IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS IN ATMOSPHERES DETRIMENTAL TO LIFE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Albert Reinhold Hildebrandt, Bow Chambers, Man-
chester, in the County of Lancaster, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING THE RESPIRATORY
ORGANS IN ATMOSPHERES DETRIMENTAL TO LIFE." A communication from
abroad by Bernhard Loeb, of Berlin.
Sealed the 23rd August 1878, and dated the 27th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Albert Reinhold
Hildebrandt at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th
February 1878.
JOHN ALBERT REINHOLD HILDEBRANDT, Bow Chambers, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS FOR
PROTECTING THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS IN ATMOSPHERES DETRIMENTAL TO LIFE."
A communication from abroad by Bernhard Loeb, of Berlin.
My Invention consists in an appliance enabling persons to work in atmospheres
polluted with dust or poisonous gases and vapours without injuring their respiratory
organs, or to work in atmospheres deficient in or devoid of oxygen. The appliance
is composed of two parts, the purifying apparatus, and the breathing apparatus.
The purifier is a rectangular chest of sheet iron or other suitable material,
carrying a cylindrical tube, the ends of which project through the chest, and arc
covered with a grid. In the middle of its length, and at a right angle to the tube,
a cylindrical box is screwed to it, containing a wet sponge. Two perforated par-
titions divide the cylindrical tube into three cylindrical chambers, of which the
central one communicates with the above-mentioned sponge box. Each of the two
external chambers is filled with three layers of wad, or other porous substance, the
first and third layer being dry, and the second layer in the middle of the chamber
is saturated with glycerine or any other suitable liquid. The whole purifier is
fastened with straps and buckles to the back of the workman, and the central
Dmi

page_text: chamber of the cylindrical tube communicates by a flexible tube with the breathing
apparatus.
The breathing apparatus consists of a hemispherical cover, carrying at the bottom
a suction valve, and at the top a discharge valve. From the former a tube leads to
the purifier, while the exhaled air, after having gone through the discharge valve,
passes through a layer of dry wad placed between two grids above the discharge
valve. The margin of the hemisphere is encircled by an india-rubber ring which,
fitting air-tight to the latter, covers mouth and nose.
The whole breathing apparatus is attached to the head by means of a ring and
straps. In breathing the air is drawn through the external chambers of the puri-
fying tube passing through the dry and the moistened wad, and reaches the cen-
tral chamber in a purified and dry state. Here it takes up water from the sponge,
thereby diminishing its temperature, escapes through the connecting pipe to the
suction valve of the breathing apparatus, and enters the lungs. The exhaled gas
opens the discharge valve and escapes through the layer of the wad above it, the
former preventing the influx of external air, and the latter acting as a precaution
in case of accidental influx.
In cases where persons are only for a short time exposed to polluted air a simpler
apparatus can be used. This, instead of consisting of a purifier and breathing
apparatus separately, has the layers of wad forming the air filter placed immediately
under the suction valve of the breathing apparatus, the latter taking the shape of
a closed cylinder which communicates with the mouth only by a short pipe with
mouth-piece held between the lips and the teeth, the nose being in this case closed
with a clip, or is provided with a separate elastic nose-piece, which covers the nose
air-tight, communicates with the breathing chamber by n short tube, and is attached
to the head by a strap. The same breathing apparatus can be combined with
separate purifier by simply unscrewing the lower part which contains the air filter
and replacing it by a pipe connection.
At the bottom of the breathing apparatus a small box may be attached con-
taining a sponge which takes up any saliva that may escape from the mouth into
the breathing apparatus. Instead of placing the cylindrical tube of the purifier
containing the air filter into a rectangular chest, the latter may be dispensed with,
and the tube itself may be attached to the straps or the cylindrical tube or air
filter may only contain three layers of wad, and be closed at each end by a grid.
If there is not sufficient oxygen in the atmosphere to be breathed, the wad is
removed from the filter and fresh air supplied by a pipe.
The substance which must be added to the second layer of wad depends upon
the composition of the atmosphere. If the latter contains acids the filter must
contain an alkali, and vice versa. The filter may be lined inside with a glass
tube..
The four straps which attach the breathing apparatus to the head may rest upon
small cushions in order to insure a tight fit of the apparatus to the face.
The shape and number of the different parts may be varied, and the purifier
attached in any suitable place.
Important points in my Invention are,—
The general composition of the whole apparatus, its application against lead
poisoning, or generally for the protection of the lungs against offending matter
contained in the atmosphere, and its application in rooms deficient or devoid of
oxygen.
The air filter, or the method of absorbing the lead dust or other injurious sub-
stances.
The manner of fastening and tightening the breathing apparatus to the face.
The trigonon fan th

page_text: The purifier is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4; Fig. 1 being a side view; Fig. 2, a
front view; Fig. 3, a plan; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal section. It is a rectangular
box A, of sheet iron or other suitable material, which can be closed at the bottom
by a cover a, and carries a cylindrical tube B, the ends of which project through
the box and are covered by grids D and E. Midway between its ends, and at
a right angle, a cylindrical box C is inserted, which contains a wet sponge h. Two
perforated partitions, F and G divide the cylindrical tube into three chambers, H,
I, and K, of which the central one I communicates with the sponge box C. Each
of the external chambers, H and K, is filled with three layers, c, g, e, and b, f, d, of
wad or other porous substance, the first and third layers being dry, while the second
layer (f and g) in the middle of the chamber is saturated with glycerine or any
other suitable liquid. The whole apparatus is carried on the back of the workman
and fastened to it by straps, as shown in Fig. 12, the tube i reaching over the
shoulder, and being in communication with the breathing case L by an india-rubber
tube q.
The breathing apparatus L, shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in front elevation and section,
consists of a hemispherical cover k, of tinned copper or other material, carrying at
the bottom a light suction valve l, of horn or other material, and at the top a dis-
charge valve m. From the former a tube leads to the purifier, while the exhaled
air, after having gone through the discharge valve, passes through a layer of dry
wad p, placed in the exhaust tube r, between two grids o and n.
The cylindrical portion of the case L is encircled by an india-rubber ring u,
which, fitting air-tight to the latter, covers mouth and nose. The whole breathing
apparatus is firmly attached to the head by means of a ring v taking hold of the
india-rubber ring u, and by four straps P.
In breathing the polluted air is drawn through the covers D and E into the
external chambers of the purifying tube H and K, passing through the dry and
through the moistened wad, and reaches the central chamber I through the grids F
and G in a purified and dry state. Here it takes up water from the sponge.h, thereby
diminishing its own temperature, escapes through the connecting pipe i, and the
india-rubber hose q to the suction valve in the breathing apparatus, and is taken
up by the lungs.
In exhaling, the suction valve is closed, the discharge valve m opened, and the
vitiated air escapes through the layer of wad above it, the former preventing the
influx of external air, and the latter acting as a precaution in case of accidental
influx.
In cases of persons being only for a short time exposed to polluted air a simpler
apparatus may be used, of which an elevation is shown by Fig. 7, and a plan by
Fig. 8, a section by Fig. 9, and the application by Fig. 13. This apparatus, instead

page_text: of consisting of a purifier and breathing apparatus separately, has the layers of
wad constituting the air filter placed immediately under the suction valve of the
breathing apparatus, the latter taking the shape of a closed cylinder Q which com-
municates with the mouth by a short pipe provided with the mouth-piece N of india-
rubber or other suitable material to be held between the lips and the jaws,
and also between the teeth, the nose being in this case closed by means of a clip.
In this arrangement the air enters through the cylinder R which contains the
same purifying arrangement at each side of the tube B, Fig. 4, while the exhaled
air escapes through the discharge valve a, and the grids y and z, which enclose a
layer of dry wad.
The same breathing apparatus may be combined with a separate purifier like
that of Fig. 1 by simply unscrewing the lower part R, which contains the air filter,
and replacing it by a pipe connection, Figs. 10 and 11, or by directly screwing a
purifier of smaller size to the breathing apparatus.
If the atmosphere contains corrosive substances the two chambers H and K of
the purifying tube B are lined with a tube of glass or other suitable material, with
a margin on the side ending towards the space I, and in each of these tubes are
placed two layers of dry wad b, c, d, e, while the intermediate layers f and ġ are
saturated with a solution of alkali if the atmosphere contains acid vapours or
gases; and with a solution of acid if the atmosphere is polluted with alkali.
Against sulphurous acid, however, the layers ƒ and g are formed of absestos, mixed
with hyper-manganese of potash, and in general the ingredients with which the
intermediate layers are mixed must be selected according to the composition of the
atmosphere.
Fig. 14 illustrates a cross section, and Fig. 15 a plan of a modification of the
purifier, consisting of a rectangular casing A of sheet iron or other material, which
carries in the centre the cylindrical tube B, covered at the top with a grid a. From
the connecting tube e a pipe leads to the breathing case L (Figs. 5 and 6), while the
lower end of the cylinder B is closed with a short tube d, which has attached to it a
pipe connection to be used when the apparatus is to serve in spaces containing no
oxygen; the upper margin of the tube carries a grid b, so that the prepared wad
layers, C, D, E, can be introduced between the grids a and b if the apparatus shall
be used against dust and noxious gases or vapours. In the first case the pipe c is
put into communication with the external atmospheric air, and the fresh air is
directly introduced into the breathing apparatus, while in the second case the
inserted wad retains the dust and obnoxious gases, and only allows the pure air
to pass.
Between the straps P which attach the breathing case, Figs. 5 and 6, to the head,
and between the cheeks, small cushions may be inserted in order to ensure a tight
fit of the apparatus to the face. Figs. 16 and 17 shew also a box 8, containing &
sponge, which takes up any saliva that may escape from the mouth into the
case L.
The breathing apparatus may be further modified, as shown by Figs. 18, 19, and
20, in section, elevation, and plan respectively Here the breathing is effected
through the nose as well as through the mouth, and the purifier is attached directly
to the breathing apparatus. The nose is covered by a nose-piece F, fixed to the
head by the strap G, and communicates with the case I by the hose M, while the
india-rubber mouth-piece H is held between the lips and the teeth, communicating
with the case I by the short tube 8. Under the breathing case I, which contains
the suction valve g, and the exhaust valve f, as well as the cap h, is the purifying
cylinder K, with its grid cover i, containing the purifying substance.
In Figs. 21 and 22, showing elevation and cross section of a similar breathing
apparatus, the nose-piece has been omitted, the breathing being entirely effected
through the mouth, and the nose is closed by a clip. The purifying cylinder
O is provided with a cylinder X of glass or other chemically indifferent material
with a round opening in the centre of its bottom T.
Fig. 24 shews the application of the combined breathing and purifying appa-

page_text: ratus, the straight tube S of Fig. 18, and 9 of Fig. 22, being replaced by a
curved pipe.
Fig. 23 shows breathing apparatus similar to that of Figs. 18 and 19, in which
the purifying cylinder K has been omitted and replaced by a separate filter carried
on the shoulders and communicating with the breathing apparatus by two hose
pipes. The purifying apparatus applied here is constructed like that shown in
Fig. 1, 2, 3, and 4, but with the difference that the external box A has been omitted.
This shoulder apparatus may be used in all variations that have been described,
especially in combination with the breathing case shewn in Figs. 16 and 17, or with
that in Figs. 7 and 9, in which the bottom part is omitted, and a nose-piece may or
may not be applied.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not limit myself to the few varia-
tions and the special shape and proportions shown in the Drawings; all variations
and details of described air filters and breathing apparatus may be combined with
one another; the air filters inay also be placed in different parts of the body, where,
according to the nature of the work, they will cause the least inconvenience; but I
claim as my Invention substantially,
-
1. The general construction and composition of the whole apparatus in its essential
features.
2. Its application against lead poisoning, or generally for the protection of the
lungs against offensive matter contained in the atmosphere.
3. Its applicability in rooms deficient or devoid of oxygen.
4. The method of absorbing the lead dust and other injurious substances.
5. The shape of the india-rubber ring u, Fig. 6, and the manner of fastening it
to the face with straps and cushions.
6. The contrivance for the absorption of saliva.
7 The nose-piece
8 The lining of the filter cylinder with glass or similar substances.
8 The lining of the filter cylinder with glass or similar substances.
Witness,
C. WETTER,
Clerk to Mr. Hildebrandt,
Patent Agent.
A. HILDEBRANDT. (L.S.)