US1111182A - Temperature-indicator for incubators. - Google Patents

Description

M. L. nousn. TEMPERATURE INDICATOR FOR INGUBATORS.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1913.

1 1 1 1,182, Patented Sept. 22, 1914,

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MARTIN L. ROU'SE, COLUMBIA, MISSOURI.

TEMPERATURE-INDICATOR FOR INGUBATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Application filed September 22, 1913. Serial No. 791,193.

dicators for Incubators, of which the fol--.

lowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings.

This invention compre ends certain new and useful improvements in temperature indicators and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character which may be readily installed in incubators and the like.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which Wlll be of extremely simple construction and operation and 1nclude electric circuits with a bell or other alarm to be operated, should the temperature increase or decrease, above or below predetermined pressure.

A still further object is to provide an indicator of this character which will give a signal upon either an increase or decrease in the temperature within the incubator by completing a circuit upon expansion or contraction of members subject to changes in temperature.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character which may be readily thrown out of operation when heating the incubator to the proper degree of temperature or when the incubator is not in use or at any other time or times desired.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is in part a diagrammatic View of the complete device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the upper contact plate; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the movable intermediate contact plate,

showing the same in dotted lines in inoperative position.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1, 2, and 3 designate respectlvely, the lower, intermediate and upper contact plates. The lower and upper contact plates 1 and 3 are spaced apart at their inner ends by the insulating and spacing post 4, to the outside ends of which said contact plates 1 and 3 are secured by screws 5 or other suitable means, said spacing and insulating post being secured to the inner face of one wall of the incubator by the screw 6 or other suitable means. The lower and upper contact plates 1 and 3 are spaced apart outwardly of the post 4, by the spacng post 7 which has the screws 8 threaded in its opposite ends and threaded through the contact plates 1 and 3, one of said screws being insulated from the contact late through which it passes, by the insu ating' collar 9 positioned through said contact plate and around the screw 8.

The intermediate contact plate 2 has its inner end secured upon one end of the spacing and insulating post 10, by a screw 25 or other suitable means, while said post 10 is secured upon one face of the lower contact plate 1, by a screw 12 or other suitable means, thereby properly supporting the intermediate contact plate 2 between the lower and upper plates 1 and 3.

Secured upon the lower contact plate 1,

is a binding post 13 to which is secured one end of a conducting wire 14, leading to one pole of the battery 15, inclosed in a suitable casing 16, while the other wire 17 connected with the battery 15, has one end connected with the binding post 18, carried by the intermediate contact plate 2. A third binding post 19 is secured upon the upper contact plate 3 and has one end of a wire 20 secured thereto, the opposite end of said wire being connected with the wire 17. A bell 21 or other suitable alarm is placed in the path of the conducting wire 17, whereby a signal will be given each and every time a circuit is completed through the battery 15 and wires 14: and 17. I have also provided a switch in the path of the wire 14, as shown at 22.

Upon the forward or free end of the lower contact plate 1, I have secured a pair of hollow disks 23 and 24, formed of thin metal and adapted to expand when heated.

It will be noted that the upper disk 24 is of a smaller diameter than the disk 23 and contact plate 3, the free extremity of Wl'llCl'l is. directed -downwardly, as shown at 3. It will also be understood that the intermediate contact plate 2 is considerably shorter than the lower and upper contact plates 1 and 3 and has its forward portion pivoted upon the screw 25, thereby throwing the device out of operation when the incubator is not in use or when first heating said incubator. This is desirable, for the reason that when the hollow disks 23 and 24 are cold, they will contract'to such extent that the edge of the upper disk 24 will assume a position below the free end of the intermediate contact plate 2. When the temperature in the incubator is normal and the hollow disks 23 and 24 expanded to the proper distance under the influence of the heat, the smaller upper disk 24 is about mid-way between the free ends of the intermediate contact plate 2 and the depended free end of the upper contact plate 3, thereby providing an open or broken circuit. Should the temperature increase, however, the disks 23 and 24 will continue to expand until the disk 24 touches the depending free end 3 of the upper contact plate 3, thereby completing the circuit through the wire 20 and Wire 17 to the battery 15 and back through the wire 14 to the lower contact plate 1, upon which the disks 23and 24 are secured. Should the temperature in the incubator decrease or drop below. normal, the edge of the disk 24 will contact with the free end of the intermediate contact plate 2 and the circuit will then be closed through the wire 17 to the battery 15 and back through the wire 14 to the lower contact plate 1. It will be seen that should either circuit be completed, the bell 21 in the path of the wire 17 will be caused to ring and thereby give a signal.

I have indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 a casing 26 for the parts of the device positioned within the incubator, a portion of the frame of which is also shown in dotted lines at 27.

From the foregoing it will be clearly ap parent that I have provided a temperature.

indicator for incubators and the like which will be of extremely simple construction, positive in operation and highly efiicient in use.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made Within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages of the same.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim is 1. A device of the character described, including a pair of contact plates insulated from each other, a third contact plate intermediate of the first named plates and supported on and insulated from one of them, binding posts secured to the respective plates, one for each plate, a source of electric energy, an electric connection between the intermediate plate and the source of electric energy, one of the first named plates being also included in said connection, and an electric connection between the said source of energy and the other of the first named plates, and thermostatic devices in juxta-position to the three contact plates and operable, upon a change in the temperature, to connect the first two named contact plates and one of the said first named plates with the intermediate plate, according to whether the variation is an increaseor decrease.

2. A device of the character described, including a lower contact late, an upper contact plate spaced there om, said contact plates being connected together at one end and-insulated one from the other, an intermediate contact plate interposed between the two first named contact plates and shorter than the same, the said intermediate contact plate being supported on the lower contact plate intermediate of the ends of the latter and insulated therefrom,

binding posts connected to said contact plates, one for each plate, a source of electric energy, a lead extending from one pole thereof to the binding post of the lower contact plate, a lead extending from the other 'pole of said source of energy to the binding post on the intermediate plate, a shunt lead from the said last named lead to the binding post on the upper plate, a

thermostat disposed in juxta-position to the relatively free ends of all of said contact plates and ada ted to connect the intermediate plate wit the first named plate upon a diminution of the temperature and to connect the intermediate plate with the upper contact plate upon an increase in the temperature.

3. A device of the character described, including a lower contact late, an upper contact plate spaced there om, an intermediate contact plate interposed between the lower and upper contact plates and spaced from both of them, electric circuits in which the contact plates are included, a thermostatic device including a disk interposed between the'extremities of the intermediate contact plate and upper contact plate and adapted to contact with the intermediate contact plate upon a diminution in the temperature to electrically connect said intermediate contact plate with the lower contact plate and also arranged, upon an increase in the temperature, to electrically connect the intermediate contact plate with the upper contact plate, said intermediate contact plate being pivotally mounted to swing laterally, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

MARTIN L. ROUSE. Witnesses:

BEN M. ANDERSON, J. L, STEPHENS.

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