Improvements in Draught Regulators.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1891-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Draught Regulators.
I, JAMES MCIVOR ADOLPHUS of 594 Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, Cook
County, State of Illinois, in the United States of America, Locksmith, 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:-
This invention relates to a regulator or damper for chimneys, stacks, stove pipes
and the like, the object being to provide a device of this character that will be
operated and controlled by the draft or current from the fire, whereby the heat of
the fire may be maintained at an even and uniform temperature.
The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts
hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.
In the accompanying drawings making a part of this Specification,
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of a stack constructed in accordance with my
invention:
Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 in Fig. 3:
Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1:
Fig. 4, is a detail perspective view illustrating the pivotal support for the
damper, and
Fig. 5, is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of construction embodying
my invention.
It is of course understood that my invention can be applied to flues, chimneys or
pipes, but for the purpose of illustration, I have shown my invention as applied to
a stack that leads from a furnace.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, of said drawings, A, indicates a stack of familiar
construction and B, an opening in the side thereof communicating with the furnace
(not shown) and through which the products of combustion from said furnace pass
into said stack.
C, indicates a damper pivotally supported within the stack with its lower end
portion located adjacent to the opening B, in said stack, that the products of
combustion from the furnace will be directed against the lower end portion of said
damper. The said damper C, stands normally in an upright position, and stops 1,
project from the side walls of the stack and are located between the lower end
portions of the damper and the opening B, and the damper rests against said stops
when it is in its normal position and thereby prevents said lower end portion of the
damper from moving toward the opening B, in the stack. It is plainly obvious
that devices or stops can be variously arranged for limiting the movement of the
damper without departing from the spirit of my invention.
It will thus be seen that the damper can turn on its pivot and that in so doing
will be thrown across and obstruct the passage in the stack as shown in dotted lines
in Fig. 3. It will be noted, however, that the passage is never entirely closed, as
the sides of the damper do not form a tight joint with the walls of the passage
through the stack as shown in Fig. 2.
It is manifest that the damper can be pivoted in various ways, but as a convenient
and preferable construction, I have shown lugs 2, projecting from the walls of the
stack and provided with notches 3, preferably V-shaped. The damper is provided
with side projections 4, having knife edges that bear in the said notches, whereby
the friction of said pivotal connection is reduced to a minimum which makes a quick
and easy working damper.
The said projections 4, are conveniently formed by the projecting ends of a
transverse bar secured to said damper. The damper is cut-away or notched around
said projections 4, to make room for the said lugs 2.

page_text: The pivotal point of said damper is so arranged that by itself the damper would
turn on its pivot, but to hold the damper normally in an upright position, I have
provided a counterbalancing device that is connected with the damper and serves
to hold the same in an upright position.
The said counterbalance can be constructed in various ways, and in Figs. 1, 2
and 3, I have shown one embodiment of the same.
In this construction a bell-crank lever 5, is pivoted at its elbow upon a bracket 6,
secured to a plate 7, on the outside of the stack. The horizontal arm 8, of said
bell-crank lever is provided with a weight 9, that can be moved toward and away
from its pivot by being secured in one of a plurality of perforations 10, in said
arm 8, or in any other obvious manner. The upright arm 11, of said bell-crank
lever is pivoted to a bar 12, that extends through an opening in said plate 7, and
in the wall of the stack and is pivoted to an upright lever 13.
The lower end of said lever 13, is provided with a transverse bar 14, having
a knife edge and bearing in V-shaped notches 15, in lugs 16, secured to said
stack.
The upper end of said lever 13, is located adjacent to the pivot of the damper
and is connected therewith by means of a link 17, pivoted to the upper end of said
lever and to said damper adjacent its pivot.
The weight through the intermediacy of the bell-crank lever 5, bar 12, lever 13,
and lock 17, serves to hold said damper in an upright position. The said weight
is selected with relation to the location of the pivot of the damper and the con-
nections between said weight and damper, that it will serve to hold the damper in
an upright position so long as the draft from the fire passing into the stack and
being directed and impinging against the lower end portion of the damper is
equable and normal. When the draft increases and is directed against the lower
end portion of the damper with greater force, the action of the weight will be
overcome and the damper allowed to turn on its pivot to partially close the passage
in the stack according to the excess of draft. If the draft is only slightly in
excess of the desired draft, it is found that the damper will be turned only so far
as is necessary to thwart the foxcess and attain the desired draft.
When the draft is greatly in excess, it is found that the damper will be thrown
entirely over as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The damper remains in its tipped
position until the draft decreases, and as it decreases the damper gradually assumes
its normal position correspondingly.
It is found in practical use that the damper serves to control the draft and keep
it normal and consequently the fire and heat uniform and steady.
It is obvious that the damper can be otherwise than rectangular in shape as
shown, as for instance, in a cylindrical pipe, it could be elliptical, and can be made
of any shape to correspond to the shape of the pipe, flue, chimney or the like.
In Fig. 3, is shown a modified form of construction embodying my invention and
illustrating the application of my invention to a stack above the point of entrance
of the draft.
In this construction the upright arm of the bell-crank lever is pivotally connected
directly by means of a link 18, with the damper and acts in a corresponding
manner.
In this construction it is found that an excess of draft in passing up through the
stack tips the damper to a slight incline and then turns it on its pivot in an obvious
manner by reason of force exerted by said excess.
This construction of damper is found in practical use to operate similarly to the
construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and heretofore fully described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The combination substantially as herein before set forth, of a damper
pivotally supported within a chimney or other draft passage, stops located to

page_text: engage and hold said damper in a substantially longitudinal position within said
chimney or draft passage, and a counterbalance weight connected with said damper
and arranged practically as described, that when the draft is uniform said counter-
balance weight will hold the damper substantially longitudinally within the chimney
or draft passage, but will allow said damper to turn upon its pivot and across
said chimney or draft passage, under the influence of an excess of draft.
2nd. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a damper
pivotally supported within a chimney or other draft passage, stops located to engage
and hold said damper in a substantially longitudinal position within said chimney
or draft passage, and adjustable counterbalance weight connected with said damper
and arranged practically as described, that when the draft is uniform said counter-
balance weight will hold the damper substantially longitudinally within the chimney
or draft passage, but will allow said damper to turn upon its pivot and across
said chimney or draft passage, under the influence of an excess of draft.
3rd. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a damper
pivotally supported within a chimney or other draft passage, stops located practi-
cally as described to engage said damper when it located substantially longitudinally
within said chimney or draft passage, and a counterbalance weight connected with
said damper and serving to hold the same normally against said stops.
4th. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a damper
pivotally supported within a chimney or other draft passage and slightly smaller
than the same, stops located practically as described, to engage said damper when
it is located substantially longitudinally within the chimney or draft passage, and a
counterbalance weight connected with said damper and serving to hold the same
longitudinally within said chimney or draft passage.
5th. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a damper pivotally
supported within a chimney or other draft passage, an opening in said chimney or
draft located adjacent the lower end portion of said damper, stops located practically
as described to engage said damper when it is located substantially longitudinally
within said chimney or draft passage, and a counterbalance weight connected with
said damper and serving to hold it normally against said stops.
6th. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a damper
pivotally supported within a chimney or other draft passage, stops located practi-
cally as described to engage one side of said damper when it is located substantially
longitudinally within said chimney or draft passage, and a counterbalance weight
connected with said damper and serving to hold the same normally against said stops.
7th. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a damper
pivotally supported within a chimney or other draft passage, an opening in said
chimney or draft passage located adjacent the lower end portion of said damper,
stops located practically as described to engage said damper when it is located
substantially longitudinally within said chimney or draft passage and to prevent
the lower end portion of said damper approaching said opening from the longi-
tudinal position, and a counterbalance weight connected with said damper and
serving to hold the same normally against said stops.
8th. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a damper
pivotally supported within a chimney or other draft passage, an opening in said
chimney or draft passage located adjacent the lower end portion of said damper,
stops located practically as described to engage said damper when it is located
substantially longitudinally within said chimney or draft passage a vibrating
lever 13, pivoted to said damper, a bell-crank lever 5, having one arm pivotally
connected with said vibrating lever 13, and a counterbalance weight connected with
the other arm of said bell-crank lever.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.