IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS AND CHIMNEY COWLS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Edward Bladon of Birmingham in the County
of Warwick Lamp Manufacturer and Tin Plate Worker for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS AND CHIMNEY COWLS
"3
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Edward Bladon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1882.
THOMAS EDWARD BLADON of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Lamp
Manufacturer and Tin Plate Worker "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS AND
CHIMNEY COWLS"
My invention consists of the improvements in ventilators and chimney cowls
hereinafter described whereby they are made more efficient in action-than ventilators
and chimney cowls of the ordinary kind.
In constructing a ventilator according to my invention, which may either be
used as a ventilator for ships or for buildings I make and arrange the parts so as
to secure a downward current of fresh air into and an ascending current of vitiated
or heated air from the ship or building in the following manner. The case or body
of the ventilator consists of a cylindrical tube having within it a concentric tube of
about one half the diameter of the case or body. In the axis of the inner tube a
fixed centre or pivot is supported on which turns two sets of vanes inclined in
opposite directions, one set of vanes being somewhat smaller than the inner tube
and working therein and the other set of vanes working in the annular chainber
between the outer case and the inner tube. The outer vanes are so inclined that
when a current of air enters the ventilator at top, it descends in the annular
chamber between the case and inner tube giving a rotatory motion to the two sets
of vanes. The descending current of fresh air is diffused in the ship or building
by means of deflecting plates by which it is made to take a nearly horizontal
direction near the ceiling or top of the apartment and draught is prevented by the
descending current passing from the case of the ventilator through perforations or
wire gauze. The rotation of the inner set of vanes produces an upward current of
air in the ventilator which air passes out of the ventilator by a side opening near

page_text: the top into the atmosphere at a point opposite to that at which the incoming
current enters.
The head of the case or body of the ventilator is curved into a horizontal
position and has a trumpet mouth which is turned towards the wind.
In the interior of the head of the case or body is a deflecting plate which directs
the incoming current downwards upon the outer vanes.
The ventilating vanes are supported upon bearings of the kind herein after
described.
When the ventilator is to be driven by steam or other power it may be placod
horizontally. In this case a pulley is fixed on one end of the axis carrying the
vanes so that it can be driven at any desired speed.
In constructing according to another of my improvements, chimney cowls which
may also be used as ventilators, I make on the rotating head of the chimney cow!
two series of vanes, one vertical around the head and the other nearly horizontal
situated on its top. By the action of the wind on these vanes, a rotatory motion
is given to the head of the cowl. In the interior of the head vancs are situated,
either two large vanes or a series of small vanes so inclined that on the rotation
of the head by the action of the wind, the said vanes produce an ascending current
of air and either promote the draught of the chimney or effect the ventilation of
the building.
"
The two sets of vanes on the head of the cowl on which the wind acts may be
-made-continuous, that is each vane on the top may be continued down the vertical
portion of the head. In this way rain is more readily carried off the ventilator.
I support the rotating parts of the ventilators and chimney cowls by means of
ball bearings so as to reduce the friction to a minimum.
When the axis is fixed I employ two sets of balls or spheres one set working on
the conical top or point of the axis and the other set working in a neck in the
axis near the base of the rotating part, both sots of balls or spheres being carrie.l
by the rotating part. When the axis is made to rotate, I prefer to make one set
of balls or spheres bear upon the upper portion of the axis while on the lower
-portion-of-the-axis-l-make-a-flange or collar which rests and turns-upon-the-lower
set of balls or spheres; but the arrangement of the said balls or spheres may
be varied to suit the particular construction and position of the ventilator or
chimney cowl.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Edward Bladon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th October 1882.
THOMAS EDWARD BLADON of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Lamp
Manufacturer and Tin Plate Worker "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATORS AND
CHIMNEY COWLS"
My invention consists of the improvements in ventilators and chimney cowls
hereinafter described, whereby they are made more efficient in action than ventilators
and chimney cowls of the ordinary kind.
In constructing a ventilator according to my invention, which may either be
used as a ventilator for ships or for buildings, I make and arrange the parts so as
to secure a downward current of fresh air into and an ascending current of vitiated
or heated air from the ship or building in the following manner. The case or body
of the ventilator consists of a cylindrical tube having within it a concentric tube of
about one half the diameter of the case or body. In the axis of the inner tube a
fixed centre or pivot is supported on which turns two sets of vanes inclined in
opposite directions one set of vanes being somewhat smaller than the inner tubo
and working therein and the other set of vanes working in the annular chamber
between the outer case and the inner tube. The outer vanes are so inclined that
when a current of air enters the ventilator at top it descends in the annular
chamber between the case and inner tube, giving a rotatory motion to the two sets
of vanes.
The descending current of fresh air is diffused in the ship or building
by means of deflecting plates by which it is made to take a nearly horizontal
direction near the ceiling or top of the apartment and draught is prevented by the
descending current passing from the case of the ventilator through perforations or
wire gauze or a series of coned tubes. The rotation of the iuner set of vanes
produces an upward current of air in the ventilator, which air passes out of the
ventilator by a side opening near the top into the atmosphere at a point opposite
to that at which the incoming current enters, or through a cone or scries of coned
tubes for improving the draught.
The head of the case or body of the ventilator is curved into a horizontal position
and has a trumpet mouth which is turned towards the wind
In the interior of the head of the case or body is a deflecting plate which directs
the incoming current downwards upon the outer vanes.
The ventilating vanes are supported upon bearings of the kind hereinafter
described.
When the ventilator is to be driven by steam or other power it may be placed
horizontally. In this case a pulley is fixed on one end of the axis carrying the
vanes so that it can be driven at any desired speed.
In constructing according to another of my improvements chimney cowls which
may also be used as ventilators, I make on the rotating head of the chimney cowl
two series of vanes one vertical around the head and the other nearly horizontal
situated on its top. By the action of the wind on these vanes a rotatory motion
is given to the head of the cowl. In the interior of the head, vanes are situated,
either two large vanes or a series of small vanes, so inclined that on the rotation
of the head by the action of the wind the said vanes produce an ascending current
of air and either promote the draught of the chimney or effect the ventilation of
the building.
The two sets of vanes on the head of the cowl on which the wind acts may be
made continuous; that is each vane on the top may be continued down the
vertical portion of the head.
In this way rain is more readily carried off the ventilator.

page_text: I support the rotating parts of the ventilators and chimney cowls by means of
ball bearings so as to reduce the friction to a minimum.
When the axis is fixed I employ two sets of balls or spheres, one set working on
the conical top or point of the axis and the other set working in a neck in the axis
near the base of the rotating part, both sets of balls or spheres being carried by the
rotating part. When the axis is made to rotate, I prefer to make one set of balls
or spheres bear upon the upper portion of the axis while on the lower portion of
the axis I make a flange or collar which rests and turns upon the lower set of balls
or spheres, but the arrangement of the said balls or spheres may be varied to suit
the particular construction and position of the ventilator or chimney cowl.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in vertical section and Figure 2 in horizontal section, taken
on the line aa Figure 1, a ventilator constructed according to my invention;
Figure 3 represents in side elevation (partly in section) the fixed axis or pivot of
the rotating vanes and the ball bearing arrangement of the same; Figure 4
represents a horizontal section of the ball bearing arrangement taken on tho
line bb Figure 3; and Figuro 5 represents a horizontal section of the ball bearing
arrangement taken on the line c c Figure 3; Figures 3. 4 and 5 are drawn of the
full size.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures-1.-2.3.4 and 5.
dis the cylindrical case or body of the ventilator; c is the inner concentric. tube
the space between the case or body d and inner tube e constituting an annular
chamber which is put into communication with the ship or building to which
-fresh-air is to be supplied and the inner tube e is put into communication with
the ship or building from which vitiated or heated air is to be drawn; g is the
fixed centre or pivot carried by the inner tube c. On this centre or pivot-the
two sets of vanes h. h and i, i, fixed to the vane case k, are supported as
hereinafter explained. The-smaller vanesh, h are situated within the vane case
and the larger vanes ii are situated outside the vane-case--and work in the
annular chamber f. The two sets of vanes h, h and i, i are inclined in opposite
directions, the rotation of the outer vanes i, i causing a current of fresh air to
descend in the annular chamber fand the rotation of the inner vanes h. h causing a
current of air to ascend in the inner tube c. The vane case is supported above
the intermediate tube which is fixed to the body d by radial arms, two of which
are marked in Figure 1. The head of the body d of the ventilator is curved
into a horizontal position and has a trumpet mouth d which is turned towards the
wind. On turning the body d for changing the position of its trumpet mouth d²
the internal and external vanes h, i and intermediate tube / move with it, the said
tube having a ring near its bottom which bears upon anti friction rollers
working in a groove in the head of the fixed tube c (see Figure 1); m is a
deflecting plate baving inclined sides as seen in Figure 2 for deflecting the incoming
current of air upon the outer vanes i. i. The top of the vane case opens into the
cap or cover n and the latter, opens by the side opening in the body of the
ventilator into the external air. A sliding door 9 in the side opening 2 is used for
regulating or shutting off the current of vitiated air.
When a current of air enters the ventilator at top it strikes against the
deflecting plate m which causes it to descend in the annular chamber f and
striking against the outer vanes i, i gives a rotatory motion to the two sets of
vanes i, i and h h on the vane case k. By the rotation of the outer vanes i, i a
current of fresh air is carried down the chamber f into the ship or building and
diffused in the ship or building by any convenient appliances; and by the rotation
of the inner vanes h, h an upward current of hot or vitiated air is drawn from the
ship or building into the tube c which air escapes into the atmosphere by the side
opening p as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1.
The ball bearing arrangement for supporting the rotating vanes is constructed
in the manner seen in Figures 1. 3. 4 and 5. The fixed axis or pivot g is secured

page_text: в
to a bar crossing the top of the fixed tube e and the inner set of vanes is socured to
the tubo situated around the fixed pivot g. On the top of the tube r is a cap s
within which the set of balls or spheres t is situated the said balls t working on
the conical top or point of the axis g. At the bottom of the tubo r is a cup or
ring u in which a second set of balls or spheres v is situated, the said balls or spheres
working in a neck w in the axis g.
When the two sets of vanes h, h and i, i are rotated, the tube r, cap 8 and cup u
rotate with them together with the sets of balls or spheres t, t and u. u, the said
balls rotating against the fixed axis and thereby reducing the friction to a
minimum as will be understood by an examination of the drawing.
Figure 6 represents in vertical section and Figure 7 in plan, partly in horizontal
section, a chimney cowl, which may also be used as a ventilator, constructed
according to my invention; Figure 8 represents a part of the same.
The rotating head of the chimney cowl consists of two independent parts marked
respectively a and b, both turning on the fixed central axis or pivot g. The body
part a of the rotating head is provided with the usual vertical vanes a² and the
top part of the said head, which moves independently of the body a, is furnished
with a vertical vane 62; or two or more nearly horizontal vanes may be used on
the top b. The said top 6 is also furnished with a semi cylindrical curtain ba
working within the body a of the head for the purpose of preventing down
draught in the chimney cowl. The top b. 62 of the rotating head is supported on
the top or point of the fixed pivot g, a collar carried by the cross pieco c rotating
upon the said pivot at a lower part (soc Figure 7). The body part a, a² of the
rotating head is connected by radial arins to the rotating tuber of the ball bearing
arrangement and vanes d d are also connected to the said tube r. These vanes are
for the purpose of producing au upward current of air in the chimney cowl on the
rotation of the head so as thereby to promote the draught of the chimney or effect
the ventilation of the building.
In this arrangement the pivot or axis g is fixed to the middle of the arms of the
ring e fixed on the top of the tubular body of the chimney cowl. The arrange-
ment of the ball bearings and cup at the lower part of the axis g is the same as
that represented in Figures 1 and 3 excepting that no neck is made in the axis,
but the top arrangement consists of a cap in which the balls or spheres are situated
the said balls working upon the top of the collar or flange f on the axis or pivot g,
the whole of the support of the rotating body a a³ and vanes d, d being borno
by the said collar or flange f as represented.
Figure 9 represents in elevation; Figure 10 in plan and Figure 11 in vertical
section another chimney cowl made according to my invention. In this cowl, the
rotating head is made in one piece as usual but the vertical and nearly horizontal
vanes ab on which the wind acts are continuous. It will bo scen by an
examination of the Drawing that the nearly horizontal vanes U³ on the top of the
head are continued down the vertical portion of the head the vertical vanes being
marked a². By this arrangement, rain is more readily carried off the cowl head
than when the vanes are made in the ordinary way.
pp are the internal vanes carried by the cowl head for producing an upward
current in the chimney cowl.
The rotating head of this cowl is supported on the fixed axis g provided with
ball bearings of the construction described and represented in Figures 1 and 3.
Figure 12 represents in vertical section and Figure 13 in plan, a portion of a
chimney cowl in which the axis or pivot to which the rotating head and rotating
vanes are attached, is made capable of rotating instead of being fixed; q is the
rotating axis to the upper part of which the rotating cowl head of any desired
construction is fixed and to the bottom of the said rotating axis the vanes ↑ T
situated within the body h of the cowl are fixed.
The said axis q passes through the stuffing box or collar. s fixed to a ring
secured to the top of the body h. The arrangement of the ball bearings for
reducing the friction of the rotating axis q is somewhat similar to that represented

page_text: in Figure 6, but the parts are inverted. That is to say, the bottom cup t carrying
one set of the balls or spheres and the top cap u carrying another set of balls or
spheres, together with the connecting tube v, are fixed to the collar 8. The axis q
is supported by the flange on it working upon the spheres in the cup t the upper
part of the axis working against the balls or spheres in the cap u.
The arrangements described and represented of the ball bearings may be applied
to the rotating heads and parts of ventilators and chimney cowls of various
constructions.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the
saine is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention of
Improvements in ventilators and chimney cowls" :—
First The construction and combination of the parts of the double acting
rotating vanes of ventilators herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings for securing a downward current of fresh air into and an
ascending current of vitiated or heated air from the ship or building.
Secondly-The combination with the rotating head of the ventilator of the
deflecting plate m for directing the incoming current downwards upon the outer
vanes of the double acting rotating vanes.
Thirdly the improvements in chimney cowls, which may also be used as
ventilators, hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 6. 7 and 8 of the
accompanying Drawings; that is_to_say, making the top of the rotating head
separate from the body part of the said lead and providing the said separate top
with one or with a series of vanes and also with a semi-cylindrical curtain which
curtain works in the body of the cowl head and prevents down draught
substantially as described and illustrated.
Fourthly The improvement in chimney cowls which_may_also_be_used_as
ventilators, hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 9, 10 and 11 of the
accompanying Drawings; that is to say, making the two sets of vanes on the
rotating head of the cowl on which the wind acts continuous, so that each vane on
the top of the head is continued down the vertical portion of the head and rain
thereby more readily carried off the cowl.
Fifthly The several arrangements or combinations of the parts of ball bearings
hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 4. 5. 6. 11. 12 and 13 of the
accompanying Drawings for supporting the rotating parts of ventilators and
chimney cowls so as to reduce the friction of the said rotating parts.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Edward Bladon have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Eleventh day of October in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
UNITALS
נ”ז גור
DI DAN