Improved Means for Producing Dew-like Spray, Mist, or Watery Vapour within Greenhouses and Horticultural Structures.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 27th May, 1897-Accepted, 17th July, 1897
Improved Means for Producing Dew-like Spray, Mist, or Watery
Vapour within Greenhouses and Horticultural Structures.
I, THOMAS OAKMAN, of Scotland Green Farm, Ponders End, Middlesex, Florist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In growing Cucumbers and such vegetation in Greenhouses or in any closed
situation it is essential that the atmosphere shall be continually saturated with water
in the form of a cool dew mist or vapour, but all methods hitherto adopted, such as
by syringing, these conditions cannot be efficiently obtained as the water is projected
on the under side of the foliage instead of on the upper side as it should be in a
natural manner, the water is unequally distributed, and the syringing often causes
damage to the Flowers or Fruit by the force of the jets thrown on to them. The
syringing also necessitates considerable hand labour.
By the presence of the dew, mist, or vapour in the atmosphere within Green-
houses, etc. the atmosphere is kept cool in excessively hot weather, and the
vegetation can be efficiently cleaned from dust, insects, and the glass roof be
washed, also the paths damped, if required.
My invention provides a means by which the aforesaid dew, mist, or vapour may
be formed and I carry it into practice as follows:-A pipe (or pipes) in which are
made numerous small holes is (or are) fixed or suspended within the Greenhouse or
Structure preferably near the ridge or at other parts of the house.
Water under pressure is supplied to the said pipe or pipes, from a main feed pipe
as branches and having exit by the aforesaid small holes is projected against the
glass of the roof in such a manner as will cause the greatest possible amount of the
water to break up to form dew, mist, or vapour for moistening or wetting the upper
side of the foliage.
The water that is not formed into the dew, mist, or vapour runs down inside and
outside the glass which is thereby kept clean, the excess of water being conducted.
by the gutters back into the water tank within the house.
Taps are arranged at certain parts in such manner that only portions or sections
of the structure may be watered while horticultural operations may be carried on iu
the other portions or sections.
The taps can be partly turned off so that the water will fall on to the leaves or
on to the path to clean the tops of the leaves and spread about in which case none
of the water would run down outside the house.
Dated this 12th day of April 1897
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said T. Oakman.

page_text: Improved Means for Producing Dew-like Spray, Mist, or Watery
Vapour within Greenhouses and Horticultural Structures.
I, THOMAS OAKMAN, of Scotland Green Farm, Ponders End, Middlesex, Florist,
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:-
In growing Cucumbers and such Vegetation in Greenhouses or in any closed
situation it is essential that the atmosphere shall be continually saturated with
water in the form of a cool dew-mist or vapour, but by all the methods hitherto
adopted such as by syringing, these conditions cannot be efficiently obtained as the
water is projected on the under side of the foliage instead of on the upper side as,
it should be in a natural manner, the water is unequally distributed, and the
syringing often causes damage to the Flowers or Fruit by the force of the jets
thrown on to them. The syringing also necessitates considerable hand labour.
By the presence of the dew, mist, or vapour in the atmosphere within Green-
houses, etc. the atmosphere is kept cool in excessively hot weather, and the
vegetation can be efficiently cleaned from dust, insects, and the glass roof be 1
washed, also the paths damped, if required.
My invention provides a means by which the aforesaid dew, mist, or vapour may
be formed, and I carry it into practice as follows and substantially as indicated on
the annexed drawing, Figure 1 transverse section of the usual construction of a
span roof cucumber house for which my invention is specially applicable, Figure 2:
shows a top plan of the pipes and taps, and Figure 3 a single pipe with double
spraying holes for both glass roofings of a greenhouse.
The invention consists of a pipe (or pipes) A in which are made numerous small
holes at the proper angles in the length of the piping, said pipe or pipes being fixed
or suspended within the Greenhouse or Structure preferably near the ridge B, or it
may be at other parts of the house.
Water under pressure is supplied to the said pipe or pipes A from a main feed
pipe C as branches and having exit by the aforesaid small holes is projected against
the glass D of the roof in such a manner as will cause the greatest possible amount
of the water to break up to form dew, mist, or vapour for moistening or wetting
the upper side of the foliage.
The water that is not formed into the dew, mist, or vapour runs down inside and
outside the glass D which is thereby kept clean, the excess of water being
conducted by the gutters E and pipes E¹ back into the water tank F within the
house where the water is kept at about the same temperature as the house in the a
well known manner.
.
Taps G, G, are arranged at certain parts of the pipes A, A, within easy reach in
order that only portions or sections of the structure may be watered while other
horticultural operations may be carried on in the other portions or sections.
The taps G, G, can be so adjusted that the water will fall on to the leaves to clean
the upper surfaces only, or it may be allowed to fall on to the paths in which case
none of the water would run down outside the house.
In the drawing Figure 1 I have shown a hand pump H on the service supply
pipe C from the tank F and pipes: J,.J, for leading the spent water back to the
tank F from the eaves gutters E, E, for re-use.
By the arrangement of the pipes A, A as shown at Figure 2 the socket and tap
connections K, K, are shown that any single pipe A can be opened for the passage
of water so that one side of a house for its full length can be sprinkled, or by

page_text: opening two of the pipes at the same end, supposing the supply be from about the
middle both sides of either half can be simultaneously wetted while ordinary manual
operations are proceeding such as gathering or for temporary repairs, or for cleaning
up purposes.
The diagram Figure 2 is only to show one arrangement of the pipe connections
from the main supply C to the branches A, A, and although I have shown a
reciprocating handle H1 to the pump H any other kind of force pump can be
employed as well as other arrangements of pipes, or the positions they occupy, and
I have shown the tank F on the floor I it is only at one end of the house and even
here it can be covered by floor boards as a continuation of the centre path.
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
claim is :-
1. The improved means hereinbefore described and substantially as shown for
producing dew like spray, mist, or watery vapour within Greenhouses and other
Horticultural Structures especially those in which Cucumbers are grown in the
manner set forth.
2. In Greenhouses and like Horticultural Structures, the employment of one or
more water branch pipes A, A, in the upper part thereof, said pipes being provided
with taps for regulating the passage to any of the branches, and under pressure
from a force pump so that it is projected from fine perforations against the glass
and be broken up thereby into fine particles for distribution and fall by gravity on
to the plants below, as and for the purposes explained.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Thomas Oakman.