IMPROVEMENTS IN COWLS FOR CHIMNEYS AND SHAFTS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Turner, of the Town and County of
Southampton, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN COWLS FOR CHIMNEYS AND SHAFTS."
Sealed the 2nd October 1869, and dated the 13th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Turner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th April 1869.
I, CHARLES TURNER, of the Town and County of Southampton,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COWLS FOR CHIMNEYS AND SHAFTS," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to that class of cowls which are capable of
being deflected by the wind for the prevention of down draughts in
chimneys and ventilating and other shafts.
According to my improvements I employ a (preferably bell-shaped)
cowl turning on a central pivot fixed inside the top of the cowl. This
pivot is tapered to a point which is received in a conical socket placed

page_text: above the centre of the chimney in suitable supports, the cowl in this
manner being so nicely balanced that the slightest breeze will incline
the windward side of the cowl against the chimney top and prevent all
down draught at same time that the smoke is free to escape at the
opposite side. Below the socket above mentioned by which the cowl
is supported I place an inverted cone of suitable size for the purpose of
deflecting the smoke on its exit from the chimney, and prevent its
accumulating at the upper part of the cowl. As the cowl is simply
hung on the point of the central pivot before referred to I provide it
with a spring or other guard to prevent its being lifted or carried away
by the wind. This guard is formed preferably of two spring clips
connected together and passing through an elongated slot with which
the vertical central pivot is provided, said slot being curved to an arc
of a circle described from the point of the pivot (which is the centre of
oscillation of the cowl). In this manner the cowl is free to be inclined
by the wind in any direction.
I also provide a rim or flange round the chimney top just below the
cowl to prevent the wind getting underneath, and thereby checking
the action of the cowl.
I also prefer to surround the top of the chimney at the point of
contact with felt or other suitable material to prevent noise by the
rattling of the cowl against the chimney top.
Apertures may also be provided if required at the top of the cowl to
allow of the escape of some of the smoke; those to windward being
closed automatically when the cowl is in the inclined position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Turner in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
TURNER, of the Town and County of Southampton, Civil Engineer, 3
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-

page_text: second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Turner, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Turner, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Turner, 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 COWLS FOR CHIMNEYS AND SHAFTS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Turner, my executors or administrators, 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 Charles Turner, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings here-
unto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):-
My improvements relate to that class of cowls which are capable of
being deflected by the wind for the prevention of down draughts in
chimneys and ventilating and other shafts.
According to my improvements I mount a (preferably bell-shaped)
cowl to oscillate on a central pivot fixed inside the top of the cowl.
This pivot is tapered to a point which is received in a conical socket
placed above the centre of the chimney in suitable supports, the cowl
in this manner being so nicely balanced that the slightest breeze will
incline the windward side of the cowl against the chimney top and
prevent all down draught, at same time that the smoke is free to escape
at the opposite side. Below the socket above mentioned by which
the cowl is supported 1 place an inverted cone of suitable size for
the purpose of deflecting the smoke on its exit from chimney and
prevent its accumulating at the upper part of the cowl. As the cowl
is simply hung on the point of the central pivot before referred to I

page_text: provide it with a spring or other guard to prevent its being lifted or
carried away by the wind. This guard is formed preferably of two
spring clips connected together and passing through an elongated slot
with which the vertical central pivot is provided, said slot being curved
to an arc of a circle described from the point of the pivot, which is the
centre of oscillation of the cowl. In this manner the cowl is free to be
inclined by the wind in any direction without danger of being carried
away. I also provide a rim or flange round the chimney top just below
the cowl to prevent the wind getting underneath and thereby checking
the action of the cowl.
I also prefer to surround the top of the chimney at the point of
contact with felt or other suitable material to prevent noise by the
rattling of the cowl against the chimney top.
Apertures may also be provided if required at the top of the cowl
to allow of the escape of some of the smoke; those to windward being
closed automatically when the cowl is in the inclined position.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings shows in elevation a cowl
arranged and applied to a chimney top according to my Invention;
Figure 2 is a plan of the same; Figure 3 is a central vertical section
on line 1, 2, Figure 2; whilst Figure 4 is a plan of the chimney top and
parts supporting the cowl, the latter being removed. A is the cowl,
which is bell-shaped and placed above the chimney top B, as seen, being
hung on a central stem or pivot a securely fixed inside the cowl at the
top in a support 6, or otherwise. The point of this pivot a is tapered
and is recessed in a conical socket c supported above the centre of the
chimney top upon a kind of cage formed of four or more supports d.
These supports are rivetted or otherwise secured at their low
ring or tube e, which fits into the top of the chimney B and projects
slightly above it, as seen, a flange e¹ being provided resting on the a
chimney top to maintain the cage in position. This flange may also be
made to serve the purpose of preventing the wind getting beneath the cowl
and checking its action. The supports d are bent inwards at their upper
ends, which are turned down (as shown in Figure 3) and secured to the
part at the centre of which the socket c is placed, forming the base of an
inverted cone f, fixed rigidly within the cage formed by the supports d.
The smoke on its exit from the chimney impinges on the sides of the
ends to a

page_text: cone fand is deflected thereby to prevent its accumulation in the upper
part of the cowl.
Figures 5 and 6 show on an enlarged scale the central pivot or stem a
detached. 9 is a slot or loop formed in stem a, said slot being curved
to the arc of a circle described from the point of the pivot a. Through
this slot or loop g is passed a pair of spring or other clips / forming a
guard to prevent the cowl (the point of pivot a of which is simply
received in the conical socket_c) being carried away by the wind. These
clips h are formed preferably of wire, coiled as shown, to obtain a spring
action and have a tendency to remain always closed. The junction
between the two ends of the wire forming the clips may be effected by
means of a loop or a short tube formed on one limb of the clip in which
the other limb is received. As the point of pivot a forms the centre of
oscillation of the cowl the slot fis curved, as above described, in order
to allow of the cowl being inclined freely in any direction by the wind.
The position of the cowl when acted on by the wind is shown in red
lines, Figure 1, by which it will be seen that the wind impinging against
one side of the cowl oscillates the same and depresses that side, whereby
the wind is excluded from the chimney, and the other side of the cowl
being raised an exit is always provided for the smoke on the lee side
of the cowl, where it will not be checked by the wind. If desired rim e
may be surrounded externally with felt or other noiseless material to
prevent noise on the cowl coming in contact with said hoop or rim e.
i is a circle of apertures formed in the top of the cowl, which apertures
are enclosed by a second cone j truncated, as shown, which cone also
serves to deflect the smoke downwards to facilitate its exit from the
cowl. The apertures i are provided for the purpose of obtaining a
thorough draught within cone j, but the apertures on the windward
side of the cowl may, if required, be always closed automatically by
a fixed part, which does not oscillate with the cowl, the smoke which
enters conej escaping through the apertures on the leeward side,
which are opened when the cowl is oscillated. x, x, are apertures
which may be made in the mouth of the chimney for admitting a
current of air to assist in clearing the smoke from the cowl. The
arrows 1, 2, show the direction of the air current which passes out
beneath the flange e¹, before referred to.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention

page_text: to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
is, the combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improve-
ments in cowls for preventing down draughts in chimneys and shafts,
substantially as shown and described.
I also claim the application of inverted cones in such cowls, as and
for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Turner, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
CHARLES TURNER. (L.S.)