IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF VENTILATORS IN CONSERVATORIES, CHURCHES, AND STRUCTURES GENERALLY
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathan Hunt and William Newton Cox, both of Bristol,
in the City and County of Bristol, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF VENTILATORS
IN CONSERVATORIES, CHURCHES, AND STRUCTURES GENERALLY."
'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nathan Hunt and William
Nowton Cox at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March
1877.
NATHAN HUNT and WILLIAM NEWTON Cox, both of Bristol, in the City and
County of Bristol. "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE
OPENING AND CLOSING OF VENTILATORS IN CONSERVATORIES, CHURCHES, AND
STRUCTURES GENERALLY."
The Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for regulating the tempera-
ture in buildings or constructions of any description, and is also applicable for the
regulation of the heat of fluids, but is especially adapted for greenhouses and other
horticultural constructions, churches, public rooms of all descriptions, hospitals,
large private rooms and offices, and portion of which apparatus may be used
separately or in combination, as hereafter described.
In carrying our Invention into practice we employ an air-tight vessel, simple or
compound, of any suitable material, but preferably of glass, to contain air and water
in about the proportion of ten to one, or the air may be substituted by any gas or
fluid. This vessel may be made in any convenient form, terminating in a narrow
pipe attached to or forming part of the same. This pipe is immersed in a second
vessel of any suitable material, form, and size, also containing water.
These vessels having been adjusted the action is as follows:-An increase of tem-
perature expands the air in the first vessel, and expels thereform a corresponding
volume of water into the second vessel, whilst a decrease of temperature contracts
the air in the first vessel, and causes an inflow of fluid from the second one.
As it is evident the expulsion of fluid from the first to the second vessel will cause,
a corresponding decrease of weight in the former, and an increase of weight in the

page_text: "
latter vessel, while the reverse will be the case when the contraction of the air in
the first vessel causes the fluid to flow into it from the second one. Either or both
of these vessels may be used as a weight either directly or in conjunction with a
lever or levers for the following purposes :-
First. To open and shut all or any suitable ventilators with the difference of
weight caused by the variations of temperatures.
Secondly. To open and shut a damper or valve in any flue requiring regulation for
changes of temperature.
'
Thirdly. To control a valve in connection with a cylinder and piston, actuated
by hydrostatic or other pressure, which piston shall impart the necessary motion
for opening and shutting the before-named ventilators or dampers.
Fourthly. This piston arrangement may also be used for rolling and unrolling
blinds for the purpose of giving shade, or any other apparatus for the purpose of
regulating the temperature.
In conjunction with the above we shall preferably employ a ventilator consisting
of a blind or flap, which should be of a flexible material, little affected by the heat
or moisture of the atmosphere. One end of this blind will be mounted on a roller,
and the other end attached to a frame covered with a metallic or other perforated
material.
A cord or cords will be passed round the roller in an opposite direction to that of
the blind, which blind can then be rolled up by a sufficient pull on the cords. Its
return may be effected either by its own weight, or by such counterbalances as the
size and position of the ventilating blind may require.
.
Also, we may use a tube or other vessel containing air or any other fluid affected
by changes of temperature, the exparision, or contraction of which fluid should be
made to act directly on a piston working in a cylinder.
Although we have described soveral modes of carrying our Invention into effect
we do not limit ourselves thereto, nor to the arrangements of the details, as they
can be varied to suit circumstances, the object we have in view being to construct
a thermometer, sensitive, self-acting, and easily adjustable, from which sufficient
power may be obtained to work well balanced or easily moving ventilators,
dampers, or blinds; or a secondary motive power may be employed for working
the ventilators, etc., which power will be controlled and regulated by our ther-
mometer. .
We also (where absolute accuracy is required) have provided a means of counter-
balancing the varying effect of the barometric influence by means of another vessel
of about the same capacity as the first vessel, but protected from theometric
influence by some non-conductor, such as sawdust, an air jacket, or by simple
burying in the earth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Nathan Hunt and William Newton Cox in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th September 1877.
NATHAN HUNT and WILLIAM NEWTON Cox, both Bristol, in the City and County
of Bristol. "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE OPENING
AND CLOSING OF VENTILATORS IN CONSERVATORIES, CHURCHES, AND STRUCTURES
GENERALLY."
The Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for regulating the tempera-
ture in buildings or constructions of any description, and is also applicable for the
regulation of the heat of fluids, but is especially adapted for greenhouses and other
horticultural constructions, churches, public rooms of all descriptions, hospitals, and
large private rooms and offices, a portion of which apparatus may be used separately
or in combination; as desired.

page_text: In carrying our Invention into practice we employ an air-tight vessel, simple or
compound, of any suitable material, but preferably of glass, to contain air and water,
or air only. The air or the water may however be substituted by gas or other
fluid. This vessel inay be made in any convenient form, terminating in a narrow
pipe attached to or forming part of the same. This pipe is immersed in or connected
with a second vessel of any suitable inaterial, form, and size, also containing water
or other fluid.
These vessels having been adjusted the action is as follows:-An increase of
temperature expands the air in the first vessel, and expels therefrom a corresponding
volume of water, if water is used, into the second vessel; whilst a decrease of ten-
perature contracts the air in the first vessel, and causes an inflow of fluid or liquid
from the second one.
As it is evident the expulsion of fluid from the first to the second vessel will
cause a corresponding decrease of weight in the former, and an increase of weight in
the latter vessel, while the reverse will be the caso when the contraction of the air
in the first vessel causes the fluid to flow into it from the second one. Either or both
of these vessels may be used as a weight, either directly or in conjunction with a
lever or levers.
Our Invention will be well understood on reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figure 1, Sheet 1, shows an air-tight vessel T, preferably of
glass, containing air and water. This vessel terininates in a narrow neck, and is
attached to one end of an elastic pipe a, the other end of which is connected to a
second vessel B, elastic or not, also containing water. The latter vessel is in turn
attached to the lower end of a cord c, the upper end of which is secured to a pulley
d forming part of a swing ventilator or blind e, to which a shiftable weight f is
fitted for adjusting the same. On an increase of temperature taking place the air
in the vessel T expands, and so expels a certain quantity of water from it into the
second vessel B, rendering it heavier, which through the cord c then acts upon the
ventilator e, and opens it to a proportionate amount. On the contrary, when the
temperature of the air falls, the confined air or gas in the vessel T contracts, causing
the water which was previously expelled to return from the vessel B, which becomes
lighter, and allows the ventilator to close more or less by the preponderance of the
balance weight f. The vessels T and B may be made of any size, shape, or
material, and any number of them may be fitted and act upon one or more
ventilators.
Instead of the cord c acting upon a swing ventilator, as shown, it is evident it can
be attached to and its motion made to roll and unroll a blind or sunshade in any
of the well known manners.
In Figure 1 we have shown our Invention as applied to open and close a venti-
lator by its being connected directly to it; but in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 we show
an arrangement of our Invention, in which the expansion and contraction of the air
or gas in the first vessel acts through a pneumatic bellows upon a valve which
governs the motion of a hydrostatic bellows, which latter is connected direct or by
means of cord or other gearing to the ventilators or valves to be acted upon.
Figure 2 is a side view, and Figure 3 a front view of the same; Figure 4, an
enlarged view (half in section) of the valve; and Figure 5 is an enlarged view, half
in section of the hydrostatic bellows (H). It also shews the water inlets and its
general construction.
The divisional plates m and n are preferably of cast iron, and the sides of india-
rubber secured to these plates m and n with screws by brass rings. The india-
rubber diaphragins which form the sides of the hydrostatic bellows are connected at
their centre by a pair of brass discs, with screws passing through the whole, and
this pair of discs and diaphragms are perforated through their centre.
T shows a glass bulb containing air, and fully exposed to changes of temperature,
and B a similar glass vessel containing air, but carefully protected from changes of
temperature by lagging or otherwise.
P is a double-acting pneumatic bellows, consisting of two distinct portions 1 and

page_text: 2, and x, y, and z are three rigid plates, of which a and z are fixed, and y free to
move. a and b show pipes connecting the vessels T and B with the upper and lower
portions of the bellows P.
"
G is a girdle encircling the bellows P, and connecting its upper and lower portions.
L shows a graduated lever, with a sliding weight connected to the girdle C; its
use is to adjust the amount of resistance the plate y offers to the expansion of the
upper portion of the bellows P.
S is an equilibrium slide valve with five tubes. No. 1 tube connects the slide
valve with a tank overhead, or with some other supply of water under pressure;
No. 2 tube is the waste tube to carry off the water ufter it has been used in the
hydrostatic bellows H.; tubes Nos. 3, 4, and 5 are supply tubes to the separate com-
partments of the hydrostatic bellows.
The hydrostatic bellows is enclosed in a cast-iron casing g; it has three distinct
chambers, so that its piston rod h may be raised by three distinct stages. It has
four plates, as shown (l, m, n, o,) of which the top one carries the piston rod, working
through the top of the casing. The plates m and n aro provided with projecting
ears or lugs p and q. Those (q) on n are wider than those (p) on m. The iron
casing g has chases or slots r corresponding to the width of these lugs.
When the plate n has reached its required height its further rise is prevented by
its lugs q coming in contact with the shoulders of the wide portion of the slots.
The plate m is free to continue its rise until its ears or lugs p reach the top of the
narrow portion of the slots. The plate is free to rise until stopped by the under
side of the casing. The plate o is secured to the bottom of the casing, and has no
motion. The plate with its piston rod carries on its top a pulley 2³, and a second
pulley is secured to the top of the casing.
A cord or cháin c, having one end secured to the top of the casing, passes over p¹
and under p³, and the other end is left of sufficient length to connect with the
ventilators requiring to be acted on, or the motion of the cord c may be utilized for
opening or closing a damper or blind.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-An increase of temperature increases
the pressure of the air in the vessel T, but the air in the vessel B remains unaffected
by this change of temperature on account of its lagging. This increase of pressure
of the air in the vessel T is extended to the upper part of the bellows P through the
tube or pipe a, and causes the plate y, and by means of its lugs 8, 8, the girdle G
and valve S to descend (if fitted vertically); this movement of the valve S opens a
communication between an overhead tank or other source of pressure and the
hydrostatic bellows H, which causes them to become inflated, the piston rod h to
rise, and the ventilators or.valves to be opened, a continued increase of temperature
increasing the motion of the girdle G and valve S, by which, the hydrostatic bellows
becomes further extended, and the ventilators further opened.
On the temperature falling the pressure in the vessel T decreases, the motion of
the valve S is reversed, the compartments of the hydrostatic bellows are emptied
through their respective tubes and waste pipe 2, the bellows contract, and the
ventilators in connection therewith are proportionately closed.
In small blinds or ventilators the cord or other connection actuating the same
may be put in direct connection with the plate y of the pneumatic bellows. In
that case the valve S and hydrostatic bellows are dispensed with.
The use of the bulb B is as follows:-The pressure of the external atmosphere is
frequently changing, as indicated by a barometer. The pressure in T and B would
always reinain the same as that which was given at its starting point, if both bulbs
were equally protected from the influence of changes of temperature. In that case
any change of pressure in the external atmosphere equally affects T and B. If the two
portions of the bellows P were disconnected a lowering of the external pressure
would cause the bellows 1 and 2 to expand, and a rise of the external pressure
would cause them to collapse. The bulbs T and B and the bellows 1 and 2 being
equal in cubic contents to each other, the expansive and collapsing forces are also
equal; but the bellows 1 and 2 are connected with each other by the common

page_text: plate y; therefore any change in the pressure of the external atmosphere is exactly
counterbalanced, and no motion can take place in the plate y. The bulb B is
carefully protected from and the bulb T is fully exposed to any change of tempera-
ture;
these changes of temperature increase or decrease the pressure in the bulb T,
while that in B remains unaffected, and a corresponding expansion or contraction
of the bellows 1 is produced, causing an upward or downward motion of the plate y
(i.c., if the bellows P be placed in a vertical position). It is therefore clear the plate
y is only moved through changes in temperature, but, is unaffected by changes of
external atmospheric pressure.
Our Invention is capable of being modified in various ways, some of which aro
shown in Figures 1 to 8 in Sheet 2 of the Drawings.
In Figure 1 T and B are glass vessels or bulbs, as before, containing water as well
asai r.1 and 2 are closed bags of a flexible material; p sliows a pulley with a cord c
running over it, connected with bags 1 and 2, and La graduated lever with an
adjustable weight. An increase of temperature increases the pressure in the vessel T,
expels a portion of the water into the bag 1, increases its weight, and causes it to
descend. Two vessels or bulbs are shown so as to compensate barometric variations,
but one only may be used if this compensation be neglected. The cord c leads to
the ventilator to be acted upon.
-
In Figure 2 T and B are glass bulbs connected with the balanced tube T¹ and B',
and supported on a knife edge or its equivalent. . L is a graduated bar with a sliding
weight for adjustment. An increase of pressure in T impels the mercury or other
fluid contained in the balanced tube towards the centre in the arm T¹, and away
from the centre in the arm B', destroys the balance, and causes the bulb B to descend.
c slows the connection to the ventilator or valve, as required.
In Figure 3 T is a vessel of air exposed to changes of temperature. B is a tube
not less than 30 inches in length, terminating with a closed bulb, and V is a vessel
containing a quantity of mercury; B and T are connected to V by a tube, but that
from B, viz., F, must be flexible, or must work.in a slide.
In making this form of instrument we first connect the vessel B with the tube F
to V, with the bulb B downwards. We then fill the whole of B and F and a portion
of V with mercury. We then raise the bulb B, with its tube, to a vertical position.
A portion of the mercury escapes into V until the then atmospheric pressure is
balanced, and we have a Forricillian vacuum in the upper part of B. B is suspended
by a line to the shorter arm of the balance S¹, but free to move with an alteration
in its weight. V and T are fixed, and are lastly connected at a known temperature
of air in T. An increase of temperature forces a portion of mercury from V into
the vacuous part of B, increases its weight, and destroys the balance of the steel-
yard S¹ (or its equivalent). We utilize its descent for ventilating purposes by the
cord c
In Figure 4 T is a vessel of air, and F an open ended float immersed in a vessel
of water I. An increase of pressure in T conveyed through the connecting tube d
expels a portion of the water from the float F, and increases its buoyancy.
A connection c from the top of the float leads to any valve, blind, or ventilator it
may be desired to actuate.
.
Although we shew in Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 1, a double-acting pneumatic bellows
as a compensation for barometric variations, we also use a double-acting cylinder
and piston for the same purpose, as shown in Figure 5; or we may use two single-
acting pneumatic bellows to press down the opposite ends of a scale beam or its
equivalent, as in Figure 6, in which 1 and 2 are single bellows connected with
similar vessels, as in the other Figures; their upper plates are fixed, and their lower
pressing downwards on the scale beam S¹, the expansion and contraction of the air
giving motion to the scale beam, which is imparted to the regulators through the
connection c.
Where floats are used two must be employed. In Figure 7 F¹ and F² are floats
connected above and below with a flexible cord or chain, the whole contained in a
tank of water, as shown, the cord running over the pullies P, p¹, and p². An altera-

page_text: tion in the buoyancy of either, from the pressure of the air conveyed through the
pipes a and b, causes the lighter one to rise, and impart the necessary motion to a
valve or ventilator by a connection, as before.
To enable us to adjust the opening or closing of the ventilators at any required
degree of temperature we provide means of increasing or decreasing the amount
of force which our thermometer will have to overcome before its action can
commence.
In the example, Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 1, the plate y is encircled by a bridle
attached to a steelyard L above, or it may be to a line running over a pulley with
shifting weights on its opposite ends, or an ordinary spring balance may be employed
for the same purpose, or for this purpose we connect a cylinder and adjustable piston
to either of the air vessels, as shown in Figure 8. The piston rod u is threaded,
and is under the control of a nut v to regulate its position in the cylinder and con-
sequent pressure in the vessel.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 show one arrangement of clockwork which we use in
connection with and under the control of the air vessels before described for
imparting motion to the ventilators. The barrel a¹ carries on its axis a wheel b¹ in
gear with a train of wheels c, d, e, the wheels c¹ and being on the intermediate
spindle f, which also carries the crank plate g¹ and the disc plate h², whilst the
spindle carries the fly or remontoire for regulating the motion of the clockwork
when in action.
The two depending arms,, seen in Figures 9 and 11, form with the disc h¹
the escapement, the arms 3, 3, having their extremities bent round so as to enable
one or the other of them to take under one of the pins 1, ³, on either side of the
disc h¹, the clockwork, and consequently the ventilators, being put in motion by the
cord and weight m³ from the barrel a¹.
The whole being enclosed in a light framework n³, the cord p¹ being con-
nected to one of the air vessels, and the cord c to the ventilators, as in the previous
Figures, and its action is as follows:-On the expansion or contraction of the air in
one of the air vessels a vibrating motion is imparted to the escapement arms ¹, j¹,
through the cord 2', which press the extremities of one of the arms from contact
with one of the pins and the disc h¹, allowing it, under the action of the weight
m³, to make a semi-revolution, when it is stopped by the opposite pin on the disc /¹
coming in contact with the lip of the other arm of the escapement, the fly or
remontoire being put into rapid motion, and so softening and regulating the 3
whole movement. The crank plate g thus makes at each movement of the escape-
ment a semi-revolution, by which its cord c imparts motion to the ventilator.
In witness whereof, we, the said Nathan Hunt and William Newton Cox,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth day of September,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.