AN IMPROVED DISINFECTING APPARATUS to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I THOMAS BRADFORD of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED DISINFECTING
APPARATUS to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to the construction of an improved portable or fixed
apparatus designed for the more convenient and efficient disinfecting of wearing
apparel, household linen, and also household and other furniture, or other articles
requiring to be disinfected.
The apparatus consists mainly of a rectangular or other suitably formed base
forming a heating or combustion chamber provided with a door or doors at the
front and a chimney or flue provided with a regulating valve at the back.
I propose to heat the base or combustion chamber preferably by means of a
portable furnace wagon which can be wheeled or slid in or out of the base or
combustion chamber as desired, and in which a fire of coal, coke, or charcoal can
be made, while the wagon is outside but I prefer to heat the apparatus by means
of a fire of gas and asbestos placed inside the said portable wagon.
Upon this base are erected four colums, between which is placed a container
or vessel open only at the bottom, having, attached at or near the latter four chains
passing over pulleys carried at the top of the four colums and having counter-
balance weights at their other end, so that the "container can be raised or
lowered somewhat like an ordinary gasometer.
33
"
The "container" is constructed of iron or other suitable sheet metal, with an
outer and an inner shell, having an air space between the two to serve as a non-
conductor thereby preventing the radiation of heat and also the condensation
of steam. The outer shell may also be covered with wood lagging or other
non-conducting material for the saine purpose.
The internal temperature of the "container" when in operation will be indicated
by one or more thermometers fixed upon each side thereof.
For disinfecting articles of furniture it will only be necessary to place them upon
the top part of the base and then to lower the "container" over the same and place
the fire wagon in the base or combustion chamber the surface of the base p'ate and
the bottom 'flange of the "container" being planed and accurately fitted, for the
exclusion of cold air.

page_text: For disinfecting wearing apparel, household linen or other fabrics a wagon is
provided, fitted with two or more shelves or platforms, and for the more effectually
destroying the germs of infection or insect life, and also for preventing injury to
the fabric which might result from exposure thereof to a high and dry temperature,
I propose to make this wagon of welded steel tubes, and to fill this hollow frame-
work with water to a suitable level, before the wagon with its load of infected
linen and wheeled under and enclosed by the "container" so that when the
temperature of the latter is raised by the heat applied to two hundred and twelve
degrees the water contained in the tubes will begin to boil and generate steam,
and just in proportion as the temperature is raised higher and higher, so will the
steam be generated with increased force and an increased vaporizing and penetrating
effect on the fabric which would on the other hand if exposed to so bigh a tem-
perature (say about 250° Fahrenheit and upwards) be more or less required.
I propose to fit a suitable pressure valve to both the tubular wagon, and also to
the "container" so as to afford absolute safety from undue pressure.
When the apparatus is required in the fixed form I sink it into the ground until
the top of the base is level therewith, but when it is to be used in a portable form
I mount the base on wheels and provide it with rails at one side on which the
tubular wagon can be drawn out sideways from beneath the "container " for
loading and unloading the same, and also a pair of rails in front of the fire door on
which the fire wagon can be drawn out to kindle the fire before placing it in the
base or combustion chamber,
These rails are hinged so that they can be turned up out of the way and attached
by a suitable link to the apparatus for convenience of locomotion.
Daind the 10th day of Th1001

page_text: I THOMAS BRADFORD of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED DISINFECTING
APPARATUS " and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in.and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the construction of an improved portable or fixed
apparatus designed for the more convenient and efficient disinfecting of wearing
apparel, household linen, and also household and other furniture or other articles
requiring to be disinfected.
The accompanying drawing shows three views of the improved apparatus.
Fig 1. being a side view of the same (open) Fig. 2. a front view (closed)-and
Fig. 3-a similar view (open).
The apparatus consists mainly of a rectangular or other suitably formed base a, a
forming a heating or combustion chamber, provided with a door b, b or doors at
the front and a chimney or flue c, e provided with a regulating valve at. the back.
I propose to heat the base or combustion chamber preferably by means of a
portable furnace wagon d, d which can be wheeled or slid in or out of the base or
combustion chamber a, a as desired and in which a fire of coal, coke, or charcoal
can be made, while the wagon is outside, but I prefer to heat the apparatus by
means of a fire of gas and asbestos placed inside the said portable wagon d, d.
The top part of this combustion chamber I prefer to make of hollow triangular
bars a¹ a¹ open at each end and forming a cellular surface at the top. Upon this
base a, a are erected four columns e, e between which is placed a "container"
vessel ff open only at the bottom, having attached thereto four chains g, g passing
over pulleys h, h carried at the top of the four columns e, e and having counter-
balance weights i, i at their other ends somewhat like an ordinary gasometer so
that the "container" can be raised or lowered either by hand or by means of a.
winch or crab.
or
The "container," f, fis constructed of iron or other suitable sheet metal with an
outer and an inner shell having an air space between the two to serve as a non-
conductor thereby preventing the radiation of heat and also the condensation of
steam. The outer shell f, ƒ may also be covered with wood lagging or other
non-conducting material for the same purpose.
The internal temperature of the container ƒ, ƒ in operation will be indicated by
one or more thermometers k, k Fig. 1. fixed upon each side thereof.
"
For disinfecting articles of furniture it will only be necessary to place them
upon the top part or bars a¹ a¹ of the base and then to lower the "container over
the same and place the fire wagon d, d in the base or combustion chamber the
surface of the base plate a, a and the bottom flange of the "container "f,f being
planed and accurately fitted for the exclusion of cold air.
For disinfecting wearing apparel household linen or other fabrics a wagon 1, 7 is
provided (see Fig 3) fitted with two or more shelves or platforms, and for the
more effectually destroying the germs of infection or insect life; and also for
preventing injury to the fabric which might result from exposure thereof to a high
and dry temperature. I propose to make this wagon of welded steel tubes, and to
fill this hollow frame work with water to a suitable level, before the wagon Z, Z is
charged with its load of infected linen and wheeled under and enclosed by the
'container" f. f so that when the temperature of the latter is raised by the heat
applied to two hundred and twelve degrees, the water contained in the tubes will
begin to boil and generate steam and just in proporti n as the temperature is

page_text: raised higher and higher, so will the steam be generated with increased force and
an increased vapourizing and penetrating effect on the fabric which would on the
other hand if exposed to so high a temperature (say about 250° Fahrenheit and
upwards) be more or less injured.
I propose to fit a suitable pressure valve to both the tubular wagon 1, 2 and also
to the "container" f. f so as to afford absolute safety from undue pressure.
Instead of making the wagon tubular (or in addition to it) I sometimes employ
an open tray m m with the edges turned inwards-to prevent boiling over and I fill
this with water by means of a tap.
When the apparatus is required in the fixed form I sink it into the ground
until the top of the base a, a is level therewith, but when it is to be used in
a portable form I mount the base on wheels n n and provided with rails o, o at
one side on which the tubular or other wagon 1, 1 can be drawn out sideways from
beneath the "container" f, f for loading and unloading the same (see Fig 3.) and
also a pair of rails p, pin front of the fire door on which the fire wagon d, d can
be drawn out to kindle the fire before placing it in the base or combustion
chamber a, a.
These rails o, o and p, pare hinged so that they can be turned up out of
the way and attached by a suitable link to the apparatus for convenience of
locomotion.
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
First The improved disinfecting apparatus constructed substantially as herein
before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings consisting mainly
of a base or combustion chamber heated by a movable fire wagon a cover or
container open at the bottom and counterbalanced by chains and weights somewhat
like a gasometer and a movable wagon (either tubular or otherwise) to contain the
articles to be disinfected.
I claim secondly the combination with a disinfecting apparatus of such or
similar construction of a tubular wagon or an open tray (or both) to contain water
which by its evaporation when exposed to great heat assists the process of
disinfection, and at the same time prevents the injury which might arise by
exposure of the articles to a high and dry temperature.
Dated this seventeenth day of November 1884.