US580395A

US580395A - Commode

Info

Publication number: US580395A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 1914-04-13

Description

(No Model.)

B. A..HALL.

f UOMMODB. No. 580,395. Patented Apr. 13, 1897.

illllllllln IINTTnn STATES Trice.

PATENT COMMODE.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO. 580,395, dated April. 13, 189'?.

Application filed June 1, 1896. Serial No. 593,75 7. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, BISHOP A. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pine Bluff, in the county of Jefferson and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Commode, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are, rst, to provide a commode which will not only be useful for ordinary purposes, but will be especially convenient in taking or administering either vaginal enemas or enemasper cmo, and, second, to provide a commode which can be readily folded up and stored away when not in use. I attain these objects by mechanism whose preferred form is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an end elevation of a commode embodying my improvement standing ready for the reception of a bowl or chamber. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same commode with a bowl shown in dotted lines in the proper position. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a detail. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view ofthe commode represented in Fig. l with its shelf removed and its legs folded up against the seat. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the commode folded and inverted and with the shelf resting on the legs, and Fig. 7 is a detailed view of a modification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The seat of the commode preferably consists of two parts A A, Figs. l, 2, 3, 5, and 6, preferably separated from each other by a large opening B, whose sides are preferably curved in the usual manner, and two passages b and b extending outward, one from each end of the opening B, Figs. l, 3, and 5.

When the scat is occupied by a patient who is about to take or have administered to her a vaginal enema, the hand holding the nozzle of the syringe can be introduced through the passage b and the nozzle inserted and held in the proper position. The passage b in such cases is sometimes of use in drying the patient before she arises from the seat. In taking or administering an enema per ono the hand holding the nozzle of the syringe is introduced through the opening h.

I prefer to provide my commode with the passages t and o at front and rear, as shown,

, pair of hangers.

but where both ends of the seat are in other respects alike and the opening B is near enough to both ends to permit of either end being used as the front one, as in the commode illustrated, one of said passages may be dispensed with without diminishing the value of the commode greatly, as the position of the invalid can be varied to suit the requirements of the case, and so also where the position of the invalid cannot be thus varied by reason of the form of the commode a single passage b or o may be used with advantage, though in such cases the commode cannot be used so conveniently in taking or adminis tering enemas of both classes, as will be obvious.

The seat of my commode is preferably supported and the parts A A' of the seat held in their proper relative positions by means of two pairs of legs O O and O O', Figs. i, 2, 5, and 6, and connecting parts. Each pair of legs is preferably formed of a single bar of metal whose ends are bent so as to form the legs, and which is bent between the legs so as to form a horizontal pivot c, extending inward from the top of each leg, a pair of hangers c c', extending downward, one from the inner end of each pivot c, and a horizontal support c2, connecting the lower ends of the As will be obvious, it is not essential, though it is desirable, to form the legs of each pair and the connecting parts integral, nor is it essential that they should be made of metal. 4

The legs O O are preferably arranged closer together than the legs O O', so as to permit the former to lie between the latter, as shown in Fig. 5, when folded.

The legs of the commode are preferably secured to the parts A A of the seat by means of straps D D and D D', which are preferably secured to the under sides of the parts A A by means of screws d or other suitable means. The straps D D and D D' have bearings cl d (Z2 d2, in which the pivots c c, the., turn. One of the pivots c of each bar is secured to the part A of the Vseat by one of said straps and to the part A by another. The straps extend in each case from the leg to the hanger, though the bearings are not necessarily continuous, and they thus prevent lateral motion and enable the legs and connecting parts to keep IOO ' spreading of the legs longitudinally, and also limit the spreading of the hangers, as shown most clearly in Figs. l and 2.

The use of a separate stop foreach hanger and one for each leg is desirable because it tends to give the device rigidity, but, as will be obvious, a single stop may be made to answer for a pair of legs and connectinghangers such as are shown, and there are wellknown equivalent means which may be substituted for those shown for limiting the outward movement of the legs and hangers. VWhen the legs and hangers are spread and in contact with the stops cl3 and d4, they are preferably kept from moving inward by means of a shelf E, inserted between the legs, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, and preferably supported by the hangers.

The shelf E preferably has at each end a projection c and shoulders e' e on each side of the projection. Each of said projections preferably extends outward between a pair of hangers c c and rests upon one of the supports c2. The projection is preferably wide enough to occupy the entire space between the hangers, so as to avoid lateral movement. The shoulders c e at each end of the shelf E preferably rest against the inner sides of the adjoininghangers and legs when it is in place, and thus keep the legs spread apart. I n inserting the shelf I prefer to introduce it in a slanting position and then press it down into its place. In that way it may be made to iit tightly.

The bowl F or other vessel used in the commode preferably rests upon the shelf E.

It is sometimes desirable to either elevate the shelf above the supports c2 c2 or lower it below them. This may be accomplished by attaching to one or more corners of the shelf a sleeve G, having a screw-threaded hole g through it and a set-screw g' in said hole, passing one of the legs C or C through the sleeve and sliding the sleeve up or down upon the leg, and when in position securing it in place by means of the set-screw. As will be obvious, the shelf will in such cases have to be first removed if the supports c2 c2 have to be passed during the adjustment. Other equivalentmeans for adjustably supporting the shelf in place will at once suggest themselves to any mechanic reading this specification.

As will be obvious, it is unnecessary to extend the hangers below the seat, where they are not intended to support the shelf E, but it is desirable to extend them low enough to 6 5 leave plenty of space for the introduction of instruments, (he. Where the seat is of the usual kind, the arrangement of legs, hangers, and shelf described may still be used with advantage, and so, on the other hand, my improved seat may be supported in an entirely different manner from the one shown.

I claim- 1. In a commode, the combination of a seat having the usual large opening through it and a passage extending out from one end of said opening and dividing the seat at that end; two pairs of legs each pair connected together by means of pivots extending inward, one from the upper end of each leg, a pair of downwardly-extending hangers, one hanger connected with the inner end of each pivot, and a cross-piece, connecting the lower ends of the hangers; means fastening said legs to said seat; a shelf supported by said hangers and keeping said legs spaced apart; and means limiting the outward movement of the legs substantially as described.

2. In a commode, the combination of a seat divided longitudinally into two parts completely separated by the usual large opening and two passages leading out from opposite ends of said opening; two pairs of legs; means fastening each pair of legs to both parts of said seat; and means passing across below said seat and connecting the legs of each pair together, and holding the parts of said seat apart and in position, substantially as described.

3. In a commode, the combination of a seat divided, longitudinally into two parts, completely separated by the usual large opening, and two passages extending out from the opposite ends of said opening; two pairs of legs; means hinging each pair of legs to both parts of the seat; means passing across below the seat and connecting each pair of legs together and holding the parts of the seat apart and in position; means limiting the spreading of the two pairs of legs away from each other and means keeping them spaced apart substantially as described.

4. In a commode a divided seat composed of parts A A', two pairs of legs; means connecting the legs of each pair together; means hinging each pair of legs to both parts of the seat; means limiting the spreading of the legs and a shelf keeping the legs spaced apart substantially as described.

6. In a commode a divided seat composed of parts A and A; two pairs of legs; means connecting the legs of each pair together; means hinging each pair of legs to both parts of the seat; means limiting the spreading of the legs; a shelf keeping said legs spread apartand means adj ustably securing the shelf in position.

BISHOP A. HALL.

Vitnesses:

A. BLUTHENTHAL, Lno KAsToR.

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