Improvements in Insuflators.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Insuflators.
I, GEORGE HUGHES, of 38, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to
me from abroad by Benoit Victor Vermorel, of 9, Rue de Florence, Paris) and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in insuflators and has for its object to
construct an apparatus whereby the coarse powders placed therein may be finely
pulverized before being expelled by the ordinary process of insuflation.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1, is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a vertical section of my improved insuflator,
Figs. 3 to 7 being details thereof.
This apparatus which is preferably made of metal consists of a portable
receptacle or dosser furnished with shoulder straps B¹ whereby it is secured to
the operator's back. This dosser comprises three parts, a receiver H capable
of containing a number of kilogs. of the powder which it is required to spread
out, a forcing and exhausting air pump H¹ and means for sifting the powder
combined with the blower H.
Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 illustrate one form of apparatus used for sifting the powder
by the aid of a flat sieve upon which bears a circular brush, while Figs. 6 and 7
show another sifting device consisting of a curved sieve upon which acts a semi-
cylindrical brush furnished with tufts arranged at a distance one from the other,
either of the above sifting means being combined with a suitable blower. Which-
ever sifting arrangement is used, the receiver H does not communicate with the
air pump, being closed at its upper and lower parts by solid discs ff.
With the first sifting device the lower disc f¹ shown in Fig. 4 is slotted for the
purpose of allowing the parts above to be visible. The second sifting arrangement
shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is less complicated than the first. In both arrangements
the powder is inserted through the opening o which is furnished with a lid c.
In the sifting mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 the bottom of the
receiver H consists of a sieve T of metallic wire gauze resting upon a fixed disc d
divided into a number of solid sectors S arranged alternately with a number of
sector-shaped slots which are covered or disclosed by turning a disc d' similar to
the former disc d but moveable and arranged immediately below the same. This
disc d is furnished with a central boss through which passes the axis a of the
circular brush B and upon which is fulcrumed a hand lever L whereby the operator
may readily cover or disclose the sector shaped slots of the disc d by means of the
solid sectors S¹ of the disc d' below. The brushing device B consists of a certain
number of sector-shaped brushes arranged around a boss M the axis of which
passes through the boss of the disc d¹ and is connected by a rod t to a set of
levers N whereby a reciprocating rotary motion can be imparted to the brushing
device B.
Figs. 2, 3, and 5 show the position of this brush in the apparatus above the
sieve T. Fig. 1 shows the set of levers N actuated by the operator with the aid
of the handle P. The exteut of the alternate rotary motion is limited by the
dimensions of the slots or guides c c within which the extremity of the rod t
moves outside the apparatus. The set of levers N actuates the air-pump H at the
same time as the brush. This air-pump consists of a box or receptacle having a
slightly tapered shape (Figs. 1 and 3) and the bottom of which is closed by a solid
disc dividing it from the receiver H.

page_text: The admission and forcing valves and s₁ are placed in the tapering wall of the
pump barrel. Its upper end terminates with an elastic membrane or diaphragm D
acting as a piston and held at its outer periphery by means of a tightening hoop
consisting of a more or less thick round iron wire or rod, one extremity of which
is screw threaded and receives a nut fixed to its other extremity. The outer
periphery of this india-rubber diaphragm D is tightened between this iron wire and
a circular groove formed for this purpose in the upper and tapering end of the
dosser. Any other suitable tightening means may likewise be adapted to this
diaphragm. In the centre of the latter is fixed a rod Q forming a piston rod and
sliding within two guides connected to the levers N; the upper end of this rod is
twice bent at right angles.
The forcing valve which is not indispensable, communicates with a pipe
descending outside the apparatus and the lower extremity of which extends as
far as in the chamber or blower H" formed below the discs d d¹. The supply
of the apparatus is regulated by adjusting the size of the openings formed by the
superposed dises d d'.
A sheet iron pipe issues from the chamber H" and is connected to an india-rubber
pipe terminated by a nozzle or nose. By operating the handle P, when the
discs d d are more or less opened according to requirements the pump H¹ is caused
to bring air under presoure in the chamber, this air ejecting outside the powder
placed therein. This powder is fed by the brushing device B which is set in
rotation at the same time as the pump. As this brush rotates in the midst of coarse
powders upon the sieve it compels the powder to pass through the sieve and to drop
gradually in the chamber H"
My second arrangement of brush shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is characterized by a
brush B' placed in position in the bottom of the receiver H. This brush consists
of a spindle a passing through receiver H perpendicularly to its axis, and connected
outside by one of its extremities to the set of levers N set in motion as before
stated by means of a handle. In this modification, the arrangement of the set of
levers N is simpler than in the first arrangement of brushes and hence produces
less friction. The simultaneous motion of the air-pump and of the brush may be
effected by any other equivalent mechanism. Within the cylinder H are placed
at a suitable distance from one another two small and solid sectors of tinned iron
soldered to the axis a and connected together by a number of bars b provided with
bristles forming as it were the generatrices of a cylinder, part of the bases of
which are represented by the said sectors 8. A circular oscillatory motion is
imparted by the levers N to this arrangement of brushes or bars furnished with
bristles, this motion being regulated by a suitable adjustment of the length of the
motor levers.
The solid parts of the brushes b which are connected to the cylindrical part of
the receptacle H operate upon the semi-cylindrical sieve c forming the bottom of
the said receptacle.
As in the first case the oscillatory motion of the brush B' causes the coarse
powder in the receptacle to be forced through the sieve and enter the chamber H"
from which it is expelled through the side nozzle pipe T.
I may vary the dimensions and number of the bars of this brush B' as well as
the dimensions of the sieve c in accordance with the diameter of the cylindrical
body of the receptacle H. The last described apparatus operates in the same
manner as that first described.
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. An improved insuflator for medicated powders and the like characterized by
the combination of a brushing device a sieve and two superposed discs pulverizing
and feeding the powder substantially as herein described and shewn.
2. In the improved insuflator and pulverizer above claimed the combination of

page_text: the pulverizing and feeding mechanism with an air-pump ejecting and spreading
the powder substantially as herein described and shown.
3. In insuflators such as above claimed, the combination of a brush having semi-
cylindrical bars furnished with bristles and acting upon a curved sieve for pulverizing
5 and feeding the powder substantially as herein described and shown.
Dated this 7th day of April 1892.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.