IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS TO THE EYES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Howe Gould, of Battersea Park Road, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
APPLYING LIQUIDS TO THE EYES."
Sealed the 30th April 1880, and dated the 2nd December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Howe Gould at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd December 1879.
ROBERT HOWE GOULD, of Battersea Park Road, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS TO THE EYES."
My Invention relates to apparatus intended to be used in substitution for syringes
for applying liquids to the eyes, whereby the discomfort or inconvenience to the
patient or person operated upon attending the use of the ordinary method is
obviated.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a spray producer consisting of two small
tubes arranged at an angle to each other, with their inner extremities pointed and
in contact, one of such tubes extending down, so as to be capable of dipping into a
receptacle containing the liquid to be applied, whilst the other tube is connected
with an elastic ball inflated with air, or is provided with a suitable mouth piece for
the convenience of blowing into the tube. The inner extremities of the two tubes
are enclosed in a casing, by preference of a spherical or spheroidal form, constituting
an air chamber, which, in addition to its being in communication with the outlets
of the two tubes before mentioned, is also provided with a larger tube (telescopic
or otherwise), having an eye piece or extremity of a suitable shape for application
to the eye, and if desired so arranged as to be capable of adjusting itself to any
required angular position of the tube.
In using the apparatus the tube first mentioned is introduced into the liquid to
be applied, and the eye piece is placed over the eye; the attendant or person being
operated upon then alternately compresses and releases the air ball, or blows with
the mouth into the air tube, whereby portions of the liquid are caused to pass from
the liquid receptacle up or along its tube. to its inner orifice, where, meeting with
Price Bd1

page_text: the blast of air from the other tube, such liquid is divided into the form of spray,
which is conducted by the air current to the eye, the action being promoted by
means of the encircling ring of air contained in the air chamber. A valve may be
provided in the air pipe so arranged as to close when the blast or air pressure is
applied, and to open for the admission of air when the pressure is removed or ceases,
and outlets for the escape of the air are formed in the eye tube, so that the spray
alone is applied to the eye without any shock or inconvenient impulse. In some
cases a diverging cone may be employed in the eye tube for dispersing the spray,
which again converges and is directed upon the eye.
If desired, steam or carbonic acid or other gas may be used in substitution for air, 1
and the air or gas may be warmed, if found advantageous.
The air chamber may be formed in one with the liquid receptacle, and both the
fine tubular points for spray producing may issue from the same.

page_text: the said Robert Howe Gould in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th May
1880.
ROBERT HOWE GOULD, of Battersea Park Road, in the County of Surrey:
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS TO THE EYES."
My said Invention relates to apparatus intended to be used in substitution for
syringes for applying liquids to the eyes, whereby the discomfort or inconvenience
to the patient or person operated upon attending the use of the ordinary method is
obviated.
In carrying out my said Invention I employ a spray producer, consisting of two
small tubes arranged at an angle to each other, with their inner extremities pointed
and in contact, one of such tubes extending down, so as to be capable of dipping
into a receptacle containing the liquid to be applied, whilst the other tube is con-
nected with an elastic ball inflated with air, or is provided with a suitable mouth-
piece for the convenience of blowing into the tube, or the said tube may be in
connection with two india-rubber inflaters which can be alternately compressed, or
in place of the abové a single or double action air force pump and receiver may be
used to ensure a continuous stream of air. The inner extremities of the two tubes
are enclosed in a casing, by preference of a spherical or spheroidal form, constituting
an air chamber, which in addition to its being in communication with the outlets of
the two tubes before mentioned, is also provided with a larger tube (telescopic or
otherwise) having an eye piece or extremity of a suitable shape for application to
the eye.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now pro-
ceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference.
indicating corresponding parts in both the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a sectional elevation of an
apparatus constructed according to my said Invention for applying liquids to the
eyes; Figure 2 is a section of a portion of an apparatus illustrating a modification
of the arrangement shewn in Figure 1.
Referring to Figure 1, the spray producer consists of two small tubes A, B,
preferably arranged at right angles to each other, as shewn in the Drawing, with
their nozzles a, b, in contact, or nearly so. The tube A extends down and dips into
a receptacle c containing the liquid to be applied, whilst the other tube B is con-
nected by means of an india rubber or other flexible tube D with an elastic ball E
which is inflated with air, or the said tube may be provided with a suitable mouth-
piece for the convenience of blowing into the tube, or the said tube may be in
connection with two india rubber inflaters which can be alternately compressed;
or in place of the above a single or double action air force pump and receiver may
be used to ensure a continuous stream of air.
The nozzles a, b, of the two tubes are enclosed in a spherical or other conve-
niently shaped casing F constituting an air chamber, which is provided with a tube
f; the latter, which may be either telescopic, as shown, or of any other suitablo
construction, is situate in a line with the nozzle b of the air tube B, and is provided
at its extremity with a trumpet shaped eye piece f', which if necessary may be so
arranged as to be capable of being adjusted to any required angle with the tube f.
In using the apparatus the tube A is introduced into the liquid contained in the
receptacle C, and the eye piece f¹ is placed over the eye; the attendant or person
being operated upon then alternately compresses and releases the air ball E, or blows
with the mouth into the air tube B, or forces air into the same by means of an air
force pump, whereby a vacuum is produced in the tube A by means of which por-
tions of the liquid are caused to pass from the liquid receptacle C up or along its

page_text: tube A to its nozzle a, where, meeting with the blast of air from the nozzle b of
the tube B, such liquid is divided into the form of spray, which is conducted by the
air current to the eye, the action being promoted by means of the encircling ring
of air contained in the air chamber F. A valve b¹ inay be provided in the air pipe
B, as shewn in the Drawing, Figure 1, the said valve being so arranged as to close
when the blast or air pressure is applied, and to open for the admission of air when
the pressure is removed or ceases, and outlets f2 for the escape of the air are formed
both in the eye piece f¹ and in the tube f, so that the spray alone is applied to the
eye without any shock or inconvenient impulse of air.
In some cases a diverging cone shewn in dotted lines in Figure 1 may be
employed in the eye tube f for dispersing the spray, which again converges and is
directed upon the eye.
A modification of the hereinbefore described apparatus is shewn section in
Figure 2, in which the air chamber and liquid receptacle are formed in one, and in
which the nozzles of the tubes issue from the same and are enclosed within the eye
tube.
The compressed air passing from the air tube B into the air vessel F exerts a
pressure upon the surface of the liquid, and issues from the vessel through. the
nozzle b; by the action of the air liquid from the liquid receptacle C is caused to
ascend the tube A, and issuing from the nozzle a of the said tube the liquid meets
the current of air projected from the nozzle b, and is dispersed within the eye tube
fand conducted in this divided condition to the eye. In this case both pressure
behind the liquid column and a vacuum at its head force and draw it upwards.
In both modifications of the herein before described apparatus steam or carbonic
acid or other gas may be used in substitution for air, and the air or gas may be
warmed if found advantageous.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
The employment of spray producers for applying liquid to the eyes, substantially
as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Howe Gould, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
ROBERT HOWE GOULD. (LS.)