Year: 1888

page_text: A communication from abroad by JOHN B. RUSSELL, of Detroit, County of Wayne,
State of Michigan, United States of America, Chemist.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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:-
The invention consists in an improvement in devices for holding and dipping pills
and other small articles, hereinafter fully described and claimed.
Refering to the drawings:-
Figure 1 is a plan view of part of a distributing board.
Figure 2 is a perspective of one form of the dipping mechanism.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a portion of the dipping bar, showing a slight
modification in construction.
Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a detail side elevation of one of the pill supporting tubes, and
Figure 6 is an elevation of a tapering tube and part of a flexible tube, by which the
dipping mechanism is connected with a suction apparatus.
Pills are now dipped in gelatine by the use of what is known as a needle bar,
namely, a bar in which are set a number of needles.
The pills are impaled on these needles, partially dipped, are allowed to dry, and then
removed from the needles usually by spring fingers, and the uncoated portion dipped,
this of course makes a hole in each pill, and requires considerable manipulation.
The invention consists in holding the pills on the dipping mechanism by atmospheric
pressure, this is done by maintaining a partial vacuum behind the pills when in position.
The drawings represent mechanisin adapted to practice the process, in which:
B represents a bar having therein a cavity E, and an orifice through one end of
the bar, preferably somewhat tapering, the other end of the bar being closed.
C represents a number of tubes set tightly in the top of the bar B, and com-
municating with the interior cavity E.
In the modification shown in Figure 3, the tubes C are omitted, and holes H are
drilled through the bar into the cavity E, terminating at their outer end in concavities C³.
The end of each tube ( also has a slight concavity formed thereon, as indicated on
dotted lines in Figure 5, to partially fit the pills or other objects to be held thereby.

page_text: F represents a hollow tube adapted to fit the orifice A and preferably tapered to fit
said orifice.
G represents a flexible tube, one end of which is connected with the tube F, and
the other end with any suitable suction apparatus, such as an exhaust fan, ejector, or
pump.
B₁ represents a portion of a board, perforated with holes O, slightly larger than the
pills to be coated, bored so as to register with the tubes C or concavities C¹.
The operation of the invention is as follows:-
The bar B is laid down with the tubes or concavities upward, and the board B' is
placed in a frame so that the holes O register with the tubes C.
A number of uncoated pills are thrown upon the board B¹, and some of them pass
down through the holes O until they rest upon the end of tubes C, when the surplus
pills are brushed off, and the board removed, leaving a pill on the end of each tube or
in each concavity C¹.
The tube F is now pressed into the orifice A, and being connected with the suction
apparatus, the air is exhausted from the cavity E, and the pills are pressed firmly
against the bar. The pills are then dipped in a gelatine bath as deeply as possible
without permitting the gelatine to come in contact with the tube, or to be sucked up
through the tube or holes H by the vacuum. The pills are removed from the gelatine,
the bar is given a slight rotary motion to distribute the gelatine evenly, and laid down
with the tubes upward, in which position the tube F may be withdrawn, and the bar
and the pills are left to dry. When the coating has become dry, the bar is again
connected with the suction apparatus. A similar bar is laid down with the holes or
tubes up, and with a perforated board, B', placed over it, as before described. The
bar containing the partially coated pills is now raised, turned over, and the pills
presented to the perforated holes in the board, and the suction apparatus is dis-
connected from the bar, when the partially coated pills fall to the ends of the tubes
and are held thereby. The suction apparatus is now connected to the second bar,
the perforated board removed, and the uncoated portion of the pills dipped and dried,
as before..
It is evident that the gist of the invention consists in supporting the articles to be
dipped by atmospheric pressure instead of mechanical means, and that the form and
mechanical construction details of the specific apparatus shown, can be considerably
modified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In mechanism for dipping pills, a chambered dipping-bar having seats for the
pills which have atmospheric connection with an exhaust chamber in said bar,
substantially as described.
2. In a mechanism for dipping pills, a dipping-bar having seats for the pills, and
provided with passages forming atmospheric connection between said seats, and an
interior exhaust-chamber formed in said bar, and a tubular connection entering said
chamber, and having a flexible tube or section to permit the movement of said bar
when the chamber is exhausted, substantially as described.
3. In combination with the bar B and tubes C, the tapering tube F and the flexible
tube G, connected with a suction apparatus, substantially as and for the purposes set
'forth.
Dated this 28th day of September 1888.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.