US2331928A - Automatic electric vaporizer - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 19, 1943. I. PARGMAN ETAL AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC VAPORIZER Filed July 3, 1941 INVENTORs I PAEGMA/V II/I1 m Arron/[y J: JP/EZMAIV. j

Patented Oct. 19, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTODIATIC ELECTRIC VAPORIZER Isaac Fargman, Paterson, and Joseph Spielman, East Orange, N. J.

4 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic electric Vaporizers, and aims to provide such a device having certain novel features whereby the device is not only made superior and more efficient in operation, but also simple and inexpensive in cost of operation.

Such devices are of course well known on the market, but they usually embody undesirable features which it is the object of this invention to overcome. One such defect of the common vaporizer is that dilution of the medicament occurs at the start of the operation. The container cover is usually cool or even cold when evaporation of the water commences, so that th vapor which first reaches the vicinity of the nozzle promptly condenses and most or all of it falls into the medicament, thus diluting the latter so that its strength is below that prescribed and which it originally possessed. A feature of the present invention is that such condensed vapor is made to flow back into the vessel instead of into the medicament. Y

A further feature of this invention relates to the matter of cleanliness. The medicament is confined to a separate removable cup which can be removed to be cleaned or, if made of paper as believed preferable, may be destroyed. Thus the container itself remains clean and free of the gumming which usually results.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means for regulating the degree of heat applied to the water by controlling the flow of current therethrcugh, from a low minimum to a high maximum, by a novel regulating means.

In addition to its common applicability as a vaporizer inhaler for the treatment of nasal or throat ailments, the device may be used to deodorize a room, or as an insect exterminator, by using the appropriate medicament or other substance in the removable cup. The heat can be shut off or reduced to the minimum while the cup of medicament is being changed, which greatly simplifies the old method of replenishing the medicament where no such removable cup to receive the same is provided.

The above and other objects will become apparent in the description below, wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawing. It is to be understood that the drawing serves the purpose of illustration only and it is not intended necessarily to limit the invention to the exact details of construction shown.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation view'oi the device.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the same, with part of the container wall broken away.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the device.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device with the nozzle cap removed.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the device with part of the enclosing wall broken away.

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line l--'! of Figure 5.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral l 0 indicates a jar of standard construction, having the threaded neck ii. A unitary housing i2 is mounted on the jar neck II by means of the cap or cover 13 whose peripheral wall it is threaded. An extension I5 is formed on top of the cap l3, and this extension It also extends forward beyond the periphery of the cap in the form of a shelf It. A further housing ll lies below the extension l6 and adjacent the cap l3. For simplicity of construction, the cap I3, the extensions l5, l6, and ll, are all formed of one piece and when, as in the preferred form, they are made of molded or plastic material, they are all molded in one piece to form the unitary housing l2.

At the rear end of the housing IS, a recess I8 is formed for the reception of an electric plug about the two poles 19 which are formed by the upper ends of rods 29 and 21 which pass down ward through the cap [3. A regulator handle 22 is fixed to the top of a shaft 23 and rests rotatably on the top of the extension 15, the shaft 23 passing rotatably downward through the housing 12. A segment of insulating material, such as porcelain, for instance, shown at 24, is suspended on the ends of the rods 20 and 22. Intermediate its width, and near the top, this segment is provided with a cut-out 25. A metallic segment or electrode 26 is secured to the segment 24 in spaced relationship therewith, leaving a space 21 therebetween. This securement is achieved by bending a band 28 out of the upper portion of the segment 26 and bringing the intermediate portion of the bent band 28 flush against the segment 24. Th rod 20 is then bent horizontally and passes through a hole in the band 28, the rod continuing through the segment 2 1 and being locked thereagainst by a nut 23, thus also providing electrical conductivity between the rod 2|] and the segment 26. A third segment 33, which is also metallic and provides the other electrode, is secured flush against the porcelain segment 24 by means of a pin 3| secured thereto and extending through the segment 24, and a nut 32. The rod 2| is also bent horizontally at the level of the cut-out 25 and passes through the segment 24. A metallic strip 33 is locked against the segment 24 by the nut 32 at one end and by a nut 34 on the bent rod end 2|. Thus electric conductivity is also provided between the rod 2| and the electrode 30.

A fourth segment 35, formed of any suitable insulating material, is secured by nuts 35 on the horizontally bent lower end of the shaft 23, and is slidably mounted between the two electrodes 26 and 30, being movable in the space 21. It is apparent that, with the housing 12 in place, with water in the jar l8, and with, a plug, not shown, from an electrical source secured to the poles l9, current will flow through the water between the electrodes. The strength of this current and consequently its heating effect on the water, will depend upon: the position of the segment 35 in the space: 21, inan obvious manner. That position iscontrolled by the handle 22, and by providing graduations 31- around the handle 22,

the relative degree of heat with which the device is operating, maybe read. With this apparatus it is unnecessary to add salt to the water, and a very delicate control of heat is attained, from the lower minimum to the high maximum.

An opening 38 is provided through the cap l3, and rearward thereof a transverse partition 39 rises from the cap to the. roof of the extension [5. The forward portion of the roof of the extension i=5, i. e. that portion leftward of the wall 39", Figures 4 and 5, is cut away and removably mounted thereon is a hood 4!) having a nozzle opening 41- therethrough'. A well 42 is formedin the extension H, and' the floor 43 of the extension. l6, surrounding the well 42, slopes toward: the opening 38,v as shown. The floor 43 is of course. cut awaywithin the walls of the well 4-2, so that the latter project upward above the said floor. A removable cup 44, preferably a paper cup, is adapted to be set in the well- 42 after having had medicament placed therein.

With the device set ready for operation, with medicament in the cup 44; water in the jar and electrically connected to a supply source, steam rising from the; water Will pass upward through the opening 38-. and thence toward the: nozzle 41. Owingto the reduced size of the latter, much of the steam will pass around the walls of the well and vaporize medicament in the cup, and the combination of steam and vaporized medicament will issue forth from the nozzle. When the operation is first begun, as above mentioned, steam will condense about the extension [6 and the hood 43 owing to the lower temperature of the latter. Such condensation will, because of the slope of the floor 43, flow back. through the opening 38 into the jar, instead of all settling upon and diluting themedicament.

At the start of the operation the handle 22 is set on the graduation marked L, for low, and it may be advanced to the higher position marked I or any other advanced position, as desired. When th medicament gives out while the device is being used, the handle 22 is first restored to the L position and then, when sufiicient cooling has taken place so that very little or no steam issues from the nozzle, a fresh refilled cup may be substituted for the empty one.

Obviously, modifications in form and structure may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a jar adapted to be filled with water and a cap removably mounted on the jar, said cap having a hollow extension open at the top and projecting horizontally beyond the periphery of the cap, a removable hood having a nozzle therein mounted on said open top, a well in said extension, said cap having an opening therein communicating with said extension, said well bein adapted to have a. removable cup filled with medicament mounted therein, and electrical means for vaporizing said water.

2. A device of the classdescribed comprising a jar adapted to be filled with water and a cap removably mounted on the jar, saidcaphaving a hollow extension open at the top and projecting horizontally beyond the periphery of the cap, a removable hood having a nozzle therein mounted on said open top, a well in said extension, said cap having an opening therein communicating with said extension, the fioor of said xtension sloping downward toward said opening, said well being adaptedto have a removable cup filled with medicamentv mounted therein, and electrical. means for vaporizing said water.

3. A device of the class described comprising a jar adapted to be filled with Water and a cap removably mounted onthe jar, said. cap having a hollow extension open at the top and projecting horizontally beyond the periphery of the cap, a removable hood having a nozzle therein mounted on said open top; said cap having an opening therein communicating with said extension, a well formed; in the floor of said extension with the floor of. the well lying below the floor of the extension and the walls of the well rising above the floor of the extension, said well being adapted to have a removable cup filled with medicament mounted therein, and electrical means for vaporizing said water.

4. A device of the class described comprising a jar adapted to be filled with water and a cap removably mounted on thejar, said cap having a hollow extension open at the top, a removable hood having a nozzle therein mounted on said open top, said cap having an opening therein communicating with said extension, a Well formed in the floor of said' extension with the floor of the well lying below the floor of the extension and with the walls of the well rising above the floor of the extension, said well being adapted to have a removable cup filled with medicament mounted therein, and electrical means for vaporizing said water, said floor of the extension sloping downward toward said opening.

ISAAC PARGMAN. JOSEPH SPIELMAN.

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