IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS OR VALVES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Neil McHaffie, of 16, Summer Street, Mile End,
Glasgow, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS OR VALVES
T
LETTERS PATENT to Neil McHaffie, of 16, Summer Street, Mile End,
Glasgow, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS OR VALVES
FOR REGULATING THE PASSAGE OF A OR OTHER FLUIDS,
OR LIQUID FORM."
WHETHER OF A Cassous-
Sealed the 27th June 1862, and dated the 31st December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Neil McHaffie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st
December 1861.
I, NEIL M°HAFFIE, of 16, Summer Street, Mile Eud, Glasgow, do hereby
declare the nature. of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTALATORS OR
VALVES FOR REGULATING THE PASSAGE OF AIR OR OTHER FLUIDS, WHETHER OF A
GASEOUS OR LIQUID FORM," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ventilators or valves for
the admission of external air into buildings, and for regulating the passage of
fluids. In the use of valves or ventilators for the admission of external air,
considerable inconvenience is experienced from the irregularity of the quantity
admitted, which is liable to change from a variety of constantly recurring
causes; amongst others the alteration of the temperature of the external air,
the raising or lowering of the temperature of the room or chamber in which
such valves or ventilators are placed, sudden gusts of wind without, or opening
of doors within, frequently causing draughts of a dangerous nature.

page_text: According to my Invention when applying a ventilator or valve for admis-
sion of external air, I cause the current of air entering to impinge on a
surface so arranged that when the current of air exceeds the velocity con-
sidered desirable the surface may be able to yield to it, and on yielding may
close or partially close the valve. When the force of the current diminishes
the valve again opens, it being so weighted as always to tend to do so.
The arrangement I prefer consists of an inlet valve turning on an axis at
the centre of its width. This valve is connected by a suitable connecting rod
to a surface mounted on a horizontal axis at or near its lower end, the said
surface is weighted beneath the axis, so that it tends always to assume a
vertical position. It is placed at a short distance from the before-mentioned
valve within a trunk or passage, which obliges the air or other fluid entering
by the said valve to pass the before-mentioned surface. This current of air or
other fluid throws the surface into a more or less inclined position according
to its strength, and the more inclined the position of the surface the more
nearly will the valve be closed. For the passage of liquids this last-mentioned
surface should be mounted on a horizontal axis, but instead of being at or
near its lower it should be at or near its upper extremity on account of the
greater density of the fluid, the passage of which is sought to be regulated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Neil McHaffie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NEIL
MCHAFFIE, of 16, Summer Street, Mile End, Glasgow, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Neil McHaffie, Her special licence that I, the said Neil McHaffie,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Neil McHaffie, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VENTILATORS OR VALVES FOR REGULATING THE PASSAGE OF AIR OR OTHER FLUIDS,

page_text: WHETHER OF A GASEOUS OR LIQUID FORM," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Neil McHaffie, my executors or administrators, by
an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Neil M°Haffie, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ventilators or valves for
the admission of external air into buildings, and for regulating the passage of
fluids. In the use of valves or ventilators for the admission of external air
considerable inconvenience is experienced from the irregularity of the quantity
admitted, which is liable to change from a variety of constantly recurring.
causes, amongst others, the alteration of the temperature of the external air, the
raising or lowering of the temperature of the room or chamber, in which such
valves or ventilators are placed, sudden gusts of wind without, or opening of
doors within frequently causing draughts of a dangerous nature.
According to my Invention when applying a ventilator or valve for admission
of external air, I cause the current of air entering to impinge on a surface
so arranged, that when the current of air exceeds the velocity considered desi-
rable the surface may be able to yield to it, and on yielding may close or partially
close the valve; when the force of the current diminishes, the valve again
opens, it being so weighted as always to tend to do so. For the passage of
liquids this last mentioned surface should be mounted on a horizontal axis,
but instead of being at or near its lower, its should be at or near its upper
extremity, on account of the greater density of the fluid, the passage of which
is sought to be regulated.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing represents a transverse section of apparatus constructed ac-
cording to my Invention; a, a, is the case or lining to an opening through
which air is intended to pass; bis the inlet air passage through which air
passes as is indicated by the arrows, and so long as the pressure of the air is
not too great on the surface c the valve d will remain open as shewn in the

page_text: Drawing, but so soon as the surface c is unduly pressed on by a blast or strong
current of air the valve d will be closed more or less, and will to such extent
prevent the passage of air in the direction indicated by the arrows; e is a
weight below the valve d, the position of which can be regulated by reason of
its being on a screw e¹, so that the weight can be moved up or down on such
I screw. The valve d and surface c are mounted on an axis f, which has knife
edges at its ends which rest in suitable bearings. The correct position and
working of the surface c is regulated by the weight g, which is on a screw
stem g' as shown. In the arrangement shewn the valve d and the sur-
face care fixed together, but this is not essential, and I would state that the
arrangement of apparatus according to my Invention may be greatly varied
so long as there is a surface c in connection with or acting on a valve in such
manner that the pressure of the air or other fluid on the surface c, when there
is an increased flow of such fluid may by pressing more and more on such
surface c, tend more and more to close the valve in connection therewith or
attached thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said Neil McHaffie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
NEIL M'HAFFIE. (L.S.)