US355116A - Egbert slade ash - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)-

B. s. ASH;

VENTILATING SEWERS, BRAINS, MINES; 110sPImLs, sz .v No. 355,116. Patented Dec. 28, 1886.

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UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT SLADE ASH, OF VILLA DE LA RIVA, MON AGO.

VENTILATING SEWERS', DRAINS, 'MINES, HOSPITALS, 81.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,116, dated December 28, 1886.

Application filed October 28, 1886. Serial No. 217,392. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT SLADE AsH, residing at Villa de la Riva, in the Principality of Monaco, dentist, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Apparatus for Ventilating Sewers, Drains, Mines, Hospitals,

and other Structures or Places, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel system or method of ventilation for sewers, drains, mines, hospitals, workshops, and other structures or places by means of the ignition and explosion of gas or any other suitable explosive substances or compounds, brought about at determined points or situations.

My invention further relates to means or apparatus for bringing about the explosion.

All systems of ventilation at present in use such as fans or blowers, suctionpumps, fires, &c.--produce a regular and continuous draft of air. The air is renewed chiefly in the drain galleries or rooms near the fan or blower; but if there be openings, (shafts, chimneys, windows, 810..) which allow the entry of the exterior air, this air will replace the air exhausted by the fan, blower, or fire. gases and air contained in the localities farthest away will remain stagnant and will not be set in movement, and the gases will become concentrated and dangerous. Such is not the case with my system. The explosion of an explosive mixture brought about in a ventilating shaft, pit, or any other suitable place, produces asudden vacuum and setsin brisk movement the whole strata of air and gas, even those distant from the point where the explosion is produced. Even in the case of. ventilators or openings in the sewers for the purpose of ventilation, and placed in proximity to the ventilating-shaft, it would be impossible that air could enter quickly enough to replace that suddenly exhausted by the explosion, and the shock would thus take effect in all the sewers, drains, galleries, 850., in communication with the ventilating-shaft.

I proceed with reference to the accompanying drawing to described my invention as applied to a sewer.

A is the sewer, which is provided with a shaft, B, made of brick-work, sheet or cast iron, or other material. This shaft B commu- It follows that the nicates with the sewer A by means of an opening, 0, contrived in the crown or other part thereof. In this shaft, and opposite a manhole, D, therein, I place in a vertical position a cylinder or chamber, a, provided at top and at bottom with valves 1) 0, opening upward.

These valves are weighted, as shown, so as to close instantly at the desired moment. Into the lower part of this cylinder or chamber a lighting-gas or any other suitable gas or explosive vapor is admitted through the pipe d; which is brought from the main or other suitable supply. This pipe is provided witha tap, d Opposite an orifice or port, 6, in the cylinder or chamber, burns a jet of gas, f, the burner of which is provided with a tap, and the gas is supplied to this burner by the service-pipe d, which is a branch of the .main pipe cl. This jet of gas is protected from the force of the explosion by any suitable means, such as doors or flaps g. The gas entering from the pipe 12 rises in the cylinder or chamber and forms, with the air contained in this latter, an explosive mixture, which, on filling theupper part of the cylinder or chamber, explodes on reaching the orifice or port 6 opposite the gas-jet. The explosion thus produced raises the valve b at the top of the cylinder and drives out suddenly with great force the whole column of air in the shaft contained above the cylinder. The valve 0 instantly closes on the explosion taking place, and prevents the flame igniting the gas in the main. The vacuum which is thus created produces a brisk draft of air, which sets in movement the whole of the strata of air or of mephitic gas in the sewer. The vacuum created above the shaft by the explosion also produces a suction, which continues for alimited time,according to the force of the explosion. At the expiration of a certain time a fresh explosion takes place, and the same effect is produced. The interval of time between the explosions can be regulated at not require any supervision. In place, how" ever of asI ma use un owder or other explosive substance or compound, and efl'ect the explosion of same by electricity, by a timefuse, or by other suitable means. In mines the gases there-such as fire-damp-may even be utilized to produce partial explosions in the ventilating-shafts, and thus establish ventilation.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The method herein specified of withdrawing air and gases from sewers and other structures to be ventilated, consisting in exploding gases or other substances periodically within a vessel the mouth of which opens in the direction in which the ventilating-current is to be set up and maintained, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the sewer or other structure to be Ventilated, of a vessel to receive explosive material and having its mouth opening in the direction in which the ventilating-current is to be set up and maintained, and means, substantially as specified, for igniting the explosive material, as set forth. 25

3. The combination, with a ventilating-column, of a vessel to receive explosive gases, a valve at the top tobe opened by the force of the explosion, a supply-pipe for the gas and a valve over the same closing by the explosion, 0 and a light to ignite the gases, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. x

ROBERT SLADE ASH.

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