IMPROVEMENTS IN CHIMNEY COWLS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Wynn Lawrence, of St. Margaret's Court, Borough
High Street, in the County of Surrey, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CHIMNEY COWLS,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Wynn Lawrence at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th February 1880.
JOHN WYNN LAWRENCE, of St. Margaret's Court, Borough High Street, in the
County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHIMNEY COWLS."
The Invention has for its object improvements in chimney cowls, and relates to
that description of cowls known as lobster-backs, and to other similar cowls whose
heads are turned by the wind into the direction of the latter. Hitherto the heads
of such description of cowls have rotated on an upright spindle or axis carried by
cross bars or supports fixed in the interior of the cylindrical portion of the cowl,
which arrangement was liable to injury from the sweep's brooms, thereby neces-
sitating frequent repairs and renewals.
According to my present Invention I dispense with the upright spindle or axis,
as also with the cross bars or supports for the same, whereby I obtain a clear way
through the cowl, and thereby obviate the inconveniences before mentioned, whilst
the cowl is also less liable to become choked and inoperative from accumulation of
soot therein.
This
'
In carrying my Invention into effect I connect the lobster back or revolving
portion of the cowl with a revolving cylinder or jacket, surrounding at a short
distance therefrom a portion of the cylindrical or fixed part of the cowl.
revolving cylinder or jacket is provided with flanged wheels or rollers to run on a
circular rail or way fixed around the lower part of the cylindrical or fixed portion
of the cowl. The upper portion of the revolving cylinder or jacket is provided
with a conical part, which works underneath a conical part or "weathering" fixed
to the cylindrical or fixed portion of the cowl or chimney, and such conical parts
are provided with flanges standing in a direction towards each other to prevent
rain passing to the interior of the jacket, and there interfering with the action of
the parts, whilst in the event of any rain finding its way in between the parts it
can escape at the lower part, as the circular rail or way is not fixed to a disc but
is supported in position by narrow brackets. The surface of the circular rail or
way is by preference inclined inwards to present a narrow surface to the wheels,
and to prevent the lodgment thereon of moisture or dirt.
Suitable guards are employed to prevent the wind blowing away the bead of the
cowl and other revolving parts.
It will be evident that the wheels may be carried by the fixed part of the cowl
or chimney, and the circular rail or way by the revolving part. I prefer to form
the wheels and circular rail of wood.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Wynn Lawrence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
August 1880.
JOHN WYNN LAWRENCE, of St. Margaret's Court, Borough High Street, in the
County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHIMNEY COWLS."
The Invention has for its object improvements in chimney cowls, and relates to
that description of cowls known as lobster-backs, and to other similar cowls whose
heads are turned by the wind into the direction of the latter.
Hitherto the heads of such description of cowls have rotated on an upright
spindle or axis carried by cross bars or supports fixed in the interior of the cylindrical
portion of the cowl, which arrangement was liable to injury from the sweep's brooms,
thereby necessitating frequent repairs and renewals.
According to my present Invention I dispense with tho upright spindle or axis,
as also with the cross bars or supports for the same, whereby I obtain a clear way
through the cowl, and thereby obviate the inconveniences before mentioned, whilst
the cowl is also less liable to become choked and inoperative from accumulations of
soot therein.
"
In carrying my Invention into effect I connect the lobster back or revolving
portion of the cowl with a revolving cylinder or jacket, surrounding at a short
distance therefrom a portion of the cylindrical or fixed part of the cowl. This
revolving cylinder or jacket is provided with flanged wheels or rollers to run on a
circular rail or way fixed around the lower part of the cylindrical or fixed portion
of the cowl. The upper portion of the revolving cylinder or jacket is provided with
a conical part, which works underneath a conical part or weathering" fixed to
the cylindrical or fixed portion of the cowl or chimney, and such conical parts are 2
provided with flanges standing in a direction towards each other to prevent rain
passing to the interior of the jacket and there interfering with the action of the
parts, whilst in the event of any rain finding its way in between the parts it can
escape at the lower part, as the circular rail or way is not fixed to a disc but is
supported in position by narrow brackets.
The surface of the circular rail or way is by preference inclined inwards to present
a narrow surface to the wheels and to prevent the lodgment thereon of moisture or
dirt.
Suitable guards are employed to prevent the wind blowing away the head of the
cowl and other revolving parts.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
3
Figure 1 is a vertical section, Figure 2 is an elevation, and Figure 3 is a 4
sectional plan of a chimney cowl constructed according to my Invention.
a is the
fixed part of the cowl, and b is the "lobster-back" or revolving part. According to
my present Invention I dispense with the upright spindle or axis, as also with the
cross bars or supports for the same, usually employed for carrying the lobster-back
or revolving part b, whereby I obtain a clear way through the cowl, and thereby
obvinte injury thereto from the sweep's broom, whilst the cowl is also less liable to
become choked and inoperative from accumulations of soot therein.

page_text: around the lower part of the cylindrical or fixed portion a of the cowl. The
upper part of the revolving cylinder or jacket c is provided with a conical part c',
which works underneath a conical part or weathering a fixed to the cylindrical or
fixed portion a of the cowl or chimney, and such conical parts a¹, c², are provided
with flanges a, c², standing in a direction towards each other to prevent rain passing
to the interior of the jacket c, and there interfering with the action of the parts,
whilst in the event of any rain finding its way in between the parts it can escape
at the lower part, as the circular rail or way e is not fixed to a disc, but is supported
in position by narrow brackets f..
The surface of the circular rail or way e when the latter is made of wood, as
shown at Figure 4, is by preference inclined inwards to present a narrow surface to
the wheels, and to prevent the lodgment thereon of moisture or dirt.
I prefer however to form the circular rail or way e of metal, as shown in Figures
1, 2, 3.
Guards
gare employed to prevent the wind blowing away the head of the cowl
and other revolving parts. Such guards extend underneath the circular rail or
way e, and are fixed in position to the revolving cylinder or jacket c by the same
bolts which serve to fix the wheels or rollers & in position.
It will be evident that the wheels & may be carried by the fixed part a of the
cowl or chimney, and the circular rail or way e by the revolving part c.
. I prefer to form the wheels or rollers d of wood.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details of construction herein shown and described, as such may be
varied without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention; but what I
do claim is, providing revolving chimney cowls with a circular rail or way and
wheels or rollers acting therewith, whereby I am enabled to dispense with the
upright spindle and cross bars or supports usually employed to support the revolving
part of such description of cowls.
I also claim providing such description of cowis with weather guards a², c', and
wind guards g, substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Wynn Lawrence, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
J. W. LAWRENCE. (L.S.)