A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD FOR SUPPLYING FRESH OR PURE AIR FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE SEA, OR FRESH OR PURE AIR FROM OTHER SOURCES TO CITIES, TOWNS, AND OTHER PLACES, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THOSE PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Oscar Seydel, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Merchant and Manufacturer, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
METHOD FOR SUPPLYING FRESH OR PURE AIR FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
OF THE SEA, OR FRESH OR PURE AIR FROM OTHER SOURCES TO CITIES,
TOWNS, AND OTHER PLACES, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THOSE
PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Oscar Seydel at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th December 1880.
OSCAR SEYDEL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant and
Manufacturer. "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF SUPPLYING FRESH OR PURE
AIR FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE SEA OR FRESH OR PURE AIR FROM
OTHER SOURCES TO CITIES, TOWNS, AND OTHER PLACES, AND APPARATUS TO BE
USED FOR THOSE PURPOSES."
In large and densely populated cities and manufacturing districts the atmosphere
is contaminated by the products of combustion and respiration as well as by the
gaseous products given off in manufacturing processes, the gases evolved from
sewers, and the gaseous products of animal and vegetable decomposition.
The object of my Invention is to supply to the rooms of houses and to the other
rooms and places fresh or pure air in the manner herein after described for the
purpose of replacing more or less the vitiated air herein before referred to, and thus
to give to the occupants of the said rooms and places the advantage of breathing a
purer atmosphere than that which they would otherwise have to breathe. If the city,
town, or place where my Invention is adopted be situated within a moderate distance
from the sea, I prefer to obtain a supply of pure or fresh air from near the sea shore.
If the place is not within a convenient distance from the sea, I prefer to obtain the
supply of pure or fresh air from the most convenient elevated rural district; and
when neither of the above sources of fresh or pure air are available, I derive the
required supply of fresh or pure air from an elevated portion of the atmosphere
above or near the place to be supplied.

page_text: In order to carry my Invention into effect, I employ main pipes similar to those
employed for conveying gas and water for conducting the pure or fresh air from
the locality from whence it is derived to the place to be supplied. Branches or
service pipes connected with these mains after the manner in which gas and water
service pipes are connected convey the pure air to the interior of the rooms or
places to be supplied. These supply pipes are furnished with stop cocks, by means
of which the pure air may be turned on or off and the quantity delivered regulated
at pleasure. Near the sea shores or the place from whence the fresh air is to be
derived, I erect rotary fans or pumping engines for the purpose of collecting and
forcing the said fresh air at the required pressure through the mains described. A
convenient pumping engine for this purpose consists of an oscillating beam
connected at each end with a piston rod carrying a piston. These pistons work in
cylinders provided with the necessary valves and connections to make each cylinder
a double acting pump. The required oscillating motion is given to the said beam
either by a steam engine or where convenient by water power supplied by the
tide.
When the pure air is derived from an elevated rural district, the requisite
pumping machinery may be worked by steam power, or where streams are available
by water power.
When the required supply of fresh air cannot be obtained from the sea shore or
from an elevated rural district, I draw it from a considerable height in the
neighbourhood of the place to be supplied. The contamination of the atmosphere
herein before referred to of any town or neighbourhood rarely extends to a height
exceeding four hundred feet above the level of the said town or neighbourhood, and
by erecting towers of four hundred feet high a level in the atmosphere is reached
from which air of great purity may be obtained, and by the agency of such
towers and the pumping or forcing machinery herein before referred to the required
supply of fresh air may be obtained.
Where the conditions are such as to make it convenient to supply the pure or
fresh air under considerable pressure, the said air may be utilized not merely for
supplying a pure and wholesome atmosphere for breathing, but its pressure may be
turned to account in various ways.
The essence of my Invention consists of the method herein described of supplying
fresh or pure air, and the apparatus described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Oscar Seydel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th June
1881.
OSCAR SEYDEL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant_and
Manufacturer. "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF SUPPLYING FRESH OR PURE
AIR FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE SEA, OR FRESH OR PURE AIR FROM
OTHER SOURCES TO CITIES, TOWNS, AND OTHER PLACES, AND APPARATUS TO BE
USED FOR THOSE PURPOSES."
In large and densely populated cities and manufacturing districts, the atmosphere
is contaminated by the products of combustion and respiration as well as by the
gaseous products given off in manufacturing processes, the gases evolved from
sewers, and the gaseous products of animal and vegetable decomposition.
The object of my Invention is to supply to the rooms of houses and to other
rooms and places fresh or pure air in the manner herein after described for the
purpose of replacing more or less the vitiated air herein before referred to, and
thus to give to the occupants of the said rooms and places the advantage of a purer
atmosphere than that which they would otherwise have to breathe.
If the city, town, or place where my Invention is adopted be situated within a
moderate distance from the sea, I prefer to obtain a supply of pure or fresh air
from near the sea shore. If the place is not within a convenient distance from the
sea, I prefer to obtain the supply of pure or fresh air from the most convenient
rural district, elevated if possible; and when neither of the above sources of fresh or
pure air are available, I derive the required supply of fresh or pure air from an
elevated portion of the atmosphere above or near the place to be supplied.
In order to carry my Invention into effect, I employ main pipes similar to those
employed for conveying gas and water for conducting the pure or fresh air from
the locality from whence it is derived to the place to be supplied.
Branches or service pipes connected with these mains after the manner in which
gas and water service pipes are connected convey the pure air to the interior of
the rooms or places to be supplied.
These supply pipes are furnished with stop cocks, by means of which the
pure air may be turned on or off and the quantity delivered regulated at pleasure.
Near the sea shore or the place from whence the fresh air is to be derived, I
erect rotary fans or pumping engines for the purpose of collecting and forcing the
said fresh air at the required pressure through the mains described.
Or exhaust or suction may be employed instead of pressure, which may be
effected by placing the necessary exhausting machinery any where along the mains
or at the delivery end. A convenient pumping engine for this purpose consists of
an oscillating beam connected at each end with a piston rod carrying a piston.
These pistons work in cylinders provided with the necessary valves and
connections to make each cylinder a double acting pump. The required oscillating
motion is given to the said beam either by a steam engine, or where convenient by
water power supplied by the tide or any other power available.
When the pure air is derived from rural districts, the requisite pumping machinery
may be worked by steam power, or where streams are available by water power or
any other power available.
When the required supply of fresh air cannot be obtained from the sea shore or
from a rural district, I draw it from a considerable height in the neighbourhood of
theplace to be supplied.
The contamination of the atmosphere herein before referred to of any town or

page_text: neighbourhood rarely extends to a height exceeding four hundred feet above the
level of the said town or neighbourhood, and by erecting towers of a height of four
hundred feet or less as may be found sufficient, or utilizing existing towers or such
other erections of sufficient height as may be available, a level in the atmosphere
is reached from which air of great purity may be obtained, and by the agency of
such towers and the pumping, or drawing, or forcing machinery herein before
referred to the required supply of fresh air may be obtained.
When air cannot be conveniently obtained from the neighbourhood of the sea,
pure air from any convenient source may be drawn or forced through sea water,
and thus made to partake to a greater or less degree of the properties of sea air.
In a like manner the air supplied may be medicated by drawing it through volatile
medicinal liquids, or introducing into it medicinal vapours.
Where the conditions are such as to make it convenient to supply the pure or
fresh air under considerable pressure the said air may be utilized, not merely for
supplying a pure and wholesome atmosphere for breathing, but its pressure may be
turned to account in various ways.
In carrying my Invention into effect I employ either air forcing or pumping
engines of the ordinary kind used for producing blast for blast furnaces, or I use
rotary fans, the said pumps or fans being actuated by steam, water, or other motive
power. When I employ air forcing or pumping engines I prefer double acting
pumping cylinders, as producing a more uniform blast than single acting
cylinders.
As the construction of the said air forcing and pumping engines, as well as the
rotary fans I have referred to is well understood, I do not think it necessary to
describe the same.
The pumping cylinders may either be vertical or horizontal, but where convenient
I prefer to place them horizontal, and on the same level as the mains along which
the air is to be forced.
I prefer to employ where convenient mains of large diameter, and pumping
engines or rotary fans of large size, as a large volume of air may thereby be
propelled at a comparatively low velocity, or at a high velocity with proportionately
reduced friction of the air in the mains.
But the size of the pumping engines or rotary fans, as well as the diameter of
the mains must be varied to suit particular cases.
Where it is more convenient to erect engines at or near the delivery end of the
mains than at the ingress end the pumping engines or fans may be erected at or
near the delivery end of the mains, the pumps or fans being in this case so
constructed as to draw or exhaust at the side connected with the main and force or
condense at the delivery side.
Or the exhausting and forcing pumps or fans may be erected at any point 4
intermediate between the ingress and egress ends of the main.
The air brought by the pumping engines or fans may where it is desirable or
convenient be stored in gas holders or other receptacles, and delivered therefrom
into the service pipes at any required pressure, or it may be delivered direct from
the main into the service pipes. Where it is delivered direct from the main into 4
the service pipes I employ safety valves on the pipes, which connect the delivery
side of the pumps or fans with the service pipes, the said valves being so weighted
or pressed by springs as to permit of the escape of any air which the pumps or fans
may be delivering in excess of that required for the time being in the service
pipes. And where pumps are employed at the delivery end of the main or at a 5
position intermediate between the ingress and delivery ends I prefer to place on
the mains at points in advance of the pumps india rubber or other elastic bags, for
the purpose of preventing or diminishing the pulsating character of the current..
When the pumps are situated at the ingress end of the main, and the air is
obtained from a distance of several miles, this provision is unnecessary, as 5
the pulsation of the current of air rapidly diminishes as the air travels along
the main.

page_text: The mains and service pipes I employ resemble generally those employed for
the distribution of illuminating gas.
In delivering the air into a room it may either be delivered at the upper or
lower part of the room, but generally I prefer to deliver it at the upper part of a
room, as in consequence of its temperature being generally some what lower than
that of the atmosphere of the room, it will descend from the upper to the lower
part of the room and be mingled with the air of the room in its descent.
Where there is a fire or other source of outward draught in the room I prefer to
deliver the air at a point most distant from the fire or source of draught, and in
a series of small jets instead of one large one, in order that it may not pass
directly across the room to the fire or draught without mingling with the air of
the room.
Where it is desired to warm the air the delivery pipes may be heated by the
use of a steam or hot water casing supplied in the ordinary way with steam or
hot water. When the air is warmed I prefer to deliver it at the lower part of the
room.
The pipes by which the air is delivered into a room or other place may terminate
in stop cocks of the ordinary kind, but as I prefer where practicable to introduce a
large current of air at a low velocity rather than a small current at a high velocity,
valves of various kinds may be employed instead of stopcocks; valves are more
convenient and lighter than stopcocks where large currents are dealt with. In
order to secure the effectual mixing of the introduced air with that of the room I
prefer where convenient to make the pipes terminate in a series of small perforations
similar to those of the rose of a watering can. This division of the current not
only effects the mixing of the introduced air with that of the room, but also
prevents any draught which might otherwise be felt if large quantities of air were
introduced in an undivided state.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the same
is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention of
"A New or Improved Method of Supplying Fresh or Pure Air from the Neighbour-
hood of the Sea, or Fresh or Pure Air from other Sources to Cities, Towns, and other
Places, and Apparatus to be Used for those Purposes,"
Collecting air from the neighbourhood of the sea or other locality, and supplying
air of the required quality by means of forcing or exhausting, or forcing and
exhausting pumps or fans or other forcing and exhausting machines, and conveying
the same by means of pipes or conduits to the cities, towns, and other places to be
supplied with the said air, and constructing and arranging the apparatus for
collecting and distributing the same, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Oscar Seydel, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.