Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Use in Sterilizing or Disinfecting, applicable also for use in Bacteriological Culture.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1898-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Use in Sterilizing
or Disinfecting, applicable also for use in Bacteriological
Culture.
I, EUGENE FOURNIER, of 114, Rue de Provence, Paris, in France, Pharmaceutical
Chemist, 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 :-
Numerous experiments which I have made (some at the bacteriological laboratory
of the University of Paris) with the apparatus for sterilizing and bacteriological
culture, forming the subject of my prior Patent No. 7888 dated 26th March 1897,
and which was heated by alcohol and did not possess any regulator, having proved to
me that said apparatus did not altogether resolve the problem in a practical and com-
plete manner, I have succeeded in designing a new and a more perfect apparatus
forming the subject of the present invention.
The principal drawbacks of my former apparatus were as follows :—
Firstly, when sterilizing by the wet process in which steam enters into the vessel
through the air screw-plug unscrewed two turns, and spreads from the top to bottom
through bandages, dressings or articles to be sterilized, it frequently happens when
linen or strongly compressed dressings are used that their central or lower portion is
not sufficiently impregnated with steam, and that consequently their sterilization is
far from being effective and absolute.
Secondly, and this is of much greater importance-the lamp in the former
apparatus being mounted directly on the bracket supporting the generator, it often
happened (especially in sterilizing operations for which a pressure of 4 atm. was
required) that the reservoir of the lamp directly exposed to the radiating heat
reflected from the bottom of the generator, became quickly dangerously hot so that
its use was combined with serious drawbacks, especially for inexperienced operators.
I sought to obviate this drawback by increasing the distance between the generator
and the lamp but then the heating of the generator took place very slowly so that the
apparatus could not be started quickly. Moreover the employment of a safety
tube to neutralise the inner pressure in the body of the lamp, by enabling the alcohol
to escape, when nearly boiling, and which became ignited at the orifice of said tube,
caused the latter to act as a kind of reaction wheel.
In the third place, in the operations for the purpose of bacteriological culture by
means of the apparatus used as a receptacle with constant temperature, the essential
part for this purpose the burner-could not maintain the temperature constant and
uniform, as absolutely necessary in such operations, owing to faults in its construction,
which has been also shown by experiments.
The different experiments which I made with different burners of well known con-
struction, whether with open wick or with a wick closed in a tube perforated at the
top with small holes, have convinced me that these constructions must be abandoned
for the following reasons.

page_text: In case of burners with open or projecting wicks, the latter become carbonised
after a few hours, and as the vapours of the fuel used do not rise beyond the non-
carbonised part, the result is a considerable reduction of the height of the flame and
consequently of the heat supplied. This reduction can reach 4º, so that the
apparatus works in an irregular manner, and the results are unsatisfactory.
In case of burners having enclosed wicks and a blue flame, the tube surrounding
the wick, which can be moved by means of a tooth-rack in the fixed outer tube,
whereby the height of the flame can be regulated without directly moving the wick
it is possible to heat the apparatus only to a very high temperature owing to the
wick-supporting tube not being capable of being sufficiently lowered relatively to its
protective tube or casing without the flame becoming extinguished, as the com-
bustible vapours cannot be suitably supplied through the holes of the wick
supporting tube, which are then completely closed by the protecting tube within
which they are, situated.
Finally, in the fourth place, to this drawback in the regulation of the heating of
the vessel or receptacle is to be added another which is the result of natural causes-
the cooling at night, especially noticeable in cold weather.
In endeavouring to obviate the above drawbacks, which are sufficiently serious to
render the former apparatus comparatively useless I have succeeded in designing a
new apparatus which will be now described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 shows the apparatus according to the present invention in vertical section,
and
Fig. 2 is a plan according to Fig. 1 of the heating device.
These figures are completed by the detail views Figs. 3 and 4.
The new apparatus, Figs. 1 and 2 comprises an annular lamp-body A constituted
by two hollow tubes B, C arranged one above the other, and leaving between them
an open space D for the free circulation of air, said tubes being connected by tubular
stays E, F, G through which the two tubes B and C communicate with each other.
The tube B is provided at the top with a filling opening H closed by a plug I provided
with an air passage J for preventing a vacuum being produced in the body of the
lamp as the combustible liquid contained in it is consumed.
In the centre of the annular body A is arranged the main heating burner K con-
'nected to the lower tube C by means of a tubular passage L through which the
combustible liquid is applied to said burner K. The latter comprises in the usual
manner the lighting cup M supported by the sleeve N for regulating and extinguish-
ing the flame, which sleeve is operated by means of a pivoted fork O, the end O¹ of
which, at the opposite end to the burner K, projects beyond the annular body A, the
tube B being divided at this point P for the passage of said pivoted arm O in order
to allow it to oscillate freely.
The small burner Q (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) arranged near the burner K, is connected at
the bottom by means of its protective tube R, to the tube L, with which it
communicates, in such manner that the liquid fuel is also supplied through said
conduit L to the burner Q.
The tube S in which is placed the wick T can be raised or lowered in the fixed
outer tube R in the usual manner, to enable the height of the wick T to be regulated,
this raising and lowering being effected by means of a circular rack U, with which it
is provided, and which cooperates with a pinion V, the spindle X of which, supported
in a fixed bracket Y, is operated from the exterior of the annular body A by means
of a rod Y¹, connected to said spindle by means of a socket Z with which the rod Y¹
is provided at the corresponding end, the opposite end projecting beyond the body A
and being provided with a milled knob W.
The rod Y¹ can freely slide in its fixed support W₁ carried by the tube B, so that
said rod can be easily detached from the spindle X and moved away in case it is
desired, to detach the small burner, when it is not required as for instance during the
sterilizing operations, or for any other reasons.

page_text: The essential feature of the small burner Q consists in the wick-supporting tube S
terminating at the top in a hood S¹, of metallic netting or gauze and closed at the
top. In this hood is either placed the upper end of the wick T or an asbestos or
other suitable wad, forming a continuation of said wick T, and connected to, or in close
contact with it.
It follows from this arrangement (clearly shown in the detail vertical section view
Fig. 3) that the burner Q being lighted, the metallic netting of which the hood S¹ is
made will become heated and ensure perfect conductivity and passage over its whole
length, for the.combustible vapours, so that the flame may be made as weak as
desired by lowering the wick supporting tube S even below the orifice of the outer
tube R without risk of extinguishing the flame, and with perfect certainty of its
regularity and intensity being maintained.
With the small burner Q, of the described construction may be combined, when
desired, a metal disc Q which being horizontally supported at an adjustable height
above the burner Q by means of its rod R', held in a socket S², connected externally
to the tube R, diffuses the heat produced and prevents the flame from acting directly
on the generator of the apparatus, thus forming a substitute for a water-bath or
similar device.
For sterilizing operations for surgical dressings and for other articles, and also for
the culture of microbes, the lamp A is combined with a boiler or generating
apparatus B the sheet metal casing B2 of which is provided at the bottom with legs
or brackets B³, resting on the same foundation plate as the lamp, but perfectly
independent of and inside the ring of said lamp, so that the apparatus and the lamp
are not connected together, the body A of the lamp surrounding the base of the
casing of the boiler, and being outside and at a certain distance from the latter, and
not in contact, so that the radiating heat does not have any appreciable effect on the
body of the lamp; and it is possible to considerably increase the heat without any
danger, by making the diameter of the head of the burner twice as large as hitherto,
which would be impossible with the old burners.
This device ensures therefore complete safety, as the body of the lamp A cannot
become heated, consequently the liquid fuel also contained in the tubes B and C
in sufficient quantity to enable the heating to be continued for a time as long as
required for the sterilizing operations, or for the culture of microbes, cannot become
heated.
When the apparatus is to be used for bacteriological culture, the vessel C³ (Fig. 1)
will be used having a cover C4 secured by hooks or catches C5 and comprising a
socket C, in which is placed and held frictionally a thermometer C7, and tubes D³ D',
providing for the aeration of the interior of said vessel C3 during the operations.
These tubes open at both ends, one D³ projects wholly outside the upper portion of
the vessel and the other D' extends downwards to within about one centimetre of the
bottom of the vessel.
For sterilizing operations in a dry or wet manner a vessel Cs of the construction
shown in Fig. 4, will be used comprising an inner tube D5, having the opening at the
upper end of its vertical branch in the upper part of the vessel, the end of the
horizontal branch (bent at a right angle to the first) and preferably with a bevelled
end, being arranged at the bottom of the vessel, and a cover F", secured by a hook
attachment C', and provided only with one opening F5, closed by a screw plug Fo,
provided with an air-escape passage.
When sterilizing in a dry way, the opening F5 is closed in an air-tight manner by
its screw plug being completely screwed down, and the bent tube D³ is not used.
This opening F5 enables air to be introduced into the vessel after the latter has
cooled at the end of the operation and a nearly complete vacuum has been produced
therein, by unscrewing the plug say a couple of turns, whereupon the removal of the
cover becomes possible.
When sterilizing by the wet process, the plug in the opening F5 is further
unscrewed to enable steam to enter the vessel, said steam spreading or passing from
top to bottom and also from bottom upwards, owing to its passage from the top

page_text: through the tube D5 and thence upwards through the interior of the vessel, the
articles to be sterilized being thus impregnated practically simultaneously from top
to bottom and from bottom upwards, no matter how said articles may be arranged in
the vessel.
The above two operations, the wet and dry sterilization, always take place in the
closed generator, the pressure varying from 1 or 2 atm. to 4 atm.
Bacteriological culture is effected with the generator open, the cover being removed
so that the generator serves as a water-bath for the inner vessel C³ Fig. 1.
The vessel is maintained at a constant temperature owing to the special construction
of apparatus according to the present invention, comprising a comparatively large
metallic mass forming as it were a heat accumulator. The small burner serves after
the vessel has been once heated to a suitable temperature to prevent the metal and
consequently the whole apparatus from cooling down, and maintains it at the same
constant temperature. The new burner fulfils its task in an absolutely satisfactory
manner.
To obviate the drawbacks of the cooling of the apparatus during the night, the
upper portion of the jacket B² of the boiler or generator is provided with holes or
perforations E and on it is placed an adjustable ring or damper E² provided with
corresponding holes E³. By turning this ring in one or in the other direction the
holes E may be more or less opened or closed, and thus the heat from the lamp
either all kept concentrated on the boiler or a greater or smaller part of it enabled
to escape.
In this way it is possible to exactly regulate the amount of heat acting
on the apparatus for the purpose of preventing it from cooling owing to the
differences of the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere during the day and
the night.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. Apparatus for use in sterilizing or disinfecting comprising a vessel as B¹
supported on a casing B2 provided with perforations E4 and a regulating ring E², an
inner receptacle C provided with a hermetically closable cover carrying a screw
plug F5 said vessel being provided with a tube, having its open ends at the top and
bottom of the receptacle the combination with a heating device comprising two
communicating tubes, B, C, extending outside the generator support and out of
contact therewith, a central burner K, with an adjustable sleeve N, and forked lever O,
and a secondary burner Q, comprising an outer tube R, inner adjustable wick tube U,
carrying a metallic gauze cap S¹, closed at the top, with or without an adjustable
flame intercepting plate Q¹, substantially as described.
=
2. Apparatus for use in bacteriological culture, comprising a vessel as B1, supported
on a casing B2 provided with perforations E and a regulating ring E² an inner
receptacle C with a hermetically closable cover C+ carrying a thermometer tube C7,
and tubes D3 D4, in combination with the lamp comprising two communicating
tubes B, C, extending outside the generator support, and out of contact therewith, a
central burner K, with an adjustable sleeve N, and forked lever O, and a secondary
burner Q, comprising an outer tube R, inner adjustable wick tube U, carrying a
metallic gauze cap S¹, closed at the top with or without an adjustable flame
intercepting plate Q1, substantially as described.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete apparatus
for use in sterilizing and disinfecting or for bacteriological culture, substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of January 1898
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.