An Improvement in Powder Blowers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Powder Blowers.
I, WILLIAM JAMES EVANS, of No. 91, Fulton Street, New York City, in the
State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturing Druggist, 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:-
My invention relates to an improvement in powder blowers, and it consists in the
construction and arrangement of parts more fully hereinafter described and
definitely pointed out in the claims.
The object and purpose of this invention is the provision of means for eliminating
or interrupting the movement of crystals or other foreign matters through the
discharge tube of powder blowers, used in connection with or for the purpose of
treating diseases or for distributing impalpable powder to the desired point or
surfaces.
Heretofore powder blowers have been arranged and constructed so that air,
forced into the powder will carry the same up through and out of the discharge
tube, allowing aggregations and all hard or foreign matter to be carried out with
the powder.
Powder blowers have been also made with sieves of reticulated material placed
across the discharge tube to interrupt the passage of large foreign matter or to more
thoroughly divide the powder and break up the lumps. They have however been
so attached and arranged as to be impracticable soon becoming coated and thereby
making the device inoperative and ineffectual. The devices heretofore used are
intended more particularly for the distribution of powder to destroy insects and
could not be adapted for use in treating disease or for toilet purposes. The aim
and object of my invention is to so apply the reticulated diaphragm that it may be
readily removed and replaced by others and so that the surface of the diaphragm
will be so arranged as to preclude the passage of foreign matter therethrough as
well as to have its under surface relieved of accumulated material.
In the drawing, wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
the several views.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view, of the device
;
Fig. 2 is a vertical section, through the holder and tubes;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bulb; and
Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the direction of the air currents in the holder.
A represents a holder formed preferably of glass having an annular indentation B
at or near its upper end, with sloping side walls C: The upper end of the holder
has a screw threaded, cap D, the threads of which mesh with suitable threads
formed on the upper end of the holder. Through this cap the air supply tube E
passes, the outer end of which is connected with an air bulb E' and the lower end
is extended down to or near the bottom of the holder, at which point it is provided
with the usual flexible valve E'.
An aperture F is formed in the cap to one side of the tube E from which
extends the discharge tube G, the lower end of the tube G extending partly down
through the aperture F.
H represents a bulb formed with an enlarged portion h and a reduced discharge
end of a diameter sufficiently small to admit of its being inserted in the lower
end of the aperture F and closely fit therein. The lower end of the bulb H is
provided with a flaring mouth across which is placed a diaphragm of fine bolting
cloth or silk. This end of the bulb is preferably arranged at a point directly above
the indentation in the holder, so that as the air is discharged from the valve E* the

page_text: air current created in the holder will have a direction of discharge similar to that
shown by the arrows, thereby striking the diaphragm at an angle and tending to
relieve the same of accumulated obstructions. By forming the bulb or sieve piece
with an enlarged mouth, I am enabled to thoroughly sift the powder passing there-
through and at the same time obtain the regular quantity of discharge at the
discharge end of the tube.
In many cases it is desired and needful to utilize powder more or less coarse, in
which case the sieve would prevent its passage therethrough. I therefore make
the bulb or sieve piece so that the same may be quickly removed from the stopper
or cap and replaced by others having diaphragms of coarser mesh. In the use of
powder for nasal diseases it is absolutely necessary that the same should be
impalpable and freed from all foreign matters, which would tend to irritate the
diseased part. I am therefore enabled to eject from the nozzle of the discharge
pipe an impalpable dust or powder by the use of the sieve piece and thereby
greatly add to the efficiency of powder blowers of this nature.
It is evident that the shape of the holder, as well as the sieve piece or bulb may
be changed or altered in many respects and that the manner of attaching the sieve
piece to its cap may also be changed or varied and I am also aware that many
other minor changes can be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts
of my device without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my
invention.
It will be further understood that although as specified above the device is
adapted for medical purposes, it may also be used for the application of toilet
powders.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed J declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a powder blower the combination with a holder a cap therefor and an air
supply tube having a valved end located at or near the lower end of the holder, of
a discharge tube in the cap and sieve piece removably held in the cap extending
into the holder above the discharge end of the supply tube and communicating with
the discharge tubes, substantially as described.
2. In a powder blower the combination with a holder and its cap, of an air
supply, a discharge tube and a removable sieve piece formed with an enlarged
lower end having a reticulated diaphragm thereon and a reduced upper end fitted
to the cap below the discharge, substantially as described.
3. In a powder blower the combination with a holder and its cap, of means for
supplying air to the holder, a discharge tube fitted to the cap and an independently
removable sieve piece in the cap communicating with and detached from the
discharge, substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of July 1899
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.