Improvements in the Construction of Incubators.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar.. 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Incubators.
I SAMUEL MANN of Patteshall Cottage, Bedford in the County of Bedford
Poultry Farmer 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 :-
This my invention relates to Improvements in the Construction of Incubators and
refers particularly to the class of incubator described in the Specification of Letters
Patent granted to Samuel Mann dated the 15th day of July 1893 and
numbered 13786, wherein the lamp or other heating apparatus is fitted outside the
incubator and a conducting pipe or tube leads therefrom through the tank.
By this invention novel and improved means of regulating the temperature are
provided, the construction of the apparatus is simplified and a perfect circulation of
air is obtained.
And in order that this my invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe same with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1. is a front elevational view of an incubator partly in section illustrating the
invention.
Figs. 1 2 and 3. are detail views to an enlarged scale of the temperature
regulating valve mechanism and
Fig. 4. is a diagram view of the valve and spindle and the cup containing the
tube of mercury and ether all as hereinafter particularly described.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the figures.
a a are the egg trays, the tank through which the tube c passes, which latter
leads from the lamp d placed outside the apparatus as shewn.
In accordance with the said former invention for which Letters Patent No. 13786
were granted to the said Samuel Mann, the tank b rested upon a flange all round
the casing and was made practically air tight. This necessitates the provision of
an air shaft or tube leading directly through the tank into the lower chamber which
I now dispense with by carrying the tank upon suitable brackets in such
manner as to allow air space all around said tank between the same and the outer
casing.
A better circulation of air is thereby obtained.
A suitable damper or valve e actuated from the handle f is provided in the lid or
cover of the apparatus controlling the outlet for vitiated air.
To regulate the temperature of the interior of the incubator I adopt the device
shewn particularly in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 as well as in the general
view Fig. 1.
g is a damper or valve placed upon the top of lamp flue or chimney, carried upon
one end of the spindle or lever . This lever h is fulcrummed at h¹ in an upright
bearing formed upon the top of the apparatus. To the opposite end of said
lever h, which is suitably weighted, I attach a wire, cord or chain k to the lower
end of which I connect one end of a cup or tray l. This latter is supported at its
other end by a wire, cord, or chain p attached to the bottom of the hot water
tank b. The cup or tray I form of a peculiar shape as shewn in the drawings,
that is to say whilst the one end of same supported from the bottom of the tank
is perpendicular with the bottom of the said tray or cup, its other end which is
In this tray
connected, as aforesaid, to the lever h I form upon a slope or incline.
or cup I place a tube m containing mercury and ether. This tube I make of a

page_text: corresponding shape to the cup or tray aforesaid, i.e. with one vertical leg and the
other at an angle thereto, as shewn particularly in detail view, Fig. 3.
The action of this device is as follows:-
When at or below the normal heat required, the mercury will be in the position
marked m¹ in the vertical leg of the tube (see Fig. 3) the ether being at the top as
marked m². When the heat is sufficient to cause the ether to boil the mercury will
be displaced from the vertical leg and assume the position in the inclined leg shewn
in dotted lines marked m³. This displacement of the mercury will cause the
inclined end of the cup or tray / to drop as shewn in dotted lines Fig. 4. and
draw with it the end of the lever h to which it is attached, thereby raising
its opposite end and with it the end of the damper or valve g as also shewn
in dotted lines, Fig. 4. and thus allow the heat from the lamp to escape into
the open air in lieu of passing through the pipe or tube c. so cooling said pipe
or tube c and reducing the temperature of the water in the tank. When the
temperature is sufficiently reduced, the mercury will assume its original position
in the vertical leg of the tube m and the damper g will be closed and the heat will
again pass from the lamp d through the pipe c in tank b and thence to the open air
through the cowl cl. In order that the degree of temperature at which the damper y
will lift may be regulated to the greatest fineness or nicety, I suspend upon the
lever at the valve end thereof a ball or weight n capable of being moved back-
wards and forwards and being securely held in any desired position. For this latter
purpose the upper side of the lever his formed with a series of slight indentations
or teeth h² for a portion of its length into which the suspensory ring of the ball or
weight n is placed when in the required position.
In order more thoroughly than heretofore to saturate the air introduced into the
egg chamber with moisture I form the water tray or dish o (shewu in dotted lines
Fig. 1. & partially in sectional elevation in Fig. 1A) with dependent tubular necks o¹
fitting into the tubes or cylinders p formed upon and passing through the bottom of
the incubator. The bottom of the water dish o I line with flannel or other suitable
absorbent material and the air entering through the conduits or cylinders p passes
through said moistened flannel or other material and is in consequence sufficiently
and thoroughly saturated.
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. The general arrangement, construction and combination of parts forming my
improvements in incubators, all acting and operating substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described and shewn.
2. In incubators the temperature regulating device consisting of damper,
lever (fulcrummed as shewn at h¹) and cup or tray 1 with mercury tube m. all
constructed and operating substantially as herein before described and shewn.
3. In incubators heated from the exterior the combination of hot water tank
arranged with air space around same between it and the outer casing for the purpose
of obtaining a better circulation of the air, with the water tray or dish o formed
with dependent tubular necks o' fitting into the air conduits or tubes p upon and in
the bottom of the incubator for the purpose of thoroughly saturating with moisture
the air admitted to the egg chamber, substantially as hereinbefore set forth and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of March 1894
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.