Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-10-13
Carving Pure Afr In A Knspsaek.

AaffltbK fHTe ar W hHapsafk.
Successful experiments have been
carried on by Mr. Warrington Smytbe,
1t the New Seaharn colliery, near New
castle, England, with what js termed
the Fienss breathing apparatus. The
importance Of this invention will at
once be apparent to those who are in
any way acquainted with the risks from
gudocation run by frcmen and those
employed under ground, where poison
ous fumes are 30 liable TO break forth
and suffocate those who may be subject
to them. With the aid of the Fleuss
machine men can work without danger
under all these mimical conditions.
The apparatus has the size and shape
Of a soldiers knapsaek, its principal /.
portion being case of sheet copper,
twelve inches long, twelve inches wide,
and two and half inches deep. The
case is internally divided into four lon
gitudinal compartments, fitted up so as
to secure the complete circulation
Nl4AbHEA tASAA VI tAg HAl tuAt l4e6 Dttu
robbed OF its oxygen by passage through
the lungs. Each compartment is fitted
with small cubes of india rubber sponge,
coated with specially prepared caustic
soda. The air that passes from the
lungs of the man fitted with the ip-
parAtus passes through one side Of a
mouthpiece and down the correspond
ing short length of pipe over his left
shoulder to the first compartment Of the
case.
There ii goes through fnely-bal-
anced valve, which gives way 10 the
softest breath passing from the mouth,
but is immovable to anything from the
inside of the case. The partition OF the
iirst compartment fits closely mp to the
top Of the case, but is about one inch
open at the bottom. This arrangement
thus permits the respircd air to pass
down the first chamber and to enter the
second at the bottom. Here it circu-
lates TO the top, where an inch opening
in the next partition gives II passage
into the third compartment, which it
Z descends, TO find a similar outlet at the
bottom into the fourth chamber. Ris-
I ing TO the head of this compartment.
the air thus purified from the delcierious
matter that it has carried from the
lnngs passes through q valve into pipe
laid over the right shoulder Of the oper-
ator. Oxygen is added by means Of
small pipe that runs from the cylinder
at the bottom Of the case, and finds its
opening close to the junction Of the
clean air-pipe and the before mentioned
india rubber bag.
Tbs latter performs the part OF a
reservoir of pure and properly oxygen
aied air. and by its presence the act OF
breathing Is rendered easy and natural.
In fact, the only limit to the space Of
time during which the apparatus
enables the man to move about in the
midst of poisonous gases is the capacity
of the oxygen cylinder and the indi-
vidnals physical ability to carry the
copper knapsaek about with Linn. The
capacity of the cylinders at present in
use is one-fourth of cubic foot. and as
the oxygen is pumped in under pres
sure of sixteen atmospheres, they hold
four cable feet of gas. The supply.
which can be regulated through the
medium Of valve. is calculated to last
for a four hours shift Of work, although
no man employed under such conditions
of danger as require its use is kept at
labor more than three hours.
An essential portion of the apparatus
is the mask, TO which is attached a
mouthpiecc screwed on one side to the
pure-air pipe and india rubber bag, and
on the other to the pipe conveying the
expired air back to the compartment in
the knapsack case--Rubbcy- Era.