Connecticut western news., 1890-08-20
THE AEROPhCR.

It is of the first importance in textile factories to have a continuous and equable degree of atmospheric moist ure. In spinning sheds a large amount of frictional electricity is generated by the running of the spindles and of the machinery generally, and this electrici- ty, if it be not absorbed by moisture in the air, has an injurious effect upon the yarns and fbers. In weaving sheds a humid atmosphere is of equal impor- tance, otherwise there is a continual breaking of threads and other prejudi- cial occurrences The necessary diffu- sion of moisture has hitherto been se-, cured at the expense of the comfort, and even the health, of the factory hands, by the projection of steam into the atmosphere and by dampening the floors with water. In either case dam age is caused to the machinery and buildings, while an unhealthy atmos- phere is created, in which the opera tives are obliged to work.
 In order to obviate all this the aerophor has been invented by Ger man engineer, and is largely in use in Germany. The aerophor is an appa- ratus for distributing moisture in the form of a very fine water cloud, which may be either cold or warm. The appa- ratus, which is not large, contains no movable parts, and a single high press ure pump can work any number of aero phors. The contrivance, which is fixed just under the ceiling at given points, consists of two separate nozzles, one for propelling the air by creating an in- duced current, and the other for moist ening it. A jet of water under pressure is projected through a horizontal noz- gle into a casing in which there is a vertical nozzle. The jet from the hori- zontal nozzle causes the induced cur rent of air to act upon the water enter ing the casing at it's upper part through the vertical nozzle. The water is passed into the atmosphere in the form of 8 fine, difusive cloud, the large drops of water being caught and retained by the apparatus.
 The aerophor will only project into the atmosphere such particles of water as are capable of being absorbed i'm mediately, so that damage to the machinery or fabric is impossible. In the same way, the atmosphere not being supersaturated, there is no injury to health. Installations of this inven- tion have recently been put up in several Lancashire mills one of which, belonging to the Hurst Mills company, Ashton -under-Lyne, was recently in spected by number of mill owners and other gentlemen interested in the production of textile fabrics. In the shed inspected there were 466 looms out of the 3, 100 at work in the mill. The moistening is there successfully performed by eleven aerophors, while ventilation is aided by an aerophor ventilator. The recording instruments showed the temperature to be 78 degs. Fahrenheit with 75 per cent. of moisture. Inquiries of the manager and of several of the operatives elicited but one answer, and that was one of thorough satisfaction. MT. Osborne, one of her majesty's inspectors of factories, was present, and stated that the aeropho1 met the requirements of the govern. ment and was boon to the operatives. He observed that the aerophor, or any similar apparatus efficiently effectine the same object, was greatly wanted in l textile factories. Public Opinion.