IMPROVEMENTS IN RESPIRATORS.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hewley Charles Wordsworth, of No. 5*, Sloane
Street, Knightsbridge, in the County of Middlesex, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RESPIRATORS.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hewley Charles
Wordsworth at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 3rd July 1875.
I, HEWLEY CHARLES WORDSWORTH, of No. 5º, Sloane Street,
Knightsbridge, in the County of Middlesex, do horeby declaro the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RESPIRATORS," to be
as follows:-
The object of the Invention is to construct respirators of material
and in manner such that will facilitate their entire cleansing whenever
the wearer may think desirable. For this purpose I form the case or
enclosing portions of tortoiseshell, horn, ebonite, or vulcanite, or such
like material, glass, earthenware, ivory, wood, or other suitable material

page_text: that will not readily become discolored by the action of the atmosphere
and moisture. The outer part of this case I produce of the usual curved
form at the inner edge of it to suit the form of the part of the face
surrounding the mouth to which it is to be applied, and from these
edges this outer portion is recessed to form a chamber to receive cotton,
wool, or other suitable material, and an enclosing shield.
The cotton, wool, or other fibrous material may be prepared or
medicated as desired.
The outer case is perforated with holes, through which respiration
takes place, and it is attached by elastic or other bands, and the inner
plate or shield, formed of the like material, is also perforated or formed
of openwork, and it is held in position by being sprung in under slightly
projecting ledges or holding parts of the outer case. By these means
the necessity for the use of cushions at the edges and of an outer
covering of fabric is avoided, as also is the inconvenience and un-
pleasantness arising from such cushioning and covering soon becoming
moistened, whilst every facility is afforded for frequent and entire
cleansing, and increased lightness is obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Hewley Charles Wordsworth in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st January 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HEWLEY
CHARLES WORDSWORTH, of No. 5*, Sloane Street, Knightsbridge, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Hewley Charles Wordsworth, Her
special license, that I, the said Hewley Charles Wordsworth, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Hewley
Charles Wordsworth, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all

page_text: times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RESPIRATORS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Hewley Charles Wordsworth, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hewley Charles Wordsworth, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
•
The object of the Invention is to construct respirators of material
and in manner such that will facilitate their entire cleansing whenever
the wearer may think desirable. For this purpose I form the case or
enclosing portions of tortoiseshell, horn, ebonite, or vulcanite, or such
like material, glass, carthenware, ivory, wood, or other suitable material
that will not readily become discolored by the action of the atmosphere
and moisture, and I find what is called ebonite or vulcanite the most
convenient for the purpose, as the parts are readily formed by moulding
or stamping. The outer part of this case I produce of the usual curved
form at the inner edge of it to suit the form of the part of the face
surrounding the mouth to which it is to be applied; and from these
edges this outer portion is recessed to form a chamber to receive cotton,
wool, or other suitable material, and an enclosing shield.
The cotton, wool, or other fibrous material employed may be prepared
or medicated as desired.
The front part of the outer case opposite the mouth is perforated with
holes, through which respiration takes place; and this case is attached
to the wearer by elastic or other bands. The inner plate or shield
formed of the like material is also perforated or formed of openwork,
and it is held in position by being sprung in under slightly projecting
ledges or holding parts of the outer case. By these means the necessity
for the use of cushions at the edges and of an outer covering of fabric

page_text: is avoided, as also is the inconvenience and unpleasantness arising from
such cushioning and covering soon becoming moistened, whilst every
facility is afforded for frequent and entire cleansing. Increased light-
ness is also obtained.
But that the Invention may be fully understood I will by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me
in carrying the same into effect.

page_text: facture of the parts of respirators of materials, such as stated, that will
not readily become discolored or injuriously affected by moisture, as
described.
In witness whercof, I, the said Hewley Charles Wordsworth, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of December.
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.