✅ SOLVED Cast iron stove grate(?)

[invent4hir]

All, the artifact shown in the first 2 photos was found beneath a bunch of bricks and dirt next to a former 1 room school house built in 1854. In 1924 the schools were consolidated and the building was converted into a farm shed which was demolished in the 1970s. Since then the area has become overgrown (see 3rd photo). My uneducated guess is that it is cast iron stove grate, but would like to know what it really is and its age. The first photo shows the outside diameter to be 15 ½ inches and the second photo shows the inner diameter of 13 inches. It is approximately 1 ½ inches thick. There are 4 screw holes along the edge which leads me to believe the 15 ½ inch diameter piece was fixed and that the interior rotated to regulate the size of the (air?) openings. About 50 feet away I found 3 pieces of a school desk (4th photo). They cleaned up pretty well. From the looks of it, at least 1 desk was broken up and buried.

 

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[63cagedfalcon]

A Masonic Lodge I belonged to in New Zealand had grates like this that let cool air from crawl space under building into the interior spaces in summertime.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I tend to agree with cagedfalcon's suggestion, that it's more for encouraging air flow within a building then actually being part of a wood burning stove.
I found these pieces online identified as, “Antique CAST IRON STOVE Heating Air Grate Vents -15.5" diameter”

Dave

PS. Love your site pics too.

 

[Joe-Dirt]

I’ll agree with the guys here, it does look like an adjustable vent of some sort. Cool find and cudos for dragging it out of the woods, I’m sure it’s heavy

 

[ARC]

It is called a "Floor register"...

 

[invent4hir]

All, thanks for the replies. Before posting, I searched the internet and found several grates like the ones showed above, but questioned if that is what I had for 2 reasons. The one I found is 1) thicker and 2) the thickness is largely due to the 13" collar(?) on the underside - which none of the examples above appear to have. That said, such a collar would make sense to countersink the artifact into floor boards and let cool air into the class room on a hot day. Also while researching on-line none of the descriptions mention an age. Given this style, does anyone know?

P.S. I plan to clean this grate up and donate to the park district, who built a school house like building across the street to house rest rooms. It will join a plaque they put up which describes the original school house. As for the desk pieces, they will be part of a retirement gift for the local historical society Director.

 

[invent4hir]

I’ll agree with the guys here, it does look like an adjustable vent of some sort. Cool find and cudos for dragging it out of the woods, I’m sure it’s heavy

Joe, you are right on both accounts! It is heavy and I dragged it out of the woods. Interestingly, when my Whites V3i first passed over it, I heard a high pitch/VDI number (i.e. like a silver dollar) due to iron wrap-around. I began to dig and uncovered the edge - which I first thought was a farm implement wheel. Having run out of daylight I left for the day. Since I had already found the desk pieces I wasn't planning to go back and dig anymore. But a few days later curiosity got the better of me and I went back to finish digging what turned out to be the grate.

 

[Hawks88]

Cool find. Bet it will clean up real nice too. Congrats. Donating it was a great idea.

 

[piegrande]

The old country school house I went to till 1952 had floor vents, but they were connected to the coal furnace downstairs to let hot air come up in the winter with temps well below zero. but, they weren't this shape.

 

[HuntinDog]

Good thing you went back.
Very cool find.
Donating it is a great idea, but it would make a cool peep hole for a speak-easy....LOL

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

P.S. I plan to clean this grate up and donate to the park district, who built a school house like building across the street to house rest rooms. It will join a plaque they put up which describes the original school house. As for the desk pieces, they will be part of a retirement gift for the local historical society Director.

Your offer of preserving this piece then donating it back to your local park district is worth an Honorable Mention here on Tnet my friend!

I will submit your name for nomination.

Dave

 

[invent4hir]

Good thing you went back.
Very cool find.
Donating it is a great idea, but it would make a cool peep hole for a speak-easy....LOL

 

[invent4hir]

Your offer of preserving this piece then donating it back to your local park district is worth an Honorable Mention here on Tnet my friend!

I will submit your name for nomination.

Dave

Dave thanks for the nomination! I met with the museum Curator yesterday to discuss the desk pieces then showed her the grate. She was amazed - to put it lightly. With her help I'll be able to write a worthy description to go along with the grate when donated to the park district.