US416223A

US416223A - Embalming apparatus

Info

Publication number: US416223A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1889-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1906-12-03

Description

(No Model.) A Y E. H. HORSEY. BMBALMING APPARATUS.

No. 416,223'. Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

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llivrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD II. IIORSEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EMBALNIING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,223, dated December 3, 1889. Application led December 24, 1888. Serial No. 294,549. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. I-IORSEY, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oi Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Embalming Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the art of embalming.

The object of my invention is to provide a conveniently-portable embalming apparatus which may be packed in a small space, so that it may be used on shipboard as Well as on land, and which may be used Without in any way disfiguring or mutilating the body.

My invention consists, primarily, in a flexible air and liquid tight embalining-sack, preferably made of rubber, rubber cloth, tarpaulin cloth, or other suitable impervious cloth, and having a mouth or opening' through which the body to be embalmed may be carried into the sack on a suitable truck for supporting it. The mouth or opening of the sack through which the body is inserted is furnished with set-screwsV and clamping-jaws to close it air-tight after the body is placed in the sack. The sack is furnished at its opposite end with a nozzle or orilice adapted to be connected with an air-pump for exhausting or partially exhausting the air from the embalmingsack, so as to form a partial vacu um therein. After the air has been partially pumped out of the einbalming-sack the nozzle of the sack is connected to a vessel containing the embalming vapor or gas in a conipressed form. The body-supporting carriage not only serves to roll or convey the body into the Iiexible embalmingsack, but to support the same near the longitudinal center of the sack during the embalming operation, and thus prevent the body from lying upon or coming in contact With the iiexible sack, so that the embalming vapor or gas may act equally upon the Whole surface of the body.

To prevent the iiexible embalming-sack from coming in contact with the surface of the body When the air is being pumped out of the sack, I provide the sack with light hoops, springs, or distending devices, preferably on theinterior thereof; and for the same purpose, also,and to insure against any possible mutilation or discoloration of the face by contact With the rubber or iiexible sack, I provide a face-masi. This face-mask may be attached to the body; but it is preferably attached to the truck and supported thereby over the face. The truck or body supporting device is made (or preferably made) in hinged sections, so that it may be folded intoacoinpact space. It is provided (or preferably provided) with Wheels, and they should be of rubber or furnished Withrubber tires to prevent any danger of cutting or injuring the sack as the truck is rolled into the same. The springs or sack-distending devices before mentioned serve not only to prevent the collapse of the sack against the body When the air is exhausted, but also to hold the sack distended While the body-truck is being rolled or inserted therein. The embalming vapor Orgas employed may be a simple article of commerce and manufactured commercially, or

it may be made by the undertaker at his place of business, and then carried in a highly-compressed form in a suitable gas holder or vessel to the house or place Where the embalming is to be done. The gas holder or vessel containing the embalming--vapor may be readily connected to the embalming- Sack after the body has been inserted therein, the sack closed air-tight, andthe airexhausted therefrom. A sufficient quantity of vaporor gas for embalming one body may be compressed into an ordinary gas holder or vessel of one or two cubic feet capacity. Afterthe embalming vapor or gas has been discharged into the embalming-sack under pressure, according to my invention, the pressure of the gas or vapor causes it readily to penetrate into and through the tissues of the body. The previous exhaustion of the air from the embalming-sack and from the body contained therein by means of the air-pump greatly facilitates the subseqent penetration of the embalming vapors or gases into and through the tissues of the body. To facilitate the partial exhaustion of air from the body, as Well as the penetration of the embalming vapors or gases into the body, I prefer to insert elastic esophageal and rectal tubes.

In cases where it is desired to hasten the embalming process and complete the opera- IOO IFigure l is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows the compressed embalming gas or vapor holder. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the flexible embalming-sackg Fig. 4, an enlarged longitudinal vertical section showing the sack connected with the gas or vapor holder. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View showing the clamp or .device for closing the mouth of the sack through which the body is inserted. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-section through one of the clampscrews. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the body truck or carriage. Fig. 9 is a detail view of one of the sack-distending springs or hoops; and Fig. 'l0 is an elevation of the sack, showing Weights placed thereon to increase the pressure of the embalming vapor or gas therein. Fig. ll shows the disk or funnel for closing the mouth around the esophageal and rectal tubes.

In the drawings, A represents the flexible embalming-sack, preferably of rubber or other cloth; B, the truck for supporting the body therein during the embalming operation; C, the air-pump, and D the compressed embalming gas or vapor holder.v The flexible sack A has a large mouth or opening a at one end, through which the body on the body-truck may be rolled or inserted. This mouth or opening is closed air-tight by the clamps a a2 and clamp-screws a3. The clamps a d2 may, if desired, be hinged or jointed together at their ends, as shown at a5. The lips or edges d6 a7 of the rubber sack at the mouth thereof may be preferably formed with a rib as and groove a9 Where they are clamped together by the screws as, so as to form a more perfect joint. At or near the opposite end the sack A is furnished with a pipe or nozzle F, having a coupling f, by Which it is adapted to be connected with the pipe cof the airpump C and with the pipe or nozzle d of the gas-holder D. The nozzle F is further provided With a cock or valve f for closing the same. The gas or vapor holder D is also furnished With a cock or valve d. The bodytruck B is preferably made in three folding sections connected together by hinges b and by hooks or devices b for rendering the joints rigid, so as to properly support the body. The Wheels B of the truck B are furnished with rubber tires B2, so that the Wheels Will not cut or infringe the flexible sack when the bodytruck is being rolled into the sack. The truck B is further provided with a face-mask G to protect the face from contact with the iiexible sack A. This mask should be removably attached to thetruck, so that it may be put in sack distended.

place after the body is on the truck. The truck is further provided at intervals With straps h2 for securing the body thereto and with a neck or head rest b3.

II II are the hoops, preferably made of spring or flexible material, for holding the The ends of the hoop are preferably connected together by a loop h and set-screw h', so that the hoop may be readily adjusted to different diameters, as may be required to properly distend the sack for the reception of bodies of different sizes. The hoops I-I are placed loosely in the sack and may be removed when desired.

The truckis an open frame-Work having just enough cross-pieces b4 to properly support the body, so that the embalming gas or vapor may have access to the Whole surface of the body. The Wheels B of the truck serve to support the body in the vsack at a distance above the bottom of the sack as the apparatus rests upon the floor or platform, so that the embalming gas or vapor may have access beneath the body. The diameter of the Wheels should preferably be in practice about six inches, though their dimensions may be varied.

When not in use the whole apparatus may .be folded Very compactly. The sections of the truck when folded together may be inserted in the flexible sack and then the flexible sack' doubled or folded around the same. The Whole apparatus is thus not only very compact, but it is light and may be readily carried by a single person.

K represents the end of the esophageal tube projecting from the mouth. This should preferably be about one-half inch in diameter. v The tube K has a coupling lo, by which it may be connected with the nozzle of a gasholder and the gas thus forcibly injected into the interior of the abdominal cavity. This may be Clone, if desired," after the body is removed from the sack.

For use at sea the embalming-sack should be made of stronger and heavier material, so that it may serve as a casket for containing the body until the ship arrives at port. The sack A may be provided with handles for convenience in handling When containing the body.

The Weight before referred to for increasing the pressure of the gas or vapor is indicated in Fig. 10 at N.

In Fig. ll the esophageal tube K is shown as provided with a conical-shaped iiange, disk, or funnel k2 for closing the mouth and nostrils when the gas-holder is `connected directly With the tube K for injecting the gas into the abdominal cavity. A strap k may be employed to hold the rubber funnelor dam in place.

I claim- 1. The portable foldable apparatus for subjecting bodies internally and externally to the action of embalming-gas under pressure, consisting of an air-tightinclosing-sack flexi- IOO IIO

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ble upon all sides, having an opening for the insertion of the body, and furnished with means for closing such opening air-tight after the body is inserted, a foldable body-supporting frame Within said sack and provided with Wheels for supporting the body above the bottom of the sack, so that the embalminggas may have access all around the body, said wheels also serving to roll the body and body-supporting frame out of and into the sack, said sack being furnished with a tube for the admission of the embalming-gas under pressure, so that the gas can be forced into the internal cavities of the body through suitable esophageal or rectal tubes, substantially as specified.

2. The portable foldable apparatus for subjecting bodies internally and externally to thc action of embalming-gas under pressure, consisting of an air-tightinclosing-sack ilexible upon all sides, having an opening for the insertion of the body, and furnished with means for closing such opening air-tight after the body is inserted, a foldable body-supporting frame Within said sack and provided with Wheels for supporting the body above the bottom of the sack, so that the embalminggas may have access all around the body, said Wheels also serving to roll the body and body-supporting frame out of and into the sack, said sack being .furnished With a tube for the admission of the emballning-gas under pressure, so that the gas can be forced into the internal cavities of the body through suitable esophageal or rectal tubes, said foldable body-supporting frame having hinges or joints furnished With devices for rendering them rigid, and said frame and sack being adapted to fold up together in a compact space, substantially as specified.

3. In an embalming apparatus, the combination of an inclosing-sack flexible upon all sides, and furnished with an opening' at one end for the insertion of the body, and provided With clamps for closing such opening' air-tight, With a wheeled supporting-frame for the body, whereby the body may be supported abovethe bottom of the sack, so that the embalming-gas may have access all around the body, and whereby the body maybe rolled in and out of the sack Without Inarring the body by contact with th e sack, substantially as specified.

4. In an embalming apparatus, the combination of an inclosing case or sack flexible upon all sides, having an opening for the insertion of the body, and provided With clamps for effecting an air-tight closure of such opening, and hoops for distending the sack or case, with a support for the body, substan tially as set forth.

EDWARD H. HORSEY.