AND ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING, DISINFECTING, DRYING, AND HEATING
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Washington Lyon, of 1, Cowper's Court, Cornhill, in the
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
City of London, for an Invention of
"
AND ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING, DISINFECTING, DRYING,
AND HEATING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Washington Lyon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd August 1880.
WASHINGTON LYON, of 1, Cowper's Court, Cornhill, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR
PURIFYING, DISINFECTING, DRYING, AND HEATING."
This Invention consists of improvements in the construction of apparatus for
purifying and disinfecting wearing apparel, bedding, and other articles by means
of which all germs of disease, vermin, and the eggs thereof, can be effectually
destroyed without the necessity of employing any destructive chemical agent. The
said apparatus is also applicable for the purposes of drying and heating, all risk of
burning articles submitted to such operations being entirely avoided.
The body or main portion of the apparatus consists of a chamber constructed of
wrought iron or other suitable metal or material, and provided with a door so
Steam is conducted from
arranged and fitted as to close in a steam tight manner.
the steam space of a high pressure boiler into the interior of the said chamber by
means of a pipe or pipes, which open or project into the lower part of the latter.
The said chamber, which is hereinafter referred to as the "inner chamber," is
contained within an outer chamber in such a manner that a steain space shall exist
between the interior of the latter and the exterior of the former, suitable stays or
supports being provided for maintaining the inner chamber in its proper position.
The outer chamber is provided with a door corresponding in position to that of the
inner chamber, and pipes are arranged in the manner hereinbefore described for the
purpose of conducting steam to the space between the two chambers. Both
chambers are provided with suitable pipes for conducting off any water resulting
from the condensation of the steam, and also for facilitating when desired the escape
of the storm.

page_text: The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The wearing apparel, bedding, or
other article to be operated upon is arranged on a perforated shelf, or in any other
suitable manner, within the interior of the inner chamber; the doors are then closed
and steam is admitted into the said chamber, and is thus brought into contact with
the article under treatment, which is allowed to remain exposed to the action of
the same until the desired object is effected. In order to prevent the too rapid
condensation of the steam within the inner chamber steam is admitted into the
space between the two chambers by preference a short time before the admission
of steam to the inner chamber, so that the latter is heated and prepared for its
reception. When the apparatus is to be employed for drying articles or for any
purpose where a dry heat is required, or for airing clothing or bedding, for instance,
in heating certain articles of food for the purpose of cooking the same, steam is
only introduced into the space between the two chambers, whereby the articles to
be operated upon which are deposited within the inner chamber are not exposed
to the same.
The apparatus is provided with suitable safety valves and steam gauges, and
thermometer for the purpose of ascertaining and regulating the temperature of the
interior, and I prefer to arrange them all in connection with the same pipe.
The apparatus is made portable by attaching wheels thereto in any suitable and
known manner.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Washington Lyon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
February 1881.
WASHINGTON LYON, of 1, Cowper's Court, Cornhill, in the City of London.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR
PURIFYING, DISINFECTING, DRYING, AND HEATING."
My said Invention consists of improvements in the construction of apparatus for
purifying and disinfecting wearing apparel, bedding, and other articles, by means
of which all germs of disease, vermin, and the eggs thereof, can be effectually
destroyed without the necessity of employing any destructive chemical agent. The
said apparatus is also applicable for the purposes of drying and heating, all risk of
burning articles submitted to such operations being entirely avoided.
The body or main portion of the apparatus consists of a chamber constructed of
wrought iron or other suitable metal or material, and provided with a door so
arranged and fitted as to close in a steam-tight manner. Steam is conducted from
the steam space of a high pressure boiler into the interior of the said chamber by
means of a pipe or pipes, which open or project into the lower part of the latter.
The said chamber, which is hereinafter referred to as the "inner chamber," is
surrounded, except at that part where the door is situated, by an outer casing in
such a manner that a steam-tight space or chamber (hereinafter referred to as the
"outer chamber") shall exist between the said outer casing and the exterior of the
inner chamber, suitable stays or supports being provided for maintaining the inner
chamber in its proper position. A steam-tight door is provided for the purpose of
obtaining access to the inner chamber. Pipes are arranged in the manner herein-
before described for conducting steam to the outer chamber. Both chambers are
provided with suitable pipes for conducting off any water resulting from the
condensation of the steam, and also for facilitating when desired the escape of the
latter.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings, from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. In these Drawings
the apparatus is shown mounted on wheels; Figure 1 is an end view with the door
open, and Figure is a perspective view with the door closed. A is the inner
chamber, and B the casing enclosing the outer chamber; C is the door, which is
provided with a flange c, so that when the door is closed it can be firmly secured
by means of bolts and nuts to the flange d. On the body of the apparatus,
however, although this arrangement constitutes a simple and effectual method of
securing the door in a steam tight manner, in some cases it may be desirable to
employ other arrangements, for instance, clamps connected to a rod or rods, as will
be well understood; e is an aperture provided for the purpose of introducing sinall
articles into the inner chamber without the necessity of opening the door; f is a
cock or valve for the escape of water resulting from the condensation of the steam.
On the upper part of the apparatus are shown arranged safety valves, steam
gauges, and thermometer, for the purpose of ascertaining and regulating the
temperature of the interior.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The wearing apparel, bedding, or
other article to be operated upon is arranged on a perforated shelf, or in any other
suitable manner, within the interior of the inner chamber; the door is then closed
and steam is admitted into the said chamber, and is thus brought into contact with
the article under treatment, which is allowed to remain exposed to the action of the
same until the desired object is effected. In order to prevent condensation of the
steam within the inner chamber steam is admitted into the outer chamber by
preference at a higher pressure than the steam in the inner chamber a short time

page_text: before the admission of steam to the latter, which is thereby heated and prepared
for its reception. When the apparatus is to be employed for airing clothing or
bedding, or for drying articles, or for any purpose where a dry heat is required,
steam is only introduced into the outer chamber; but when a moist heat is required
for the preservation of meat, or for cooking the same, the apparatus is used in the
same manner as hereinbefore described for disinfecting.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner it is to be performed, I would observe, in conclusion, that what
I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the Invention
secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
The combination and arrangement of the inner and outer chambers, substantially
as and for the purposes herein before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Washington Lyon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty first day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WASHINGTON LYON. (L.S.)