IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING BUILD- INGS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris and
Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING BUILD-
INGS." A communication from abroad by Francis Lay Norton, of the City,
County, and State of New York, in the United States of America, Merchant.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th February
1879.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23, South-
ampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. “IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING BUILDINGS." A communication from abroad by
Francis Lay Norton, of the City, County, and State of New York, in the United
States of America, Merchant.
The apparatus consists of a system of pipes connected with apartments to be
cleared of foul air, and communicating through a clapper-valve and a flexible or
jointed pipe with an exhausting and forcing device consisting of a water bell to
which a vertical reciprocating motion is imparted by any suitable means, as, for
example, a beam operated by a steam or water engine or other motor.
The return or down stroke of the bell forces the air through the same flexible or
jointed pipe, when it is arrested by the clapper valve guarding the exhaust pipes,
and is forced through a similar clapper valve opening in the opposite direction, and
discharged into the open air.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th August 1879.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23, South-
ampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING BUILDINGS." (A communication from abroad by
Francis Lay Norton, of the City, County, and State of New York, in the United
States of America, Merchant.)
The apparatus consists of a system of pipes connected with apartments to be
cleared of foul air, and communicating through a clapper valve with an exhausting
and forcing device consisting of a water bell to which a vertical reciprocating motion
is imparted by any suitable means, as, for example, a steam or water engine, or other
motor. The return or down stroke of the bell forces the air through the same or
another pipe when it is arrested by the clapper-valve guarding the exhaust pipos,
and is forced through a similar clapper valve opening in the opposite direction, and
is discharged into the open air.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings,
more fully to describe the same.
Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the paired valves with the cap removed from one of them.
Figure 3 is a plan of the exhaust valve with cap removed and valve proper or
clapper turned back.
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the discharge valve; Figure 5 is a
side view of one of the valves; Figure 6 is a vertical section of one of the valves on
a larger scale; Figure 7 is a plan thereof; Figure 8 is a plan of the same with the
cap removed and the clapper raised; Figure 9 is a vertical section showing the bell
connected with the valves by a sliding telescopic pipe instead of a flexible pipe.
Figure 10 is a sectional elevation on a smaller scale showing a mode of using the
Invention with fixed pipes.
a, a, a, represent branch exhaust pipes communicating through a main exhaust
pipe A with a chamber B containing a gravitating clapper valve C; D is a chamber
containing a valve C₁ similar in construction to C, but opening in the other direc-
tion, as shown in Figure 4, so as to pass air to the discharge pipe E, and prevent
its return. A branch pipe F connects the rear ends of the valve chamber B and D.
In Figure 1, G represents a flexible or it may be a jointed pipe connecting with the
interior of a bell H, which works in a water tank I, and has imparted to it a
vertical reciprocating motion by any suitable means. Figure 1 shows a beam J
fulcrumed at j, and actuated by a crank wheel K, driven by a band L. The wrist k
of the crauk works in a slot ¹ in the beam J. A steam or water engine or other
motor may be employed to work the beam either directly or indirectly, or may have
a direct or other connection with the bell H; but little power is required. M, M,
represent a pair of slotted standards to guide the bell H in a vertical path.
Figure 9 shows a modification in the mode of connecting the reciprocating bell H
with the valve chambers. In this modification a pipe G¹ fixed to the bell, and
communicating with its interior, works telescopically within a stationary pipe G³

page_text: connected to the branch pipe F of the valves. A suitable packing g¹ is provided at
the extremity of either pipe G³ or G³, to form a tight joint between them.
The Invention may be used in various ways with fixed pipes, as, for example, in
the manner shown in Fig. 10, where R represents the cylinder of a steam, water, or
other engine, and T a piston rod extending up through a fixed vertical pipe U,
and attached within the head of the bell H. A' and E' represent pipes fixed in
the casing or tank I, and extending up within the same above the surface of the
water therein, and at a sufficient distance from the walls of the tank to permit the
bell H to descend over said pipes. One of these pipes may be for exhaust, and the
other for discharge, in which case A' connects with the exhaust pipe valve chamber B,
and E¹ with the discharge valve chamber D, or vice versa, or in a larger apparatus
each pipe may connect with or take the place-of-a-pipe-G-common-to-both-the-
exhaust and discharge valves, and connected to each by a branch pipe F, so that
the pipe A¹ will exhaust and discharge the foul air from one apartment or set of
apartments, and the pipe El from another apartment or set of apartments by the
operation of one bell H, which bell may, if preferred, be divided by vertical parti-
tions into separate compartments.
The particular construction of the valves is best shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8.
The valve case or chamber B is of oblong form, and placed in horizontal position.
It contains a diagonal plate S constituting the seat on which the clapper C or valve
proper closes by gravity, the valve seat being pierced within an aperture of elliptic
shape which about corresponds in vertical area with one or both of the inlet and
outlet ports of the valve case. The valve plate C is of metal, is hinged at its upper
end o³, and has a sheet of rubber c of corresponding size fastened to its under surface
by means of a plate c' which fits within the opening of the valve seat, and is secured
to the valve plate Ċ by rivets passing through the rubber, as shown in dotted lines
in Figure 8.
This mode of constructing the valve of two plates of metal, one resting upon the
valve seat, and the other fitting the aperture therein, confining between them a
sheet of rubber the size of the larger one, is found good in practice, in that the
elastic and yielding qualities of the rubber are fully availed without the exposure
of metal on any part of the working surface of the valve, which forms the tight
joint, and at the same time the rubber is effectually held in position by the lower
plate, so as to prevent the liability which would otherwise exist of buckling or
folding over or within the valve port. The top of the valve case is closed by a
cap N, beneath which is interposed a sheet of rubber of same size, the whole being
secured by straps or yokes O, O, and clamp screws P, P.
In operation the elevation of the bell H causing a partial vacuum draws foul air
from any apartments with which the branch pipes a, a, a, are connected. On the
return or downward motion of the bell the valve C closes, and the foul air which has
filled the bell is forced out through the valve chambers D and discharge pipe E. As
this is repeated at every stroke of the bell it is manifest that the apartments will be
rapidly cleared of foul air, its place being supplied by fresh air from without, which
may pass through any customary or suitable heating apparatus in cold weather.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode in which
the same may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that what I
claim is,―
First. The reciprocating bell or receiver H actuated by any suitable mechanism,
and connected with piping to be extended to one or more apartments from which
foul air is to be removed.
Second. The combination of the reciprocating bell or equivalent pumping
apparatus, and the paired valves to exhaust and discharge the air, in manner
substantially as herein described.
Third. A ventilating apparatus constituted and operating in manner substantially
as herein set forth.
Fourth. The combination of the water tank I, the reciprocating bell or receiver H,

page_text: and a flexible, or jointed, or sliding pipe for ventilating buildings or apartments in
'the manner explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
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