US2363365A - Vaporizer - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 21, 1944. .J. B. SCHMITT VAPORIZER Filed April' 5, 1943 2 Sheets$heet l R M w T m c .T ml w W J Nov. 21, 1944. J. B. SCHMITT V'APORIZER Filed April 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jo7. Ja /7277177 ATTORNEY permits the vaporizer to be Patented Nov. 21, 1944 VAPORIZER Joy B.- Schmitt, Toled De Vilbiss Company,

tion of Ohio 0, Ohio, asslgnor to The Toledo, Ohio, a corpora- Application April 5, 1943, Serial No. 481,944

6 Claims.

This invention relates to Vaporizers and particularly to the type utilizingan electric heater to form steam for vaporizing and conveying such medicine to a person being treated. The most common use for such Vaporizers is to volatilize tincture of benzoin for inhalation by persons" suffering from a respiratory infection. They may also be used for the diffusion of ther materials such as deodorants and disinfectants. In some circumstances where steam alone may be effective,-such Vaporizers are used without any medicinal or other additional substance.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a vaporizer which is comparatively safe to use. Another object is to provide a vaporizer which does not become heated to an extent where it cannot be moved by hand. Still another object is the provision of a heater means in such a vaporizer which will stand up under operation for a long period. Another object is the provision of a vaporizer which is simple in design and inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention in its preferred form has other objects and advantages which may be noted on reading the following description and referring to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the vaporizer;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the container for the medicated material to be vaporized and the handle portion of the vaporizer lid;

Fig. 3 is a p plan view of the vaporizer;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section of the contacting surfaces of the vaporizer receptacle and the supporting shell taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the heater assembly; and

Fig. 6 shows the terminal eyelets by which the electric wire supplying the current is fastened to the heater assembly.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the receptacle for the water which is heated to create the steam. 2 is the supporting and insulating shell for the receptacle l. The air space 3 between the receptacle I and the support 2 keeps the shell from becoming overheated and thereby handled comfortably when it is desired to move it duringits operation.

The receptacle lid 4 has an inverted cup portion 5. Cotton is ordinarily supported in cup 5 by contact with the walls. This cotton is saturated with tincture of benzoin or any other material which it is desired to arising from the water heats the medicament and vaporize. The steam carries the vapors from it through the annular lid cavity 6 to the discharge port I. This may be directed toward the person receiving the treatment. In order to prevent condensation in the discharge passage 1 it is madeas short as possible, in efl'ect being an outlet port from the enlarged passage or chamber 8 withinthe lid 4.

The heater assembly is supported within and through the bottom of the receptacle. It has a protecting cap 9 made of nonconducting material such as a phenol formaldehyde plastic. I prefer to use a similar plastic as the composition for the receptacle lid and supporting shell because it is a poor conductor of heat as well as of electricity. Also a plastic material is desirable as it is much less breakable than glass.

The cap 9 is threadedly engaged to abrass rod Ill. Below the cap 9 on the rod I0 is a brass lock nut II and washer I2. The carbon electrode l3 receives electricity through its adjoining contact with the washer I2 which the electricity reaches through the nut II and rod I0, from the terminal M on the end of one of the strands l5 of the electrical cable I B.

The terminal I4 has contact with the rod l0 through the brass washers l1 and the nut 22. The other carbon electrode I8 is connected with the terminal I9 on the other strand I 5 of the cable 06 through the metal ferrule 20 molded'into the bottom wall of receptacle l. A rubber sleeve 28 extending over rod Ill insulates it from the carbon electrode I8 and the ferrule 20.

To space the terminals l4 and I9 there is placed between them a large insulating washer 23. A porcelain ring member 24 is positioned on the rod it and over the rubber tubing 2| between the carbon electrodes I3 and. I8. The flow of electrical current through the water between the electrodes brings the water to a boiling temperature. The nuts I I and 22 hold the various parts of the heater assembly together. The insulating plug 25 has shoulder 26 bearing against the edge of a hole 2! in a base cover 28 which is held against a downwardly facing shoulder on the lower end of the shell 2. The plug 25 therefore, through its connection with the receptacle I and its thrust against the shell 2, acts to hold the outwardly extending flange at the top of receptacle I down against the top edge of shell 2. R0- tary movement between the receptacle I and shell 2 is prevented through a tongue and groove engagement 29 shown in Fig. 4. Several of these complementary tongues and grooves may be spaced about the periphery of the receptacle.

The nozzle portion of the lid has a raised rearward extension 30 which may serve as a handle.

When it is desired to use my vaporizer, the medicament is put on cotton in cup 5 as previously described and water is placed in the receptacle l until it is about two-thirds full. The

electrical cable I6 is attached to an electrical source. Within a few minutes the water in the receptacle I will be heated to a point where steam is formed. The steam will heat the medicament and carry vapors from it through the discharge port 1. When the water level falls below the carbon electrode Hi the electric current is automatically interrupted and the heating operation discontinued until'additional water is put into the receptacle. While the electrical supply cable should of course be disconnected, in case it is not, the danger of shock through a contact with the carbon electrode is reduced by guard cap 9. This intervenes between a hand, spoon or other utensil which may be inserted into the receptacle l and parts of the heater which carry electrical current.

It has been found that the position of one electrode over another keeps their surfaces and the surface of the insulating member between them, much cleaner than when electrodes are spaced horizontally. This may be due to rising bubbles of steam that pass up along the surfaces of the spacer and the electrodes.

While I have described a preferred form of my invention, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the following claims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire by U. S Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric steam vaporizer, a receptacle for the water to be formed into steam, a downwardly facing shoulder along the upper edge of the receptacle; a cylindrical shell surrounding and spaced throughout its full length except at its upper end from the receptacle with its upper edge supporting the shoulder, and means connecting the bottom of the receptacle with the lower portion of the shell to hold the shoulder of the receptacle against the upper edge of the shell and. the receptacle and shell in assembled relation.

2. In an electric steam vaporizer, a receptacle, an outwardly extending shoulder along the upper edge of the receptacle, an insulating shell surrounding the receptacle and supporting it through contact with the shoulder, a downwardly facing annular surface along the lower edge of the shell, and fastening means holding the shell and receptacle in assembled relation through a positive connection with the bottom of the receptacle and engagement with the downwardly facing annular surface on the shell.

3. In an electric steam vaporizer, a receptacle for the water to be formed into steam, a heater assembly within the receptacle, a rod supporting the heater assembly extending through the bottom of the receptacle, a flaring guard mounted on the inner end of the rod, spaced carbon electrodes of ring form, mounted one'above the other below the guard on the rod, the rod actupper edge which supports the receptacle through contacting its downwardly facing shoulder, a skirt on the shell extending below the bottom of the receptacle, a downwardly facing annular shoulder around the inner side of the skirt, a flat circular member with its peripheral border thrust against the annular shoulder of the skirt, and connecting means pulling the center of the disc toward the bottom of the receptacle to hold the receptacle, shell and disc in assembled relation.

5. In an electric steam vaporizer, a cylindrical supporting shell with its diameter converging slightly to an opening at its top, a cylindrical receptacle for the water to be formed into steam with its diameter flaring slightly upwardly but smaller throughout than the diameter of the shell so that the receptacle may be positioned within the shell, an outwardly extending flange around the top of the receptacle supporting the receptacle by fitting over the upper end of the shell a rounded cover for the receptacle, a downwardly facing annular shoulder on the cover fitting over the upper edge of the receptacle, the outer surface of the cover forming a smooth continuous contour with the exterior edge of the receptacle flange and the surface of the shell below the flange, and an air space between the receptacle and the shell to insulate the latter from the heat of the former, said space being formed between the relatively and downwardly diverging walls of the receptacle and the shell.

6. In an electric steam vaporizer, a receptacle for the water to be formed into steam, a rounded cover for the receptacle, a flat topped ridge with parallel sides gradually rising in height as it passes across the cover and ending in an abrupt vertical shoulder, a laterally directed steam discharge port near the top of said shoulder, a chamber within the shoulder end of the ridge forming a communicating passage between the receptacle and the discharge port, and means beneath the solid center portion of the ridge to prevent steam from passing over that under portion of the lid to reduce the amount of heat reaching the ridge so that it may better be used forahandle.

JOY B. SCHMITT.

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