Improvements in Humidifiers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Humidifiers.
I HUGH WILKINSON of Dodge Hill House, Stockport, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to humidifiers for imparting moisture to the atmosphere in
spinning mills, weaving sheds and the like and refers more particularly to those
types of humidifiers in which water is finely sprayed into a vapour and blown into
the room or shed by a blast of air under pressure.
Hitherto when such humidifiers
have been used the vaporizing nozzles have been stationary and as a consequence
there has been no proper distribution of the humidified air which has been blown
constantly in one direction so that some parts of the room and certain of the
machines get more than their due share of the humidified atmosphere. The chief
object of my invention is to obviate this defect by producing a humidifier which
will distribute the humidified air more generally.
To this end I so arrange the parts of the humidifier that the nozzles shall
automatically revolve thus continually changing the direction of the nozzles and
bringing them to bear over a wider field than hitherto so that the humidified air is
much more widely and evenly distributed than is at present the case.
In an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention I form a casting
containing air and water inlets. One end of the casting constitutes a conically
shaped turned bearing. Two annular grooves are turned on the face of this conical
bearing one groove communicating with the water inlet and the other groove with
the air inlet. 1 then turn or bore a hollow conical cover or cap so as to fit
accurately and revolve upon the conical bearing.
One two or more branches or outlets for the compressed air and water are
formed on and in the said conical cap, and pipes are connected with the said
branches and project therefrom like the spokes of a wheel. Thus the cap with the
pipes is capable of revolving upon the conical bearing the pipes being constantly in
communication with the air and water inlets by means of the aforesaid annular
grooves. At the outer end of the water pipe I place a properly formed discharge
nozzle and at the outer end of the air pipe there is a similar discharge nozzle. The
air discharge pipe is bent so as to point the nozzle at an angle which is tangential
to a circle preferably less than that in which the air and water nozzles revolve.
The water discharge is in close proximity to and is directed at right angles across
the air discharge nozzle, with the result that the blast of air impinging upon the
water breaks it up into finely divided spray vapour and projects it forward to mix
with and humidify the atmosphere in the room or shed. The air blast being
discharged tangentially as already described acts as a driver and causes the cap
with the water and air pipes to revolve on the conical bearing at a speed pro-
portionate to the tangential angle at which the air blast nozzle is directed.
revolving cap may carry only one set of air and water piping or it may carry two
or more sets. By thus revolving the humidifier as described the saturated air is
discharged over a much wider area, and is more generally distributed than is the
case where the vapour discharging nozzles are fixed.
The
A smaller groove might be turned in the conical bearing between the two annular
grooves to intercept and carry to the centre or outside any leakage from the groove
in which the most pressure existed.
The conical bearing might slope either towards or from the casting and when
found necessary or advisable means, (such for example as adjustable bowls bearing
upon the smaller end of the revolving cap) might be employed to keep the cap

page_text: properly in contact with the conical bearing or to prevent it from being lifted by
the fluid pressure in the annular grooves.
The construction of the conical bearing and the revolving cap might vary or
substitutes for the same might be devised but an important point in my invention is
the automatic revolution of the saturated vapour discharging nozzles by the action
of the issuing fluid or fluids whereby a wider and more general distribution of the
humidifying atmosphere is obtained.
Dated this 7th dev at Ontohan 1002
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Humidifiers.
HUGH WILKINSON of Dodge Hill House, Stockport, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, 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 and accompanying drawings:
My invention relates to humidifiers principally used for imparting moisture to
the atmosphere in spinning mills, weaving sheds and the like and refers more
particularly to those types of humidifiers in which water is finely sprayed into a
vapour and blown into the room or shed by a blast of air under pressure.
Hitherto when such humidifiers have been used the vaporizing nozzles have
been stationary and as a consequence there has been no proper distribution of the
humidified air which has been blown constantly in one direction so that some parts
of the room and certain of the machines get more than their due share of the
humidified atmosphere.
The chief object of my invention is to obviate this defect by producing a
humidifier which will effect a more general distribution of the humidified air.
To this end I so arrange the parts of the humidifier that the nozzles shall
automatically revolve thus continually changing the direction of the nozzles and
bringing them to bear over a wider field than hitherto so that the humidified air is
much more widely and evenly distributed than is at present the case.
In order that the nature of my invention may be fully understood I will describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
'
Of these drawings
Figs. 1, and 2, illustrate the construction of a humidifier which I have had made
for experimental purposes and
་
Figs. 3, and 4 illustrate modifications which may be made in the apparatus.
Figs. 1, and 2, represent a two armed humidifier but one of the arms does not
appear in complete form for want of space in the drawing. Each arm consists of
two pipes one a for air and the other 6 for water. The air pipes are secured to a
conical shell c and the water pipes to a conical shell d and these shells are mounted
to revolve upon conical seatings e and f which are formed upon a part which is
adapted to be connected with the pipes or conduits through which air and water
are to be supplied. Passages are formed in the said part as indicated at 9 and
communicate with grooves turned upon the conical seatings as clearly shown in
Fig. 1. From these grooves the air and water have constant access to the pipes a
and respectively. The passage y would be supplied with compressed air and the
other passage in the lower end would be connected by means of a pipe or coupling
with a conduit or pipe which might supply two or more of the humidifiers. It is
not intended that the water shall be supplied under pressure but that the conduit
or pipe shall be constantly supplied with water so that the water may be lifted by
the exhaustive action of the air blasts. The water conduit may be supplied by a
cistern which will maintain the water level at a point a little lower than the pipes /
so that the water will not flow out when the air blast is turned off.

page_text: The more or less close fit of the shells upon the cones can be regulated by turning
split nuts ii which when adjusted can be clamped and tightened by means of set
screws. The outer ends of the pipes a and b are connected with a spraying nozzle
or vapour diffuser A the outer end of each of the two arms being supplied with such
a nozzle. In the form of nozzle selected the water passes out through a central
jet j and the air blast issues through an annular jet k so that the issuing water is
surrounded by the issuing air. I have found this form of nozzle to answer the
purpose very well but I do not confine myself to any particular form of nozzle and
may arrange for the air to be discharged at right angles across the mouth of the
water nozzle as in the cases of some descriptions of spraying apparatus. The com-
bined nozzles discharge the fluids in a direction which is tangential to a circle
which might be described around the axis of the central cones such circle being
preferably smaller than the circle described by the revolving nozzle. This has the
double effect of causing the humidifier to revolve and of dispersing the generated
spray or vapour over a wide area around the centre of revolution. The angle of
discharge would be made suitable to the pressure of the air and to the speed of
revolution considered to be desirable.
With a high air pressure the line of discharge may be tangential to a circle of
smaller diameter than would be suitable if a lower pressure were intended to be
used. I do not confine myself to the conical formation of the central connection.
In the modification indicated by Fig. 3, the air and water pipes a and b are con-
nected with a hollow shell which is mounted to revolve upon a cylindrical piece m
having the necessary passages and connections for air and water and grooved to
check the escape of air.
Apertures at n might be formed to permit of the outward escape of air passing
downward. The use of this construction would probably entail a greater escape of
air in comparison with the conical formation but the slight loss of power required to
compress the air might not be considered to be important.
Another modification is indicated by Fig. 4.
In this example only one cone is used and
The water pipes communicate with a pipe
cistern s.
the parts revolve upon this cone.
which dips into the water in a
It will be seen that the piper will revolve around the central pillar p when the
apparatus is at work but as the speed of revolution need not be great this motion
of the pipe does not affect the working of the apparatus.
By dispensing with the pillar p the lower end of the pipe may be brought in line
with the axis of revolution.
A cock is provided in order that the flow of water may be capable of regula-
tion.
In some cases I provide the revolving arms with vanes to check the speed of
revolution. In place of the fixed central part m I might use a central hub carrying
the arms and communicating by each end with the air and water supplies a frame
connecting the parts supplying the air and water parts of such frame passing outside
the path of revolution of the nozzles A, to connect the upper and lower bearings.
In some cases the air might be warmed.
In Fig. 3, the revolving apparatus is represented as resting upon a pair of
wheels o o to reduce friction.
There might be three, four or more arms or branches carrying nozzles in place
of two.
I do not confine myself in respect of the application of my invention as it might
be used in horticultural buildings or in the distribution of antiseptics or for other
purposes not herein mentioned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1) The apparatus constructed and adapted to act substantially as and for the
purpose set forth and indicated.

page_text: .
2) The apparatus adapted to produce an aqueous vapour by the inductive action
of a blast of compressed air upon escaping water and to revolve by the reaction
of the escaping fluids substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
3) In a humidifier in which aqueous vapour is produced by a current or currents
of compressed air acting upon issuing water; arranging for the discharge nozzles
to be revolved around the centre of supply of the Huids by the reaction of the
discharging fluids substantially as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of March 1893.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.