IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF FEEDING INFANTS AND INVALIDS, AND IN APPA- RATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward O'Connell, of Bury, in the County of
Lancaster, Surveyor, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OR METHOD OF FEEDING INFANTS AND INVALIDS, AND IN APPA-
RATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
"
Sealed the 20th October 1853, and dated the 25th April 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward O'Connell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th April 1853.
I, EDWARD O'CONNELL, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OR METHOD OF FEEDING IN-
FANTS AND INVALIDES, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as
follows-
I make a vessel of any convenient. shape and material (with a neck
or contraction at the top) to hold the milk or other liquid; and if it be
necessary to keep it warm, I place the vessel over a small night light,
which may stand upon a table near the bed. I put a fitting or stopper
into the neck of the vessel, with a small tube of glass or other material

page_text: projecting inwards nearly to the bottom of the vessel; this tube acts
as a syphon through which the liquid is drawn, and by making it a
little too short to touch the bottom of the vessel, will leave any sedi-
ment that may be in the liquid at the bottom of the vessel.
To the said fitting I attach a flexible tube, of any necessary length,
with a mouth-piece, so that the apparatus may be on the table, and by
means of the flexible tube the infant or invalide will draw off the con-
tents of the vessel without being disturbed in position. I also use the
same apparatus (merely varying the shape of the vessel to draw the
natural milk from the mother's breast, by means of a valve to produce
a partial vacuum.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward O'Connell, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 25th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDWARD O'CONNELL, of Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Surveyor,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward O'Connell, Her especial
licence that I, the said Edward O'Connell, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward O'Connell, my execu-
tors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the terin
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 of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MODE OR METHOD OF FEEDING INFANTS AND INVALIDS, AND IN APPARA-
TUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Edward O'Connell, should particularly describe and ascertain

page_text: the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Royal Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward O'Connell, 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 (that is to say):
My Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of appa-
ratus for the purpose of feeding infants with milk, or any liquid or
composition of liquids in cases whore artificial nutriment has to be
given to supply the absence or deficiency of the mother's breast, and
as a very effectual mode of affording a substitute in the place of the
parent's natural milk during the period of weaning; and which appa-
ratus is also applicable to the supplying of invalids with liquid nourish-
ment in cases of accident or extreme debility, when it is desirable that
they shall not be disturbed from any particular position, and thereby
preventing the pain or inconvenience of their being raised up to partake
of any fluid. This apparatus consists of a vessel made of any con-
venient shape or material, but with a neck or contraction at the top.
To the inside of this neck or contraction, I fit a stopper made of cork,
glass, or any other convenient substance, into which I insert a tube of
glass, or other suitable material, which tube extends nearly to the
bottom of the vessel, and acts as a syphon, through which the liquid is
drawn to the mouth by the aid of suction alone, To the outside of the
said vessel, I fix an artificial teat or mouth-piece made of soft, durable,
and elastic material, which in size and shape is calculated to guard
against any injury or distortion to the infant's mouth, and having at
one end a small circular bone or ivory disc or shield to prevent the
teat being drawn too far into the mouth; and I so connect the nipple
and shield with the vessel, that, whilst it is held in the infant's mouth,
freedom of motion is allowed without any danger of being hurt, this
part connected with the mouth being completely flexible, yielding to
every motion. By means of this arrangement, the infant or invalid will,

page_text: exhaust the whole of the liquid with the greatest ease; and as the tube
or syphon does not quite reach the bottom of the vessel, if there
happens to be any sediment in the liquid, such being heavier than -
the pure fluid, will fall to the bottom below the end of the tube, and
cannot be taken into the mouth. By this arrangement the usual
method of inverting the vessel to the mouth is entirely dispensed with.
To make this apparatus equally useful for night and day, instead of
having the teat and shield attached close to the neck of the vessel, I
extend it to any convenient length or distance by means of a flexible
tube, so that the vessel containing the liquid may be placed in any
convenient place in the room, and the infant or invalid may remain in
any position in the bed or couch, and exhaust the fluid in the vessel
through the connection of the flexible tube with it. Whenever it may
be desirable or necessary that the milk or fluid shall be given to the
infant or invalid in a warm state, I place an ordinary small night light
in a box, which box is made to the size or shape of the vessel con-
taining the liquid; I then place the vessel over the night light in the
box, and let the whole apparatus remain on the table, and continue
there for a short time, when the required' degree of heat will be com-
municated to the fluid, and by means of the flexible tube the liquid
may be drawn off at pleasure, as already described. The construction
and action of this apparatus will be clearly understood by reference to
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which the same letters of
reference are used to represent similar parts where different views or
diagrams are shewn.
Fig. 1, is a representation of the apparatus,, exhibiting a form or
shape adapted for mothers and nurses. u, represents a tube or syphon
connected with the stopper b, which stopper is to be taken out when
the vessel has to be supplied with the requisite fluid. The stopper b, is
made to fit tightly into the neck of the vessel, at the same time
allowing a sufficient quantity of air to press on the surface of the liquid
to propel it to the mouth, when the infant or invalid exerts the power
of suction at the mouth-piece. This aperture for the admission of air
is made by flattening a part of the side of the stopper, thereby pre-
venting too close a contact with the inside of the neck of the vessel.

page_text: c, c, are bone or ivory sockets attached to both ends of the flexible
joint d, and which joint d, may be of any required length, as shown at
Fig. 4. e, is a flexible mouth-piece attached to a thin circular shield
made, of bone or ivory, shewn separately at Fig. 5; the mouth-piece
being so made that it may be taken off at pleasure and replaced, or a
fresh one supplied, if necessary, on to the socket c. Fig. 2, is a side
view of Fig. 1, showing the position that may be assumed by the joint d
when the mouth-piece or nipple d, is placed in the infant's mouth, and
so as to prevent any stiffness or pressure being applied against the
mouth, and to allow perfect freedom of motion to the, child, without
affecting the position of the vessel whilst held in the hand. Fig. 3,
represents a globular-shaped vessel.placed in a small box or case f
having an aperture in the under side to hold the small glass mortar g,
containing the night light. h, is a cylindrical rim of metal, perforated'
in the side with small holes to allow the admission of air to the flame
of the light which burns in the mortar g. The vessel i, containing the
milk or other fluid, is placed on the top of the perforated rim, where
it receives the heat from the light underneath. , is the lid of the box
or case, having a hole in the centre l, to correspond with the aperture
in the top of the stopper, in which may be inserted the socket-joint of
the end of the flexible tube, Fig. 4. When not in use, the tube may
be removed and placed within the case; the lid being shut down, the
whole is rendered very compact and portable. The top side of the lid
is furnished with a handle to allow of its being conveniently removed
or carried about. Fig. 5, shews the mouth-piece and shield detached
from the flexible joint. Fig. 4, and Fig, 6, is a front view of Fig 5.
The tubes may be cleaned, when necessary, by means of a thin wire
with a brush at one end to suit the size of the tubes.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said
Invention, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact details, as such may be varied or modified without
departing from the principle thereof. But I claim as of my In-
vention, and which, to the best of my knowledge and belief, has not
been hitherto used within this realm, a vessel for containing liquid,

page_text: with the tube or syphon, teat, shield, flexible tube, &c., as herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward O'Connell, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said Edward O'Connell in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
EDWARD O'CONNELL. (L.S.)
Manchester.