IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, & British & Foreign Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS." A communi-
cation from abroad by George Richard Buftham, of Brooklyn, King's County,
New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 28th November 1879, and dated the 9th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th June 1879.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, & British & Foreign Patent Agent. "IMPROVE
MENTS IN VENTILATORS." A communication from abroad by George Richard
Buffham, of Brooklyn, King's County, New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to ventilators intended for insertion in windows and other
places, & formed of two glass perforated or register plates moveable upon cach
other to admit or exclude air.
The Invention also consists in the construction of the device adapting it for
insertion in a window pane.
The ventilator consists of a fixed glass plate, which may be adapted to be
inserted in the opening of the window pane, and secured by cement or other
means, & of a moveable glass plate pivotted to the centre of the fixed plate, &
provided with the operating knob or other appliances. The plates are perforated
in the usual manner with corresponding ventilating openings of suitable form and
number, which are opened or closed by partly rotating the moveable plate one way
or the other, as desired, to permit or exclude ventilation. Thus formed of glass the
plates may be pressed or moulded.
Being thus formed of glass the ventilators can be furnished cheaply, and while
being very neat and durable have the great advantage of not obstructing the light,
since they are made of the same transparent material as the window-pane itself;
& as this material admits of great ornamentation the ventilators are thus adapted
for the windows of handsome dwellings as well as for common purposes. The

page_text: ornamentation may be embossed upon the plates in the act of moulding or pressing,
or it can be afterwards applied by etching, by the sand-blast, or otherwise, and
by using a combination of coloured glasses a very pleasing effect can be thus
produced.
Another advantage of a glass ventilator is that it is not capable of tarnishing or
rusting as metal is, but is quite weather proof, and will always remain in a working
condition & preserve its ornamental appearance. Being formed of the same
material as the pane a more harmonious effect is produced, & changes in tempe-
rature will not affect the attachment of the ventilator with the pane.
The fixed plate may have a rabbeted edge adapted to securely fit the opening of
the window pane, a flat shoulder resting against the inner surface of the pane.
A raised rim or bead also extends around the inner circumference of the plate,
forming a central recess, in which the moveable plate is neatly socketed, so as to
be nearly flushed with the raised rim.
The bead or rim protects the edge of the moveable plate, and imparts a finished
appearance to the article.
This construction of the edge is not confined to glass, but applies also to other
materials.
The plates may be of circular form, & partly rotatable, or rectangular, or move-
able longitudinally upon each other with the same effect, but the circular form is
preferable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th December 1879.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and British and Foreign Patent Agent. "IMPROVE
MENTS IN VENTILATORS." A communication from abroad by George Richard
Buffham, of Brooklyn, King's County, New York, United States of America.
The said Invention relates to ventilators intended for insertion in windows and
other places, & formed of two glass perforated or register plates moveable upon
each other to admit or exclude air. The Invention also consists in the construction
of the device adapting it for insertion in a window pane. The ventilator consists
of a fixed glass plate, which may be adapted to be inserted in the opening of the
window pane, & secured by cement or other means, & of a moveable glass plate
pivotted to the centre of the fixed plate, & provided with the operating knob or
other appliances.
The plates are perforated in the usual manner with corresponding ventilating
openings of suitable form & number, which are opened or closed by partly rotating
the moveable plate one way or the other, as desired, to permit or exclude venti-
lation. Thus formed of glass the plates may be pressed or moulded, & the
ventilators can be furnished cheaply, & while being very neat & durable, have the
great advantage of not obstructing the light, since they are made of the same
transparent material as the window pane itself; and as this material admits of
great ornamentation the ventilators are thus adapted for the windows of handsome
dwellings as well as for common purposes. The ornamentation may be embossed
upon the plates in the act of moulding or pressing, or it can be afterwards applied
by etching, by the sand-blast, or otherwise, & by using a combination of coloured
glasses a very pleasing effect can be thus produced.
Another advantage of a glass ventilator is that it is not capable of tarnishing or
rusting as metal is, but is quite weather proof, & will always remain in a working
condition & preserve its ornamental appearance. Being formed of the sume
material as the pane a more harmonious effect is produced, and changes in tempe-
rature will not affect the attachment of the ventilator with the pane. The fixed
plate may have a rabbeted edge adapted to securely fit the opening of the window
pane, a flat shoulder resting against the inner surface of the pane. A raised rim
or bead also extends around the inner circumference of the plate, forming a central
recess, in which the moveable plate is neatly socketted, so as to be nearly flush
with the raised rim. The bead or rim protects the edge of the moveable plate, &
imparts a finished appearance to the article. This construction of the edge is not
confined to glass, but applies also to other materials. The plates may be of circular
form, and partly rotatable, or rectangular, or moveable longitudinally upon each
other with the same effect, but the circular form is preferable.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, & for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in both the Figures.
In the Drawing Figure 1 is an elevation of the ventilator, & Figure 2 is a
vertical section of the same.
The plate a is provided with an offset flange b around its edge, & such plate
should be the thickness or nearly so of the window glass c. There is an opening
cut in this glass c large enough to receive the plate a, which with the flange b is
cemented to the outside surface of the glass.
Sheet-metal clip plates e may be held in place by screws that pass through the
plate a, & the ends of the clips catch upon (the back surface of the glass c, so as

page_text: to firmly hold the parts & prevent the plate a becoming separated from the glass c.
In this glass plate a there are openings, through which the air passes to ventilate
the room.
A second plate h similar to the plate a is also provided with corresponding
openings for the air to pass through, & there is a central pivot or pin i that passes
through the two plates, & upon which the plate h can be partially revolved in
opening & closing the ventilator. The glass of these plates a, h, may be made of
increased thickness around the pivot-pin i to increase the strength and form an
ornament, & the same may extend sufficiently along the surfaces of the plates a & h
to strengthen the glass between the respective openings.
The flange of the plate h extends over the surface of the glass c, so as to cover
& conceal the joint between the said glass c and the ventilator plate a, & also act
to hold the ventilator from falling if the plate a become loose.
In the plate there is a groove o formed as an arc of a circle. It does not pass
through said plate, but is at a place where the material is sufficiently thick to
obtain the necessary depth of groove, & hence such groove is not exposed or
visible, & there is a projections upon the plate a that enters such groove & limits
the amount of the movement in turning the plate h upon the plate a in opening
or closing the ventilator. The knob z projecting from the plate h allows of the
plate h being moved.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, & the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel & original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First. The plate a having a flange b around its edge, by which the ventilator
can be cemented to the window glass in combination with the sheet-metal clips e
& screws, substantially as specified.
Second. The window-glass ventilator made by combining the flanged plate a, b,
with the plate h, both having ventilating-openings, & said plate h lapping over
the window glass, so as to prevent the ventilator becoming disconnected, as set
forth.
Third. In a window ventilator the concealed groove o in the plate h passing
partly through such plate in combination with the plate a and stud s, substantially
ns set forth.
Fourth. In the window glass ventilator the circular plates a & having the
ventilating openings, & of increased thickness around the pivot pin, as set forth.
Fifth. As a new article of manufacture, a transparent registering ventilator con-
sisting of a flanged moulded plate adapted to an opening in a window pane, & a
moveable moulded plate pivotted centrally to the other plate, substantially as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto set
my hand & seal, this Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One