IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING SHIPS BY AND FOR UTILIZING STEAM IN A CONDENSED FORM FOR DRINKING OR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Levinge, M.B., late of H.M. Ship "Topaze,"
Devonport (Surgeon), now of New Park, Athlone, Ireland, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING
SHIPS BY AND FOR UTILIZING STEAM IN A CONDENSED FORM FOR DRINKING
OR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 27th November 1877, and dated the 30th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Levinge at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th May 1877.
HENRY LEVINGE, M.B., late of H.M. Ship "Topaze," Devonport (Surgeon), now
of New Park, Athlone, Ireland. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS
FOR VENTILATING SHIPS BY AND FOR UTILIZING STEAM IN A CONDENSED FORM
FOR DRINKING OR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements connected with ventilating ships by the
use of live or exhaust steam, and in utilizing said steam in a condensed form for
drinking or other purposes, and consists in fitting within a cylindrical or other
shaped air shaft by which the supply of air is furnished to cabins, engine rooms,
and other parts of a ship, an internal receptacle or vessel, a clearance being left all
round between itself and the shaft.
The internal vessel is closed at top and bottom except to a steam pipe, by which
it is charged with live steam from a boiler or with exhaust steam from the engine,
said pipe having a bent-up nozzle for the better distribution of the steam within
the internal vessel.
The lower part of the internal vessel has an outlet to enable the condensed steam
to be drawn off as water, which can be used for drinking or other purposes, as
desired.
The top of the outer or air shaft is provided with a rotating cowl or hood, which
can be fixed with its mouth to meet the wind which becomes forced down into the
shaft, where it impinges against the outside of the internal vessel and partakes of
heat therefrom in its downward progress, so that it issues into the cabins, saloons
or engine room in a warmed state and effects ventilation in an efficient manner

page_text: The apparatus used in this manner is applicable specially for cold weather, because
the cold air partakes of heat from the inner vessel, which consequently becomes cold
and the steam within it condensed.
In very exposed situations and in rainy weather, the mouth of the cowl would
admit rain water; I therefore fit a dished receiver on the top of the internal vessel,
and I provide a pipe leading to the outside by which the rain water can be drawn
off. The dished receiver also acts as a baffle plate, and distributes the entering air
throughout the chamber.
In cases of calms or warm weather the mouth of the cowl is turned in the
opposite direction, when the heated internal vessel will make the surrounding air
much hotter and induce an up-draught.
By means of pipes leading from various parts of a ship a complete and effectual
ventilation can be effected.
I
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Levinge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th November
1877.
HENRY LEVINGE, M.B., late of H.M. Ship "Topaze," Devonport, Surgeon, now
of New Park, Athlone, Ireland. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS
FOR VENTILATING SHIPS BY AND FOR UTILIZING STEAM IN A CONDENSED FORM
FOR DRINKING OR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the means of and apparatus for
ventilating ships by and for utilizing steam in a condeused form for drinking or
other purposes, and consists in fitting within a cylindrical or other shaped air shaft
by which the supply of air is furnished to cabins, engine rooms, and other parts of
a ship, an internal receptacle or vessel, a clearance being left all round between
itself and the shaft.
The internal vessel is in some cases closed at top and bottom except to a pipe,
by which it is charged with live steam from a boiler or with exhaust steam from
an engine, said pipe having a bent-up nozzle for the better distribution of the steam
within the internal vessel.
The lower part of the internal vessel has an outlet to enable the condensed steam
to be drawn off as water, which can be used for drinking or other purposes, as
desired.
:
The top of the outer or air shaft is provided with a rotating cowl or hood, which
'can be fixed with its mouth to meet the wind which becomes forced down into the
shaft, where it impinges against the outside of the internal vessel and partakes of
heat therefrom in its downward progress, so that it issues into the cabin, saloons, or
engine room in a warmed state, and effects ventilation in an efficient manner.
'apparatus used in this manner is applicable specially for cold weather, because the
cold air partakes of heat from the inner vessel, which consequently becomes cold
and the steam within it condensed.
The
In very exposed situations and in rainy weather, the mouth of the cowl would
admit rain water; I therefore fit a dished receiver on the top of the internal vessel,
and I provide a pipe leading to the outside by which the rain water can be drawn

page_text: off..
The dished receiver also acts as a bame plate, and distributing wi
throughout the chamber.
In cases of calms or warm weather the mouth of the cowl is turned in the
opposite direction, when the heated internal vessel will make the surrounding air
much hotter aud induce an up-draught.,
By means of pipes leading from various parts of a ship a complete and effectual
ventilation can be effected.
My Invention is clearly represented in the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an outer case A, fitted on a deck B by angle
iron ring C. The upper end of this casing or vessel A is contracted at D, and
provided with a bellied cowl E that can be fixed by a clamp nut, or by being
dropped over a stud to hold it in the desired position for the mouth. F to face the
wind as the vessel in or on which it is fitted is progressing, in order that the wind
may pass down into the inside of the casing A, and in its passage to impinge
against the inner vessel G, to be heated thereby before it is discharged in a warmed
or heated state into a chamber below or into a pipe or a series of pipes H, H,
(Figure 2), for distribution throughout the vessel for warming the cabins or other
compartments, as desired.
The inner vessel G is supplied with steam from a boiler or from the engine, the
steam issuing into the vessel G by a pipe I, with an upward impact to strike
against the upper part of the inner vessel where the inrush of atmospheric air first
strikes the vessel in its passage from the cowl E; J is a pipe leading from the
lower part of the inner vessel for carrying off the water of condensation to a suitable
receptacle, to be used for drinking or for other domestic or culinary purposes; K is
a baffle plate at the top of the inner vessel G to spread the inflowing air within the
outer vessel and to catch any rain or other water that may pass in at the mouth of
the cowl, the water being carried off therefrom by a pipe L to the outside of the
outer vessel A. By turning the cowl half round or against the wind, as in Figure 3,
it becomes a suction apparatus for withdrawing heated or vitiated air from cabins,
or other compartment, or the engine room of a vessel, the superior heat of the inner
vessel G from the impact of the steam aiding the up-draught produces an efficient
ventilation of the ship.
The bottom end of the inner vessel G is provided with a screw plug M, upon
which some cooling agency (as in Figure 2) may be placed to assist in condensing
The bottom screw
the steam; the bottom of this vessel may however be a fixture.
plug facilitates cleansing of the inside of the vessel when desired. The top portion
of the inner vessel may also have a removable top or dome N, Figures 3 and 4, so
that when no steam is required in the inner vessel both the top and bottom are
left open for a natural downflow of air through both vessels into the ship (Figure 5),
or by a natural suction upwards from the interior of the ship.
By the use of my Invention, of which there may be more than one apparatus
fitted to a ship, a perfect and complete ventilating of all the cabins, compartments,
store rooms, holds, and engine rooms, if the ship be a steamship, can be established
either by supplying warmed air in a downward direction, as indicated by Figures
1 and 2, or by the withdrawal of vitiated air from those places or compartments in
a ship, according to the direction at which the cowl is set."
The cowl may be of any shape or pattern suited to the purpose, and not
necessarily of the shape shown.
The water of condensation from the vessel G is valuable to a ship's company or
crew for drinking and other purposes, as before explained.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
The apparatus shown on the annexed Drawings, by or through which a ship
may be wholly or partially ventilated by down currents of warmed air or by up
currents of vitiated air and water furnished from condensed steam for use, as
described.
Secondly. I claim the combination of a closed vessel within an open vessel, said

page_text: closed vessel being supplied with steam and the outer vessel with a cowl, sub-
stantially as in the Drawings, the whole acting in conjunction as and for the
purposes set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said Henry Levinge, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of November, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven,