Improvements in Incubators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1900
Improvements in Incubators.
I, JOHN MANN, of 8, Shaftesbury Terrace, Shaftesbury Road, Romford, Essex,
Engineer, 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:-
This invention for improvements in incubators has for its object to provide an
improved apparatus for incubation purposes in which the eggs are subjected to a
perfectly uniform heating effect all over without there being any necessity for
turning the egg this latter operation being the cause of so many failures in
incubation. By this arrangement also the air within the incubator is caused to
have a practically constant humidity.
In order that this invention shall be more clearly described reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings on which
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an incubator constructed according to this
invention taken upon the lines A B Fig. 2 and
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the lines C D Fig. 1.
The incubator consists essentially of a double tank construction connected by
tubes for the water circulation. The upper tank A is of a rectangular shape and
is connected by tubes B at each corner, with the lower tank C also of rectangular
shape. The volume of the lower tank C available for water should be about
double that of the upper tank A in order that there shall be a circulation of heat.
Within the lower tank C is a two branched tube D connected by the tube D'
to the flue E above a lamp or other heating arrangement. This tube D allows
for a circulation of the hot air and products of combustion from the lamp within
the water contained in the lower tank C. A small fan F is arranged at the
junction of the tube D' with the tubes and is caused to rotate by the hot air
current from the lamp and assists the circulation of the hot air and products of
combustion. The tube D' allows for the exit of the hot air and products of com-
bustion after they have traversed the tubes D).
Through the lower tank C tubes G are arranged providing a connection from
the one side thereof to the space between the two tanks. Exit pipes H in the
upper portion of the incubator and allow for the exit of hot air after it has
circulated through the incubator. About midway between the upper and lower
tanks A C the egg tray 1 is supported on suitable supports. The bottom of this
tray consists of a layer of wire gauze i of about an inch mesh supporting a layer
of canvas on which the eggs are laid. Above the eggs and a sufficient distance
from them to allow for the movements of the chickens when they emerge from
their shells a piece of canvas is laid ou loosely.
Below the tunk a movable water tray L is arranged supported on suitable
supports having a number of small tubes through it allowing air to pass from
underneath to the space above it. The tray is open at the top and its purpose
is to impart moisture to the air entering the incubator in order to give it the
desired humidity. A thin piece of wood prevents the transmission of heat by
radiation to the water in the tray L to an extent sufficient to cause water vapor

page_text: to be given off. Small pieces of canvas dipping in the water and fitting into
the tubes assists the taking up of water by the air passing through.
The incubator as above described is arranged within a casing on all sides con-
sisting of two layers of suitable material having between them a packing consist-
ing of hair felt asbestos or other suitable heat retaining material. The front of
the casing is arranged on hinges so that it can be opened as a door. The sup-
porta M support the casing a slight distance above the floor or table on which the
incubator is supported. A cap É upon the lamp Blue serves for regulating the
heat from the lamp and is preferably raised or lowered as required by means of a
temperature regulator either of a construction such as is usually employed or of a
construction described in my application for Letters Patent No. 22559 filed with
the present application.
The eggs having been placed in the egg tray 1 and the water tanks filled the
heated air and products of combustion from the lamp will heat the water in the
lower tank C by moans of the flues D and heat will be transmitted by convection
to the water in the upper tank A thus causing a circulation of heat in the water
between the tanks AC through the tubes B. Air enters the incubator from
underneath and passes through the openings in the tray L, and as the water in
the latter is uncovered a certain amount of moisture will be taken up by the
air which will thus have the necessary humidity imparted to it. The air then
passes through the tubes G through the tank being warmed in its passage there
through and will then circulate within the incubator acting upon the eggs from
all sides and will eventually escape through the exit flue H.
It will therefore be seen that there is no necessity for turning the eggs at all
this being one of the principal causes of failures in incubation by the usual
incubators as the hot air acts upon the eggs in all directions as it passes through
the egg tray itself.
The regulating cap when a temperature regulator is fitted causes the tem-
perature of the air within the incubator to be perfectly constant.
The heating arrangement may be an oil lamp, gas jet or otherwise as is most
convenient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is::
:-
(1) In an incubator, upper and lower warming arrangements between which the
egg tray is arranged so that there is no necessity for turning the eggs at all
during incubation, substantially as set forth.
(2) In an incubator an upper tank, a lower tank tubes connecting the said upper
and lower tanks to allow of a heat circulation, heating Blues through the lower
tank through which the products of combustion and heated air from the lamp
pass, passages through the lower tank, exit openings at the top for the escape of
the heated air from the incubator, a water tray under the incubator by which the
air is caused to have the desired humidity, and a tray for the eggs supported
about midway between the upper and lower water tanks, substantially as set forth
and for the purposes specified.
(3) In an incubator, an upper tank adapted to contain water, a lower tank of
approximately double the volume of the upper tank, tubes connecting the upper
and lower tanks, flues arranged within the lower tank through which the pro-
ducts of combustion and heated air from the lamp pass, openings through the
lower tank, a water tray placed below the lower tank and having tubes through
it by which air enters the space above the water tray: a thin sheet of wood
between the lower tank and the water tray, passages through the lower tank by
which air enters the incubator space, exit pipes at the top of the incubator for the
escape of the heated air and an incubator tray consisting of gauze and canvas
supported about midway between the upper and lower tanks the whole being

page_text: arranged within a heated non-conducting casing, substantially as set forth and
for the purposes specified.
(4) Lu an incubator, upper and lower water tanks tubes connecting them, heat-
ing flues passing through the lower water tank by which a heut circulation is set
up, a water tray below the lower tank having tubes through which air passes as
it enters the incubator and has the necessary humidity imparted to it, a heat non-
conducting casing, a lamp the heated air and products of combustion from which
are utilised for heating the water in the incubator, a damper for the lamp operated
by means of a temperature regulator within the incubator and a fan for inducing
the current of hot air and products of combustion from the lamp, substantially
as set forth and for the purposes specified.
(5) In an incubator, an upper water tank A, a lower water tank C of approxi-
mately double the volume tubes B connecting the water tanks, double branched
heating flues D through the water tank C connected to the lamp Hue E, fan F
for inducing the current of hot air and products of combustion from the lamp,
tubes G through the lower tank C, exit openings H in the upper portion of the
incubator, egg tray I supported about midway between the upper and lower
tunks A and C, water tray L arranged below the tank and having small tubes /
through it, sheet of wood C between tank C and water tray L, and a damper E
over the lamp flue E for regulating the heat from the lamp, all arranged and
operating substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.
V
(6) A tray for use in incubators consisting of a layer of wire gauze and a layer
of canvas at the top and bottom between which the eggs are placed and subjected
to heating by radiation from upper and lower water tanks, substantially as set
forth and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 30th day of October 1899
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.