Improvements in the Ventilation of Tunnels, Buildings, Mines, Ships, and other Places.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Oct., 1896-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Ventilation of Tunnels, Buildings, Mines,
Ships, and other Places.
I HENRY HARRIS of 143 Nevill Road Stoke Newington in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The improvements have reference to means of effecting and regulating induced
currents of air for ventilation without a back draught.
In the ventilation of tunnels, a square ventilating air pipe or tube, perforated at
intervals with louvre holes, and so covered internally, as to direct the incoming air
currents in one direction, would be fixed in sections, along the roof of the tunnel
one end of each section, would be closed to the tunnel and the other end connected
to air shaft.
A compressed air main pipe would extend continuously along the whole length
of the tunnel, and from which small branch pipes fitted with nozzles or other
continuations would be connected to the tube, compressed currents of air are then
driven into the tube through the nozzles, with considerable velocity, the issuing
currents of air, induces a current in the same direction within the tube, this
induction draws into the tube through the funnels, the vitiated air and mephitic
gas in its vicinity.
The air shaft to which the tube is connected would be fitted with a wind cowl,
in which are arranged openings of trumpet form, or any other shape, to these
openings, bends, and nozzles, of size and diameter to suit the shaft would be
connected by rivits, or otherwise, and directed to centre of air shaft, and are so
formed as to induce and regulate the air currents in the direction of the up-draught.
The cowl would work on a pivot, or centre, and the lap joint working in a annular
space, would effectually prevent all down draught.
In the ventilation of mines, ships, factories, engine rooms, chemical works, and
the like, the same arrangement would be made as in the ventilation of tunnels.
In the ventilation of buildings we would prefer to work the apparatus by
exhaustion, the ventilating cowl being the motive power for inducing the air
currents through the ventilating boxes.
Dated this 20th day of July 1896.
HENRI HARRIS.
Improvements in the Ventilation of Tunnels, Buildings, Mines,
Ships, and other Places.
I, HENRY HARRIS of 143 Nevill Road, Stoke Newington, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer 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 :-
The improvements constituting my invention have reference to means for effecting
and regulating induced currents of air for the ventilation of tuunels, mines,

page_text: buildings, ships, and other places, and has for its object to effect such ventilation
without a return or back draught.
In order that my invention and the manner in which I prefer to carry the same
into effect for the purposes stated may be fully understood, I have hereunto
appended a sheet of drawings of which :-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of a tunnel to which my
invention has been fitted, and which will also serve to illustrate my system as
applied to mines, and like places.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of such a tunnel further illustrating the application of
my invention.
Fig. 3 is a diagram further illustrating my system as at Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a part section of a dwelling, warehouse, factory, or other building
ventilated according to my invention.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the ventilation of tunnels and like places,
I prefer to 'x by any suitable means, and preferably in the centre of the roof of
the tunnel A, a pipe or pipes, tube or tubes B, preferably square in cross section,
which may be either continuous from end to end of the tunnel, or in short lengths
placed at intervals as at Fig. 1, and either open or closed at their ends b, this or
these being provided at suitable intervals with perforations such as C each open to
the air in A, and leading into an internal conduit or conduits opening out into
suitable upcasts or shafts surface gratings or the like D, leading to the atmosphere
outside and preferably above the tunnel, and I may arrange that each short
length B may open into such an upcast or shaft as at Fig. 3, or arrange these in
pairs so that each pair may converge and enter one such upcast or shaft or the like
as in Fig. 1.
The holes or perforations C would be each so formed as to direct the air entering
them from A into or towards the conduit or conduits leading into the upcasts or
shafts or the like D.
Along the side or other convenient part of the tunnel A, and for the whole
length of same, I provide and fix by any suitable convenient means a pipe E,
having at suitable intervals small branch pipes F, each provided with a suitable
nozzle or other continuation G, entering into the conduit into which the perforations C
converge, and each pointing in the direction of the upcast or shaft D, belonging to
the section B to which they are connected. At either end or other convenient
part or parts of the tunnel A, the pipe E would be connected to a suitable metallic
or other chamber or chambers, (which may be in the form of a vertical boiler
such as H Fig. 2) into which is forced air under pressure coming from a suitable
compression engine situated in any convenient adjacent position, the said chamber
thereby forming an accumulator for the said compressed air and may be provided
with a suitable valve or valves such as J, by which the said compressed air may be
driven with great force and velocity into the pipe E, and from this through the
branches F and their nozzles or the like G, thus creating a forced draft through
the tube or each of the sections B and the current of air issuing from these into
the upcasts or shafts D, would, by induction, draw the vitiated air and noxious or
mephitic gases in the tunnel A, into the perforations C, and be carried from these
directly into the atmosphere, and by reason of the forced draught being continuous,
and always in the same direction, back or down draught would not possible, the
direction of the current being always in the direction of the arrows.
In order to the more effectually regulate the ventilation of the tunnel, I may
provide at each tube Fa suitable valve such as K, or I may connect the said
tubes in pairs so that each pair may be provided with such a valve as shewn at K'
in Fig. 1.
1 prefer to provide upon each upcast or shaft D a suitable wind-cowl L, as
suggested by dotted outline at Fig. 2, these being each arranged to work upon a
pivot or centre in the usual way, and be provided with a lap joint as at c to keep
out rain. At the back of the bonnet d of the cowl, (or that part that would be
always facing the wind actuated by a vane e) I provide one or more, (preferably.

page_text: two) openings, to each of which is fitted a bell, trumpet, or other shaped
device M M, the lower of which M may have its inner end or nozzle f turned
upwardly, while the nozzle f¹ of the upper one M may be horizontal or approxi-
mately so, so that both may direct the air current towards, and out at the mouth
of the cowl, and in order that such current may be divided or cut up or formed
into smaller currents, I provide within the mouths of both M and M', and rivet or
otherwise connect thereto one or more smaller trumpet, bell or other shaped
devices g, as shewn by the part section of the said cowl in Fig. 4.
The same principle of ventilation as described may he employed in the ventilation of
mines ships, factories, chemical works, engine-rooms and the like, but in the ventilation
of public, private and other buildings, where the presence of a compression engine,
may not be convenient or desirable, I effect the said ventilation by exhaustion, and
arrange the sections B close to the ceilings at any convenient part of each room or
rooms or apartments to be ventilated, each or any number of which may communicate
with, and enter, an upcast or shaft D, as shewn in Fig. 4 in which case the improved
construction of the cowl would alone suffice to induce a current of air through the
sections B.
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 :-
1st. In the ventilation of tunnels, mines, ships chemical and other factories, the
employment of air under compression, for creating a forced draught, and inducing
a current or currents, with means such as pipes E and F, leading into a tube or
tubes such as B, having holes or perforations such as C, communicating with
upcasts or shafts such as D, each of which may be provided with a cowl such as L,
substantially as herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In the ventilation of tunnels, mines and the like as set forth, the combination
of a tube or tubes such as B, cach provided with any number of holes or
perforations C, leading into shafts or upcasts D, each provided with a cowl L the
said portion or portions B, being connected by pipes such as F having nozzles such
as G, with a main pipe E leading from an accumulator such as H, in connection
with any form of engine for forcing compressed air thereinto, with suitable valves
such as J and K for regulating the pressure of air from H to E and from E to F,
substantially as hereing described and shewn by the appended drawings.
3rd. In combination with the system of ventilation set forth in the preceding
claims, with or without the use of compressed air, the employment of a cowl such
as L, having trumpet or other shaped openings such as M M having current
dividers such as g substantially as and for the purposes stated and shewn by the-
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1896.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,..
Agent for the Applicant.