IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VENTILATORS AND CHIMNEY COWLS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Hall, of 38, Albany Villas, West Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Doctor of Medicine, and Fellow of the Royal College of
Physicians of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF VENTILATORS AND CHIMNEY COWLS."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Hall at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th October 1879.
ALFRED HALL, of 38, Albany Villas, West Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Doctor of Medicine, and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicans of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VENTILATORS AND CHIMNEY COWLS."
This Invention has for its object to exhaust the foul air emitted from soil or drain
pipes, to ventilate conservatories, and generally to purify the air and prevent
fetid odours in the interior or vicinity of buildings, by affording an expeditious and
economic means of egress to all vitiated air and noxious vapours within and around
the same, also to accelerate the draught in chimney cowls and facilitate the issue
of smoke therefrom, so as to prevent the blow-down and cure smoky chimneys. To
this effect I fit to, or connect with, the soil or drain pipe of a house or building, or
apply to any other place from which fetid smells may or are likely to emanate, a
vertical pipe or tube made of iron, tin, or other suitable material, which I continue
or carry to the top of such house or building. Beneath the closed top of such pipe
or tube I provide a series of four or more short rectilinear or curvilinear radial
pipes or tubes of circular, elliptic, or other suitable cross section. These orifices
communicating by means of the vertical pipe with the soil or drain pipe, the
interior of a conservatory or such other place, spot, or appliance within or through
which fetid odours are generated, such odours are thereby entirely neutralised
without the application of any valve or other mechanical means of ventilation. By
fitting a vertical tube surmounted by a similar series of shorter radial pipes within
chimney cowls, I am enabled to prevent the down-draught and to cure smoky
chimneys.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Hall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th April,
1880.
ALFRED HALL, of 38, Albany Villas, West Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Doctor of Medicine, and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VENTILATORS AND CHIMNEY COWLS."
This Invention has for its object to exhaust the foul air emanating from or
emitted by soil or drain pipes, to ventilate conservatories and other places in which
the atmosphere is likely to become impregnated with unhealthy gases, and generally
to purify the air and prevent fetid odours from gathering in the interior or vicinity
of human dwellings or buildings of various kinds, by affording an expeditious and
economic means of egress to all vitiated air and noxious vapours within and around
such dwellings or buildings; and it has also for its object to accelerate the draught
in chimney cowls, and facilitate the issue of smoke therefrom, so as to render the
combustion of the fuel more thorough and efficient, to prevent the blow-down, and
to cure smoky chimneys. To this end I provide a vertical pipe or tube made of
iron, tin, zinc, or other suitable material, and I fit it to or connect it with the soil
or drain pipe of a dwelling or building, or apply it to any other place or spot in
which noxious vapours are generated, or from which fetid smells actually emanate
or are likely to emanate; and I continue or carry it to the top of such dwelling or
building, or make it issue from such place or spot. The top of the vertical pipe or
tube alluded to being closed, I place beneath it a series or system of four or more
short rectilinear or curvilinear radial pipes or tubes of circular, elliptic, or other
appropriate cross section; and these radial pipes or tubes may be of the same width
throughout, or they may be wider at the ends than at their junction with the
upright pipe or tube herein before referred to. The radial orifices communicating by
means of this vertical pipe or tube with the soil or drain pipe of the dwelling or
building, with the interior of the conservatory, or with such other place, spot, or
appliance within or through which noxious vapours or fetid odours are generated or
propagated, such odours are thereby entirely neutralized and eliminated without the
aid or assistance of any valve or other mechanical means of ventilation. By fitting
an upright tube surmounted by a similar system or series of short radial pipes or
tubes within a chimney cowl, or otherwise connecting it with a chimney, I am
enabled to impart greater thoroughness to the combustion of the fuel, to prevent the
down-draught, and generally to cure smoky chimneys.

page_text: Figure 3. The major axis of the ellipse in this instance is vertical, and the minor
axis is horizontal; but the position of these axes may be reversed, or else the
radial tubes may be made of a parabolic, hyperbolic, oval, or any other convenient
cross section.
Instead of the sides of the radial tubes being made parallel to the axes the width
of the tubes may be made larger outside than inside. In Figure 5 I have shewn a
section through a cross of radial tubes which are made conical or trumpet-shaped in
lieu of cylindrical. Instead of being straight, these tubes through which the vapours
or smoke emerge may be bent or curvilinear. I also wish it to be understood that
I do not confine myself to any particular shape or configuration of either the
upright or radial tubes, but reserve to myself the right of giving the same such a
longitudinal or cross section as may be required or suited for each individual
case.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and illustrated the same
in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, I wish it to be understood that I do not
claim the use or employment of horizontal orifices generally in connection with
upright tubes for ventilation or for the extraction of smoke or vapours, but what I
claim is,
First. The use or employment of four or more radial tubes of cylindrical shape
fitted or attached to the upper part of a vertical or upright pipe or tube, closed at
the top, and connected with the place, spot, or appliance in or through which fetid
odours or smoke are generated or propagated, in the manner and for the purpose
herein set forth and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
Secondly. The use or employment of radial tubes of elliptic or other appropriate
cross section, in the manner and for the purpose herein described and illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Thirdly. The use or employment of conic or trumpet-shaped radial tubes, in the
manner and for the purpose herein described and illustrated in Figure 5 o. the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Hall, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
Witness,
J. T. DANN,
32, Canterbury Road,
Brixton, S. W.
(L.S.) ALFRED HALL.