A New or Improved Machine for Moistening and Purifying Air.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Machine for Moistening and Purifying Air.
I ALBERT SCHMID, Engineer of Zurich in the Republic of Switzerland 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 following invention relates to an apparatus which is intended to moisten
the atmosphere of rooms and at the same time to cleanse it from impurities.
The essential novelty of my apparatus consists in the employment of loose balls
rotating in a perforated drum as moisture outgiving parts, these balls may also be
perforated and then offer to the air current a greater moistening surface.
Whilst in all other already existing apparatus, in which the moisture outgiving
parts remain fixed, that is do not change their relative positions towards each
other, the interstices are very soon stopped up, as the impurities absorbed from the
atmosphere become fixed in the same; this by the employment of my balls is made
impossible, as by the rotation of the drum they are made to change their relative
positions towards each other and thus cleanse themselves.
A further advantage of my apparatus consists therein, that no visible small
particles of water escape from the apparatus (for example in the form of needles)
as is the case with other apparatus, and eventually damage the machines &c.
subject to their influence.
The apparatus is represented in the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a lineal section through the apparatus,
Fig. 2 a section A B of Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 a section C D in Fig. 1,
Fig. 4 a section E F Fig. 1,
Fig. 5 a perforated ball in cross section and side section.
A case a which at its hinder end is extended to another such a¹ is held between
rings band b' connected with each other by the bolts el c2c and c. These rings b
and are provided at the top with fect d and d¹ which serve to fasten the
apparatus to the ceiling e. The front ring is provided with an arm going towards
the centre which is here held by the nave g; it is further narrowed to a funnel
shape in front and carries here inside a fan formed ring with the open side directed
towards the middle of the apparatus; on the outside a casing i. The latter is
provided with perforations and is surrounded at a certain distance by a casing k
expanding towards the centre of the apparatus. Sideways the distance between
the two cases i and k is closed with the exception of an inside opening k². In the
back ring, another one is set which is provided with arms going inwardly
towards the centre, which here hold one 12. The walls fastened to the ring / close
the apparatus outwardly on this side.
In the naves 9 and 7 an axle shaft n is firmly embedded. This carries at the
front end a ventilating fan o and at the other end a band roller p and towards the
centre a worm q. Upon the prolongation of the naves and towards the middle
of the apparatus a tuber can rotate; upon this tuber the wheels s and t provided
with the arms s' and t¹ are fastened. These wheels are connected with each other
by a cover made of wire netting and at the sides also the walls u and u² of wire
netting confine the space between both the wheels. A axle is laid in an axle
bearer which is fastened upon one of the arms t¹ made revolvable (but laid so
as to be secured from side displacement) so that the large cogwheel v upon it
comes into gear with the spiral y and the smaller placed at the other end of
the shaft with the toothed crown which latter is fastened to the casing a a¹.
The casing a' is further provided with side openings a² and a³ the supports of
บ

page_text: which w² and w³ correspond. At the top the cover is provided with a slita and at
the bottom with another slit y. Above the slit is a tube ¹ provided with
openings underneath closed sideways and fastened in the ring b; said tube is
provided at the top with a funnel 3 and is covered inside by a casing
The slit y is also surrounded by a casing y' which towards the middle of the
apparatus has a fall, and here in the deepest point carries an escape tube y².
The space enclosed by the wire nettings u u' u² is filled with balls which can
he provided with perforations 2 23 (Fig. 5). Through an easily removable
part 3 of the wire netting u², the balls can be easily put in and taken out.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The shaft n with the fan o is
put into rapid revolution by means of the band roller p (1800 to 2000 revolutions
per minute). The fan o draws in air so that the air drawn in through the
supports 2 and 3 and openings a² and a works through the balls in the wire
netting u u² being forced by the fan in front.
Through the funnel water is continuously let in to the tube . Through
the openings it passes through the slit in the casing a and through the wire
netting and reaches the space filled with balls. The balls made of wood or other
material readily absorbing water will become soaked with water and in consequence
of their perforations present a larger area of moist surface to the air current
driven through them without opposing a greater resistance to the same, and con-
sequently a rapid and good moistening of the air ensues.
In order that the whole of the balls contained in the casing u u² u² may be
touched by the water entering from above, the whole drum is put in slow
revolution.
The rapidly rotating axle n moving uniformly with the worm 7 sets the cog-
wheel in motion, which has also the effect of putting in motion the shaft v and
the toothed wheel v³. The latter rolling upon the toothed crown v sets the wheel t
and also the whole drum in revolution.
Through this rotation not only are fresh balls always coming within the reach
of the water entering from above, but the balls are continually changing their
position in relation to each other, so that the whole of the surfaces are well
moistened. The water not absorbed by the balls, that is to say the superfluous
water can escape through the slit y in the casing y' and then be easily let off
through the tube y².
When the ventilating fan is made to rotate with the utmost possible rapidity it
is unavoidable that a portion of the water for the moistening of the balls should
also be carried forward. In order that this should not be driven with the air
through the apparatus, the ring his in the first place arranged so that the water
caught by this can pass direct to the escape pipe y². The water passing by this
ring will strike upon the wings of the ventilator o and be thrown by this against
the casing i. It passes through the openings in the same into the space which
lies between the casing and the casing from whence it can readily escape
through the opening in order to be drawn off through the pipe y².
It will be evident without further remark that of the impurities carried along
with the air the greater part will remain hanging on to the wire netting u² and a
smaller part between the moistened balls, the air passing through the apparatus
will thus also become purified.
The pipes to the inlet supports 2 and 3 can be closed which permits the
entrance of the air from other spaces or from the open. Other substances may
also be mixed with the water serving for the moistening of the balls which will
disinfect the balls passing over them. Also in winter by the use of warm water,
the air passing through the apparatus can be warmed; in summer by the use of
very cold water the temperature of the same can be lowered.
The whole apparatus may as a matter of course be arranged in such a manner
that instead of the fan drawing in the air by suction, air may be driven through
the apparatus; the balls also may be made without perforations or with yet
more perforations without the essential features of the apparatus being altered.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. An air moistening apparatus consisting of a wire network drum filled with
balls, of a water absorbing material, the slow revolution of which is effected by
the axle-shaft journalled in bearers, and provided with toothed wheels, the larger
toothed wheel gearing into the fan wheel, the smaller into a toothed wheel fastened
to the casing of the apparatus, the water inlet pipe at the top of the drum
provide with openings and the escape pipe underneath the same.
2. The catch ring arranged in front of the drum with the open side directed
towards the inside of the drum.
3. The double casing surrounding the ventilating fan, the inside one of which is
provided with perforations and between which a vent pipe is located all sub-
stantially as illustrated and described and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 24th day of September 1892.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.