AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR COOLING, CLEANSING, AND PURIFYING AIR
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Renton Gibbs, of the St. James' Heating Works,
Mill street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR COOLING, CLEANSING, AND PURIFYING AIR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Renton Gibbs at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1881.
ROBERT RENTON GIBBS, of the St. James' Heating Works, Mill Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR COOLING, CLEANSING,
AND PURIFYING AIR."
The object of my Invention is to provide an apparatus to cool, cleanse, and
purify air as it is admitted into rooms or buildings of any description. With this
object I construct a frame of wood or other suitable material. In this frame I
place strips of glass, wood, metal, or other suitable material, in such a manner that
they form a series of horizontal V or U shaped troughs extending from side to side
of the frame, which are made watertight. These troughs are at such a distance
apart that the upper edges of the lower trough are above the level of the bottom of
the trough next above it. A narrow horizontal aperture is formed in the outer
or inner side of the trough a little below the level of the bottom of the trough next
above it, or the aperture may be formed on both sides. This frame so fitted is then
placed in the window or other aperture for the admission of air, and water or other
Liquid from the main or cistern is allowed to run slowly into the upper trough which
it fills up to the level of the narrow longitudinal aperture, through which it falls in
a thin sheet into. the trough next below, and so on until it reaches the bottom,
when it is conveyed to the sewer. The air therefore entering the building or room
has to pass through the falling water and over the water contained in the troughs,
by which process it is cooled, cleansed, and purified. I can fit one or both sides of
the troughs on a moveable frame or mount them on pivots, so that when I please I
can shut the strips up after the manner of a venetian blind, and prevent the
admission of any more air. I can also use any liquid disinfectant or perfume in
lieu of the water.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Renton Gibbs in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th January 1882.
ROBERT RENTON GIBBS, of the St. James's Heating Works, Mill Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR COOLING,
CLEANSING, AND PURIFYING AIR."
The object of my Invention is to provide an apparatus to cool, cleanse, and
purify air as it is admitted into rooms or buildings of any description. With this
object I construct a frame of wood or other suitable material of any convenient
size and shape. In this frame I place strips of glass, wood, inetal, or other suitable
substance, in such a manner that they form a series of V or U or other shaped
horizontal troughs, which extend from side to side of the frame, and are made
watertight in any convenient manner. These troughs are arranged at such a
distance apart that the upper edges of the lower trough are.at or above the level of
the bottom of the trough next above it. A narrow horizontal aperture is formed
in one or both sides of each trough, a little below the level of the bottom of the
trough next above, which aperture may extend from side to side of the frame.
This frame so fitted is placed in the window or other aperture for the admission of
air to the room or building, and water or other liquid from the main or cistern is
allowed to run slowly into the uppermost trough, which it fills up to the level of
the narrow horizontal aperture, through which it then falls into the trough next
below, and so on until it reaches the lowest trough, which may be of square section,
whence it is conveyed to the sewer. The air therefore entering the room or
building has to pass through the falling water and over the water contained in the
troughs, upon the surface of which water it is deflected by the outer sides of the
troughs. By this process it is cooled, cleansed, and purified. With the object also
of being enabled to close this apparatus when it is not desired to allow air to enter
the room or building, as, for instance, during winter or on any other occasion, I can
'fit one or both sides of the troughs upon a moveable frame, or I can mount them
on pivots; or I can connect the two or more strips that form the trough by some
flexible material, or make the troughs themselves of a flexible material and attach
levers to the sides of the trough, so that the strips can be partly or wholly shut up
after the manner of a venetian blind, and thereby regulate the admission of air or
entirely prevent the same. I can also use any liquid disinfectant or scent in the
place of or in combination with the water.
+
Having thus particularly described my Invention in order to clearly explain the
same, I refer to the accompanying Drawing shewing my apparatus fitted with one
form, the V shape of the troughs, and one method of actuating the closing
movement.
Figure 1 is an elevation of my apparatus; Figure 2 is a transverse vertical
section of the same. The letters are the same in both Figures.
A is the frame of wood or other material; B, B, B, B, are the strips of glass,
wood, metal, or other substance that form the troughs C, C, C, C, which extend
from side to side of the frame A, as herein before described; D, D, D, D, are the
narrow horizontal apertures formed in the sides of the troughs C, C, C, C, through
which the water E falls into the lower troughs, as herein before described; F is the
pipe from the main or cistern by which the water or other liquid is supplied to the
uppermost trough; and G is the lowest trough whence it is conveyed to the sewer
by the pipe H, as hereinbefore described; I, I, I, I, are the levers connected to the
sides of the troughs C to close them after the manner of a venetian blind and
regulate or prevent the admission of air, which levers I, I, I, I, are connected
together by the rod K and actuated by the handle L.

page_text: It must be understood, as hereinbefore declared, that I do not limit myself to
the V shape of the troughs, as shewn in the Drawing, for I can use U or other
shaped troughs, as I may prefer; nor do I limit myself to having the horizontal
aperture on one side only of the troughs, for I can form it on either or both sides
of the troughs, as I choose; neither do I limit myself to the method of closing this
apparatus, as shewn in the Drawing, for I may effect such partial or entire closing
in any convenient manner as aforesaid.
Having thus particularly described and clearly explained my Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I claim as my Invention which is
protected by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent, the apparatus for
cooling, cleansing, and purifying air, consisting of a series of horizontal troughs, in
which apparatus liquid is continually falling from one trough to another, substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and declared, and shewn in the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Renton Gibbs, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
ROBERT RENTON GIBBS. (LS.)