Improvements in Ventilation of Railway Carriages, Tram Cars, and Omnibuses, and All Classes of Covered Carriages, Cabs, and other Vehicles, Ships, Steamers, and other Vessels.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ventilation of Railway Carriages, Tram Cars, and
Omnibuses, and All Classes of Covered Carriages, Cabs, and other
Vehicles, Ships, Steamers, and other Vessels.
JAMES KNAPTON THOMPSON of Woodsley View, Leeds in the County of
York Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists of a tube or hollow cylinder having a bell-shaped opening
at one end thereof which end I fix at the front end of the carriage and preferably
on the crown of the roof although when necessity requires it the same may be fixed
near the roof at the sides of the carriage which position compels a constant current
of fresh air to rush through the said tube according to the speed at which the
carriage is travelling.
In the case of railway carriages tram cars and the like I employ two. such tubes
with the bell shaped end's fixed at opposite ends of the carriage so.as the facilitate
the constant action of the ventilator without the necessity of reversing the carriages
or cars for each return journey.
The smaller end or outlet of the tube bend downwards from the roof of the
carriage for a distance of six inches or more to prevent any back current of. air
should the carriage be reversed or the natural current of the wind be stronger from
behind. In private carriages omnibuses and the like I fix óné tube only as before
described.
To which I attach near the roof of the carriage a suitable regulator or plate
having perforations in same. On the top of this plate: I place another plate which
is movable and has similar perforations one being fixed and the other loose so that
the latter may be moved in such a way as to bring the holes in each plate opposite
cach other of just sufficiently to allow a partial opening as may be required...
This regulator is connected to or with the ventilating tube by means of louvre
plates which I fix into the underside of the ventilating tube. so that they sufficiently
overlap each other and inclined at such an angle in the.direction in which the air
will pass through the tube as, will admit of a constant and' uninterrupted passage of
air.as if the tube was of solid bore from end to end.
In tram cars and railway carriages I fix one or more such regulators. at suitable
intervals according to the size and requirements of the carriage but so that each set
of regulators communicate with their own tubes.
The action of this system is extremely simple and automatic and may be
explained as follows:-
13°
All the heated and vitiated atmosphere always being found at the highest point
or near the roof the current of air rushing through the overhead tube attracts and
draws along with it such quantity of the vitiated air as the regulator will allow to
pass into the tube and in all cases without causing a draught and also without the
necessity of opening any windows which is exceedingly dangerous and injurious to
the health of passengers. The ventilating tube herein referred to may be fixed
either inside or ontside the carriages.
Dated this 21st day of January 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ventilation of Railway Carriages, Tram Cars, and
Omnibuses, and All Classes of Covered Carriages, Cabs, and other
Vehicles, Ships, Steamers, and other Vessels.
I JAMES KNAPTON THOMPSON of Woodsley View Leeds in the County of
York Civil 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 :-
This invention consists of a tube or cylinder a Fig. 1 placed lengthwise from
front to back of the carriage or vehicle or vessel and close to the roof in such
position as the lamps and usual fittings in such vehicles will best permit the best
position of all being in the centre of the crown or apex of the roof. This tube is
made with a bell mouth or funnel shape at one end which with carriages that
always run in one direction is placed in front of the carriage: but in the case of
railway carriages tram cars and the like which run in either direction I fix two
such tubes a Fig. 2 each tube having the funnel at the opposite end to the funnel
of the adjoining tube so as to facilitate the constant and permanent action of the
ventilator without the necessity of reversing the carriages or cars for each return
journey.
The small end or outlet of the tube may either be bent slightly downward for a
short distance as in a Fig. 2 or otherwise carried across the end of the carriage as
shown in Fig. 3 by either of which means the possibility of any back current or
.draught is prevented should the carriage not be reversed on the return journey or
if the natural current of the wind be stronger from behind.
In railway carriages and all similar instances where the central line of lamps or
other obstruction prevents the usual arrangement of these tubes they may be placed
on each side of the line of lamps as shown in Fig. 4. Or may be arranged above
the doors of the carriage as shown in Fig. 5.
In private carriages omnibuses cabs and the like
described in the centre of the crown of the roof.
fix one tube only as before
To each of these tubes is fitted inside the carriage a ventilator chamber or box
which is connected with a number of deflected plates fixed into the said chamber
or into the tube in such a manner that each plate overlaps its neighbour as shown
in Fig. 6 the said deflected plates being inclined at the most suitable angle to
facilitate the constant free and uninterrupted passage of the current of air over the
tops of their inner edges and through the entire length of the tube precisely in the
same manner as it would do through an ordinary tube bored from end to end.
The ventilating chambers or boxes containing the deflected plates are protected
by an outer case Figs. 7 and 8 having perforated or sliding plates working over the
top of each other which case is intended for the purpose of preventing mischievous
people placing anything inside the tube or injuring the same in any way.
As an alternative arrangement I insert in the said ventilator or chamber an
elbow tube or pipe the arm of which is inserted into the main tube Fig. 9 and
points in the direction of the tail end of the ventilating through pipes. The
induction current created in the ventilating tubes by the travel of the carriage or
other vehicle draws out of the carriage through the said elbow tube all the vitiated
air and carries it out of the tail end of the tube or pipe.
The action of these ventilators secures perfect ventilation and positive freedom
from draughts and avoids the necessity of opening any windows a practice which is
exceedingly dangerous and injurious to the health of passengers.
These tubes may be fitted either inside or outside but as a rule the inside
is hest

page_text: 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. The general arrangement and construction of this automatic ventilator all as
particularly described and set forth.
2. The application of the same to every class of moving vehicle and particularly
those specified in the Title of this Specification.
J. KNAPTON THOMPSON.