IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING APPARATUS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING APPARATUS."-A communication from
abroad by Henry Howard, of St. John's, in the Dominion of Canada,
Doctor of Medicine....
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 26th January 1869.
I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
[Price 8d.]

page_text: Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING APPARATUS," a communication,
to be as follows:-
The said Invention is applicable to hospitals, schools, prisons, barracks,
public and private buildings, railway carriages, and in all cases where
ventilation is required.
Complete ventilation consists in securing the following conditions:―
First, the introduction of an ample supply of fresh air; second, its uniform
distribution; third, absence of draught; fourth, the interception of dele-
terious gases and suspended organic matter; fifth, the abstraction of
excessive moisture; sixth, the removal of foul air. This Invention
secures all these requirements in an effective manner.
The body of the ventilator consists of a wedge-shaped box attached to
a supporting frame or diaphragm which is .intended to secure the body
to the window. An adjustable funnel is provided for adapting the
ventilator to double windows. The body is fitted with a perforated shelf
for holding a sponge or other porous absorbent, and is provided with a
perforated box for holding charcoal, the said box fitting closely into the
top of the body, but capable of being removed at pleasure. The ventilator
is also provided with a sliding valve for regulating or cutting off the
supply of air. When the apartment or room is heated by a stove a foul
air escape pipe is used in connection with the same. Where double
windows are not used the adjustable funnel will not be required. When
stoves are not used open fire-places will furnish the requisite outlet for
foul air.
The following is the manner of using the ventilator :-It should be
placed in lieu of one of the panes of glass in the top of the window, and
at as high an elevation as possible, the body being towards the inside of
the room.
When double windows are used the funnel must be placed in
the corresponding space in the outside window. When the external air
is damp or saturated with aqueous vapour the sponge should be placed
on the perforated shelf, and should the wind blow strongly upon the
outside mouth of the ventilator the regulating slide valve may be lowered
to diminish the quantity of air flowing in. The external air, which is
always more or less in motion, is conducted to the body of the ventilator
and impinges on its inclined side; it is thus deflected upwards through
the perforated shelf, the sponge, and the charcoal box, and is drawn into
the room to supply the place of the warm and light air passing out

page_text: through the foul air escape pipe or other contrivance for that purpose.
Owing to the construction of the ventilator the fresh air so passing in is
directed upwards and inwards, there is therefore no sensible draught. It
also enters the room divided into numerous small streams like water
from a fine rose, so that it is perfectly distributed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the .Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the International Patent Office, No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, 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 succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, 'Her
special licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Robert Lake, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING APPARATUS," upon.the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, forming a part of this Specification:-
The said Invention is applicable to hospitals, schools, prisons, barracks,
public and private buildings, railway carriages, and in all cases where
ventilation is required.
Complete ventilation consists in securing the following conditions:-
First, the introduction of an ample supply of fresh air; second, its
uniform distribution; third, absence of draught; fourth, the interception
of deleterious gases and suspended organic matter; fifth, the abstraction
of excessive moisture; sixth, the removal of foul air. This Invention
secures all these requirements in an effective manner.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a frout view (or portion looking into a room) of the said
apparatus; Figure 2 is a back view (or portion looking into the street)
of the same; Figure 3 is a vertical section thereof shewing also an
adjustable funnel to be employed where double windows are used;
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the same illustrating the employ-
ment of a foul air escape in connection with a stove.
A is the body of the ventilator, consisting of a wedge-shaped box
attached to the supporting frame or diaphragm B, which is intended to
secure the body A to the window; C is an adjustable funnel for adapting
the ventilátor to double windows; D is a perforated shelf for holding a
sponge
E or other porous absorbent; F is a perforated box for holding
charcoal, and fits closely into the top of the body A, but is capable of
being removed at pleasure; G is a sliding valve for regulating or cutting
off the supply of air; H is a foul air escape pipe used in connection with
stoves. Where double windows are not used the adjustable funnel will
not be required,, and in such cases that part of the said Invention will
be dispensed with. When stoves are not used, open fire-places will
furnish the requisite outlet for foul air.
...
The following is the manner of using the ventilator:-It should be
placed in lieu of one of the panes of glass in the top of the window,
and at as high an elevation as possible, the body A being towards the
inside of the room. When double windows are used the funnel C

page_text: must be placed in the corresponding space in the outside window.
When the external air is saturated with aqueous vapour (damp) the
sponge E should be placed on the shelf D, and should the wind
blow strongly upon the outside mouth of the ventilator the regu-
lating slide valve G may be lowered so as to diminish the quantity
of air flowing in. The external air, which is always more or less in
motion, is conducted to the body A of the ventilator, and impinges
on its inclined side; it is thus deflected upward through the perforated
shelf D, the sponge E, and the charcoal box F, and is drawn into
the room to supply the place of the warm and light air passing into the
foul air escape pipe H, or other contrivance provided for that purpose.
Owing to the construction of the ventilator the fresh air so passing in
is directed upward and inward, so that there is no sensible draft, and it
also enters the room divided into numerous small streams like water
from a fine " rose, so that it is perfectly distributed. These facts have
been abundantly proved by experiment. As the air in going through
the ventilator passes through three perforated plates, a covering of
sponge, and a box filled with charcoal it is impossible that any sus-
pended organic matter can enter the room by it. When the external air
contains too much moisture it is readily deprived of it to the required
extent by means of the sponge E or a similar absorbent. All deleterious
gases will also be intercepted by the charcoal. The air in passing
through the ventilator will also be warmed, first, by the amount of
friction it has to undergo; secondly, by being deprived of its watery
vapour; and, thirdly, by the chamber through which it passes being
warmed by the heat of the room. The truth of these statements has
also been proved by experiment.
"
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the use of any particular kind of
material in the construction of the said ventilator, neither do I limit
myself to the precise details of form and construction herein specified;
but I claim, an apparatus consisting essentially of a body or hollow
box A for receiving, conducting, and deflecting air, and containing
therein one or more perforated diaphragms D, a sponge E, or other
miles

page_text: intercepting deleterious gases, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
In 'witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THO. N. PALMER.
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.
.