Improvements in Apparatus for Moistening Air.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Moistening Air.
A communication to me from abroad by GUSTAV RICHTER, of Mildenau, Bohemia,
Mill Owner.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards & Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for supplying to work-
shops in which dust is present in injurious quantities, air saturated with moisture to
a sufficient extent to render them healthier and more agreeable to work in.
The improved apparatus consists of a wooden or other box or case, the lower
part of which is filled with water. In the water revolves the lower part of a roller
turning upon spindles or centres in the ends of the case, its upper part touching the
lower side of a cylindrical brush which is therefore supplied by it with water. This
brush may consist of wire, hair, or other suitable material. The axle of the brush
turns in bearings in the sides of the case, and is provided with a driving pulley
driven by a belt at a sufficient speed, and upon the same axle is another pulley
which drives, by means of a belt, an axle in the upper part of the case carrying a
helical fan which fits in a corresponding opening in the side of the case.
Two openings are provided in the sides of the lower part of the case opposite the
cylindrical brush, through which air is drawn and is discharged by the fan into the
room which is to be damped.
During the revolution of the brush the water which it takes up from the roller
below is scattered in the form of spray by means of fixed strips of wood or other
material, the sharp edges of which just touch the brush as the latter revolves, and
in this form is mixed with the air which is delivered by the fan into the room as
described.
The distance between the brush and the fan above is so proportioned that the
larger drops of water thrown up fall back to the bottom of the case, so that only
finely divided spray can enter the workshop. Opposite the opening through which
the moistened air is discharged is another opening through which dry air is also
drawn by the fan, the currents of moist and dry air mixing before they are
discharged into the workshop. The lower openings are provided with adjustable
doors or regulators by which the quantity of air entering them can be varied and
the degree of moisture of the air properly proportioned or changed, according as
more or less air is admitted through these lower openings.
The water at the bottom of the case is kept at the proper height by means of a
proper supply pipe from a cistern or other reservoir.
In a modified form of the apparatus the two opposite openings at the upper part
of the case are each provided with a helical fan, and air is drawn through them
into the case and is discharged through suitable openings at each side of the lower
part of the case opposite the revolving brush after having been mixed with the
water spray thrown up by the latter in the way already described.
This form of apparatus is especially applicable where large quantities of highly
damped air are required.
Dated thin 18th day of October 1800

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Moistening Air
A communication to me from abroad by GUSTAV RICHTER, of Mildenau, Bohemia,
Mill Owner.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards & Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, 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 and accompanying drawings, that is to say :-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for supplying to work-
shops in which dust is present in injurious quantities, air saturated with moisture to
a suflicient extent to render them healthier and more agreeable to work in.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of the invention Figures 1 and 2
being vertical sections through the apparatus and Figures 3 and 4 being vertical
sections through a somewhat modified form.
The improved apparatus consists of a wooden or other box or case C' the lower
part of which is filled with water. In the water revolves the lower part of a
roller A turning upon spindles or centres in the ends of the case, its upper part
touching the lower side of a cylindrical brush B which is therefore supplied by it
with water.
This brush may consist of wire, hair, or other suitable material.
The axle of the brush turns in bearings in the side of the case and is provided
with a driving pulley D driven by a belt at a sufficient speed, and upon the same
axle is another pulley F which drives by means of a belt an axle in the upper part
of the case carrying one or two helical fans which fit in a corresponding opening in
the side of the case.
In Figure 1 two openings L are shown in the sides of the lower part of the case
opposite to the cylindrical brush B through which air is drawn and is discharged by
the fan into the room which is to be damped.
During the revolution of the brush the water which it takes up from the roller A
below is scattered in the form of spray by means of fixed strips M of wood or other
material the sharp edges of which just touch the brush as the latter revolves, and
in this form is mixed with the air which is delivered by the fan into the room as
described.
The distance between the brush and the fan above is so proportioned that the
larger drops of water thrown up fall back to the bottom of the case so that only
finely divided spray can enter the workshop or room. Opposite the opening through
which the moistened air is discharged is another opening L' through which dry air
is drawn by the fan the currents of dry and moist air mixing before they are
discharged into the workshop. The lower openings are provided with adjustable
doors or regulators by which the quantity of air entering them can be varied and
the degree of moisture of the air properly proportioned or changed, according as
more or less air is admitted through these lower openings.
The water at the bottom of the case is kept at the proper height by means of a
suitable supply pipe from a cistern or other reservoir.
In a modified form of the apparatus shown in Figures 3 and 4 the two opposite
openings Lat the upper part of the case are each provided with a helical fan Gand
air is drawn through them into the case and is discharged through suitable openings
at each side of the lower part of the case opposite the revolving brush after having
been mixed with the water spray thrown up by the latter in the way already
described.
This form of apparatus is especially applicable where large quantities of highly
damped air are required.

page_text: 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 :-
In apparatus for moistening air the combination of the revolving brush B,
supplied with water by the roller A, and caused to scatter the water in spray by
contact with the narrow strips M, with the revolving fan or fans G arranged in the
same chamber above the revolving brush B, and drawing in dry air either through
lower openings L, L, and an upper opening L', as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, or
through upper openings L, L, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4, and discharging it
after damping into the room to which it is to be supplied, all substantially as
described and shewn in the drawing.
Dated this 16th day of July 1891.-
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.