A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE FLUES OR CHIMNEYS OF HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Champion, of the Town and County of
Northampton, Surveyor, for the Invention of "A NEW AND IMPROVED
METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE FLUES OR CHIMNEYS OF HOUSES AND OTHER
BUILDINGS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 21st September 1869, and dated the 25th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Champion at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th March 1869.
I, THOMAS CHAMPION, of the Town and County of Northampton,
Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW
AND IMPROVED METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE FLUES OR CHIMNEYS OF HOUSES
AND OTHER BUILDINGS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as
follows:--
The object of my Invention is to construct the flues or chimneys of
houses and other buildings in such manner that the upward draught is

page_text: increased and the downward draught wholly prevented, so that the
smoke or products of combustion are carried off to the atmosphere in a
much more effectual manner than heretofore.
The first part of my Invention, then, consists in constructing flues
with a passage or passages for the products of combustion to pass off to
the atmosphere in combination with a separate and distinct passage or
passages leading from the atmosphere at or near the top or tops of the
flues to the lower part thereof. In some cases the air flues do not extend
to the top of the flues, but only sufficiently high to receive the atmo-
spheric air. By these means the products of combustion or smoke as
they issue from the fires are driven up the flues by the pressure of the
atmospheric air always descending the air tube and ascending the
smoke flues.
My Invention further consists in the construction and employment of
tubes made in two parts, or with two passages in each tube, one to
receive the smoke and the other the air. These tubes are made to fit
into or on one another, and are inserted in an ordinary flue or built up
with a building. I make the tubes by preference of fire-clay, although
they may be made of other material or materials, in some cases, for
example, for certain positions, of iron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Champion in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
CHAMPION, of the Town and County of Northampton, Surveyor, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Champion, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Champion, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Champion, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no

page_text: others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IN-
PROVED METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE FLUES OR CHIMNEYS OF HOUSES AND OTHER
BUILDINGS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Champion, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Champion, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The object of my Invention is to construct the flues or chimneys of
houses in such a manner that what is usually termed the upward
draught is increased, and prejudicial downward draught, as it is usually
termed, wholly prevented, so that the products of combustion are
carried off into the atmosphere in a much more effectual manner than
heretofore.
My Invention consists in constructing, in the manner hereafter
described with reference to the illustrative Drawings accompanying these
presents, flues with a passage for the combustion to pass off into the
atmosphere in combination with a separate and distinct passage leading
from the outer air at or near the top of the flues to the lower part
thereof, terminating above the chimney bar or thereabouts. The air
flues should not, however, extend to the tops of the smoke flues, but be
carried up only sufficiently high to receive the atmospheric air. By these
means the products of combustion or smoke as they escape from the fire
are caused to ascend the smoke flue by the current of rarefied air
engendered by the fresh outer air that descends through the air tube
coming into proximity with the fire thus being rarefied, and joining in
or creating or assisting the formation of a sufficient ascending current in
the smoke flue. I sometimes construct terra cotta or other tubes either

page_text: in two separate parts or with the two united, one to receive the smoke
and the other the air. These tubes should be made in sections so
arranged as to fit into or on one another, and are inserted in an ordinary
flue or built up with the building, and tubes made in this way are par-
ticularly useful for insertion into chimneys already constructed. As I
find the air expands by being heated at the following rate, that is to say,
taking the atmosphere at the top of the chimney at 50 degrees of heat
(Fahrenheit), and the air as it passes up the smoke flue at 120 degrees,
a foot of air at 50 degrees when passing down will contain 1,728 cubic
inches, and directly that foot of air comes in contact with the heated
air it will expand in volume to 1,946 cubic inches or thereabouts, and so
it increases its volume and drives all combustion up the smoke flue,
therefore there is one continued rotary motion of air descending the air
tube and ascending the smoke flue. This being the case I find it
necessary to make my air tube of an area of about one-third that of the
arca of the smoke flue, as otherwise I cannot depend upon certainty of
effect.
In applying my Invention to chimneys already constructed it will
sometimes be sufficient to place a tubular air arrangement therein, which
arrangement consists of air tube enclosed in another tube, the lower
or fire end of the enclosing or outer of these two tubes being closed so as
to allow of a vacuum being engendered therein, and so surrounding the
inner tube with a non-conductor of heat; or a simple air tube descending
from top to bottom outside the chimney, but opening into the chimney
near the top of the fire, may in some cases be found effective.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, perspective view; Fig. 2, section; Fig. 3 shews the lower
opening of the air tube in its proper place above the fire; Fig. 4, section
showing my Invention as applied in a building. In these Drawings
a denotes the smoke flue and b the air flue. The arrows denote the
direction of the currents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the naturo and
object of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed or put in practical operation, I hereby declare that I claim my
said Invention as herein described with reference to the accompanying
Drawings, it being understood that I do not limit myself to the exact

page_text: details shown by the said Drawings, as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature of my said Invention as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Champion, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
G. MARSLANDS,
59, Dennark Road,
Northampton.
THOMAS CHAMPION. (L.S.)