IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING, DISINFECTING, AND FOG ALARM APPARATUS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING CRAFT
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of Harris
and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING, DISINFECTING,
AND FOG ALARM APPARATUS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING CRAFT." A
communication from abroad by William Fitz James Thiers, of the City and
County of New York, Doctor of Medicine; Milton Clifford Jeffers, of said City
and County of New York, Gentleman; Eugene Francis Beecher, of the City of
Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, Gentleman; and Amelia Pitts Armstrong,
of the City and County of New York aforesaid, Electrician, all in the State of
New York, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard
Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th September
1876.
.
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVE
MENTS IN VENTILATING, DISINFECTING, AND FOG ALARM APPARATUS FOR SHIPS AND
OTHER FLOATING CRAFT." A communication from abroad by William Fitz James
Thiers, of the City and County of New York, Doctor of Medicine, Milton Clifford
Jeffers, of said City and County of New York, Gentleman, Eugene Francis Beecher,
of the City of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, Gentleman; and Amelia Pitts
Armstrong, of the City and County of New York aforesaid, Electrician, all in the
State of New York, in the United States of America.
The first part of the present Invention consists in a simple and efficient mechanical
device operating automatically and without friction of solids or running expense,
whereby ships and every other description of floating craft having deck and rudder,
can be perfectly and continuously ventilated by night and by day so long as they
remain afloat, and while lying at wharf as well as when sailing
The same apparatus can be employed as an automatic fog alarm when so
required.
The improved ventilator and alarm occupies no appreciable space on ship board
and operates in combination with the water in which the vessel floats.

page_text: A tubular rudder or a tubular attachment to an ordinary rudder forms at that
part of the vessel at which there is the greatest vertical motion and where waves
and swells have the most unobstructed access, a number of air cells extending down-
ward below the lowest water line In these cells the water works with exhaustive
and propulsive force alternately on the air contained in the tubes and their con-
nections, sufficient relative motion at all times being insured by the said location of
the tubes within or upon the rudder. The connections extend through a suction
valve to one or more compartments of the vessel, and through a discharge valve into
the open air, the terminal end of the discharge pipe being provided with a fog horn
and controlling valve, or adapted to receive such horn.
The suction and discharge valves are constructed and arranged in the following
manner, so as to operate automatically with the least possible resistance, and so as
to be readily accessible at all times for inspection, cleansing, and adjustment.-The
suction and discharge valves are precisely alike in construction, they are horizontal
in position and rectangular in shape, having inlet and outlet necks, the direction of
which determines the operation of the individual valve. In order to offer the least
possible resistance to the air column a central oblique diaphragm forms the valve
seat of each valve, and a sensitively binged flap forms the valve proper. The orifice
in the valve seat is made in line with the bore of the pipe, and of equal or greater
arca The only resistance to be overcome in the valves is consequently that pro-
portion of the weight and friction of the light sensitively hinged flaps which is met
in lifting them from an inclined to a horizontal position, say, twenty-five to forty-
five degres, and in sustaining them in horizontal position during the passage of the
air. It is of the utmost importance thus to reduco as low as possible the requisite
compression and attenuation of the air in the pumping tubes in order that the slight
motions of the rudder and water during calins and at the wharf shall be effective,
which is one of the chief objects of this Invention.
In order to adapt the valves to be readily opened for inspection and for the
removal of accumulated dust, or for the adjustment of the flaps should this be
required, the top of each valve is formed by a removeable cover packed by an inter-
posed gasket or packing strip of rubbor or leather, and held down by a central
clamping screw working in a yoke which embraces the valve, and can be slid off at
one end when loosened. More than one screw or a different fastening can be
employed if preferred. Brass is proposed as a suitable metal for the valves, with
platinum or equivalent non-corrosive inetal for the flaps and valve seats.
The improved ship ventilator by its continuous automatic operation will not only
induce an abundant supply of fresh air and discharge the lighter or more accessible
vitiated air, but it will effectually remove from the lowest depths and the most
remote recesses of the hold and steerage the heavy foul air arising from bilge vapor
and the decay of animal and vegetable matter, and the heated air and explosive
gases from cargoes. At the same time it will remove all miasmatic and mephitic
vapors from noxious exhalations with the floating morbific germs of infectious or
contagious diseases, such as Asiatic cholera, yellow fever, ship fever, small pox, and
their kindred scourges; and the apparatus can be readily made to localize any such
disease in the ship by simply making the hospital compartment or infected state
room a focal point from which the air will be drawn.
The second part of the Invention consists in a deodorizing and disinfecting
device, whereby the disease germs and noxious odos in the removed air may he
readily destroyed or neutralized in the most effective manner. The wind might
otherwise return contagion to the ship, or waft it to neighboring or passing vessels,
or to the shore This device consists of one or more chambers combined with the
discharge pipe or the suction pipe, and adapted to receive chemicals and to be
heated, either or both as required.
Besides the application of heat or the supply of suitable chemicals from time to
time when required, no attention to this part of the apparatus will be needed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th March 1877
BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Haris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN VENTILATING, DISINFECTING, AND FOG ALARM APPARATUS FOR SHIPS AND
OTHER FLOATING CRAFT" A communication from abroad by William Fitz James
Thiers, of the City and County of New York, Doctor of Medicine, Milton Clifford
Jeffers, of said City and County of New York, Gentleman; Eugene Francis Beecher,
of the City of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, Gentleman; and Amelia Pitts
Armstrong, of the City and County of New York aforesaid, Electrician, all in the
State of New York, in the United States of America.
The first part of the present Invention consists in a simple and efficient me-
chanical device, operating automatically and without friction of solids, or running
expense, whereby ships and every other description of floating craft having deck
and rudder can be perfectly and continuously ventilated by night and by day so
long as they remain afloat, and while lying at wharf as well as when sailing. The
same apparatus can be employed as an automatic fog alarm when so required.
The improved ventilator and alarm occupies no appreciable space on ship board,
and operates in combination with the water in which the vessel floats. A tubular
rudder or a tubular attachment to an ordinary rudder forms at that part of the
vessel at which there is the greatest vertical motion, and where waves and swells
have the most unobstructed access, a number of air cells extending downward below
the lowest water line. In these cells the water works with exhaustive and pro-
pulsive force alternately on the air contained in the tubes and their connections,
sufficient relative motion at all times being insured by the said location of the tubes
within or upon the rudder. The connections extend through a suction valve to one
or more compartments of the vessel, and through a discharge valve into the open
air; the terminal end of the discharge pipe being provided with a fog horn and
controlling valves, or adapted to receive such horn.
The suction and discharge valves are constructed and arranged in peculiar manner
so as to operate automatically with the least possible resistance, and so as to bo
readily accessible at all times for inspection, cleansing, and adjustment.
The improved ship ventilator, by its continuous automatic operation, will not only
induce an abundant supply of fresh air, and discharge the lighter or more accessible
vitiated air, but it will effectually remove from the lowest depths, and the most
remote recesses of the hold and steerage the heavy foul air arising from bilge vapour
and the decay of animal and vegetable matter, and the heated air and explosive
gases from cargoes; at the same time it will remove all miasmatic and mephitic
vapours from noxious exhalations, with the floating morbific germs of infectious or
contagious diseases, such as Asiatic colera, yellow fever, ship fever, small pox, and
their kindred scourges; and the apparatus can be readily made to localize any such
disease in the ship by simply making the hospital compartment or infected state-
room a focal point from which the air will be drawn.
The second part of this Invention consists in a deodorizing and disinfecting device,
whereby the discase germs and noxious odours in the removed air may be readily
destroyed or neutralized in the most effective manner. The wind might otherwise
return contagion to the ship or waft it to neighbouring or passing vessels or to
the shore. This device consists of one or more chambers combined with the dis-
charge pipe or the suction pipe, and adapted to receive chemicals, and to be heated,
either or both, as required.
Besides the application of heat or the supply of suitable chemicals from time to
time, when required, no attention to this part of the apparatus will be needed. In
addition to the specific advantages above briefly referred to, there are many other

page_text: general advantages of the utmost sanitary and commercial importance, besides other
special advantages which belong to the present Invention.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings,
more fully to describe the same.
.
.
UR THE PRATIK D
Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of a ship provided with a
disinfecting ventilator and fog alarm illustrating this Invention; Figure 2 is a plan
or top view of the same.
Figure 3 represents a vertical section of the tubular rudder and its connections
on a larger scale.
Figure 4 represents a transverse section of the rudder on the line 4, 4, Figure 3.
Figure 5 represents a vertical longitudinal section of one of the automatic air
valves; Figure 6 represents a transverse section of the same on the line 6, 6,
Figure 5.
Figure 7 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the disinfecting device;
Figure 8 is a top view of the latter.
Figure 9 is an elevation of a portion of the discharge pipe showing the alarm
valves.
Figure 10 is a top view.of a substitute swivel connection for the air pipes.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
The disinfecting ship ventilator and fog alarm, which is the subject matter of this
Invention, is applicable to every description of nautical vessel or floating craft of
sufficient size to require a ventilator, and need involve no alteration whatever in the
structure of the vessel.
This apparatus in a preferred form consists of a tubular rudder R, a pair of auto-
matic air valves V, V, a series of deodorizing and disinfecting chambers C, C, and
a fog horn H, with a suction pipe S and a discharge pipe D leading to and from the
rudder and connecting the other parts. The tubular rudder R is composed of a
system of metallic tubes t, t, t³, t, as large and as numerous as the proper
dimensions of the rudder will permit, securely united in one compact body, with a
strong metallic sheathing 8. The main tubes t, t², are vertical, with open lower
ends extending down into the water, and the entire internal area of these tubes
which make up the lower part of the rudder is available for pumping air, and this
is accomplished whenever the rudder rises of is depressed, and whenever a wave or
swell causes the surface of the water at the rudder to rise and fall. With six tubes
of only one square inch water area per tube, six cubic inches of air (less a small
fraction) will be drawn through the suction pipe or forced through the discharge
pipe for every inch of vanation in the height of the water surface in the tubes.
The variation will usually be several inches every few seconds, and the operation
will be practically incessent; abundant capacity will consequently be had. The
front tube t constitutes the tiller shaft, a horizontal tube unites all the vertical
tubes so that each of the outer pumping tubes communicates at top with the tubular
tiller shaft, and a series of oblique tubes t connect the horizontal tube and tiller
shaft in the form of diagonal braces, serving also as additional conduits. The
number, shape, and arrangement of the tubes are not essential elements.
The employment of tubes square in cross section and all vertical except a singlo
connecting tube has been contemplated. Copper is considered the most suitable
material for the rudder, but galvanized iron may in some cases be preferable.
The parallel tubes may be brazed or soldered together throughout their length,
and their union may be reinforced by one or more strong metallic hoops or bands
which may in some cases take the place of the sheathing. Ordinary rudders now
in use may be converted by the attachment thereto of one or more pumping tubes
in any convenient and secure manner, but the employment of a substitute tubular

page_text: rudder is preferred. The latter besides its special functions possesses superior
strength and durability as a steering device.
The tubular rudder is intended to be attached to the rudder post or otherwise
hung in any ordinary or approved manner so as to have the required freedom of
notion under control of the tiller T. In the illustration a step bearing is attached
to the keel, and a collar to the deck below the tiller
The rudder tubes must be connected to the suction and discharge pipes in such
manner as to prevent any obstruction to the passage of air on the one hand, and to
the motion of the rudder on the other. In the illustration (see Figure 3), this is
accomplished by providing the tubular tiller shaft with lateral necks n, n², below
the deck, and applying thereto flexible rudder hose h, h², of ample length leading to
the respective pipes, the upper end of the tiller shaft being plugged. The hose is
supported internally by copper wire.
A stationary coupling tube for use in some cases is illustrated in Figure 10. A
packed hollow head or collar ³ is in this modification swivelled to the tiller shaft,
and a tee leads therefrom to the main pipes. The swivel may be above the tiller
or below the deck. Care must be taken to have all the joints in the rudder and
connections air-tight Pumping tubes attached to ordinary rudders will be con-
nected to the air pipes by flexible hose of sufficient length.
The suction and discharge valves V, V, in the illustration are precisely alike in
construction The former is shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6; they are horizontal
in position and rectangular in shape, having inlet and outlet necks 1, 0, the dnection
of which determines the operation of the individual valve. In order to offer the
least possible resistance to the air column a central oblique diaphragm & forms the
valve scat of each valve, and a sensitively hinged flap f forms the valve proper.
The orifice in the valve seat is made in line with the bore of the pipe, and of equal
or greater area, the only resistance to be overcome in the valves is consequently
that proportion of the weight and friction of the light sensitively hinged flaps
which is met in lifting them from an inclined to a horizontal position, say twenty-
five to forty-five degrees, and in sustaining them in horizontal position during the
passage of the air
It is of the utmost importance thus to reduce as low as possible
the requisite compression and attenuation of the air in the pumping tubes in order
that the slight motions of the rudder and water during calms and at the wharf
shall be effective, which is one of the chief objects of this Invention
In order to adapt the valves to be readily opened for inspection and for the
removal of accumulated dust or the adjustment of the flaps, should this be required,
the top of each valve is formed by a removeable cover packed by an interposed
gasket or packing strip g of rubber or leather, and held down by a central clamping
screw c working in a yoke y, which embraces the valve and can be slid off at one
end when loosened. More than one screw or a different fastening can be employed
if preferred Brass is proposed as a suitable metal for the valves with platinum or
equivalent non-corrosive inetal for the flaps and valve seats. The deodorising and
disinfecting chambers C, C², in the illustration are adapted respectively to receive
chemicals in dry and in liquid state, the chamber C being provided with a sponge.
The chamber C is also adapted for the application of heat, having a heating
chamber C beneath it supplied with a pair of lamps L, which are romoveable
through a door in the side. The chamber C as shown has also an undulating
botton and a defiector to insure the contact of the disease germs with the chemical
or the heated plate, but these details are not considered essential, and the heat may
be applied in any preferred way. Kemoveable plugs p, p³, give access for the supply
of chemicals, and afterwards seal the chambers. Copper is considered the most
suitable material for forming these chambers.
An ordinary fog horn H is represented, and the proposed mode of attaching it is
illustrated in Figure 9. A branch of the discharge pipe forming the main outlet
extends downward, and is provided with a stop valvo a. A second branch ‹°
having a stop valve b extends towards the stern, and is coupled to the horn.

page_text: Ordinarily the valve b is closed and a is open; when an alarm is to be given a is
closed and b is opened.
In some casos a screw thread at the extremity of the discharge pipe may provide
for attaching a removable horn, the stop valves and branches to be omitted. The
suction pipe S in the illustration has branches 8' extending into the hold, a
branch & extending into a hospital compartment, and a branch & extending into
the steerage. Stop valves in all the branches or "registers" at their extremities
will be employed, and with theso it will be apparent that the entire effect of the
apparatus may be concentrated at any given point. A hospital compartment is
shown to illustrate the proposed utilization of this provision.
If a case of contagious disease occurs on ship board the patient is at once isolated
here, and this is rendered the focal point from which the ventilator with all its
capacity constantly carries off the fouler air. To supply the partial vacuum which
is thus created air flows towards the hospital from every direction below decks, and
in no case escapes from it. The suction pipe may be extended to an infected state
room by rubber tubing. The direct spread of contagion is thus prevented, and by
the employment of the disinfecting chambers the germs of the discase are destroyed
before they escape into the external atmosphere.
It may be desirable to locate these chambers in the hospital compartment, in
which case they will form a part of the suction pipe. In the illustration they form
sections of the discharge pipe, and with the valves are arranged at the stern of the
vessel. These parts, which are the largest parts of the apparatus on ship board, will
ordinarily not exceed three or four inches in width.
In smaller vessels the hospital compartment and disinfecting device will usually
bo omitted, when the suction pipe may extend directly into the hold, and the dis-
charge pipe to one side at the stern, or as may be required or preferred. The fog
horn attachment may also be entirely omitted in some cases.
Having thus described the naturo of the said Invention and the mode of
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
Firstly. A rudder having one or more air tubes with open lower ends extending
downward into the water, and connected at their upper ends to suction and dis-
charge pipes, substantially as herein illustrated and described.
Secondly. A horizontal air valve having an oblique diaphragm, in combination
with the suction pipe or the discharge pipe of a ship ventilator, substantially as
herein shown and set forth.
Thirdly. A horizontal air valve having a removable cover giving access to the
valve seat, and secured by a yoke and clamping screw or their equivalent, in com-
bination with the suction pipe or the discharge pipe of a ship ventilator, substantially
as berein specified.
Fourthly. A deodorizing and disinfecting chamber, in combination with the dis-
charge pipe or the suction pipe of a ship ventilator, substantially as herein illustrated
and described.
Fifthly. A series of deodorizing and disinfecting chambers, in combination with
the discharge pipe or the suction pipe of a ship ventilator for the successive appli-
cation of heat and chemicals to destroy the germs of infectious or contagious
diseases, as herein set forth.
Sixthly. The combination of the tubular rudder R, the suction and discharge
pipes S, D, the air valves V, V2, and a fog horn H, the latter attached at or near
the extremity of the discharge pipe, as described for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.