IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO CHIMNEY TOPS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Caroline Hobgrefe (Widow), of No. 3, Frankfort
Street, Brunswick, Germany, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO CHIMNEY TOPS."
Sealed the 4th February 1868, and dated the 9th August 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Caroline Hohgrefe at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition, on the
9th August 1867.
I, CAROLINE HOHGREFE, (Widow), of No. 3, Frankfort Street, Brunswick,
Germany, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO CHIMNEY TOPs," to be as follows:-
.
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be applied
to chimney tops. I employ a series of funnel-shaped rings having an inner
diameter corresponding with the width of the chimney; these rings are fixed"
horizontally and one above the other, with their mouths downwards and with
spaces between them; their surfaces are curved in such manner that the
wind blowing against them horizontally becomes deflected upwards in-a-vertical:
direction, and the ascending-current of air so obtained tends to draw the
smoke out of the chimney. In-some cases I arrange the chimney top in such

page_text: manner as to be able to revolve on a vertical pivot, and by a vane which it
carries it is caused always to oppose the same side to the wind. It carries at
its upper end, and at right angles to the direction of the wind, a horizontal
axis on which a disc or plate is fixed. On one side of the axis the disc or
plate is heavier than on the other, and tends to hang down vertically within
the chimney top; the other side of the disc or plate however being above the
chimney top catches the wind, and is by it forced into an inclined position, and
it then serves to direct the smoke to the leeward side of the chimney top and
to shelter it as it escapes. Any rain which may drive against the disc or plate
whilst in this position is taken off outside the chimney by a suitable lip. When
there is no wind the disc or plate assumes a vertical position, and does not
interfere with the smoke passing directly upwards. Or in place of this arrange-
ment a wind guard or deflector may be jointed to one side of the chimney top
so as to be able to turn on a horizontal axis; this guard or deflector has an
arm and weight attached to it, and the weight tends to lift it or turn it on its
axis so as to remove it from over the chimney top, and this in calm weather
it does and leaves a free upward passage for the smoke. In windy weather
however the wind pressing against the guard or deflector overcomes the weight,
-and-the-guard-or-deflector-is-forced-into-an-inclined position over the chimney
top, and the smoke then escapes laterally on its lee side.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Caroline Hohgrefe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CAROLINE
HOHGREFE (Widow), of No. 3, Frankfort Street, Brunswick, Germany, send
greeting.
"WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant.unto me,
the said Caroline Hobgrefe, Her special licence that I, the said Caroline
Hohgrefe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Caroline Hobgrefe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

page_text: Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO CHIMNEY TOPS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Caroline Hohgrefe, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Caroline Hohgrefe, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be applied
to chimney tops. I employ a series of funnel shaped rings having an inner
diameter corresponding with the width of the chimney; these rings are
fixed horizontally and one above the other with their mouths downwards and
with spaces between them; their surfaces are curved in such manner that
the wind blowing against them horizontally becomes deflected upwards in a
vertical direction, and the ascending current of air so obtained tends to draw
the smoke out of the chimney. In some cases I arrange the chimney top in
such manner as to be able to revolve on a vertical pivot, and by a vane which
it carries it is caused always to oppose the same side to the wind. It carries
at its upper end and at right angles to the direction of the wind a horizontal
axis on which a disc or plate is fixed. On one side of the axis the disc or
plate is heavier than on the other, and tends to hang down vertically within
the chimney top; the other side of the disc or plate however being above
the chimney top catches the wind and is by it forced into an inclined position,,
and it then serves to direct the smoke to the leeward side of the chimney top,
and to shelter it as it escapes. Any rain which may drive against the disc or
plate whilst in this position is taken off outside the chimney by a suitable lip.
When there is no wind the disc or plate assumes a vertical position and does
not interfere with the smoke passing directly upwards. Or in place of this
arrangement a wind guard or deflector may be jointed to one side of the
chimney top so as to be able to turn on a horizontal axis; this guard or
deflector has an arm and weight attached to it, and the weight tends to lift it
or turn it on its axis so as to remove it from over the chimney top, and this
in calm weather it does and leaves a free upward passage for the smoke. In
windy weather lowever the wind pressing against the guard or deflector
overcomes the weight, and the guard or deflector is forced into an inclined

page_text: position over the chimney top, and the smoke then escapes laterally on its lee
side.
In the annexed Drawings represents Fig. 1 a section, and Fig. 2 an
elevation of one class of chimney tops; Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 a plan and section
of another kind; and Fig. 5 a section of my improvement with a common
deflector combined. The same letters apply to the same parts in all Figures.
A tube a, Figs. 1 and 2, is provided with a ring 6 by which it can be fitted
on the top of a chimney; cross bars c, c, are provided inside this tube to
support the bearings d, d, for the pivot e, which is connected with another
cross bar f, which is fitted within the tube g, which turus together with the
axis e. The tube g is provided with the vane h, h, by which it is caused to
oppose always the saine side to the wind. The axis i, i, is located at the upper
part of the tube g, and the plate k is fixed to and free to oscillate with it.
The plate is provided at each side with the wind sail m, m, of the shape or
a similar one as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Fig. 1 shows a side
elevation, Fig. 2 a front elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan of this plate with the
wind sails; and it acts not only after the wind has turned the apparatus and
vane h in the right position, but acts in all winds and at any time direct by.
itself. Fig. 3 shows how the plate acts in different winds if the direction is
at right angles to the axis i, i, or nearly so. The action of the plate k is
clear in itself, that part of it which projects above the tube-g is driven-forward-
by the wind, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, whilst that part of the plate
which projectes down in the tube 9 is driven towards the wind, forms a lock
against it, and prevents it from entering the chimeney, whilst on the lee side a
large opening is formed by the plate k and the tube, and the smoke allowed
to escape freely. If however the wind blows parallel to axis i, i, in the direction
of arrow it will blow against the wind sail m, m, by which materially
deflected leaves in the direction of arrow n and presses the upper part of the
plate k forward in the direction of arrow o, whereby that side of the tube
marked r is closed whilst s is opened, and this beeing lee side the smoke
escapes. If the wind blows in the opposite direction, as shown by arrow p, the
action is vice versa. I cover sometimes the plate with a roof u provided
with side boards a, x, to prevent the rain, or snow, or wind from entering the
chimney more effectually.
1 dispence in some cases with the vane h and those parts which are
necessary for the motion of tube g, using the plate k by itself only. A chimeney
top of this description is shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. I conterballance the
plate by a weight v, and limit the oscillation of the plato k by elastic
cushions w, w, fixed at the side of tube a, Fig. 4.

page_text: What I claim as my Invention is the plate k mounted on axis i, i, in com-
bination with wind sails m, m, movable with the tube g, or fixed with or
without the roof u, substantially as described.
In witness whereof I, the said Caroline Hobgrefe, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
CAROLINE HOHGREFE. (L.S.).