A NEW OR IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL INCUBATOR
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Brindley, of Saint Alkmunds, in the County
of Derby, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL
INCUBATOR."
Sealed the 17th May 1867, and dated the 21st November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Brindley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
November 1866.
I, JOHN BRINDLEY, of Saint Alkmunds, in the County of Derby, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL
INCUBATOR," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of a new or improved artificial
incubator or apparatus for hatching eggs by artificial means, and consists in
the adaptation of certain arrangements for that purpose.
I propose to construct a wooden case of an oblong square form, which may
be supported by four legs; about two-thirds of the case are occupied by a
hot-air chamber, egg tray, and drawer;' the remaining portion contains the
heating apparatus, the general arrangement and dimension of this case being
similar to the artificial incubators in ordinary.use..
The hot-air chamber is formed by. à covering of glass on the top of the case,
and by a similar glass plate below it, leaving a space for the reception of hot-:

page_text: water pipes which extend from the boiler and heating apparatus. Below the
hot-air chamber the egg tray and drawer are situated; the tray is made of
wood lined with soft felt or other similar soft fabric, and may be lifted into or
out of the drawer as required. The boiler is provided with a chimney, and is
heated by a paraffin oil lamp or other lamp connected with an oil reservoir
and placed underneath the boiler.
The surface of the case between the glass top and the boiler is provided
with a mercurial ventilator or safety valve which is adjusted to open when the
air has acquired a certain degree of heat; it consists of a horizontal plate of
wood, ivory, glass, or metal fitted in a case and balanced on an axis; this
plate supports on its surface a thermometer consisting of a bulb and tube of
glass hermetically sealed and containing mercury, so that when the mercury
rises or flows along the tube by the increase of temperature, the equilibrium
is destroyed and the plate assumes an inclined or oblique position, moving
as a balance valve, and allowing of the egress of heated air. Between the
lamp and drawer and under the boiler a partition is formed and furnished
with wool to serve as an artificial mother for the chickens when out of
the shell.
Incubators as heretofore constructed; have a hot-air chamber with glass at
the top and bottom, an egg drawer and tray, and hot-water pipes in a case;
but the novelty of my incubator consists in the self-acting regulator for
ensuring the required temperature; in heating the hot-water apparatus by a
lamp provided with a reservoir and chimney for burning paraffin under the
boiler; of a hot-water apparatus contained within the case of the incubator; and
in the application on each side of the lamp of a chamber lined with wool, and
serving as an artificial mother for the chickens, on leaving the shell.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Brindley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I JOHN. 30
BRINDLEY, of Saint Alkmunds, in the County of Derby, send greeting.
WHEREAS: Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our
Lord: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year. of Her
reign, did, for. Herself, Her. heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the 35

page_text: said John Brindley, Her special licence that I; the said John Brindley, my
executors, administrators, and assigns; of such others as I; the said John
Brindley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agréé
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during thé
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,. the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
ARTIFICIAL INCUBATOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Brindley, my executors or administrators, by an instrument' in
writing under my, or their, or one their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately' after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Brindley, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My Iú.ention relates to the construction of a new or improved artificial
incubator or apparatus for hatching eggs by artificial means, and consists" in
the adaptation of certain arrangements for that purpose.
I'construct a wooden case of an oblong square form which may be supported
by four legs. About two-thirds of the case are occupied by a hot-air chamber,
egg tray, and drawer; the remaining" portion contains the heating apparatus,
the general arrangement and dimensions of this case "being" similar to the
artificial incubators' in ordinary use."
The hot-air chamber is formed Bytá covering" of glass on the top of the case,
and by a similar glass plate below it, leaving a space for the reception of hot-
water pipes which extend' from the boiler and heating apparatus: Below the
hot-air chamber the egg tray and drawer are situated; the tray is made of
wood lined with 'soft' 'felt or other similar soft fabric, and may be lifted into or
out of the drawer as required. The 'Boiler is provided with" a "chimney," and
is heated by a paraffin oil lamp or other lamp connected with an "oil' reservoir,
and placed underneath the boiler.
The surface of 'the'cäse between the glass top and the boiler is provided
with a mercurial guage, ventilator, or safety valve, which is adjusted to open
when the air has acquired a certain degree of heat; "it consists of a horizontal
plate of wood, ivory, glass, or metal fitted in a case and balanced on an' axis.

page_text: this plate supports on its surface a thermometer consisting of a bulb and tube
of glass hermetically sealed and containing mercury, so that when the mercury
rises or flows along the tube by the increase of temperature the equilibrium
is destroyed and the plate assumes an inclined or oblique position, moving as
a balance valve, and allowing of the egress of the heated air. Between the
lamp and drawer, and under the boiler, a partition is formed and furnished
with wool to serve as an artificial mother for the chickens when out of the
shell.
Incubators as heretofore constructed have a hot-air chamber with glass at
the top and bottom, an egg drawer and tray, and hot-water pipes in a case; 1
but the novelty of my incubator consists in the self-acting regulator for
ensuring the required temperature; in heating the hot-water apparatus by a
lamp provided with a reservoir and chimney for burning paraffin under the
boiler; of a hot-water apparatus contained within the case of the incubator;
and in the application on each side of the lamp of a chamber lined with wool, 1
and serving as an artificial mother for the chickens on leaving the shell.
In order that my said Invention may be more completely understood, I
annex the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a
perspective view of the incubator.
A is an outer case of wood; B, the tray for the eggs; it is of wood lined
with soft felt; C, the drawer in which the tray B is placed; D, the hot-air
chamber, which is of glass top and bottom, and is heated by means of water
in metal tubing going between the glasses; E represents in dotted lines the
position of the tubing; F shews the position of the boiler connected with the
tubing; G shews the position of the mercurial balance ventilator; H, H, are 2
the doors of the partitions under the boiler, and on each side of the lamp,
which are furnished with wool, and serve as artificial mothers for the
chickens.
In Fig. 2, I shews the reservoir and lamp for heating the water in the
boiler; Fig. 3 shews a perspective view of the boiler F with the chimney K. s
in dotted lines; Fig. 4 shews the tubing E attached to the boiler F, and G
.shews in Fig. 5 the mercurial ventilator in its case.
I claim as new, under this Invention,―
Firstly, the application of the self-acting and self-regulating mercurial
ventilator or safety valve adjusted on the top of the hot-air chamber.
Secondly, the application of a chimney, to the boiler in order to burn
paraffin in a lamp under the boiler, such lamp being connected by a pipe with
an oil reservoir.
3

page_text: And, lastly, the application of the artificial mothers under the boiler and on
each side of the lamp, substantially as herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Brindley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
JOHN J. DOUGHTY,
Macklin St.,
Derby.
JOHN BRINDLEY. (L.S.).
St. Alkmunds,
Derby.