IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF 'INCUBATORS,' PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE REGULATION OF HEAT FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ralph Challinor and William Henry Mawdsley, both of
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF 'INCUBATORS,' PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE REGULATION OF HEAT FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ralph Challinor and William
Henry Mawdsley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd
July 1880.
RALPH CHALLINOR and WILLIAM HENRY MAWDSLEY, both of Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF 'INCUBATORS,'
PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE REGULATION OF HEAT
FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
The "incubator" is constructed as follows:-The drawer in which the eggs are
placed has a perforated bottom, and is supported on a shallow tray having an air
tube at the centre, and containing water to promote moisture.
Above this tray and drawer is a coiled copper pipe containing hot water, and
communicating by means of a tube with a heat regulator, and through the latter
with a hot water reservoir above the coiled pipe.
The lower bend of the tube is filled with mercury, and the regulator is provided
with a float, which as the beat increases beyond the point desired closes a valve
between the regulator and a coil of pipe which conveys the hot water from the
boiler (heated by a lamp) to the hot water reservoir, and by thus shutting off the
supply and circulation of hot water prevents the increase of temperature beyond
the desired point.
When the temperature decreases on the contrary, the receding of the mercury
allows the float to open and admit more hot water, and thus the heat is maintained
at the desired point.
A regulating screw is provided by means of which the valve may be set to open
or close at any required temperature.
The coiled pipe leading to the boiler is provided with a steam escape and an
overflow pipe leading into the cold water supply cistern, which latter is furnished

page_text: with a self-acting feed consisting of a float and ball valve. The boiler is heated by
a lamp, and is provided with flow and return pipes for keeping up the circulation of
the water between the cold water cistern, the boiler, and the hot water reservoir.
In place of the heat regulator above described, we sometimes form the same of
two tubes (one within the other), both open at the top.
The inner one is open all through and communicates with the hot water or hot
air reservoir, the heat of which is to be regulated.
Mercury is placed in the outer tube surrounding the inner one, and a third tube
(closed at the top) is inserted and floats in the mercury, its lower edge being open
and dipping into the mercury somewhat in the fashion of an ordinary gasometer.
The heat acting on the mercury causes this inverted floating tube to rise and fall,
and this being connected to the water supply tap thus regulates the heat.
It will be evident that this thermal regulator and the one previously described
are also applicable to the regulation of the heat of fluids or air for other purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ralph Challinor and William Henry Mawdsley in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st January 1881.
'
RALPH CHALLINOR and WILLIAM HENRY MAWDSLEY, both of Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF 'INCUBATORS,'
PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE REGULATION OF HEAT
FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
.
This Invention relates to the construction of apparatus known as "incubators,"
employed for the artificial hatching of eggs by the use of hot water.
The principal novel feature of our said Invention consists of an improved form of
thermo-regulator," for stopping the circulation of the hot water whenever the
temperature thereof rises above that necessary for incubation, and allows the same
to re-commence as soon as the temperature falls again to the required point.
Such being the nature and object of our said Invention, we will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect; and in order that the same may be clearly understood,
we have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those
in the following explanation thereof :-
"
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawings is a vertical section of our improved "incubator
complete; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of our improved "thermo-regulator" drawn
to a larger scale, and Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modification of the same adapted
for the regulation of heat in greenhouses, and for other similar purposes.
The "incubator" is constructed as follows:-The drawer a, a, (Fig. 1) in which
the eggs are placed has a perforated bottom b, b, and is supported above a shallow
tray c, c, having an air tube d, d, at the centre, and containing water to promote
moisture.
Above the tray c, c, and drawer a, a, is a coiled copper pipe e, e, containing air,
and communicating by means of a tube f,, with a heat regulator g, g, and through
the latter with a hot water reservoir h, h, above the coiled pipe.
We would here observe that the latter may be made in a serpentine form if
preferred, or it may be made in the form of a flat shallow chamber like the hot
water reservoir h, h, and in some cases we propose to place this hot air chamber
inside the hot water reservoir.
The lower bend of the tube f, f, (see Fig. 2) is filled with mercury, and the
regulator is provided with a vertical tube i, i, over which is a cap or bell k, k,
forming a kind of valve. When the heat increases beyond the point desired, the
level of the mercury rises above the lower edge of the bell k, k, and closes the valve
between the regulator g, g, and the pipe 7, 7, which convey the hot water from the
boiler m, m, (heated by a lamp n, n,) to the hot water reservoir h, h, and by thus
shutting off the supply and circulation of hot water prevents the increase of
temperature beyond the desired point.
'
On the coil of pipe o, o, which leads from the boiler m, m, to the regulator g, g,
is an upright pipe p, p, up which the beated water rises (when the valve is closed),
and falls into the cold water supply cistern q, q, above.
When the temperature decreases on the contrary, the receding of the mercury
allows the valve to open and admit more hot water, and thus the heat is maintained
at the desired point.
A regulating screw j, j, is provided by means of which the valve may be set to
open or close at any required temperature.
The pipe p, p, also acts as a steam escape, and the hot water cistern 8, 8, ig
furnished with a self acting feed consisting of a float and ball valve.

page_text: The boiler is heated by the lamp n, n, and is provided with flow pipe r,,
leading to the hot water cistern s, s, and return pipes t, t, for keeping up the
circulation of the water between the cistern 8, s, the boiler m, m, and the hot water
reservoir h, h. The heat at which the circulation of hot water is stopped may be
regulated by screwing the cap h, k, up or down by the screw j, j, as required.
Should the mercury by any chance rise above the top of the pipe i, i, it will not
run into the boiler m; m, but into a pocket u, u, provided for that purpose, whence
it can be removed by the tap v.
In some cases we propose to use a cushion or pad between the bottom of the hot
water reservoir and the drawer containing the eggs, so that by raising the drawer
the pad may press upon the eggs, which will thus receive warmth more after the
natural manner.
The cushion would be a sort of bag filled with oil, glycerine, or some other
non-volatile liquid, or it might be filled with sand, salt, lampblack, or other good
absorbent of heat.
In place of the heat regulator above described, we sometimes form the same of
two tubes w, w, (one within the other, see Fig. 3), both open at the top.
The inner one w, w, is open all through, and communicates with the hot water or
hot air reservoir, the heat of which is to be regulated. Mercury is placed in the
outer tube x, x, surrounding the inner one, and a third tube or cap y, y, (closed at
the top) is inserted and floats in the mercury, its lower edge being open and
dipping into the mercury somewhat in the fashion of an ordinary gasometer.
The heat acting on the air thus enclosed causes this inverted floating tube y, y,
to rise or fall, and this being connected to the water supply tap thus regulates the
heat.
It will be evident that this thermal regulator, and the one previously described,
are also applicable to the regulation of the heat of fluids or air for other purposes.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention,―
First. The general construction and arrangement of "incubator," as above
described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed, and
Secondly. We claim especially the peculiar construction of the "thermo-regulator,"
as above described, or any mere imitation or modification thereof, constructed and
operating in substantially the same manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ralph Challinor (on behalf of myself and the
said William Henry_Mawdsley), have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
RALPH CHALLINOR. (L.S.)