IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING AND ALLEVIATING THE DISEASE KNOWN AS 'GAPES' IN WINGED GAME, POULTRY, AND OTHER BIRDS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, THOMAS CANK, of Hutton Hall near Preston in the County of Lancaster,
Gamekeeper, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING AND ALLEVIATING
THE DISEASE KNOWN AS 'GAPES' IN WINGED GAME, POULTRY, AND OTHER
BIRDS" to be as follows:—
This Invention consists in introducing a current of air charged with finely
powdered or "floured" lime into the interior of the cocps or pens in which the
birds are confined. Powdered lime mixed with air for inhalement is a well known
curative agent for "gapes" a disease in the wind-pipe to which young birds up to
twenty weeks old are moro especially subject, but great difficulty has heretofore been
experienced in administering the powdered lime, for if introduced within the coop
in too large a quantity at once the birds may be overdosed and dio and if great
care be not exercised the lime is apt to get into the eyes of the birds and loss of
sight to result. To overcome this difficulty I employ a rotary fan enclosed within
a suitable case having an elongated spout and an adjustable mouthpiece or nozzle
so constructed as to be capable of being inserted either in a narrow crevice or
opening in the sides or ends or under the bottom or through a wider opening in
the top or roof of the coop.
The powdered lime is introduced into the interior of the spout between the fan
and the mouthpiece or nozzle by means of a hopper provided with a damper or
alide arranged to determine the amount of the powder to be adminstered at each
application. The bottom of the hopper opens into the upper side of the spout but
the ingress of the powdered lime is prevented whilst the fan is at rest by contact
with the upper side of a circular brush mounted upon a shaft or spindle driven at
the required speed by means of a train of geared wheels or other convenient
mechanism from the fan or other suitable shaft. When the fan is rotated tho
brush revolves and gradually delivers the powdered lime to the air current passing
through the spout at such a rate that the air as it enters the coop may be
[Perica Bd 1

page_text: sufficiently but not over-charged with the powdered lime. The revolving brush
answers not only as a stop to close the aperture in the bottom of the hopper when
the apparatus is at rest and for delivering the powdered lime in the proper quantity
as above described but the rebound of the bristles or fibres of which it is composed
upon leaving the aperture produces a scattering action upon the powder thereby
causing it the inore effectually to mix with and impregnate the air as it issues from
the fan. Suitable gearing and arrangements are provided for imparting motion to
the fan and revolving brush their relativo speeds being determined by toothed
wheels or by belts or cords upon grooved pulleys of varying diameters.
Daith of 1.1001

page_text: THE
I, THOMAS CANK, of Hutton Hall, near Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Gamekeeper, do hereby declaro the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING AND ALLEVIATING
DISEASE KNOWN AS 'GAPES' IN WINGED GAME, POULTRY AND OTHER BIRDS"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention consists in introducing a current of air charged with finely
powdered or "floured" lime into the interior of the coops or pens in which tho
birds are.confined.
Powdered lime mixed with air for inhalement is a well known curative agent
for "gapes "a disease in the wind-pipe to which young birds up to twenty weeks
old are more especially subject, but great difficulty has heretoforo been experienced
in administering the powdered lime, for if introduced within the coop in too large
a quantity at once the birds may be overdosed and die, and if great care be not
exercised the lime is apt to get into the eyes of the birds and loss of sight to result.
To overcome this difficulty I employ a rotary fan enclosed within a suitable caso
having an elongated spout and an adjustable mouthpiece or nozzle so constructed
as to be capable of being inserted either in a narrow crevice or opening in the sides
or ends or under the bottom or through a wider opening in the top or roof of
the coop.
The powdered limo is introduced into the interior of the spout between the fan
and the mouthpiece or nozzlo by means of a hopper provided with a dampor or
slido arranged to determine the amount of the powder to be administered at each
application. The bottom of the hopper opens into the upper side of the spout but
the ingress of the powdered lime is prevented whilst the fan is at rest by contact
with the upper side of a circular brush mounted upon a shaft or spindle driven at
the required speed by means of a train of geared wheels or other convenient
mechanism from the fan or other suitable shaft. When the fan is rotated the
brush revolves and gradually delivers the powdered lime to the air current passing
through the spout at such a rate that the air as it enters the coop may bo
sufficiently but not over charged with the powdered lime. The revolving brush
answers not only as a stop to close the aperture in the bottom of the hopper when
the apparatus is at rest and for delivering the powdered lime in the proper quantity
as above described, but the rebound of the bristles or fibres of which it is composed
upon leaving the aperture produces a scattering action upon the powder thereby
causing it the more effectually to mix with and impregnate the air as it issues from
the fan. Suitable gearing and arrangements are provided for imparting motion to
the fan and revolving brush, their relative speeds being determined by toothed
wheels or by belts or cords upon grooved pulleys of varying diameters.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 a longi-
tudinal section; and Fig. 3 a plan view partly in section of the rotary fan
apparatus as above described. a is the adjustable mouthpiece for insertion at the
side or end of the coop made so that it may be slipped on or off the nozzle b. Figs. 4
and 5 show an adjustable mouthpiece detached designed for insertion in the top
or underside of the coop. a is wire netting or gauze to prevent the passage into the
coop of lumps or impurities which may have found their way into the powder. c is
a hopper provided with the damper or slide &; and e the opening in the upper side
of the spout. f is the circular brush rotating with the spindle g by means of tho

page_text: grooved pulley h and cord i passing from the pulley ; on the first or driving shaft
or spindle k. A cord passes over the grooved handle wheel m and the small
pulley for driving the fan shaft or spindle o which may be mounted.as shewn or
in any other convenient manner. The space 2 forms a box or receptacle for the
powder. q is a handle by which the apparatus may be carried.
I have described my improved apparatus as applicable for administering powdered
lime, but it may be obviously employed for administering any other powdered
substance which may be preferably used for the purpose in view.
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
I claim is:-
The use or employment of rotary fan apparatus constructed, arranged and
operating substantially as described and shown in the Drawings for the purpose
specified.