Improvements in Incubators for Hatching Chickens by Artificial Heat.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 30th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Incubators for Hatching Chickens by Artificial
Heat.
RICHARD CLARK, 22 Cheapside Spennymoor in the County of Durham, Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an improved water-tank used within incubator for the
purpose of hatching eggs by artificial heat. An incubator as ordinarily constructed
consists of a box or chest, in the upper part of which is a tank containing hot water
and in the lower part a drawer, containing the eggs to be hatched the said eggs
being hatched by the heat radiated from the underside of the hot water tank. To
obviate the disadvantages of an unequal temperature in the egg-drawer, I construct
a tank baving as many tubes and flues as convenient according to the size of the
tank-the said tubes passing right through the tank from end to end or from side
to side. The tubes are rendered continuous by a chamber at each end, which
chamber has a removable cap outside of the incubator.
Aud the improvements and advantages claimed for my invention are as
follows.
A more equable distribution of heat in egg chamber.
Also the tubes are of easy access for cleaning and repairs also less consumption
of fuel.
RICHARD CLARK..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Incubators for Hatching Chickens by Artificial
Heat.
RICHARD CLARK, 22 Cheapside, Spennymoor in the County of Durham
Engineer, 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 consists of an improved water tank used within incubators for
hatching eggs by artificial beat, and hereinafter described.
An incubator as ordinarily constructed consists of a box or chest, in the upper
part of which is a tank for containing hot water, and in the lower part a drawer
containing the eggs to be hatched, the said eggs being hatched by heat radiated
from the underside of the hot water tank. To obviate the disadvantage of an
unequal temperature in the egg drawer, I construct a tank having as many tubes
or flues as convenient, according to the size of the said tank, the said tubes or flues
passing right through the tank from end to end or side to side. The tubes are
rendered continuous by a chamber at each end, which chamber has a removable cap
outside of the incubator.

page_text: Figure 2).
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation (taken on the line E F, Figure 1).
Figure 3 is a plan, of my improved tank,
Figure 4 is n sectional elevation.
Figure 5 is a sectioual plan (taken on the line A B,) of an incubator, or apparatus
used for hatching eggs, by artificial heat, to which any improvements are applied.
The same letters and figures of reference indicate the same parts in the several
figures of drawings.
a, is the case of the incubator; b is the tank for containing the hot water: cis
the drawer in which the eggs are placed to be hatched, the said eggs are marked d
in Figure 4 of the drawings, is the usual packing of sawdust or other imperfect
conductor of heat; y is the water tray for containing water to moisten the air as it
enters the incubator; h is the lamp by which the water in the tank 6 is heated;
is the lamp chimney furnished with a valve or damper; is the said valve which
is actuated by an expansible and collapsible capsule 4, which capsule is supported
by the bracket u. The mechanism by which the expansion and collapsion of the
capsule is caused to netuate the valvej, consists of a rod m passing freely through
a tube e, secured near its upper and lower ends in the top and bottom respectively
of the taak b.
The rod m bears at its upper end against a screw r, working in a socket formned
on a levern, which lever works on n pivot n' carried by a standard n on top of the
case a. The said lever n has fixed to it a rod p, which carries a sliding weight o
At the free end of the rod p a hook is formed from which is suspended the valvej.
k. k 1. k2, are the flues or tubes passing through the tank b. One end of the said
flues is connected to the chimney i of the lamp h, the other end of the said flues, il,
being open to the atmosphere. s. s 1, are the chambers by which means the
tubes k, k1, 2, are rendered continuous, the heated air passing through the said
tubes in the direction shown by the arrows. t, t 1, are caps or lids covering the
chambers a, a 1, which caps are removable. Any number of tubes or flues may be
fixed through the tank & on the principle herein before described, or the heated air
may be caused to enter any of the said tubes.
This arrangement acts as follows:-The whole of the heated air from the lamp h
passes through the tubes or flues, k, k1, 2, until the water in the tank bis
sufficiently heated to expand the capsule 1, when the valve; is consequently raised
through the mechanism n by means of the rod m, when the heated air escapes to
the atmosphere instead of passing through the tubes k, k 1, k2, and continues to
escape until the water has cooled sufficiently to allow the capsule to collapse,
when the valve j is again closed and remains closed until the heated air from the
lamp passing through the tubes k, k 1, k 2, bas again raised the temperature of
the water necessary to expand the capsule 1, and again divert the hoat from the
tubes k, k1, 2.
h
The method of using the apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows:-The
tank band the tray 9 are charged with water. The lamp his then lighted and
placed under the chimney i, the weight o is slidden to the end of the rod p, uearest
the lever n, and the screw.r is turned until the valvej shall rest upon the chimney i.
The whole is then allowed to remain until the temperature of the apparatus has
risen to about 104°. The eggs are then placed in the drawer c. If it be required
to raise the temperature therein, the weight o is slidden along the rod p towards its
free cud.
By my improved tank and its application to incubators used for hatching
chickens by artificial heat, a practically even temperature is distributed over the
surface of the eggs to be hatched. The tubes, or flues, k. kl. 2. are of ensy
access for cleaning, or repairing, by means of the lids or covers t. 1. Also, owing
to a large heating surface, the consumption of oil or gas in use with incubators is
materially economised.

page_text: Having now particularly described my invention of "Improvements in incubators
for hatching chickens by artificial heat," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
details herein before described as they may be varied without departing from the
nature of my invention, but I claim as my said invention :-
First. A form of water tank having several tubes, or flues, passing completely
through the said tank from end to end, or side to side for carrying the beated air
in use with incubators.
Second. A chamber whereby the aforesaid tubes, or flues, are rendered continuous,
such chamber having a removable cap outside the incubator.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of November in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and ninety-six.
RICHARD CLARK.