Improvements in Smoke-testing Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Smoke-testing Apparatus.
1, JOHN JONES, of 40 Sydney Street, Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex,
Builder, 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 smoke-testing apparatus for detecting leakages in drains
and the like, which, while handy and portable will supply a regular and reliable
volume of smoke.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a smoke-testing
apparatus constructed according to my invention, and
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively vertical and horizontal longitudinal sections of
the same, Figure 3 being taken on the crooked line 3-3 of Figure 4 and Figure
on the broken line 4--4 of Figure 3.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
Hitherto it has been customary to make the smoke or combustion box or chamber
and fan or blower chamber of the same width in transverse section and to provide
the diaphragm, which separates the two chambers, with holes near its lower part
for the passage of the smoke from the smoke-box to the blower chamber. This
arrangement however I have found does not give satisfactory results inasmuch as
the smoke having to pass downwards through the oily waste or other smoke-
producing material burning in the smoke-box, becomes more or less consumed
before it reaches the holes which results in a reduction of the volume of smoke
delivered by the apparatus; moreover the oily waste lying close against the
before-mentioned holes tends to choke them and still further diminish the volume
of smoke.
According to my present invention I overcome all these defects by constructing
the apparatus in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings and as
hereinafter described.
I make the smoke-box or chamber A and blower chamber B of different widths,
the latter being narrower than the former, and as heretofore separated by the
diaphragm C; in this diaphragm however in contra-distinction to those of existing
apparatus, there are no openings to place A and B in direct communication with
each other. At the outside of the chamber B I provide inclined smoke channels
or conduits D tightly secured to the walls of the chambers A and B, and in the
diaphragm Cat the parts covered by or corresponding with the lower parts of the
channels DI form openings E which place the channels in direct communication
with the interior of A. The thickness of the channels D I prefer to make such
that they just utilize the space between the walls of B and those of A so that the
width over the channels is approximately the same as that of the chamber A. The
apper parts of the channels D surround the ends of the shaft F on which the fan
or blower G is secured and in the part of the walls of the chamber B surrounding
the shaft F and opening into the channels D I form holes H which complete the
communications between the chambers A and B.
Within the chamber A I provide the inclined perforated plate I which serves
to support the smoke-producing material on its upper side and prevent it from
becoming compacted near the outlets E. This plate I by its perforations I¹
provides a considerably freer and larger outlet for the smoke thau has hitherto
been provided by the holes usually formed near the lower part of the diaphragm.

page_text: The delivery nozzle J and flexible pipe J¹ connected therewith, the friction
wheel Fon shaft F, the driving wheel K and fixed stud K' on which the latter
is mounted, the hinged cover A of chamber A and valve or ventilator A² thereof
and the hinged handle L, may all be of ordinary construction. To enable the
apparatus to be packed in a case of less width than has hitherto been necessary for
accommodating similar devices I prefer to hinge the crank handle K' to the
wheel K so that it may be folded close against the wheel K when out of use.
When the apparatus is used the smoke-producing material supported at one
side and towards the top of the chamber A is ignited and the fan or blower rotated
in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3. The supply of air necessary
to support combustion may be admitted through the hole A3 in the lid, the supply
being controlled by the valve A². The smoke is drawn out of A through the
outlets E into the passages D and through the holes H into B and driven out
through the nozzle Jand delivered by the flexible pipe J' into the drain or other
device to be tested.
If desired I may construct the before-described apparatus with only one side
passage D or with more than two such passages.
The perforated plate I I¹ may be advantageously used in combination with
smoke-testing apparatus of ordinary construction.
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. In a smoke-testing apparatus the combination of a smoke or combustion
chamber and a blower chamber whose interiors are in communication only through
one or more side passages such as D substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
2. In a smoke testing apparatus comprising a smoke or combustion chamber and
a blower chamber connecting the interiors of these two chambers by one or more
passages outside the blower chamber substantially as described.
3. In a smoke-testing apparatus the combination with the smoke or combustion
chamber of a blower chamber of less width than that of the combustion chamber
and one or more side passages such as D extending outside the blower chamber and
opening from the side passages into the two chambers substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a smoke-testing apparatus comprising a smoke or combustion chamber and
a blower chamber the combination with the combustion chamber of an inclined
perforated plate such as 11 substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete smoke
testing apparatus substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 6th day of September 1894.