An Improved Protective Respirator.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 10th June, 1890-Accepted, 12th July, 1890
TRUYIDIONAL DI BUFETUATION.
An Improved Protective Respirator.
I JOSEPH BURCH, of Stepping Hill, near Stockport, in the County of Chester,
Consulting Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relating to a protecting respirator, especially relates to the material
of which it is made, its form, and the mode of wearing it.
First. The material used in its construction, consists of non-absorbent fibre or hair
taken from the horse or other animal, but not saturable like fur or wool. It may be
dyed or stained to match the completion of the wearer.
The hair is woven like a fine
bair seive or closely plaited so as to produce a fine, even, non-absorbent fabric.
Second. Its form is nearly circular, and may be called paracentric, as it's upper part
partakes of the configuration of a very broad ellipse. In length from top to bottom it
measures from about 3 to 4 inches and in breadth from 3 to 4-inches for an adult,
but for a younger person it will be according to age proportionately smaller. . It is
dished or made hollow towards its lower end.
nose,
Third. When worn the upper part covers about half the length of the the
central part includes the mouth and a small portion of each cheek beyond the corners
of the mouth, and thence downward it fits over the end of the chin, and terminates
beneath it, for which purpose as already stated it is dished or inade hollow. It is kept
in position by two elastic loops, the ends whereof are attached at the sides to the
selvage of the respirator, and roaching to the ears are looped over them, the tension
on the elastic being regulated by the length of the elastic loops respectively, so that
the sides of the respirator are drawn close to the check on either side.
The hair webbing being finely and closely woven or plaited, arrests the passage
through its interstices of all fuliginous or dusty matter and strains out foreign organic
particles such as vegetable sporules, always floating in the atmosphere during the
summer months, believed to be so provocative of hay fever in persons predisposed to
this distressing complaint.
In cases where infection is feared, two plies of the hair cloth, or more may be
employed.
or
Great relief and comfort is derived from wearing it in cold frosty weather, especially
if the wearer respires through the nostrils, the inhaled atmosphere being made
10 degrees warmer before it reaches the lungs.
After washing with soap and brush it is as good as new, and in weight it may be
said to be as light as a feather. Also a very great advantage consists in the wearer
being able to talk freely through it, without any appreciable change in the tone
of voice.
Dated 18th Santambo- 1000
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Protective Respirator.
I, JOSEPH BURCH of Stepping Hill near Stockport in the County of Chester,
Consulting Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This complete description relating to the manufacture and use of my improved
protecting respirators, refers, 1st to the material or materials of which they are made;

page_text: 2nd their form or configuration, the process of making them, and the apparatus
employed 3rd to the mode of wearing them; and 4th to the classes of persons likely
to derive benefit from their use.
First The material or materials used in their construction, consists of either the
long hair of horses alone, or mixed with the hair of cows, oxen, or other animals (not
human) plaited or woven after the manner of making the all hair fabric used for sieve
bottoms, or if only made in part of hair called hair cloth, the latter material is always
used as weft in combination with a warp of vegetable fibre which, previous to weaving,
is rendered waterproof and non-absorbent by a suitable dressing, and whether of all
hair, or hair and vegetable fibre, the weaving should always be fine, even, and regular,
and bear washing.
Second-The form or configuration of the profecting respirators which are of two
kinds (viz.) the long and the short. In form, the long respirator is nearly circular
(see figs. 1, 2, and 3), but I prefer it to deviate therefrom and make its upper and
lower parts slightly elliptic. Its length from 3 to 44 inches, is somewhat greater than
its breadth which is about 3 to 4 inches for an adult, but for a delicate featured
woman or younger person, the dimensions are proportionately less. It is dished or
made hollow by means of a mould the required form (see the cross sections in fig. 4),
the hollowness increasing towards its lower end. The mould, made in two parts A
and B, is shown by fig. 4, which exhibits a plan, and fig. 5 a side view, A being the
upper or convex half of the mould, and B the under or concave part, the parting line C,
showing the form that the hair fabric D is made to take when pressed between them
(see fig. 6), the edge of the fabric D' being left projecting about ths of an inch al!
round. In this state the mould with the fabric between its two parts is placed in the
duplex standard E, supported by its two centres E and E (see figs. 6 and 7). On
the projecting edge D of the fabric is then laid by a brush or by other means a coat
of moderately quick drying cement or enamel, so as completely to fill the interstices
between the warp and weft, whether it be the all hair fabric, or the combination hair
cloth. When this coat of cement has hardened a little, the most essential feature of
the process is applied. This consists of a binder marked F, made preferably of narrow
linen tape, or the edge of the fabric may be confined by linen thread lapped three or
four times round it, or the edge may be secured by any other pliant but non-elastic
material about th of an inch broad, the surface of the tape, thread, or material,
being coated with the cement, especially that side that lays on the edge of the
fabric around which the binder F is rather tightly drawn and the ends secured,-
in which state it is better left between the centros E' and E until the cement is
dry. By this means I obtain not only a strong artificial selvage, but the complete
dished or hollow form of the respirator is always afterwards thoroughly maintained.
When the mould is taken from between the centres of the standard, and the convex
half A is lifted the hair fabric exactly corresponding in form with the parting line C
between the two parts of the mould, is taken out and trimmed round to within
about th of an inch of the binder tape F, and the final operation before the elastics G,
are sewn on, consists in covering the tape or binder with either a mohair or worsted
pile edging H, or a silk ribbon lined with worsied chenille may be used. The upper
part of the short protecting respirator, instead of reaching to beneath the end of
the chin (like fig. S) terminates in the hollow part of the face between the chin and
the under lip (see fig. 9). Like the long respirator it is formed in a two part
mould which produces the hollowness, and in all other respects excepting being
shorter which gives it a trilateral form, it is passed through all the several stages
of the process described with reference to the long respirator, and kept in form in the
same manner by means of a narrow linen tape or other suitable binder.
Third: The mode of wearing my protecting respirators. Unlike all the respirators
in general use, mine have not the appearance of a black or other coloured covering
pressing closely over the mouth and lips, only between which, in order that such
respirators can be of any benefit to the wearer, he or she must constantly respire,
nor are my respirators obstructive when the wearer wishes to speak, for when he

page_text: has anything to say, he can be heard without any appreciable change in the tone
of his voice. The upper part both of the long and the short respirator (see figs. S
and 9) covers the lower half of the nose, inclosing the nostrils and mouth without
pressing upon or even touching the lips, so that the wearer can respire freely, which
it is advised should as much as possible be through the nostrils, especially when the
respirators are worn as a protection against the effects of cold, foggy, or frosty
weather, and it is desirable to warm the air before it reaches the lungs, which is
done to the extent of 14 or 15 degrees in the hollowness of the respirator, which forms
a kind of breathing chamber marked J inclosing the nostrils and mouth.
The respirators are kept in place by two clastic loops marked M, attached to the
selvage one at each side, and reaching to the ears are looped over them, the tension on
the elastic being regulated by the length of the loops respectively so that the opposite
edges of the respirator are drawn close to the cheek on either side of the mouth.
The all hair webbing or the hair cloth being evenly and closely woven or plaited,
arrosts the passage through its interstices of all fuliginous or dusty matter, and filters
or strains out of the air inhaled or drawn through it, all foreign organic particles, such
as vegetable sporules always floating in the atmosphere during the summer months,
and believed by many eminent physicians to be provocative of hay fever in those
predisposed to that distressing complaint. In places where infection is feared two plies
of the hair cloth may be employed.
Fourth-Amongst the classes of persons likely to derive benefit from wearing the
protective respirators are all those afflicted with pulmonary disorders, asthma, bronchial,
and throat affections, and in addition may be included the following, (viz. :)-Sheffield
and other grinders who rarely attain the age of 40 because of the metallic dust which
without protection they can't avoid swallowing-Masons and sculptors-Firemen who,
wearing the respirator, could without the risk of suffocation enter a room filled with
smoke, and rescue those overpowered by it-Also brass founders who, when preparing
and running the molten metal into the moulds, have in many cases to breathe an
atmosphere highly charged with gas, smoke, and sulphur, and especially when preparing
and casting phosphor bronze-Stokers, engine drivers and many others, and the
respirator may be worn with advantage at night by bronchial patients in cold draughty
bedrooms.
Having now clearly set forth and ascertained the nature and usefulness of my
invention and the manner in which it is to be performed, what I claim as my invention
consists in:
First I claim in the construction of my long and short respirators the use of
horse, cow, or ox hair or the hair of other quadrupeds either alone like the hair fabric
made for sieve bottoms, or combined with threads of vegetable fibre that has been
rendered non-absorbent and waterproof as described in the first part of this invention.
Second I claim the mode of forming and securing the dished or hollowness of
both long and short respirators by means of cement and either narrow tape, strong
pack thread or other suitable pliant material herein called the binder, lapped once or
more times round the projecting edge of the respirators whilst the fabric of which
they are made is pressed in the mould, after the manner and for the purposes herein
described and shown on the drawings bereto annexed, relating to the second part of
this invention.
Third I claim the mode of wearing both the long and the short respirators
made of all hair fabric, or hair and vegetable fibre called hair cloth, so as to inclose
the mouth and nostrils, and form over them a hollow space or breathing chamber,
after the manner and for the purposes shown and described in the third part of this
invention.
Fourth I claim by means of hollow or dished respirators worn as herein shown and
described, the relieving of the sufferings of those persons afflicted with pulmonary,
bronchial, or throat disorders, and protecting many other classes of persons named
or referred to in the fourth part of this invention.

page_text: Fifth I claim the construction and use of the duplex standard for the purposes
herein described and shown with reference to figs. 6 and 7, on the drawings hereto
annexed.
13
1341
LAMA
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.