Specification of George Lifford Smartt : vessels for preserving leeches and fish alive.

  • Smartt, George Lifford.
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of George Lifford Smartt : vessels for preserving leeches and fish alive. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Smartt's Impts, in Vessels for Preserving Leeches and Fish Alive. months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent. NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Lifford Smartt, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the 5 same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed (that is to say): My Invention consists of an improved construction of vessel or apparatus for preserving leeches and fish alive. In carrying my 10 Invention into effect I make use of an earthen or other suitable vessel of convenient dimensions, and perforate the cover with nume¬ rous small holes. In the bottom of the vessel I introduce an air tube, which rises about an inch and a half, more or less, from the bottom. The top of the air pipe is furnished with a cover or rose, which may be 15 made of any desired shape or size to suit the vessel, but I prefer it of a mushroom shape, and perforated with small holes. On the bottom of the vessel I strew some pieces of charcoal, by preference that made from hard wood, and a few stones. On the top or lid of the vessel I fix a convex or other conveniently shaped distributor or spreader, fluted 20 or not, and I allow a small stream of water to flow thereon from any suitable source. The top or cover of the vessel being perforated, the water passes from the distributor through the perforations into the vessel. When the body of water inside the vessel rises to the level of the top of the air pipe, it flows off through the perforations in its cover 25 and down the pipe. The upward current of air through the air pipe, together with the continual supply of fresh water dropping through the perforated lid upon the leeches or fish in the vessel, keeps the tempera¬ ture of the water in a cool and proper state for preserving them alive and in a healthy and vigorous condition. 30 The Drawing annexed represents an elevation and vertical section of a vessel for preserving leeches and fish alive, having my improvements applied thereto. A, A, is the vessel; and B, its cover, perforated with numerous holes, and having a slightly raised ledge a, a, round it, to prevent the water running over the sides. C, is the bottom of the 35 vessel; D, the air pipe fixed therein; and E, its perforated cover or