Improvements in Exhausting and Blowing Fans.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Exhausting and Blowing Fans.
We EDWARD WILLIAMS of 48 Soho Road Winson Green Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Engineer and WILLIAM HENRY HOLLAND of 15 Pugh Road
Aston Birmingham in the County of Warwick Boiler Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to improve the action and simplify the construction
of exhausting and blowing fans and it is applicable to fans of all dimensions suited for
varied purposes.
Our invention however is intended to be applied more particularly
to ventilating fans especially to those used for colliery purposes.
In many fans at present used for colliery ventilation the air inlet from the upcast
shaft of the pit is situated in the centre portion and the discharge takes place at the
circumference. Those known as Guibal, Capel and Chandler have this feature in
common but they differ in the detail arrangement of blades and also in some admitting
air at their centres on both sides while others admit air at the centre on
only.
one side
In our improved fan we also admit air at the centre and discharge it at the
circumference but we arrange our blades in a novel manner and thereby greatly
lessen the cost of construction while we also considerably increase the efficiency or the
amount of air moved for a given expenditure of power. Our improved fan consists
essentially of two circular metal sites suitably attached to a central driving shaft and
having a circular aperture in one of tho sides relatively of considerable diameter.
Blades which may be of any convenient number equally spaced round the circle are
firmly fastened to both sides between them, and a part of each which passes from the
periphery to the edge of the circular aperture is so arranged that its plane lies in or
near a line at a tangent to its point of contact with the circle of the aperture. From this
circle the point of the blade is bent inwards to reach a smaller inner circle and the
bent or inner part is nearly but not quite at right angles to the outer part. The plane
of the inner part may pass between the two sides at right angles to them but we
prefer to so bend the metal sheet that it inclines from front to back and causes the
line of junction at the further side to be further back having reference to the direction
of revolution than the line of the front part. That is those parts of the fan blades
opposite the air inlet aperture are inclined away from that aperture to give a screw
like action and assist the inrush of air. Those parts of the blades are also hollowed or
bent to present a more or less concave or angled surface towards the entering air
tending to help it outwards to the passages formed by the plane tangental portions of
the fan. The angled or hollowed surface may be twisted so that the angle at the
further part at its line of junction with the further side differs from its angle at the
front or entering part. The blades although constructed in one sheet of metal from
two distinct parts, that towards the centre specially adapted to suit the conditions of
air admission, and that towards the circumference to allow of easy and free discharge.
Those two portions have their general direction at or near right angles to each other
and provided this condition is adhered to the configuration of their surfaces may
otherwise be considerably varied without departing from our invention. The discharge
part of the blade for instance need not be a plane surface but may be curved and the
inlet portion may be curved differently from what we have described. The best results

page_text: are produced by the exact shape we hereinbefore describe but improvement upon
ordinary fans will be caused by making the general direction of a blade in one part
approximately at right angles to the other.
In applying our invention to blast or blowing fans we admit air from apertures on
both sides and dispense with a central disc but shape the blades to run towards the
centres from both apertures as described where there was only one aperture.
We place a fan so constructed in any suitable case or frame of sufficient strength
to permit of the necessary speed of revolution and we fasten the blades to the sides by
rivetting, bolting or in any other convenient known way. We also attach the shaft
to the fan in any convenient and well known manner.
It is obvious that by arranging our fan with two opposing inlet apertures and a
central circular plate we still carry our invention into effect although generally we
prefer the construction to be of the kind hereinbefore described.
A fan constructed as we have hereinbefore described gives a greater volume and
pressure of air discharge at a lower rate of revolution than many others.
Dated this 28th day of March 1889.
MARKS & CLERK,
Agents for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Exhausting and Blowing Fans.
We, EDWARD WILLIAMS of 48 Soho Road, Winson Green Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Engineer and WILLIAM HENRY HOLLAND of 15 Pugh Road
Aston Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Boiler Maker, 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:-
The object of our Invention is to improve the action and simplify the construction
of exhausting and blowing fans and. it is applicable to fans of all dimensions suited for
varied purposes. Our Invention is however intended to be applied more particularly
to ventilating fans especially to those used for colliery purposes.
In many fans at present used for colliery ventilation the air inlet from the upcast
shaft of the pit is situated in the centre portion and the discharge takes place at the
circumference. Those known as Guibal, Capel and Chandler have this feature in
common but they differ in the detail arrangement of blades and also in some
admitting air at their centres on both sides while others admit air at the centre on one
side only.
In our improved fan we also admit air at the centre and discharge it at the
circumference but we arrange our blades in a novel manner and thereby greatly lessen
the cost of construction while. we also considerably increase the efficiency or the
amount of air moved for a given expenditure of power. Our improved fan consists
essentially of two circular metal sides suitably attached to a central driving shaft and
having a circular aperture in one of the sides relatively of considerable diameter.
Blades which may be of any convenient number equally spaced round the circle are
firmly fastened to both sides between them, and a part of each which passes from the
periphery to the edge of the circular aperture is so arranged that its plane lies in or
near a line at a tangent to its point of contact with the circle the aperture. From
this circle the point of the blade is bent inwards to reach a smaller inner circle and
the bent or inner part is nearly but not quite at right angles to the outer-part. The
plane of the inner part may pass between the two sides at right angles to them but
we prefer to so bend the metal sheet that it inclines from front to back and causes the
line of junction at the further side to be further back having reference to the
direction of revolution than the line of the front part. That is, those parts of the fan
blades opposite the air inlet aperture are inclined away from that aperture to give a
screw like action and assist the inrush of air. Those parts of the blades are also
hollowed or bent to prevent a more or less concave or angled surface towards the

page_text: entering air tending to help it onwards to the passages formed by the plane tangental
portions of the fan. The angled or hollowed surface may be twisted so that the angle
at the further part at its line of junction with the further side differs from its angle
at the front or entering part. The blades although constructed in one sheet of metal
form two distinct parts, that towards the centre specially adapted to suit the conditions
of air admission, and that towards the circumference to allow of easy and free
discharge.
Those two portions have their general direction at or near right angles to each
other and provided this condition is adhered to the configuration of their surfaces may
otherwise be considerably varied without departing from our Invention. The
discharge part of the plate for instance need not he a plane surface but may be curved
and the inlet portion may be curved differently from what we have described. The
best results are produced by the exact shape we hereinbefore describe but improvement
upon ordinary fans will be caused by making the general direction of a blade in
one part approximately at right angles to the other.
In applying our Invention to blast or blowing fans we admit air from apertures
on both sides and dispense with a central disc but shape the blades to run towards
the centres from both apertures as described where there was only one aperture.
We place a fan so constructed in any suitable case or frame of sufficient strength
to permit of the necessary speed of revolution and we fasten the blades to the sides
by riveting, bolting or in any other convenient known way. We also attach the
shaft to the fan in any convenient and well known manner.
It is obvious that by arranging our fan with two opposing inlet apertures and
a central circular, plate we still carry our invention into effect although generally
we prefer the construction to be of the kind hereinbefore described.
A fan constructed as we have hereinbefore described gives a greater volume and
pressure of air discharge at a lower rate of revolution than many others.
In order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we hereunto append two explanatory sheets of drawings to be hereinafter
referred to.
On Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is an elevation of a fan constructed in accordance with our
invention with one side partly removed in order to shew clearly the configuration
of the blades.
Fig. 2 is a Plan.
Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the side in position with its circular inlet aperture
and the outer portions of the blades shown in dotted lines.
Fig. 4 A. & Fig. 4 B. are separate views of one blade showing the configuration
and relative angle of the two parts of the blade. While Figs. 5 & 6 illustrates our
novel forms of blades as applied to fans in different relative angles and proportions.
On sheet 2 Fig. 7 & 8 shows the application of our invention to a colliery ventilating
exhausting fan, and Figs. 9 & 10 to a blast fan.
In Fig. 1 that portion of the various blades A B which passes from the periphery
of the fan to the inlet aperture circle, which circle is shown partly in dotted lines,
lies in a direction at or near the tangent to that circle and at the points B the
portions Bchange directions abruptly & touch an inner circle. The portions of
each blade B C slopes from the front side of the fan to the back as indicated by the
lines CD showing the position of the back edge as attached to the back disc or side.
Those parts of the blade are sometimes hollowed or angled as shewn in Fig. 4b
at B C and the concave side is always facing the direction of movement of rotation.
The inner portion B (of each blade A B C is thus specially adjusted to suit the
conditions of air admitting while the outer portion A B is suited to the conditions
of air discharge. The two parts of each blade may be varied in relative proportions
without departing from the essential features of our invention so long as the
direction of the two planes A B & B forming the two parts of each complete blade
are at or near right angles to each other. Air may be admitted on one side as at
Fig. 1 to Fig. 6 or both sides as at Fig. 9 & Fig. 10 where a central disc is used, the
fan is formed practically of two single central side opening fans placed back to back.

page_text: The central disc may be dispensed with altogether. In this case the openings are at
both sides and the inner portions of the blades B C may or may not incline to the
- centre so as to assist the free admission of air by the screw action. The central disc
is dispensed with more particularly in the case of blast fans where it is alvisable to
admit air at both sides. Figs. 7 & 8 show our invention applied to a colliery fan. In
Fig. 7 A is the fan, E the fan shaft, F the Engino house, G the inlet, & H the air
drift from the npcast shaft while wooden baffle rings of ordinary construction are
inserted at I. Fig. 8 is an elevation from the inlet side showing the general arrange-
ment. In this exhaust fan the air is admitted at one side only.
Figs. 9 & 10 show our invention as applied to a blast fan where a fan case is of
ordinary construction and our special blades are applied there the air is admitted at
both sides and the fan portion is preferably constructed without a central disc but the
inner parts of the blades incline towards the centre as shown for single pening in
Figs. 1 to 6. Here also the outer parts of the blades seen in Fig. 9 in dotted lines
are indicated by the letters A B & the inner parts by B C. The casing K, discharge L,
and shaft and bearings are of any usual and well known construction.
We are aware of the Specifications of Letters Patent granted to Georg Marie Capell
No. 3130 of 1882 and No. 3117 of 1883 and we wish it to be understood that we do
not claim anything described and claimed in either of those specifications.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed wo declare that what we
claim is
1st. In exhausting or blowing fans the use of continuous blades consisting of two
portions, an outer and inner whose planes are at or near right angles to each other
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2nd. In exhausting or blowing fans having blade consisting of two portions an
outer and inner whose planes are at or near right angles to each other, the use of
incline and curved or bent inner portions inclining from the inlet aperture or apertures
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
3rd. In exhausting or blowing fans having blades consisting of two portions outer
and inner whose planes are at or near right angles to each other, the construction of
the blades in one piece riveted or otherwise fastened to the two sides enclosing the
blade substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Dated this 27th day of December 1880.
MARKS & CLERK
MARKS & CLERK
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicants.