Year: 1896

page_text: We, PERCY BENHAM and EDWIN JOHN EASON, both of 50 to 54 Wigmore
Street, County of Middlesex, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the raising and lowering of fire-grates of particularly
kitcheners though it may be applicable to other grates.
According to this invention the grate is supported on preferably two rollers
each of which is carried in one or more arms secured to a shaft extending beneath
the grate from the front towards the back or vice versa.
On these shafts are secured toothed sectors or wheels engaging with other
toothed wheels or pinions also geared together so that rotary motion imparted to one
of the pinions will be transmitted directly to one of the sectors and the corresponding
arm or arms and through the second pinion to the other sector and arm or arms.
The spindle of one of the pinions is fitted with a ratchet wheel with which engages
a pawl provided with a knob or handle projecting through the range front to a
position convenient for operation; the spindle of the other pinion is formed with a
squared or equivalent end which is readily accessible from the front of the range
to admit of a key or lever being applied to it for raising or lowering the grate as
hereinafter explained.
At the underside of the grate there are preferably provided one or more ribs
which bear upon the before-mentioned rollers to facilitate the operation of the
apparatus and in cases where there is a boiler at the back of the grate the latter
is preferably provided with a downwardly-extending plate or "curtain" adapted
to close the passage beneath the boiler when the grate is raised.
The various rollers, shafts and spindles may be fitted in open or closed bearings
according to requirements and if desired the operating lever and ratchet wheel
may be applied to the arm-carrying shafts instead of as before described the
pinion shafts.
To raise the grate the operating lever is applied to the square-ended shaft and,
moved in the required direction the two arms and the grate ascending simul
taneously therewith. The grate is retained in its elevated position by the ratchet
and pawl and to lower the grate all that is necessary is to release the pawl from
the ratchet wheel after which the grate falls by gravity though it is preferred that
its descent should be controlled by means of the operating lever.
Dated this 27th day of January 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Adjustable Fire-grates.
We, PERCY BENHAM and EDWIN JOHN EASON, both of 50 to 54 Wigmore
Street, County of Middlesex, Engineers, 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 adjustable fire-grates and will be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a front elevation of one example of a fire-grate provided with
improvements according to this invention;
Figure 2 is an elevation of the same grate with a portion of the front removed
to show the mechanism behind, and
Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section of the grate.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The grate bottom A is supported so as to have freedom of movement in its own
plane on two rollers B on which it may roll or (as there is but little contact
surface between the bottom and the rollers) may slide; each of these rollers is
carried in one end of an arm B' the other end of which is pivotted by a pin or
trunnion B formed in one piece with it, in a frame C fixed to the sides of the
ash-pit. On the shafts B2 of the two arms B' are secured sectors B' which engage
with toothed wheels D gearing with each other and fixed on shafts D' which also
are journalled in the frame C; the gearing of the sectors B³ and toothed wheels D
with each other is so arranged that rotary motion imparted to either of the
wheels D will be transmitted directly to the sectors B3 and corresponding arms B¹
so as to move the latter into the position to which they are shown in dotted lines
in Figures 2 and 3 thus effecting the raising of the grate bottom A.
The shaft. D' of one of the wheels D is fitted with a ratchet wheel D' with
which engages a pawl E pivotted upon the front of the grate and provided with a
handle E extended through the range front to a place convenient for operating.
The spindle of the other wheel D is formed with a square end or equivalent head
to euable a key or lever F to be readily applied to it at the front of the range for
operating the gearing B D aud thus raising or lowering the grate.
At the underside of the grate bottom A there are preferably provided, two or
more ribs A that bear upon the before mentioned rollers B to facilitate the
operation of the apparatus; and in cases where there is a boiler at the back of the
grate, it is preferably provided with a downward extending plate or "curtain" A³
adapted to close the passage beneath the boiler when the grate bottom is raised.
As the grate bottom A merely rests on the rollers Bit can. be lifted out of place, if
desired, very readily and without any unfastening of parts.
On the upper side of the grate bottom there are preferably provided several ribs
running transversely, aud to prevent contortion of the bottom by the action of the
fire these ribs are interrupted as shown thus keeping the grate bottom to its original
shape by permitting freedom of expansion and facilitating the operation of the
apparatus. The ribs on the upper side of the grate bottom before described, are
spaced to form channels for air currents, as the grate bottom proper may be either
solid or open according to requirements.
The various rollers, sbafts and spindles may be fitted in open or closed bearings
according to requirements; and if desired, the operating lever and ratchet wheel
may be applied to the arm-carrying shafts instead of as before described the
pinion shafts.
To raise the grate bottom the operating lever is applied to the shaft D' having
the square end and moved in the required direction, the two arms B' and the grate

page_text: bottom A ascending simultaneously therewith. The grate bottom is retained in
its elevated position by the ratchet D' and pawl E and to lower the grate bottom,
all that is necessary is to release the pawl E from the ratchet wheel D' after which
the grate bottom A falls by gravity, though it is preferred that its descent should
be controlled by means of the operating lever F.
Convenient stationary portions of the grate such as the ledges G and H stop the
descent of the grate-bottom A at the lower extreme of its travel whereby the
raising and lowering gear can descend a little further,, independently of said
bottom; they do not heat as readily when thus kept clear, which renders them less
liable to get out of order.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a fire-grate, raising and lowering apparatus for the grate-bottom which
supports but is not attached to the same, for the purpose specified.
2. In an adjustable fire-grate of the kind described a grate-bottom free to move in
its own plane whilst supported by the adjusting gear, and capable of being removed
from place without any unfastening of parts.
3. In an adjustable fire-grate the means to stop the descent of the grate-bottom
at the lower extreme of its travel whereby the raising and lowering gear can travel
further independently of said bottom.
4. In an adjustable fire-grate the combination with the raising and lowering gear
of rollers B and a grate bottom which has ribs such as A' on its underside and is
adapted to have freedom of movement in its own plane whilst it rises or falls,
eubstantially as described.
5. In an adjustable fire-grate raising and lowering gear for the grate bottom,
arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. Interrupted ribs on the upper surface of the grate bottom, substantially as
described.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting a complete adjustable
grate substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of October 1896.
EDWIN JOHN EASON.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.