AN IMPROVED CONSTRUC TION OF FAN BLOWER
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Me-
chanical Draughtsman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUC
TION OF FAN BLOWER."-A communication from abroad by Patrick Clark
and Jacob Randolph Shotwell, both of Rahway, in the State of New
Jersey. United States of America.
Sealed the 14th September 1869, and dated the 13th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th April 1869.
I, ALFRED VINOENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION
OF FAN BLOWER," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new fan blower which is so constructed that

page_text: The Invention consists in arranging a series of diaphragms within a
number of cases or shells in which a series of fans attached to a rotating
shaft are provided. The cases or shells are of a circular form, and they
are set parallel to each other and are all connected. The cases are cast
in two cup-shaped pieces with flanges at their lips, by which they are
bolted together. The enclosed diaphragms do not reach to the peri-
pheries of the cases and therefore do not interrupt the communication.
Their object is to divide the outward current of air produced by the
action of the fans from the inward current towards the centre of the
next case and to thus constitute an annular channel in each case for
the air to pass from one case to the other. The fan in the first case
draws in a certain quantity of air and transfers it in a compressed state
to the second fan, which making the same number of revolutions as the
the first fan acts on such compressed air and transmits it to the third
case, in which it is still more compressed. If the second fan acts with
equal speed as the first on a certain quantity of air it will cause a
vacuum to be produced in the first, whereby air is still more rapidly
drawn in. The third fan in the same manner produces a vacuum in
the second, the fourth in the third, and so on. In the same degree
compression in an opposite direction is produced and multiplied in each
successive case. The shaft which carries the fans has its bearings in the
end cases in tubes that can be clamped in the ends of the cases to lock
the shaft, while the latter can be longitudinally adjusted when the
said tubes are made loose. The tubular shaft supports are fitted each
through a split ring with a convex outer edge, the said ring being
fitted between two plates so that when the plates are forced together
it will be compressed to hold the tube. The apertures through the
diaphragms for admitting the shaft are packed with rubber or other
material to prevent air from passing through. Between the outer faces
of the diaphragms and the case are arranged curved projecting ribs
which act as deflectors to guide the air to the central aperture of the
case and to break up the rotary motion of the air imparted to it by the
fans.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, 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-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her
special licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FAN BLOWER," being a communication
to me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
This Invention relates to a new fan blower which is so constructed that
it will multiply or increase the pressure of the air which it draws in to
any desired extent before discharging it.

page_text: The Invention consists in arranging a series of diaphragms within a
number of cases or shells in which a series of fans attached to a rotating
shaft are provided. The cases or shells are of a circular form, and they
are set parallel to and all connected with each other. The diaphragms
enclosed in these cases do not reach to the inner periphery of the cases
and therefore do not interrupt the communication. Their object is to
divide the outward current of air produced by the action of the fans
from the inward current towards the centre of the next case and thus
to constitute a channel in each case for the air to pass from one case to
the other. The fan in the first case draws in a certain quantity of air
and transfers it in a compressed state to the second fan, which making
the same number of revolutions as the first fan acts on such compressed
air and transmits it to the third case, in which it is still more compressed.
If the second fan acts with equal speed to that of the first on a certain
quantity of air it will cause a vacuum to be produced in the first case,
whereby air is still more rapidly drawn in. The third fan in the same
manner produces a vacuum in the second, the fourth in the third, and
80 on. In the same degree compression in an opposite direction is
produced and multiplied in each successive case. It is evident that as
the first fan acts on a certain quantity of air during one revolution this
quantity will be compressed to a certain extent before it reaches the
second, so that the second fan will act upon and further compress the
air thus delivered to it from the first. The same quantity of air will be
still more compressed in the third, fourth, and fifth case. In this
manner the requisite result of compressing the air is fully realized
without requiring a very high amount of power to drive the fans and
with proportionately small velocity. The shaft which carries the fans
has its bearings in the end cases in tubes that can be clamped in the
ends of the cases to lock the shaft while the latter can be longitudinally
adjusted when the said tubes are made loose. The tubular shaft supports
are fitted each through a split ring with a convex outer edge, the said
ring being fitted between two plates, so that when the plates are forced
together it will be compressed to hold the tube. The apertures through
the diaphragms for admitting the shaft are packed with rubber or other
material to prevent air from passing through. Between the outer faces
of the diaphragms and the case are arranged curved projecting ribs
which act as deflectors to guide the air to the central aperture of the
case and to break up the rotary motion of the air imparted to it by the
fans

page_text: In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a side elevation.
partly in section of the improved multiplying pressure fan blower;
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same; Fig. 3 is a front face
view of one of the diaphragms; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of
the blower showing part of the back face view of one of the diaphragms;
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the blower; and Fig. 6 is a detail transverse
section of the axle bearing. Similar letters of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts.
A, B, C, D, are four or more or less annular cases or shells made of
cast iron or other suitable material of suitable diameter and width.
Each case consists of two eup-shaped circular plates a and b that are
provided with flanges c, so that they can be securely connected by means
of bolts passing through the flanges. The cups a form the front, the
Within each case is arranged a
cups 6 the back of the various cases.
sheet metal or other diaphragm E which is fastened to one of the cups,
preferably to the back cup b, by means of pins d, as shown, or to the
shaft or wings of the fan if desired. The diameter of each diaphragm is
somewhat smaller than that of each case, so that an annular air passage
is left between the outer edge of each diaphragm and the inner edge of
each case, as shown in Fig. 1. F is a horizontal shaft which is supported
in boxes formed in the front cup of the first case A and in the back cup
of the last case D, and which fits through all the cases and diaphragms,
as shewn. The boxes or bearings formed in the afore-mentioned cups
for the shaft are made in the form of rings e that are by arms sup-
ported in the apertures of the cups, as is clearly shown in Fig. 5.
Between each ring e and another movable ring g is held a smaller ring lt,
which is split and which has a convex outer edge fitting against cor-
spondingly bevilled inner edges of the rings e, g. The split ring h,
embraces a tube i through which the shaft F is fitted.
each tube fits against a shoulder j of the shaft so that the shaft cannot
be moved longitudinally in the tubes, but only with the same.
tubes i form the real journal boxes of the
the annular tube plates e and g are drawn
screws, compressed owing to the partly
rounded edge, and is therefore so locked to the tube i that it will prevent
the same from turning and sliding and the shaft with it; when however
the screws k are loosened the ring will expand and will liberate the
tubes and shaft to allow them to be longitudinally adjusted to bring the
The inner end of
These
shaft. The ring / is, when
together by means of suitable
inward pressure against its

page_text: fans into the requisite position. The ring his opposite to its split or
open side notched, as at in Fig. 6, to make it more elastic and easy of
compression. The bearings can be lubricated through holes provided in
the tubes 2. Where the shaft F passes through a diaphragm E the
opening through the latter is securely packed by suitable packing
material m held in place by a small plate n attached to the outer face
of the diaphragm. The shaft receives rotary motion by a belt or other
means, it having a driving pulley o to admit the belt. On the shaft F
are mounted within their respective cases and in front of the diaphragms
a series of fans G, G, which as they revolve severally draw the air into
the front end of their case or shell and force it into the next case or
shell and around the diaphragm thereof. In order to prevent the air
in the back of each diaphragm retaining the rotary motion imparted to
it by the fans a number of curved ribs p, p, are arranged between the
back face of each diaphragm and the back cup of each case, as shown.
These curves guide the air to the central aperture of the next case and
present it in a compact body to the action of the next fan and break the
rotary motion of the air so that it will pass without difficulty to the centre
of the next case.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improved
Construction of Fan Blower," as communicated to me from abroad, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to
be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I
claim the blowing engine constructed and operating substantially as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.B.)