US965837A - Self-regulating incubator. - Google Patents

Description

L. C. REED.

SELF REGULATING IN GUBATOR. APPLIUATION FILED APR.Z5, 1910.

965,837. atented July 26, 1910.

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LYMAN C. REED, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA SELF-REGULATING? INCUBATOE.

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Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented July 26., 1916)..

Application filed April 25, 191i). Sieriel No. 557,540.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LYMAN C. REED, a citizen of-the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Regulating Incubators; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to incubators and has for its object to provide a heating means for an incubator which will insure against sudden changes of temperature, and therefore, against the chilling or overheating of the eggs.

To these ends, the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like numerals refer to like parts in all the views: Figure l is a sectional view of an incubator with my invention appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a detailed diagrammatic view showing the arrangement of the circuits. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating a'modified arrangement of circuits, and Fig. 4: is a diagran'nnatic view illustrating a still further modified arrangement of circuits.

1 indicates any suitable incubator provided with anysuitable' means 2, for supporting the eggs, 3 a ventilating means, and 4 any suitable lamp or signal to indicate when the thermostat has acted.

Located in any desired relation to the eggs is a heating element 5, comprising a IBSISD ance coil 6, which is fed from the mains 7 and 8. In series with this resistance coil is a signal lamp 4, as indicated, and the current entering at the main '4" continuously passes through the coil 6, the lamp 4;, and time ly returns to the main 8 as by the wire 9. In shunt with the lamp 4:, is a thermostat 10, which normally closes contact at 11 with the adjustable means 12, joined at the wire 9 as shown and thereby'provides a path of much less resistance for its current than does the lamp 4.

The resistance of the coil 6 is so chosen that when the current is passing through the thermostat, the heat radiated into the egg chamber is sufiicient to hatch the eggs;

and the resistance of the lamp a is so chosen that when the thermostat is out of the circuit the heat from the coil 6 is still sufficient to keep the eggs from being chilled. It follows from this arrangement of circuits that the eggs cannot be chilled so long as the lamp shows that the current is passing.

As is well known, it has been heretofore proposed to' control the temperature in an incubator by employing a thermostat in series with the heating unit, and to depend upon it to cut oil and turn on the current by making and breaking its usual contact. But it is equally well known that the movement of such a thermostat and therefore the air gap it produces is so small that in spite of the small current employed, the contacts soon become pitted, thereby causing a poor regulation and the final failure of the incubator. By shunting the air gap as above disclosed, however, it not only prevents the eggs from being chilled but also prevents any arcing and therefore any pitting of the thermostatic contacts. It further follows that since the thermostat does not have to ,act so quickly in my circuit as it would should the eggs be in danger of chilling, that I can increase or compound the movement of the thermostat to. any desired degree and thereby provide for any. refinements of adjustment that may be necessary. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein the thermostat '10 operates the lever 15 against the tension of the spring 16, to break the circuit or the contact 17, while the cur rent continually passes through the coil 6 and the coil or lamp resistance 19.

Should it be desired to adjust the air gap from the outside or" the incubator, any suitable means such as the screw 20 Fig. 3 may be extended beyond the walls of the incubator l and the contact 21 readily adjustcd. Further should it be desired to provide against any dangerous or abnormal rise of temperature in the egg chamber, the coil 6 can be readily automatically cut out of the thermostatic circuit, while the lamp or coil 19 remains in series with said coil 6 as shown for example in Fig. 3. That is to say, an additional tl'iermostatically controlled contact 25 may be provided which is located so far from the thermostat that it can only be closed after the contact 21 is in circuit and after a dangerous temper are has been reached in the egg chainbm. 5%; connection 26 joins the contact 25 with the main 7 as illustrated, and it is evident that while the lamp or coil 19 continuously receives current through its heating unit 6 upon a dangerous rise 0 after the contact 21 is closed, short circuit the coil 6, and thereby cause the dangerous temperature to immediately fall, whereupon the contact at 25 will be a ain broken.

It is evident that those s illed in the art may vary the details of construction and the arrangement of arts without departing from the spirit of my invention and therefore Ido not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claims. "'Further it is understood that the shunted air gap combined with a signal lamp in an incubator is an important feature of my invention, as is also the multiplied movement of the thermostat, no matter what the circuit may be. The adjustment of the contacts from the outside, I also consider important and said adjustment is also applicable to all the circuits.

It is evident that the heating element 6, as well as the other parts may be duplicated asdesired inorder to get the best results' What I claim is:

1. In an incubator, the-combination of a chamber; a heating means comprising a resistance in said chamber; and a second resistance comprising a signal lamp in series with said first resistance; a. thermostat in series with said first resistance but in a shunt temperature, yet the contact25 will,-

, chamber; a si circuit with said second resistance; and an adjustable contact adapted to'be closed by said thermostat whereby the current through said lamp may be varied but not cut off, substantially as described.

2.-In an incubator the combination of an egg chamber; a heating resistance in said al lamp in series with said resistance; an a thermostat provided with a contact adapted to be adjusted from the outside of said chamber in a shunt circuit with said signal lamp whereby the current through said lamp may be varied but not cut off, substantially as described.

3. In an incubator the combination of an eggchamber; a heating resistance in said chamber; a second resistance in series with said heating resistance; 7 a thermostat in series with said heating resistance and in a shunt circuit with said second resistance; a contact in said shunt circuit adapted to be closed by saidthermostat when the temperature insaid chamber is normal; and a contact adapted to be closed by said thermostat when said first contact is closed and said temperature is abnormal, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LYMAN C. REED. Witnesses;

J. M. Couen'r,

FRED ANDERER.

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