Improvements in Apparatus for Warming or Cooling and for Humidifying Atmospheric Air.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 12th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 13th Dec., 1887
Improvements in Apparatus for Warming or Cooling and for
Humidifying Atmospheric Air.
We, WILLIAM MATTHEWS and JOSEPH YATES, both of 35 Lever Street, in the
City of Manchester and County of Lancaster, Gas and Ventilating Engineers, de
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In apartments, rooms, sheds, and other enclosed spaces, ventilated by natural or
artificial means it frequently happens that the air admitted from the external atmo-
sphere is warmer or cooler, and it may also be drier, than is desirable.
This Invention relates to apparatus employed for the purpose of warming or cooling
and humidifying air before its admission to ventilate rooms and other enclosed
spaces.
These Improvements consist in a novel combination, arrangement, or adaptation of
apparatus, and in the employment of novel parts or details of apparatus employed for
the purposes of our Invention.
A steamtight chamber or casing is traversed by tubes open at each end outside the
steam-tight chamber. At one end, these tubes communicate freely with the external
air, at the other end they open into a humidifying chamber adjacent to the steam-
chamber. The steam-tight chamber may form part of, or be provided with, a steam
trap. The lower part of the humidifying chamber should be at a lower level than
the steam-tight chamber, so that any condensed or ordinary water from the steam-light
chamber or elsewhere may flow, or be delivered by the steam trap, into the lower
space of the humidifying chamber; or the condensed or other water may flow directly
away from the apparatus.
In the upper part of this chamber there are one or more tubes, or coils of tube, or
both of them, one or all of which may be perforated within the humidifying chamber.
These tubes, and if needed, a tube or tubes opening into the steam-tight chamber,
are connected to a single service pipe, having two branches controlled by cocks or
valves, one of the branches being connected to a live or exhaust steam supply pipe,
and the other to a cold water supply pipe, so that either steam may be supplied to the
apparatus for warming, or cold water for cooling. An outlet cock tap or discharge

page_text: valve is fitted for the outflow of excess water from the humidifying chamber, and a
suitable outlet, through which air may freely escape from the apparatus.
In winter, or when the air is required to be warmed, steam is turned into the
apparatus, and the air passing through the tubes in the steam-tight chamber becomes
warm, and is further warmed by passing in contact with the heated tubes or coils, and
by the steam issuing therefrom in the humidifying chamber.
The tubes or coils in the humidifying chamber should be perforated, when the
escaping steam will either saturate the air with moisture, or give the degree of
humidity required. In summer, or when the air is required to be cool, water spray
may be substituted for steam in the humidifying chamber, by means of the perforated
tubes or coils.
In some cases the steam tight tubulous chamber may be dispensed with, when the
humidifying portion only of the apparatus would be used.
We are aware that incoming air to a ventilated building has already been warmed
or cooled and humidified, in apparatus in which steam and water are alternatively
employed, but in such apparatus, so far as we have been able to ascertain, an entirely
different and less effective mode of construction to that hereinbefore described has
been employed.
Dated this 11th day of January AD 1887
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Warming or Cooling and for
Humidifying Atmospheric Air.
We, WILLIAM MATTHEWS and JOSEPH YATES, both of 35 Lever Street in the
City of Manchester and County of Lancaster Gas and Ventilating Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
In apartments, rooms, sheds and other enclosed spaces which are ventilated by
natural or artificial means, it frequently happens that the air admitted from the
external atmosphere is warmer or cooler, and it may also be drier, than is desirable.
This Invention relates to apparatus employed for the purpose of warming or of
cooling and for humidifying air before its admission to ventilate rooms and other
enclosed spaces.
And in order that this our Invention may more readily be understood and carried
into practical effect we have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings on which similar
details in the various figures are denoted by similar letters and reference being
hereinafter had thereto.
Fig. 1 represents one form or type of the apparatus in transverse section; Fig. 2
the same apparatus in longitudinal section; Fig. 3 shows a sectional plan of Figs. 1
and 2. Fig. 4 represents a slightly different type of the apparatus in sectional plan.
The apparatus consists essentially of an air inlet A or inlets G; a humidifying
chamber B containing a partial partition or deflecting plate C and perforated tubes D
or equivalent tubes or coils of tube; and air qutlet E, and such valves drain_cocks
overflow pipes and similar accessories as may be required. As illustrated in Fig. 4
there may also be a steam or water casing Faround or partly surrounding the tubes G
which are open at each end and form the air inlets to the apparatus.
In the type or modification of the apparatus represented in Fig. 4, the steam or
water chamber or casing F may form part of or be provided or placed in communi-
cation with a steam trap. The lower part of the humidifying chamber B should be
at a lower level than the steam tight casing which is indicated in dotted lines F,
Fig. 1, so that water may flow from the casing to the humidifying chamber or it may
be arranged that water from the casing inay be allowed to run to waste. The casing F
is connected by suitable pipes to a live or exhaust steam supply and to a water supply
respectively, and these pipes are controlled by cocks or valves so that the casing may
be filled with steam when it is desired to warm the incoming air, and with water
when the admitted air is required to be cooled. In the latter case it will be advan-
tageous to maintain a current of water through the apparatus.
For ordinary purposes it will suffice to construct the apparatus without the
casing F when the air inlet will form a single opening A as indicated in Figs. 1, 2
and 3.
The perforated tubes D or their equivalent tubes or coils of tube are connected to
a single service or junction pipe H and to two branch pipes K and L, one of which
as for example K, is connected to a live or exhaust steam supply while the other is

page_text: connected to a water supply. The branch pipes K and L are each governed by a
cock or valve. Upon opening the cock or valve on the steam branch pipe steam will
be admitted through junction pipe H, and by direct passage to the tubes D or their
equivalent coils of tubes from which it will issue by the perforations into the
humidifying chamber. Upon opening the valve or cock on the water branch pipe,
the steam valve or cock being closed, water will similarly issue from the tubes or
coils of tube. When it is required to warm the air steam only is turned on, and
when cool air is required, the water cock or valve only is opened. The tubes may be
straight as represented by the drawings or be coiled; in either case the outer ends of
the tubes are sealed. Instead of simply perforating the tubes for the exit of the
steam or water, jets may be inserted therein. An outlet M or a discharge valve
should be inserted in the humidifying chamber for the outflow of excess water and
there may also be a drain cock N.
In winter, or when the air is required to be warmed, and steam is consequently
turned into the apparatus, the incoming air is warmed by passing in contact with the
warm pipes D or their equivalent coiled tubes and with the steam issuing therefrom.
When the casing F also is used, the air is also warmed by passing through the tubes
therein into the apparatus. The reverse, that is to say a cooling effect is obtained
when water instead of steam is turned on.
We have described the apparatus and illustrated it by the accompanying drawings,
as being provided with two tubes D, but it is evident that only one or more than two
tubes or their equivalent coils of tube may be employed, as may be determined by
the size of the apparatus.
In erecting or fitting the apparatus it is necessary that the inlet should communicate
freely with the external atmosphere and it should be arranged that the whole of the
air, which passes into the room or enclosed space, or as much of it as possible, should
pass through one or more of the described apparatus or humidifiers, so that the desired
degree of heat or cold and moisture may be imparted to it.
We are aware that incoming air to a ventilated building has already been warmed
or cooled or humidified in apparatus in which steam and water are alternatively
employed, but in such apparatus, so far as we have been able to ascertain, an entirely
different and less effective construction and arrangement to that herein before described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawings have been employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we desire it to be under-
stood that what we claim is :-
(1). An apparatus for warming or cooling and humidifying atmospheric air during
its admission to rooms or enclosed spaces; constructed and arranged substantially as
hereinbefore described and as illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
(2). An apparatus for warming cooling, and humidifying atmospheric air during
its admission into rooms or enclosed spaces, constructed and arranged substantially as
herein before described, and as illustrated by Figs. 1 and 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
(3). In apparatus for warming, cooling and humidifying atmospheric air during
its admission to rooms or enclosed spaces; a tube or tubes for water and steam, said
tubes having or being provided with perforations or jets, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described with reference to the appended drawings."
Dated this 11th day of November & D 1887
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.