Patent GB-404679-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in incubators
IPC: A01K41/00
Filed: 1932-04-14
Abstract: 404,679. Hatching-appliances. BRAIN, A. H., Visol Laboratories, Great Barr, and TIMMINS, F. G., 204, Spon Lane, both in West Bromwich. April 14, 1932, No. 10677. [Class 5 (ii).] An incubator comprises an incubating compartment 7 in which are arranged in superposed relationship a plurality of egg trays 10 or groups of trays, a shaft 14 mounted horizontally within said compartment, said egg trays being carried by a supporting frame or member 11 mounted for limited movement around said shaft whereby the trays carried by said frame may be tilted, means for restraining the frame in certain definite positions within said compartment, a plurality of mixing members 18 mounted on said shaft and spaced along the length thereof for rotation therewith, and means for rotating the shaft whereby said mixing members may be rotated with respect to said trays. The frame 11 is supported on the shaft 14 by ball bearings located in bearing plates 15 secured to the frame by diagonals 16 and an arm 25 is secured thereto by means of bolts 26 outside the path of movement of the blades of the mixing members 18, such arm being provided with a boss 27 secured to an annular sleeve 28 within a sleeve 29, the sleeve 28 being connected to a handle 31, a spring-pressed pawl on which coacts with recesses 34 in a rack 33. The shaft 14 is supported at one end in a ball race 36 in the sleeve 28 and at the other in a race 40, a pulley 37 secured to the shaft being driven from an electric motor through a belt drive 38. The frame 11 comprises tray guides 24 provided with stops at each end, the trays being inserted over the front stops and lowered into position behind them. Each mixing member 18 comprises a central boss 17 to ribs 19 on which four blades are secured, the blades being twisted out of the common plane through the centre lines of the blades and the twisting of the blades of the two mixing members in the incubating compartment being opposed. The incubator also comprises a hatching compartment 8 comprising a fixed frame 20 and a mixing member 18, stops being provided at the rear ends of guides 21 for the trays 22. Individually controlled hit-and-miss ventilators 42, 43, electric heaters 44, 45, 46 controlled by thermostats 47 of the bellows type, a water tray 48 with an adjustable slide 51, Fig. 4, a water tray 55 with or without a control device, doors 67 with glass panels and thermometers on the inside of each door are provided. In a modification, the hatching compartment is disposed below the incubating compartment, the mixing member for the hatching compartment comprising flat blades and being disposed in a narrow compartment at the side of the hatching compartment. As further modifications, the driving motor may be connected to the shaft 14 by means of a belt engaging a pulley near the centre of the shaft ; the blades 18 may be wider near the boss than near the tip, or the twist may be decreased from boss to tip ; and the frame 11 may be completely removable. Both compartments may have a metal lining, the main casing comprising one or more layers of wood with or without intermediate insulating packing.