IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR PREVENTING DOWNWARD DRAFT IN CHIMNIES, FACILITATING THE ESCAPE OF SMOKE THEREFROM, AND
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Myers, of Millbank Row, Westminster,
Civil Engineer, and James Stodart, of Cambridge Terrace, Notting Hill,
both in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR PREVENTING DOWNWARD DRAFT
IN CHIMNIES, FACILITATING THE ESCAPE OF SMOKE THEREFROM, AND FOR
Sealed the 24th November 1865, and dated the 29th May 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Myers and James
Stodart at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 29th May 1865.
We, EDWARD MYERS, of Millbank Row, Westminster, Civil Engineer, and
JAMES STODART, of Cambridge Terrace, Notting Hill, both in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR PREVENTING DOWNWARD
DRAFT IN CHIMNIES, FACILITATING THE ESCAPE OF SMOKE THEREFROM, AND FOR.
VENTILATING APARTMENTS OR BUILDINGS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the arrangement and application of
improved means and apparatus for the purpose of causing a current or
currents of air to act upon or over a chimney top, so as to exhaust or with-
draw the smoke, air, or gases from within the chimney flue, thus preventing
downward draft, facilitating the escape of smoke, and aiding in the ventilation
of the apartments or buildings to which our improved chimney tops are

page_text: applied. For this purpose in carrying out the first part of our improvements
a cowl is constructed with a revolving cap or collar, to which a wide-mouthed
horizontal funnel is applied, the mouth of which is caused to set opposite to
the direction in which the wind is blowing by means of a vane of suitable
size. The current of air passing into and through the funnel is directed over
the outlet at the top of the chimney, the force of the horizontal current
causing the air and gases to be withdrawn from the interior of the flue of the
chimney.
The second part of our improvements consists in forming around chimney
tops curved or spiral grooves or vanes of considerable depth, so as to direct
currents of air upwards and out through a cone placed around the outlet for
the discharge of the smoke or gases, by which means the smoke, air, or
gases will be exhausted and discharged from the chimney flue, and down-
ward draft prevented. The interior of the cone may be formed with spiral
grooves or channels, and chimney tops of this construction may be arranged
to revolve by the action of the wind thereon if desired. We prefer to
construct them of zinc or other metal, but we do not confine ourselves
thereto, as they may be made of terra cotta or earthenware.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Myers and James Stodart in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD
MYERS, of Millbank Row, Westminster, Civil Engineer, and JAMES STODART,
of Cambridge Terrace, Notting Hill, both in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Edward Myers and James Stodart, Her special licence that we, the
said Edward Myers and James Stodart, our exécutors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Edward Myers and James Stodart,
our 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

page_text: Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS
AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR PREVENTING DOWNWARD DRAFT IN CHIMNIES,
FACILITATING THE ESCAPE OF SMOKE THEREFROM, AND FOR VENTILATING APART-
MENTS OR BUILDINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Edward Myers and James Stodart, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said Edward Myers and James Stodart,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object the arrangement and application of
improved means and apparatus for the purpose of causing a current or
currents of air to act upon or over a chimney top, so as to exhaust or with-
draw the smoke, air, or gases from within the chimney flue, thus preventing
downward draft, facilitating the escape of smoke, and aiding in the ventilation
of the apartments or buildings to which our improved chimney tops are
applied. For this purpose in carrying out the first part of our improvements
a cowl is constructed with a revolving cap or collar, to which a wide-mouthed
horizontal funnel is applied, the mouth of which is caused to set opposite to
the direction in which the wind is blowing by means of a vane of suitable
size. The current of air passing into and through the funnel is directed over
the outlet at the top of the chimney, the force of the horizontal current
causing the air and gases to be withdrawn from the interior of the flue of the
chimney.
The second part of our improvements consists in forming around chinney
tops curved or spiral grooves or vanes of considerable depth, so as to direct
currents' of air upwards and out through a cone placed around the outlet for
the discharge of the smoke or gases, by which means the smoke, air, or gases
will be exhausted and discharged from the chimney flue, and downward draft
prevented. The interior of the cone may be formed with spiral grooves or
cbanuels, and chimney tops of this construction may be arranged to revolve
by the action of the wind thereon if desired. We prefer to construct them
of zinc or other metal, but we do not confine ourselves thereto, as they may
be made of terra cotta or earthenware.

page_text: And in order that our Invention may be clearly understood and readily
carried into practice, we will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a chimney top having apparatus
applied thereto arranged in accordance with the first part of our improvements.
a. is a wide-mouthed funnel (placed in a horizontal position) fixed to or
forming part of the revolving cap or collar a³ around the chimney top b. On
the opposite end of the horizontal funnel a flat vane c of considerable size is
fixed, by which means the mouth of the horizontal funnel is caused to face or
turn opposite to the direction in which the wind is blowing. The current of
air conducted by the funnel over the top or outlet of the chimney will partially
exhaust or withdraw the air and gases from the interior of the flue of the
chimney, thus preventing downward draft, and facilitating the escape of
smoke therefrom.
Figures 2 and 3 show chimney tops having apparatus applied thereto
arranged in accordance with the second part of our improvements. a, Figure 2,
is a tubular top of metal (or it may be of earthenware) fixed over the outlet.
of a chimney. Around the outer circumference of the tube a spiral grooves or
vanes a¹, a¹, are formed, which serve to conduct the wind or currents of air
upwards through the cone b, which surrounds the upper part of the chimney
top. In Figure 3 the parts a and b are of cylindrical form, in place of being
taper, as shown in Figure 2, either form producing a similar result. The
action of the wind on the spiral grooves or vanes a causes a strong upward
current through the cone or cylinder b, by this means acting to exhaust or
withdraw the air or gases from the interior of the chimney flue. The sectional
form and arrangement of the spiral vanes may be considerably varied, as
indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, and in the horizontal section, Figure 3*:
The upper part of a chimney top of this character may, if desired, be furnished
with internal as well as external spiral vanes, and be arranged so as to revolve,
in order to exhaust or withdraw air from the interior of buildings or other
places, and thus facilitate the ventilation thereof. Apparatus such as is herein
described may be advantageously employed for withdrawing air from the holds
or cabins of vessels, engine rooms, railway carriages, mines, or other places
requiring ventilation.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into practice, we would have it understood that we do not
confine ourselves to the exact details herein shown and described, so long as
the peculiar features of our Invention be retained; but what we claim is,-

page_text: First, the means and apparatus herein described for causing a powerful
current of air to be directed over or across the outlet of a chimney or Qlue,
for the purpose of exhausting or withdrawing the air or gases therefrom.
Secondly, we claim the application of spiral grooves or vanes to the tops of
chimneys or flues, in the manner and for the purposes herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edward Myers and James Stodart,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-eighth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-five.
EDWARD MYERS. (L.S.)
JAMES STODART.
(L.S.)