An Improved Receptacle or Apparatus for Containing Material for Absorbing Moisture or Humidity.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Receptacle or Apparatus for Containing Material for
Absorbing Moisture or Humidity.
I, ROBERT ALEXANDER KEMP, of 50 New Bond Street, in the County of London,
Musical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for containing material for absorbing or abstrac-
ting moisture or humidity and preventing the same from settling upon absorbent
substances and articles likely to be injured thereby, such as cloth, cotton, wool, wood,
and the like.
My invention is also particularly adapted for protecting the mechanism of pianos,
organs and the like, from injury by damp, for placing in drawers or cupboards to
protect the contents of the same, and for similar purposes.
My said invention is particularly designed to facilitate the use of hygroscopic
substances such as chloride of calcium and to provide an apparatus which shall enable
the same to be freely handled by inexperienced persons and used in domestic life
without risk of damage to the articles which it is desired to protect.
My improved apparatus is further useful for the purpose of drying, or abstracting
the moisture from, damp articles such as linen or sheets, and for like purposes, the
moisture being transferred from the article to be dried to the apparatus, through the
medium of the air, when both are placed in a confined space together.
My said apparatus comprises a box or receptacle formed in two compartments,
the upper of which serves for holding the chloride of calcium or other suitable
hygroscopic substance, while the lower one is adapted to receive and contain
therein the liquid absorbed by the said chloride of calcium. This lower compari-
ment is formed in such a manner that, should the box be by accident upset, the
liquid will not be liable to be spilled or thrown over the articles with which it is
being used. For this purpose I construct the box or receptacle of tinned sheet-
iron or other suitable material and of any convenient size and shape. This box
is provided with a false bottom or horizontal partition, which near the edges is
turned up and attached to the upper part of the sides of the box; a space,
sufficiently large to easily contain all the liquid likely to be absorbed by the
by groscopic material, being thus left between the said partition and the sides and
bottom of the box, so that should the box or receptacle be accidentally upset the
liquid will not be thrown from the said space but will be retained therein between
the upturned edges of the partition or false bottom and the sides of the box. The
hygroscopic material is placed upon the said partition or false bottom, the liquid
draining therefrom into the space below through holes or perforations formed in the
said false bottom.
The top or cover of the box is made removable and is perforated to allow the air to
come freely in contact with the hygroscopic material, while preventing the spilling of
the latter.
The box may be round, oval, oblong, square or any shape suitable for the space
available.
When the chloride of calcium has absorbed as much moisture as possible, the box or
receptacle may be placed in an ordinary oven, or on a hot plate or stove, and the said
moisture evaporated, leaving the crystals which can be made use of again in the same
manner as before.
The chloride of calcium, or a solution thereof, may be absorbed by or used in com-
bination with, a sponge or other porous body which when subjected to evaporation
will become a hardened mass of crystals ready for use again.

page_text: The cover of the box is provided in this case with a concave disc or cover to receive
the
sponge should the box be accidentally turned over.
It will be readily seen that instead of evaporating the liquid in the box or receptacle
itself, it may be removed therefrom and evaporated in a separate vessel.
It is obvious that my invention may be somewhat modified in carrying the same
into practice, without departing from the essential nature thereof.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Receptacle or Apparatus for Containing Material for
Absorbing Moisture or Humidity.
I, ROBERT ALEXANDER KEMP, of 50 New Bond Street, in the County of London,
Musical Instrument Maker, 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 improved box or receptacle for containing deliquescent
salts or like substances employed for absorbing moisture from the atmosphere, and is
chiefly designed for use in connection with musical insets that are liable to be
injured by damp. My improved apparatus may also with advantage be used for
placing in drawers, cupboards, chemical balance cases, or the like, where it is desirable
to protect the contents of the same from injury by damp atmosphere.
An important object of my said invention is to facilitate the use of hygroscopic
substances such as chloride of calcium in domestic life for desiccating purposes without
risk of damaging the articles which it is desired to keep dry..
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may
veniently and advantageously carried into practice.
be con-
Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the centre of one form of my improved
box or receptacle and lid.
Figure 2 is a plan of the box without lid, a portion of the box being broken away
show the air outlet pipe hereinafter described, and
Figure 3 is a plan of the lid.
to
A is a box preferably cylindrical in shape and constructed of sheet metal or other
suitable material for holding the hygroscopic crystals or other deliquescent material to
be employed for absorbing moisture. The said receptacle consists of an outer shell a,
having a flat base and a dish-shaped cover c and an inner cylindrical or other
shaped vessel d the shell of which is soldered or otherwise attached to the lower
face of the cover c. A space is thus enclosed between the inner and outer vessels.
The said cover c is provided with an opening e leading into the inner vessel d, and the
hase of the vessel d, which is also dish-shaped, is provided with a hole to form a
communication between the interior of the said vessel and the space enclosed between
the inner and outer vessels. Near the upper end of the shell of the inner vessel I fix
an escape pipe 9 communicating with the enclosed annular space for the purpose
hereinafter described. I provide the receptacle with a lid which may fit tightly
the rim of the receptacle and be thereby securely held in position, or the said lid
and receptacle may be screw threaded and connected by screwing the one into the
other. I form the lid dish-shaped as shown in Figure 1, and to the lower face
thereof attach by soldering or otherwise a plate which is also dish-shaped, but
curved in the contrary direction to the lid. The rim of this plate I turn upward.
Holes are formed in the lid to allow of the admission of air into the box,
and a handle may be provided for greater convenience in carrying the apparatus
about.
The construction of my improved apparatus having been thus set forth, its mode
of action will be readily understood. Crystals of hygroscopic substance, or any

page_text: suitable deliquescent material such as chloride of calcium having been introduced
into the inner vessel d, and the lid replaced, the apparatus is placed in the
instrument, drawer, box, cupboard, or other enclosure that it is desired to maintain
in a dry state. The atmosphere will find its way into the interior of the apparatus
through the holes in the lid, and any moisture contained therein will be
extracted or absorbed by the hygroscopic substance and the atmosphere thus
effectually desiccated. As the moisture is taken up, the deliquescent crystals
become liquefied and dribble through the hole into the enclosed space between the
inner and outer vessels, the air enclosed in the said space making its escape through
the pipe g to allow of the entrance of the liquefied hygroscopic substance. Were
it not for this outlet pipe g the air would form a cushion in the space between
the inner and outer vessels and would prevent the liquid entering at the hole f,
after a sufficient quantity had accumulated to fill the box up to the height of the
hole f. It is obvious that my improved apparatus is so constructed that consider-
able agitation thereof will not cause the liquid to be thrown out and the apparatus
may even be turned on its side or completely reversed without spilling. Any
liquid escaping at the aperture e when the receptacle is turned over will be caught
and retained by the dish i, or if more should escape than can be contained by
this dish, the overflowing liquid will fall into the channel formed round the
circumference of the lid and still be prevented from escaping entirely from the box,
and when the apparatus is turned back to stand on its base again the liquid will return
through the openings e and f
For the purpose of emptying the contents of the receptacle I fix in the shell a
nipple m communicating by an opening n with the annular space, and having a screw-
threaded or other closing plug 0. On removing the said plug, the contents may be
emptied and the apparatus prepared for receiving a fresh supply of hygroscopic
crystals.
The liquefied hygroscopic substance need not be discarded but may be dried and
the water driven off when it will be fit for use again.
For greater security against spilling I may place a sponge, or cotton, wool or the
like above the hygroscopic substance and underneath the lid, so that in case the
apparatus is upset, the said sponge or the like will act to absorb the displaced
liquid.
My improved box may be of any desired shape suitable for the space in which it is
to be placed.
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
A box or receptacle constructed substantially as above described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, for the purpose specified.
Dated 22nd day of October 1890.
D A
EMD
ted 22nd day of October 1890.
RA
D
EMP
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.