Improvements in Movable or Portable Apparatus for Cooling Moistening, and Purifying the Air in Tunnels, Hospitals, Barracks, Schools, Factories and other places.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Movable or Portable Apparatus for Cooling
Moistening, and Purifying the Air in Tunnels, Hospitals,
Barracks, Schools, Factories, and other places.
I, EMIL WEIDLICII, of 65, Belvedere Road, Upper Norwood, London, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
These improvements refer to movable or portable apparatus for cooling, moisten-
ing and purifying the air in tunnels, hospitals baracks, schools factories, and
other places in an efficient and convenient manner. For this purpose I provide
a franie wherein are applied a number of sheets or curtains of flannel or the like
which are kept moistened with water from a cistern arranged above the frame,
the water drippings being collected in a receptacle below.
As applied to tunnels I provide an apparatus on wheels or an apparatus which
can be applied to an ordinary goods truck. This apparatus is usually placed
behind the engine and consists of a water cistern supported by columns which
rest on a lower waste water receptacle. Under the supply cistern is provided a
system of perforated pipes to which the water is admitted by a tap and rod or
handle say on the engine. The water trickles down upon a number of sheets or
curtains of absorbent material by preference flannel which are attached to upper
and lower transverse rods that by preference are bent in about V shape so that
the curtains assume an obtuse angle to the direction of motion. I prefer to
mount the curtains in rows, with a small space left between two rows for the
free passage of the air. The curtains may be attached by lapping round the rods
and fixing them by safety pins so that they can be easily removed for occasional
washing and renewing
Pieces of ice may be placed in the supply cistern as required.
As applied to hospitals, barracks, schools, factories and other large buildings
I provide an apparatus on wheels of a somewhat similar construction but by
preference arranged in such manner that the whole upper part of the apparatus
that is to say the supply cistern the perforated tubes and the frames carrying the
curtains can be raised to a greater height than an ordinary doorway would allow
of. Or the curtains may be made of the full height which it is desired to reach
to in the room, but arranged to fold in the bottom cistern while the apparatus
enters through the door. The means for lifting the apparatus or the upper part
of same may be wheels and tooth racks together with suitable chain gear and
a handle.
The curtains may be applied to frames in such manner as to be able to be
swivelled for the purpose of altering their angle to the direction of motion of the
carriage.

page_text: Or the carriage may run on rails fixed some distance above the floor, the wheels
being at the top of the apparatus.
The water may be mixed with disinfectant or other materials.
Improvements in Movable or Portable Apparatus for Cooling,
Moistening, and Purifying the Air in Tunnels, Hospitals,
Barracks, Schools, Factories, and other places.
I, EMIL WEIDLICH, of 65, Belvedere Road, Upper Norwood, London, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement;―
For this
These improvements refer to movable or portable apparatus for cooling, moisten-
ing and purifying the air in tunnels, hospitals, barracks, schools, factories, mines,
and other buildings and places in an efficient and convenient manner.
purpose I provide a frame or structure wherein are applied rows of by preference
angularly placed curtains or sheets of flannel or the like, which are kept moistened
with water from a cistern or other means of supply arranged overhead the water
drippings from the curtains or sheets being collected in a receptacle below from
whence the water may if desired be continually pumped up to the cistern overhead.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical longitudinal section and
Fig. 2 a plan section shewing the invention applied to the purpose of ventilating
railway tunnels and the like and consisting of an apparatus on wheels (or an
apparatus which can be applied to an ordinary goods truck). This apparatus will
usually be placed behind the engine in a railway train and consists of a water
cistern A supported by columns B which rest on a lower water receptacle C.
Under the upper or supply cistern A is provided a system of perforated pipes 1)
to which the water is admitted by a tap that by suitable lever gear and cord can
be actuated by a handle say on the engine. The water trickles down upon a
number of curtains E of suitable absorbent material such for instance as flannel
which are attached to upper and lower transverse rods; the upper rods may as
shown be the aforesaid perforated pipes D. The curtains are so placed in this
example as to assume an obtuse angle to the direction of motion. I prefer to
mount the curtains E in rows, with a small space left between two rows, as shown,
for the free passage of the air. The curtains may be attached by lapping round
the rods and fixing them by safety pins so that they can be easily removed for
occasional washing and renewing. Pieces of ice may be placed in the supply
cistern A as required.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 4 a cross section and Fig. 5 a plan section
of another form of apparatus also applied to the purpose of ventilating railway
tunnels and the like. The upper water supply is in this case in the form of a
pipe A to which is connected a system of perforated pipes I provided with small
jet nipples whereby the water is projected onto a number of sheets E of flannel
for instance which are mounted on light rectangular wooden frames so as to form
screens which are detachably fixed to light angle irons at top and bottom. The
water trickles down the flannel sheets and collects in the receptacle C which may
be supplied with blocks of ice as required. F is a centrifugal pump which

page_text: serves to raise the water again from the collecting receptacle C to the supply
pipe A through the pipe G. H is an overflow pipe from the pipe A to the
receptacle C. The centrifugal pump F is driven by sprocket wheels I J and
chain K from a carriage axle L, a friction coupling M being provided with clutch
gear and lever N for putting the centrifugal pump in or out of action as desired.
The lever N is by a cord O passing over guide pulleys connected with a handle
on the engine so that the centrifugal pump can be started or stopped by the driver.
PP are plugs for charging clean water into the receptacle from one side or
the other of the railway. A tap is provided for letting off the water when it has
become too dirty to be circulated any longer. I may mention as an example
that for an air moistening and purifying apparatus 28 feet in length a moist
surface area of about 2,200 square feet is conveniently obtained by a width of
carriage body of 9 feet.
As applied to hospitals, barracks, schools, factories and other large buildings
I provide an apparatus on wheels of a construction somewhat similar to Figs. 1
and 2 or so that the upper part that is to say the supply cistern A in an empty
condition and the tubes and curtains attached thereto may be lowered when it is
desired to pass it through a doorway of less height. Or the curtains may be
made to depend from upper rods to the full height which it is desired to reach
in the room but arranged to fold in the bottom cistern when the upper part of the
apparatus is lowered for the purpose of enabling the apparatus to pass through
the doorway. The means for lifting and lowering the apparatus or the upper
part of same may be toothwheels and tooth racks together with suitable chain
gear and a handle.
Or the carriage may run on rails fixed some distance above
the floor, the wheels being at the top of the apparatus.
The framings containing the curtains or screens may be made to swivel for
the purpose of altering their angle to the direction of motion of the carriage.
The water may especially in the case of hospitals schools and the like be mixed
with disinfectant or other materials.
Apparatus constructed as above described and shown affords a large efficient
moistening and purifying surface within a small compass.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. A movable or portable wheeled apparatus for cooling moistening and purify-
ing the air in tunnels, hospitals and other buildings and places consisting of an
upper water supply cistern or pipe a lower water receptacle intermediate rows
of curtains or screws of flannel or other suitable absorbent material and means
for wetting the same from the upper water supply, the drippings collecting in the
lower water receptacle substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. A movable portable wheeled apparatus as firstly claimed in combination with
means for circulating the water by returning the water from the lower receptacle
to the upper supply, substantially as set forth.
3. The construction of apparatus described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
4. The construction of apparatus described with reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5.
Dated this 26th day of June 1899
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.