IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING APPARATUS
Year: 1885

page_text: I THOMAS GUEST NORMANTON of Central Chambers No 1 Paxton Street
Barrow in Furness in the County of Lancaster Architect & Surveyor do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING
APPARATUS to be as follows:-
The combination of the inlet for admitting fresh air and the outlet for extracting
the vitiated air in one piece of apparatus, the inlets being arranged to radiate
round the outlet pipe in such a manner as to diffuse the incoming air in every
direction along the Ceiling & into the Rooms, falling gently and displacing and
driving the vitiated air towards the outlet without draught also to the Improved
form of the External Roof Ventilator in which the inlets and Exhaust outlets are
combined in one piece of apparatus.
The first part of my invention consists of a Ventilator (to be fixed on the Ceiling
or highest part of the Room or Rooms to be ventilated) in which the inlets for
admitting fresh air and the outlet for extracting the vitiated air are combined in
one piece of apparatus.
The centre of the Ventilator forms the outlet and consists of a pipe which may
have a bell mouthed or other form of expanded opening projecting a little below
the Ceiling for collecting the vitiated air, this pipe communicates with a flue or
other approved upcast shaft, around this outlet pipe at the Ceiling I construct an
air chamber having a pipe or pipes communicating with the external air, from this
air chamber I have a number of inlets for admitting fresh air into the room, these
inlets may be wedge shaped, bell mouthed or other expanding form of inlet, (so as
to admit the air without draught) and are arranged to be placed or to radiate
round the outlet pipe in such a manner as to diffuse the incoming air in every
direction along the Ceiling and at different angles towards the walls of the rooms.
This Ventilator should be placed in such a position on the ceiling as to be about
equi-distant from the walls as far as practicable.
It may be made circular, square, or polygonal on plan to suit various require-
ments,
Where one upcast shaft is required for Ventilating two small rooms the Ventilator
must be placed on the Ceiling against the wall dividing the two rooms, each
Ventilator will have an outlet communicating with the upcast shaft and will have
an air chamber and tubes communicating with the external air as before described

page_text: with the expanding inlets radiating round the semi-circle in such a manner as to
diffuse the incoming air in every direction along the Ceiling and at different angles
towards the walls of the Room without draught. This Ventilator on plan will be
half plan of the Ceiling Ventilator previously described.
Where one upcast is required for Ventilating 3 or 4 small rooms the upcast shaft
should be placed in the angle at the junction of the rooms, each Ventilator must be
placed on the Ceiling in the angle of each room to be ventilated nearest to the
upcast shaft, and must have an outlet pipe communicating with the upcast shaft
and an air chamber as before described having expanding inlets radiating round
the quadrant in such a manner as to diffuse the incoming air in every direction
along the Ceiling and at different angles towards the walls of the Rooms without
draught. This Ventilator on plan will be a quarter plan of the Ceiling Ventilator
first described.
The Novelty in these Ceiling Ventilators is the combination of the inlet and outlet
which are designed to promote perfect circulation. The one for the centre of the
Ceiling diffusing the incoming air towards the walls where it will fall gently
to the floor, rising again 'as it becomes heated and vitiated towards the central
outlet without confusion of currents. In the semi-circular and quadrant forms
which are fixed against the walls the incoming air is diffused towards the opposite
and side walls, falling gently to the floor and travelling back to the outlet pipe.
The Ceiling Ventilators may be arranged with the inlets in various forms around
the outlet pipe in the form of a Ceiling flower or other decorative feature to suit
the various requirements, and they may be made of metal, or of paper mache or
other suitable plastic materials.
The second part of my invention relates to the improved form of the inlet, head
of the Ventilator to be fixed on the Roof or external covering of the Rooms to be
Ventilated. On the Roof I fix an exhaust Ventilator which may be of any of the
various forms which answer this purpose (by preventing down draught), having an
upcast pipe or air duct communicating with the Ceiling 'outlets, in the ordinary way,
below the head of this external exhaust ventilator 'I affix a box or tube enclosing
the upcast pipe and having openings in same for admitting air without rain, to
this inlet box or tube I attach a down cast pipe or air duct which communicates
with the air chambers of the Ceiling Ventilators.
I prefer where practicable that the upcast pipe should be placed within a larger
pipe, the inner pipe connecting the outlet of the Ceiling Ventilator to the exhaust
head, and the space between the two pipes serving as an Air Duct between the
inlet part of the head and the Ceiling inlets.
The following are some of the advantages obtained by the combination of the
inlet and outlet in the Roof Ventilator.
1st A portion of the same breeze which induces an upcurrent by blowing through
the head will enter the downcast pipe.
2nd The incoming air being admitted at the level of the Roof will be purer-than
when drawn through basements or at floor levels in the vicinity of drains...
3rd The cool external air entering at the Roof inlets will add to the efficiency of
the exhaust by its downward pressure.
1007

page_text: Improvements in Ventilating Apparatus.
I THOMAS GUEST NORMANTON of Central Chambers, No 1 Paxton Street
Barrow in Furness in the County of Lancaster Architect and Surveyor do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING APPARATUS
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
accompanying Drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is
to say:-
The combination of the inlets for admitting fresh air and the outlet for
extracting the vitiated air in one piece of apparatus, the inlets being arranged to
radiate round the outlet pipe in such a manner as to diffuse the incoming air in
every direction along the Ceiling and into the Rooms, at various angles, falling
gently and displacing and driving the vitiated air towards the outlet without
perceptible draught. Also to the Improved form of the External Roof Ventilator,
in which the inlets, and exhaust outlet are combined in one piece of apparatus.
The first part of my invention consists of a Ventilator (to be fixed on the Ceiling
or highest part of the room or rooms to be Ventilated) in which the inlets for
admitting fresh air and the outlet for extracting the vitiated air are combined in
one piece of apparatus.
The centre of the Ventilator forms the outlet and consists of a pipe which may
have a bell-mouth, or other form of expanded opening, projecting a little below the
Ceiling for collecting the vitiated air (the expansion of the mouth of this pipe is not
absolutely necessary to ensure its working, the object being to increase its collecting
area at the mouth so as to increase its efficiency).
This outlet pipe communicates with a flue or other approved upcast shaft, around
this outlet pipe at the Ceiling I construct an air chamber, having a pipe or pipes
communicating with the external air, from this air chamber I have a number of
inlets for admitting fresh air into the Room.
These inlets may be wedge shaped, bell mouthed, or other expanded form of
inlet with the narrowest part opening into the air chamber and the widest part
opening into the room (so as to admit the air without draught) and are arranged to
radiate or to be otherwise placed round the outlet pipe in such a manner as to
diffuse the incoming air in every direction along the Ceiling and at various angles
towards the walls of the Room.
This Ventilator should be placed in such a position on the Ceiling as to be about
equi-distant from the walls as far as practicable.
It may be made circular, square, or polygonal on plan so as to adapt it to the
various requirements.
Where one upcast shaft is required for Ventilating two small rooms, the
Ventilators may be placed on the Ceiling against the wall dividing the two rooms,
each Ventilator will have an outlet communicating with the upcast shaft, and will
have an air chamber and tubes communicating with the external air as before
described with the expanding inlets arranged to radiate or be otherwise placed
round the semi-circle in such a manner as to diffuse the incoming air in every

page_text: Each
direction along the Ceiling and at various angles towards the opposite and side
walls of each room. This Ventilator will be half plan of the Ceiling Ventilator
previously described.
Where an upcast shaft is required for Ventilating three or four small rooms, the
upcast shaft should be placed in the angle at the junction of the rooms.
Ventilator may be placed on the Ceiling in the angle of each room to be Ventilated,
nearest to the upcast shaft and must have an outlet communicating with the upcast
shaft, and an air chamber (having a pipe or pipes communicating with the external
air) as before described having expanding inlets opening into the room arranged to
radiate or otherwise be placed round the quadrant outlet in such a manner as to
diffuse the incoming air in every direction along the Ceiling and at various angles
towards the walls of the Rooms without draught.
This Ventilator on plan will be a quarter plan of the Ceiling Ventilator first
described.
The Novelty in these Ceiling Ventilators is in the combination of the inlets and
outlet so as to promote perfect circulation, the fresh incoming air being delivered
to the floor or breathing levels without being contaminated with the vitiated air,
as by its gentle downward pressure at the sides the vitiated or rarefied air and
products of combustion are forced towards the outlet pipe in their ascent without
mixing with the fresh air.
The Ceiling Ventilators may be arranged with the inlets in various forms around
the outlet pipe to form a Ceiling flower or other decorative feature to suit the
various requirements, and they may be made of wood, metal, or of papier mache or
other suitable plastic materials.
In fixing these Ventilators to existing buildings, it may be necessary to use
modifications of the forms previously described especially where beams or other
structural obstructions come in the way, in the case of a beam projecting below the
Ceiling, I should form the air chamber below the Ceiling, level with the underside
of the beam so as not to obstruct the inlets but in all such modifications the general
arrangements would be substantially the same as those before described.
The Ceiling Ventilators may be used beneficially with most systems of Ventilation
whether by Exhaustion, or propulsion, or whether the air current is induced by
rarefaction or condensation, by natural air currents, or by Fans, watersprays, or
other mechanical means as they promote perfect diffusion of the fresh air without
draught..
They may be made of metal in the form of Sunburners, and are very suitable for
suspending all kinds of Gas pendants &c from, as the products of combustion are
removed direct from the appartment, at the same time increasing the efficiency of
the Ventilator.
This Ceiling Ventilator would be useful in Factories (or workshops for the
manufacture of textile fabrics) where a moist warm atmosphere is necessary, as the
fresh air could be heated to the required temperature and charged with moisture
or vapour before being admitted to the Ventilator inlets, it is then diffused
throughout the Room without draughts.
J
The Second part of my invention relates to the improved form of the inlet head
of the Ventilator to be fixed on the Roof or external covering of the Rooms to be
Ventilated.
On the Roof, Deck, or other external covering of the Room, Apartment, Cabin,
Compartment or other air space requiring Ventilating, I fix an Exhaust Ventilator
(which may be of any of the various forms which answer this purpose by
preventing downdraught) having an upcast pipe or air duct communicating with
the Ceiling Ventilator outlet pipe in the ordinary way, below the head of this
External Exhaust Ventilator I affix a box or tube enclosing the upcast pipe and
having openings in same as shewn for admitting air without rain, to this inlet box
(or tube) I attach a downcast pipe or air duct which communicates with the Air
Chambers of the Ceiling Ventilators-I prefer where practicable that the upcast
pipe should be placed within a larger pipe; the inner pipe connecting the outlet of

page_text: the Ceiling Ventilator to the Exhaust head, and the annular space between the
two pipes serving as an air duct between the inlet part of the head and the
Ceiling inlets.
.
The following are some of the advantages obtained by the combination of the
inlet and outlet in the Roof Ventilator.
-
1* A portion of the same breeze which induces an upcast (by blowing through
the exhausting part of the head) will enter the downcast pipe.
2nd The incoming air being admitted at the level of the Roof will be purer than
when drawn through basements or at floor levels in the vicinity of drains.
3rd The external air entering at the Roof inlets will add to the efficiency of the
outlet by its downward pressure.
I do not claim that the Double Action Roof Ventilator is a new invention but
I claim the form of inlet above the Roof as shewn on Drawings, when used in con-
nection with the internal or Ceiling Ventilator previously described is a new and
useful combination.

page_text: still further narrow the opening as the angle approaches to a right angle, the
advantage gained by this arrangement being that the greatest volume of the
incoming air is discharged along the Ceiling through the larger inlets, instead of
coming in too quickly at the angular inlets,
The Ceiling Ventilator may be made in many forms other than those shewn on
the Drawings at the option of the Designer, it being only necessary for the inlets
to be arranged around the outlet pipe so as to diffuse the incoming air as before
described.
Fig. 4 is a section shewing a similar ventilator to Fig. 1 but arranged to be fixed
in the highest part of a Room having no flat Ceiling.
Fig. 5. is a plan looking up, and Fig. 6 is an elevation shewing the method of
fixing a Ventilator like Fig. 2 in the highest part of a Room having no flat Ceiling,
Inlets similar to Fig. 10 Sheet 1 may be formed in the spandrel ends of air
chamber Fig. 6.
Fig. 7. is a transverse section through a Room having a flat Ceiling, shewing the
outlet pipe from the Ventilator communicating with an ordinary Exhaust head
above the Roof, and having inlet openings on the Slopes of the Roof with air ducts
communicating with the air chamber of the Ceiling Ventilator. The dotted lines
and arrows, indicate the circulating air currents.
Fig. 8, is à longitudinal section shewing a building with a flat Ceiling having
three Ventilators fixed thereon and having three of the Improved inlet heads (in
combination with the Exhaust heads as shewn on Fig. 1 Sheet 1) fixed above the
Roof, with concentric tubes forming upcast and downcast shafts connecting the same
with the Ceiling Ventilators as before described. The dotted lines and arrows
indicate the circulating air currents.
Sheet 3.
Fig. 1 is a section shewing the method of fixing the Ceiling Ventilator to two
rooms, one above the other, with the inlet air ducts and connections to upcast flue
or shaft. B is the Ventilator on the Ceiling of the lower Room. a. a is the air duct
formed between the joists of the floor and forming the communication between the
air chamber of the Ventilator and the air brick or other approved opening in the
external wall, this fresh air duct is closed with an inclined midfeather forming
the end of the air chamber, the outlet pipe of the Ventilator is carried up through
the air chamber and through the midfeather and the vitiated air is then conveyed
in a pipe or flue to the upcast shaft as at b. b between the joists.
A is a Ventilator on the Ceiling of the upper Room, c. c is the fresh air duct.
d. d. the air chamber, and e. e. the outlet pipe communicating with the flue or
upcast shaft.
Fig. 2. is a naked floor plan at the angles of four small Rooms, the dotted lines
shew the quadrant Ceiling Ventilators fixed in the angles of the Ceilings of the
Rooms below. a. a. is the fresh air duct communicating between the external air
and the air chamber of the first Ventilator. b. c and d are openings through the
walls connecting the four air chambers, with the main air duct a. a. (the whole of
these air ducts and air chambers are shewn to be fixed between the joists) the
outlet pipes of each Ventilator are shewn connected to the upcast flue or shaft.
Figs. 3 and 4 are a section and plan shewing the method of fixing the semi-
circular Ceiling Ventilators to Ceilings having Rooms over them a. a. Fig. 3 shews
the two upcast shafts carried through the Rooms above (where no special flue is
available) they may be made of wood or sheet metal and may join together in the
Roof and then communicate with the nearest flue, or may be carried up through
the Roof to any approved form of Exhaust Ventilator.
b. b. Fig. 4 is the fresh air duct laid between the joists and connecting the air
chamber of the Ventilator with the external air. c. care openings through the
walls connecting the air chambers of the two Ventilators.
The dotted lines shew the two semi-circular Ventilators on the Ceilings of the
Rooms below..

page_text: Fig. 5. shews the method of applying the Ventilating apparatus to Ships,
a. a being the Ceiling Ventilator, 6 the downcast pipe and the upcast pipe. The
division d shews how the Ventilator can be utilized for two Cabins by dividing the
Ventilator into two semi-circles.
The form of inlet shewn at Fig. 1 Sheet 1 may be used for ships, Fig. 5 Sheet 3
shewing the method of fixing my apparatus to the ordinary downcast Ship
Ventilators.
Fig. 6. is a section shewing the method of applying the Ceiling Ventilators for
Ventilating two Compartments of a Railway Carriage, the head above the Roof (to
which I do not lay any claim) being made to revolve so that the inlet may be set
to face the wind.
Fig. 8. is a section shewing the application of the External Roof Ventilator
shewn at Fig. 1 Sheet 1 to the Roof of a Railway Carriage, with the semicircnlar
Ceiling Ventilators in each compartment. The dotted lines shew the direction of
the air currents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
1st An Improved form of Internal Ventilator in which the outlet pipe for
removing the vitiated air and the inlets for admitting the fresh air are combined in
one piece of apparatus, the outlet pipe being enclosed within an air chamber having
a pipe or air duct communicating with the external air and having around the out-
let pipe a number of inlet openings which may be wedge shaped, conical, bell
mouthed, or other form of expanded inlet opening (so as to diffuse the incoming air
in every direction along the Ceiling and at various angles towards the walls of the
Room without draught), the narrowest or smallest part of the inlets communicating
with the air chamber, and the outlet pipe may communicate with a flue, or may be
carried through the Roof and may be surmounted externally with a head of any
approved form for preventing downdraught.
2nd The arrangement of the inlet openings in various forms around the outlet
pipe for ornamental effects or to adapt it to the construction of the Room to be
Ventilated.
3rd Its application for the Ventilation of Rooms, apartments, Cabins, Com- .
partments of Buildings, Ships, Railway or other Carriages, or for other enclosed
air spaces requiring to be Ventilated.
4th That by fixing gas jets in the outlet opening it may be used as a ventilating
Sun-light, and that it is especially suitable for suspending Gas or other lamps under
or within the outlet pipe for removing the products of combustion.
5th The application of the Ceiling Ventilator for promoting perfect circulation of
air currents in connection with other systems of Ventilation.
6th The form of inlet and outlet Ventilator for fixing above the Roof as shewn on
Drawings Fig. 1 Sheet 1 although I lay no claim to the outlet part of the apparatus
only to the inlet used in combination with any approved outlet head.
7. I do not claim that there is anything new in the use of expanding inlets for
preventing draughts, nor in the pipes or air ducts in connection with my Venti-
lators, but I claim the combination of inlets & outlets as shewn and described.
Dated this 18th dor of Tune 1986