IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING SHIPS AND OTHER STRUCTURES OR SPACES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cowley, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR
VENTILATING SHIPS AND OTHER STRUCTURES OR SPACES."
Sealed the 28th December 1878, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 6th June 1878.
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR
VENTILATING SHIPS AND OTHER STRUCTURES OR SPACES."
Sealed the 28th December 1878, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 6th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cowley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th June 1878.
WILLIAM COWLEY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING SHIPS AND OTHER STRUCTURES
OR SPACES."
This Invention is designed more especially for the ventilation of coal ships, but
is applicable also to ventilating almost all other kinds of vessels. It is arranged so
as to be taken down at a moment's notice and erected again without trouble.
My Invention consists,―
First. Of a pump cylinder or barrel suspended from the deck below by brackets.
In this works à piston, which can be of any ordinary construction, but I at present
prefer a flexible diaphragm fastened at or about the centre of the cylinder, and
capable of being raised and lowered to the top and bottom by a piston rod and
loose piston; or I arrange a piston with a wide india-rubber flange and bulge out,
or line the central part of the cylinder, so that, while at each end the rubber flange
is free to take its normal position, it shall drag and be compressed by the narrower
central part, and yet regain its normal position before the motion is reversed. By
this means the flange is always drawn, not pushed forward, and a better result
obtained. I usually use a hollow piston rod working in a cross head and a bolt
below in the piston rod to keep the motion parallel, but other forms of parallel
motion can be used.
Second. On the tank I place a casting with a hole in it for the connecting rod to
work in. The connecting rod joins the piston rod when the latter is at the bottom

page_text: of its stroke just below the deck. In the casting aforesaid I construct a socket in
which a pillar is sunk, and on this pillar I socket my bearings for the crank shaft.
The crank is connected by the connecting rod with the piston rod, and the other
end of the crank shaft has the hand, foot, or windmill gear, or other apparatus for
working the pump.
The mode of action is as follows:-The valves at the bottom of the cylinder and
in the diaphragm being adjusted the machine is set in motion; as the piston rises it
forms a partial vacuum underneath. The air from the hold, or from pipes leading
to the machine from any part of the ship, rushes in through the valve.
When the
piston or diaphragm descends the cylinder valve closes, but the diaphragm valve
opens and lets the air out above the valve, closing, however, the moment the motion
is reversed, and so on. To take the apparatus down, unpin the connecting rod from
the piston rod, lift the apparatus and pillar out of the socket, and plug up the hole
left for the connecting rod and escape of air, leaving the deck flush and without
incumbrance. I place an india-rubber sheath or guard round the hole for the
connecting rod when at work, so as to prevent the waves from washing in in rough
weather.
This Invention is also applicable for buildings and mines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Cowley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st
December 1878.
WILLIAM COWLEY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING SHIPS AND OTHER STRUCTURES
OR SPACES."
This Invention is designed more especially for the ventilation of coal ships, but
is applicable also to ventilating almost all other kinds of vessels. It is arranged so
as to be taken down at a moment's notice and erected again without trouble.
My Invention consists,-
First. Of a pump cylinder or barrel A suspended from the deck B below by
brackets C, or their mechanical equivalents. In this works a piston D, which can
be of any ordinary construction, but I at present prefer either a flexible diaphragm
fastened at or about the centre of the cylinder, and capable of being raised and
lowered to the top and bottom by a piston rod and loose piston, or, as shown in the
Drawing, a piston with a wide india-rubber flange and a bulging out or lining in
the central part of the cylinder, so that, while at each end the rubber flange is
free to take its normal position, it shall drag and be compressed by the narrower
central part, and yet regain its normal position before the motion is reversed. By
this means the flange is always drawn, not pushed forward, and a better result
obtained. In the piston D and in the bottom of the cylinder A I place a series of
flap valves E, E, opening upwards, with india-rubber seatings; almost any form of
air pump valve now in use, however, will do, and I make no claim for any form of
valve. I usually use a hollow piston rod F in the Drawing working in a guide or
cross head G and a bolt H below in the piston rod to keep the motion parallel, but
other forms of parallel motion can be used.
Second. On the deck B I place a casting I with a hole J in it for the connecting
rod K to work in. The connecting rod K joins the piston rod in such position that
when the latter is at the bottom of its stroke the joint L is preferably at or below
the level of the deck. In the casting I I construct a socket in which a pillar M is
sunk, and on this pillar I socket my bearings for the crank shaft N: The crank is
connected by the connecting rod K with the piston rod F, and the other end of the
crank shaft has the hand, foot, or windmill gear P, or other apparatus for working
the pump.
The mode of action is as follows:-The valves at the bottom of the cylinder and
in the diaphragm or piston being adjusted the machine is set in motion; as the
piston rises it forms a partial vacuum underneath. The air from the hold, or from
pipes leading to the machine from any part of the ship, rushes in through the valves.
When the piston or diaphragm descends the cylinder valves close, but the diaphragm
valves open and let the air out above the valves, closing, however, the moment the
motion is reversed, and so on. To take the apparatus down, unpin the connecting
rod from the piston rod, lift the apparatus and pillar out of the socket, and plug up
the hole left for the connecting rod and escape of air, leaving the deck flush and
without encumbrance. I place an india-rubber, zinc, or other sheath or guard round
the hole for the connecting rod when at work, so as to prevent the waves from
washing in in rough weather.
My Invention is also applicable for buildings and mines, as far as regards the
pump.
Having now described my Invention, and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I believe to be new and desire to
protect under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The manufacture of ventilating apparatus arranged so that while it is
worked on the deck it has its chief working parts below, and the upper parts can
be dismantled, leaving the deck flush, or nearly so, at short notice.
Second. The combination of the crank shaft P, or its equivalent, on movable frame

page_text: or standard, the holes in the deck surrounded with a raised curb if desired,
but preferably flush with the deck and air pump below deck, for the purposes
described.
Third. The general arrangement and construction of ventilator, substantially as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Cowley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
:
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT,
of W. P. Thompson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
6, Lord St., Liverpool,
WILLIAM COWLEY. (L.S.)
and 323, Holborn, London.