Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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E3ACKGROtJND OF 'L'~ INVEI!ITION
The methocl and apparatus of this invention lie in the
field of incubation o~ eygs, such as chi.cken, duck, and turkey
eggs, and are generally directed to improvemen-ts in the provision
of environmental condi-tions for the setting an~ hatching of the
eggs and in the construc-tion and operation o~ the apparatus
involved in the incubation process.
As is well known, apparatus for incubatiny eggs in
commercial quantities re~uires an enclosure, such as a cahine-t,
lU with suitable supports therein ~or the eggs and approp.riate
means for circulating air through the cabinet and conditioning
same to maintain optimum temperature, humidity, and gaseous
mixture conditions~ .
Many such devices have been proposed and developed
in the past and several types have been relatively successful.
.However, most o~ them have involved very complicated equipment
. and controls which entail high first cost and maintenance expense -
and cause inconvenience in operation and repair. ln the event
of failure of the air conditioning equipment, for instance, the
.20 long ~eriod of time needed for replacement or repair may well
. result in the loss o~ the entire egg setting.or poten~ial hatch,
~. : particularly in the hatching operation.
; : . Moreover, most such devices are so constructe~ that
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various areas are almost inaccessible for cleaning or repair
unl~ss the entire apparatus. i5 shut down and, as stated, such
~; can result ln a serious loss, especially during hatching. .In
addition, guidance and control of the air ~low are frequently
inadequate to insure uniform conditions for all of the egys
with resuLtant frequent high loss in certain sections of the
;30 machine.
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The present application i~ r~la~ed to Canadian ~atent
application no. lhl,60~, filed January 1~, 1973, and discloses
an invention whlch obvi~te~ certain deficiencies of the prior
art previously referred to~ While it is particularly directed
to the hatcher portion of an incubation apparatus, most of
its features are also advantageous for use when the machine
is used as a setter.
The present invention relates to a hatching apparatus
including chamber means forenclosincJa plurality of eggs
to be hatched, r~cls means beiny located in ~he chamber
means to support a plurality of vertically spaced layers
of eggs in position to be traversed by a current of
conditioned air passing generally horizontally between the
various layers from a first side of the rack means to a
second side of the r~ck means. Alr conditioning means,
which includes a blower, is provided in closed circuit
flow communication with the rack means and arranged to
continuously deliver conditioned air to the ~irst ~ide of
the rack means and withdraw r~turn air from the second side
of the rack means in a repetitive circulation through the
closed circuit fiow pa~h. Filter means substantially
comple~ely txaverse the return air portion of the flow path
betw~en the second side of the rack means and the suction
side of the blower to filter the air passing from ~he second
side of the rack means to the blower, the filter means being
adapted to become increasing clogged with down deposited
~rom hatching chicks. A fresh air inlet port is provided
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in flow communication with the closed oircuit flow path
upstream of a blower and downstream of the filter means
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and communicates with ~he exterior atmosphere. A waste air
outlet port is provided in flow communication with the
closed ~ircuit flow path downstream of the blower and
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upstream of the filt~r mean~ and rack means and communicat~s
with the ext~rior atmosphere. The filter means serve~ as
a control unit to gradually increase the differential
pressure in the circulating system as the filter becomes
progressively more clogged and causes the blower to draw
in increasing amourlts of fresh air through the fresh air
inlet port and to discharge increasing amounts of waste
air through the waste air outlet port.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a
substantially closed chamber defines an air conditioning
bay and chamber means adjacent to the air conditioning bay
defines at least one incubation bay having side walls.
Means may be located entirely within the incubation
bay to divert a portion of the air current into flow paths
substantially perpendicular to the direction of the main
flow path of the air curr~nt and cause the portion to
pass over all of the eggs in the rack to produce substantially
uniform environmental condltion in the vicinity of all of ~he
eggs.
According to one aspect of the invention the means for
diverting a portion of the air current may comprise a
plurality of vanes located in a position to intercept the
air current and angularly arrange to impart components of
motion in direction ~enerally perpendicular to the direction
of the main flow path.
It may be seen, therefore~ that according to a basic
concept of the invention, as the pressure differential
gradually~increases, more and more fresh air is drawn in
a~d, correspondingly, moxe waste air is discharged from
~30 the circulating system to decrease the humidity and provide
the additional ai~ n~eded by the increased breathing of the
chicks. The ~ize and type of construction of the filter
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and the siz~s and locations of the inlet ancl outlet are
so chosen that -the air stream condition i9 changed at the
proper rate to correspond with the cl.ange in the needs of
the birds to be hatched which will generally.be referred
to herein as chicks. Thus there is a completely automatic
control activated by the chicks themselves, and complicated
and expensive control equipment for this purpose is obviated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various other advantages and features of novelty will
become apparent as the description proceeds in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic front elevational view,
partly in section, of an incubation apparatus having an air
conditioning.bay and two adjoining incubation bays;
Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing egg racks
in position and other details;
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic.side elevational view,
partly in section, of some of the apparatus of Fig. 2;
~ ig. 4 is a vertical sectional view o.f an exemplary
form of quick dissonnect fitting for the air conditioning
~1nit;
: .: Fig. 5 1s a front elevational view depicting an
idealized representation of a filter partially clogged by
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~- down; and
~:~ . Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic front elevational view,
~: ~ : partly in section, of the apparatus of Fig, 2 with a modified
~: : vane arrangement.
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DI~:SCRI~T[OM OF PREFE'RRED ~ ODI~1E~IrrS
The ~eneral arr~ngement o.E the apparatus o~ the
inven-tion i~ di~gramma-tic~lly illu~trated .in Fi~ 1, in which
~ generally unitary structure 10 includes a cen-tral air condi-
ti.oning chamber or bay 12 wl-th chamber means on each .side defin-
ing incubation bays 1~, 16 which are adapted to receive egg racks.
Walls 18 and 20 serve to divide the struc-ture in-to separ~-te bays
and terminate at their lower e.nds in openings 22 and 24 which are
re-turn air inle~ ports. At the.ir upper ends they'ar~ connected
by horizontal member 26 which constitutes the ceiling or upp2r
wall of the air conditioning chamber, and this wall is formed
with opening 28 which is the air dischaxge port and is provided
with a depending bellow~-like conduit 30 or quick detachable
connection to the fan out.le-t or flow control conduit 32 or the
blower 34 which is located in the upper part of unit 36 contain
ing the entire air conditioning equipment. Upon disconnection of
.conduit,30 and electrical and water lines, the entire unit may be
rolled out of the bay for cleaning or repair and the same or a
substitute unit may be rolled in.
,. Additi.onal features of the invention are illustrated in
~, Figs. 2 and 3 which show the same basic struGture,plus details o~.
~ various components. ~hile,most of the features are useful in both
.
: . the setting and the hatching portions of an incubation apparatus,
they have particular utility in hatching, and,conseguently the ,~
egg containing bays may heretofore and hereafter be re~erred'to
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: :: either as incubation bays or as hatching bays, and thus in this
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sense and wit,h respect to the apparatus generally the.words "hatch-
ing" and "in~ubation" are used interchangeably throughout the
specification and claims.
The air conditioning unit 36 shown is self-con~ained
and is a generally box-like upright device containing a rotary-
disk humidifier 38 in its lower portion, cooling coiIs 40 above
the humidifier, and heater bars 42 above the cooling coils, all
within the casing of unit 3,6. The sides of the casing are open
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al: the uppe:r po:rtio~s of the humidifier disks to form air
inlets 66 -to receiv~ return air from th~ return air inlet ports
22 and 2~. Water llnes 4~ and a6 l~acl from control box 48 to
the humidi:Eier and the cooling coils, and elect~ic lines S0 and
52 lead from the con-trol hox t:o the humidifier and the heater
bars, each ~f the lines having a quick disconnect coupling 54,
56, 58, and 60 respectively. Con-trol panel 62 is mounted orl the
exterior of the struc-ture for ready control of all o the func-
tions. It is to be understoocl that the foregoing elernents as
well.as the location th~reof are merely illustratory and that
! various modi~ications and substitutes may be made. A.Lso, it
may be advisable ko separate water lines frorn the control box
for various reasons. For example, water supply and return
lines for cooling and~a supply line for humidifying purposes
can readlly be mounted on the panels and partitions with quick
disconnect flexible hoses to the conditioning dolly. Unit 36
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. . is mounted on wheels 64 so that after door 82 is opened the
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.~ unit can be readily and quickly removed from the bay for clean-
ing. In the event that it should develop a malfunction, it can
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~be imrnediately replaced by a reserve unit. This is extremely
: . important because a delay of only a ew minutes while attempts
are made to repa1r air conditioning qquipment in place.might well
destroy the entire incubation load.
.
: . While the quick disconnect fitting between the~air .
. outlet 32 of unit 36 and coIlduit 30 of air discharge port 28 may
take various formsr the one schematically illustrated in Fig. 4
is an example of a device suitable for the purpose. :The outer
wall 6~ of mernber 32 is cylindrical and may be provided with an-
O-ring seal, not shown. The lower end of collduit 30 is in the
~ orm of a~:ri.ng 70 having an outwardly extending flange 72 and a
collar 74 to surround member 32 and seat on its outex end. Latch
me~bers 76 are pivoted at 78 and biased by springs~0 to engage
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over Elanc3e 72 and hold the cornponents in coupled relation until
manual release is perEormed.
~ or operation, unit 36 is rolled into bay 12 and
blower 3~ is connec-ted to discharge port 28 through members 30
and 32 a~ jus-t describe~. Th~ various water ana electric lines
are connected and the controls appropriately se-t at panel 62 to
provide the proper initial humidity and temperature. Conditioned
air is driven upward through port 28, divided into left and right
paths by air splitter baffle 84, and directed downward by baf~les
86 to flow through the two bays 14 and 16 and return t~ ba~ 12
through return air inlet ports 22 and 24 and then into inlets 66
in unit 36. An egg rack 88 containing a plurality o~ horizont-
ally arranged verticaIly spaced trays or layers 90 of eygs is
located in each of bays 14 and 16 as shown. It is to be undar-
stood throughout that reference to horizontally arranged only
applies to the hatching operation and with respect to incubation
the trays supported by the racks must be periodically tilted to
angular positions at each side of tray horizontal posltion, all
as is well known in the art and as referred to in said applica-
tion Serial No. 161,604 . Thus the term rack" is to be considered
generic to the types described. The ~acks are of less lateral
dimensions than the bays and ~hus pro~ide inner air flow ~paces
92 between the xacks and inner walls 18 and 20 and outer air
~low spaces 94 between -the racks and outer walIs 96 and 98 so
tha~ the air can flow down at both sides and isolate the racks
~rom outside influences.
The air velocity in the inner spaces is relatively
low and in the outer spaces is relatively high. The sudden
change of ~low direction at the upper ends of the bays causes an
adequate amount of air to enter the upper cross channels in the
racks formecl by the spaced egg layers and ~low from the ou-ter
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air flow spaces t~ -the inne-r a1r flow spAces, ~nd like~,/.ise the
sudden change o~ Elow at the .lower en~1s of the bays c~uses an
adequa-te amoun-t of clir to enter the lower cross channels and
flow from the outer air flow spaces to the inner air flow spaces
so that e~cess heat, carbon di.oxide, and down ~7ill be removed
from the eggs and hatching chi.cks in these layers and bxought
down to the re-turn air inlet por-ts 22 and 24.
However, the h.igh velocity air rushing down each outer
air flow spac~ tends to bypass al~ o~ the layers in the inter-
mediate por-tion ~f the trays so that the eggs and chicks therein
do not experience optimum environme~tal conditions. Tu remedy
this problem a series of diverter vanes 100 arq located in each
outer air ~low space. The vanes extend horizontally fore and
at parallal to the sides o~ the egg racks and are spaced verti-
cally as shown and connected to outer ~7alls 96 and 98 by any
suikable s.upport means, such as spaced clips secured to the walls
and upon which the vanes rest. Each vane intercepts a portion of
the main ~low in the outer space and causes it to pass substan-
tially perpendicularly to the main flow and through sorne of the
20. intermediate egg layer spaces from the outer air fl~w space to
: the i.nner air flow space. It has been determined that about
four of such vanes are sufficient to produce uniform conditions
in all o the layers o~ a typical egg rack. . ~ .
:: The arrangement shown amounts to a substantia1ly com-
pletely closed circuit air circulation system in which all of
the air repetitively and continuously flows through the air
conditioning unit and blows through the incubation bays and
` back through return air inlet ports 22 and 24~ It is to be
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; ~: understood, of course, that the air circula-tion path could be
: 30 reversed. Since the down is released by the chicks in the
: . latter stages of the hatching period and is picked up by the
conditioning air and brought down to the return air inlet ports,
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it would obviou~ly -tend to recircu]ate -through the sys-tem and
spread any disease producing organisms c~rried thereb~ throuyh
the entire hatch and in any event uncontarninated do~7n is an
irritant. To prevent this sexious situation a sui-tably con-
s-tructe-l and designed filter :lO2 is provided to substantially
completely traverse each return air inlet port 22 and 2~ and
filter the air in the system, with all of the clown being
deposited on the face of the filter. It should also be kept in
mind that micro-organisms are carried on dusts and other particu~
late matter, such as down, and thus ~iltration and remo~al of
the down removes most of the harmful organisms present in the
air. All of the foregoing results in healthier, stronger chicks
andj of course~ the machine may be more easily cleaned with less
labor efforts.
The gradually increasing clogging of the filter by
deposition,oE the chick down thereon makes it possible to set
up a novel and practical automatic control system for the addi-
tion of increasing amounts of fresh air as needed by the chicks
as the hatching operation approaches completion. A fresh air
' 20 inlet conduit 104 has an outer end 106 in communication with
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~, the exter,ior a~mosphere and a port 108 at the inner end within
the air conditioning bay upstream o~ the~air conditioning unit
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~, ' and downstream of the filter. A flow control valve llO is
' pivotally mounted in an intermediate section of'the conduit and
operated by a re~ote control device llZ. Normally the valve i~
set to a particular restriction a~ter some e~perimentation and
~' ~ thereafter maintained at that, setting.
, ~ A waste air outlet conduit 114 has an outer end 116
in communication with the ~xterior atmosphere and a port 118
at the inner end in flow communication with -the incubation bay
downstream of the air conditioning unit and upstream of the
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~ ' egg rack. ~t can be seen that waste air is ducted from a clean
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air area and thus p~tential contamination oE other areas outside
o~ the ma~hi.ne is r~duced.
Fig. 5 is an idealized representation of the face of
filter 102 aEter a substantial arnount of down has been deposited
thereon. It is clear that the dor~n has clogged m~ny of the air
passages, and the remaining ones are inGreasingly restricting
~he flow of air through the filter with a resultant increase in
the pressure differen~ial across the blower. As this diE~er-
ential gradually increases the blower will gradually draw more
fresh air in through port 108 and yradually force out more
waste aix through port 118. This gradual increase impro~es the
air supply and quality and, thus, the air in the circulating
system corresponds to the needs of the hatching chicks.and it
may be said that the chicks themselves crea-te automatic air
intake-exhaust control, completely eliminating the need for
.. . expensive and complicated control instrumentation and its manipu-
lation.
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. .~ A modification of the divertex vane arrangement is.
illustrated in Fig. 6~ In this fo.rm~ ~anes 120 are not mounted
.20. against the.outer wall 98 although they are arranged horizontally
and in vertically spaced relation as bPfore. . They arq suitably
: : supported by means not shown and located hetween.the rack 88 and
the outer wall 98 and are staggered across the outer air flow
. space with the uppermost vane closest to the rack and.the lower-
most vane closest to the outer wall. With this arrangement, each
successi~e vane intercepts only its rela-tively inner portion of
.
the to~al air current and~does not disturb the remainder of the
air current.between lt and the outer wall.
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