IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HATCHING AND REARING CHICKENS
Year: 1885

page_text: I RICHARD SPAULL ELLIS of Norfolk House, Breakspear Rd Brockley, in the
County of Kent, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HATCHING AND REARING CHICKENS to be
as follows:-
"
"
This Invention relates to further Improvements on Letters Patent granted to
Henrietta Walker for "Improvements in Appliances for Hatching Chickens"
N° 10,428 A.D. 1884 and is designed for the purpose of making the apparatus
described in the Specification of the said Patent more complete and extended
in its application, for example by additional parts and adaptations to the said
Incubator, the same can be used for fostering and rearing the chickens when
hatched up to a state of maturity. The Invention when constructed as an
Incubator is composed of a wooden case, the upper portion of which contains
a boiler beated by a lamp, and the lower portion of this case underneath the
boiler contains a zinc or metal tray containing the nest or loose box. This metal
tray is supported on ledges or their equivalent in a manner which will allow the
tray with its nest to be adjusted in its position relative to the bottom of the heater
or boiler. The bottom and sides of the wooden case and also the sides of the
zinc or metal tray are perforated so as to form passages for the free circulation of
air. The box or nest containing the eggs to be hatched is so supported in the
metal tray that it will allow its lower surface to be immersed in water to about
one third its depth and through the bottom of the said box, holes are made,
covered with a porous substance and a layer of sand to a depth of about one inch
and on the top of the sand a layer of hay or straw, cut short which forms the bed
on which the eggs to be hatched are placed. When preparing the nest for the
reception of the eggs, tepid water is poured into the metal tray which penetrating
through the holes in the bottom of the box or nest damps the sand in imitation
of the natural dampness of the ground and leaves the bay on the top dry. When
the lamp before mentioned is ignited, the water in the boiler is kept boiling and
so maintains an even temperature over the eggs in the nest. An orifice in the
outer case is formed which will admit of a thermometer being inserted above the
nest. If a temperature in excess of 106° be indicated then the nest must be placed
on a lower tier so as to extend its distance from the bottom of the heating medium.

page_text: If on the other hand the heat is reduced below 100° then it must be placed on
a higher tier, by this means a uniform temperature of 104° is maintained_above
the eggs, and the process of hatching is accomplised in a most natural and effective
manner. The adjustment of the heating surface relative to the nest may be
accomplished as described by supporting ledges for the metal tray or by sustaining
cords and pullies or their equivalent.
When adapting the incubator as an apparatus for fostering or rearing chickens
when hatched I remove the nest and in lieu thereof I place the chicks on the floor
of the wooden box suitably covered with hay or other substance and above this
I place a roof or covering composed of wool or other suitable fibrous material from
which depend short lengths of flannel in imitation of feathers for keeping the
chicks warm.
Above this fibrous roof or cover the boiler and its lamp is supported
on ledges or by chains and pullies or their equivalent which will enable its distance
to be adjusted relatively to the covering of the chicks by which means the required
temperature for rearing the chicks is maintained.
THOMAS WRIGLEY,
Agent to the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Hatching and Rearing Chickens.
RICHARD SPAULL ELLIS of Norfolk House, Breakspear Road, Brockley in the
County of Kent, Gentleman, 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 relates to further Improvements on Letters Patent granted to
Henrietta Walker for "Improvements in Appliances for Hatching Chickens"
N° 10,428, A.D. 1884, and is designed for the purpose of making the apparatus
described in the Specification of the said Patent more complete and extended in
its application, for example by additional parts to the said Incubator the same
can be used for fostering and rearing the chickens when hatched up to a state
of maturity.
The incubator described in the above recited Specification consists of a
wooden box the upper compartment of which encloses a boiler heated by a
lamp. Underneath the boiler in the lower compartment of the box the egga
to be hatched are placed in a nest on a tray containg. water, the height of the
tray and nest are adjustable as to their distance from the heating medium a
thermometer being applied through the casing of the box as is usual for ascer-
taining the temperature of the interior,
When adapting this arrangement of an incubator as an apparatus for fostering
or rearing chickens when hatched I remove the nest and tray and in lieu thereof
I place the chicks on the floor of the wooden box, or on a movable floor which can
have its distance from the heating surface of the boiler adjusted as required for
the necessary warmth to be imparted to the chicks. This floor is suitably covered
with hay or other substance, and above this floor in an intermediate distance
between the heating medium and the said floor I place a roof or covering composed
of wool or other suitable fibrous material from which depend short lengths of
flannel in imitation of feathers for keeping the chicks warm. The floor is supported
on ledges formed in the sides of the box which will enable it to raise or lower the
chicks nearer to or further from the fibrous material and heating surface. By this
means the required temperature for rearing the chicks is maintained.
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 apparatus for incubating chickens or the like the adaptation thereto
of an adjustable floor for supporting the chicks, and a fibrous roof beneath the
heating surface the whole to be arranged and employed in the manner and for
the purpose of fostering chicks substantially as set forth and described herein.
DAL: AL J
ST 1000