Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1887
Complete Left, 15th Mar., 1888.
Complete Accepted, 20th Apr., 1888
We, ALBERT NAPOLEON MEZZETTI, of 31 Woodland Road, Upper Norwood, in the
County of Surrey, Professor of Music, and RICHARD WHITLOCK of Biggin Cottage,
Norwood, in the County of Surrey, Builder do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide portable apparatus for use as vapour baths
which when not used as such occupy very little space, and the parts can be put
together and utilized as a vapour bath in a very short space of time, when required,
for domestic use or otherwise.
The case is composed of a box on castors with wood lid or top hinged to the box
proper the top forming the surface on which the patient sits on a chair, the box may
be of any convenient and suitable size say four to six inches deep, two feet broad,
with a length of two feet eight inches, but we do not in any way limit ourselves to
these sizes, although we have found them suitable for the purposes of our invention.
Connected to the ends of the box or case are loops or sockets to receive and support
standards preferably made of brass or copper. These standards may be made tubular
and in two or more parts according to the length required. These act as supports for
a jupon, covering, or petticoat, quadrangular in shape having an aperture on the top
surface thereof for the head of the patient to pass through, the covering is secured
round the box by loops and buttons and the frame which carries this covering can
slide up and down the standards and be secured in any position required thereon, and
when not in use it fits down and over the cover of the case, in this way a covering for
the body of the patient or person taking the bath, is provided, and which can be
adjusted with facility.
There is a pipe with tap leading into the case and to this pipe a flexible or other
suitable tube is attached leading to the source from whence the steam is to be obtained
whether that be from a kettle on a fire, or from a boiler or vessel heated by a spirit
lamp or gas or from any other convenient source. The patient being placed in
position on the wood slab, the tap is turned to admit the steam so long as, and to the

page_text: extent that, may be necessary. The bath completed and the patient removed, the
flexible tube is disconnected, the covering is taken off, or slips down, and the standards
taken out of the sockets, all the parts are then placed in the box which may be locked
if desired and put away under a bed for example, until again required for use.
Baths constructed according to our invention can with great facility be removed
from place to place while at the same time when the parts are packed away they
occupy very little space but when required for use they are easily put together and as
easily taken to pieces and packed for stowage or transport.
Dated this 19th day of May 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Vapour Baths.
We, ALBERT NAPOLEON MEZZETTI, of 31 Woodland Road, Upper Norwood, in the
County of Surrey, Professor of Music, and RICHARD WHITLOCK, of Biggin Cottage,
Norwood, in the County of Surrey, Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to provide portable apparatus for use as vapour baths
which when not used as such will occupy very little space, the parts composing the
said vapour bath being constructed so as to take to pieces and pack for storage, and
in such manner that they can be put together and utilized as a vapour bath in a very
short space of time when required, for domestic use, or otherwise.
In order that our invention may be readily understood we will describe the same
with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 representing in plan view a
vapour bath constructed according to our said invention, and Figure 2 being a vertical
longitudinal section of same, both figures shewing the bath when fitted together for
use. Figure 3 is a detached view shewing one of the pillars and attachments for
supporting the upper framework; Figure 4 is a plan, and Figure 5 a vertical longi-
tudinal section of the bath when taken to pieces and packed for storage.
The base of the apparatus is composed of a box a on castors a¹ and provided with
a lid or top a hinged to the box proper, the said top a forming the surface or floor
of the bath, a chair b being placed thereon on which the patient sits, the box a may
be of any convenient and suitable size say four to six inches deep, two feet 4 inches
broad, with a length of two feet eight inches, but we do not in any way limit
ourselves to these sizes although we have found them suitable for the purposes of our
invention.
Connected to the ends of the box or case a are loops or sockets c to receive and
support standards d preferably made of brass or copper although they may be made
of any other suitable material as fancy or taste may dictate. These standards may
be tubular, and in two or more parts, joined or screwed together in any convenient
manner, all according to the length required.
The standards d act as supports for a frame e shewn on the drawings of rectangular
form, and fitted with hooks, knobs, or buttons e¹ over which rings may be passed and
held; these rings f are secured to a japon, covering, or petticoat g quadrangular in
shape, the upper part for forming the top covering being preferably made of woollen
material or flannel and it may form a part of the sides or be separate therefrom as
required. The top or upper portion of the covering g' shewn at Figure 1, is divided,
and when in use is folded together, as illustrated in Figure 1, the folded side parts
being allowed to hang over the sides of the frame e as in Figure 2, and the edges
being secured together by a flap g** and hooks, sufficient space being left to allow for
the head of the patient to pass through.
The side covering g is secured at its lower part to the sides of the box or base a

page_text: either by loops and buttons, or as shewn in the drawings Figures 2, 3 and 4 where
the covering g is formed with button holes which are passed over eye-screws a³ on the
box; rods h are then passed through the eyes of the screws a³ and while preventing
the covering g coming off the screws a³ they at the same time hold the lower edge of
the material close to the box a.
The upper frame e which carries the covering g can be slid up and down on the
standards d and be secured in any position required thereon, by the set or clamping
screws, in the sockets c and when not in use the frame e (see Figures 4 and 5) fits
down around the cover or lid a² of the case a, and by these means a covering for the
body of the patient or person taking the bath is provided and is adjustable in height
with facility.
k is a thermometer which is detachable and is so arranged that the person under
treatment or the attendant is enabled to observe the indicated heat of the bath; the
vapour is supplied to the interior of the bath by a pipe n from the generator, whether
that be a kettle on a fire, or from a boiler or vessels heated by a spirit lamp as shewn
on the drawings or other convenient apparatus.
The use and action of the apparatus is as follows:
The frame is removed from the box a, the vapour generator is set in action, and the
standards d are adjusted the covering g having been secured by the rods h to the base
or box a. The patient then takes his or her place on the chair in the bath and the
covering g is then raised and secured to the frame e which has been previously
adjusted and fixed in position as shewn at Figure 2. The flannel is then secured
together and folded around the neck of the patient and the thermometer is adjusted
in the interior and opposite the patient's face; the pipe or pipes n is or are then
adjusted on to the nozzles of the vapour generator and the apparatus is in action.
When the bath is finished the parts of the apparatus may be disconnected and repacked
in the case a as shewn at Figure 5 and the said case may then be locked if required
and put away, say under a bed for example, until again required for use.
Baths constructed according to our invention, can with great facility be removed
from place to place while at the same time when the parts are packed away they
occupy very little space, but when required for use they are easily put together and
as easily taken to pieces and packed for stowage or transport.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
The construction and arrangement of portable vapour baths, consisting of lower box
or base a, a, frame e, standards d, covering 9, 93, together with fittings and parts
connected therewith, whereby such apparatus may be put together for use, and
afterwards packed away in a small space, with convenience and facility, all sub-
stantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings together
with any mere modification or modifications thereof.
Dated this 15th das of March 1000