A DEVICE (TO BE APPLIED TO A CONDUIT OR PIPE) FOR HOLDING A CONCENTRATED FERTILIZER OR OTHER SOLUBLE COMPOUND IN A SOLID OR SEMI-SOLID FORM
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Fiske Wheeler, of Dorchester, in the
State of Massachusetts, of the United States of America, for the
Invention of "A DEVICE (TO BE APPLIED TO A CONDUIT OR PIPE) FOR
HOLDING A CONCENTRATED FERTILIZER OR OTHER SOLUBLE COMPOUND IN A SOLID
OR SEMI-SOLID FORM."
Sealed the 18th June 1875, and dated the 30th April 1875.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Fiske Wheeler
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition.
and Declaration, on the 30th April 1875, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS MAY COME, I, WILLIAM
FISKE WHEELER, of Dorchester, in the State of Massachusetts, of the
United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "A DEVICE (TO BE
APPLIED TO A CONDUIT OR PIPE) FOR HOLDING A CONCENTRATED Fertilizer or
OTHER SOLUBLE COMPOUND IN A SOLID OR SEMI-SOLID FORM," and have petitioned
Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria to grant unto me, my exe-

page_text: cutors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the first and true
Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Fiske Wheeler, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following Specification, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to
say) :—
The object of my Invention is to produce a device for holding a con-
centrated fertilizer or other soluble compound in a solid or semi-solid
state, which when such device is supplied with the compound and
applied to a conduit or pipe, through which water is to be passed or
forced under any suitable head or pressure, shall not interrupt the flow
of the water through the nozzle or outlet of the pipe, but such fertilizer
or compound shall be caused by the friction of the water to be slowly
disintegrated or dissolved so as to uniformly impregnate the water, and
enable it thus impregnated to be readily diffused or showered upon
plants, flowers, etc., in order to promote their growth, prevent their
mildew, or destroy the insects upon them; and my Invention consists in
the arrangement of a case or chamber (to receive a solidified or semi-
solidified compound) in a conduit or pipe, through which water is to
pass or be forced, such device being so constructed and arranged as to
permit the water to freely pass through the same without interrupting or
slightly impeding its flow, while such flow or impingement of the water
against the surface of such compound causes the latter to be gradually
disintegrated or dissolved so as to be readily and equably diffused
or distributed by means of the head or force of the water upon the
plants, etc.
My Invention is especially designed for use in "greenhouses,"
although equally adapted for use in flower gardens, etc.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 denotes a side elevation,
Figure 2 a vertical section, and Figure 3 a horizontal section of a device
constructed in accordance with my Invention..
In the said Drawing, A denotes a hollow vessel, which may be of a
alohular or any other desirable form made in two halves au nanta.
ne

page_text: provided with a hollow neck 6 communicating with the interior of the
vessel, and having a screw cut upon it to connect, the one with a main
supply pipe or hose, and the other with a nozzle or distributor. Each
part a, a, is provided on its inner surface with four or any other desirable
number of ribs c, which extend toward and terminate near the mouth of
the hollow neck b. These ribs may be either straight or spiral as may
be preferred. The object of these ribs is to support a mass of con-
glomerate materials reduced to a solidified form near the center of the
vessel or holder, and so as to afford a free uninterrupted space entirely
around the same, and thereby enable the water when caused to flow
through the holder to impinge against the solidified compound and
slowly decompose or dissolve such compound and uniformly impregnate,
the water.
I would remark that this device or chamber for holding the fertilizer
or compound although principally intended to be used with a hose pipo
and with a water main and operated by the head or pressure of the
water may be used with good effect in a watering pot, the holder or
chamber being arranged in the lower part of the spout.
In preparing the fertilizer or other compound I mix the materials
to be diffused upon the plants, etc., and form them into a homo-
geneous mass of a solid or semi-solid form, making the same of greater
or less consistency, in accordance with the greater or less degree of
impregnation desired to be given to the water to be diffused. This mass
I make.into balls or cakes of such size as to be readily placed in the
holder or chamber.
This device, provided with a disinfecting material or compound, may
also be applied to sewer pipes for disinfecting or cleansing the same, or
for cleansing the floors of slaughter houses, stables, etc.
I would also remark that this device may if desirable be employed for
distributing volatile substances, such as cannot be fixed in a con-
glomerate mass, for instance sulphate and carbonate of ammonia; in
such case a hollow perforated metallic ball containing a sponge impreg-
nated with the substance may be used in the chamber, or case, the
action of the water in flowing through the same serving to gradually
impregnate the water. The fertilizer or other compound being placed
in the holder or chamber attached to a hose or conduit through which
water is to pass or be forced, such water by its pressure and friction on

page_text: шау De usu as y
From the above it will be seen that water may be impregnated with
the desired clements for the nutrition, washing, and protection of the
plants, etc., and with great economy in the labor of applying the
same.
Having described my Invention, what I claim is,--
1. The above described improved device for attachment to a hose
pipe or other conduit through which water is to pass, the same con-
sisting of a holder A. formed in two parts a, a, and provided with a series
of internal ribs c, arranged substantially in manner and for the purpose
set forth.
2. The improved method of gradually and equably impregnating water
with fertilizing and other materials to be diffused upon plants, etc., the
same consisting in forming the elements or materials into a solidified or
semi-solidified homogeneous mass, and placing the same so formed in a
holder or chamber connected with or arranged in a hose pipe or other
conduit, through which water is forced or caused to pass, whereby the
action or friction of the water shall gradually disintegrate the compound,
substantially in manner and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Fiske Wheeler, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, 1875.
WILLIAM FISKE WHEELER. (L.s.)