Improved Apparatus for Administering Gas and Ether.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 29th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Administering Gas and Ether.
We SYDNEY RUMBOLL of Hope Villa Woodhouse Lane Leeds Surgeon and
JOHN CHARTERIS BIRCH of 2, Brunswick Place North Street, Leeds, Surgeon
Dentist both in the County of York do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
:-
Our invention refers to apparatus for administering gas and ether to patients and
more particularly to enable this to be done in any desired proportions, to adjust the
supply of ether, to ascertain when the supply of the same is exhausted and to
prevent waste or leakage of ether.
Our invention consists of a reservoir for the ether fitted on the top of a glass
cylinder, which latter forms the evaporation chamber for the ether and allows the
attendant to observe when the supply is exhausted. The ether is admitted from
the reservoir to the evaporation chamber through an opening which can be closed
by a fine thread screw valve. A screw or other tightly fitting plug closes an
opening at the upper part of the reservoir and through which the reservoir can be
charged.
In the centre of the glass cylinder is provided a valve for regulating the pro-
portion of gas and ether and which is connected at the upper end to a gas tube
passing through the ether reservoir and at the lower end to the face piece socket.
The valve consists of an outer stationary tube in which are two slot holes on
opposite sides each extending approximately over one half of the circumference,
but the one placed somewhat higher than the other. Near the upper end of this
stationary tube is fitted a horizontal semi-circular diaphragm. Within this
stationary outer piece fits a cylindrical liner also provided with horizontal slot
holes and horizontal and vertical diaphragms, so arranged that when the liner is in
one position there is a clear passage through from the gas tube to the socket for
the face piece, the ether evaporation chamber being completely closed; whilst if
this liner is rotated through 180 degrees the gas tube is closed and the ether
chamber is open to the face piece socket, in the former case the patient inhales gas
only and in the latter case ether only. In intermediate positions a mixture of gas
and ether passes to the face piece socket, the proportions varying according to the
In order
position of the liner from all gas and no ether to no gas and all ether.
to prevent leakage of ether vapour through the valve when closed, the liner is
kept pressed tightly by means of a spiral spring against the under side of the
diaphragm of the fixed tube. The liner is rotated by means of a handle passing
through a slot hole in the face piece socket and attached to the lower end of a
vertical spindle. The upper end of this spindle is made square in horizontal section
to fit a square socket hole in the bottom of the liner, in order to allow for any
vertical play of the liner.
The lower end of the glass cylinder (i.e. the ether evaporation chamber) is closed
by a metal piece connected to the bottom of the ether reservoir by vertical rods
and to this metal piece or cover the face piece socket is attached. A wash out
plug is provided in this metal cover, and the rim of the same may be graduated
above the handle to indicate the relative opening for or passage of the gas and
ether (i.e. the proportions of the mixture).
Dated this 28th day of July 1892.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for aforesaid two Applicants.

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Administering Gas and Ether.
We SYDNEY RUMBOLL of Hope Villa Woodhouse Lane Leeds in the County
of York Surgeon and JOHN CHARTERIS BIRCH of 2 Brunswick Place North
Street Leeds in the County of York Surgeon Dentist, 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 :-
Our invention refers to apparatus for administering ether with or without
nitrous oxide gas to patients, and more particularly to enable this to be done in
any desired proportions, to adjust the supply of ether, to ascertain when the supply
of the same is exhausted and to prevent waste or leakage of ether.
Our improved apparatus comprises a reservoir for the ether fitted on the top of
a glass cylinder, which latter forras the evaporation chamber for the ether, and
allows the attendant to observe when the supply is exhausted. The ether is
admitted from the reservoir to the evaporation chamber through an opening which
can be closed by a fine thread screw valve or tap. A screw or other tightly
fitting plug or tap closes an opening at the upper part of the reservoir through
which opening the reservoir can be charged.
In the centre of the glass cylinder is provided a valve for regulating the pro-
portion of gas or air and ether and which is connected at the upper end to an inlet
tube. This valve passes through the ether reservoir and evaporation chamber and
at the lower end is connected to the socket of the face piece. The valve consists
of an outer stationary tube in which are two or more slot holes ou opposite sides
each extending approximately over one half of the circumference, but the one placed
somewhat higher than the other. Near the upper end of this stationary tube is
fitted a horizontal semi-circular diaphragm. Within this outer stationary tube fits
a cylindrical liner, also provided with horizontal slot holes and horizontal and
vertical diaphragms, so arranged, that when the liner is in one position there is a
clear passage through from the inlet tube to the face piece socket, the ether
evaporation chamber being completely shut-off from communication with this
passage; whilst if the liner is rotated through 180 degrees, the inlet tube is shut-
off, and the ether chamber by means of the slot holes is placed in communication
with the face piece socket. In the former case the patient inhales air or gas or a
mixture of air and gas only, and in the latter case with ether. In intermediate
positions of the liner a mixture of gas or air and ether passes to the face piece
socket, the proportions varying according to the position of the liner between all
gas or air or mixture of gas and air and no ether and all ether and no gas.
In order to prevent leakage of ether vapour through the valve when closed, the
liner is kept pressed tightly against the under side of the fixed horizontal diaphragm
of the outer tube by means of a spiral spring. The liner is rotated by means of a
handle passing through a slot hole in the face piece socket and attached to the
lower end of a vertical spindle. The upper end of this spindle is formed square in
horizontal section to fit a square socket hole connected by arms to the lower end
of the liner, so as to allow for any vertical play of the liner. Or the handle may
be screwed into the lower end of the liner, the slot hole in the face piece socket
being sufficiently deep to allow for any vertical play of the liner.
The lower end of the glass cylinder is closed by a hollow metal piece which
forms the water cooling chamber. Or two metal discs may be employed. The
glass cylinder may be cemented to the ether reservoir above and the water chamber
below, or fitted on ether tight cushions let into the plates of the ether reservoir and
the water chamber and these latter connected together by metal rods outside the
glass cylinder, capable of being tightly screwed up. A wash out plug may be
provided in any convenient part of the ether reservoir or the water chamber to
enable the evaporation chamber to be washed out.

page_text: The rim of the water chamber or the glass cylinder may be graduated above the
handle to indicate the amount of opening to the evaporation chamber.
And in order that our invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed may be more readily and clearly understood reference is given to the
accompanying drawings and to the letters and marks thereon.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus in which the liner of the valve is
shewn in such a position as to give a direct through passage from the air and gas
inlet to the face piece socket, the ether evaporation chamber being shut off; whilst
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the valve with the liner rotated through 180 degrees
from the position shewn in Fig. 1, so that Fig. 2 shews the direct gas or air inlet
blocked, whilst the ether evaporation chamber is full open to the interior of the
cylindrical liner, so that the gas or air or mixture of gas and air in its passage to
the face piece socket must pass through the ether evaporation chamber.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are cross sections on the lines A A, B B and C C respectively
when the valve is in an intermediate position (i.e. 90 degrees) to that illustrated
in Fig. 1or Fig. 2.
a is the glass cylinder the interior of which forms the ether evaporation
chamber.
> is the ether reservoir which communicates with the evaporation chamber by
the opening c which can be partially or completely closed by the fine threaded
screw d.
fis the outer valve tube and g and h are the two slot openings in the same.
i
is the fixed semi-circular horizontal diaphragm.
A is the cylindrical liner, provided with slot openings, respectively at the same
levels as the slot openings and h.
7 is the spiral sping for keeping the top of the liner tightly pressed against the
fixed horizontal diaphragm i.
n is the horizontal semi-circular and o the vertical diaphragm of the liner k.
p is the handle for rotating the liner. In Fig. 1, this is shewn attached to the
vertical spindle 7, the upper square end of which fits in the square socket at the
bottom of the liner. In Fig. 2 the handle p is shewn attached direct to the bottom
of the liner.
is the metal piece forming the bottom of the ether chamber, and between this
and an outer metal piece t is enclosed a space filled with water to prevent too rapid
evaporation of the ether, due to heat from the hand. u is an opening for filling the
water chamber.
A wash out plug and opening (not shown) is provided in the top, bottom, or side
of the ether evaporation chamber. Graduations indicating the relative opening of
the slot holes may be marked either on the glass cylinder a or on the rim of the
water chamber.
w is the socket for the pipe or connection from the gas bag, and a is the face
piece socket.
The principal advantages of our improved apparatus are that the adjustment of
the relative proportions of gas or air (or a mixture of these) and ether can be
instantaneously made, and by the use of a glass cylinder for the evaporation
chamber the attendant can observe the rate of evaporation of the ether, and when
the supply of the same requires to be renewed. It will be evident that for this
latter purpose mica can be used instead of glass, and also that the whole of the
sides of the evaporation chamber need not be made of transparent material, only
two portions preferably diametrically opposite. It will also be evident that the
outer tube may be made moveable and the liner fixed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1st. In an apparatus for administering ether with or without gas the combination
of an evaporation chamber having transparent sides with a valve consisting of an

page_text: outer tube having two or more circumferential slot holes and an horizontal semi-
circular diaphragm, and a cylindrical liner having corresponding slot holes and a
horizontal and a vertical diaphragm, so that air or gas (or a mixture of these) and
ether may be passed through the same in any desired proportions.
2nd. Apparatus for administering ether with gas or air (or a mixture of these) in
any desired propertions consisting of an evaporation chamber a having transparent
sides, an outer valve tube connected at one end with the inlet socket and at the
other end with the face piece socket, and having two (or more) semi-circumferential
slot holes and 4 and a semi-circular horizontal diaphragm i, a cylindrical liner k
having corresponding slot holes and vertical and horizontal diaphragms o and n,
substantially as herein set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
9
3rd. In apparatus for administering ether, the use and construction of a regulating
valve substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
4th. In apparatus for administering ether with or without gas, the combination of
an evaporating chamber having transparent sides with a rotary cylindrical valve
having passages therein so arranged that the air or air and gas in travelling to the
face piece socket may pass thus directly or partially or wholly through the ether
evaporation chamber.
Dated this 27th day of April 1893.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicants.