Improvements in Air Moistening Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Air Moistening Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM VIRGIL WALLACE, of 58 School Street, Westfield, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide simple, durable and effective means
for moistening air by discharge of fine spray or mist from a water supply pipe or
system of pipes.
The invention consists chiefly in an improved spray forming device consisting of
a rotary valve fitted in a seat or casing which is provided with an opening; for the
escape of a stream of water the said valve or its casing preferably the former,
having a groove or grooves preferably of varying depth adapted to permit the
passage of a stream or streams of water at a tangent to the periphery of the valve
through the said opening when the said groove is adjusted so that a portion of it is
in said opening the latter being arranged to permit the unobstructed passage of
said stream or streams through it.
When the groove is of varying size, the size of the stream depends on the position
of the valve the varying size of the groove enabling it to supply a very fine stream
or coarser stream as may be desired. A deflecting plate is arranged in position to
break up the stream of water discharged from the valve and convert the same into
spray. A trough or receptacle is provided under the valve and deflecting plate to
receive the water that drips from the deflecting plate and any water that may leak
from the valve. The arrangement of the groove enables it to be freed from
sediment by partly rotating the valve in its casing said movement wiping off the
valve so to speak, or, in other words, loosening any deposits of sediment or foreign.
matter that may have accumulated in the groove so that such deposits will be
readily removed by the escaping water. When a number of the improved valves
are arranged in one apartment as an air moistening system, means are provided for
the simultaneous rotation of all the valves to give the described wiping or sediment
removing action, all of which I will now proceed to describe.
In carrying my invention into practice I provide a valve casing having an
internal seat or socket formed to receive a cylindrical valve which is adapted to
rotate in the casing said valve and its seat being preferably of tapering form so that
the valve can be adjusted end wise to compensate for wear. In one form or
modification the valve is provided with a tapering groove which at one end is
extremely fine and is gradually deepened from said end until it reaches a cavity
formed in the periphery of the valve. The casing is provided at one side of the
valve with an opening which exposes a portion of the valve and is so arranged that
the valve may be turned to bring any desired part of the groove into the said
opening. The casing is formed to fit closely on the periphery of the valve in the
vicinity of the cavity.
When the valve is turned so that the cavity is covered by the casing there is no
escape of water through the opening. When however the valve is turned so that
the said cavity communicates with the water supply and a part of the groove
extends into the opening of the casing, a stream of water is discharged through
said grooves and through the said opening against a deflecting plate, the size of:
said stream being dependent upon the adjustment of the valve. If the valve be
turned so that only the smallest end of the groove extends into the opening the
stream of water will be extremely minute, but if the valve be turned so that a
larger portion of the groove enters said opening, the stream will be correspondingly
larger. The impingement of the stream thus discharged against the deflector

page_text: causes the stream to be broken up into fine mist and distributed through the
surrounding air. The water that accumulates on the deflector drops into a reservoir
which is attached by any suitable means to the water supply pipe and is located
under the valve and deflecting plate. The receptacle is preferably provided
with a waste pipe to permit the escape of the water that falls into it.
It will be seen from the foregoing that a stream of water of any desired size can
be produced, so that the degree of moisture furnished may be varied as circum-
stances may require. It will also be seen that by partially rotating the valve after
it has been standing for some time in a given position any deposits of sediment that
may have formed in the groove will be wiped off by the movement of the valve in
contact with the casing, or either of said parts so that the groove will be cleared
and the free passage of water through it be permitted. This adaptability of the
valve to be cleaned by the above described wiping action is very important because
the fine groove is very liable to become obstructed by impurities in the water so
that without provision for clearing the groove the device would soon become
inoperative.
I have found that by giving the valve a partial rotation first in one direction and
then in the opposite direction the groove will be cleared of all obstructions. It is
preferable to first rotate the valve in the direction to cause the water-delivering
portions of the grooves to pass under the casing (or under the wiper hereinafter
referred to) at the left hand side of the opening, the casing (or wiper) being thus
caused to force the obstructions from the delivering ends of the grooves, after which
the valve is turned back to its operative position. To permit the above described
rotation of the valve I provide the latter with an arm, which may be moved by any
suitable means, such for example, as a wire rope having attached to it enlargements
located at opposite sides of the arm, so that by movement of the rope in one
direction one of said enlargements will strike the arm and turn the valve in one
direction, while an opposite movement of the rope will cause the other enlargement
to strike said arm and move the valve in the opposite direction. In some cases |
arrange a series of these improved valves in connection with a single rope engaged
in the manner above described with the arms of all the valves, the said rope passing
around pulleys and being connected with a sprocket chain which is engage with a
sprocket wheel supported by a shaft journalled in suitable bearings and provided
with a hand lever whereby the wheel may be turned in either direction and caused
to move the rope so as to rotate and wipe all the valves simultaneously.
One form of rubbing or wiping device consists of a spring arm attached to a
suitably fixed support and having at its free end a rubber piece or pad which bears
upon the periphery of the valve at a point between the sides of the opening, said
opening being made wider in this case than in the forms above described. The
wiping device serves as an auxiliary to the casing in wiping or clearing out the
groove. I do not limit myself, however, to the use of this auxiliary wiper, as in
most cases, the contact of the valve with the casing is sufficient to effect the desired
wiping or clearing out action.
I use a sheet metal shield attached by a set screw to the casing and arranged
over the opening so that it will prevent the particles of lint that may be floating
in the air from falling into said opening and obstructing the groove.
The deflector is in this case connected by a pivot with an arm suitably attached
to the valve casing. The said deflector may be supported in any other suitable
way. I prefer to make the valve hollow, and provide its periphery with an orifice
to permit water to pass from the periphery of the valve into its interior, such water
escaping through an orifice formed in one end of the valve. The said orifice is
located near the delivering end of the groove so that when the valve is adjusting so
that a stream is escaping through the groove the water that may accumulate on
the valve within the opening will fall through the orifice without obstructing the
stream. If the valve had no orifice the accumulating water would prevent the
escape of a very fine stream through the opening.
I do not limit myself to the details of construction herein before described

page_text: but may vary the same in many ways without departing from the spirit of the
invention.
The water supply pipe may be suspended by suitable hangers from the ceiling of
the room, and the waste pipe may be connected by clamps with the supply pipe.
The waste pipe should have a sufficient pitch or inclination to enable it to carry off
the waste water, and for convenience I give the supply pipe the same pitch so that
the two may be parallel.
I do not limit myself to making the groove of varying depth, as the described
wiping action caused by rocking the valve in the casing would be effectual in
removing sediment from the groove if the latter were of uniform depth.
In a modification the valve is provided with several peripheral grooves and said
grooves are of uniform depths, and of different lengths so that when the valve is in
one position, water will flow from a less number of grooves than when the valve is
in another position.
It is obvious that the valve may have one groove of uniform depth instead of a
series, and if desired the valve may have a series of grooves of varying depth.
I prefer the varving depth groove, because I am enabled by the variation to
regulate the size of the stream discharged as above stated. If desired the groove
or grooves may be made in the casing instead of in the periphery of the valve.
When the groove is made in the casing, the said groove is wiped by the rotation or
rocking of the valve, and shut off from the water supply by turning the valve so
that the cavity is covered by one portion of the casing, the lower end of the groove
terminating above said portion.
Dated this 30th day of December 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Air Moistening Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM VIRGIL WALLACE of 58 School Street, Westfield, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object to provide simple, durable and effective means
for moistening air by discharge of fine spray or mist from a water supply pipe or
system of pipes. The invention consists chiefly in an improved spray forming
device consisting of a rotary valve fitted in a seat or casing which is provided with
an opening for the escape of a stream of water, the said valve or its casing, preferably
the former, having a groove or grooves, preferably of varying depth, adapted to
permit the passage of a stream or streams of water at a tangent to the periphery of
the valve through the said opening, when the said groove is adjusted so that a
portion of it is in said opening, the latter being arranged to permit the unobstructed
passage of said stream or streams through it. When the groove is of varying size,
the size of the stream depends on the position of the valve the varying size of the
groove enabling it to supply a very fine stream or coarser stream, as may be
desired. A deflecting plate is arranged in position to break up the stream of water
discharged from the valve and convert the same into spray. A trough or receptacle
is provided under the valve and deflecting plate to receive the water that drips
from the deflecting plate and any water that may leak from the valve. The
arrangement of the groove enables it to be freed from sediment by partly rotating
the valve in its casing, said movement wiping off the valve, so to speak, or, in
other words, loosening any deposits of sediment or foreign matter that may have
accumulated in the groove, so that such deposits will be readily removed by the
escaping water. When a number of the improved valves are arranged in one

page_text: apartment as an air moistening system, means are provided for the simultaneous
rotation of all the valves to give the described wiping or sediment removing action,
all of which I will now proceed to describe and claim.
In the 'accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a valve and its casing embodying my
invention, and showing the deflecting plate and drip receptacle and means for
rocking or rotating the valve to cause the above mentioned wiping action.
Figures 2 and 3 represent perspective views of the valve removed from the
casing, the former showing one groove and the latter a series of grooves in the
periphery of the valve.
Figure 4 represents a transverse section of the valve and its casing on an enlarged
scale.
Figure 5 represents a longitudinal section of the valve.
Figure 6 represents a transverse section of the valve and casing showing an
auxiliary valve wiping device.
Figure 7 represents a transverse section of the valve and its casing showing a
shield or guard arranged over the valve to prevent the admission of lint and other
foreign matter.
Figure 7 represents a transverse section of the valve and its casing showing the
groove made in the casing.
Figure 8 represents a perspective view of a series of my improved valves and
means for simultaneously rotating the same.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In carrying my invention into practice I provide a valve casing a having an
internal seat or socket formed to receive a cylindrical valve b which is adapted to
rotate in the casing, the said valve and its seat being preferably of tapering form
as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5, so that the valve can be adjusted endwise to
compensate for wear. In the construction shown in Figures 4, 6, and 7, the valve
is provided with a tapering groove c, which at one end is extremely fine and is
gradually deepened from said end until it reaches a cavity d formed in the periphery
of the valve. The casing is provided at one side of the valve with an opening g,
which exposes a portion of the valve, and is so arranged that the valve may be
turned to bring any desired part of the groove c opposite said opening. The casing
is formed to closely fit the periphery of the valve in the vicinity of the cavity das
shown in Figure 4. When the valve is turned so that the cavity d is covered by
the casing there is no escape of water through the opening g. When the valve is
turned so that the said cavity d communicates with the water supply and a part of
the groove c comes opposite the opening y of the casing, a stream of water is
discharged through said groove and through the said opening g against a deflecting
plate j, the size of said stream being dependent upon the adjustment of the valve.
If the valve be turned so that only the smallest end of the groove e comes opposite
the opening g, the stream of water will be extremely minute; but if the valve be
turned so that a larger portion of the groove enters said opening, the stream will
be correspondingly larger. The impingement of the stream thus discharged against
the deflector j causes the stream to be broken up into fine mist and distributed
through the surrounding air. The water that accumulates on the deflector drops
into a reservoir k, which is attached by any suitable means to the water supply
pipe i, and is located under the valve and deflecting plate. The receptacle k is
preferably provided with a waste pipe l, to permit the escape of the water that falls
into it.
It will be seen from the foregoing that a stream of water of any desired size can be
produced, so that the degree of moisture furnished may be varied as circumstances
may require. It will also be seen that by partially rotating the valve after it has
been standing for some time in a given position any deposits of sediment that may
have formed in the groove e will be wiped off by the movement of the valve in
contact with the casing, or either of said parts, so that the groove will be cleared
and the free passage of water through it be permitted. This adaptability of the

page_text: valve to be cleaned by the above described wiping action is very important, because
the fine groove c is very liable to become obstructed by impurities in the water so
that without provision for clearing the groove the device would soon become
inoperative. have found that by giving the valve a partial rotation first in one
direction and then in the opposite direction the groove will be cleared of all
obstructions. It is preferable to first rotate the valve in the direction indicated by
the arrow in Figure 6, thus causing the water-delivering portions of the grooves to
pass under the casing (or under the wiper hereinafter referred to) at the left hand
side of the opening as in Figure 6, the casing (or wiper) being thus caused to
force the obstructions from the delivering ends of the grooves, after which the
valve is turned back to its operative position. To permit the above described
rotation of the valve I provide the latter with an arm m, which may be moved
by any suitable means, such for example, as a wire rope o, having attached to it
enlargements r, located at opposite sides of the arm m, so that by movement of
the rope o in one direction one of said enlargements will strike the arm m and turn
the valve in one direction, while an opposite movement of the rope will cause the
other enlargement to strike said arm and move the valve in the opposite direction.
In Figure 8 I have shown a series of these improved valves in connection with a
single rope o engaged in the manner above described with the arms m of all the
valves, the said rope passing around pulleys and being connected with a sprocket
chain which is engaged with a sprocket wheel supported by a shaft journalled
in suitable bearings and provided with a hand lever s, whereby the wheel
be turned in either direction and caused to move the rope so as to rotate and wipe
all the valves simultaneously.
may.
In Figure 61 have shown a rubbing or wiping device composed of a spring
arm u attached to a suitably fixed support and having at its free end a rubber
piece or pad which bears upon the periphery of the valve at a point between
the sides of the opening y, the said opening being made wider in this case than in
the forms shown in Figures 1 and 4. The wiping device serves as an auxiliary
to the casing in wiping or clearing out the groove c. I do not limit myself,
however, to the use of this auxiliary wiper, as in most cases, the contact of the
valve with the casing is sufficient to effect the desired wiping or clearing out action.
In Figure 7 I have shown a sheet metal shield w attached by set screw al to the
casing a, and arranged over the opening g so that it will prevent the particles of
lint that may be floating in the air from falling into said opening and obstructing
the groove.
The deflector is here shown as connected by a pivot y with an arme suitably
attached to the valve casing a, the said deflector may be supported in any other
suitable way.
I prefer to make the valve hollow, as shown in Figure 5, and
provide its periphery with an orifice 3 to permit water to pass from the periphery
of the valve into its interior, such water escaping through an orifice 4 formed on
one end of the valve, as shown in Figure 5. The said orifice 3 is located near the
delivering end of the groove c, so that when the valve is adjusted so that a stream
is escaping through the groove c the water that may accumulate on the valve within
the opening g will fall through the orifice 3 without obstructing the stream. If the
valve had no orifice the accumulating water would prevent the escape of a very
fine stream through the opening y.
I do not limit myself to the details of construction hereinbefore described,
but may vary the same in many ways without departing from the spirit of the
invention.
The water supply pipe i may be suspended by suitable hangers from the ceiling
of the room, and the waste pipe may be connected by clamps with the supply
pipe i. The waste pipe should have a sufficient pitch or inclination to enable it to
carry off the waste water, and for convenience I give the supply pipe the same
pitch so that the two may be parallel.
I do not limit myself to making the groove c of varying depth, as the described
wiping action caused by rocking the valve in the casing would be effectual in

page_text: removing sediment from the groove if the latter were of uniform depth. Figure 3
shows a modification in which the valve is provided with several peripheral grooves
and said grooves are shown as being of uniform depth, and of different lengths so
that when the valve is in one position, water will flow from a less number of grooves
than when the valve is in another position.
It is obvious that the valve may have one groove of uniform depth instead of a
series, and if desired the valve may have a series of grooves of varying depth.
I prefer the varying depth groove, because I am enabled by the variation to
regulate the size of the stream discharged as above stated.
If desired the groove
or grooves may be made in the casing instead of in the periphery of the valve.
Figure 74 shows a groove c¹ made in the casing, the said groove being wiped by the
rotation or rocking of the valve, and shut off from the water supply by turning the
valve so that the cavity g is covered by the portion 5 of the casing, the lower end
of the groove terminating above said portion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
First. In an air-moistening apparatus the combination with a valve case provided
with inlet and outlet ports, of a turning plug fitted therein and provided with a groove
partially surrounding its circumference in the plane of the ports and of length
sufficient to establish communication between the ports, and a deflector plate secured
in front of the outlet port in the path of the outflowing stream, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Second. In an air moistening apparatus the combination with a valve case
provided with inlet and outlet ports, of a turning plug fitted therein and provided
with a groove partially surrounding its circumference in the plane of the ports and
tapering from the inlet toward the outlet port, and of length sufficient to establish
communication between the ports, and a deflector plate secured in front of the
outlet port in the path of the outflowing stream, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Third. In an air-moistening apparatus the combination of a valve casing com-
municating with a water supply pipe, and provided with a side opening g, a rotary
valve in said casing, having a peripheral groove arranged to coincide with said
opening and discharge a stream of water therethrough, and a wiper vin yielding
contact with the periphery of the valve, as set forth.
Fourth. In an air-moistening apparatus the combination with a valve case having
an outlet port, and an inlet port, of a revolvable valve fitting said case and provided
with a groove in its periphery adapted to be brought into communication with said
ports or moved across the outlet port by revolution of the valve, and a deflector
arranged to he in line with a jet of water flowing from said groove as and for the
purposes described.
Fifth. In an air-moistening apparatus the combination with a valve case having
an outlet port and an inlet port of a revolvable valve provided with a groove
in its periphery adapted to be brought into communication with said ports, said
valve having an internal chamber and a port communicating therewith located
adjacent to the outlet end of said groove, as and for the purposes described.
Sixth. In an air-moistening apparatus, the use of a groove or grooves formed in
the interior of the valve casing, in lieu of on the valve substantially as and for the
purpose above set forth.
Dated 20th day of Santambor 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.