IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING BUILDINGS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED TORDERAD
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Edwin Villiers, of Westminster Bridge Road,
Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VENTILATING BUILDINGS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
TORDERAD"
Sealed the 4th June 1878, and dated the 4th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Edwin Villiers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th December 1877.
ROBERT EDWIN VILLIERS, of Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING BUILDINGS, AND IN THE MEANS OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
This Invention relates to the ventilation of buildings, such as music halls, public
halls, churches, or chapels, concert rooms, theatres, palaces, and other buildings and
places of assembly, such as aquariumns, skating rinks, billiard rooms, baths, and the
like, in which great numbers of persons are wont to assemble or congregate.
The Invention has for its especial object the adaptation, provision, and application
of means which will allow of a large space in the roofs or ceilings or upper portions
of buildings being easily and quickly uncovered when the weather permits for the
purpose of speedily freeing the interiors of the buildings from heated gases, unhealthy
vapours, or the fumes of tobacco or other smoke and vitiated air contained therein,
and which are allowed quick escape through the said large space in the 100f, ceiling,
or upper part of the building, thus effectually ventilating the building; at the same
time there is no danger of any excess of down draught, the constant upward and
outward passage of so large a volume of heated air from within preventing this,
and forming a perfect means of ventilation, inducing an agreeable circulation of
fresh air within the building, rendering the interior much cooler and more healthy
to the occupants. Such an arrangement will also afford an agreeable and altogether
novel prospect and appearance to those within the building, and will afford a
most important advantage to firemen and others in case of fire, as they will be

page_text: enabled to see into all parts of the building, and the more readily direct the hose
and a copious supply of water where most required.
In carrying my Invention into practice I connect the opposite side or end walls
of the building (when of a large size) by two or more main girders, which I connect
by two, four, or more transverse or cross girders; these (except the centro pair) I
likewise connect (in pairs or otherwise) by other guders running at right angles to
them, and parallel with the main girders, and this structure I firmly brace together
by diagonal ties connected to the walls of the building at their junction with the
main girders. Parallel with the main girders, and connected with all the said
transverse girders connecting the main girders, I also arrange two longitudinal
girders, on each of which I lay a continuous rail. This arrangement constitutes a
very rigid and strong framework, forming part of the ceiling or roof, and the under
part of which may be decorated and ornamented according to taste, the centre
rectangular opening or space between the main girders and centre pair of transveise
girders connecting them being completely open between the said transverse girders
and the said longitudinal or rail carrying girders, but the corners of this rectangular
opening or space may be further strengthened by diagonal or rounded angle irons and
struts, so as to make the said central opening of an elliptical or rounded oblong shape.
This opening is covered (when not required to be uncovered for the purposes of the
Invention or in inclement weather) by a similarly shaped removable superstructure,
dome, or roof, which is mounted upon wheels, and runs along the said rails. This
superstructure may be constructed with a strong but light surrounding curb of sheet
and angle iron, endways from which rises a central longitudinal angle iron, and
sideways from which also rise two, three, or a series of transverse or cross angle
irons, which at their junctions with the longitudinal angle iron are connected there-
with. These angle irons afford a support to a series of sashes, which may be glazed
as required.
The curb at one side carries a platform, standards rising from which carry an
arrangement of bevel gearing, which can be actuated by a handle worked by a man
standing on the platform, or in any other convenient place This gearing is situated
centrally of and actuates a shaft running longitudinally of the curb, and on the ends
of which are fixed carrying wheels, which run along the rails, and carry the super-
structure with it, the other corners thereof being also provided with similar carrying
wheels which also run along the rails.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Edwin Villiers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th June 1878.
ROBERT EDWIN VILLIERS, of Westminster Bridge Road, Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING BUILDINGS, AND IN THE MEANS OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREFOR.'
37
This Invention relates to the ventilation of buildings, such as music and public
halls, churches or chapels, concert rooms, theatres, palaces, and other buildings and
places of assembly, such as billiard rooms, aquariums, skating rinks, baths, and the
like, in which great numbers of persons are wont to assemble or congregate, and
the Invention has for its especial object the utilization of such means as will allow
of a large space or spaces in the roof or ceiling of any such building being easily and
quickly uncovered when the weather permits, for the purpose of freeing the interior
of the building from all the heated or unhealthy gases, vapors, and fumes and the
vitiated air therein, and which are allowed quick escape through the space or spaces
in the roof or ceiling, thus effectually ventilating the building, and preventing the
oppressive feeling experienced in most theatres, halls, and similar places of public
resort as at present ventilated, and without the inconvenience of any excess of down
draught, the constant upward and outward passage of so large a volume of heated
air from within preventing this, and developing a perfect system of ventilation,
inducing an agreeable circulation of fresh air within the building, rendering tho
interior much cooler and more healthy to the occupants. Such an arrangement will
also afford an agreeable and altogether novel prospect and appearance to those
within the building, and would be of advantage to firemen in case of fire, as they
would be enabled to see into all parts of the building, and the more readily direct
the hose and a copious supply of water where most required.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be completely under-
stood I have annexed hereunto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, and
have marked the same with figures of reference corresponding with those in tho
following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
In carrying the Invention into practice, and adapting it to buildings of large
span, such for example as music halls, where the opening in the ceiling and roof is
required to be of a large size, I find the following construction both suitable and
convenient for forming the framing of and adjacent to the space or opening, and
upon which the movable or sliding roof (which I adapt and use as the means of
covering and uncovering such opening as required and as the weather permits) rests
and travels; though I desire it to be distinctly understood that the arrangement
of framing I am now about to describe is by no means arbitrary, though it is very
convenient for buildings of a large span. For buildings with comparatively small
spans much more simple systems of framing may very conveniently be applied and
with great advantage as regards economy of cost.
In Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings is shown in plan view a system of framing
which I have found very suitable and convenient for music halls and other buildings
of large span. According to this arrangement I connect the opposite side or end
walls 1 of the building by two or more main girders 2, which I connect by two,
four, or more transverse or cross girders 3; these (except the centre pair) I likewise
connect (in pairs or otherwise) by other girders 4 running at right angles to them,
and parallel with the girders 2, and this structure I firmly brace together by
diagonal ties 5 connected to the walls 1 at their junctions 6 with the girders 2, and
to the girders 2 at their junctions 7 with the centre pair of girders 3. Parallel with
the girders 2, and connected with all the girders 3, I also arrange two longitudinal
girders 8, on each of which I lay and secure a continuous rail 9. This arrangement

page_text: constitutes a very ligid and strong framework, forming part of the ceiling or roof,
and the under part of which may be decorated and ornamented according to taste,
the centre rectangular opening or space 10 between the girders 8 and the centro
pair of girders 3 being completely open, but the corners of this rectangular opening
or space may be further strengthened by any convenient arrangement of diagonal
or rounded angle irons and struts, which however to avoid confusion are not shown
on the accompanying Drawings, and the said corners may be rounded off, as shown,
so as to make the opening or space 10 of an elliptical or rounded oblong or other
suitable form.
In a more simple system of framing many of these girders may be dispensed with,
and their arrangement greatly varied, the main objects being to form in the ceiling
and roof a sufliciently large opening to attain the object in view, and to provide a
sufficiently strong framing for the removable or sliding roof to rest and travel upon,
and which will allow of the said sliding roof being easily moved over or from the
said space or opening as desired, or as the weather permits.
As an instance of a more simple arrangement of the framing suitable for buildings
of large span, the girders 8 may be dispensed with, and the rails 9 laid along and
secured to the girders 2; the ties 5 may also be dispensed with.
The opening or space 10 is covered (when not required to be uncovered for the
purposes of the Invention or in inclement weather) by a larger but similarly shaped
removable superstructure, dome, or roof 11, which is mounted upon travelling wheels
12, which rest on and run along the rails 9. This superstructure is illustrated on
the accompanying Drawings, in Figures 2 to 4, of which Figure 2 represents a
longitudinal elevation, showing the same surmounting the opening 10 formed by the
framing illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 represents a plan view drawn to a larger
scale; and Figure 4, a sectional elevation of part theroof (and of the above described
framing) drawn to a still larger scale to render the construction more easily under-
stood.
According to the modification illustrated in these Figures the superstructure or
auxiliary dome or sliding roof 11 is constructed with a strong but light surrounding
curb 13 of sheet and angle iron, endways from which rises a central longitudinal
angle iron 14, and sideways from which also rise two, three, or a series of transvorse
or cross angle irons 15, which at their junctions 16 with the angle iron 14 are con-
nected therewith. These angle irons afford a support for a series of sashes 24, which
may be glazed as required.
The curb 13 at one side carries a platform 17, standards 18 rising from which or
from the curb 13, as illustrated in Figure 5, carry an arrangement of bevil gearing
19, which can be actuated by a handle 20 worked by a man standing on the
platform 17, or in any other convenient place This arrangement of gearing (which
may be superseded by any other suitable arrangement) is situated centrally of and
actuates a shaft 21 1unning longitudinally of the curb 13, and which carries at its
ends toothed wheels 22, which gear into other wheels 23 affixed to carrying wheels
12 on shafts 25 carried by the curb, and by diaphragms 26; or the wheels 12 may
be arranged on the shaft 21, which is bushed at 27. By these means, when the
handle 20 is turned, the wheels 12 carrying the auxiliary roof 11 run along the
rails 9, and carry the superstructure 11 with it, the other corners thereof being also
provided with similar carrying wheels 12, which also run along the rails 9
The shaft 21 may be actuated from within the building, or from any convenient
station or point, by chain or other suitable gearing, so that the sliding roof may be
moved to, over, or from the opening or space 10 at a moment's notice.
The sliding 100f 11 is shown on the annexed Drawings of a rounded oblong
shape, but it may be formed otherwise than as above described, and of any other
desired shape.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim, the ventilation of public and
private buildings by the formation or construction of a special opening or space in

page_text: the ceiling or roof, and the utilization of the above-described sliding roof, or modifi-
cations thereof, for the purposes of covering and uncovering the said space or
opening, substantially as above described and as illustrated on the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Edwin Villiers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ROBERT EDWIN VILLIERS. (LS.)