AN IMPROVED MOUTHPIECE FOR PROTECTING THE WEARER AGAINST ATMO- PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Nightingale, of Chirton Grange, Tyne-
mouth, in the County of Northumberland, and of Sackville Street,
in the County of Middlesex, Surgeon Dentist, for the Invention of
"
'AN IMPROVED MOUTHPIECE FOR PROTECTING THE WEARER AGAINST ATMO-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Nightingale at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st December 1871.
I, CHARLES NIGHTINGALE, of Chirton Grange, Tynemouth, in the
County of Northumberland, and of Sackville Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Surgeon Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED MOUTHPIECE FOR PROTECTING THE WEARER
AGAINST ATMOSPHERIC INFLUENCES," to be as follows:-
My said Invention relates to a plate or shield to be worn inside the
lips to prevent inhalation through the mouth and compel the wearer to
breathe naturally by inhalation through the nose.

page_text: The object of the said Invention is the protection of the mouth,
throat, and lungs against the cold or damp air, fog, or other noxious or
unpleasant influences from which many persons suffer so severely. My
said mouthpiece is designed to obviate the necessity of the inconvenient
and unsightly respirators now ordinarily worn, and as when used it is
completely hidden by the lips of the wearer I call it an "invisible
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Charles Nightingale in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 1st June 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
NIGHTINGALE, of Chirton Grange, Tynemouth, in the County of North-
umberland, and of Sackville Street, in the County of Middlesex, Surgeon
Dentist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Nightingale, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Nightingale, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Nightingale, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MOUTHPIECE FOR PROTECTING THE WEARER AGAINST ATMOSPHERIC INFLUENCES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Nightingale,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Nightingale, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming part of this Specification :-
My said Invention relates to à plate or shield to be worn inside the
lips to prevent inhalation through the mouth and compel the wearer to
breathe naturally by inhalation through the nose.
The object of the said Invention is the protection of the mouth,

page_text: throat, and lungs against cold or damp air, fog, or other noxious or
unpleasant influences from which many persons suffer so severely. My
improved mouthpiece is designed to obviate the necessity of the incon-
venient and unsightly respirators now ordinarily worn, and as when used
it is completely hidden by the lips of the wearer I call it an "invisible
mouth protector" or "invisible respirator."
a top view of the same; Figure 3 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the said mouth protector.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 are similar views illustrating a modification in the
form of the said mouth protector.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the. Drawing.
The said mouth protector or respirator consists of a single thin piece
or plate a preferably made of gold or silver, though I may use vulcanite
or other materials suitable for the purpose. In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, the
said plate is shaped to fit comfortably and conveniently outside the
teeth between the same and the lips, and when worn covers so much of
the teeth and gums as would be visible with the mouth about half way
open. But the shape of the said mouthpiece may be modified as shown
in Figure 5, 6, 7, 8. In this modification the part a¹ of the plate fits
between the top and bottom teeth, and a small portion a³ is turned
down to fit over the latter.
1
While preventing altogether any inhalation through the mouth it is
necessary that means should be provided for permitting exhalation
thereby, otherwise the wearer would be troubled by an accumulation of
saliva and other inconveniences after using the protector a short time.
For this purpose I form in the plate valves which permit exhalation
but not inhalation through the mouth. These valves are small tongues.
formed on the plate by punching or cutting the same in such a manner
that the said tongues permit the egress but not the ingress of air, or
the said tongues may be soldered upon the plate over suitable apertures
formed therein.
In Figures 5 to 8 I have shown the. plates, perforated with small,
holes d which serve instead of the valves b.

page_text: In this manner I provide at a very slight cost a mouth protector
which is free from all of the objections to the use of an ordinary respirator,
and which by preventing the inhalation of cold or damp air through the
mouth obviates much suffering in the teeth, gums, throat, air passages,
and lungs, and diminishes the loss of the caloric of the body. In order
that the said mouth protector or respirator may be worn by a person
sleeping, I make in it two small holes c, through which a thin piece of
silk or other thread may be passed to secure the said plate.
In making my improved mouth protector the plate a is first stamped
out of plate or sheet gold, silver, or other metal or material capable of
being bent, moulded, and otherwise worked by compression, hammering,
burnishing, and other like operations known to practical dentists and
gold and silversmiths. I use moulds properly shaped to give to the
plate the convexity required to adapt it to the upper and lower teeth
and the configuration or contour of the lips. The valves 6 and holes c
are then formed, and the plate is then again put in the dies; then it is
burnished and finished on the edges, the tongues are set to give t
required opening to the valves, and the mouth protector is then ready
for use.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim, a mouth pro-
tector or respirator made of a single piece of metal or other material
shaped to be worn inside the lips, and so constructed as to prevent
inhalation through the mouth, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Nightingale have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
0
CHARLES NIGHTINGALE. (L.S.)
Witness,
WM. ROB. LAKE,
Patent Agent,
8, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.