IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS FOR BUILDINGS, RAILWAY CARRIAGES, SHIPS AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur William Lovell Reddio of the Office for Patents
GG Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent for an invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS FOR BUILDINGS, RAILWAY CARRIAGES,
SHIPS AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES A communication from abroad by
Alexander Hubor of Cologne in the Empire of Germany
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur William Lovell
Reddie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th April 1882.
ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELL REDDIE of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS FOR
BUILDINGS, RAILWAY CARRIAGES, SHIPS, AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES."[A com-
munication from abroad by Alexander Huber of Cologne in the Empire of
Germany]
The object of this invention is to utilize the force or action of the wind for
the removal of foul air or fine particles of dust or other matter from the interiors
of rooms or structures such as ships, railway carriages, drying rooms, chimneys and
the like.
The invention consists of a vertical shaft of cylindrical or tapering form fitted at
its upper end with a truncated pyramid having five or more sides and independent
upright wind-boards placed at the angles thereof, and being also provided with a
shallow pyramidal hollow cover supported on uprights at a suitable distance
therefrom.
In the case of its application to railway carriages a narrow opening is left
between the top of the shaft and the pyramidal base of the ventilator, for dirt and
rain to pass through.
An inclined gutter or spout situate within the shaft serves to conduct the water
and extraneous matter from the inside to the outside of the shaft.
In the case of movable structures where the wind pressure is mainly on one side,
as in railway carriages, the cover is made of large size to keep off rain and snow,
whilst in fixed structures it may be made smaller.

page_text: The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-A stratum of wind striking upon
the apparatus is caught between the wind-boards and by reason of the upwardly
inclined base of the ventilator is conducted over the opened end of the shaft with
a velocity which exceeds the motion of the wind in proportion as the sectional area
of the upper exit opening of the wind channel is smaller than the sectional area of
the entrance opening of the channel or passage.
That part of the horizontal stratum of air lying between the top of the shaft and
the bottom of the cover has the double function of closing the wind channels which
are open at top and at the same time of inducing an upward current of wind over
the upper rim of the vertical shaft, so that the contents of the latter are carried
forward and away by the current, in the form of a separate stratum.
The cover in the form described and of suitable depth allows of the expansion
of the stratum of air over the end of the shaft and thus prevents too strong a
pressure taking place at the exit opening.
As the air channels (preferably eight in number) forined by this apparatus are
not closed at their upper ends, the operation remains the same even when the wind
comes in a somewhat inclined direction from above. Should it strike downwards
it will be conducted by, the inclined edge of the cover onto the inclined surface of
the base of the ventilator and as it proceeds further in a downward direction_a_
body of air will be formed under the cover, to the outer sides of which the contents
of the shaft will be carried and thus the renewal of the contents of the shaft must
take place in this case also.
An apparatus constructed with four wind boards only would have no effect if
the wind were in the same direction_as_the_sides_of_the_wind_boards-therefore-to-
be operative the ventilator should have at least from five to eight or more sides so
-that in-whatever-direction-the-wind may be, there will be at least two wind board's
available formation

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur William Lovell Reddie in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th October 1882.
"
ARTHUR WILLIAM LOVELI. REDDIE of the Office for Patents GG Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS FOR
BUILDINGS, RAILWAY CARRIAGES SHIPS AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES
-a Com-
munication from abroad by Alexander Huber of Cologne in the Empire of
Germany.
The object of this Invention is to utilize the force or action of the wind in a
new and efficient way for the removal of air or fine particles of dust or other
matter from the interiors of rooms or structures such as ships, railway carriages,
drying rooms, chimneys and the like.
The Invention in its simplest form consists of a vertical shaft of cylindrical or
tapering form fitted at its upper end with a truncated pyramid having five or
more sides, and separate upright wind boards arranged at the angles between the
sides thereof, and being also provided with a shallow pyramidal hollow cover
supported on uprights at a suitable distance from the inclined sides of the pyramidal
base.
In the accompanying Drawings Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 Sheet I show the
Invention as arranged for rapidly moving structures such as railway carriages,
Figures 5 and 6 Sheet I show the ventilator as constructed for fixed structures,
the cap or cover in the latter case being of smaller size in relation to the pyramidal
base of the ventilator.
In these Figures A is the vertical shaft of cylindrical or tapering form to the
upper end B of which is fitted the truncated octagonal pyramid D. In the case of
its application to railway carriages a narrow opening is left between the top of
the shaft A and the sloping sides of the pyramidal base D of the ventilator.-
Bounding the sides of the pyramid and at the angles thereof, stand upright wind
boards E and the octagonal pyramidal shaped cover F is connected to the base D
by means of vertical supports a at a suitable distance above the top edges of the
said wind boards, E, and so as to leave the air passages formed by the sides E and
base D un-enclosed at top.-An inclined gutter or spout b situate within the shaft
serves to conduct the water and extraneous matters from the inside to the outside
of the shaft.
In the case of moveable structures where the wind pressure is mainly on one
side as in railway carriages the cover is made of large size to keep off rain and
snow, whilst in fixed structures it may be made smaller as shown in Fig: 5.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows: A stratum of wind indicated by
the dotted lines c. f Figures 1 and 2, striking upon the apparatus in the direction
shown by the arrows is caught between the wind boards E E, and by reason of
the upwardly inclined base D of the ventilator is conducted over the opened end B
of the shaft A with a velocity which exceeds the motion of the wind in proportion
as the sectional area of the exit opening at the upper or inner end of the wind
channel (g. h. and i. k. Fig: 3) is smaller than the sectional area of the entrance
opening at the lower or outer end of the said channel or passage.
The part e fof the horizontal stratum of air passing between the top of the
shaft and the bottom of the cover F serves the double function of sealing the

page_text: upper part of the wind channels (which are otherwise left open at the top) by a
layer of air, and at the same time of inducing an upward current of wind in the
direction of the inclined plane 7, Fig: 2, of such force across the upper rim B of
the shaft A, that the contents of the latter are carried forward and away by the
current in the form of a separate stratum.
The cover of octagonal form to correspond with the base D and of suitable
depth allows of the expansion of the stratum of air e fabove the end or rim B of
the shaft, and prevents too strong a pressure taking place at the exit opening.
As the air channels (preferably eight in number) formed by this apparatus are
not closed-in, above, the operation remains the same even when the wind comes
in a somewhat inclined direction from above. Should it strike downwards it will
be conducted by the inclined edge of the cover F onto the inclined surface of the
base of the ventilator, and as it proceeds further in a downward direction a body
of air will be formed under the covor F, to the outer sides of which the contents
of the shaft will be carried, and thus the renewal of the contents of the shaft A
must take place in this case also.
An apparatus constructed with four wind boards only would have no effect if
the wind should happen to coincide-in-direction with two opposite sides of the
wind boards therefore to be operative the ventilator should have at least from-
five to eight or more sides so that in whatever direction the wind may be, there
will be at least two windboards available for action.
H
In adapting this ventilator to comparatively slowly moving structures of great
size such as large vessels it is desirable to assist the exhaust action of the above
described ventilator and in Sheet II of the drawing I-havo-shown the modification
necessary to perfect the action of the ventilator under such conditions. The
modification briefly consists in duplicating the pyramidal ventilator and invorting
the duplicated portion, the-inverted_part_serving to deflect a portion of the air
current for the purpose of assisting in the supply of fresh air in the place-of-that-
withdrawn by the exhaust through the vertical shaft, a suitable arrangement of
tubes being necessary to enable the effects of the ventilator, which is placed on or
above deck, to be beneficially experienced between decks, and in the hold or lower
parts of the vessel.
This modification in the ventilator is shewn on Sheet II in front elevation at
Fig: 1, in plan view at Fig: 2, in vertical section at Fig: 3, and in horizontal
section at Fig 4 taken on the line c, d, of Fig: 3.
The action of the apparatus in removing vitiated air from the various parts of
large and deep structures such as a vessel, will be seen on reference to the complete
sectional view Fig: 1 Sheet III.
In Fig: 1 Sheet II the portion of the ventilator above the dotted line ab is
precisely similar in construction and action to that which has been above described
in detail, but the drawing on this Sheet II is differently lettered from Sheet I, and
the following description corresponds to the altered lettering. An upward current
of air is induced in the vertical shaft p as in the previously described arrangement.
This shaft p is placed within a second tube or shaft o and the horizontal section of
the latter is twice the extent of the former.
The shaft o terminates at c, d, and is closed with a bottom plate -Between
c, d, and x, y, the walls of the tubes p and o are so connected by means of vertical
cross channels q that air can enter the tube p without mixing with the air in the
tube o, and air can also descend the tube o past the vertical cross channels g into
the tube o¹ to the exit apertures r, without entering the tube p.
In order to compensate in the cross section of the tube o for the space occupied
by the vertical cross channels 9 the said tube o is widened at this part to a corre-
sponding extent.
To facilitate the passage of air into o the vertical channels q are provided with
slanting or pointed, tops 8. To the upper part of the tube p are adapted the
sides m of the inverted octagonal pyramid, whilst the vertical wind boards which

page_text: are situated on the sloping under sides of the inverted pyramid only project.
partially into the funnel u of the tube o. The funnel is the equivalent of tho
cover of the upper part of the apparatus, turned upside down and connected
with the tube o.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
The part of the apparatus above the line a. b. operates as an exhaust since in
moving vessels currents of air aro always available. In consequence of this as
already explained the air will be exhausted from the shaft p and the vitiated air
of the cabins will enter through the vertical slits or cross channels q and passing
through the apparatus will thence be carried away overboard:
The current of fresh outer air will be divided at the line ab and the one portion
thereof will take an upward direction over the pyramid in order to operate as an
exhaust as just described, while the other portion will tako a downward direction
past the lower pyramid, being caught by the vertically placed wind boards
and carried down against the inclined pyramidal. sides m into the funnel u and
tube o, and thence past the cross channels q and downwards into the tube o'
towards the exit apertures r, to be there liberated in finely divided currants.
The vertical wind boards which dip within the funnel u do not extend down-
wards quite so far as the tube o but only so far as n so that at this part no sectional
decrease will occur but on the contrary through the early termination of the wind
boards the quantum of air caught in one wind receptacle B at n will have one half
of the sectional area of the tube o for its passage.
Besides the wind caught by the one wind receptacle B, quantities of air will be
caught by cach of the adjoining sides of the pyramid lying to the right and left
of B, so that at n the circular section o will be fully utilized, and at the same time
no choking of the currents will occur.
Any sea water which may find its way into the apparatus runs down the
inner and outer walls of the tube p and is caught by the gutters and n¹ and
conducted to the exterior. The loss of horizontal sectional area of the tube o
occasioned by the gutter n¹ will be. compensated for by the enlargement of the
tube at D.
Having now set forth the nature of the said Invention of "Improvements in
Ventilators for buildings, railway carriages, ships, and similar structures" 18
communicated to me by my Foreign Correspondent, and having explained in
what manner the same may be carried into practical effect, I wish it to be
understood that I claim :-
First: A ventilator having a pyramidal base of more than four sloping sides D;
radial vertical wind boards E at the angles formed by the sloping sides; and a
shallow pyramidal cover F at a suitable distance above the top edges of the said
wind boards; in combination with a vertical shaft A as and for the purpose described
with reference to Sheet I of the Drawings.
Secondly As a ventilator for railway carriages and other structures over or
across which a current of air passes at great speed, the pyramidal base of more
than four sides D; vertical wind boards E; cover F supported at a suitable
distance above the top edges of the said wind boards; in combination with a
shaft A having a slightly enlarged and downwardly flanged mouth B, annular
opening C between the flanges of said mouth B, and the inner or upper end of the
sides D to intercept dust or rain, and an inclined gutter or spout b within the
shaft A for carrying away condensed moisture, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 Sheet I of the Drawings.
Thirdly: The modification of this ventilator for the automatic removal of foul
air from the interior of deep and large structures such as ships, the said nodification
consisting essentially in the combination of two pyramidal ventilators having each
more than four sloping sides, with their vertical wind boards, and covers, or their
equivalent, the lower inverted pyramidal ventilator assisting the action of the
upper one by collecting and forcing downwards fresh air in place of the foul air

page_text: removed by the induced upward current in the shaft p, and the whole being
arranged and operating in the manner and for the purpose described with reference
to Sheets II and III of the Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Arthur William Lovell Reddie have hereunto
set my hand and seal the eleventh day of October in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
ARTHUR W. L. REDDIE (LS.)