Improvements in or in connection with Punkahs.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Punkahs.
JOHN CANESE Master Mariner 6 Rockley Road West Kensington Park
London, W. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A punkah worked on different lines to those used at present, my punkah will
be fixed on or to a horizontal bar or roller & work in bearings (preferably ball
bearings) at each end, with auxilliary bearings in centre if required; two or more
stays of required lengths will be attached or form part of said bar or roller, a
light rod or bar running along at the bottom, & cloth, silk, or other material
fastened to the same; the whole of the above parts made detachable to make it
portable if required.
I will use a band or its equivalent to make said punkah practically noiseless &
also to enable me to set it going in any position.
The said band or its equivalent will be connected to machinery & pankah, & the
whole set in motion by electric or other means.
20th February 1896
3
Improvements in or in connection with Punkahs.
I, JOHN CANESE, formerly of 6 Rockley Road, West Kensington Park, but
now of 68 Frithfield Gardens, Shepherds Bush, in the County of Middlesex,
Master Mariner, 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 relates to punkahs such as are commonly used in the Empire of
India, and other oriental countries, for the purpose of cooling rooms by producing
currents of air, and consists of an improved form of punkah and an improved
method of operating the same whereby a much more efficient action is obtained.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an apartment, showing a punkah and mode of
operating the same in elevation.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.
To the walls of the apartment are attached two brackets a and holes formed in
these serve as bearings for the ends b of the hollow shaft or bar B which extends
horizontally across the room from side to side. In cases where this shaft is of
great length one or more intermediate bearings may depend from the ceiling and
assist in supporting the weight of the punkah. Depending from points near the
ends of this shaft are two rods C forming stays, and these are attached to the
shaft or bar by screws c so as to be easily detachable. Where the punkah is of
great length an intermediate rod or rods may be affixed. Close underneath the
shaft B a light rod or tube c¹ runs from one of the rods.C.to the other, and at the
lower ends of the rods C a similar light rod or tube c² is attached by screws c³
serving to hold the whole together so as to form a light rigid frame. The silk or

page_text: other material D which when loose forms a long band or sleeve is of such a size
that when placed over the rods or tubes c¹ and it is drawn tight and forms flat
and unyielding surfaces which come into contact with the air when the punkah is
swung. Two or more pins or short rods b¹ are fixed to and extend upward from
the shaft B, and to these is attached by screws e, so as to be adjustable, a counter
or balance weight E.
.
To one end of the shaft B is fixed a groove or other pulley F over which runs
a cord G the ends of which are fixed to the two arms h of a rocking lever H:
thie lever is pivoted at h to any convenient point near the motor or other
driving apparatus. This may be of any convenient and suitable description, but
in the drawing an electric motor M is shewn, to the end of the armature spindle m
of which, a grooved pulley m¹ is fixed, and a cord or band N (shewn crossed)
runs in the groove of this, and also in the groove of a large wheel O, the spindle o
of which rotates in bearings arranged in close proximity to the lever H. To the
end of the spindle o a crank P is fixed and to the pin p of this a connecting rod R
is attached, its other end being connected to a pin upon the end of the
rocking lever H. The cord G is fixed to one point of the pulley F by means
of a screw f.
Upon the motor being put into operation, the rotation of its spindle is by means
of the pulley m', cord N, wheel O and spindle o communicated to the crank P.
The rotation of this by means of the connecting rod R causes the lever H to rock
on its pivot . This pulls each eud of the cord G alternately and causes the
pulley F, and the shaft B to rock and the punkah to swing backwards and
forwards in the desired mauner.
The use of silk or other material stretched tightly over a frame produces a
much better effect, and also enables the punkah to be arranged in other than
horizontal positions.
The silk may be attached to the rods or tubes c¹, c² in any convenient manner.
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. In a punkah the use of a frame over which the silk or other material is
stretched more or less tightly, substantially as described.
2. A punkah consisting essentially of a shaft B moving in bearings a, a counter or
balance weight E, a frame composed of rods or tubes C, c' and c, and the silk or
other textile curtain D, substantially as shewn and described.
3. In a punkah as claimed in Claim 2 attaching the parts together in such
manner that they can be easily detached from each other, and again put together,
substantially as shewn and described.
4. Apparatus for propelling punkahs in which the rotary motion of a motor
spindle is communicated to a crank which by means of a connecting rod rocks a
lever and moves a cord, one point of which is fastened to a pulley, thus producing
a vibrating or swinging movement of the punkah, substantially as described and
shewn.
5. The combination of the shaft B moving in bearings a, the counter weight E
the frame C, c, c, the silk or other curtain D, the pulley F, the cord G and
screw f, the lever H pivoted at 4, the connecting rod R, the crank P, and the
rotating spindle o all operating substantially in the manner described and shewn.
Dated this 18th day of November 1896.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
75 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.