Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/320

2SS1 FIR to a sufficient length, to defend bj them, in case of rire, through a window : they are sold by several tfope-manufa&urers in town.genc- rally at two sh Uings per yard. FIRE-IRONS, are those idstru- rnents which are employed in the management of a fire, namely, po- ker, shovel, and the different kinds of tongs. As the man ufa flare of these articles isacknow edged tobe very unwieldy, Mr. Samuel Bl- tiiam, of Queen-square Place, in Middlesex, obtained a patent in the month of April 1 7Q3, for a new method of making fire-irons, His invention consists in forming those instruments tubular ; the cylinders being closed at the ends, as well for strength as for keeping out dust : hence they acquire a degree of lightness, which the patentee af- firms cannot be given them by any other means, with the same degree of strength. The joint of die tongs may be made in a manner similar to common ones, or with a spring- joint resembling that of sugar- tongs. The two legs are joined together by. a flat, broad, semi- circular plate, hardened so as to acquire a proper degree of elastic city. The ends of the tongs may be either flat, as is usual, or hol- low like a spoon. The materials may be either entirely iron, or those parts which are not intended to come in contact with the fir'", may be of silver, plated work, or any other "metal. With respect to die poker and shovel, the ends may, for the same reason, be in separate, pieces from the stems ; but as that of the poker is frequently exposed to the rire, it becomes necessary to make it, if tubular, much thicker than the stem. — The chief objecf of this contrivance is simplicity and light- FIR dessj but we doubt whether it M calculated for general use. FIRE-PLACE, a contrivance for communicating heat to rooms, and also for answering various pur- poses of art and manufacture. — With respect to the latter kind, we propose to treat under the articles of Furnace and Stove. In the construction of fire-places for domestic purpose's, the chief t is the saving of fuel : with this intention, several ingenious artists have invented different kind* of grate*, more or less adapted to that useful end. The fire-places in general use are, 1 . The large open ones, which were commonly adopted in former times, and are still retained in the country, and in kitchens : they re- quire a wide funnel, consume a a great quantity of fuel, and gene- rally smoke, unless the door, or a window, be left open. 2. The modern fire-places ge- nerally adopted in town?, ^re con- structed with low breasts and hearths, narrowed by jambs. These being more contracted than the an- tiquated chimnies, easily keep the room free from smoke ; but the' funnel necessarily occasions a con-* siderable draught of air, which rushing in at every crevice, ren- ders the situation of those who are exposed to it very uncomfo; table, and even dangerous : for it is un- questionable, that most of the dis- eases that proceed from colds, may be justly attributed to the strong draught of chimnies, by which, in severe weather, per- sons are scorched before, while they are freezing behind. Such fire-places, therefore, are of little • service in heating rooms, as the surrounding air, which is Wanned by