IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATION, AND IN ADDARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PHRASE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Robb," of the City of Aberdeen,. North
Britain, Merchant, for the Invention. of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATION,
AND IN ADDARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PHRASE"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Robb at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th.
February 1862.
I, JOHN ROBB, of the City of Aberdeen, North Britain, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VENTILATION, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of certain improvements in ventilating churches,
dwelling houses, and other buildings, ships, railway and other carriages, and
other places requiring ventilation. The principle adopted is that of admitting.
the necessary supply of fresh air at a low level, and carrying off the heated
and vitiated air at a higher level, a continuous movement of the atmosphere
being kept up, while at the same time all disagreeable or hurtful effects from
draught are obviated by the peculiar arrangements which are adopted for that.
purpose.
In ordinary cases the method employed is to provide an opening at the
bottom of the windows for the ingress of the fresh air; and a similar opening
at the top or upper part of the windows for the escape of the heated and

page_text: vitiated, such openings being covered with perforated card paper, wire gauze,
or other perforated or pervious material. A continual supply of fresh air is
thus admitted into the apartment or other place to be ventilated, but the
current of air being divided into minute streams by the structure of the
interposed material all unpleasant effects of draught are prevented. The
heated and vitiated air is rapidly and continuously carried off through the upper
opening.
In the application of this Invention to new buildings some modifications
thereof may be employed. The fresh external air may be conveyed by means
of tubes laid in the most convenient parts of the building, such tubes termi-
nating in a chamber or chambers, which may be of any required size or
capacity, and may be constructed or placed in any convenient part or parts of
the building to be ventilated. The chambers are fitted with valves for the
emission of the air contained therein, and which may be conveyed by
means of tubes or other analogous contrivances to the apartments or places
to be ventilated, into which the air is allowed to enter at a low level. In
some cases air shafts may be constructed with their openings at the upper
part of the building, and the external air brought through the same into
suitable chambers, and then conducted wherever desired, as before mentioned.
The chambers may also be formed or placed in the vicinity of a fire-place or
furnace, by which means the air may be heated before being diffused. The
vitiated air is carried off by means of tubes or suitable outlets. The openings
of such tubes, both for the ingress and egress of the air, should be covered
with perforated or pervious material, and if considered desirable, may be
provided with valves for the purpose of regulating the ingress and egress of
the air. When perforated card paper or other material. liable to be injured
by moisture is employed, it should be rendered waterproof by means of á
coating of varnish or paint, or in some other suitable manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Robb in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th 30
August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ROBB, of the City of Aberdeen, North Britain, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her. Letters
Patent, bearing date. the Twelfth day of February, in the year of our 35
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year

page_text: of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Robb, Her special licence that I, the said
John Robb, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Robb, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time.agree with, and no 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN VENTILATION, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Robb, 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 John Robb, 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 (that is to say) :-
My said Invention consists of certain improvements in ventilating churches,
dwelling houses, and other buildings, ships, railway, and other carriages, and
other places requiring ventilation. The principle which I have adopted in
carrying these improvements into effect, is that of admitting the necessary
supply of fresh air at a low level, and carrying off the heated and vitiated air
at a higher level, a continuous movement of the atmosphere being thus kept
up, while at the same time all disagreeable or hurtful effects from draught
are obviated by the peculiar arrangements which are employed for that
purpose.
In ventilating dwelling- houses which have been constructed without any
special appliances for the purposes of ventilation, I accomplish the object in
the cheapest and readiest manner by making one or more windows the
medium or media for the ingress and egress of the air. The upper sash is
drawn down so as to leave a suitable opening, say of two or three inches, the
lower sash being drawn up to a greater extent, the width of such opening
being adjustable by raising or depressing the sashes. The ventilating aper-
tures being thus adjusted, a current of fresh air will enter at the lower
part of the window, while the upper opening will allow the heated and
vitiated air to escape. The ventilating openings are covered with perforated

page_text: or pervious material, a continual supply of fresh air being thus admitted into
the apartment or other place to be ventilated, but the current of air being
divided into minute streams by the structure of the interposed material, all
unpleasant or injurious effects of draught are prevented. The material which
I prefer for this purpose is perforated card paper, manufactured in sheets of a
size to suit any ordinary window, and rendered waterproof by the application
of a solution of india-rubber or other suitable waterproofing substance or
substances, and painted, varnished, and ornamented, as may be desired. Wire
gauze may be employed, but the material I have before mentioned is cheaper
and also more durable than wire gauze, which soon becomes oxidised, and
rendered unfit for use when exposed to the atmosphere. The perforated or
pervious material is framed in wood, metal, or other suitable material, and
made to fit close to the window sashes, only leaving room for the latter to be
freely drawn up or down. If desired, the lower portion may be so constructed
and arranged as to form a blind, for which purpose the perforated card paper
which I have mentioned is admirably adapted, as it is capable of being made
highly ornamental. The perforations I prefer to be four hundred to the
square inch for the lower sash and about two hundred for the upper opening;
the plan above described is, however, subject to one defect, namely, the
opening at the middle of the window will still admit a current of air, and
cause some draught, and also admit dust. This may be obviated by adopting
another modification of my Invention, which is to fit or fix the perforated or
pervious material into or upon the window sashes themselves, the glass or
other material placed in the sashes in lieu thereof being made movable so as
to adjust the openings for the ingress and egress of air. In applying my
Invention, however, to new buildings, and even to old buildings where expense
is not an object, I prefer effecting the ventilation by means of independent
and special openings arranged upon the principles above alluded to, the
openings for admitting fresh air being in most cases near the level of the floor,
and those for the exit of the vitiated air being placed in or near the ceiling
or roof. In some cases, however, it may be found desirable to have the
openings for the admission of the fresh air at some considerable height above
the floor.
In the application of my Invention to new buildings, and especially to
churches, halls, and other buildings of large size, I adopt the following
methods:The fresh external air is admitted at the upper part of the building
by a shaft or channel, and is conveyed by means of tubes or channels, laid, or
fixed, or constructed in the most convenient parts of the building, such tubes
or channels terminating in chambers which may be of any required_size or

page_text: capacity, and may be constructed or placed in any convenient part or parts of
the building or place to be ventilated. The chambers do not require to be of
great breadth, and they may therefore be conveniently constructed or placed
in party walls, or behind ceilings, or in any other convenient positions, the
chief requisite being that they shall possess a ventilating surface of sufficient
area for the requirements of the particular cases for which they are employed.
The ventilating surface is formed of perforated or pervious material, the air
being thus transmitted from the chambers to the apartments or places to be
ventilated at a low level, there being provided suitable tubes, or outlets
(covered with perforated or pervious material) at the upper part thereof for
the escape of the heated and vitiated air. The ingress and egress of the air is
regulated by means of valves properly arranged for that purpose.
In constructing the shafts, tubes, or channels for conducting the fresh air
from the top or upper part of buildings, I prefer having them made of
earthenware and the interior thereof glazed, the upper ends thereof being
covered or protected so as to prevent the admission of rain or dust. The
opening of the shafts, tubes, or channels at the lower part thereof I prefer to
be somewhat above the floors of the places to be ventilated, especially when
in halls, churches, or other large buildings the floor is on or level with the
ground.
In some buildings it may be a very convenient arrangement to employ the
staircases or lobbies as ventilating shafts, in which case suitable openings must
be made at the necessary points for admitting a full supply of the external
fresh air, such openings being at the same time protected so as to prevent
draught, and the fresh air being carried into the ventilating chambers, and
then diffused as herein-before mentioned, it being distinctly understood that
proper openings in or near the ceiling, or roof of the place to be ventilated
must always be provided for the exit of the heated and vitiated air. In cold
weather the temperature of the air in such staircases or lobbies so employed
might be raised to a genial heat before being distributed, thus adding greatly
to the comfort of those using the apartments or places in course of ventilation.
In ordinary cases, also, the chambers may be formed or placed in the vicinity
of a fire-place or furnace, by which means the air may be heated before being
diffused.
In the foregoing descriptions and illustrations, although I have spoken of
dwelling houses and other buildings, it is manifest that my Invention is appli-
cable to the ventilation of ships, railway and other carriages, and other places
requiring ventilation.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in

page_text: which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion, that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein-before described and set forth, inasmuch
as variations therefrom, and modifications thereof may be adopted and
employed without departing from the main features of my Invention; and
that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as consti-
tuting my said Invention are, the combinations and arrangements of apparatus
for the purposes of ventilation, herein-before substantially described and set
forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Robb; have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two..
JOHN КОББ. (L.8.)