Improvements in Inhalers for Ether, Chloroform, and Volatile Substances used as Anaesthetics.
Year: 1891

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inhalers for Ether, Chloroform, and Volatile
Substances used as Anaesthetics.
I, GEORGE ELLIOTT of Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United
States of America, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improvement in inhalers, and more particularly to
such as employ ether, chloroform, or other volatile liquids or substances used for
inhalation as anaesthetics, the object of the invention being to provide an inhaler
with an improved top or cover and to so construct the devices connected to said
cover that the inhaler shall be effectual in the performance of its functions.
A further object is to construct the device in such a manner that the amount of
air admitted to the inhaler during its operation may be easily and effectually
regulated and so that the air may be effectually excluded and the contents of the
inhaler prevented from escape when the device is not in use.
With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of
construction and combinations and arrangements of parts.
A suitable vessel of glass, or other suitable material, is provided with a cover of
copper, glass, or other material, hermetically united to the vessel. The cover is
provided with an opening preferably in proximity to the periphery thereof, and
two openings one at either side of the first named opening.
The two openings are provided with disk-covers, which are pivotally connected
to the top and provided with knobs or buttons, by means of which said disks may
be made to cover or uncover the openings. The opening in the top may be three-
fourths of an inch in diameter, and projecting upwardly from this opening is a short
sleeve of a diameter equal to that of the opening.
Secured to the inner face of the top or cover is a pipe which communicates with
the opening and extends at its other end through the openings, said pipe being
about one-half inch in diameter, thus leaving a space of one-eighth inch between
the pipe and the sleeve. By this arrangement a mixture of four parts of air and
five parts of the anaesthetic will be emitted through the sleeve. The proportion of
air to be admitted may be regulated by the disk valve over the opening. An
opening is provided for filling the vessel.
There is also provided a barrel with an elbow in proximity to one end, said
elbow being adapted to enter the sleeve in the cover or top, and be secured therein in
any suitable manner. Located in that portion of the barrel from which the elbow
projects is an oscillatory cylindrical valve having a slot therein and provided on its
end with a knob by means of which to oscillate it and thus open and close commu-
nication between the barrel and the vessel. A nitrous oxide-gas inhaler of any
preferred construction is fitted to the tube or barrel and held in place by telescoping
or otherwise.
By constructing the device as above set forth the admixture of the anaesthetic
and air is under the control of the user, and the admitted air does not come in

page_text: contact with the anaesthetic either by passing through it or over it until the air and
anaesthetic meet in the tube or sleeve above the top of the vessel. There will be
no waste of the anaesthetic, and there being none lost or used except that actually
inhaled by the patient others present are prevented from inhaling it as is the case
when open apparatus is used.
Dated this 12th day of June 1891
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inhalers for Ether, Chloroform, and Volatile
Substances used as Anaesthetics.
1, GEORGE ELLIOTT of Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania in the
United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, 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 inhalers, and more particularly to
such as employ ether, chloroform, or other volatile liquids or substances used for
inhalation as anaesthetics, the object of the invention being to provide an inhaler
with an improved top or cover and to so construct the devices connected to said
cover that the inhaler shall be effectual in the performance of its functions.
A further object is to construct the device in such a manner that the amount of
air admitted to the inhaler during its operation may be easily and effectually
regulated and so that the air may be effectually excluded and the contents of the
inhaler prevented from escape when the device is not in use.
With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of
construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter set forth,
and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved inhaler partly in section.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top thereof.
Fig. 3 is a view of a modification.
A represents a suitable vessel of glass, or other material, provided with a
cover B, of copper, glass, or other material, hermetically united to the vessel A.
The cover B is provided with an opening a, preferably in proximity to the periphery
thereof, and two openings b, c, one at either side of the opening a.
The openings b, c are provided with disk covers d, which are pivotally connected
to the top B, and provided with knobs or buttons e, by means of which said disks
may be made to cover or uncover the openings b, c. The opening a, in the top B,
may be three fourths of an inch in diameter, and projecting upwardly from this
opening is a short tube or sleeve f, of a diameter equal to that of the opening a.
Secured to the inner face of the top or cover B, is a pipe or tube f, which
communicates with the opening b, and extends at its other end through the
openings a, said pipe or tube f being about one-half inch in diameter, thus leaving
a space of one-eighth inch around the pipe or tube f', within the tube or sleeve f
By this arrangement a mixture of four parts of air and five parts of the anaesthetic
will be emitted through the sleeve f. The proportion of air to be admitted may be
regulated by the disk valve d, over the opening .. The opening e, is provided for
filling the vessel.
D, represents a tube or barrel provided with an elbow D¹ in proximity to one
end, said elbow being adapted to enter the sleeve f, in the cover or top B, and be
secured therein in any suitable manner. Located in that portion of the tube or
barrel D' from which the elbow D¹ projects is an oscillatory cylindrical valve E,
having a slot E' therein and provided on its end with a knob E³, by means of

page_text: which to oscillate it and thus open and close communication between the barrel or
tube D, and the vessel A.
A nitrous-oxide-gas inhaler of any preferred construction is fitted to the tube or
barrel D, and held in place by telescoping or otherwise.
In the form of the invention in Fig. 3 the cover is provided with openings g, h.
The opening 9, is covered with a disk i, pivotally connected to the top. The disk i,
is provided with a knob or button by means of which to open and close the
opening g. The opening h, may be one-half of an inch in diameter, and projecting
upwardly from the opening is a short tube k, of a diameter equal to that of the
opening h. A sleeve l, preferably three-fourths of an inch in diameter, leaving a
space one-eighth of an inch around the tube, is secured to the top and is provided
with a series of openings to admit external air to be mixed with the anaesthetic as
it is emitted through the tube k.
An oscillatory cylindrical valve m, is telescoped over the sleeve or tube I, and is
provided with a series of openings corresponding with the openings in the sleeve or
tube l, and provided with a knob or button o, by means of which to oscillate it and
thus open and close the openings in the sleeve or tube 1, and regulate the amount
of external air admitted through said series of openings in the sleeve or tube l.
By constructing the device as aboye set forth the admixture of the anaesthetic
and air is under the control of the user, and the admitted air does not come in
contact with the anaesthetic either by passing through it or over it until the air
and anaesthetic meet in the tube or sleeve above the top of the vessel A. There
will be no waste of the anaesthetic, and there being none lost or used except that
actually inhaled by the patient, others present are prevented from inhaling it, as is
the case when open apparatus is used.
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 :-
1. In an inhaler the combination, with a suitable vessel having an opening, a
sleeve surrounding the opening, and a tube entering the latter, of a valve
constructed to admit air to the tube, and an inhaling mask as herein described and
set forth.
2. In an inhaler, the combination, with a suitable vessel and a top or cover
provided with openings, of a pipe or tube communicating with one opening and
leading into the other, and an inhaler mask communicating with the pipe or tube as
herein described and set forth.
3. In an inhaler, the combination, with a vessel, of a cover thereon having a
series of openings, covers for two of said openings, a pipe communicating with one of
said covered openings and leading through the uncovered opening, and a nitrous-
oxide gas inhaler communicating with said uncovered opening, as herein described
and set forth.
4. In an inhaler, the combination, with a vessel and a cover, of a mouth-piece
communicating with said vessel, and an oscillatory cylindrical valve in the barrel
of said mouth-piece for regulating the amount of material to be inhaled as herein
described and set forth.
Dated this 14th day of January 1892.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Patent Agent.