Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 16th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 16th Sept., 1887.
RESERV
1 GEORGE BARKER of 77 Colmore Row Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in ventilating buildings by which the
supply of air may be constantly admitted with the least draft so as to give
practically no inconvenience to the occupiers thereof and it is specially suited to the
ventilation of houses or smaller rooms which have hitherto presented such difficulties.
Large Halls and other large buildings can be generally treated in a special manner
but it is applicable in a limited measure or as an assistance to such and is quite
suitable for the ventilation of the antiroonis of such large buildings.
In the rooms of ordinary dwelling houses and other rooms of moderate size I
propose to admit the fresh air or a part of it through the door or doors thereof and
not through the windows or walls as it is now done except where it is impossible to
admit sufficient through the door or doors. I am aware that ventilating holes have
been cut through doors and covered by a slide but my mode of admitting air is accom-
plished by making the door practically a double one though the two parts front and back
become practically one piece to the eye as they are absolutely one door and act as such.
For instance I may inake a double panelled door say each side of an inch or other
thickness bringing the two level faces towards each other with any desired space of say
2 inches by suitable distance pieces between the two faces or edge covering pieces laid
upon the edges so as to form panels or beads and thus presenting to the eye an
exceptionally substantial door without taking up any useful space or in any wise
changing the appearance of the outside or inside when shut. The bottom of the door
outside would be either perforated in an ornamental way with fret work or the bottom
panels only so done or metallic perforated panels could be put in or air admitted
around the edges of the bottom panels or under the outer edge or thickness of the
outer part of the door for the bottom may be left quite open and even bevelled out
but generally I should make the inner thickness of the door a better fit than the outer
and thus any air starting from the outside under the door would by the hollow door

page_text: forming a chimney be drawn upwards instead of running along the carpet which has
up to now been incurable and yet so objectionable and dangerous. The top of the
door may be left to appear practically as now the lining and lintel being bevelled
or perforated or otherwise formed to continue the air upwards or the door itself may
be continued higher or a bonnet may be placed upon the channel to continue and
direct the current in any desired way with a suitable door valve or valves for
regulating the current in the most complete manner for instance the top opening
may be formed into say two, three or more outlets with a valve or valves to regulate
each so that one or more may be opened with others closed or partly closed but
generally one bafflin or pivotted door would be sufficient. The foul air may be
exhausted at any desired partition in the room but generally I prefer taking it into
the chimney as near the ceiling as possible which is usually situated some considerable
distance from the door. Care would always be taken in new doors to make the inner
thickness to fit as accurately round the sides and bottom as possible and air may be led
into the hollow door upwards under the bottom as explained but the air entering at the
sides may likewise be turned into the door by suitable apparatus if necessary so as to
still further lessen any drafts from the door. In old doors inner linging or chambers
may be attached either to the inner or outer part thereof and with but little expense and
alteration, existing doors may be thus made to give very fair ventilation without much
inconvenience. But by attaching new doors and supplying a suitable outlet for the
vitiated air almost any room may be effectively ventilated without interefering with
the ornamentation of the inner walls and without boring holes through them and so
disturbing foundations or brickwork against which the public have a well founded
objection.
In houses where the hall is sufficiently large to admit of a ventilating stove or fire
place being kept cold air may be brought to it direct from the outside and the warn
from the Hall carried through the lower parts of the room door and upwards into the
room as described whether bed or public rooms. In the case of glass doors either a
double glass is used or the ventilation is confined to the sides of the door but I prefer
the double glass with the inner part hinged or removeable for cleaning.
Doors thus constructed are also helpful in preventing the transmittance of sound
which is an advantage and they swing very lightly while they are both strong
and substantial in appearance without being expensive. They also present a most
covenient mode of lining or partly lining the inside with metal sheets or strips to
make them burglar proof without such sheets being any eye sore. Intermediate
distance strengthening metallic strips may be used and tube distance pieces either
flanged or otherwise.

page_text: I GEORGE BARKER of 77 Colmore Row Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Consulting Engineer 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 stateinent :-
My invention has for its object improvements in ventilating buildings by which a
supply of air may be constantly admitted with the least draft so as to give practically
no inconvenience to the occupiers thereof and it is specially suited to the ventilation
of houses or smaller rooms which have hitherto presented such difficulties. Large
halls and other large buildings can be generally treated in a special manner but it is
applicable in a limited measure or as an assistance to such and is quite suitable for
the ventilation of the antirooms of such large buildings.
In the rooms of ordinary dwelling houses and other rooms of moderate size I
propose to admit the fresh air or a part of it through the door or doors thereof and
not through the windows or walls as is now done except where it is impossible to
admit sufficient through the door or doors. I am aware that ventilating holes have
been cut through doors and covered by a slide but my mode of admitting air is
accomplished by making the door practically a double one though the two parts
front and back become practically one piece the eye as they are absolutely one
door and act as such. For instance I may make a doubled panelled door say each
side of an inch or other thickness bringing the two level faces towards each other
with any desired space of say 2" by suitable distance pieces between the faces or
edge covering piecos laid upon the edges so as to forin panels or beads and thus
presenting to the eye an exceptionally substantial door without taking up any useful
space or in any wise changing the appearance of the outside or inside when shut.
The bottom of the door outside would be either perforated in an ornamental way with
fret work or the bottom panels only so done or metallic perforated panels could be
put in or air admitted around the edges of the bottom panels or under the outer
edge or thickness of the outer part of the door for the bottom may be left quite open
and even bevelling out but generally I should make the inner thickness of the door a
better fit than the outer and thus any air starting from the outside under the door
would by the hollow door forming a chimney be drawn upwards instead of running
along the carpet which has up to now been incurable and yet so objectionable and
dangerous. The top of the door may be left to appear practically as now the lining
and lintel being bevelled or perforated or otherwise formed to continue the air
upwards or the door itself may be continued higher or a bonnet may be placed upon
the channel to continue and direct the current in any desired way with a suitable
door valve or valves for regulating the current in the most complete manner for
instance the top opening may be formed into say two three or more outlets with a
valve or valves to regulate each so that one or more may be open with others closed
or partly closed but generally one baffler or pivotted door would be sufficient.. The

page_text: foul air may be exhausted at any desired position in the room but I generally prefer
to take it into the chimney as near the ceiling as possible. Care would always be
taken in new doors to make the inner thickness to fit as accurately around the sides
and bottom as possible and air may be led into the hollow door upwards under the
bottom as explained but the air entering at the sides may likewise be turned into the
door by suitablo apparatus if necessary so as to still further lessen any draughts from
the door. In old doors inner linings or chambers may be attached either to the inner
or outer part thereof and with but little expense and alteration, existing doors may
be thus made to give very fair ventilation without much inconvenience. But by
attaching new doors and supplying a suitable outlet for the vitiated air almost any
room may be effectively ventilated without interfering with the ornamentation of the
inner walls and without boring holes through them and so disturbing foundations or
brickwork against which the public have a well founded objection.
In the
In houses where the Hall is sufficiently large to admit of a ventilating stove or
fireplace being kept, cold air may be brought to it direct from the outside and the
warm air from the Hall carried through the lower parts of the room doors and
upwards into the rooms as described whether they be bed or public rooms.
case of glass doors either a double glass is used or the ventilation is confined to the
sides of the door but I prefer the double glass with the inner part hinged or
removable for cleaning.
Doors thus constructed are also helpful in preventing the transmittance of sound
which is an advantage and they swing very lightly while they are both strong and
substantiall in appearance without being expensive. The also present a most
convenient mode of lining or partly lining the inside with metal sheets or strips to
make them burglar proof without such sheets being an eye sore. Intermediate
distance strengthening metallic strips may be used and tube distance pieces either
flanged or otherwise.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and easily carried out I
have appended hereunto one double and two single sheets of drawings upon which
several examples are given which will suffice to enable others to extend the principle
to other circumstances and conditions which may occur in practice.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the outside face of a door constructed according to this
invention showing a mode of receiving the air through and about the bottom cross
bar E of the 'door.
Figure 2 is a cross section of the same door through the middle cross bar F on the
line A. B..
Figure 3 is also a cross section but through the lower panels G and H on the
line C. D.
Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional elevation through the door and door way and
division wall J and ceiling K showing also a broken off portion of the face of the
inner wall M.
Figure 5 is a broken off vertical elevation of the same door way as shown at
Figure 4 but with an alternative mode of receiving the air from the outside of the
room door which will be hereafter more fully explained.
Figure 6 is an elevation of the outside of a door constructed according to my
invention and thoroughly self-contained and complete as regards ventilation in all
its parts so that no alterations are required in the construction of any other part of
the room or building and :-
Figure 7 is an elevation of the inside of the said door while Figure 8 shows it in
vertical cross section.
Figure 9 is a vertical sectional elevation of a door and doorway as at present
constructed but having the additional part N added to the outer face so as to give the
necessary air space between according to my invention.
Figure 10 is a cross section of the doorway shown by Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a broken off section of a small portion of a door at the lock made new.
according to my invention showing the easy mode of mounting a mortice lock therein,
without any morticing at all.

page_text: Figure 12 is an elevation of the same lock and portion of the door shewn by the
previous Figure.
Figure 13 shows a very simple mode of hanging an air regulating valve in the
door.
Now turning to the first four Figures already partly explained it will be seen that
the door is constructed of two distinct thicknesses or parts viz. the outer part 1 and
the inner part 2 leaving the air space 3 between the two these figures agreeing
throughout the Specification and drawings for the same parts in all the modifications
and forms. The two side strips S. S. make up the edges of the door so that the
appearance when finished is just like a solid door of the full thickness. Now at
Figure 4 M represents the inside of any room or house requiring ventilation and L
the outside of the room or house and the door is now shut as seen in all the figures
throughout. The fresh air enters through the outer face 1 of the door at the
ornamental perforated part E and at once ascends through the space 3 and issues
into the room through a slot n' in the lintel N spreading in the direction of the
arrows at the top of the door M. This will be of course greatly assisted by a proper
exit for the vitiated air say through a proper outlet into the chimney near the ceiling
or by other outlets around the cornice or centre piece or windows of the room but the
simpliest mode is into the chimney P as shewn by Figure 14. Instead of admitting
the air at E it may be taken over the mat Q under the outer part of the door as shewn
at Figure 5 which is a very simply mode and saves the perforations in the door or it
may be done in conjunction with the perforations but in any case the draft or current
of air which generally finds its way under door would in this case be drawn upwards
through the space 3 by the very draft of the upward current thus avoiding drafts to
the feet which are so objectionable.
In the foregoing example the air issues through the lintel N of the door frame and
therefore necessitates a slight bevel in the plaster above or behind the top moulding R
or the whole may be accomplished by cutting away the back of the moulding R or
part may be done in the plaster and part in the moulding or a slot may be carried up
the wall behind the plaster so that the air will enter near the ceiling. In Figures 6. 7
and 8 we have a door with its inlet shaft 3 and outlet all self contained without
interference of the frame or lintel. In this door 1 is the outside and 2 the inside
thickness leaving the space 3 which may be of any width and capacity according to
the thickness of the strips S. S as seen in Figures 2 and 3. In this construction and
design of door the bottom panel T offers great facility for receiving the air through
either fret work in the panel or through a perforated metal panel. The air then
ascends up the
space 3 and issues through the slot u above the cornice moulding U.
The construction of such doors will not necessitate more timber to be of equal strength
to a solid door or at any rate only a small percentage more and this will be many
times over repaid by the extra stability and noble and substantial appearance of the
door so constructed besides the great advantage of being more sound proof. They
may also be made very cheaply as the two faces 1 and 2 can each be made without
morticing if necessary i.e. by either rebatting the parts together or by simply bracing
the sides and cross bars with strips of hoop iron across the joints or inner sides
fastened with screws as shewn by Figure 16. The panels may be simply laid on the
face as seen at Figure 17 section to project if the frame is very thin or they may be
rebatted into the frame. Long strips of hoop iron may be crossed over the panels to
the frame as shewn by dotted lines. An extra division stiffening piece may be put on
where the knob would come and at any intermediate parts Y¹Y to make the door
more solid. Such doors would be remarkably cheap as only one face of the timber
would require planing the inner parts being rough from the saw. Where the
parts S. S come the plane would be run down the edge. Of course this refers to
cheap doors in competition in regard to price with the present mortice system of
construction. It will likewise be noticed that the space 3 offers immense advantages
for making the door burglar proof without unsightlyness by simple adding a lining
on the inner face of the outer part 1 or even an increased number of strips of hoop
iron than those shown at Figure 16 placed over the styles and panels by short screws

page_text: would be quite effective. The extra thickness of the door in opening out of the
rebate in the frame would be compensated for by slightly bevelling its edge to the
circumference of the dotted line as shewn at Figure 15 v being the centre of
the pivot of the hinge.
In adapting my principle of ventilation to existing buildings where it is desirable
to utilize the present doors I simply treat them as shewn at Figures 9 and 10 where
the outer part 1 is added to the present, door W which becomes or remains the inner
part 2 without interference with the internal appearance or painting in any way.
The air may in this case be admitted through a slot n' cut through the lintel N or a
series of slots or round holes bored on the slant will answer the same purpose. The
entrance of the air may be regulated by a simple lath or metal door X Figure 9 hung
on pivots to open as per dotted lines there shown or in the space 3 as illustrated at
Figure 13 in broken off section where the door X is also pivotted at ' and is lifted to
the position shown by the dotted lines by the lever or slide which may be operated
by the finger in a small slot inside the inner face 1 of the door.
It will be evident that shafts inay be constructed on the sides of the doors of metal
say round or oblong or of an ornamental shape and of any width either from sheet
metal or match boarding without extending the full width of the door as in the cases
illustrated through I prefer them the full width and the capacity to be as large as
possible. It will also be evident that the air may be drawn first into an Outer Hall
or room by this means or other means and then admitted therefrom into the inner
public or bed rooms as explained or the air may be drawn direct from the outside by
tubes or other means under the floor to near the entrance of inner doors.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
First The improvements in ventilating by which a current of air is admitted
through a hollow door which acts a shaft in creating a current and distributing the
same in the upper portion thereof whether the air be drawn direct from the outside of
the building or from an anti-chainber such as an entrance hall substantially as and for
the purpose herein set forth.
Second-In ventilating of buildings the construction and use of doors having two
distinct thicknesses 1. and 2 as shown by Figures 1 to 8 and 16 and 17 substantially as
set forth and shown upon the drawings.
Third-In ventilating buildings the adaptation of existing doors for ventilating
shafts by the additions of an extra thickness thereto substantially as herein set forth
and shown by Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.
Fourth In ventilating buildings the formation of tubes or shafts upon the doors
thereof substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Fifth: The improvements in ventilating herein set forth and illustrated upon the
accompanying drawings by Figures 1 to 17 inclusivo.
1887