Improvements in and relating to Draft Regulators.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
Improvements in and relating to Draft Regulators.
I, CARL FREDERICK KAUL, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at Madison, in the County of Madison and State of Nebraska, one of the
United States of America, 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 draft regulating devices for smoke-stacks and
ventilating flues, and the object of the invention is to provide a draft regulator
which will be automatic in its operation, so that the constant attendance of a
workman to set the dampers according to the strength of the draft will not be
required.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 represents a side view of a draft regulator constructed according to
my invention.
Figure 2 is a partial front view of the same.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of a turn-plate and other details.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the turn-plate inverted.
Figure 5 is a plan view of a circular flanged plate which is enclosed by the
turn-plate.
Figure 6 is a sectional view of a swivel-joint in a connecting rod.
Figure 7 shows in plan two plates used to form a swivel.
Fi
figure 8 is a sectional view of an elastic cushion.
Figure 9 shows a modified form of fan mechanism.
Figure 10 shows a modification of mechanism connected with a damper.
Figure 11 is a plan view of a damper.
A designates two standards of the main supporting frame, on the top of which
is mounted a turn-plate B which is circular and is provided with an annular
flange a extending downward from its edge. The turn-plate is also provided with
a central opening which is surrounded by a flange b which extends downward from
the turn-plate as shown. C indicates a circular plate which is mounted on the
top of the standard A of the supporting frame and fits loosely in the turn-plate B.
The plate C has a central opening and a flange e surrounding said opening, so that
an annular chamber is formed, in which is placed a rim d which carries the rollers e
which support the turn-plate and on which it may freely rotate, the pins or bolts
forming the axes of the rollers being firmly riveted to the rim d. The plate C
has grooved lugs f extending down therefrom and fitting on the standards A to
which they may be removably secured by bolts. The rollers e are made tapering
toward the center of the turn-plate, as shown. Turn-buttons e¹ connected with the
turn-plate serve to hold the parts B and C together.
A vane is carried by the turn-plate, the indicator or forward part D of the vane
and the tail or rearward part E being set in and bolted to grooved arms g which
extend from the turn-plate at opposite points. On the turn-plate B are mounted
two standards h which are provided with boxes in which is journalled a shaft k; a
fan F is mounted on shaft k, the stem of said fan being fast on said shaft and
extending down into the central opening in the bottom plate and being connected
with a rod G hereinafter referred to.
Fast on the shaft k, or made solid therewith, are two frames which form arms i,
which extend forward and rearward, and brace rods m are connected with said arms
and with the fan F on opposite sides, as seen at x.

page_text: Stay rods n n are connected respectively with the forward and rearward parts
of the vane and with the standards h. An arm j extends forward from the stem of
the fan F at its pivotal line, and to the end of said arm is attached a chain o which
is passed over a pulley o' and has a weight o² attached, the connection of said chain
with arm being adjustable by perforations in said arm. The weight o² is intended
to balance the fan F and retain it in its upright position. A guide o³ extends
down from the vane for the weight o².
H indicates a horizontal ehaft which is mounted in post-hangers p secured to
the standards A, and to said shaft is made fast an arm I, to the end of which is
adjustably connected a weight J. To the extended end of shaft H is made fast an
arm L which extends at a right angle from the plane of arm 1.
J
The connecting rod G connects the stem of the fan F with the weighted arm I,
the latter being raised or lowered by the movement of the fan, and the weight
tends to balance the fan in its upright position. The rod G has a swivel joint U
which allows the upper section of said rod to turn freely with the turn-plate and
the fan. The swivel U is in the form of a stirrup, the main part of which is rigidly
attached to the upper section of the rod G, the prongs of said main part extending
down through holes s in two plates u, and secured by nuts. Each plate u is a
counterpart of the other, each having a notch v in one edge, said notch extending
in beyond the centre of the plate, and a flange v at the opposite edge; a raised
portion 2 on each plate partly fits in the notch v of the other plate, and when the
two plates are placed together, each lapping on the other, a central aperture is
formed for the lower section of the rod G, which is provided with an egg-shaped
knob 2. In securing the parts of the swivel, the two sections of the rod G are
placed in line with the knob u between the prongs; one plate is placed laterally
on the rod G, so that the latter is in the notch of the plate and the plate is then
raised so that the prongs extend into the holes s; the other plate u is then slipped
on the rod G, in like manner from the opposite side and raised so that the prongs
extend through the holes s, when they may be secured by nuts. The central
aperture forined in the plates u, when together, is made flaring downward to allow
the rod G to swing
The short arm L extending from shaft H is connected with one end of a
connecting rod N, the other end of rod N being connected with a short arm P
made fast to the extended end of a shalt R which may be mounted in the walls
of a smoke-stack, indicated by S. The shaft R may be made in three parts secured
together-see Figure 11-and a damper T may be secured to said shaft. The
damper may be made adjustable in size, the two wings being provided with extension
plates y', whereby the damper may be increased or reduced in width by means of
screws which are passed through slots in the extension plates y¹.
In operation, the vane keeps the fan F in position to catch the wind, and the fan
being pressed backward by the blast raises the arm I by the connecting rod G, thus
turning the shaft H, and, by the crank-arm L, drawing the connecting rod N,
which latter is connected with the arm P on the damper shaft R; the damper T
is thus turned towards its closed position and the draft in the smoke-stack is
thus reduced. When the wind goes down, the movements of the rod G and
connections are reversed, the weight J, hung to arm I, bringing the fan F toward its
vertical position, and consequently the shaft R of the damper is turned, so that
the damper is turned toward its open position.
When the wind blows hard, pressing the fau F over rearward, it is liable to
strike the tail part of the vane. To prevent this, a cushion U¹ is mounted on the
vane stem in position for contact with the fan in case of such movement of the
latter, said cushion consisting of a tubet which is fast on the stem, a spiral spring y
placed on said tube, a tubular cap w supported by said spring, and a rod extending
down from said tubular cap through said tube t and the vane stem.
When the fan
is pressed over backward too far, it comes in contact with the cushion U¹, the
spring y yielding somewhat to the stroke.
In case a storm comes on suddenly and the wind blows with violence when a kiln

page_text: having the appliance is in operation, it is important that the draft which is greatly
strengthened, should be promptly reduced, otherwise the fuel in that section of the
kiln where burning is going on is too rapidly consumed and the brick, which are in
process of drying become heated too rapidly and the brick already burned cool off too
suddenly and are cracked or otherwise damaged. But by the automatic operation
of the device described, the draft, when greatly strengthened by a high wind, is
immediately checked and such damage is prevented, and the drying and burning
operations proceed with a uniform and steady draft.
Some modification in the construction of the device may be made with the same
principle of operation. In Figure 9 the wind-catching fan F is secured to a shaft /
in bearings carried by two arms 2 extending from the turn-plate; the fan is made
concave or with two wings f1 extending laterally at an angle from the centre line
of the fan, the tail piece of the vane being omitted as the fan answers the purpose
of it. A shaft 3 is mounted in bearings 4 carried by the turn-plate B', and to said
shaft 3 is made fast a bell-crank 5 to the lower arm of which is pivotally attached
the connecting rod G, the upper arm of the bell-crank being connected by a rod 6.
with the stem of the fan.
The fan F¹ and its connections being thus constructed, the concavity of the fan
being forward, or in position to catch the wind, will keep the vane in position
toward the wind, so that the fan will operate the connecting rod G and the
mechanism connected therewith, as before described.
In Figure 10 is shown a modification in the construction of the damper in the
smoke-stack and its connections, the damper being a sliding damper located in a
side wall of the smoke-stack at or near the base. A vertical rod 8 is connected
with the damper 7 and extends upward through a guide 9 secured to the wall of the
stack; a bell-crank 10 is pivotally secured to the stack-wall, and a pitman 11
connects the upper arm of the bell-crank with the rod or stem 8. To the upper
end of the rod 8 is attached a cord or chain 12 which is passed over a pulley 13,
the bolt or axis of which is secured to the smoke stack, and a weight 14 is attached
to said chain. The lower arm of the bell-crank 10 is connected with the rod N,.
the opposite end of which is connected with the arm L on the shaft H. As will
be seen, when the weighted arm I is in the position shown in Figure 10, the
damper 7 is held in its open position by the weight J and the connecting mechanism
between the arm I and the damper stem 8, but when the arm I is raised by the
action of the fan, the damper 7 is moved downward to its closed position. The
weight 12 is a governing balance weight and renders easy the raising of the damper,
little force being required for such purpose.
The apparatus described may be located in any suitable position in relation to
the smoke-stack or chimney, and may be constructed with several wind-catching
fans. It may also be employed in connection with ventilating devices to operate
the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a draft regulator, the combination, with a frame, of a turn-plate, a vane
carried by said turn-plate, a fan pivotally mounted on said turn-plate, a horizontal
shaft in bearings carried by said frame, a weighted arm extending from said shaft,
a rod connecting said fan with said weighted arm, and mechanism connecting said
shaft with a damper in a flue, through which mechanism said damper may be
operated, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. The combination with a pivoted fan having a laterally rotative movement, of
a rod, connecting said fan with operating mechanism, said rod being provided with
a swivel joint formed of two flanged, perforated plates, constructed to lap one on
another as shown, and having notches in their edges, one section of the rod having
prongs and the other section being provided with a head, substantially as shown
and described.

page_text: 3. In a draft regulator the combination with a vane, of a pivoted fan having a
swinging movement forward and rearward, a cushion in position for contact with
said fan, said cushion being formed of a fixed vertical tube, a spring placed therein,
a tubular cap resting on said spring and adapted to move on said fixed tube, and a
rod, fixed to said cap and extending downward through said fixed tube, substantially
as set forth and described.
4. The combination with a frame, of a flanged turn-plate having a central
opening, a circular flanged plate having a central opening, a series of rollers
supporting said turn-plate, a vane in two parts secured to said turn-plate at opposite
points, a shaft k mounted in bearings carried by said turn-plate, a fan secured to
said shaft, an arm j connected with said fan, a governing weight o² connected by a
chain with arm j, and a rod connecting said fan with operating mechanism,
substantially as set forth and described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1894.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.