Improvement in Window Ventilation.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification. Left, 6th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 18th May, 1889
Improvement in Window Ventilation.
Penn-.
I ALFRED CREIGH STEVENSON, of Oakdale Station, Allegheny County,
sylvania, United States of America, Physician, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide for the ventilation of rooms without the
production of currents of air. The invention consists in the employment of a
diaphragm or screen mounted on a spring roller at the upper part of the groove for
the lower sash, said screen extending about ten or twelve inches from the top of the
window and being wider than the length of the roller, and on the sides next the
window frame having a broad hem that is received between guides attached to the bead
which separates the two sashes.
When the screen is wound up the hem extends over the end of the roller, so that
the screen may lie flat on the roller. The lower part of the screen is attached to a
cross strip whose ends slide in the groove of the upper sash to which it is attached
so that as the upper sash is pulled down the screen unwinds. The roller is provided
with a coiled spring at one end attached to a spindle and received in a recessed plate
fitted flush with the window frame. The other journal of the roller is received in a
bearing in a plate fixed to the frame on the other side. The roller is provided with
a spring which yields and allows of the roller being placed in and removed from its
bearings.
At the top of the frame there is a plate or strip in rear of the roller, the lower edge
of which almost touches the outer surface of the screen, and on the top of the lower
sash there is another plate to close the space between the sashes when the upper sash
is lowered.
On the inside of the window frame there is a second screen attached at its upper
edge to a roller mounted in brackets on the frame and at its lower edge secured to a
roller which is adapted to be secured to a notched plate for the purpose of holding the
screen tant

page_text: Between the two screens and supported on brackets 1 mount a rectangular frame,
the edges of which come against the screen, which frame constitutes a chamber for
the reception of disinfectants or inhalants which are contained in wide mouthed jars
supported on the frame. By this means the air passing in through the screens,
becomes charged with the disinfectant or inhalant and I am then enabled to use the
fumes of sulphurous acid for the destruction of germs without danger to the patient
in a sick room, or to moisten the air.
Dated thin 20th of 1000

page_text: Improvement in Window Ventilation.
1, ALFRED CREIGH STEVENSON, of Oakdale Station, Allegheny County, Penn-
sylvania, United States of America, Physician, 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 my invention is to provide means for ventilating rooms and especially
sick rooms, in either summer or winter without producing objectionable currents of air.
Heretofore, it has been common to employ screens for keeping out insects, mounted.
on a spring roller and adapted to be pulled down either by the sash or by hand across
the open space, being guided along its edges by guide grooves in the window. frame.
My invention is of somewhat the same character, but it is designed for purposes of
ventilation only; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of an air-filtering
diaphragm in combination with other devices, hereafter fully described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this Specifi-
cation wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a window with the upper sash partly
lowered and provided with my improvement; Figure 1 is an edge view; Figure 2
is a longitudinal section; and Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section of the window
frame and the ventilating apparatus; Figure 4 is a horizontal section shewing guides
for the diaphragm.
A is the window frame, B the lower sash which runs in groove a, and C the upper
sash which runs in groove c; b is the bead or strip which separates the two sashes;
Da spring roller which is journaled in bearings in the top portion of the groove a for
the lower sash. This roller is provided with a curtain or diaphragm E of firm cloth
such as canvas or some material specially made for the purpose. This diaphragm is
made sufficiently long to extend ten to twelve inches from the top of the window and
is made wider than the length of the roller, and on the sides next to the window
frame said diaphragm is formed with a broad hem that is received between metal
guide strips g g¹ attached to the side of the head strip b. The object in making
the diaphragm wider than the length of the roller is to permit the hem when rolled
up to extend over the end of the roller and thus permit the material of which the
diaphragm is composed to lie flat and close upon the roller. At its lower end the
diaphragm is attached to a cross-strip F whose ends slide in the sash groove of
the upper sash and is attached to the latter so that when the upper sash is pulled
down the diaphragm unwinds from the roller above and extends across the opening
above the window so that the air which enters the room has to pass through the
same. This diaphragm, it will be seen, is held taut or under tension by the spring
of the roller above and if the weight of the sash be not sufficient to hold it down
a set-screw, spring clamp, or other suitable device, may be provided to hold the sash
down. The spring roller may be provided with any kind of spring for winding
up and maintaining a tension on the diaphragm but, as shewn, a spindle or journal i
at one end of the roller is fixed to a coiled spring ; in a recessed plate & fitted flush
in the side of the window frame at the top of the groove for the lower sash. The

page_text: other journal 1 of the spring roller is received in a socket in a plate m on the opposite
side. The roller carries a spiral spring which forms a yielding abutment for the
journal and permits of an end wise movement of the journal in placing the roller in
its bearings. G is a metal strip or plate, of the width of the window, and placed
at the top of the window frame in rear of the roller so that its lower edge will
almost touch the outer surface of the diaphragm. G is another plate carried on
the top of the lower sash, to close the space made by lowering the upper sash
so that no air can pass, except through the diaphragm thus preventing currents
of air, even in boisterous winter weather, and at the same time permitting a free
transmission of fresh air into, and impure heated air from, the apartment, thus
obtaining what is more especially needed in all sick rooms, sleeping rooms, school-
houses, etc., vizt.-good ventilation without draughts.
Upon the inside of the window frame at the top are fixed brackets n n in which
are secured the journals of a second roller H. This roller has a diaphragm I of
lighter fabric such as muslin, which may be distended on the inside of the window
frame, the lower edge of this second diaphragm being provided with a second
roller, H whose journals o may be placed in one of a series of notches in side
brackets p on the window frame, to hold the diaphragm taut (see Figure 1). The
journals are preferably made square or angular in cross-section to fit the notches
in the brackets and thus hold the diaphragm tight without unrolling. A pin p¹
serves to hold the journals in the notches. Between these two diaphragms and
detachably supported upon loops or brackets g in the upper ends of the grooves
for the lower sash, is fitted a rectangular frame J, the edges of which are closely fitted
against the two diaphragms and form a chamber for disinfectants or inhalants which
are placed in wide-mouthed bottles or jars inside the frame and resting upon its
bottom. This frame is made slightly wider than the space between the two diaphragms
in order that the edges of the frame may tightly fit against the diaphragmns so that
the air passes through the outer diaphragm to the space filled with the disinfectant
or inhalant and then passes through the lighter muslin diaphragm into the room.
I am thus enabled for disinfecting purposes, to use the fumes of sulphurous acid for
the destruction of disease germs, without injury to the patient which is of great
advantage in such diseases as scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhoid fever, etc. The same
arrangement also permits of the use of inhalants such as turpentine, etc., in cases of
chronic lung diseases such as bronchitis and pulmonary tuberculosis, to the very best
advantage. I may also utilize the space between the two diaphragms by placing a
water trough or receiver in the same, to moisten the air of rooms heated by natural
gas or by hot air and thus render it fit for breathing.
The ventilator as thus described can be put in any window with but slight alterations,
and it does not materially interfere with the working of the sashes. My invention
may be usefully applied to railway carriage windows for excluding dust and cinders
and yet permitting a free access of fresh air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination, with a window frame, of journal plates set in the upper portion
of the grooves for the lower sash, side guides formed in the bead between the two
sash grooves, a spring roller journaled in the plates in the upper portion of the lower
sash groove, a foraminous diaphragm wound upon the roller and provided with a
heavy hem on each side extending beyond the ends of the roller and travelling in the
guides and a rigid strip attached to the lower end of the diaphragm and connected
to the upper end of the upper sash, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
2. The combination with a window frame of two foraminous diaphragms arranged
side by side across the opening of the window sash to form a space between and a
support attached to the window frame and arranged between the diaphragms for the
reception of volatile substances for modifying the character of the air admitted to
the room through the same, substantially as described.
.

page_text: 3. The combination with a window frame, of two sets of distending devices
arranged. side by side and provided with foraminous diaphragms adapted to be drawn
across the opening of the sash, supports arranged upon the window-frame between
the diaphragms, and a box frame consisting of top, bottom, and ends, held upon said
supports and having their edges fitting closely against the two diaphragms to form a
receptacle for disinfectants, inhalants, etc., as described.