Improvements in Incubators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1899
Improvements in Incubators.
I, SAMUEL DUCKERING, 9, Theodore Terrace, Margate. Road, Ramsgate, Kent, .
Surgeon, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The nature of this invention is to make improvements in incubators, especially in
the "Air Incubator" Patent, Specification No. 24961 A.D. 1896 by the addition of
newly invented parts, by the omission of some parts and by modifications alterations
and rearrangements of other parts.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification of which the accom-
panying two sheets of drawings form a part in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the incubator.
Fig. 1 a similar view of a half size incubator with part of the heating apparatus
outside the case.
.
Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through flue, air chamber and other parts,
the dotted lines showing an alternative way of placing part of the heating apparatus
outside the case.
Fig. 3 view from above giving outlines of water troughs.
Fig. 4 cross vertical section on the line 3, 3, Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 view showing moveable "eyes" and fillets, and
Fig. 5 cross section of Fig. 5 on the line T, T.
The incubator consists of three main parts: The first part the heating and moisture
supplying apparatus; the second the air enclosing case; and the third part, the
regulator of the temperature.
The first part: A lamp g Fig. 1 or other heating device is placed below the
case A B and is provided with a metallic tubular flue Fig. 2 c this flue passes upwards
through the case to the damper c the lower end of the flue is of a diameter to fit an
ordinary lamp, the upper end of the flue at damper o' is a little larger in diameter.
The flue adjacent to the lamp is provided with a transparent cover whereby the
flame of the lamp may be seen; From the flue o in the oblong heating chamber a¹
a branch flue c¹ is joined at right angles and passes longitudinally inside the heating
chamber a near to its farther end, then passes upwards through the top of the
heating chamber and through the top of the case c² A moveable perforated cap c
is placed on the top end of flue c to regulate the draught of air through the flue;
the diameter of this branch flue is the same throughout and is the same diameter as
the main flue c at its junction in the air chamber a¹.
When the damper c is closed down over the flue the whole of the heated Bir
from the lamp or other heating device passes up the main flue c to its junction with
the branch flue of then through the branch flue and through the perforated
cap: When the dumper c is raised from the flue c the heated air passes up and
out of the main flue c o³.
The air or heating chamber consists of a metallic vertical tube Fig. 5 na little
larger in diameter than the flue c, free at its lower end and securely joined at its
upper end to the underside of the horizontal oblong case a¹, the oblong part of the
air chamber a is a metallic case, rectangular in form and closed at the ends. At

page_text: the sides as clearly shown in Fig. 5 and in cross section on line T T Fig. 5ª is a
strip of metal a' having a sliding movement between two fillets as which are made
fast to the sides of the case.
In the sides of the oblong air chamber where they are not covered by the sliding
piece of metal a and in the sliding piece of metal a are ont semicircular holes
about two inches apart and each of which is about one half inch in diameter, the said
holes are formed by cutting semi circular slots in the walls of the air chamber and
in the sliding piece of metal and turning the flaps thus formed outwardly, the middle
hole is formed horizontally and others on each side thereof are gradually turned
until the last holes on each of the air chamber are arranged vertically; The middle
hole and one two or more on each side thereof, according to the size of the
incubator, are made in the sliding piece of metal a; circular holes of the same
diameter are to be cut in the walls of the air chamber a' (dotted_circles)
corresponding to the semicircular holes in the sliding piece of metal a'. When the
two sets of holes correspond fall carreuts of dry air pass from the air ohamber
through these holes. When the sliding piece of metal a7 is moved and the said holes
do not correspond or only partially so the currents of air are cut off or diminished
in size, when more air is forced through the burred holes in the bottom of the air
case and more watery vapour is taken up from the wator in the lower water
troughs dd. In this way the moisture in the air in the incubator can be
regalated.
In the underside or bottom of the oblong air chamber al are punched five
longitudinal rows of holes about one eighth of an inch in diameter and about half
an inch a part, the burr to be left outwardly Fig. 2 10 and cross section
Fig. 4 aa The middle row Fig. 4 ¹ plays between the two lower water
troughs d d; on each side of this middle row are two other rows ao playing over
the two lower water troughs d din Fig. 2 is clearly shown the burred holes a¹º
over the water trough ; at all the holes are to be one inch apart.
In the half size incubator only one side of the oblong case has the "eyes" made
in it, and two rows of burred holes a playing over one lower water trough d and
the middle row of holes a Fig. 4 and one upper water trough d.
In large incubators two or more complete sets of the heating and moisture
supplying apparatus and regulators of the temperature may be enclosed in one
outer case, the top cover being modified and arranged as to give access to the
egg trays.
The second part, the outer or air enclosing case, which may be of any desired
size and is rectangular in form Fig. 1 and Fig. 1. The top or cover is composed
of a transverse plate A which is firmly secured to the case A. Through openings
cut in this plate the flues of c project; dap lids A are hinged A to this transverse
plate, and when opened are checked by the blocks A" and when down are secured
by catches A: In the lower part of case circular holes B' about one quarter of
an inch in diameter and about four inches apart are made on all sides, below these
another row of holes B³ one half inch in diameter, alternating with those in the row
above; or one row may be made in the sides and one row through the bottom of
the case.
In the half size incubators one row of holes only is required and this row may be
made either through the sides or through the bottom of the case.
The egg trays are made in sections and removeable, placed transversely in the
case, supported by cleats or strips secured to the walls of the outer case Figs. 2, 4.
The trays are perforated or provided with suitable openings to permit the free
circulation of air therethrough: the inner surface of the case may be coated with
paraffin wax, worked in with hot irons.
T'he upper part of the case, especially above the egg trays and the top cover may
be made double and packed with felt, paper or other suitable material to retard the
radiation of heat from the inside of the case.
The outer case is supported on legs of any desired length or make.

page_text: A thermometer passes through a hole out in the outer case Fig. 1 'A' which is
designed to register the exact temperature inside the outer case, at all times.
The flues c and branch flue c¹ are enclosed in the air chamber Fig. 5.a a¹: the
branch flue el resting on cross strips made fast to the sides of the air
chamber a¹.
The whole is then placed transversely in the outer case Fig. 2 supported at the
ends by strips or cleats made fast to the outer case: the flues of c project through
the transverse plate A'; the vertical part of the air chamber with flue enclosed
passes through openings cut in the egg tray and in the bottom of the outer case to
the lamp g.
Part of the heating apparatus as shown in Fig 1 and in Fig. 2, dotted lines, may
be placed outside the outer case, then an opening is cut in the side of the outer case
for the air chamber to pass through.
The metallic oblong water troughs are placed, the two lower troughs d* d* partly
under the air chamber a', the two upper done on each side of the oblong air
chamber a supported by transverse and cross strips resting npon cleats or strips
made fast to the outer case as clearly shown in Figs. 4, 8 and 2.
The third part or regulator of the temperature, on a spur projecting from the
supporting strips of the water troughs is placed a metallic capsule charged with
ether and hermetically sealed Fig. 4 C. A rod, lower end resting upon centre
of the capsule, the upper end provided with screw nut and washor passes through a
strip D, which strip is at one end E hinged to wall of outer case A the other end
passing through a guide F fixed to transverse plate A¹, to the air chamber: on the
upper part of this strip near its inner end is inade fast a metal plate D*, and this
metallic plate projects beyond the strip and rests upon the oblong part of the
air chamber af: a second rod stands on this metallic plate and projects through a
hole made in the transverse plate A, the upper end of the rod passing into a
threaded hole in the beam above in which works the screw i.
A balancing beam hinged at Fig. 2 h to the transverse plate A² extends somewhat
obliquely and transversely over the incubator to the flue o³. The beam is provided
with two weights one larger and one smaller k¹, a screw i with milled head works
in a threaded hole near the hinge h. A wire is coiled round the beam over the
flue c with hook from which is suspended the damper o*.
In the half size incubators the rod from the capsule may pass direct to the balancing
beam, or the metallic plate D* may be hinged to the outer case and pass over the
air chamber to the rod from the capsule C.
Action of the regulator-the weight k is adjusted to nearly balance the beam with
small weight and damper o on the hinge h. The screw nut and washer on the
rod standing upon the expanding ether capsule C is adjusted to slightly raise the
hinged strip D when the temperature in the egg chamber approaches the degree
required; then when the degree of temperature in the egg chamber has been
obtained the milled sorew i is adjusted so that any further expansion of the ether
capsule by heat will work through the rod, strip D, plate D³ and rod to mille d
screw i, in this way raising the beam and damper of the hot air from the lamp will
rush out of the main flue c beneath the raised damper e instead of passing through
the branch flue c: any increase in the temperature in the egg chamber is in this
way prevented the damper closes down again by its own weight when the ether
capsule contracts. The small weight k¹ can be moved along the beam either way to
compensate for the increased or decreased pressure of the air upon the capsule.
It is evident that changes in and modifications of the construction herein
described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or
sacrificing its advantages.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The alterations and modifications in the long metallic flus c c c by the

page_text: addition of the new part e with damper c' and the slight tapering of the flue c'e
from the damper e' to the lamp g, or other heating device; and by the addition of
the moveable cap c to regulate the draught of the air through the flue.
2. The diameter of the vertical part of heating chamber a to be the same its
whole length; the closed ends of the oblong part of heating chamber a¹, the
opening cut in top side for the flue c³ to pass through and the burred holes a¹ a¹¹ alt
in the underside.
3. Making the middle" eyes" in the sliding piece of metal a working between the
two fillets a³, and the circular holes in the sides of the air chamber corresponding to
the " eyes "in the sliding piece of metal a³.
4. The number and position of the oblong water troughs, the two lower
troughs d d being placed partly under the oblong air chamber a³, the two upper
troughs d d being placed one on either side of the air chamber a¹ as clearly shown
in section Fig. 4.
5. The outer case, the openings for the flues to pass through, the check
blocks A for the lids and the hole for the rod working the balancing beam to pass
through.
6. The size of the upper row of holes B' and the alternative way of making the
lower row of holes B³ through the bottom of the case.
7. The position of the ether expansion box C the hinged slip of wood D working
the balancing beam by two rods, Fig. 4.
8. The whole machine as modified, altered rearranged and added to by the
newly invented parts fully described in this specification.
Dated this 2nd day January 1899.