IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR LIGHTING AND VENTILATING
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Weems, of Johnstone, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR LIGHTING AND VENTILATING."
Sealed the 17th April 1874, and dated the 24th October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Weems at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th October 1873.
.
I, WILLIAM WEEMS, of Johnstone, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR LIGHTING AND VENTILATING,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the employment of reflecting surfaces for
intensifying or increasing the illuminating or lighting power of gas and
other lights, and a means of ventilating or carrying away the smoke
and products of combustion or other, vapours..
This Invention relates, firstly, to the apparatus or means employed for
lighting buildings and other places, and consists in having a silverised

page_text: glass ball or other shaped reflector, or a reflector of other suitable
material surrounded with projecting jets of gas, on the outside of which
is placed a second reflector, with the reflecting surfaces in the inside, so
that the lights are acted on by an internal and external reflector,
imparting a double reflecting power and effecting a very large saving
of gas.
I am aware that single reflectors have been used for increasing the
lighting power of gas and other lights, but the distinguishing feature of
my Invention consists in having an inner and outer reflector, with the
lights placed between the two reflectors.
The apparatus or means for removing the products of combustion and
noxious vapours consists of a cap or hood constructed with a series of
circular conical rings or blades overlapping each other, but set apart one
above the other so as to allow for the escape of the vitiated air. The rings
are fixed by a series of vertical blades projecting towards the interior,
& the top is fitted with curved vanes or blades. This hood is placed
on the top of the ventilating pipe, with a central spindle to enable it to
revolve. The wind acting on the vanes causes it to revolve, and, the
vertical blades projecting into the interior creates an upward current,
and discharges the vitiated air through the openings between the conical
rings into the atmosphere.
The hood may be a fixture on the top of the ventilating pipe, and a
semicircular tube connected to the central spindle with a wind guard on
the top, so that the portion of the hood exposed to the action of the wind.
may be closed by the wind guard & the internal semicircular pipe, and
the wind passing the blades of the hood creates an upward current, and
discharges the vitiated air through the open portion of the hood.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Weems, Her special
licence that I, the said William Weems, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Weems, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR MEANS FOR LIGHTING AND VENTILATING," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Weems, my,
exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same 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 William Weems, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to.
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
:-
L
My said Invention relates to the employment of reflecting surfaces for
concentrating and directing in any desired direction the light emitted
from gas and other lights, and a means of ventilating or carrying away
the smoke and products of the combustion of the gas.
My said Invention relates, firstly, to the apparatus or means employed.
for lighting buildings and other places, and consists in having a
silverised glass ball or other shaped reflector, or a reflector of other
suitable material surrounded with projecting jets of gas, on the outside
of which is placed a second reflector, with the reflecting surfaces in the
inside, so that the lights are acted on by an internal and external,
reflector, imparting a multiplied reflecting power, and effecting a very:
large saving of gas.
And in order that the nature and novelty of my said Invention may:

page_text: be properly understood I shall now proceed to describe the several
Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto annexed,
exhibiting a number of the modifications of my Invention.
Figure 1 partly in section, and. Figure 2 in elevation, shews one modi-
fication of my Invention, and consists in having a silverised glass ball
reflector A and an external reflector B of silverised glass, with the
reflecting surfaces in the inside, with the lights C placed between the
two reflectors, so that the internal and external reflectors combine to
produce a brilliant flood of light to illuminate the building or place in
which it is situated, and causing an immense saving of gas, while
affording to the eye a pleasing and attractive appearance..
Figure 2A is another modification of my Invention shewing an
internal reflector with concave surfaces, composed of a number of strips
of glass or other reflecting material, the surfaces gradually tapering in
towards the base, and may be used in lieu of the ball A, Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is an example of another modification of my Invention partly
in section, and consists in having an oblong external reflector D with the
reflecting surfaces in the inside, and an internal reflector E of a tubular
description, made of silverised glass (or it may be made up of a number
of pieces), the lights being placed between the two reflectors, this design
being especially applicable to shop windows, counters, &c, where intensity
of light is desired to be directed on a given surface.
Figure 4 shews partly in section a modification of Figure 1 as applied
to gasaliers and pendants for lighting rooms, offices, billiard tables, and-
for other similar purposes..
Figure 5 is another example partly in section of another modification
of my Invention, consisting of an outer reflector F and an internal
reflector G, with argand burners between the two reflectors. In this
case the reflector G is similar to the reflector F, but inverted, with
the reflecting surfaces on its external surface. Argand burners are
shown, but any other burner is applicable.
Figure 6 is another modification of my Invention partly in section,
with an external reflector H and an internal reflector I, with a series of.
external reflecting surfaces, the joinings being shewn vertically, but they
may also be arranged in horizontal strips.
Figure 7 is another modification of my Invention partly in section,
shewing its application to protected lights, the glass globe J having a

page_text: cover K with the reflecting surfaces L inside, and a silverised glass cup M
with the reflecting surfaces on the outside, and the lights situated
between the two reflecting surfaces.
Figure 8 shows another modification of my Invention partly in section,
N being the outer reflector and O the inner reflecting surfaces, composed
of a series of circular concave reflectors, but they may be otherwise
shaped.
Figure 9 is another modification of my Invention partly in section,
with an external reflector P and an internal reflector Q, constructed
with a number of reflecting surfaces, the lights R being acted on by
both reflectors.
Figure 10 is another modification of my Invention, with an outer
reflector S and a cup reflector T in the interior, composed of a number
of pieces, with the reflecting surfaces on the outside, the lights being
placed between the two reflectors, the products of combustion being
carried off by the ventilator V.
Figure 12 is another.modification of my. Invention partly in section,
and consists in having an outer reflector W and an inner reflector X,
formed with a series of reflecting surfaces or made up of a great number
of parts, surrounded by projecting gas lights, both reflectors operating on
the gas lights, and producing a brilliant multiplicity of lights.
I am aware that reflecting surfaces have been used for concentrating
and directing in any particular direction the light emitted from gas and
other lights, but the distinguishing feature of my Invention consists in
having an inner and outer reflector, with the lights placed between. the,
two reflectors or reflecting surfaces, so that the lights are acted on by
the internal and external reflecting surfaces.
It is obvious to any practical man that the internal and external
reflectors or reflecting surfaces may be variously shaped, and constructed
of any number of parts to produce a variety of effects without departing,
from the main feature of my Invention, the illustrations which I have:
shown being sufficient to indicate the multiplicity of designs that may be
resorted to.
Glass prisms and other devices may be employed for the purpose of
ornamenting the reflecting surfaces, and the reflectors or reflecting sur-

page_text: laces Tay be made of any suitable material Calculatoa 0 produc
best results.
The apparatus or means for removing the unhealthy products arising
from the combustion of the gas in these sunlights and preventing the
settlement of a deposit that would tarnish the reflecting surfaces consists
of a cap or hood, constructed with a series of circular conical rings or
blades overlapping each other, but set apart one above the other so as to
form louvres, through which the vitiated air escapes. The rings are
fixed by a series of vertical blades projecting towards the interior, and
the top is fitted with curved vanes or blades. This hood or cap is placed
on the top of the ventilating pipe, with a central spindle to enable it to
revolve. The wind acting on the vanes causes this hood to revolve, and
the vertical blades projecting into the interior, as shewn at Figure 11ª,
creates an upward current, and discharges the vitiated air through the
openings or louvres between the conical rings into the atmosphere, while
the conical rings provide against downward currents and the admission
of rain or snow into the interior.
Figure 11 represents partly in section a ventilator with a revolving
cap or hood Z, formed of conical rings, with vertical blades A projecting
into the interior and a series of wind vanes B on the top, the hood being
attached to a central spindle, on which it revolves, on which central
spindle, and at or near the lower end thereof, may be mounted screw
vanes, as shewn at X, for the purpose of assisting in creating an upward
current in the ventilator.
Figure 11 represents an enlarged cross section of the hood Z
(Figure 11), shewing the position of the vertical blades, and shewing the
construction of the interior of the hood Z.
I am aware that a ventilator somewhat resembling that just described,
and shewn in Figure 11, has been heretofore used for ventilating, but
the same ventilator was objectionable inasmuch as it was constructed
with vertical openings, and therefore did not exclude the downward.
currents which are liable to take place during high winds, and which are
entirely avoided by the use of my ventilator, as herein described.
Figure 10 represents a ventilator formed of conical rings V, with a
wind vane or guard Y attached to a semicircular pipe in the interior of
the rings. I make no claim to this form of ventilator, this Fig. 10
having been introduced merely to shew the application of a ventilator of

page_text: the ordinary construction to a sunlight with my improved internal and
external reflecting surfaces.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
recited Letters Patent are,-
First. The use and application of the internal and external reflecting
surfaces in combination for concentrating and directing in any par-
ticular direction the light emitted from gas and other lights, all
substantially in the new or improved manner (or any mere modification
thereof) herein described and shewn in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The ventilator herein described, and shown in Figures 11
and 12.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Weems, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
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