IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAG DAWAN HWAWAN B
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Atkins, of Tippendell Lodge, Saint
"
Alban's, in the County of Herts, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING RAILWAY AND OTHER
CARRIAG
DAWAN HWAWAN
B
2.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Atkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th February 1875.
I, THOMAS ATKINS, of Tippendell Lodge, Saint Alban's, in the County
3 of Herts, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING Railway and
OTHER CARRIAGES, SHIPS, BUILDINGS, WAREHOUSES, AND DRAINS OR SEWERS," to
be as follows :-
-
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and con-
struction of apparatus for ventilating railway and other carriages, ships,

page_text: buildings, warehouses, and drains or sewers. For this purpose cones or
conical air passages are employed, constructed either of tin or other
metal or material as may be required. These cones or conical passages
may be made either circular, square, oblong, or oval, and of any required
diameter or size to suit the various purposes for which they are employed.
The mouth or entrance to the said cones or passages should offer about
three times the surface of the centre, and the cross passage for effecting
ventilation should be one-sixth of the surface of the mouth or entrance
to the cones or air passages. These relative dimensions I have found
advantageous in practice, but in carrying out my Invention any other
suitable dimensions may be adopted.
By the arrangement and construction of this apparatus a cross current
of air is produced, whether the current passing through the cone be
produced by the motion of the cone through the air, as in ships, railway
or other carriages in motion, or by the wind passing through the cones
whilst they are fixed and stationary. A tongue or valve is placed or
arranged near the centre of the cone, which valve may be suspended
from two centres. The centre is placed at a suitable distance from the
inner portion of the valve, the valves being so suspended that they
can work freely by the slightest current of air passing through the cones;
or they may be fixed, and thus prevent the air from passing through the
cones, thereby forcing the air through the cross aperture into the com-
partment or place to be ventilated. The angle at which the ventilating
valves may be set should be made to work in harmony by the pressure
brought to bear on the surface of the valve.
The self-regulation of this improved ventilating valve forms an im-
portant feature of my Invention. A moveable valve is fixed in the cross
piece for regulating and adjusting the exact quantity of air required in
the apartment or place to be ventilated. Thus by means of this
apparatus the supply of air may be ensured with regularity and
certainty.
According to another part of my improvements chimney cowls are
arranged with a moveable cone and valve, which is always presented to
the wind, thus producing a constant vacuum in the passage or chimney,
and acting on the same principle as that previously described.

page_text: The ventilation of ships or other places, by which the foul air may be
withdrawn therefrom, may be accomplished either by means of the self-
acting current of the ship's headway, by artificial power, or by a jet of
steam or air acting on the valve previously described. The current of
air entering the ship or other place to be ventilated may be caused to
pass through coarse canvas, felt, cotton, or other evaporative materials
kept damp for the purpose, by which means any required degree of
temperature may be secured. Or the air may be caused to pass through
compounded carbon composed of mineral, animal, and vegetable char-
coal, by which the polarities of such air may be changed and become
purified, fit for respiration, and the miasmatic vapours may be neu-
tralized in tropical seas and rivers, and thus become purified in the same
manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Atkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ATKINS, Tippendell Lodge, Saint Alban's, in the County of Herts, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Atkins, Her special
license, that I, the said Thomas Atkins, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Atkins, 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 Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, SHIPS, BUILDINGS,
WAREHOUSES, AND DRAINS OR SEWERS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Atkins, my executors or administrators, by

page_text: 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 per-
formed, 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 Thomas Atkins, 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 relates to improvements in the arrangement and con-
struction of apparatus for ventilating railway and other carriages, ships,
buildings, warehouses, and drains or sewers. For this purpose cones or
conical air passages are employed, constructed either of tin or other
metal or material, as may be required. These cones or conical passages
may be made either circular, square, oblong, or oval, and of any required
diameter or size to suit the various purposes for which they are employed.
The mouth or entrance to the said cones or passages should offer about
three times the surface of the centre, and the cross passage for effecting
ventilation should be one-sixth of the surface of the mouth or entranco
to the cones or air passages. These relative dimensions I have found
advantageous in practice, but in carrying out my Invention any other
suitable dimensions may be adopted.
By the arrangement and construction of this apparatus a cross current
of air is produced, whether the current passing through the cone be
produced by the motion of the cone through the air, as in ships, railway
or other carriages in motion, or by the wind passing through the cones
whilst they are fixed and stationary. A tongue or valve is placed or
arranged near the centre of the cone, which valve may be suspended
from two centres. The centre is placed at a suitable distance from the
inner portion of the valve, the valves being so suspended that they can
work freely by the slightest current of air passing through the cones; or
they may be fixed, and thus prevent the air from passing through the
cones, thereby forcing the air through the cross aperture into the apart-
ment or place to be ventilated. The angle at which the ventilating a
valves may be set should be made to work in harmony by the pressure
brought to bear on the surface of the valve.

page_text: tongue or valve a mounted so as to move freely on an axis at a¹.
Figure 3 is another view of similar apparatus. The current of air
passing through the passage B by acting on the tongue or valve a will
force it to an angle across the passage A, thus forming a partial vacuum
therein, and cause the air to be withdrawn from the interior of the
carriage or vessel. This apparatus may be applied to the side or the top
of public or private carriages, and may be adapted to numerous purposes
for all kinds of conveyances requiring ventilation.
Figure 4 shows another arrangement of ventilating apparatus in
accordance with my improvements for producing an inward current of
air. The frame or case c may be made in the shape of three sides of a
box without ends, and the self-acting conical shaped tongue a is mounted
and moves upon a centre at a'. When this form of ventilator is in
operation a current of air will be driven inward into the interior of any
space or carriage where such apparatus is employed. In order to
prevent an extreme current of air passing through the passage c¹ I
attach a piece or flap a* of india-rubber, leather, or other elastic material
to the end of the tongue within the passage c¹, or a joint may be
attached thereto acted upon by a spring, so as to partly close the passage
and adjust itself to the speed of the railway or other carriage to which
the ventilator is attached. The tongue or valve a is double acting, being
always self-acting, and may be made of any size or depth required to suit
the various purposes to which it may be applied.
Figure 5 shows another form of ventilator arranged in accordance with
my improvements suitable for being applied to a saloon carriage. c is
the ventilator case, made of wood, iron, tin, or other suitable material.
a is a long tongue or valve acting from and moving upon the centre a¹,
and a' is a hinged flap valve acting against one of the springs a*, a*,
fixed on each side of the centre a¹. The object in making the valves a
considerable length is to soften the action of the current of air passing a
through the box d, which contains prepared compounded charcoal,
between three wire gauze frames 1, 2, 3, of zinc, copper, and iron, to
arrest any noxious vapours when passing through subterraneous passages,
such as railway tunnels, or similar purifying means may be used on
board ships, or for other purposes.
Figure 6 shows my improved ventilating apparatus as applied for
ventilating private apartments to conduct a current of air into a chimney

page_text: or air shaft. e represents a double conical tube or passage supported
upon the end or tongue of a horizontal cone or tube f. The conical
passage e fixed in the chimney is so arranged as to cause a current of
air to pass up through the centre, this producing a horizontal current in
its passage through the horizontal cone or tube f, the tongue of which is
turned upwards, as shown by the arrows. A. current of air may be con-
ducted from the exterior of the building to the bottom of the grate or
fire-place, such current being of sufficient volume to feed or supply
the cones connected with the room or chamber. g, g, shows a double-
acting flap or valve, which may be opened or closed by a pointer indicated
in front of the grate at g'. These valves may be about 9 inches deep at
the bottom, and arranged to fit nearly air tight at the top, the heat from
the fire being regulated by an adjusting dial to suit any degree of heat
required in the apartment.
Figure 7 shows an arrangement for admitting a current of air through
sash windows, so as to obtain regulated ventilation, at the same time
avoiding draught in the apartment. The upper part of the window sash
is shown partly down, with a second plate of glass supported on pivots
in front of the opening, so that the passage can be opened or contracted
to any required width. About 9 inches at the bottom of the pane will
give one inch at the top for the passage of air between the sash and the
extra pane of glass, the heat being modified and regulated by the angle.
plates on the side of the sash for adjusting the same.
Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11 show separate views of a ventilator arranged
in accordance with my Invention for ventilating the hold or cabins of a
ship or other vessel, being also applicable for ventilating railway tunnels
and other subterraneous passages. h represents a chimney shaft with a
series of columns- attached to a ring h², of metal or other material, on
the top for supporting the cylinder i formed with an open passage of
any required width, the cylinder i resting upon friction rollers i³, 12.
j represents part of an inner circular plate shifting or sliding shutter for
closing the passage ¹ when required. k is a cross beam for supporting
the tongues or plates 1, which are movable on the two centres ^^, l^,
admit of opening or closing the passage to any required width. It will
be seen that the metal tongues or plates d are shorter than the diameter
of the outside cylinder, thus enabling the second ring to be closed when
required for regulating the draught. When used for ventilation shifting
and

page_text: doors are employed, as shown at the bottom of the shaft h, to enable the
draught to be drawn from any portion or story of a building, ship, or
vessel. In constructing this arrangement of ventilation for a ship or
vessel I cut a vertical passage down the tube or chimney / thrice the
length of the diameter of the said chimney, and divide the opening by 8.
This proportion works to the best advantage, but other widths and depths
may be adopted to suit various requirements in practice.
Figure 12 shows an improved arrangement of ventilator for producing
a downward current applicable either to ships, carriages in motion,
hospitals, or other buildings. The apparatus consists of a number of
curved plates of tin or other material to cause the air blowing against
the surface to become condensed by pressure in passing through. the
narrow passages indicated by the arrows at the end of tongue a.
By combining a number of these air conductors together any desired
amount of ventilation may be obtained. These conical air conductors
may be combined with an upcast shaft, such as previously described, so
as to obtain the ventilation required. The downward current of air may
pass through layers of compounded charcoal, as previously described,
of any width, depth, or thickness required. A cloth or surface for
evaporative purposes may be applied to the inward passage in front of
the charcoal chamber, the said cloth being kept moist by evaporation of
water or steam. The air will thus be rendered cool, pure, and healthy
in any compartment, ship, hospital, or other building.
Figure 13 shows an ordinary rotating cowl, having apparatus applied
thereto in accordance with my improvements, suitably arranged for being
applied to a chimney or ventilator. Several conical openings m, m,
are formed through the bent portion of the cowl, as shown, for the
purpose of increasing the pressure at the point of delivery from the
cowl.
The form, construction, and arrangement of the ventilating apparatus
previously described may be greatly varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention.
Having thus described the nature of my improvements, and the
manner of performing or carrying the same into practice, what I claim is,
the improved arrangements of apparatus for ventilating railway and other
carriages, ships, buildings, warehouses, and drains or sewers, arranged

page_text: to act substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
fully described and represented in the Drawing hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Atkins, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
THO. ATKINS. (L.S.)