IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING CLOTHES, BEDDING, UPHOLSTERY, WEAKING APPAREL, AND THE LIKE, FOR USE IN WORKHOUSES, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Henry Nelson and Francis Somers, both of 47,
Briggate, Leeds, in the County of York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING CLOTHES, BEDDING, UPHOLSTERY, WEAKING
APPAREL, AND THE LIKE, FOR USE IN WORKHOUSES, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Henry Nelson and
Francis Somers at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th
March 1880.
JAMES HENRY NELSON and FRANCIS SOMERS, both of 47, Briggate, Leeds, in the
County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING CLOTHES,
BEDDING, UPHOLSTERY, WEARING APPAREL, AND THE, LIKE, FOR USE IN
WORKHOUSES, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS."
The Invention is applied to apparatus for which a Patent now exists, No. 2544,
1868, granted to George Nelson for disinfecting apparatus, and which is the
property of the present inventors, and the Invention is for the purpose of rendering
the original apparatus more useful, self acting, and economical, and preventing
accidents which may otherwise occur by negligence, such as burning, scorching, or
charring the articles being disinfected.
The Invention consists of a metal globe or vessel of convenient shape containing
mercury, quicksilver, or other expansive fluid, placed in such position within the
disinfecting chamber as to be sensible to the heat within, and so arranged with
the intervention of mechanical appliances, rods, levers, cranks, pullies, or pistons, or
some or one of them, that on a certain heat being attained within the chamber the
expansion of the fluid shall actuate the levers and other instruments in such a way
as to control, regulate, or shut off the gas supplying heat to the chamber, or when
fired with charcoal or other fuel shall operate upon and regulate the heat by means
The Invention also includes an
of dampers, slides, and equivalent instruments.
alternative method whereby the operation is performed by the expansion or con-
traction of a metal rod or rods in lieu of or in conjunction with the expansive fluid
above named. Another part of the Invention applicable to both systems consists
of means whereby the operator can adjust or regulate the action of the levers on

page_text: any degree of heat being attained, by means of screws or nuts, so that the expansion
of the fluid or metal rod, by forcing a piston or lever connected to the gas supply
tap or valve, thus closing it wholly or partially as required, a pulley lever and
weight being arranged so as to insure the piston always being in close contact
with the fluid, and following it home when contracting during cooling; it will thus
be seen that when any specified or desired temperature is attained within the
chamber, say, for example, 200° Fahrenheit, the expansion of the fluid or rod, as
the case may be, shall so operate upon the gas supply or dampers, as the case may
be, as to reduce the temperature, and so prevent the chamber being heated exces-
sively, or the articles therein being injured or scorched, and the apparatus is by
this means rendered self acting, so that it may be left for any length of time
unattended without the possibility of the required temperature of 200° Fahrenheit
being exceeded.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Henry Nelson and Francis Somers in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th September 1880.
JAMES HENRY NELSON and FRANCIS SOMERS, both of 47, Briggate, Leeds, in the
County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING CLOTHES,
USE IN
BEDDING, UPHOLSTERY, WEARING APPAREL, AND THE LIKE, FOR
WORKHOUSES, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS."
The Invention is applied to apparatus for which a Patent now exists, No. 2544,
1868, granted to George Nelson for disinfecting apparatus, which is the property
of the present inventors, and the Invention is for the purpose of rendering the
original apparatus more useful, self acting, and economical, and preventing
accidents, which may otherwise occur, by negligence, such as burning, scorching, or
charring the articles being disinfected.
The Invention consists of a metal globe, tube, or vessel of convenient shape,
containing mercury, quicksilver, or other expansive fluid, placed in such position
within the disinfecting chamber as to be sensible to the heat within, and so arranged
with the intervention of mechanical appliances, rods, levers, cranks, pullies, or
pistons, or some or one of them, that on a certain heat being attained within the
chamber the expansion of the fluid shall actuate the levers and other instruments
in such a way as to control, regulate, or shut off the gas supplying heat to the
chamber, or when fired with charcoal or other fuel shall operate upon and regulate
the heat by means of dampers, slides, and equivalent instruments.
The Invention also includes an alternative method whereby the operation is
performed by the expansion or contraction of a metal rod or rods in lieu of or in
conjunction with the expansive fluid above named. Another part of the Invention
applicable to both systems consists of means whereby the operator can adjust or
regulate the action of the levers on any degree of heat being attained by means of
screws or nuts, so that the expansion of the fluid or metal rod, by forcing a piston
or lever connected to the gas supply tap or valve, thus closes it wholly or partially
as required, a pulley lever and weight or a coiled spring being arranged so as to
ensure the piston always being in close contact with the fluid and following it
It will thus he seen that when any
home when contracting during cooling.
specified or desired temperature is attained within the chamber, say, for example,
200° Fahrenheit, the expansion of the fluid or rod, as the case may be, shall so
operate upon the gas supply or dampers, as the case may be, as to reduce the
temperature, and so prevent the chamber being heated excessively, or the articles
therein being injured or scorched, and the apparatus is by this means rendered self
acting, so that it may be left for any length of time unattended without the
possibility of the required temperature of 200° Fahrenheit being exceeded.
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of our improved disinfector for disinfecting
clothes and other articles; Figure 2 is a sectional plan; and Figure 3 represents
; more in detail the automatic regulating appliances.
a is the body of a disinfecting apparatus constructed in the manner described
in the Specification of the Patent granted to George Nelson, No. 2544, in the year
1868
It consists of a case formed of sheet metal, double throughout, and heated

page_text: Drawing) leads any vapours arising from them into a chimney. There is also an
opening at the upper part of the outer casing for the escape of products of com-
bustion; b is a valve which the gas has to pass on its way to the burners; c is a
metal tube extending into the interior of the apparatus; it is of a capacity to
contain, say, a pound or so of mercury; c' is a tube of vulcanized india rubber
attached to the end of the tube c, and also to a collar upon the rod d. The india
rubber tube is surrounded by a coiled wire spring c", which is fixed at one end to
the tube c, and at the other to the collar on the rod d. This spring serves two
purposes, it draws the rod & upwards, and it enables the india rubber tube to
sustain the weight of the mercury without bulging; d' is a valve at the lower end
of the rod d; the spring c¹¹ holds this valve to its seat, except when the mercury is
expanded by heat. There is a small perforation by the side of the valve seat, or in
other convenient position, which allows a little gas to pass even when the valve d'
is closed, so that the flame at the burners may not be quite extinguished; d" is a
right and left hand screw coupling introduced into the rod d, this rod being made
in two parts which the coupling connects. By turning the nut of the coupling the
automatic appliance can be adjusted as required to maintain a higher or lower
temperature within the body of the disinfector.
Although we prefer to employ gas fuel where it is obtainable, nevertheless, the
disinfector may be heated by means of charcoal; in this case we arrange a sheet
iron drawer at the lower part of the apparatus to receive the ignited fuel. This
drawer when in its place stands over a cavity in the outer case, which is in com-
munication with the exterior by means of a flap valve; and it is only by this
valve that air can pass to supply the combustion of the fuel. The spindle of the
valve has a short arm upon it which is coupled to the lower end of the rod d.
In this form of the apparatus the expansion of the inercury causes the air flap or
valve to close, and checks the combustion of the charcoal in the fuel drawer by
limiting the supply of air; on the contrary, when the temperature within the
disinfector falls the air flap opens, and the fire consequently burns more
brightly.
In place of making use of mercury it is possible to employ a solid metal rod or
rods, which by expansion and contraction impart the requisite motion to the rod d;
such rods have to be of considerable length, and require to be carried by a rod or
support of a material such as pottery ware, which is but little affected by variations
of temperature. The arrangement shown in the Drawings will be found
preferable.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we claim our improve-
ments in apparatus for disinfecting clothes, bedding, upholstery, wearing apparel,
and the like, consisting in the combination with our disinfector (previously
patented as aforesaid) of automatic heat regulating appliances, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Somers, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
FRANCIS SOMERS. (L.S.)