US445327A - Invalid s bathing - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. DE BARR. INVALID8 BATHING APPLIANCE. No. 445,327. Patented Jan. 27,1891.

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(No Model.)

\ M. DE BARR.

INVALIDS BATHING APPLIANCE.

No. 445,327. Patented Jan. 27,1891.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON DE BAR-R, OF SAN J OSE, CALIFORNIA.

INVALlDS BATHING APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,327, dated January 27, 1891.

Application filed April1,1890. SerialNo. 346,156. (No model.)

To all 2071 0722 it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON DE BARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalids Bathing Applianccs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to make, use, and practice the same. a

My invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in h0t-air-bathing apparatus for invalids; and it consists of the parts and details of construction, as will be hereinafter more fully shown in the drawings, and pointed out and described in the specification.

My invention is designedmore especially for use in sick-rooms or hospitals; and it consists in providing an apparatus which will permit of the body of the invalid to receive the direct application of hot tempered dryor moist air to the aiiiicted portion thereof while the head of the bather is continually exposed to the fresh air, so as to prevent the fumes or vitiated air from interfering with the breathing; and, further, in providing means whereby the inward flow of heated air and the temperature of the bathingapartment may be controlled by the person occupying the same; and my invention further consists in providing for the perfect circulation of the retained air and for the outlet thereof from within the bathing-eompartment after use, as hereinafter specified.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference are used to denote corresponding parts throughout the entire specification and several views of the drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly in section, for the purpose of illustrating the interior of the bathing-compartment; Fig. 2, a top plan view taken on line as as, Fig. 1, showin g portion of the mattress and spring-bottom broken away,so as to show the circulation of the heated air within the air-chamber; Fig. 3, a vertical sectional end View; Fig. 4, an enlarged detail view showing heating lamp, oven, and controlling-rod Fig. 5, a detail view, partly broken away, of one side; and Fig. 6, a detail view showing exit-ports and fanframe.

The letter A is used to indicate my improved bathing apparatus, which, by preference, I mount upon the rollers or casters B. The housing Or casing I construct of any suitable fabric, such as canvas; or, if so desired, the same may be made of wood or metal. By preference I form the same with double walls 0 C, so as to allow for the better circulation of the heated air, inasmuch as the surrounding space forms an air-chamber for the retention of the heated air; but it is obvious that, if so desired, only one wall need be employed.

In order to gain admission or entrance into the bathing-compartmen t, I provide the swinging door D in one side thereof. Suitable outlet or exit ports a a are formed in the top, for the purpose of carrying off the foul and vitiated air contained in the chamber (9, and between said air-ports I secure or attach the air-fans E, which are designed to be operated through the medium of a chain or cord 1), attached to the weighted lever b secured to the fans for the purpose of causing a circulation of the heated air contained in the chamber. It will be understood that these fans are designed to be operated by the patient direct from within the batllingchainber. By this means the current of heated air may be controlled and a more perfect circulation of the tempered air produced.

The mattress contained in the chamber is indicated by the letter F, and is located or placed upon the spring-bottomf, which is socured to the springsf, so as to allow for the easy resting of the patient andat the same time permit of a more perfect circulation of the air beneath the bed and body.

To better enable the hot air to flow directly upon the flesh of the patient, I provide a series of air-openings 9 within the mattress, as fully illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The spring-bottom f should be placed at a gradual incline from the head to the foot, so as to permit of the perspiration being carried off. If so desired, the perforated mattress may be constructed of rubber or other nonabsorbent material, thereby preventing injury from moisture.

Between the floors 7b h is the space H, within which I locate the partitions 9', so as to form air-circulating cells, thereby providing for the retention of the heated air a longer time and greatly tending to maintain a more uniform temperature within the bathingchamber. its outletinto the exhaust-Ii ue M, which passes vertically through the chamber Z) and out of the roof of the apparatus, thereby to acertain extent forming a drum or superheater for said chamber.

The air-inlet pipe is indicated by the letter m, and connects at its inner end with the heating-oven N, which is hung or suspended within the air-chamber O, as more f ully illustrated by Fig. 4. Beneath this oven is suspended, by means of the bracket 0, the lamp or heater I, which serves to heat the air retained within the oven. In order to permit of the heated air to be conveyed directly to the afflicted portion of the patients body, I provide the hose or pipe R, which has attached thereto the rose or nozzle 1*. The hose or pipe is suspended within the chamber by means of the cords orchains 0, and is adapted to be moved by the patient himself.

When it is desired that the patient shall receive treatment by means of moist instead of dry air, the reservoir S, placed within the oven, is filled with water or other liquids. Beneath the center of the apparatus I suspend the heater or lamp T, which is adapted to discharge its heated air directly within the air-passage H, within which the same is con- Veyed in a serpentine passage until finally discharged through the medium of the exitflue. In order to protect the oil in the lamps from undue heat and to cause a more direct supply to the apparatus, I employ the reflectors u to, which are mounted directly upon the lamp-body, as fully shown. The heaters are controlled by means of the operating-rods U, so as to increase or decrease the temperature of the air-chamber or to extinguish the flame entirely. The handles of said rods may be located within or without the heating-chamber. By preference I have the same located without and provide arm-openings (not shown) within the side of the housing,

through which the patient may project his arm for the purpose of regulating the supply of heat by means of the adjusting-rods. The heater or lamp T has provided thereabove the register to, which permits of the supply of heat being cut entirely off from the air chamber or passage H.

To the forward end of the apparatus I secure the head-rest A slightly in advance of the forward end of the heating-compartment, and in order to provide against the sleeper or invalid breathing the nauseating fumes thrown ofi from the body during the bathing thereof, I form the forward end of the apparatus with the flexible drop-curtain B,which is provided with the head-opening Z), having the flap b, which is designed to button closely around the neck of the sleeper. This curtain is arranged to fall at an incline, as fully shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It is thus obvious that the sleepers head is always exposed to the fresh air and he is prevented from inhaling the fumes arising from This air-circulating chamber has the body. However, if so desired, the headopening and flaps b b may be dispensed with and the flexible partition or curtain allowed to fall and be tucked around the neck similar to the ordinary blanket.

It is obvious, although I have not so illustrated in the drawings, that my invention may be applied in several different ways without departing from the spirit of my inventionas, for instance, the apparatus may be constructed in one or more compartments by dropping a dividing-partition between the patients.

1 am aware that many minor changes may be made in the construction herein shown and described without necessitating or causing a departure from the nature and scope of my invention. Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

1. In a bathing apparatus, the'eombination of a housing or easing provided with side arm-openings,heaters or lamps, and obliquelyarranged rods for controlling the heat generated by the lamps, said rods having one end connecting with the lamp and their free end in position to be reached by the arms of the patient through the arm-openings, substantially as set forth.

2. A portable invalids bathing apparatus having a heating-chamber located therein surrounded by double walls, heat-circulating space between the walls thereof, double'bottom having heat-circulating passage interrupted by cross-partitions communicating with end air-chamber, and outlet-flue communicating with said air-passage for the outflow of utilized heat, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and described.

3. The combination, in a portable invalids bathing apparatus, of the heating-chambe'r, exit-fines for the escape of vitiated air or heat, located in the top thereof, air-circulating fans secured therein, inclined bed or couch secured upon springs within the chamber, inclined curtain provided with headopening forming a partition between the head rest or support and heating-chamber, air-circulating space or passage surrounding the heating-chamber, lamps or generators sus pended beneath the apparatus and adapted to discharge heat within the circulating-passage, heating-oven located at one end, airinlet pipe connected therewith, supply pipe or hose running from the oven into the heating-chamber, and the discharge-flue for carrying off the utilized air, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MILTON DE BARR. In presence of N. A. AOKER, M. G. LOEFLER.

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