of the gas
jets or burners, otherwise the desired result will not be obtained. As above stated,
the cover is placed in close proximity to the gas jets, and therefore without the
said perforations the jets would be partially smothered, and the only escape for
the products of combustion would be at the exterior edge of the cover; on the
other hand if the holes are made sufficiently large or numerous to permit a very
free upward draught, the carbon, sulphur, and other products of combustion would
pass through the cover too quickly and escape in a partially burnt condition with
the usual results of disagreeablo odour and smoke. Therefore the size of the said
holes must be such as to permit the products of combustion to enter them to be
consumed therein, but the combined area of these holes must not be sufficient to
create a draught to such an extent that the smoke or products of combustion will
pass through and escape without being thoroughly consumed. By this contrivance
I render the stove perfectly free from the smell of partially burned gas or of
sulphur or other of the elements therein, and as there are no metal parts in the
stove which are liable to become heated I avoid the unpleasant odour of hot metal..
Moreover by arranging the conical reflector below the burner and cover, the heat
thrown downwards from the same will be diffused in all directions equally and the
stove will present a bright and cheerful appearance.
In some cases I provide the said stove with means for evaporating liquid for
moistening the surrounding atmosphere. For this purpose I arrange within the
aforesaid casing or cylinder a receptacle for the liquid, and in the interior of the
aforesaid casing I provide a sheet or ring of felt, spongio-piline, or other absorbent
material which dips into the liquid in the receptacle and extends up beyond the
bottom of the reflector, so that as the liquid rises in the absorbent material by
capillary attraction it will be evaporated or converted into steam or vapor by the
hent given off or diffused by the said reflector. When the casing or cylinder and
base are made of china or similar material the liquid may be contained therein, so
that there will be no necessity for providing a separate receptacle for this liquid.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and shewn how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it understood that I
am aware that gas stoves have been already made with conical reflectors, and that
other gas-stoves have been provided with terra-cotta or fire clay-covers placed over
the burners; I therefore do not claim broadly or irrespectively of the peculiar arrange-
ment of the parts of my stove as above described the use of a reflector or of a cover
or top formed of refractory material either with or without holes in the same, but
I claim,―
A gas-stove which has the burner or burners placed just above the apex or top
of a conical reflector and immediately below and within a cover or top of porous
material which is perforated with holes whose number and area are properly pro-
portioned to the capacity of the burner, all substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Aikin Brodribb, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One