VENTILATING AND REMOVING THE PRODUCTS OF THE COMBUSTION OF FUEL AND OF RESPIRATION FROM THE APARTMENTS OF DWELLING HOUSES AND FROM PUBLIC BUILDINGS
Year: 1857

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by David Owen Edwards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
February 1857.
I, DAVID OWEN EDWARDS, Surgeon, of Cambridge Villa, Gilston Road,
West Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "VENTILATING AND REMOVING THE PRODUCTS OF THE
COMBUSTION OF FUEL AND OF RESPIRATION FROM THE APARTMENTS OF DWELLING
HOUSES AND FROM PUBLIC BUILDINGS," to be as follows:-
The products of the combustion of fuel are of two kinds; the first kind,
which is the solid incombustible remnant of the fuel or "the ashes," of which
the finely divided particles float in the air and fall upon the contents of rooms,
is excluded and disposed of by means of an entire separable grate, which may
be detached from the hearth at pleasure, and emptied as well as cleaned
outside of the inhabited apartment. When the grate is used for fire,
it may either stand on the hearth supported by its own pedestals, or it may be
attached by movable means to the back of the chimney. When it is not in use
it may remain on the hearth, or when removed its place may be filled by
an appropriate ornament. The peculiarity and originality of this part of the
Invention consists in the entire grate being separable from the hearth and
the apartment.

page_text: The second product of the combustion of fuel, or "the smoke," consisting of
gas and vapour intermixed with unburnt particles of fuel, is to be carried off
through chimneys, which, instead of terminating above in chimney pots,
exposed on all sides to the atmosphere, are made to open in a "tunnel" or
arched passage of brick or other material of adequate calibre, and extending
in length through the diameter of the building from one parapet to the other.
Into this "smoke tunnel" each chimney ending in a shallow collar or short pot
discharges its load of smoke, which then floats away in the current of air which
always flows through the "tunnel" in the one direction or the other.
To perfect the carrying off of the products of combustion of the fuel and
other impurities pervading the air of dwellings or other resorts of breathing
creatures, a copious.and regulated supply of, fresh air from the outside of the
building is brought into the private apartment or public hall through a finely
perforated gauze-like partition, movable or not, as may be required, co-
extensive with the whole or with part of the ceiling of the room, and spread
horizontally a little below the ceiling, a shallow space is thus included
between this partition and the ceiling, and which communicates with the open
air by means of ample horizontal slits or oblong apertures made in the outer
walls, and fitted with valves, which by a simple arrangement are made to open
and shut to any degree. The highly elastic atmospheric air being admitted
into this shallow space, and being of greater specific gravity than the heated
air of the underlying apartments, flows downwards, but its immediate descent
in voluminous gusts is prevented; it spreads equally over the whole perforated
or sievo-like partition, and being thrust through the fine foramina or inter-
stices of the partition by the incumbent pressure derived from its own gravity
and elasticity, it descends in a gentle and equable air shower over the wholo
apartment; by this means drafts of air are prevented, and a sufficient
atmospheric pressure is obtained to insure the constant and uninterrupted
ascent of the smoke and of the "used air" of the room up the chimney.
In sum, this Invention, for which protection is now sought, consists of three
contrivances, co-operating to one result; to wit, first, the separable entire
grate; second, "the smoke tunnel;" and third, the minutely perforated
diaphragm or sieve-like partition, expanded beneath the ceiling, for the equal
dispersion of the fresh air.