Air Incubator
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Air Incubator.
SAMUEL DUCKERING Northwool near Ramsgate, Kent, Surgeon 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:-
The air incubator is a machine invented to carry out and work a newly
discovered principle in the artificial incubation and hatching of eggs. It consists
of three main parts. The first part the heating and moisture supplying apparatus:
the second part the outer or air enclosing case and the third part the regulator
of the temperature.
The first part a lamp flue Fig. 1. c c¹² made of metallic sheeting, circular, one
and a half inches in diameter, vertical for sixteen inches c. then turned at a right
angle horizontally for twenty inches, then another right angled turn vertically for
eight inches. A plate of talc is fixed at lower end of flue to show the flame of
the lamp g.
The heating chamber Fig. 1. a a¹ a¹ is made of metallic sheeting, the vertica'
part a. is a conico-cylindrical tube with overlapped seam, at lower end four inches
in diameter at upper end three inches in diameter, fourteen inches long; the upper
end is somewhat squared, the edge cut and turned outwards forming flanges back
and front to rest upon and to be revitted to bottom part of the horizontal case a³ ;
the side flanges to be revitted to the sides of the horizontal case. The horizontal
part is a rectangular oblong case Fig. 1. a¹ three inches high, two and a half inches
wide, twenty three and a half inches long, all inside measurements; when placed
in position it extends from the front to the back of machine Fig. 2. a half an inch
under middle section of the top. One piece of sheeting is shaped to form the
bottom and two sides, the edges of the sides are turned outwards to form flanges
half an inch wide; the edges of the top piece are turned down and under to form
clawed grooves, in these clawed grooves the flanges of the sides slide, in this way
making the oblong case closed in on the four sides.
At each end of the case the sheeting is cut at the corners and the edges turned
outwards, forming flanges a half an inch wide, these flanges spring the case into
position Fig. 2. a and allow for expansion of the metal.
Inside the oblong case half an inch from the bottom three cross stays from side
to side are revitted to the sides of the case to support and keep in position the
horizontal part of the lamp flue. A hole is cut in the bottom of the case, an inch
from the front end to take the squared top of the vertical part of the heating'
chamber, the two parts are then revitted together forming one chamber, the heating
chamber Fig. 1. a a¹ a¹. A circular hole is cut through the top of the oblong case
near the back of machine for the lamp flue Fig. 2. to pass through across this
hole the top of case is cut through to permit the Hue to be fixed in position and then
joined again by apposition Fig. 2. line marked at flue where the cut is to be made,
Fig. 2. a.
The lamp flue c c c is placed inside the heating chamber a a¹ a¹ the horizontal
part of the flue resting upon the cross stays.
On each side of the oblong case, half an inch from the top, from front to back
eleven holes are made in this way, one in every two inches linear. Semicircles
half an inch in diameter are cut through the sheeting Fig. 1. b. the flaps or lids are
turned outwards Fig. 5. b; actual size Fig. 54 section of the same Fig. 5B. These

page_text: are called "eyes "the middle eye is placed horizontally, from the middle "eye"
on either side the other "eyes" are gradually turned until the last are vertical to
the middle "eye" Fig. 5 b.
On each side of horizontal part of heating chamber a water trough Fig. 1. d. d' is
placed; it is made of metallic sheeting two inches wide, one and a half inches deep,
twenty inches long, with folded ends. On outer side of each trough d. d' a strip
of wood e el one inch by one and a half inches extends from front to back of
machine, these strips are connected by thin wood. f. f nailed to underfaces; on this
thin wood f. f rests the water troughs d. d' and the horizontal part of heating
chamber a. The whole supported at the ends by strips of wood Fig. 2. A. screwed
to walls of machine back and front.
The second part, the outer or air enclosing case is made as follows: Boards of
any kind of wood three quarters of an inch thick, fourteen inches wide, planed cut
and joined at corners to make a frame two feet by two feet inside measurement,
place a layer of felt or paper over the outer and upper seven inches of surface of
the frame and cover the felt or paper with boards half an inch thick seven inches
wide Fig. 2. A thus making the upper part of frame double with layer of felt or
paper between the boards Fig. 6: 7. 8. 9. The bottom to be made of match
boards half an inch thick. A hole is to be cut in the middle at front part to
allow the vertical part of heating chamber to pass through. The top is made of
two thicknesses of wood with layer of felt or paper hetween Fig. 6: 1. 2. 3. it is
divided into three sections, the middle section Fig. 3. A five inches wide passing
from front to back of frame and screwed to the frame A. by screws at back and
front A. On each side of this middle section A' a flap A' A lid is hinged by two
hinges AA. The two lids and middle section cover the whole top and overlap
an inch in all directions. A layer of felt is tacked on top of frame Fig. 2-6. so
that when the lids are closed and fastened down by two lever catches Fig. 3. A A
at the ends of the machine, the upper part of the case is practically air tight down
to the row of holes B B: an extra slip of inch wood As is fixed under the lever
catches to make them flusb with the lids.
The inner surface of the wooden case to be covered with paraffin wax, the wax
being worked in with hot irons. The under and inner face of top to be lined, with
felt or paper Fig. 6-4 and metallic sheeting-5-to be nailed over the felt or
paper.
The middle section Fig. 3. A at back part has a circular hole cut in to allow
the lamp flue to pass through; also in its middle part an opening two inches by
six inches is made and over this opening a flap lid three inches by eight inches
Fig. 3. A is hinged by two hinges A10 A10. The hinges consist of a scrow eye,
round, Fig. 7 A 10 screwed into lower third of lid Fig. 7 A10 working with a loop
of wire A supported by a slip of wood A half the thickness of the lid, the slip of
wood and wire loops are made fast to the middle section Fig. 7. A A A". To
the underface of the flap lid, in the middle, the horizontal limb of an angle iron
Fig. 7, D is screwed by two serewe, the vertical limb of the angle iron being
free Fig. 7 D a hole is made near lower end of vertical limb for attachment
of rod or wire D..
At one inch from bottom. of case, all four sides, cut out circular holes
Fig. 3. B B half an inch in diameter, one in every four inches, linear: three'
inches above these cut circular holes B B three eighths of an inch in diameter,"
these holes to alternate with those below...
At each end of machine frem the bottom, five inches upwards and fourteen.
inches long cut out a section of the wood Fig. 3. B' then hinge the sections in the
same place by two hinges B making two flap doors B', these flap doors give
access to space under the egg tray B'..
The batched birds are placed in this space between the egg tray and bottom of
incubator-which makes a foster-mother for them..
The egg tray. Strips of wood-two feet long, half inch by one inch, crussing from:

page_text: front to back of machine, resting at ends upon strips of wood screwed to walls of
machine nine inches from the top of frame, crossing upon former strips, others half
inch by half inch are nailed two inches apart, upon these again metallic perforated
sheeting is fixed, forming surface for the eggs Fig. 2 E to rest upon. The tray
may be made iu sections. A circular piece must be cut out of the tray for vertical
part of heating chamber to fit in. In front, half way from middle to one end, a
circular hole, half an inch in diameter is cut through the wall to allow a
rectangled thermometer to be placed, the bulb Fig. 2. A 7 being two inches
above the surface of the egg-tray inside and the register Fig. 3. A 7 outside
the machine. The outer case thus made is supported on four legs, one at each
corner.
The regulator of the temperature is seen in position Fig. 2. C. in greater detail
in Figs. 6. 7. 74 8 and 8^.
A concentrically corrugated vacuum box C made of metallic sheeting, four
inches in diameter, charged with ether and hermetically closed on one side at
centre a screw nut is soldered, the male screw of this nut passes through wall of
incubator and is made fast and rigid by screw nuts one inside and one outside the
machine C the box is fixed one inch from the wall of machine, six gimlet holes
are bored through wall of machine in a circle, the centre being the screw bolt of
vacuum box.
On other side of vacuum box a cup half an inch in diameter half an inch deep is
soldered on Fig. 7. C¹.
A tapering steel beam D. three eighths of an inch in diameter at pivot pin,
fifteen inches long, balanced and pivotted five inches from thick end on a bracket
bolt fixed through wall of machine by screw nuts one inside and one, outside
Fig. 7 D', De halfway in this five inches a hole is made for regulating screw D² this
screw plays in cup of vacuum box: at the thick end of beam screw nuts D³ are
threaded on to regulate the balance of the beam; at the thin end of the beam a
hole is made for a slender rod or wire to be made fast, this rod or wire D' connects
the beam D. with the angle iron Fig. 74 D' Fig. 7. D. The vacuum box and
beam are fixet obliquely at one end of the machine, inside, Fig. 2. C. D. D 1.
Working of the Regulator, When the thermometer registers 104° Fahrenheit,
the temperature required. all parts of the regulating apparatus are in a state of
tension Fig. 7, the regulating screw D' pressing the bottom of the cup C. Any
increase in the temperature causes the ether to further expand the vacuum box-
pushing the regulating screw D' and moving the bean D. on its pivot D' in
directions of arrows shown, the long arm of the beam increasing the amount of
motion given by expansion of vacuum box; the connecting wire D acting on angle
iron D raises the flap lid A' and permits the hottest air to escape from the
machine.
The temperature being reduced the vacuum box contracts, the flap lid closes by
its own weight and restores the beam to its former position by traction on the
wire D, the gimlet holes permit free play of air at back of the vacuum box.
Having described each part of the inachine seperately the several parts are now
to be placed in position in the following manner. The outer case Fig. 2 A. B.
supported on level ground by the four legs; the top being removed place the wood
frame Fig. 1. e. fe f inside the outer case Fig. 2. A. B. resting at the ends of
frame upon the slips of wood Fig. 2. h. The lamp flue Fig. 1. c c is placed
inside the heating chamber Fig. 1. u. a' a' the sliding top of the horizontal oblong
case is closed up, then place the heating chamber with lamp flue enclosed in
position Fig. 2. a¹ the horizontal part of beating chamber extends from front to
back of the macbine, inside, half an inch under the middle section of the top A',
it is sprung into position by the flanges at the ends of the oblong case and it rests
upon the thin wood Fig. 1. f. fl the vertical part of the heating chamber passes
through the circular holes cut in the egg tray and in the bottom of the machine
and projects through and below the bottom of the machine Fig. 3 a c.
The water

page_text: troughs are placed alongside the horizontal part of beating chamber, one on each
side Fig. 2. d. d and they rest upon and are wholly supported by the thin.
wood Fig. 1. ff. The egg tray is placed in position Fig. 2. E. the
thermometer Figs. 2. 3. A' the regulator Figs. 2. 6. C. D. Figs. 7. 8. C. D. D' A'.
The middle section of top is placed in position Fig. 3. A 1 and screwed to
frame A. Packing is placed round flue to prevent the escape of the hot air
from the inside of the machine. The smokeless lamp g. is fitted to the flue c. by
sliding block of wood g' thus making the whole machine complete.
Action of the machine as a whole. The water troughs being filled with water,.
the eggs placed upon the tray, the lids closed down, the lamp lighted and turned
up to produce sufficient heat to keep the regulating apparatus at tension or a little
above; (the flap lid A' allows the excess of hot air to escape) when the thermometer
registers 104° Fahrenheit-the lamp flame heats the flue its whole length, all the
fumes from the lamp pass out of the flue Fig. 3. c straight arrow.
Atmospheric air enters at the lower end of vertical part of heating chamber,
shown by curved arrows Fig. 3 being warmed by the heat radiating from the hot
flue it ascends the vertical part and passes into the horizontal part of heating
chamber, issuing from this horizontal part through the "eyes" is cut into crescentic
currents by the form and shape of the "eyes" and directed to the walls of the
machine at varying angles by the "set" of the flaps or lids of the "eyes." The
currents passing over the water troughs, the air is moistened by the vapour of
the evaporating water; the moistened air currents striking the waxed walls of
the machine are reflected and refracted acting and re-acting upon each other,
producing cyclonic currents Fig. 4 6' or vortices in all parts of the interior of the
machine.
As the lighted lamp is placed at a lower level than the holes Fig. 3. B* B* and
is kept burning there is a constant flow of heated air through the "eyes" this
heated air presses down the air already partially cooled by radiation of its heat
through the top and sides of the machine, this cooling and condensing moist air
moving in cyclonic currents or vortices, & above, around and under the eggs finally
passes out of the machine by the holes Fig. 3. B₁ B³.
The latent heat given out by the cooling and condeusing moist air is absorbed,
appropriated and utilised by the embryos in the eggs and is by them transformed
into vital energy and vigorous life.
The lower row of holes Fig. 3. B³ are also for ventilating and keeping cool the
lower part of the machine, and to afford cool air to the hatched birds when the
space under the egg tray is used as a foster-mother.
The lines X. Y. X Y are the lines upon which the sectional views 7 and 8
are taken.
The incubator may be made in all sizes to accommodate any number of eggs the
proportion of the several parts being maintained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The long metallic flue c c c its size, shape and position.
2. The metallic heating chamber a. a' a' its size, shape and position.
3. The "eyes" b. in the sides of the heating chamber their size, shape and
position and the "set" of the lids or flaps of the said "eyes," Figs. 5. b 5A 5B.
4. The metallic water troughs d. d their size shape and position.
5. The outer case, its top and upper part of sides A A A and the lower part
of sides B being of single thickness of wood only.
6. The two rows of holes B' B' for exits for the air and ventilation of space
under the egg tray.
7. The regulator of the temperature the whole apparatus as shown in Figs. 6: 7.
74 8. and 8A.
8. The whole machine. All the seperate parts having been arranged, combined

page_text: and placed in position as shown by Fig. 3. In the working of the machine each.
part is inter-dependent on each and all other parts for the artificial incubation and.
hatching out of eggs.
1000
SAML. DUCKERING.