Improvements in Sterilising and Disinfecting Apparatus, particularly for Sterilising Expectorated Matter and Disinfecting Spittoons.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 18,2
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sterilising and Disinfecting Apparatus, particularly
for Sterilising Expectorated Matter and Disinfecting Spittoons.
I, CHARLES HERSCHER of the firm of Geneste Herscher & Cie. of 42 Rue du
Chemin Vert, Paris in the Kepublic of France Engineer do horeby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus forming the object of this invention is intended principally for
the sterilisation of organic or other substances containing deleterious microbes, as
well as for the disinfection and cleansing of articles contaminated by these
substances, such as the spittoons of tuberculous patients, bed clothes which have
been used by sick people suffering from contagious diseases, the linen used in
dressings, surgical instruments, etcetera.
For effecting the disinfection and the cleansing of the contaminated articles,
they are submitted, in the vessel containing them, to the action of a caustic lye, or
of any suitable antiseptic liquid, or even of a simple bath of pure water raised to
boiling point in the boiler and then rendered boiling in the vessel itself by the
action of the steam of the liquid employed.
This operation is effected in an automatic manner, and in such a way as to ensure
the continual circulation of the liquid, and, by this invention, the agitation is
produced by the steam, as will be seen further on.
According to this invention, there is provided the boiler in which, by means of
a furnace, a caustic lye, or other antiseptic liquid which is employed, or even plain
water, is heated. The quantity of liquid is fixed in such a way that its height in
the boiler varies between certain limits, without descending below a certain point.
The boiler has applied to it a tube indicating this level, and has also a discharge
tube with a tap. A pipe serves for conducting away the generated steam at a
given moment, which is discharged in any suitable manner.
The sterilising or disinfecting vessel proper is a closed one, having a false
perforated bottom, and a lid which need not be air-tight. In the inside there is a
kind of basket without a bottom, suitably supported, and there is a space between
its sides and those of the sterilising or disinfecting vessel. By this arrangement,
any scum which might be produced will be removed, as it will flow over the upper
part of the vessel and fall into the surrounding space, where it escapes from the
boiling action of the liquid.
The boiler which contains the liquid, and the sterilising or disinfecting vessel
which receives the spittoons or other articles to be disinfected, are in communication
by means of two tubes No. 1 and No. 2. The first, No. 1, opens into the bottom
of the sterilising vessel, and is provided with a stop tap. The tube No. 2, on the
contrary, opens into the upper part of this vessel and has no tap.
In the boiler, the orifices of these tubes No. 1 and No. 2 are not on the same
level, and this is an important arrangement which ensures the working of the
apparatus in the intended manner. The extremity of the tube No. 2 is always
below the lower level of the liquid; on the contrary, the extremity of the
tube No. 1 is slightly above this level. Under these conditions, the working of the
apparatus will be as follows:-
The liquid having been introduced into the boiler, and the articles to be sterilised
put in the sterilising or disinfecting vessel, the latter is then closed, the stop tap
in tube No. 1 is opened, the tap in the steam discharge pipe closed, and the fire is
made up on the grate. The heated liquid rises equally in the tubes No. 1 and
No. 2; it soon reaches the bottom of the sterilising or disinfecting vessel, and
continues rising in this vessel. But the pressure of the steam, which is formed,

page_text: increasing progressively in the boiler, a moment arrives when it forces out the
liquid through the tube No. 2; this liquid is then injected into the upper part of
the sterilising or disinfecting vessel. This is the moment when the circulation is
established; the hottest liquid continues to arrive by the pipe No. 2, and, after
having traversed the sterilising or disinfecting vessel, returns to the boiler by
tube No. 2. The level of the liquid in the boiler varies constantly above and
below a certain line, in such a way that the orifice of the tube No. 1 is alternately
covered and exposed. When it is covered, the liquid can return to the boiler
without difficulty; when it is uncovered, the steam, entering this tube, interrupts
the flow, and causes the liquid in the sterilising or disinfecting vessel to be agitated;
but, owing to this escape of the steam, there will be a fall of the pressure in the
boiler, the level of the liquid in such will then rise, covering the orifice of the
pipe No. 1, and the flow of the liquid then takes place afresh.
It will be seen that, by the arrangement above described, these variations of
pressure in the boiler are frequent and rapid, and the level of the liquid in the
boiler will therefore always be a varying one. The steam will therefore be
continually arriving afresh in the sterilising or disinfecting vessel, producing a
continuous ebullition, and raising the temperature of the liquid in this vessel up
to one hundred degrees, if water be employed, and above a hundred degrees if
liquid of a greater density be employed.
As a measure of precaution, an overflow tube is arranged in the sterilising or
disinfecting vessel; this tube is in two parts, and the upper part is fitted with a
valve, and may be raised, when necessary, so that the tube will serve for emptying.
the vessel in question. Above the boiler, and preferably bolted on its case, a
reservoir, containing pure water, is placed, which is heated by the furnace gases.
For this purpose, the smoke tube traverses this reservoir, in which it makes detours
so as to offer sufficient heating surface. The cleansing water can be supplied to
the reservoir by a tube fitted with a tap..
When the sterilisation is completed, and it is desired to stop the operation, the
tap of the steam discharge pipe is opened; the pressure falls in the boiler, the flow
by tube No. 2 ceases, and the liquid returns to the boiler by the tube No. 1 for use
afresh. If it be not desired to use this liquid again, the tap in tube No. 1 is closed
and the liquid is run away by the special emptying tube. The sterilising. or
disinfecting vessel being emptied, and the tap in tube No. 1 closed, pure water is
run in, and allowed to escape by the special emptying tube. The spittoons or other
articles can thus be rinsed in the same vessel as that in which they have been
disinfected.
The arrangement of apparatus as described may, of course, be modified. For
instance, the reservoir may be dispensed with, without in any way changing the
character and the peculiarities of the invention hereinbefore described.
In the same way, for an apparatus of limited dimensions, it may be preferable to
attach the sterilising or disinfecting vessel directly on the boiler, so as to form a
very portable apparatus, and one that can be easily applied.
Finally, the shape of the vessels, their connections, and relative position, may
be varied to suit circumstances, without departing from the principle of the
invention.
Dated this 11th day of February 1899.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sterilising and Disinfecting Apparatus, particularly
for Sterilising Expectorated Matter and Disinfecting Spittoons.
I, CHARLES HERSCHER, of 42 Rue du Chemin Vert, Paris, in the Republic of
France, 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 :—
The apparatus forming the object of this invention is intended principally for
the sterilisation of organic or other substances containing deleterious microbes, as
well as for the disinfection and cleansing of articles contaminated by these substances,
such as the spittoons of tuberculous patients, bed clothes which have been used by
sick people suffering from contagious diseases, the linen used in dressings, surgical
instruments, etcetera.
For effecting the disinfection and the cleansing of the contaminated articles,
they are submitted, in the vessel containing them, to the action of a caustic lye,
or of any suitable antiseptic liquid, or even of a simple bath of pure water raised
to boiling point in the boiler and then rendered boiling in the vessel itself by the
action of the steam of the liquid employed.
This operation is effected in an automatic manner, and in such a way as to
ensure the continual circulation of the liquid, and, by this invention, the agitation
is produced by the steam, as will be seen further on.
The accompanying sheet of drawings shows the form and arrangement of this
invention for an apparatus of some considerable size having, for instance, for its
object the disinfection and cleansing of the spittoons of tuberculous patients in
hospitals.
Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus ;
Figure 2 is a corresponding plan view;
Figure 3 is a side view.
The whole apparatus is composed of three vessels A, B and C.
A, is the boiler in which, by means of a furnace D, a caustic lye, or other
antiseptic liquid which is employed, or even plain water, is heated. The quantity
of liquid is fixed in such a way that its height in the boiler varies between certain
limits, such as a b, c d, without descending below the latter. The boiler has applied
to it a tube indicating this level, and has also a discharge tube with a tap. A pipe E
serves for conducting away the generated steam at a given moment, which is
discharged in any suitable manner.
The sterilising or disinfecting vessel proper B is a closed one, having a false
perforated bottom F, and a lid which need not be air-tight. In the inside there
is a kind of basket G without a bottom, suitably supported and there is a certain
amount of space between its sides and those of the sterilising or disinfecting
vessel B. By this arrangement, any scum which might be produced will be removed,
as it will flow over the upper part of the vessel G and fall into the surrounding
space H, where it escapes from the boiling action of the liquid.
The boiler A which contains the liquid, and the sterilising or disinfecting vessel B
which receives the spittoons or other articles to be disinfected, are in communication
by means of two tubes I and J. The first I opens into the bottom of the sterilising
vessel B, and is provided with a stop tap K.
The tube J, on the contrary, opens
into the upper part of this vessel and has no tap.
In the boiler A the orifices of these tubes I and J are not on the same level, and
this is an important arrangement which ensures the working of the apparatus in
the intended manner. The extremity of the tube J is always below the lower
level cd of the liquid; on the contrary, the extremity of the tube I is slightly

page_text: above this level. Under these conditions, the working of the apparatus will be as
follows:-
The liquid having been introduced into the boiler A, and the articles to be
sterilised put in the sterilising or disinfecting vessel B, the latter is then closed, the
stop tap K in tube I is opened, the tap in the steam discharge pipe E closed, and
the fire is made up on the grate. The heated liquid rises equally in the tubes !
and J; it soon reaches the bottom of the sterilising or disinfecting vessel B, and
continues rising in this vessel. But the pressure of the steam, which is formed,
increasing progressively in the boiler, a moment arrives when it forces out the
liquid through the tube J; this liquid is then injected into the upper part of the
sterilising or disinfecting vessel B. This is the moment when the circulation is
established ; the hottest liquid continues to arrive by the pipe J, and after having
traversed the sterilising or disinfecting vessel B, returns to the boiler by tube I.
The level of the liquid in the boiler A varies constantly above and below the
line cd, in such a way that the orifice of the tube I is alternately covered and
exposed. When it is covered, the liquid can return to the boiler without difficulty ;
when it is uncovered, the steam, entering this tube, interrupts the flow, and causes
the liquid in the sterilising or disinfecting vessel B to be agitated; but, owing to
this escape of the steam, there will be a fall of the pressure in the boiler, the level
of the liquid in such will then rise, covering the orifice of the pipe I, and the flow of
the liquid then takes place afresh.
It will be seen that, by the arrangement above described, these variations of
pressure in the boiler are frequent and rapid, and the level c d of the liquid in the
boiler will therefore always be a varying one. The steam will, therefore, be
continually arriving afresh in the sterilising or disinfecting vessel B, producing a
continuous ebullition and raising the temperature of the liquid in this vessel up to
one. hundred degrees, if water be employed, and above a hundred degrees if liquid
of a greater density be employed.
As a measure of precaution, an overflow tube L M is arranged in the sterilising
or disinfecting vessel B; this tube is in two parts, and the upper part L is fitted
with a valve N, and may be raised, when necessary, so that the tube M will serve
for emptying the vessel B'in question. Above the boiler A, and preferably bolted
on its case, a reservoir C, containing pure water, is placed, which is heated by the
furnace gases. For this purpose, the smoke tube P traverses this reservoir, in
which it makes detours, so as to offer sufficient heating surface. The cleansing
water can be supplied to the reservoir B by a tube Q fitted with a tap R.
When the sterilisation is completed, and it is desired to stop the operation, the
tap S of the steam discharge pipe E is opened; the pressure falls in the boiler, the
flow by tube J ceases, and the liquid returns to the boiler by the tube I for use
afresh. If it be not desired to use this liquid again, the tap K in tube I is closed,
and the liquid is run away by the emptying tube M. The sterilising or disinfecting
vessel B being emptied, and the tap K closed, pure water is run in by the tube Q
and allowed to escape by the special emptying tube M. The spittoons or other
articles can thus be rinsed in the same vessel as that in which they have been
disinfected.
The arrangement of apparatus as described may, of course, be modified. For
instance, the reservoir C may be dispensed with, without in any way changing the
character and the peculiarities of the invention hereinbefore described.
In the same way, for an apparatus of limited dimensions, it may be preferable to
attach the sterilising or disinfecting vessel B directly on the boiler A, so as to form
a very portable apparatus, and one that can be easily applied.
Finally, the shape of the vessels, their connections, and relative position, may
be varied to suit circumstances, without departing from the principle of the
invention.
Thus the modification shown in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawing represents
a sterilising apparatus arranged on the principles of those hereinbefore described,
but in which the vessels are of a circular form. As the same reference letters

page_text: denote the same parts in all the figures, it is unnecessary to give further details as
to the construction of the apparatus shown in Figure 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus of the kind herein before described, the combination of a boiler A
and steam escape tube E, with a vessel having a perforated false bottom and a
basket G without a bottom, these two recipients communicating by means of two
tubes I and J opening respectively into the bottom and top of the vessel having
the false bottom, the whole being accompanied or not with a reservoir C to be
heated by the furnace gases in the manner and for the object specified.
2. In apparatus of the kind hereinbefore described, establishing communication
between the boiler A and the vessel B by two pipes I and J opening into the
boiler at different levels so as to insure, at short intervals, the passage (by the
tube I) of steam for causing ebullition in the vessel B in the manner and for
the object specified.
3. The general arrangement and construction of parts, taken as a whole, forming
the improved sterilising and disinfecting apparatus, particularly for sterilising
expectorated matter and disinfecting spittoons, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown.
Dated this 95th day of October 1809
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.