Flexible cable ion dispenser for treatment zones

Ion dispensing apparatus comprises: PA0 (a) a flexible cable including an elongated metallic core to which voltage is applicable, the cable including a protective sleeve of insulating material on and extending along and about the core, the sleeve defining a wall, PA0 (b) and needles having shanks penetrating through said sleeve wall and extending sidewardly adjacent the core to make electrical contact therewith so as to receive application of said voltage, the needles having tips openly exposed outwardly of the cable to dispense ions into the atmosphere near the cable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to the provision of flexible cable means 
with ion dispensing needles, stringable in zones for treatment of animals, 
edibles and other articles. 
The feeding areas of animals, as for example, poultry (chicken, turkey, 
ducks, etc.) are typically dusty due to the stirring up of dusty litter or 
droppings and feed particles. As a result, fowl become nervous or 
irritated as indicated by increased fluttering, they tend to consume less 
feed, lay fewer eggs and add less weight, creating an economic loss. 
Animals other than fowl are also affected in a similar manner. 
This condition is further aggravated by the production of ammonia gas and 
odors formed by the action of micro-organisms on droppings and in litter 
on the floor, as well as dampness. At 15 p.p.m. ammonia gas in the air can 
be detected by humans; at 50 p.p.m. such gas becomes detrimental to 
poultry health; and the gas becomes toxic at 100 p.p.m. Ammonia gas 
concentration around poultry enclosures is often so high that it will 
cause tear production in human eyes. Many poultry houses are provided with 
air blowers to furnish up to 7 c.f.m. of moving air in order to keep the 
ammonia gas and odor level down. This involves considerable expense for 
blowers and their operation, as well as added heating of such blown air 
drawn from the outside during cold weather. While poultry is specifically 
mentioned, it will be understood that animals other than poultry are 
similarly affected. 
One method and means to overcome the above problem is disclosed in U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,696,791. While of unusual advantage, the manufacturing and 
installation time and cost of that ion dispensing means is higher than 
desirable. 
In addition, there are certain objections and disadvantages associated with 
conventional smoke treatment of consumables such as meat. Among these are 
the length of curing time required for adequate exposure of the meat to 
the smoke which fills the enclosure wherein the meat is supported; the 
cost of hardwood or other fuel required to produce such smoke; and the 
pollution of the outside air to which the smoke is vented. While certain 
proposals have been made toward alleviating these problems, none to my 
knowledge has provided the unusual advantages associated with the present 
invention, as will appear. Among these are reduced smoke exposure time; 
reduced smoke and fuel requirements; greatly reduced pollution; and ease 
of locating in dispensing cables means in smoke treating zones. 
Finally, there is need for low cost, efficient means to induce collection 
of air-borne particles, and to suppress static build-up in certain article 
treating zones (electric parts production, plastic parts or material 
production, paper rolling apparatus, surgical operating rooms, clean room 
assemblies, and circuit board fabrication, etc.). Prior ion dispensing 
devices were not flexible and easily installable to conform the special 
requirements as to product shape, zone size, etc. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a major object of the invention to provide method and apparatus for 
alleviating the above problems, and employing novel apparatus including 
needles carried by a flexible cable. 
Basically, the cable apparatus of the invention comprises: 
(a) a flexible cable including an elongated metallic core to which voltage 
is applicable, the cable including a protective sleeve of insulating 
material on and extending along and about the core, the sleeve defining a 
wall, 
(b) and needles having shanks penetrating through said sleeve wall and 
extending sidewardly adjacent the core to make electrical contact 
therewith so as to receive application of said voltage, the needles having 
tips openly exposed outwardly of the cable to dispense ions into the 
atmosphere near the cable. 
As will appear the needles need only be pushed into a protective sheath 
surrounding a flexible metallic core, so that the sheath holds the needles 
against the core to which high voltage is applied; and needle protective 
devices may be easily installed on the cable sheath. Such a cable may thus 
be strung, with bending, to extend in and around a treatment zone, as for 
example to treat animals, poultry, edibles (as in a smoke house) articles 
such as production parts, paper, film, plastic and plastic foam, to 
suppress static-build-up and air-borne particles, the construction of the 
flexible cable lending itself to rapid, inexpensive installation in 
desired areas and zones to conform to any spacial requirements. 
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the 
details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from 
the following description and drawings, in which:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
In the drawings, a poultry enclosure 10 contains decks 11 between which 
growing poultry 12 are kept in feeding zones 13, with access to feed in 
containers 14. This particular arrangement is illustrative only, and many 
different enclosure and feeding systems may be used, and for animals other 
than poultry. 
The feeding zones characteristically contain airborne particulate matter, 
and there are particle collecting surfaces as at 15 and 16 exposed to the 
zone interiors. As stated, the presence of such air-borne particulate 
matter, stirred by movement of the poultry (or other animals) and by 
moving air, is hazardous and inhibits poultry growth and production. In 
this regard, ammonia gas and odor generated by droppings and urine is a 
further health hazard, and air blower 17 is operative to displace air 
currents via overhead ducting 18 into the zones 13 in an effort to remove 
such gas from zones 13; however, such flowing air stirs up dust particles 
as may originate from the environment and in the feed, further aggravating 
that source of irritation. Air streams leaving the enclosure via suitable 
outlets are indicated at 19. 
In accordance with the invention, ions are dispensed into the zones 13 and 
with density and polarity to induce collection of the air-borne particles 
on the collecting surfaces. In addition, the dispensing step may be 
carried out to travel the ions into contact with air-borne micro-organisms 
and droppings or contaminants in the zone, thereby to inhibit ammonia 
generation and diffusion. Means to dispense ions may advantageously 
comprise one or more cables, indicated at 22, and which are typically 
flexible, and each including an elongated and sidewardly penetratable 
metallic core 23 to which voltage is applicable. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, 
the core may consist of 18-22 gage strands of copper or aluminum, or other 
electrically conductive material. The cable also includes a protective 
sleeve 24 of insulative material on and extending about and along the 
core. The insulative sleeve may for example consist of polypropylene or 
polyethylene. 
The ion dispensing apparatus also includes needles 25 having shanks 25a 
penetrating through the sleeve wall 24a and sidewardly adjacent the core 
to make electrical contact therewith, the needles typically consisting of 
electrically conductive material such as stainless steel, plated with 
copper or gold alloy. The needles, to which voltage is transmitted via the 
cable core have sharp tips 25b openly exposed outwardly of the cable to 
dispense ions into the atmosphere near the cable. As shown, the needles 
are compressively retained by the stretched sleeve in sideward contact 
with the core. This construction avoids need for needle penetration into 
the core. 
In FIGS. 1 and 5, multiple cables 22 are suspended from beams 26 associated 
with enclosure 10, the cables typically extending in parallel relation. 
Ties 27 suspend the cables from the beams, and may consist of NYLON, for 
example, whereby the cables may readily be located to most effective use, 
in the upper interior of zone 13, in the path of air streams 28 so that 
negative ions produced at the needle tips by corona effect are 
electrically repulsed and travel divergently outwardly into the air. One 
useful circuit to provide the voltage source 29 is described in U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,308,344. The decks 11 are typically grounded (i.e. made electrically 
positive) at 30, whereby negatively charged dust particles and 
micro-organisms are electrostatically attracted to deck surfaces. 
Negative ions not only act to substantially reduce (by settling) the 
air-borne particulate matter including micro-organisms, but they also are 
believed to cause celia in the poultry breathing organs to operate 
efficiently thus causing the respiratory system to better filter out any 
particulate matter and micro-organisms remaining in the air. This also 
improves poultry (or animal) health. 
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,696,791, an increase in poultry feeding to 
gain full size within six weeks rather than the normal eight weeks was 
achieved after use of the ion dispensing means and method described, with 
about 2,000 static volts maintained in the air at 13, all other conditions 
remaining the same before and after inclusion of the ion dispensers. 
Higher static volt levels, say up to 4,000 or 5,000 produce even better 
results in terms of rate of weight gain. Good results are obtainable with 
negative supply voltage between 500 and 18,000 or above. Another 
beneficial result is a reduction in the amount of the blown air needed to 
remove ammonia gas. It was also found that good results were obtained when 
voltage delivery to the needles, i.e., ion production, was intermittent, 
i.e., several time periods "on", several periods etc. "off", etc. It has 
been found that negative ions produce the best results but both negative 
and positive ions may be dispensed, with negative ions predominating. 
It is clear from FIG. 3 that the needles may be out of alignment lengthwise 
of the cable, although some may be in alignment. Typically, the needles 25 
are located at intervals of between about 2 inches to several feet along 
the cable length; and the core is between about 3/16-1/2 inch in diameter. 
Thus, the flexible cable is adapted to be bent or curved (as at 40 in FIG. 
5) lengthwise to be strung about the zone 13 as desired. According1y, the 
cable is bent or curved as at 40 and 40a to conform with a desired 
relation within the zone forming means (such as a housing) to produce 
sufficient ions to suppress dust particles and ammonia. 
FIG. 1 also shows a static voltage sensor 50 in zone 13, and connected in 
feed-back relation at 51 to a control device 52 for the voltage generator 
29, and operating to control the voltage level or "on-off" or other output 
parameter of 29 so as to maintain desired static voltage level at 13. 
Additional advantages of the invention include: 
(1) reduced cost of materials; 
(2) increased ion output due to needles not being enclosed; 
(3) reduced cost of installation and maintenance, due to ease of cleaning 
of needles, as by a brush; 
(4) random location of needles along and about a cable axis; 
(5) ease of installation of the needles on the cable as by pushing them 
through the sleeve so as to be held adjacent the core of the sleeve. 
FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate one form of protective means on the cable and 
projecting outwardly thereof proximate the needles in protective relation 
with the tips. As shown, the protective means comprises tubular elements 
90 extending about the needles and having resiliently spreadable slits 
accommodating their application to the cable. See for example the plastic 
tubular bodies 90a sized to fit about the cable when slits or slits 90b 
are spread apart, the slits located in opposite walls 91. The latter 
define openings 91a to pass the cable. Accordingly, the user is protected 
against shocks from touching the needle tips, and the needle tips are 
protected against blunting by contact against solid objects. FIGS. 4c and 
4d shows modified protective means in the form of plastic flanges 93 and 
94 on the cable at axially opposite sides of each needle, and extending in 
plane generally normal to the cable length or axis. The flanges project 
radially outwardly beyond the needle tips as to the protectors 91. Each 
flexible annular flange may be slit as at 94a to accommodate its 
application to the cable. The flange inner diameter is approximately the 
same as the cable outer diameter. 
In FIG. 6, a smoke house or enclosure 140 contains a support such as a 
metallic rack or grate 41 on which bodies of meat (or other consumables) 
42 are supported. The rack may be suitably electrically grounded, as 
indicated at 43; alternatively, the smoke house walls 44 may be grounded, 
and the metallic rack or grate connected to such walls. The house also 
typically includes a roof 45 and a floor 46, and means such as fans or 
other apparatus may be located in the interior zone 48 to cause smoke to 
thoroughly circulate about the meat bodies for intimate contact therewith. 
Smoke may be delivered to the interior 48 as via a duct 49 with outlets 150 
spaced along the floor, i.e. beneath the rack 41, so that smoke rises 
under and toward the meat. A suitable smoke source is indicated at 151, 
connected with duct 49. Outlet 53 from zone 48 serves to deliver excess 
smoke to the exterior via damper valve 152. In the past, such excess smoke 
escape was considered objectionable, as constituting a source of 
pollution, as well as a cost item. 
Electrically charged ions are dispersed or dispensed into the smoke 
particles, with the ion charge causing the smoke particles to be attracted 
onto the consumables or edibles, such as the meat. In this regard, the 
ions typically carry negative charge, which is imparted to the smoke 
particles causing them to be attracted to the meat, the latter initially 
having an electrical charge or charges which is or are more positive than 
that of the dispersed ions. Thus, for example, the meat may be effectively 
grounded because of its contact with grounded grate or rack 41. 
In FIG. 6 the smoke is dispersed into a lower region 48a of zone 48 below 
the edibles, to rise in currents 58 against the undersides of the meat 
bodies, and between the meat bodies, into the upper region 58b of zone 18 
wherein the ions are dispersed. As a result, the smoke particles in zone 
58b then are attracted back downwardly toward and onto the meat, whereby 
the meat becomes effectively smoke treated much more rapidly than in the 
past where ion treatment was not employed. 
The means to disperse charged ions (see broken lines 59) into the smoke is 
shown to include cables 22 as previously described, in FIGS. 1-5, and 
which are strung or hung to extend generally horizontally and in upper 
zone 18b above the meat or edibles. Such cables include ion dispensing 
needle tips 25b as described. A power source at 61 for delivering high 
voltage to the cable core and the needles and tips may be as disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,344. Between 2,000 and 50,000 volts DC are typically 
applied to the tips. Cable supports appear at 26 and 27. 
Inasmuch as the smoke particles are attracted to the meat or edibles, very 
little if any excess smoke requires venting at outlet 53, smoke pollution 
is effectively eliminated, and minimum smoke is required, saving expense. 
Also, the smoke treatment time for the edibles is minimized. 
In FIG. 7, the smoke source is shown to comprise wood chips above burners, 
each burner and chip unit being indicated at 64. Rising smoke is indicated 
at 65. 
Referring to FIG. 8 smoke house or enclosure 70 contains means supporting 
multiple edibles 71, such as meat for example. The support means is shown 
as a metallic carriage 72 with metal supports 72a for the edibles. Smoke 
source 73 delivers liquid smoke or smoke from a wood chip of sawdust or 
other fire, to the carriage traverse zone 74, arrows 75 indicating such 
delivery. Smoke may be produced outside the smoke house and then blown 
into the smoke house. The support means is shown as movably supported on a 
rail 76, and for that purpose wheels or rollers 77 move along the rail, 
wheel support brackets 78 extending under the rail. Upward extensions 79 
of the carriages extend through insulative tubular fittings which extend 
vertically through the bracket extensions 78, and support the carriage 
extensions, as shown. Therefore, the carriages are electrically insulated 
from the rail 76. As another alternative, the rail 76 may be electrically 
insulated from its support structure. These are examples, only. Means to 
advance the supports 72 to the left, as indicated by arrows 76a, may 
include a pull line 177 attached to the supports, or other means. 
Means is provided to disperse charged ions into the smoke and into zone 74, 
with the ions carrying an electrical charge of a polarity causing smoke 
particles to be attracted to the edibles. Such means is indicated at 22, 
and take the form of the flexible cable with needle tips previously 
described. The cable 22 is easily strung to extend back and forth in the 
enclosure interior, with suitable bends, as previously described, all for 
the purpose of providing sufficient ions to treat the edibles. Cable 
supports appear at 27. A cable power source is seen at 62. Vertical cable 
appears at 22a. 
Means is also provided for maintaining the edibles at an electrical 
potential or potentials aiding attraction of the smoke particles to the 
edibles, for enhancing efficiency of smoke deposition, whereby less smoke 
delivery is needed (less smoke is wasted), the exposure time duration of 
the edibles to the smoke streams is reduced; and less pollution of air 
escaping to the interior results. Such means takes the form of structure 
electrically grounding the edibles, as via the supports 72 for example. 
Thus, an electrically conductive metallic cable 80 is advantageously 
employed, and is clipped into firm contact with the metallic supports 72 
via alligator clips 81. The cable itself travels along with the supports 
by virtue of its suspension therefrom, and it may be grounded as by 
connection to a slack return line 83 connected at 82 to the return or 
"ground" terminal of the power circuitry 62. The latter terminal is 
typically positive if the ions dispensed are of negative polarity. Line 83 
is slack so as to be free to travel with cable 80 as the latter travels 
along its looping path. Other type ground connections to cable 80 may be 
employed. 
Examples of meat bodies and other edibles to be smoked are sausage, pork, 
ham, frankfurters, bacon, beef, chicken, turkey, fish, etc., others also 
being treatable. 
The invention reduces the amount of wood smoke required on the product, and 
thereby reduces the bitter taste caused by tar and reduces possible cancer 
forming agents deposited on the product by smoke. Also, smoke pollution 
near smoke houses is reduced, and the need for pollution control equipment 
is thereby reduced. 
FIG. 9 shows an enclosure 90 containing a treatment zone 91 wherein 
articles such as electronic parts, or plastic parts 92 are located. 
Apparatus 93 may process such parts and such processing may cause static 
charge build-up which can result in arcing and consequent hazardous fires 
or flames due to combustibility of plastic, etc. Flexible cable means 22 
as previously described, with projecting needles 25 and associated tips, 
is strung in the zone 91, as for example above the parts 92. High voltage 
applied from a source 96 to the cable core causes ion production which 
neutralizes the static build-up, and also causes collection of air-borne 
dust particles on enclosure surfaces, so that arcing is suppressed. A 
second flexible cable 22c having needles 25c may be strung in parallel 
with but spaced from cable 22, as indicated, above the work 92. Positive 
high voltage may be applied to the needles of one cable and negative high 
voltage to the needles of the other cable (see the + and - terminals of 
source 96). It is found that the combined effect of the ions very 
efficiently and assuredly suppresses arcing otherwise due to either 
positive or negative charge static build-up on the articles 92. The 
needles are typically about 3 to 4 inches apart along the cable. 
Paper, filose and other objects may be similarly threaded and parts 92 
represent these objects.