IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPAGATING SEEDS AND PLANTS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVIDIONAL
DILCIFICATION.
I HENRY THOMAS DOBSON, of Surrey Wire Works, 52, 55 and 56 Borough
Road, in the County of Surrey, Wire Worker and Blind Maker do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR PROPAGATING SEEDS AND PLANTS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for propagating or raising
seeds and striking cuttings.
In carrying out this Invention I employ a case of suitable size and shape and
adapted to contain a loose box for holding mould or small pots in which are sowed
or planted the seeds or cuttings. The said loose box has a perforated bottom.
The upper part of the said case is of a size and shape to receive the said loose
box which I call the seed box, the same resting on projections on the sides of the
case which is set in below the said box the sides being continued down so as to
form a chamber on the bottom of which is a suitable dish or tray for receiving a
kettle of a shape corresponding with the shape of the said chamber.
The outside of the said casing is lined with suitable non-conducting material
such as hair felt and the casing is placed within an outer box or casing which is of
such a size as to leave a space between the sides, ends and bottoms of the inner and
outer casings which space is packed with suitable non-conducting material such as
sawdust.
The outer casing is provided with a cover consisting of a frame which covers
over the space between the inner and outer casings at the top, and is provided with
a hinged glazed flap to allow of access to the seed box and to admit light thereto.
To make use of the apparatus the kettle is filled with water which is boiled;
the kettle containing the boiling water is then placed on the dish or tray in the
apparatus and the box containing the seeds or cuttings is placed in position over it
and the lid of the apparatus is closed.
The apparatus requires no further attention until the water becomes cool when
it should be again heated. I have found in practice that with an apparatus of the
construction described a high and steady temperature can be maintained for a
period of about twenty four hours; the kettle being entirely shut in between non-
conducting surfaces the heat can only pass off by traversing the seed box (through
Die 1

page_text: its perforated bottom).. A good bottom heat, so favorable to the development of
roots, is thereby maintained, at the same time that the atmosphere above is sweet
and moist.
An apparatus of this construction requires no fire or light and is therefore safe:
it requires no alteration can be easily and quickly got ready for use and being free
from disagreeable smell and emitting no vapour may be placed in any room,
conservatory or the like.

page_text: I HENRY THOMAS DOBSON, of Surrey Wire Works, 52, 55 and 56 Borough
Road, in the County of Surrey, Wire Worker and Blind Maker do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR PROPAGATING SEEDS AND PLANTS" and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
:
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for propagating or raising
seeds and striking cuttings.
In carrying out the Invention I employ a case of suitable size and shape and
adapted to contain a loose box for holding mould or small pots in which are sowed
or planted the seeds or cuttings. The said loose box has a perforated bottom.
The upper part of the said case is of a size and shape to receive the said loose
box which I call the seed box, the same resting on projections on the sides of the
case which is set in below the said box the sides being continued down so as to
form a chamber on the bottom of which is a suitable dish or tray for receiving a
kettle of a shape corresponding with the shape of the said chamber.
The outside of the said casing is lined with suitable non-conducting inaterial
such as hair felt and the casing is placed within an outer box or casing which is of
such a size as to leave a space between the sides, ends and bottoms of the inner and
outer casings which space is packed with suitable non-conducting material such as
sawdust.
The outer casing is provided with a cover consisting of a frame which covers
over the space between the inner and outer casings at the top, and is provided with
a hinged glazed flap to allow of access to the seed box and to admit light thereto.
In order to enable my Invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing in which Figure 1, is a plan,
Figure 2, a longitudinal section and Figure 3, a transverse vertical section of an
apparatus for propagating seeds and plants constructed according to my invention;
Figures 4, and 5, are a detached. plan and side elevation of the loose box for
containing the mould. Similar letters in all the Figures represent similar parts.
a, represents the inner case and b, the loose box which I call the seed box for
holding mould or small pots in which are sowed or planted the seeds or cuttings the
said box being contained within the case a, and provided with a perforated bottom c,
which rests on the projections d on the sides of the case which is set in below the
box b, as shewn the sides a, being continued down so as to form the chamber e; f, is
the dish or tray in the bottom of the chamber e, and g, is the kettle placed therein
and of a shape corresponding with the shape of the chamber e; h, is the non-
conducting material, such as hair felt, with which the outside of the casing a, is
lined, is the outer box or casing and i, is the non-conducting material with
which the space between the two casings a, and i, is packed; /, is the frame of the
cover with which the outer casing i, is provided the said frame covering over the
space between the inner and outer casings a, and i, at the top; 1, is the glazed flap
of the cover hinged at m, to allow of access to the seed box b, and to admit light
thereto; m, n, are handles by which to raise the seed box b, from the casing a.
To make use of the apparatus the kettle g, is filled with water which is heated;
the kettle containing the boiling or heated water is then placed on the dish or
tray ƒ, in the apparatus and the box b, containing the seeds or cuttings is placed in
position over it as shewn in the Drawing and the lid l, of the apparatus is closed.
The apparatus requires no further attention until the water in the kettle g,
becomes cool when it should be again heated. I have found in practice that with

page_text: an apparatus of the construction described a high and steady temperature can be
maintained for a period of about twenty four hours; the kettle g, being .entirely
shut in between non-conducting surfaces the heat can only pass off by traversing
the seed box b, through its perforated bottom c. A good bottom heat so favorable
to the development of roots is thereby maintained at the same time that the
atmosphere above is sweet and moist.
An apparatus of this construction requires no fire or light and is therefore safe;
it requires no alteration, can be easily and quickly got ready for use and being free
from disagreeable smell and emitting no vapour may be placed in any room,
conservatory or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly. The improved apparatus for propagating. seeds and plants arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described and represented in the
accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. In apparatus for propagating seeds and plants the employment of a
kettle such as g, provided with boiling water and serving as the heating medium
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Thirdly. In apparatus for propagating seeds and plants the combination of a
mould or seed box b, having a perforated bottom with a heating medium such
as g, substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
Drawing.