IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING, PROPELLING, OR EXHAUSTING AIR, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS OR GASES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING, PROPELLING,
OR EXHAUSTING AIR, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS OR GASES."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Dr. Ignaz Heger, of Vienna, in the Empire of
Austria.
Sealed the 25th November 1862, and dated the 29th May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th May 1862.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING,
PROPELLING, OR EXHAUSTING AIR, WATER, OR OTHER FLUIDS OR GASES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has reference to that class of apparatus for propelling or
exhausting air or other gases or fluids, in which the same is impelled forward
in a linear direction by being acted upon by helical or screw blades or vanes
rotating with great velocity round a central axis inside a fixed casing. This
Invention consists in forming the rotating vanes or blades of such apparatus

page_text: of only such a radial depth inward from the circumference of the casing as to
constitute an annular fan, blower, or propeller acting upon the air or other gas
or fluid, which is conducted to the same in the manner to be hereafter
described. The diameter of the casing and fan is enlarged from that of the
conducting tubes so as to present an annular sectional area aproximating to
the sectional area of the latter. The blades or vanes are by preference
attached to the external circumference of a drum fixed on a spindle carrying a
pulley to which rotary motion is imparted, but they may be also fixed to the
internal circumference of a loose ring forming part of the casing, to which
ring rotary motion is imparted from the exterior in any suitable manner, by
which arrangement an internal spindle might be dispensed with.
This Invention consists further in imparting a peculiar form to the vanes
or blades of the fan or propeller. These are placed in an oblique position
to the axis of rotation, but instead of being formed as usual entirely as an
ordinary screw blade, the ends only of the blades or vanes are so formed, the
outlet side having, however, a greater pitch than the inlet side, and the middle
portion 'being formed with a curvature which is concave in the direction in
which the air or other gas or fluid is propelled, and the surface of which is
generated by a straight radial line moving in a curved oblique direction on the
surface of the drum.
Further, this Invention consists in fixing guide vanes either both on the
inlet and the ontlet sides of the rotating fan, blower, or propeller, or only on the
inlet or the outlet side. The guide vanes on the inlet side are by preference
so formed that their direction at that part where the air or other gas or fluid
enters is radial and more or less parallel with the axis of the tube, whilst they
are curved in the middle in a direction contrary to that of the motion of the
fan or propeller, and terminate in a straight radial surface having the same
direction as the curved part, by which arrangement the entrance of the air or
other gas or fluid into the rotating fan or propeller is greatly facilitated.
The guide vanes on the outlet side are constructed so as to conduct the air or
other gas or fluid after leaving the rotating vanes in such a manner that it
passes into the outlet tube in the direction of the axis of the same, for. which
purpose they are by preference formed with a winding surface generated by a
radial line on an ordinary screw thread running in the direction of the motion
of the fan or propeller at that part where they receive the air or other gas
or fluid from the same, and are then curved round so as to be radial and
more or less parallel with the direction of the outlet tube at their other
extremity.
Furthermore, this Invention consists in conducting the air or other gas or.

page_text: fluid from the inlet tube to the increased diameter of the annular fan, blower,
or propeller, by a conical guiding surface projecting from immediately below
the inner edge either of the guide blades or vanes, or of the rotating blades or
Its
vanes when no guide vanes are employed, and terniinating in a point.
surface is formed by preference with such a curvature as to guide the air
easily and with the least possible obstruction to the revolving vanes. A
similarly formed conical guide conducts the air or other gas or fluid from the
revolving vanes or from the guide vanes, when such are employed, on the
outlet side down to the decreased diameter of the outlet tube. These conical
guides are by preference formed hollow, and are attached by stays or in any
other suitable manner to the surrounding tube or casing, or to the framework
carrying the fixed guide blades when such are used; and when the revolving
fan or propeller is attached to a spindle in the axis of the casing, the spindle,
as also the pulley through which it receives rotary motion, is by preference
completely covered by the surface of the conical guide, and the strap for
driving the same passes through slits formed both in the external casing and
in the surface of the conical guide, by which arrangement the obstruction to
the passage of the air or other gas or fluid is reduced to a minimum.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Denton Abel, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Denton
Abel, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the.
said Charles Denton Abel, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING, PROPELLING, OR EXHAUSTING AIR, WATER, OR

page_text: OTHER FLUIDS OR GASES," a communication to him from abroad by Dr. Ignaz
Heger, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Denton Abel, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Denton Abel, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention has reference to that class of apparatus for propelling or
exhausting air, water, or other gases or fluids, in which the same is impelled
forward in a linear direction by being acted upon by helical or screw blades
or vanes rotating round a central axis inside a fixed casing. This Invention
consists in forming the rotating vanes or blades of such apparatus of only
such a radial depth inward from the circumference of the casing as to constitute
an annular fan, blower, or propeller acting upon the air, water, or other gas or
fluid, which is conducted to the same in the manner to be hereafter described.
The diameter of the casing and fan is enlarged from that of the conducting
tubes so as to present an annular sectional area approximating to the sectional
area of the conducting tube. The blades or vanes are, by preference,
attached to the external circumference of a drum, fixed on a spindle carrying
a pulley, to which rotary motion is imparted, but they may be also fixed to the
internal circumference of a loose ring, forming part of the casing, to which
ring rotary motion is imparted from the exterior in any suitable manner, by
which arrangement an internal spindle might be dispensed with.
This Invention consists further in imparting a peculiar form to the vanes or
blades of the fan or propeller; these are placed in an oblique position to the
axis of rotation, but instead of being formed, as usual, entirely as an ordinary
screw blade, the ends only of the blades or vanes are so formed, the outlet
side having, however, a greater pitch than the inlet side, and the middle
portion being formed with a curvature which is concave in the direction in
which the air, water, or other gas or fluid is propelled, and the surface of
which is generated by a straight radial line moving in a curved oblique
direction on the surface of the drum.

page_text: Further, this Invention consists in fixing guide vanes either both on the
inlet and the outlet sides of the rotating fan, blower, or propeller, or only on
the inlet or the outlet side. The guide vanes on the inlet side are, by
preference, so formed that their direction at that part where the air, water, or
other gas or fluid enters, is radial, and more or less parallel with the axis of
the tube, whilst they are curved in the middle in a direction contrary to that
of the motion of the fan or propeller, and terminate in a straight radial surface
having the same direction as the curved part, by which arrangement the
entrance of the air or other. gas or fluid into the rotating fan or propeller is
effected in the most advantageous direction. The guide vanes on the outlet.
side are constructed so as to conduct the air, water, or other gas or fluid, after
leaving the rotating vanes, in such a manner that it passes into the outlet
tube in the direction of the axis of the same, for which purpose they are, by
preference, formed with a winding surface, generated by a radial line on an
ordinary screw thread running in the direction of the rotating fan or propeller.
at that part where they receive the air, water, or other gas or fluid from the
same, and are then curved round so as to be radial and more or less parallel
with the direction of the outlet tube at their other extremity.
Furthermore, this Invention consists in conducting the air, water, or other
gas or fluid from the inlet tube to the increased diameter of the annular fan,
blower, or propeller, by a conical guiding surface or "ogival" projecting from
immediately below the inner edge either of the guide blades or vanes, or of
the rotating blades or vanes when guide vanes are not employed, and ter-
minating in a point; its surface is formed, by preference, with such a curvature
as to guide the air easily and with the least possible obstruction to the revolving
vanes. A similarly formed conical or "ogival" guide conducts the air. or
other gas or fluid from the revolving vanes, or from the guide vanes when
such are employed, on the outlet side, down to the decreased diameter of the
outlet tube. These conical or "ogival" guides are, by preference, formed
hollow, and are attached by stays or in any other suitable manner to the
surrounding tube or casing, or to the framework carrying the fixed guide blades
when such are used; and when the revolving fan or propeller is attached to a
spindle in the axis of the casing, the spindle, as also the pulley through which
it receives rotary motion, is, by preference, completely covered by the surface
of the conical guide, and the strap for driving the same passes through slits.
formed both in the external casing and in the surface of the conical or "ogival"
guide, by which arrangement the obstruction to the passage of the air or other
gas or fluid is reduced to a minimum.
But in order that this Invention may be fully understood, and readily carried

page_text: into effect, I will now proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted
with of performing the same.
Figures 1 to 4, on the accompanying Drawing, show the construction of one
modification of this improved apparatus; Figure 1 shews a longitudinal
section through the same; Figure 2 shews an end vew from the inlet side
with the inlet tube and guiding conė or ogival" removed; Figure 3 shews
an end view from the outlet side, with the outlet tube and guiding cone or
"ogival" removed; and Figure 4 shews a section through part of the guide
vanes, and the vanes of the revolving fan on the line X, X, when stretched
out on a plane surface or developed. The same letters of reference indicate
the same parts in all the Figures.
The outer casing A, formed of cast iron or other suitable material, is turned
on the inside surface and is constructed as shewn to receive the revolving screw
fan B in the middle, and is recessed on either sido of the same to receive the
outer rim of the fixed inlet guide vanes C and outlet guide vanes D. It is
provided with flanges at either end, to which the outer rims C and D of the
guide vanes are bolted, as shown, as also the inlet tube E and outlet tube G.
The casing A is fixed to any suitable foundation by bolts a, a.
The revolving
screw fan B consists of the central portion or drum b, and of the vanes b¹ fixed.or
formed on the circumference of b; it is fixed on the spindle c, receiving rotary
motion by means of the pulley d and belt d'. The outer extremities of the
vanes b¹ are made to fit, with as little play as practicable, into the casing A;
the form of these vanes will be understood from the developed mean section
of them on the line X, X, Figure 1, shewn at Figure 4, (the direction of
mòtion being indicated by the arrow), and by stating that any transverse
sections taken through them perpendicular to the axis of rotation will present
the form of straight and radial lines. The surface of these vanes will conse-
quently be of a winding form, but will differ from that of the ordinary helical or
screw form by the pitch being at every portion a different one. Only at the
extremities on the inlet and outlet sides do they follow a straight line on plan,
the angles and y, which these portions form with the edges of the drum b,
being variable according to different circumstances, to be explained hereafter.
The two straight extremities of the generating lines of the vanes are connected
by curved lines, as shown, the concavity of which is in the direction in which
the rotary motion takes place.
The just described péculiar formation of the fan blades, as also the arrange-
ment of the same so as to form an annular fan on the periphery of the drum b,
constitutes a principal feature of this Invention. The drum b is formed with
a solid diaphragm, as shewn, so as to separate effectually the inlet from the

page_text: outlet side of the conducting tube. The spindle c is carried in bearings e and f,
supported by the castings C and D, on which the guide vanes C and D are
formed, as shewn on the Drawing; these bearings are continuously supplied
with oil from the external oil cups e¹ and f'. These bearings may however be
arranged in any other suitable manner, as their construction forms no part
of the present. Invention. The driving belt d' of the pulley d is shewn
as passing through slits formed in the casting D₁ and outlet tube G, but inay
also be arranged in any other suitable manner. The inlet guide vanes C are
formed or fixed upon a central casting C¹, and are further connected to
or formed in one casting with the outer rim C2, by which they are
attached to the casing A in the manner shewn, the inner surface of the rin
C being made level with the inner surface of that part of the casing A in
which the fan B works. The formation of the inlet guide vanes will be
understood from the developed mean sectional plan in Figure 4. At the
extremity, towards the inlet tube, their generating lines on the surface of
the casting C¹ are formed parallel with the direction of the axis of the
inlet tube; they are then curved as shewn, with the convex surface in the
direction in which the fan B revolves; at the extremity next the fan B, they
are again formed in a straight line, but at an acute angle to the face
of the fan. The surface of these vanes is such that any transverse section
through them, perpendicular to the axis of the fan, will present straight radial
lines. The angle and the number of vanes may be varied according to
circumstances to be herein-after mentioned. The inlet guide vanes serve
to cause the air, water, or other fluid or gas, as it enters the same from the
inlet tube, to be gradually deviated from its original direction, and to enter
the revolving fan with a certain velocity and in an oblique direction opposed.
to that in which the fan revolves.
a
"
The above-described arrangement and employment of the inlet guide vanes
forms another important part of this Invention.
The outlet guide vanes D are fixed or formed on the central casting D', and
are further connected to or formed in one casting with the outer rim D², by
which they are attached to the casing A, in a similar manner to the inlet guide
vanes C. Their formation will be understood by the developed mean sectional
plan at Figure 4. The extremities of the generating lines of these vanes
situated next to the revolving fan are formed straight, but in such an oblique
position that they form an obtuse angle & with the face of the fan; they aro
then curved, as shewn, and terminate at the other extremity in a direction
parallel with that part of the axis of the outlet tube. The portion of these
vanes nearest to the fan has therefore the form of an ordinary helical or screw,

page_text: blade, whilst the other part of the same has a winding surface of a gradually
decreasing pitch. These guide vanes serve to conduct the air, water, or other
fluid or gas that is propelled into them in an oblique direction from the rotary
fan gradually into a direction parallel with the outlet tube, and the herein-
before described peculiar construction of the same forms another important
part of this Invention.
The angle of the guide vanes and the number of the same is variable
according to circumstances to be explained hereafter. The body or casting D',
upon which the vanes D are formed or fixed, is formed somewhat different to
that carrying the inlet guide names, as in serving as bearing to the spindle c
it has to be extended somewhat, to allow room for the pulley d, and con-
sequently the projecting portion of the same is formed as to constitute part
of the curved surface of the guiding cone or "ogival" H. The inlet or suction
tube E and guiding cone or "ogival" F serve to connect the fan with the
locality whence it is required to exhaust the air, water, or other fluid or gas..
The peculiar formation of the same will be readily understood from the following
description: The diameter of the inlet tube at the extremity of the same
being determined by the volume of the air, water, or other fluid or gas that is.
required to be passed through the same in a given time, the annular area pre-
sented by the fan for the passage of the air or water is made equal to that of
the inlet tube, and in order to obtain the best results, it is preferred to deter-
mine the mean diameter of such annular space by the formula:-
A
D= twice the square root out of (135) where D = the mean.
diameter
A the area of the inlet tube;
but I do not limit myself to this proportion.
The annular area of the fan being determined, it remains to connect it with
the circular area of the inlet tube by means of a passage, so formed as to con-
duct the air, water, or other fluid or gas from the one area to the other,
without obstruction, such passage presenting, at any transverse section that
may be taken through the same, an area equal to that of the inlet tube. This
formation of the passage is obtained by attaching to the face of the body C¹
carrying the inlet guide vanes a conoidal or "ogival" body F, the distance
from the apex of which to the point of attachment to the body C¹ is made, by
preference, equal to from once to twice the mean diameter of the annular fan,
the surface of the same being curved in a peculiar manner, as shewn, and the
inlet tube made to widen out gradually over the conoid or "ogival," receiving
a similar curvature to the same, whilst its distance from the surface of the
conoid or "ogival" is at every point such that the annular sectional area

page_text: between them, obtained by the intersection of a plane at right angles to the
axis, is at all points equal.
In order to obtain the proper curvature of the surface of the guiding cone
or ogival and that of the surrounding tube, I prefer to proceed in the
following manner:-At the extremity of the mean diameter of the annular fan
I draw the line X, X, shewn in red at Figure 1, parallel with the axis of the
fan. At the extremity of the mean diameter of the area of the conducting
tube (that is, the diameter of a circle which shall divide such area into two
parts of equal area), I draw a line Y, Y, parallel with the axis of the tube. I
then combine the extremities of these lines with a line Z, Z, having a conti-
nuous and gradual double curvature (such as may be formed by the joining
tangentially of the arcs of two circles), the extremities of which line join on
to the lines X, X, and Y, Y, in a tangential manner. Assuming each point
in the line Z, Z, to be the extremity of the mean diameter of the area
of the passage at that point, I then determine by any known means the
corresponding points through which the curvature of the guide cone or
ogival "F and surrounding tube E must pass for the annular area contained
between them to be in all points equal. The forms of the outlet or delivery
tube G and guiding cone or "ogival" H are determined in precisely the same
manner as that of the inlet tube and guide cone or "ogival." As before stated,
a portion of the curved surface of the guide cone or ogival H is formed on
the body D' of the guide vanes D.
<<
The peculiar formation of the guide cones or ogivals and surrounding
conducting tube forms a further important feature of this Invention. The
relation between the angles a, B, y, 8, I prefer to determine by means of the
two following formula, from which, if two of these angles are assumed, the
other two may be determined :-
I.) cotangent ẞ
-
cotangent acotangent y cotangent &.
11.) 1.2x (cotangent cotangent 8,) x (cotangent - cotangent a,)
in which second formula h denotes the difference in the heights of the water
columns corresponding to the pressures of the air in the inlet and outlet tubes,
and H the height of the water column corresponding with the velocity of the air
in the tubes. The angle a should always be acute, or at most equal to 90
degrees; should also be an acute angle and less than a; y may be acute, a
right angle, or obtuse (as seen in Figure 6, Figure 4, Figure 5); ε should
always be an obtuse angle. Although these angles are to a certain extent
optional, as there are only two equations to determine the value of four of them,
yet they should not be made too acute or too obtuse. It will be evident that
if the angle & is made equal to 90 degrees, the outlet guide vanes will be

page_text: straight and parallel to the axis of the outlet tube. They will consequently
have no influence on the air issuing from the fan, and may therefore be entirely
omitted. In this case the vanes of the fan and the inlet guide vanes will be
formed, as shewn in the part developed section at Figure 6, where b' is the
fan, and C the inlet vanes. In the same manner, if the angle a is made equal
to 90 degrees, the inlet guide vanes may be dispensed with, in which case the
vanes of the fan and the outlet guide vanes would be formed as shewn in the
part developed section at Figure 7, where b¹ is the fan and D the outlet guide
vanes.
The number of vanes to the fan and that of the guide vanes is variable
according to the size of the fan and the nature of the angles a, ß, y, &; their
distance apart should not be greater than from one half to one quarter of their
radial depth. The breadth of the fan and guide vanes in the direction
parallel with the axis should be such that the channels formed between them
are not too long nor receive too great a curvature. The radius to such
curvature should be at least equal to twice the distance between the vanes.
I prefer to make the breadth of the fan blades equal to from one-eighth to
three-eighths of the mean diameter of the annular area of the same, and the
breadth of the inlet and outlet guide vanes equal to about one-quarter of the.
mean diameter.
The herein-before described apparatus for raising, propelling, or exhausting
air, water, or other fluids or gases may be employed either in a horizontal,
vertical, or in any other position.
Having now described the nature of this Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
I wish it to be understood that I in no way limit myself to the exact pro-
portions of the various parts as herein-before described, and shewn on the
accompanying. Drawing, neither do I claim generally the construction of
rotary fans with helical or screw blades; but what I claim is,-
Firstly, the construction of apparatus for raising, propelling, or exhausting
air, water, or other fluids or gases, in which curved oblique vanes or blades are
fixed or formed upon the circumference of a revolving cylinder, rotating inside
a conducting tube at right angles to the direction of the motion of such fluids
or gases, which oblique vanes consequently present only an annular space for
acting upon such fluids or gases; in combination with fixed.guido vanes for
conducting such fluids or gases in the most advantageous manner from the
inlet or suction tube to the revolving vanes or blades, or from the revolving
vanes or blades to the outlet or delivery tube, or both from the inlet or
suction tube to the revolving blades or vanes, and from the latter to the outlet
'

page_text: or delivery tube in combination also with guiding cones or "ogivals" for
conducting the fluid or gas in the most advantageous manner from the circular
-sectional area of the inlet or suction tube to the annular area of the fan, and
from the latter again to the circular sectional area of the conducting tube,
substantially as berein-before described with reference to the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly, the employment of stationary inlet or outlet guide vanes for
conducting the fluid or gas in the most effective manner into and from the
revolving oblique vanes of apparatus for raising, propelling, or exhausting air,
water, or other fluids or gases, which oblique blades or vanes revolve in a
direction at right angles, or nearly so, to that in which the fluid or gas is
propelled, substantially as herein-before described.
Thirdly, the peculiar curved formation herein-before described of the
vanes or blades of the rotating fan, as also of the inlet and outlet guide
vanes.
Fourthly, the peculiar curved formation herein-before described of the guide
cones or "ogivals" and conducting tubes, and the arrangement of the annular
space between them, for leading the fluids or gases from the circular sectional
area of the inlet tube to the annular area of the fan, and from the latter again
to the circular sectional area of the outlet tube, in such a manner that the
sectional arca of the respective passages so formed shall at all points be equal
to the sectional area of the respective conducting tubes, and that the fluid
or gas shall be conducted through them with the least possible loss of effect or
velocity.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the.
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
year of
C. D. ABEL. (L.S.)