Improvements in Apparatus for Humidifying or Moistening Air.
Year: 1890

page_text: ate of Application, 19th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1891)
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Humidifying or Moistening Air.
We, ALBERT SCHMID of 65 Sihlstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland, Engineer, and
ALBERT KÖCHLIN, of 8 Rue du Miroir, Mulhouse, Alsace, in the Empire of Germany,
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 improved apparatus enables the air contained in, or admitted into, rooms or
apartments to be humidified or moistened in a very considerable degree without any
particles or globules of moisture being visible as they escape from the apparatus.
Experiment has shown that air, when brought into direct contact with water, derives
but little moisture therefrom, and the present invention is therefore founded on the
main principle that the air it is desired to humidify should,-preferably by the action.
of a fan or ventilator,-be forced or drawn through a suitable porous material soaked
or moistened with water, as it has been found that the air when treated in this manner
absorbs by far a greater quantity of moisture than it would do by other processes.
The degree of humidification in consequence of the very effective absorption of
moisture is practically uniform even throughout very extensive rooms, while at the
same time is avoided the now frequently occurring inconvenience of places and articles
situated in the immediate vicinity of the humidifier becoming wet.
Owing to the fine division of the air as it passes through the case or jacket of fabric
or porous material not only the temperature of the cold water used is lowered but the
water is at the same time purified, provided that the same air sufficiently long undergoes
the filtering action of the porous material. By providing suitable pipes and valves
the air supply can be taken in from without so that the air is constantly and entirely
renewed; a further advantage of this apparatus being that it does not require the
employment of water pressure.
In the accompanying drawings:
:-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a front view, and
Fig. 3 a longitudinal horizontal section of the improved air humidifier.
The main part of the humidifier is the drum A of fabric or porous material provided
with two hollow trunnions a. The rods a of which this drum is formed and which
are arranged in concentric circles and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum,
answer a double purpose. In the first place they serve for connecting the two end
discs or plates a² and thus impart the required strength to the whole structure. And
secondly they form the frame whereon are stretched two pieces of fabric b of prefer-
ably knitted fabric. The inner case or jacket 6 thus constructed is obtained by passing
the fabric alternately over the rods a¹ of the inner and outer circles as shown in Fig. i
so as to form a star-shaped body offering a very large surface to the passing air.
In lieu of this star-shaped arrangement of the inner porous jacket b any equivalent
arrangement for fulfilling the same object may however be employed. The outer
porous jacket is of practically cylindrical shape being stretched as a simple continuous
band over the outer rods. The enclosing casing B is provided with bearings c in
which the trunnions a of the drum A are free to turn. This enclosing casing
surrounds the drum A on all sides and receives the water which is fed into its lower
part by the pipe c'. The highest level of the water contained therein may be con-
trolled by the discharge pipe 2. According to the degree of humidification it is
desired to obtain the water level is raised or lowered so that the porous fabric is more
or less deeply immersed in the water and consequently caused to absorb a greater or
less amount thereof. The level indicated in Fig. 1 is the maximum level reaching
the bars of the inner circle..

page_text: The enclosing casing or cylinder B is connected with the fan-box D within which
a fan E of any suitable construction is arranged. Through the opening d provided in
the box D the air escapes into the room or apartment it is desired to ventilate and
into which the moistened air is to be introduced. By means of a worm or screw e
gearing with a wheel secured upon the shaft e¹ and of pitch chain or equivalent
gearing emotion is transmitted from the shaft of the fan to the drum A. The whole
apparatus is fastened to the ceiling of the room by means of a bracket or support F.
The operation is as follows:-
As the drum A of fabric or porous material rotates a portion of the two porous
jackets or casings b b is constantly immersed in the water contained in the casing or
cylinder B and similarly a moistened portion of the fabric or porous material rises
constantly above the water-level. The air sucked in the fan E enters the porous
drum A in the direction of the arrow i Fig. 3 and is thus caused to pass through the
moist material. By thus coming into intimate contact with the moistened porous
drum the air absorbs more or less moisture without however carrying away with it
any actual particles or globules. This is the main distinctive feature of the apparatus
herein described as compared with air-humidifiers hitherto known, in which the water
brought into direct contact with air, or with which the air is brought into contact is
divided into more or less fine particles. Whereas in the present arrangement the air
receives its moisture from a body previously moistened with water or any other
suitable liquid. If it is desired that the air passing through the apparatus should
remain free from moisture for the time being the water level in the cylinder B is
lowered so that no part of the porous cylinder or cylinders can come in contact
with it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
An improved air humidifier mainly consisting of a rotary drum between the end
plates or discs of which and parallel to its longitudinal axis are arranged a series of
rods, and of a fan adapted to draw or force in the air through the side orifices
provided in the drum covered with fabric or porous material and arranged so that it
may be more or less impregnated with water, and to discharge or distribute it within
a room or apartment in a moistened and purified state substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete air-
humidifier or moistener substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 10th day of August 1890