IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATION AND IN THE PURIFICATION OF AIR.”
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Garth Marshall, of Holbeck, in the Parish
of Leeds, in the County of York, Flax Spinner, for the Invention
of
CE
IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATION AND IN THE PURIFICATION OF AIR.”
+
T
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Garth Marshall
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th August 1870.
.
.
I, JAMES GARTH MARSHALL, of Holbeck, in the Parish of Leeds, m
the County of York, Flax Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATION AND IN THE PURIFICATION
OF AIR," to be as follows': '
My Invention consists in a new system of ventilation, together with a
process for purifying the air, which may be used in combination, or each
of which may be used independently of the other, and will be found to
produce important results on a very economical scale of expense.
For the purpose of ventilation instead of exhausting the air as usual
in most of the known processes, I force it into the chamber or place
'

page_text: requiring to be ventilated by means of a fan or any other suitable
mechanical apparatus. In doing this I prefer to force the air through
apertures in the roof or upper portion of the chamber or place to be
ventilated, and to let it escape through apertures in the floor or lower.
portion of the chamber or place. This mode of ventilation I propose to
combine with a system of circulation through air flues maintained by
the action of the fan or other mechanical apparatus, so as to use the
same mass of air several times.
For the purpose of purification I propose to bring the current of air.
into contact first with lime water, and afterwards to pass it through
charcoal and cotton wool, by means of which it will be cleansed both
from impurities which are chemically combined and those which are
mechanically mixed with the air. In a similar manner, for the pur-
pose of keeping the chamber or place to be ventilated at an agreeable
temperature, the current may in summer be passed over ice or other
refrigerating substance or compound, and in winter may in like manner
be passed over some heating substance, or the same result may be
obtained by heating or cooling a portion of the air flues through which
the current passes.
The apparatus may be worked by any of the ordinary means of
producing power. Where hydraulic power cannot be had at a cheap
rate a small steam engine attached to the kitchen boiler will be found
an inexpensive mode of obtaining the power required.
The above-described processes, either conjointly or separately, may be
applied to any building or place requiring ventilation, and will also
be easily and very beneficially applied to ventilating, purifying, and
warming or cooling the air of cabins, saloons, and other spaces in ships
or vehicles, as railway or other carriages.
A small portable apparatus for the above purposes may be constructed
to be fixed on to the upper portion of the human body, and worked by
the hands almost as easily as a lady's fan, or by the natural action
of the arms in walking. This would be of great value for the pro-
tection of life or health from the evil influences of a vitiated or infected
atmosphere, or from choke damp in mines or other similar noxious
gases.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Garth Marshall in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th February 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
GARTH MARSHALL, of Holbeck, in the Parish of Leeds, in the County
of York, Flax Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Garth Marshall, Her special licence
that I, the said James Garth Marshall, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Garth Marshall, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN VENTILATION AND IN THE PURIFICATION OF AIR," upon the
condition (amongst others), that I, the said James Garth Marshall, 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 James Garth Marshall, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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) :-
My Invention consists in a new system of ventilation, together with a
process for purifying air which may be used in combination therewith,
or which may be used independently.
For the purpose of ventilation instead of exhausting the air as usual
in most of the known processes; I force it into the chamber or place

page_text: requiring to be ventilated by means of a fan or any other suitable
mechanical apparatus. In doing this I force the air through apertures
in the roof or upper portion of the chamber or place to be ventilated,
and let it escape through apertures in the floor or lower portion of the
chamber or place. This mode of supplying air to the room or chamber
to be ventilated is combined with a system of circulation of the air
through flues, which is effected by the action of the fan or other
mechanical apparatus, so as to exhaust the air from the lower part of
the room, and thus use the same volume of air several times. These
flues may be either warmed or cooled as may be desired by the appli-
cation of heat or cold to the exterior of the air flues. This mode of
ventilation will be found much more efficacious and agreeable than
either forcing the air in from below or exhausting it from above.
In order to purify foul air I bring the current of air into contact first
with lime water, and I afterwards pass it through charcoal and cotton
wool, by means of which it will be cleansed both from impurities which
are chemically combined and those which are mechanically mixed with
the air. In a similar manner, for the purpose of keeping the chamber
or place to be ventilated at an agreeable temperature, the current may
in summer be passed over ice or other refrigerating substance or com-
pound, and in winter may in like manner be passed over some heating
substance, or the same result may be obtained by heating or cooling a
portion of the air flues through which the current passes, as before
mentioned.
As a further means of purification, and for purposes of health or
curing disease, or for any other reason, or as a means of gratification of
taste, oxygen or other gas, or any aroma or perfume may be introduced
into the air. This addition would neutralize or absorb any deleterious
odours or gases, or would prevent any deterioration in the atmosphere
caused by emanations from furniture or exhalations from bodies, and
would render unnecessary the introduction of flowers or herbs into
rooms.
The apparatus for effecting the circulation of the air may be worked
by any of the ordinary means of producing power. Where hydraulic
power cannot be had at a cheap rate a small steam engine attached to
any domestic or other close boiler will be found an inexpensive mode of
obtaining the power required. Where the application of steam power
would be too expensive the circulation of the air might be effected by

page_text: means of a common stove, the ordinary draught of which would suffice
to draw in a constant supply of air.
The above-described processes, either conjointly or separately, may be.
applied to any building or place requiring ventilation, and can also
be easily and very beneficially applied to ventilating, purifying, and
warming or cooling the air of cabins, saloons, and other spaces in ships.
The Figure in the accompanying Drawing is a sectional view of the
apparatus I employ for purifying air and rendering it fit to be breathed..
The air to be purified is forced into the apparatus by means of the fan A,
and is made to pass successively through the chamber B¹, B²; and over
the trays B, B, which are supplied with quicklime for the purpose of
absorbing carbonic acid gas. The air then passes through the washing
chamber C, in which are rows of pipes c, having jets, or perforations
along their length, from which a shower of water or lime water falls
into the trough c¹ provided with an overflow. The air then passes into
the space D, and from thence through the layers of charcoal and cotton
wool, which rest upon a sieve or perforated tray D', and it finally escapes
from the outlet E. The air after being purified is conducted from the
outlet E by flues or pipes to the various rooms into which it is admitted
through suitable openings in or near the ceiling, provision being also
made by openings in the lower parts of the doors of the rooms for the
air to escape into the staircase or hall, from which it is withdrawn by
the fan A to be again passed through the purifying apparatus.
A small portable apparatus for the purification of air from the noxious
or deleterious gases it may contain may be constructed to be fixed on
to the upper portion of the human body, and the circulation of the air
therein may be effected by means of a fan or blower worked by the
hands almost as easily as a lady's fan, or the blower may be actuated
by the natural action of the arms in walking. This would be of great
value for the protection of life or health from the evil influences of a
vitiated or infected atmosphere, or from choke damp in mines, or other
similar noxious gases, and would enable the wearer to traverse places
where there are noxious gases which would destroy life.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Ventilation
and in the Purification of Air," and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim, as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid, the mode herein set forth of effecting the

page_text: circulation of pure and wholesome air in apartments or other places
where the same may be required.
I also claim the mode herein set forth of purifying air and rendering
it fit to sustain life.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Garth Marshall, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
JAMES GARTH MARSHALL. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said James Garth Marshall
in the presence of
EDWARD WHITELEY,
Clerk to Mr. Thomas Turner,
Solicitor,
Leeds.
F