An Improved Appliance for Preventing Persons Lying on the Back while Sleeping.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Appliance for Preventing Persons Lying on the Back
while Sleeping.
I, JAMES PATRICK FROST of 22 Ballybough Road, County Dublin, Ireland; Victualler
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to afford means whereby persons may be saved the
inconvenience of lying on their back while sleeping and thus obviating what is known
as "nightmare" and other mental disturbances.
In carrying out my invention I take an elastic belt of suitable width, and provided
with ordinary buckle or clasping attachments at its free ends for the purpose of
connecting same.
About midway from both ends of this belt I arrange a collapsible cage consisting of
two suitable frames of suitable material hinged to each other and hung on suitable
horizontal straps so arranged that by adjusting these straps the collapsible cage is
caused to expand or collapse at pleasure.
As thus constructed the appliance is used as follows:-
The wearer before proceeding to lie down adjusts the straps so as to cause the cage
frame to expand, and then fixes the belt round his waist taking care to fasten it in
front, so that the cage will occupy a position immediately at the back..
As thus arranged it is obvious that the contrivance will prevent the wearer turning
on the back while sleeping.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Appliance for Preventing Persons Lying on the Back
while Sleeping.
I, JAMES PATRICK FROST of 22 Ballybough Road, County Dublin, Ireland;
Victualler, 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 this Invention is to afford means whereby persons may be saved the
inconvenience of lying on their back while sleeping and thus obviating what is known
as "nightmare" and other mental disturbances.
In carrying out my invention I take an elastic belt of suitable width, and provided
with ordinary buckle or clasping attachments at its free ends for the purpose of
connecting same.
About midway from both ends of this belt I arrange a collapsible cage consisting of
two suitable frames of suitable material hinged to each other and hung on suitable
horizontal straps so arranged that by adjusting these straps the collapsible cage is
caused to expand or collapse at pleasure.

page_text: The accompanying Drawings will enable my said Invention to be more readily
understood.
Fig. 1 is portion of an elastic belt shewing a plan view of my improved collapsible
cage and necessary straps for operating same.
Fig. 2 is an edge view of Fig. 1, and,
Fig. 3 is a view of the belt and collapsible cage complete.
"
"A is the belt, b and b' are the two frames constituting the collapsible cage, and
which are hinged at c. The frame b is fixed in position at its free end by being
attached to the belt, while the frame b¹ is movable at its free end and is attached to
the straps did which latter are connected at both ends to buckles e e and e¹ e¹.
The buckles e¹ el are for the purpose of securing the collapsible cage to the belt
while the function of the buckles e e is to operate the cage for the purpose in view :-
that is to say, when the contrivance is in its normal condition as illustrated in Fig. 1
the straps d dare lengthened to correspond with the length of the two frames, and
when it is desired to bring the contrivance into requisition these straps are drawn up
by means of the buckles ee whereby the collapsible cage is expanded as shewn in
Fig. 2.
In this position there is of course a slight sage, f, in the belt which however causes
no inconvenience to the wearer.
As thus constructed and arranged the appliance is used as follows:-
The wearer before proceeding to lie down adjusts the straps d d so as to cause the
cage frame to expand (Fig. 2) and then fixes the belt round his waist taking care to
fasten it in front so that the cage will occupy a position immediately' at the back.
As thus arranged it is obvious that the contrivance will prevent the wearer turning
on the back while sleeping.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
The use and application for the purpose of preventing persons lying on their back,
while sleeping, of a contrivance consisting of a collapsible cage, constructed, arranged,
and operating substantially in the manner as herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.