Year: 1886

page_text: I, HERMANN NEUMANN of 45 Clothfair, in the City of London 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 apparatus is designed to effect the hatching of eggs and protection of young
birds, by means of warmth derived from an electric current.
Incubators are usually heated by means of oil lamps, which require daily attention,
and if neglected or forgotten, are apt to endanger the whole operation, and are also
troublesome dirty, and liable to smoke and smell offensively.
The employment of an electric current on my system avoids all these dis-
advantages. The incubator is rendered entirely selfacting, as after being charged
and started, the hatching of a batch of eggs requires no further attention. Moreover
the apparatus is so free from grease or any unpleasant smell that it might be
stationed in a sitting-room, during the whole period of incubation.
My electric incubator contains three main parts, viz; (1) the nest, (2) a special
cover, and (3) the battery, thermo-pile, or dynamo with its supply and return
wires, thermometer and magnetic coil, forming when fixed, as herein described, an
automatic cut-off or regulator for adjusting the temperature of the nest.
The nest (1) requires no description. It is simply a hollow or cavity of rush or
basket-work lined with felt or wool, or some other soft and warın material, inside
which are placed the eggs to be hatched.
Above this nest is placed (2) the special cover, the construction of which is as
follows. Its lower face is covered with feathers which project from a layer of felt
or blanket, or similar material. Above the felt is a layer of plaster of Paris, and
in front of the said felt or flannel is a concentric series of platinum wires, or an
equivalent of prepared charcoal or carbon, imbedded in the said feathers, through
which the electric current is conveyed.
Above the plaster or imbedded therein are metallic pipes perforated with small
holes. These pipes are connected together, and to an inlet in the said cover, so
that they can all be filled at once with water, which, passing slowly through the
holes, percolates the layer of plaster and moistens the felt beneath. These pipes.
contain enough water for the supply of moisture needed during the period of
incubation.

page_text: Above the plaster is another layer of some suitable non-conducting material, so
arranged that the warmth created in the platinum wires by the electric current,
cannot escape through the back of the cover.
The upper surface of the said cover will be formed of wood metal or other
suitable material and furnished with handles for lifting.
In the centre of the cover and passing through it, is a thermometer, the bulb of
which projects slightly through the underside, while the top of the stem extends
through the upperside, both being guarded from fracture by a small tubular casing.
In the bulb which contains mercury, and in the tube of this thermometer are
placed small pieces of platinum wire, which are attached to external conducting
wires attached to the same battery, in such a way that when the temperature
below the cover rises to say 100 degrees (or to any other determined number) the
mercury rising in the tube touches the upper platinum wire and forms electrical
contact between both the external wires.
Previous to this contact being formed the electrical current had flowed from the
battery to the platinum wires below the cover by a direct wire which we will call
circuit N° 1, and had passed direct back to the battery' again.
When, however, the mercury forms the contact before referred to, the electric
current is diverted from circuit N° 1, through a shorter wire, which we will call
circuit N° 2, and passing through the thermometer, proceeds to a magnetic coil
placed on this N° 2 circuit. This coil being magnetised by the current attracts an
armature near it, and through a wire attached to it, the current finds its way back
to the battery, without having heated the platinum wires of the cover. The use of
this magnetic coil is simply to make apparent, by means of the vibration of the
armature, when the change of circuit of the current takes place.
When however, the temperature of the underside of the cover falls to say
95 degrees, the contact in the thermometer tube is broken, and the electric current
reverting to circuit N° 1 recommences to heat the platinum in the cover. In this
way by the automatic action of the thermometer and magnet, the temperature of
the nest is maintained at blood heat, or at any other point preferred.
For large hatching operations where many nests are used at once, I prefer to
employ a small dynamo, driven by a turbine or gas-engine instead of the battery,
or where available, I obtain the electric current from a thermo-pile.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1, shows the nest cover and the coiled magnet with the wires of the two
circuits.
Fig. 2, shows a section of the nest cover.
Fig. 3, shows the nest, mounted on a tripod stand.
A, denotes the feed wire of circuit N° 1.
B; denotes the feed wire of circuit N° 2.
C, is the magnetic coil.
D, is the armature attracted by the current of circuit N° 2.
E, is the top of the thermometer.
F, is the lower end of the thermometer.
G, is the feed screw for filling the water pipes.
H, H, are the perforated water pipes.
I, is the upper chamber of the cover, to be filled with non-conducting material.
K, is the layer of plaster of Paris.
L, is the layer of felt or flannel.
M, M, are the feathers.
N, N, are the ends of the platinum wires.
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. The method of applying electricity, converted into heat in the usual way, to
the operation of hatching eggs, and of fostering young birds, as herein setforth.

page_text: 2. The application of a thermometer and magnetic coil, forming an automatic
cut-off, so as to ensure a self regulating uniform temperature for the purpose, and
in the manner described.
3. A special form of nest cover, with layers of feathers, wool or felt, plaster of
Paris, and non-conducting material, enclosed in wood or metal, the whole covered
if preferred with plush, and furnished with a special fire-thermometer platinum
wires or their electrical equivalents, and porous tubes or passages for moisture,
substantially as herein explained.