US666873A - Censer. - Google Patents

Description

No. 666,873. Patented Ian. 29, |9o|. T. m. muuuznms.

C E N S E R (Application filed Aug. 13, 1 900.

(No Model.)

2 SheetsSheet L w: Nonms PETERS 00.. PHOTO-mun, WASNXNOTON. 0.1:

No. 666,873. Patented Ian. 29, I901. T. M. M'ULKERINS.

CENSER.

(Application filed Aug. 13, 1900.| (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

NITED STATES THOMAS M. MULKERINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CENSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,873, dated January 29, 1901.

Application filed August 13, 1900. Serial No. 26,802. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. MULKER- INS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Censers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in censers, and refers more specifically to an improved attachment for censers consisting of a fire-cage which may be conveniently attached to most of the censers nowin common use and which serves as a means of preventing the accidental escape of fragments of fire or burning incense from the combustionchamber of the censor.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheaply-constructed, and efficient attachment or device of the character referred to capable of being applied to most of the censers now in common use, as Well as of being embodied in censers specially constructed to include this feature; and the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and will be readily understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical axial sectional view of a censer equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lower or main body member of the censer equipped with my attachment, the latter being shown open in position to receive fuel or incense; and Fig. 3 is a perspective of the fire-cage proper lifted out of its seat.

Referring to said drawings, 1 designates as a whole the censer, which may be of any usual or preferred construction, that shown herein consisting of a main body 2 of vase form, a cover portion 3, which fits upon the upper end of the vase-like body and is held in position thereon by means of the suspension-chains 4, which, however, permit it to be lifted up free from the main body, and a combustion-chamber 5, in the present instance consisting of a sheet-metal cup seated in the upper end of the main body, so as to occupy the mouth thereof.

In the ordinary use of a censor of the general character thus described when used as has heretofore been common a body of burn ing charcoal is placed within the cup or combustion-chamber 5, being permitted to rest directly upon the bottom of the receptacle, and over this body of burning charcoal the incense is poured in quantities so regulated as not to extinguish the fire. When thus used, the combustion-chamber 5 is open at its upper endt'. e., it is unprovided with a cover other than the upper member 3 of the censer, which latter, being of skeleton or open-work construction, as indicated in the drawings,permits the free escape of the smoke of the incense. The open or skeleton-like construction of the cover of the censer while necessary to permit the proper escape of the incense-smoke will also permit the escape of fragments of burning fuel, ashes, and burning incense in case the censer be accidentally overturned or brought violently in contact with some fixed object, and this is a contingency which more or less frequently happens; for the reason that in using censers they are usually swung to and fro, and commonly by boys or young persons apt to be more or less careless or unskilful. To obviate the danger and objections of thus accidentally spilling the fire, ashes, and other contents of the censer, I have provided a fire-cage in the nature of a grate adapted to be secured within the upper part of the combustion-chain ber of the censer and so constructed as to not only absolutely prevent the escape of the fragments of fuel and ashes from the combustionchamber, but also at the same time to improve the burning qualities of the combustion-chamber and secure a more uniform and reliable combustion of the fuel and incense.

Describing now said attachment in detail, 6 designates a supporting-plate adapted to be permanently or securely fastened over the mouth of the combustion-chamber 5 and provided at its center with an opening 7, Within which is seated a fire-cage 8, which is arranged to depend within the upper part of the combustion-chamber. Inthe preferred construction'shown herein said cage consists of a rectangular grate like or open structure, as shown clearly in Fig. 5, provided at two of its sides with outturned flanges 9, adapted to engage the upper surface of the supportingplate 6 and thereby hold the cage suspended within the aperture 7. While the particular construction of the fire-cage 9 is immaterial so far as the openings or skeleton structure thereof is concerned, it is to be particularly noted that the vent-openings in the sides thereof extend throughout practically the full depth of the cageas, for example, as indicated at 1011so that ashes or small burning fragments may escape through said sides at any point throughout the height of the cage. This construction is of importance, as will hereinafter appear in the description of the operation of the device.

The supporting-plate 6 is provided with a hinged cover 12, adapted to close the aperture 7 therein, and in order to afford a suitable ven t, so as to maintain a proper combustion within the chamber, this cover is provided with an opening 13, which is covered with a wire netting or screen l-l, as indicated clearly in Fig. 2. Means are also provided for securing this hinged cover in closed position, such means consisting in the present instance of a turn-button 15, the innerhead end of which is adapted to beneath the edge 16 and be turned at right angles thereto to hold the cover closed in a usual manner.

As a perferred means of permanently securing the attachment to the combustionreceptacle of the censer I provide a plurality of depending metal fingers or strips 17, permanently secured to the inside of the supporting-plate 6, so as to depend within the receptacle and adapted to be so bent as to rest in contact at their lower ends with the interiorof the receptacle, to which latter they are likewise permanently secured-as, for example, by rivets-as indicated at 18. These metal strips afford convenient means of readily securing the attachment to the combustion-receptacles of censers of varying construction and size, the supporting-plate 6 being usually constructed of sufficiently large diameter to cover the largest size of combustion-receptacles likely to be encountered and subsequently trimmed down at its margins after being attached to the receptacle.

The use of the attachment constructed as described is probably entirely obvious from the foregoing description; but it is to be noted that by reason of the fact that the fuel is supported free from the bottom of the combustion-chamber a better supply of air reaches the fuel, and it therefore burns more freely and uniformly than when simply placed upon the bottom of the receptacle. Ordinarily the fuel used in censers is in the form of a block of charcoal or composition specially formed to approximately fit the receptacle. The incense, which is in the nature of a resinous granular substance, tends to become fluid when burning, and if poured overthe block of fuel in excess quantities will partially submerge the latter and smother the fire. With the present attachment, however, the openings in the sides of the cage permit the excess incense fluid to escape from the cage and fall into the lower part of the combustion-chamber, thereby effectively preventing the smothering of the fire.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that fragments of fire and burning incense cannot escape from the fire-cage or from the combustion-chamber, for the reason that the screen-cover effectually incloses the cage, while at the same time the smoke of the incense .and products of combustion pass freely through the screen.

It is to be noted that the cage may be readily lifted out of its seat by simply opening the cover for the purpose of cleaning and recharging it.

While I have herein shown and described what I deem to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, yet it will be obvious that the details thereof may be modified without departing from the invention, and I do not therefore wish to be limited to these details except as they may be made the subject of specific claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with the combustionchamber of a eenser, a supporting-plate extending horizontallyover the upper side thereof, provided with a fuel-aperture, a fire-cage supported from said plate so as to depend within said combustion-chamber beneath said fuel-aperture and having sides and bottom of open skeleton construction so as to permit the free escape of ashes and surplus incense-powder therefrom and a cover provided with a screened opening arranged to overlie said cage and fuel-aperture, substantially as described.

2. In a eenser, the combination of the main body 2, provided with the combustion cup or receptacle 5 seated permanently in the upper end thereof, the main cover 3 removably supported upon said main body, the supportingplate 6 permanently attached to the receptacle 5 so as to close the upper end thereof and provided with the fuel-aperture through its body portion, the fire-cage 8 having the skeleton construction, supported upon the lower side of said so pporti ng-plate, the hinged cover 12 provided with the screened aperture therein and the latch 16, combined and operating, substantially as set forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for censers, comprising a supporting-plate, provided with an aperture therein, a fire-cage secured to one side thereof in register with said aperture,a cover provided with a screened opening arranged to overlie the opening of said supporting-plate, and means for securing said attachment in position to occupy the mouth of the combustion-receptacle of a eenser, substantially as described.

THOMAS M. MULKERINS.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK O. GOODWIN, ALBERT H. GRAVES.

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