IMPROVEMENTS IN INHALING APPARATUS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DIFFUSING PERFUMED AND OTHER VAPOURS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Ambrose McEvoy, of 4, Piccadilly, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN INHALING APPARATUS,
APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DIFFUSING PERFUMED AND OTHER VAPOURS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd September 1876.
CHARLES AMBROSE MCEVOY, of 4, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex.
PROVEMENTS IN INHALING APPARATUS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DIFFUSING PERFUMED
AND OTHER VAPOURS."
"
IM-
This Invention has for its object improvements in inhaling apparatus, applicable
also for diffusing perfumed and other vapours.
Apparatus for use in inhaling has already been constructed under a Patent
granted to William Robert Lake (a communication from Edward Reed Gardner)
No. 1512, in the year 1874. Such apparatus consists of a tube of glass or other
material filled with a number of very small tubes of porous paper or other absorbent
material. This absorbent material is saturated with the volatile liquid, the vapour
of which it is desired to inhale, and the tube is provided with an opening at one end
for the admission of air and another opening or mouth-piece at the other end by
which air is drawn through the tube into the lungs, and this air as it passes in
contact with the absorbent material takes up the vapour of the liquid with which
this material is saturated.
In order to render these instruments more convenient for use than they were in
their original form the tube above referred to is now arranged so that one end of it
screws into the mouth of a bottle-like vessel which is provided with apertures for
the admission of air immediately below the neck or socket into which the tube
screws. Over the outer end of the tube the bottle-like vessel receives a screw cap
which closes it when not in use.
The whole of the apparatus excepting the porous material may conveniently be
made of vulcanite, and if preferred the tube and the mouth-piece or the mouth-piece
only may be made of silver or other metal.
The evaporating surface may be increased if desired by packing porous material

page_text: within the bottle-like vessel and around the tube, or absorbent material thus disposed
may be substituted for that within the tube.
In some cases fine wire gauze or other similar appliance may be employed to
retain the volatile liquid in its interstices.
The same apparatus is also applicable for diffusing perfumed and other vapours.
The air which naturally passes through the instrument without suction being
sufficient to carry off a considerable quantity of vapour from the extended surface
of volatile liquid which is presented to it upon the porous or other filling.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd March 1877.
CHARLES AMBROSE MCEVOY, of 4, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN INHALING APPARATUS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DIFFUSING PERFUMED
AND OTHER VAPOURS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in inhaling apparatus applicable
also for diffusing perfumed and other vapours.
Apparatus for use in inhaling has already been constructed under a Patent granted
to William Robert Lake (a communication from Edward Reed Gardner) No. 1512,
in the year 1874. Such apparatus consists of a tube of glass or other material filled
with a number of very small tubes of porous paper or other absorbent material.
This absorbent material is saturated with the volatile liquid the vapour of which
it is desired to inhale, and the tube is provided with an opening at one end for the
admission of air and another opening or mouth-piece at the other end by which air
is drawn through the tube into the lungs, and this air as it passes in contact with
the absorbent material takes up the vapour of the liquid with which this material
is saturated.
In order to render these instruments more convenient for use than they were in
their original form, the tube above referred to is now arranged so that one end of it
screws into the mouth of a bottle-like vessel which is provided with apertures for the
admission of air immediately below the neck or socket into which the tube screws.
Over the outer end of the tube the bottle-like vessel receives a screw cap which
closes it when not in use.
The whole of the apparatus excepting the porous material may conveniently be
made of vulcanite, and if preferred the tube and the mouth-piece or the mouth-
piece only may be of silver or other metal. The bottle-like vessel may also be made
of glass.
In place of connecting the parts by screw threads, springs may be applied to hold
the tube in its place, and the cap may be made simply to slide on and off. The air
inlets may be near the lower end of the bottle-like vessel and arranged so as to be
separately closed and opened when desired by partially rotating the tube within the
bottle-like vessel.
The evaporating surface may be increased if desired by packing porous material
within the bottle-like vessel and around the tube, or absorbent material thus disposed
may be substituted for that within the tube.
In some cases fine wire gauze or other similar appliance may be employed to
retain the volatile liquid in its interstices.
The same apparatus is also applicable for diffusing perfumed and other vapoura
The air which naturally passes through the instrument without suction being
sufficient to carry off a considerable quantity of vapour from the extended surface
of volatile liquid which is presented to it upon the porous or other filling.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of an inhaling or diffusing apparatus constructed
according to my Invention and of the form which I prefer; the cap is removed and
shown at a short distance from the other parts.
a is the outer or bottle-like vessel; b is the screw cap; c is the containing tube
which is screwed into the mouth of the vessel a; d is the packing of porous material;
it may consist of perforated wads of pulp shown separately by the Figures 2, and
which are laid close together in sufficient number to fill the interior of the tube c;
or a roll of wire gauze such as is shown at Figure 3 may be employed.
To prepare the apparatus for use a few drops of the volatile liquid to be employed
are applied to the absorbent material d at each end of the tube c, but not more than
it can absorb into its substance, and no free liquid is allowed within the bottle-like
vessel a, which however, as already described, may contain absorbent material
saturated with the volatile liquid.
In using the apparatus as an inhaler, the cap having been removed, the mouth is
applied to the upper end of the tube c and air is drawn through it into the lungs,
the air entering at the apertures e, e, in the sides of the bottle-like vessel a.
When the apparatus is to be used for diffusing perfumes it is simply necessary to
remove the cap, and the current of air which will pass through the apparatus aided
by the heat of the hand will suffice to cause a rapid diffusion of the odour.
Figure 4 shows a vertical section of the arrangement in which screws are
dispensed with, as already described.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that claim the construction of
apparatus suitable for use in inhaling and also for diffusing odours, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
C. A. M°EVOY. (LS.)