IMPROVE- MENTS IN REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE IN CONSERVATORIES AND OTHER PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Pim Trimble, of New York, in the United
States of America, Doctor of Medicine, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE IN CONSERVATORIES AND OTHER
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Pim Trimble at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th September 1854.
I, ISAAC PIM TRIMBLE, of New York, in the United States of America,
Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE IN CONSERVATORIES, AND
OTHER APARTMENTS, OR IN VENTILATING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in certain improvements in means of regulating the
temperature of apartments, conservatories, graperies, and such like structures,
the said improvements being applicable also to the purpose of ventilation in
dwellings. The principle of my said Invention is found in the employment
of the mechanical force derived from the expansion and contraction of metals
by changes of temperature, to open and close apertures for the exit or ingress,
or both, of atmospheric air of differing temperatures, the effect upon the metals
to be produced by the air usually in the apartment.in which the temperature
is to be regulated. I am well aware that this force has been employed to

page_text: regulate the temperature of calorific apparatus, as, for instance, by the employ-
ment of a rod of iron within or in conjunction with a stove or furnace, to
regulate the admission of air or close the damper, and thus govern the intensity
of the combustion. These arrangements wholly fail, however, to produce the
effect sought to be accomplished by my improvements, for such a combi-
nation with a stove only effects in an uncertain degree, or by a secondary
operation, that which is accomplished by me directly. To demonstrate my
meaning more exactly I will instance two examples:-In the case of warming
a conservatory, it is supposed that the expansion.bar is attached to the stove,
as before named. This would only govern the action of the draft, or the dis-
charge through the register due to a certain rate of combustion, and with a
certain kind of fire; the temperature of the air within the greenhouse would
have to be wholly regulated by the attendant. Now, my expansion apparatus
is placed in the greenhouse itself, and is actuated by the temperature main-
tained there, so that the valves on the roof and those leading to the hot-air
chamber are controlled irrespective of the state of the fire; and I would here
remark, that so sensitive have I made my said apparatus, that the slight change
of temperature due to the mere obscuration of the sun by a passing cloud has
caused the instant closing motion of the shutters or valves on the roof, and
the reverse as soon as the rays of the sun again fell on the glass. To accom-
plish this I construct my machine of some suitable metal; iron or zinc are
those I generally prefer. Whichever metal is selected is to be cut into strips
from the sheet, and united to form ribbons of considerable length, or such
ribbons or strips may be formed directly by the rolls. These are then to be
extended on the walls or in a proper framework in the greenhouse or other
apartment of which the temperature is to be kept regulated, and then so con-
nected with a valve or register as that the expansion or contraction of the zinc
or iron will act to open or close the same, or keep it partially open, as may be..
To get an extensive and sensitive motion as well as power several such strips
are combined, so as to give a length of travel due to such a multiplication of
pieces, as will more fully appear by the following description :-A is a conser-
vatory of ordinary construction, having shutters or valves B to open for a
passage to the external air. C is a register door leading to the hot-air chamber.
a, a, a, are the zinc ribbons of the expansion apparatus. These are extended
from end to end of the back wall of the house. The ends of the several
ribbons are connected by a flexible band or chain, which passes over pullies
b, as shewn. The last ribbon is divided in the middle by a link, as seen at c.
The first and last ends of the ribbon are well secured to the wall or framing,
and by a screw or other fixture they may be tightened, so as to be kept in a

page_text: horizontal position. From the link ca weight depends, as seen at d, and from
the link are also three lines leading over pullies to the several shutters, valves,
&c. to be worked by the machine. It will now be seen that as the several
ribbons expand or contract, the link c will be raised or lowered by the varying
deflections of the last ribbon a", and thus the cords will be made to operate
upon the valves B, C, as shewn. It will also be seen how a large motion is
here obtained from the combination and arrangement of the several strips of
zinc. The expansion of a is added to that of a¹, and both these to that of a",
and the whole to that of all; also by taking the motion from the middle of a
strip, as at a, instead of its end, the whole extent or range due to the arc
formed by the deflection is gained, instead of the distance produced by the'
absolute extension in length. Thus, the use of gearing, or the employment of
a secondary apparatus, like levers, &c. for getting up a long range of motion, is
obviated, although in certain cases, where space is an object, some of the latter
plans may have to be resorted to. It will also be seen that the cords are so
adjusted to the valves and registers, that as one is opened the others will be'
closed. In the Drawing it is shewn as if the temperature were getting too
high; therefore the outlet valves or shutters B are being opened, while the
ingress of the hot air is stopped by the register C. This precise combination
with the registers for hot air is not necessary; the most important part is with
the shutters leading to the external air. In large greenhouses and graperies
there are usually a large number of shutters extending from one end to the'
other, and arranged so as to revolve on one axis, the turning of which axis is
to open or close them. To this I attach my expansion apparatus in such
manner as still to allow of the opening or closing them arbitrarily by the
attendant, as he may deem best. Also by regulating the tension of the ribbons
by the screws at the ends, where they are joined to the wall, the shutters may
be made to open and close at any given temperature, as ascertained by the
thermometer.
I further contemplate the employment of my improvements as a regulator
for the ventilators of dwellings, public buldings, &c., by locating the apparatus,
so that it shall be made to operate by the actual temperature of the apartment.
By this means a more equable heat may be always maintained than by any
other method.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Isaac Pym Trimble in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th March 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAAC
PYM TRIMBLE, of New York, in the United States of America, Doctor of
Medicine, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Isaac Pym Trimble, Her special licence that I, the said Isaac Pym
Trimble, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Isaac Pym Trimble, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "Iн-
PROVEMENTS IN REGULATING THE TEMPERATURE IN CONSERVATORIES AND OTHER
APARTMENTS, OR IN VENTILATING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Isaac Pym Trimble, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the samo 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 Isaac Pym Trimble, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists in an improved method of arranging and applying
the force derived from the expansion and contraction of metal to the
purposes of ventilation, and the regulation of temperature in apartments,
dwellings, conservatories, graperies, &c., &c. I am quite aware that the
mechanical force thus derived has been proposed for the attainment of these
purposes, but, so far as I am acquainted with the mode or modes contemplated,
thus far none have proved successful. This arises chiefly from the fact that
the comparatively small motion obtained from the expansion bars by the
ordinary changes of temperature in the apartments to be regulated was not

page_text: sufficient to be utilized in the opening of valves, &c. wherein a considerable
movement and power are required. In the plan described by Dr. Ure for
constructing an apparatus for similar purposes of two bars of metal, or other
materials of different expansibility, it has been found that the force derived
was not sufficient to effect the operation against the resistance produced by so
extended a leverage, and that therefore all the power was absorbed in some
way within the bars themselves, or in the play of the joints of the levers. It
is of course readily understood that to render the force thus derived useful, it
must be capable of application at very small changes of temperature, the range,
perhaps, not exceeding ten or fifteen degrees. Ten degrees is that within
which I propose employing this force, and in that the whole motion necessary
for throwing wide open or completely closing a set of valves must be obtained
from the extension or contraction of the metal. Zinc is among the most
expansible of metals, yet in order to attain an extension in length of one inch
only by ten degrees increase of temperature would require a piece about 500
feet long, and thus it will be seen how small must be the movement from
pieces commonly available when the power required is at the same time taken
into consideration. Besides the plan for obtaining the necessary motion, I have
also one for the form of the metal, by which it is intended to secure sensitive-
ness, and consequently rapidity of motion with strength. Neither round nor
square bars would accomplish this, and those would be also deficient in the
necessary amount of flexibility. I therefore make the expansion bars in the
form of thin strips or bands, of such various widths as will afford the power
circumstances may require. By this means a large surface is exposed, and
thereby quickly acted upon by changes of temperature. The principal feature,
however, of my Invention is the manner of applying the power so as to get the
most extended direct motion with the least range of temperature. This may
he understood by an inspection of the Diagram, Fig. II., in which A, B, will
represent one of the metal bands at the position of Oo, when it is drawn into a
straight line and supported at the ends A, B. By raising the temperature
the band will be extended, and if the supports A, B, were kept immovable it
would be deflected in some direction (as at A, C", B,) any given extension
in length, as, say equal to from B to C. Now, if a weight were hung upon the
band at B', it would have moved over the distance from B' to C", whereas
had it been, by the direct extension of the cord in a horizontal line, it would
have gone only to twice the distance from B' to C'. By doubling this amount
of expansion, as from A to D', the deflection is to D", and from A to E' is to
E", &c; from which it will be seen that the ratio or distance from point to
point in the deflection diminishes, according to well-known laws in geometry.

page_text: The most useful effect is therefore obtained by the first degrees of expansion,
and these I accordingly use within the narrow limits of temperature before
named; and to this end a certain arrangement of the metal bands and a means
of adjustment is necessary, in order that they shall begin to act at given
temperatures. This will be apparent by giving some dimensions to the
Diagram, Fig. II.; and supposing a certain extension of the cord, I give there-
fore the following :-A, B, is called 40 feet, or 240 inches from A to B. The
distance from B¹ to C" by an expansion in the length A, B, of one inch will
be as follows:-
240-25
240 25 = 15.50
Or B' to C¹¹ will be fifteen inches; in like manner by an extension of
two inches B' to D" will be twenty-one inches; and by an extension of
three inches, the distance B' to E" becomes twenty-six inches. As no
such extent of length as would give an expansion of ono inch for ten degrees
could conveniently be had, it becomes necessary to effect the object by a
different arrangement. This I do by combining together a number of strips
of the expansion bands of such length as may be conveniently encased within
a small frame, as may be seen in the Drawings at (a, a', a"), the last one
(a) being that from which the power is taken off. Now, as before shown,
the greatest range of motion or deflection of the band by the least extent of
expansion is where it starts from a horizontal or straight line, and I have
therefore arranged my apparatus so that, by means of a set screw at one end
of the expansion bars, they can be tightened or set to begin to act at any
required temperature. Thus, suppose an apartment is to be kept at a
temperature ranging between 60° and 70° F., I take up the slack of the bands
(a, a', a"), so that at that temperature of 60° F. the valves or ventilating
Hlaps will all be closed, and then regulate it so that at 70° F. they will all be
wide open. But in order to prevent accidents to the bars by their contracting
under an accidental reduction of the temperature below 60°, I provide a
resisting spring at the end opposite to the screw, or the screw may be itself
attached directly to the end of a spring, as will be more clearly shown by the
following description of the apparatus:-At (a, a',) are shown the expansion
bands, consisting of strips of thin metal, of which the most expansible kind is
the best to use, and I accordingly employ, generally, zinc. These strips are
combined together by cords passing over pullies, as shown, or may be otherwise
attached to levers or rock shafts. At:(E) is the adjusting screw before men-

page_text: tioned. This is attached to the side of the frame or other support, and takes
hold of the end of the first expansion band. At (i) is the safety spring, and is
shown as attached to the terminating link of expansion bands. At (a") is
represented the band from which the power is taken off for operating the
ventilating doors. It will now be seen that the spring (i) preserves the bands
or other parts of the fastenings from risk of breakage, should it happen that
the screw (E) were turned so as to draw the bands too tightly for action, in case
of contraction taking place by the instrument being subjected to a lower
temperature than was intended. The regulating screw also serves to enable
the instrument to be set to open or close the vents at any required temperature.
I do not claim effecting the ventilation of buildings, &c. by operating the
valves to the vents or air passages by the force derived from the expansion of
inetal, as this has been before proposed; but I do claim, and desire to secure
by Letters Patent, the manner of arranging the bars or bands, and taking off'
the power obtained by their expansion and contraction, and the adjusting
fixtures to the same to regulate tension and prevent accident; the first consist-
ing in extending the expansion bands from two fixed supports, and connecting
the valves or ventilating doors with the said bands about midway between
those supports, so that the varying degrees of flexure shall effect the operation
as described; the second consisting in attaching to said band or bands,
according as they are combined together, a spring and an adjusting screw, or
the equivalents thereof, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Pym Trimble, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, at the City of New York, this 19th day of December,
ISAAC PYM TRIMBLE. (L.S.)
Taken and declared at Her Britannic Majesty's
Consulate at New York, this 19th day of
December, A.D. 1854, before me,
ANTH. BARCLAY,
Her Britannick Majesty's Consul.