IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY IN THE ADMINISTRATION. OF ANESTHETICS
Year: 1884

page_text: 4
I ALEXANDER THOMAS CLARKSON of 28, Bartlett's Buildings, in the City of
London, Scientific Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of, my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY IN THE
ADMINISTRATION. OF ANESTHETICS, to be as follows:-
This invention relates more particularly to the use of nitrous oxide gas, and the
invention consists in means whereby the administrator can regulate the supply of
gas to be administered to the patient in a more satisfactory and convenient
manner than heretofore.
The nitrous oxide gas is contained in a cylindrical wrought iron or steel or other
metal vessel having at one end a valve box containing a conical valve, which is
arranged to be screwed down onto its seat, and projecting from the side of this
box is a threaded nozzle to which the tube connecting the vessel with the
administering apparatus is secured.
On account of the gas being supplied to the vessel under pressure, it is
necessary that the valve should be packed or luted somewhat tightly, in order to
give the friction necessary to resist the pressure.
The. vessel is usually set up on end on the floor in a tripod or other frame and
the valve is operated by the foot of the administrator, for which purpose the
valve stem is provided at top with a foot plate. The vessel is also sometimes
placed on the table and the valve is operated by hand, but the former plan is
found most convenient for many reasons.
The top of the foot plate will be about one foot from the ground, and the
administrator will thus have to operate with his foot raised that distance from the
ground, and from the awkwardness of his position be will thereby not only lose, to
a considerable amount, his command of the valve which on account of its tightness,
will not be easy to work, but he will be at a disadvantage with regard to the
patient.
Now in order to avoid these disadvantages, and with a view to placing the
supply valve fully under the control of the administrator, I adapt in any
convenient manner, to the tube nozzle, a second valve box or chamber, in which
I place by preference a screw-down conical valve, on the stem of which I secure
the foot olate

page_text: This second valve box, I prefer shall in the case of new vessels, be formed in
one with the first valve chamber, but in adapting my invention to old vessels,
I employ a separate valve box, which I make of cylindrical shape, and secure to
the tube nozzle by a union joint or otherwise. This box is also provided with a
tube nozzle.
When using a vessel arranged according to my invention, the vessel will be
placed on its side on the ground, and the cylindrical valve box will be made of
such a length that its end will rest on the ground, by which means the vessel will
be kept steady.
The diameter of the vessel is in general about three inches; and by making the
valve box the same length, the foot plate will be allowed to just clear the vessel.
As there will be practically no pressure on this second valve, it may be made to
work easily, and as the foot plate will only be a short distance from the ground,
and the valve will turn with ease, the administrator will be in a position to have
a good command both of the apparatus and the patient.
When the apparatus is placed on the table, and is worked by hand the
additional valve will be of great service to, the administrator, as it will enable
him to regulate the supply of ĝas to the administering apparatus with the
greatest nicety.
It will be understood that although I have referred more particularly to a
screw down conical valve, any other suitable valve may be employed; for instance,
the valve may be worked by direct pressure of the foot or hand, a spring being
used to keep it on its seat, or the valve may be worked by a treadle lever, or by
any other convenient or well known mechanical means.
.3

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ALEXANDER THOMAS CLARKSON of 28 Bartlett's Buildings, in the City of
London, Scientific instrument maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR REGULATING THE SUPPLY IN THE ADMINISTRATION
OF ANAESTHETICS 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 more particularly to the use of nitrous oxide gas and
consists in means whereby the administrator can regulate the supply of gas to be
administered to the patient in a more satisfactory and convenient manner than
heretofore.
The nitrous oxide gas is contained in a cylindrical wrought iron or steel or other
metal vessel having at one end a valve box containing a conical valve which is
arranged to be screwed down onto its seat and projecting from the side of this
box is a threaded nozzle to which the tube connecting the vessel with the
administrating apparatus is secured.
i
On account of the gas being supplied to the vessel under great pressure it is
necessary that the valve screw should be packed or luted somewhat tightly in
order to give the friction necessary to resist the pressure.
The vessel is usually set up on end on the floor in a tripod or other frame and
the valve is operated by the foot of the administrator for which purpose the valve.
is provided at the top with a foot plate. The vessel is also sometimes placed on
the table and the valve is operated by hand but the former plan is found most
convenient for many reasons.
The top of the foot plate will be about one foot from the ground and the
administrator will thus have to operate with his foot raised that distance from the
ground and from the awkwardness of his position he will thereby not only lose to
a considerable amount his command of the valve which on account of its tightness
will not be easy to work but he will be at a disadvantage with regard to the
patient.
Now in order to avoid this disadvantage and with a view to place the supply
valve fully under the control of the administrator
I connect to the screw nozzle of the valve box of the vessel by means of the
screw union B a second valve box in which I place a screw down valve C on the
square stem of which I place a foot plate D. This valve box is also provided
with a screw nozzle at E for connection to the administering apparatus. When
using a vessel arranged according to my invention it will be placed on its side on
the ground and my valve having been attached to the screw nozzle of the valve
box of the vessel by means of the union B, it will be supported in its proper
position and prevented from rocking by means of the base plate F When the
above appliance has been arranged as previously described the operator opens
the screw valve ordinarily fixed to the vessel opening a direct communication to
the screw down valve C & by means of the foot plate D the operator has the

page_text: means of controlling the supply to the administrating apparatus. Further as no
luting or other packing is required to pack the screw down valve C the foot plate
can be moved very freely and the supply regulated to the greatest nicety.
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 5
I claim is
The arrangement of a foot valve as hereinbefore mentioned for the purposes
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.