US2624333A

US2624333A - Infant incubator

Info

Publication number: US2624333A
Application number: US192016A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward C Dixon; William E Chilton
Original assignee: CONTINENTAL HOSPITAL SERVICE I
Current assignee: CONTINENTAL HOSPITAL SERVICE I; CONTINENTAL HOSPITAL SERVICE Inc
Priority date: 1950-10-25
Filing date: 1950-10-25
Publication date: 1953-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 1970-01-06

Description

1953 E. c. DIXON :rAL

INFANT INCUBATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 E. c. DIXON .ETAL

INFANT INCUBATOR Jan. 6, 1953 Filed 0012'. 25, 1950 INVENTORS [ow-mo C. 01x0 W/u/AM 1 CHM r0 M1, 4 I I Ir 41v:

Patented Jan. 6, 1953 Chii'ton, Cleveland; Ohio, sassi-g-nors to 'i-flonti mental'HospitaIIService;Inc.;lzakewood,:Qhiom;

comoratinneofflhio;

Application -O1:tdYmY ZS, 1950,,LSB1ldljN0. 1921016 This invention relates to incubators of the type used in caring "for "infants and, as -one o'f' its objects, aims to "provideanimproved constructionwhich will enable *a device of this kind to "render much more *vari edand satisfactory service than "has been available heretofore and which, nevertheless, is simple; attractive and" inexpensive in character.

Another obj ect is 'toprovidean'incubator which willserve very 'efiicientlyincaring for "premature and full term'iniants by makinga number-of treating agents available as needed in the incubation chamber, namely, heating, "cooling,- humidificationand' oxygen gas, and which isparticularly well suited and "hi hly practical for treating an infant receiving post=operative"care, or'for'isolating .an'infant against the spreadof a contagious disease.

.Afurther object is to providean improved' incubator of this character in which the incubation chamber is covered, andi'formed "in part, by a canopy made of a flexible transparent 'sheetmaiterial which will effectively confine theagentsiintended to be retained in the incubationchamber while excluding others intendedjtobe 'excluded', which "will render the infant clearly visiblestatall times 'andfrom allis'ides, and which-is inexpensive and disposable 'such'thatrithecanopy can: be carded after aperiodoi'treatment of an' infant having a contagious disease.

Still another obj'ect is'to provide an improved incubator of the character just mentioned, 'in' which frame means, preferably a detachable frame meansyextending above an open-"tophousing supports the flexible transparent canopy in upwardly arched relation over the incubation chamber such'that the side and top'walls of the incubation chamber are formed, in part, by the canopy.

It is likewise an object of this "invention to provide an improved infantincubator or the. character above referred to inwhich heating,

incubator substantially as indicated by section.

line of Fig. 3;

Fig; 3 "is-"a longitudinal vertical section taken through the "incubater substantially as indicated by-rsectioniline 3-3 of Fig. 2;

4 is -.a "transverse vertical section taken through the incubator substantially on section line "5 -"4'i',0f Fig. 3;

Fig. "5 is a plan view of the humidifying pan showingthe same in "detached relation; and

Fig. '6 is :a perspective view showinga-modifledform of the "transparent flexible 'canopy.

"one practical embodiment of the invention the drawings show :an incubator l i! "comprising aanuprig'htopen-tophousing Hand a transparent flexible canopy 12 extending above "the housing and defining with the open-top thereof'an 'incubation -chamber "l'3in which islocatecl a bed I14 adapted to receive an ini'antthereon.

.Th'e housing 'I.l"is'here shown as being in the form. of an upright cabinet having supporting castersllfi atthebottom thereof which will permit the incubator Lto bereadily rolled along .a fioor from one station toanother. The housing H comppisgs pairs .01 opposed uprightsideand .end "\valls ..-l'(i, {land i8, i9. Thehousing also in? cludestransverse walls 20 .and forming upper and-lower floors in the cabinet and a horizontal via-1122a formingapart of a bed support-221110011 whiehthe bed, I 4. issupported. The upper floor 20. forms the bottom of t e incubation chamber 1:3 and. the lower floor 2| forms the bottom .of a storage space-.Nrin which blankets orother paraphemal-iamay be .placed. Access to. the storage spaceliltis -afiordedv by a hinged. door 24.

.As has already been indicated above in a general 'way', the transparent .canopy l2 constitutes an importan-t feature of the-improved incubator m and will now be "further described. The canopyflz, together with a supporting frame means 25, constitutes an upwardly arched cover for the incubation chamber l 3' and since the canopy is transparent, an infant lying on the bed M will be clearly visible "from all sides of the incubator and from all directions. The canopy itself comprises a bag-like 'stucture having a generally horizontal top wall I2a-and pairs of opposed side and end walls 12b and 1-20. The canopy 1-! has an opening-at the bottom thereof of substantially the same size and quadrangular plansha-pe as the open-top of the housing I I suchv that when the canopy is applied "to the housing the "lower-edge portions of the canopy the polyvinyl sheet material of appropriate size and shape. The canopy is preferably provided around the lower edge thereof with a suitable binding or hem 26 for reinforcement at this point and which will enable the canopy to. be applied to the frame means 25 by grasping the lower edge portions and drawing the canopy downwardly ini intersect at substantially right angles and define an opening 29 and a closing fiap 30. The opening 29 is of a size to permit-an infant to be moved into or out of the incubation chamber and 'also affords access to the incubation chamber for caring for an infant lying on the'bed I4. The edge portions of the canopy at the location of the

slits

27 and 28 are provided with fastening means 2la and 28a of the slide type which will permit the flap 3% to be secured in a position to'par'tially or completely close the opening 29. Additional openings can be provided in the walls of the canopy I2 at other desired points, for example, the top wall In can be provided with openings in the form of slits 3I which are adaptedto be closed partially or completely by slide typ fasteners 3Ia. The openings 3i provide communi-' The frame means 25 may comprise any suit-f able frame structure adapted to be supported on the housing H so as to extend thereabove and suitably support the canopy I2 in distended rela tion over the open-top of the housing. In this instance the frame means comprises a pair ofupwardly bowed bars 32 having substantially the canopy is made from a transparent sheet material, the top, side and end walls thereof will be transparent and will afford a clear view of the infant in the incubation chamber from all sides of the incubator which will greatly facilitate the work of watching over and caring for the infant. The sheet material of the canopy I2 is substantially impervious to air and moisture and therefore forms a closure for the incubation chamber which will effectively isolate the chamher from, the atmosphere of the room in which horizontal top portions 32a extending longitudinally of the housing in parallel relation to each other and depending end portions 32b which may be detachably connected with the housing by being inserted into sockets'34 provided atthe.

When the canopy I2 has beenapplied to the open-top housing II it extends thereover in up. wardly arched relation, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to cooperate with such open-top in defining the incubation chamber I3. When the canopy is thus installed the edge portions extending around the bottom opening thereof telescope over the top portion ofthe housing such that the,

incubation chamber I3. will be substantially closed except for the access and ventilation openings 23 and 3i provided in th canopy. Since when these agents are supplied thereto.

the incubator is located and will effectively retain moisture and oxygen in the incubation chamber Because of this impervious.characteristic of the canopy the-incubator can be used effectively in isolating an infant against infection by a contagious disease and, conversely, when the incubator is used in treating a diseased infant the canopy will effectively isolate the diseased infant against the spread of the disease to other infants in the same hospital. The plastic sheet material of which the canopy I2is constructed is a relatively inexpensive material and, hence, after the canopy has been in use for a period of time, such as for the treatment of a v diseased infant, it can be burned or otherwise disposed of and a new canopy. substituted in its place.

With the construction thus far described above, it will be seen that the canopy I2 can be easily and quickly applied to the housing II, and can also be readily removed therefrom when the walls of the housing defining the lower portion of the incubation chamberare to be cleaned or when a new canopy is to be substituted. The frame means 25 is preferably detachable from the housing If and this can be readily accomplished by disengaging the 'ends 32b of the frame members 32 from the sockets 34. The removable characteristic of the canopy I2 and the frame means 25 will also permit the, housing II to be used as a bassinet instead of an incubator whenever this is desirable.

To'provide for desired ventilation and more effective heating, cooling and humidification of the incubation chamber I 3, the housing I I is constructedv with the horizontal bed support 22 spaced'above the upper floor 2i! so as to define therebetween a horizontal air passage 36 and with the

upright ends

31 and 38 of the bed support spaced inwardly from the upright end walls I8 and I9 of the housing so as to define upright air passages 3'3 and which connect the ends of the horizontal airpassage 36 withthe portion of the incubation'chamber which is located above the bed l4. In thus defining the

air passages

36, 39 and 40, the horizontal and vertical walls 22a, 3'! and 38 of the bed support extend laterally of the housing between the front and rear side wall l3 and I1 thereof. The horizontal wall 22a. is suitably connected with the sidewalls of the housing' as by means of longitudinally extending angle irons M which are welded or otherwise secured to such side walls. With the arrangement of air passages just described above, it will be seen that they provide a closed path for a circulation of air by connection through the incubation chamber I3 in which the direction of the airflow is downwardly. through the air passage 39, laterally toward, the right through the horizontal air passage 36, upwardly through the air passage 46 and then laterally toward the left through the upper portion of the incubation chamber.-

For supplyingj'heat. to the incubator, a heatexchanger 4I. comprising a resistance type of assessor electric heating elemental-2 isiproyidediinitheiair passage 36 and extends substantially acrosszsztlns;

passage between- 'the front @andxrear; sideiwalls :ll 6 and t1. To facilitate the :transferaof heatafrom the element 432 to the streams-of i-air, theheatexchanger klalsc comprises aplurality ofxradiati-on plates :43 disposed inspaced-apartsubstam tiallyparallel relation, as shown- "Fig. ilriand' between-which-the air stream fl'ows. '-'I'heheating.

element- 424s here shown as being. asubstantia'lly U-shapedmember. extendin through laligned. slots 43a; of the radiation plates. 2A3 and whose ends constitute-terminals andzare disposed iinca. control chamber 44'. 'l he heat exchangers is.

preferably constructed as a, preformed assembly unit'w-hich *is adapted tobe. assembled dnto the housing I' l so as to occupy theposition-showniin Figs. andaanddescribed above.

The chamber44 is defined by=a sheet-smetal box 45 having substantially airtight-connection with the f-ront wall t6 of the main: housing :I lso as to-prevent ox-ygen-enriched-air .of the incubation chamber from coming in contact with ex!- posedelectrical parts. I The supply of elec'tric current to-the heating element -'4 2-is :controlledby a. combined switch and thermostatdevice lfi having an actuating-knob 45a.- accessible at -the dront of the incubatcr. The housing =44 is closed at the front thereof by a sheet :metalcover 41' which also forms a support'ior thecombinedswitchand thermostat device as. A -pairofsi'gna-l lamps -48:

and-49- are-also providedon the-cover 41' and indicate the operating conditions of the electric heating: element 42. A conductor-cord-extending into the-housin through-theoover t'l supplies electric current" to the heating-element42 and the signal lamps-d8 and 4-9.

'iFor-humidi-iying the incubation chamber I-3an open-top humidifying pan 51' isdisposed in'the horizontal air passage 35 and contains a supplyof: water-52 having anexposed surfaceacross V} which the air of -this-passage flows. The-pan'SI is here shown as being in the form-ofa drawer supported in a pair ofrunways 5-3 and ad'apted to be withdrawn fromthe housing H through an opening in the front wall 1'6 thereof. The "humidification of" the incubation chamber i3 can bBCOIItIOHBd, if desired, by constructing the pan- 5'l with a plurality of water compartments of differentplan areas, as shown -in*Fig. =5; Forthis purpose thepanis provided with partition means Sdwhich divides the interior of the pan into-a plurality of compartments of different sizes. Each compartment ofthe pan provides'a dif ferentsurface area of water for supplying moisture to the air-stream and, by placingwater in one or more of these compartments, a number of different surface values can be obtained for supplying correspondingly different amounts-of humidification to-the air being circulated;

Cooling of theair of the incubation chamber I3-is produced by providing a "heat-exchanger 56' towhich suitable cooling medium can be supplied; In this instance the heat-exchanger comprises a container 56a adapted to hold a quantity of ice cubes, or the like, and over which the air of the incubation chamber flows and is. cooled thereby, particularly during movement of 6. Theicontainerififiarshcwn.inithisiinstancezlsamade oftexpanded sheet metal. andxincludes a: drip pan. 5! which: is secured to and. extends around the. lowemendeof'the'container. The drip -panr5l is provided with a drain spout "58 depending from the underside thereof Ihe heat-exchanger 56 is located at one end oftheabed J4, inxthis instance .adjacentthe upright-end wallt31 of the bed support :22, andcan be supportedin this location by being received onsshelf means constitutlng an extension 359 of the; bed'.-support. 'In this location the heat-exchanger-.56 is in a position to be readily traversed by .the airaof the incubation chamber which. flows laterally and downwardly into thea'ir passage 39. The extension 59hr .thebed support-is provided with adepending drain pipe Bil which extends. downwardly through the upper floor .20 of the housing ll and :discharges into a bucket or other suitable-container 6i vlocatedin the storage com.-

partment 4-23. The heat-exchanger 56, including the drip pan "-5.1 and the drainage spout '58, is removable. from-the'incuba'tor for filling or cleaning and when .this heat-exchanger has "been charged: with a quantity of ice it can be readily inserted-into. theeincubator by placing the same on'the shelf extension 59 with the drain spout 58' extending into the drain pipe 60. To prevent the escape'cf oxygen fromlthe incubation cham-- ber, the .drain pipe 00 may have a hose extensioniliilathereon whose delivery end is submerged in alquantity of watercontaincd in the bucket (H.

The. bed l.4.- upon which the infant isto lie comprises apad or mattress E2 of any appropriate type and a .platev 635 forming a substantially flat rigidsupport for the pad. The plate 63 preferably'hasdownturned flanges 63a extending along the sidesxthereof which serve to stiffen the plate and also serve as feet adapted to rest on. the horizontal wall 22a of the bed support.

Anothernovel feature of the improved incuba-- for [it provides for supporting the bed 14 in inclined relation to the horizontal wall 22a, as shown .in Fig. Forsupporting: the bed inthis relation a bar 64 comprising an angle i-bar of aluminum, ,or other. suitable metal, extends transverselyof the incubation 'chamber' beneath thezplatea63; :Lhe bar lifi has the free-edgesofits legs resting-on rthe 'horizont'al wall 22a and theedge-of itscheel portion uppermost so as to form a. stable support of triangular cross-section for the wplate 6'3. The bar 64 is preferably not secured to the horizontal wall 2 2a but is shiftable thereon to difierent locations between the'upright end walls -31 and '38- of thebed support so as to vary the angleof inclination at which the-plate 63 willbesupported.

Thebar 64 thus provides a very simple -yet efiectivemeans -for holding the bed -I-4-'-at a-desired angle of inclination which is recommended by doctorsefor the treatment of infants in -incuba-' tors. The. useof thebar-Gt also produces an insulating'airgspac 6411. under the plate 63 :whi'ch will preventlexcessive heating of the bed I i such as might-occur if the bed were in direct contact with the horizontal wall 12a. When itis desired to have. the bed I4 occupy a horizontal position in. the incubator, the :bar 2615 can be removed whereupon the plate 63 will be supported by itsendfianges zfi-3a which will hold the plate spaced aboveathe.horizontalwall 22a with a heat 'insulat ing air space maintained therebetween.

The transfer-of heat between the incubatorand the room atmosphere is retarded by providing the housing with asuitable heat-insulating lining 65 on the side walls l6 and IT, on the end wall l9; and on the floor 2!! for at least the portion thereof located beneath the heat-exchanger 4|. A heat-insulating layer 66 of suitable material is also disposed in overlying relation to the plates 43 of the heat-exchanger M to prevent too much heat from being supplied to the portion of the horizontal wall 220. located directly thereabove.

To provide for the admission of oxygen or other gaseous treating medium to the incubation chamber IS, the canopy I2 is equipped with a nipple 61 which is here shown as being mounted on the rear side wall [2a and to which a hose 67a can be readily connected for supplying oxygen or other gas from a tank or other available source (not shown). cubation chamber is determined or indicated by a thermometer device 68 located in the incubation chamber and suspended from one of the bars 32 of the frame means 25. In this instance the thermometer device comprises wet and dry bulb thermometers 68a and 6827 which can be readily observed through the transparent canopy I2.

Fig. 6 of the drawings shows a canopy 69 of a modified form which is similar in construction to the canopy 12 above described and serves the same purpose. The modified canopy 69 differs from the canopy l2 only with respect to the character and location of th access opening 70. In the canopy 69 the access opening 16 is provided by constructing the front wall 69a with two laterally spaced substantially parallel upright slits H and 12 so as to define therebetween the access opening and a flap 73 adapted to close this opening. Edge portions of the slits H and 12 are provided with slide type fasteners 14 by which the flap 13 can be secured in wholly or partially closed relation. The

corner portions

15 and 15 of the canopy are adapted to be held in close fitting engagement with the upper portion of the housing II as by means of an elastic strip 1'! having its ends connected to these corner portions and spanning the opening 18 at the lower edge thereof.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will nOw be readily understood that this invention provides an improved infant incubator of attractive appearance and of a very simple, compact, and practical character. It will also be understood that the improved construction provided by this invention makes such an incubator highly practical and satisfactory for use in treating or caring for premature or full term infants, as well as for treating or isolating infants receiving post-operative care or being treated for contagious disease. It will also be seen that the transparent canopy forming the cover for the incubation chamber permits the infant therein to be readily observed from all sides and directions and constitutes an inexpensive and disposable canopy which can be discarded after treatment of an infant having a contagious disease. Additionally, it will be seen that this invention provides an improved construction for such an incubator by Which heating, cooling and humidification can be more satisfactorily obtained and in which a novel bed support permits inclination of the bed for more satisfactory treatment of the infant in accordance wit recommended medical practice.

Although the improved infant incubator of this invention has been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and modifica- The temperature of the air in the in tions coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

.1.-In an infant incubator, a housing having walls including upright side walls defining an open-top incubation chamber, upwardly arched frame means mounted on said side walls and extending above said incubation chamber, a canopy comprising transparent flexible sheet material and having top and side walls and a bottom opening, said canopy being telescoped over said frame means and removably supported thereby in distended relation over said incubation chamber and having its lower edge portions extending downwardly in overlapping relation to the side walls of said housing, and bed means in said incuba tion chamber for supporting an infant therein at an elevation such that the infant will be visible through the side walls of said canopy from at members on said housing, a canopy having connected top and side walls made of transparent flexible sheet material and being open at the bottom thereof, said canopy being telescoped over said bowed frame members and removably sup ported thereby in distended relation over said in-v cubation chamber and having the lower edge portions of its bottom opening extending downwardly in overlapping relation to the side walls of said housing and bed means in said incubation chamber for supporting an infant therein at an elevation such that the infant will be visible through the side walls of said canopy from at least three lateral directions.

I 3. In an infant incubator, a housing having pairs of opposed upright side and end walls and a transverse floor defining an open-top incubation chamber, frame means mounted on said housing and extending thereabove, a canopy removably supported by said frame means. and forming an upwardly arched cover for said incubation: chamber, bed means extending between and connected with the side walls of said housing and comprising a transverse bottom wall and a pair of upright end walls, said bed means having its bottom wall spaced above said floor and defining with the latter a longitudinal substantially horizontal air passage and with its end walls spacedinwardly from the end walls of said housing and defining therewith a pair of upright air passages connecting the ends of said horizontal air passage with the upper portion of the incubation chamber which is located above said bed means, said horizontal and upright air passages forming with said upper portion of the incubation chambera closed-loop circuitous path for air recirculation, and heat-exchange means disposed in said horizontal passage and adapted to heat the air flowing therethrough, said canopy comprising transparent flexible sheet material and having top and side walls and a bottom opening and being distended over said frame means and said canopy also having the lower edge portion of its bottom opening extending downwardly in overlapping relation to the side and end walls of moan-see a said housingsaid bed means being located in said incubation chamber for" supporting an infant therein at-an elevation-such that; the infant-will mo ably supported-by said frame means and forming an upwardly arched cover for said incubation chamber, bed means extending between and connected with the side walls of said housing and comprising a transverse bottom wall and a pair of upright end walls, said bed means having its bottom wall spaced above said floor and defining with the latter a longitudinal substantially horizontal air passage and with its end Walls spaced inwardly from the end walls of said housing and defining therewith a pair of upright air passages connecting the ends of said horizontal air passage with the upper portion of the incubation chamber which is located above said bed means, said horizontal and upright air passages forming with said upper portion of the incubation chamber a closed-loop circuitous path for air recirculation, heat-exchange means disposed in said horizontal air passage and adapted to heat the air flowing therethrough, and an open-top humidifying pan disposed in said horizontal air passage and providing a reservoir adapted to supply moisture to air flowing thereacross, said canopy comprising transparent flexible sheet material and having top and side walls and a bottom opening and being distended over said frame means and said canopy also having the lower edge portion of its bottom opening extending downwardly in overlapping relation to the side and end walls of said housing, said bed means being located in said incubation chamber for supporting an infant therein at an elevation such that the infant will be visible through the side walls of said canopy from at least three lateral directions.

5. In an infant incubator, a housing having walls defining an incubation chamber, frame means supported by said housing and extending thereabove, a canopy cover for said incubation chamber comprising connected top and side walls formed of transparent flexible sheet material, said canopy cover having a bottom opening and being removably telescoped over said frame means and supported thereby in distended relation over said incubation chamber with edge portions of said bottom opening extending downwardly in overlapping relation to the upper portion of said housing, the front wall of said canopy cover having intersecting slits therein defining an opening affording access to said incubation chamber and also defining a flap portion of the canopy cover adapted to close such opening, and fastening means of the slide type adapted to connect edge portions of said canopy cover along said slits for releasably holding said flap in closed position.

6. In an infant incubator, a housing having Walls defining an incubation chamber, frame means supported by said housing and extending thereabove, a canopy cover for said incubation chamber comprising connected top and side walls formed of transparent flexible sheet material, said canopy cover having a bottom opening and being removably telescoped over said frame means and supported by the latter in distended relation over said incubation chamber with edge 'portionsiof'said bottom opening-extending downwardly m overlapping relation to the upper porto close-such opening, and fastening means of the slide type adapted to connect edge portions ofsaid canopy cover along said slits for releasably holding 'said flapiia closed position.

7 III-fall infant incubator, a housing having pairs of' opp'osed -upright side and end walls and a transverse floor defining an open-top incubation chamber, frame means mounted on said housing and extending thereabove, a canopy removably supported by said frame means and forming an upwardly arched cover for said incubation chamber, bed means extending between and connected with the side walls of said housing and comprising a transverse bottom wall and a pair of upright end walls, said bed means being located in said incubation chamber with its bottom wall spaced above said floor and defining with the latter a longitudinal substantially horizontal air passage and with its end walls spaced inwardly from the end walls of said housing and defining therewith a pair of upright air passages connecting the ends of said horizontal air passage with the upper portion of the incubation chamber which is located above said bed means, said horizontal and upright air passages forming with said upper portion of the incubation chamber a closed-loop circuitous path for air recirculation, shelf means constituting an extension of said bed means and located in one of said upright air passages, and a heat exchanger supported on said shelf means and adapted to be supplied with cooling medium for cooling the air flowing through said one upright air passage, said canopy comprising transparent flexible sheet material and having top and side walls and a bottom opening and being distended over said frame means with the edge portions of said bottom opening extending downwardly in overlapping relation to the upper portion of said housing.

8. In an infant incubator, a housing having pairs of opposed upright side and end walls and a transverse floor defining an open-top incubation chamber, frame means mounted on said housing and extending thereabove, a canopy removably supported by said frame means and forming an upwardly arched cover for said incubation chamber, bed means extending between and connected with the side walls of said housing and comprising a transverse bottom wall and a pair of upright end walls, said bed means having its bottom wall spaced above said floor and defining with the latter a longitudinal substantially horizontal air passage and with its end walls spaced inwardly from the end walls of said housing and defining therewith a pair of upright air passages connecting the ends of said horizontal air passage with the upper portion of the incubation chamber which is located above said bed means, said horizontal and upright air passages forming with said upper portion of the incubation chamber a closed-loop circuitous path for air recirculation, shelf means constituting an extension of said bed means and located in one of said upright air passages, and a heat-exchanger supported on said shelf means and comprising an open-top container adapted to be supplied with ice for cooling the air flowing through said one upright passage, said canopy comprising transparent flexible sheet material and having 11 12 top and side walls and a bottom opening and being distended over said frame means with edge REFERENCES CITED Portlons of said bottom Opening overlapping the The following references are of record in the upper portion of said housing and said canopy fil f this patent; also having an opening in one of its walls and 5 located to permit ice to be supplied. therethrough UNITED STATES PATENTS to said container, said bed means being located Number Name Date in said incubation chamber for supporting an 2,155,209 Walker Apr. 18, 1939 infant therein at an elevation such that "the. in- 2,246,820 Taylor June 24, 1941 rant will be visible through the side walls of said 10 2,288,538 Morrison June 30, 1942 canopy from at least three lateral directions. 2,292,120 Hanby Aug. 4, 1942 EDWARD C. DIXON. WILLIAM E. CHILTON.