An Improved Bed Pan.
Year: 1894

page_text: An Improved Bed Pan.
I, ST. CLAIR STUART KNOX, of 30, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, Authoress, 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 :-
This invention consists in an improved bed pan designed for use by invalids and
others of the female sex.
The improved bed pan which constitutes this invention is a shallow receptacle
preferably gradually deepening from the upper end to the lower. In the top face
is an aperture for admission into the pan of urine discharged by the patient using
it. An aperture for emptying the vessel is provided towards its lower end and
fitted with a cork or other plug.
One side or edge of the appliance, namely, that first introduced under the patient,
is preferably thinner than the opposite edge or back which is furnished with suitable
handles or thumb pieces. The vessel is preferably slightly concave on the upper
face and constitutes an appliance which is easily placed below and withdrawn from
under the patient, to whom its use is attended with less discomfort than the
vessels heretofore in use, as the patient is not raised to so great an extent and lies
approximately flatly and easily on the pan.
Under a modification, the pan is of uniform depth throughout and is sufficiently
shallow to possess the characteristics above mentioned, namely, reduced discomfort
to the patient and facility of introduction and withdrawal.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a plan of one form of the improved bed pan in which this
invention consists.
Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 a transverse section on the
line xx, Fig. 1.
In the top face a is an aperture 6 through which the urine discharged by the
patient while lying on the pan is received into it. The pan, which is made of
stoneware or other suitable material, is envelopped, when in use, in a pad of suitably
soft material having an aperture to coincide with the aperture b. At one side,
which may conveniently be termed the back, are handles or thumb pieces c for
facilitating introduction of the pan below and withdrawal from under the patient.
The opposite side is preferably rounded as shown at Fig. 3.
The pan deepens gradually at a regular rate towards the foot and is thereat
provided with an orifice d for emptying the water received at b. This orifice d is,
when the appliance is in use, provided with a removable plug of cork or other
suitable substance. The face a of the pan is preferably made slightly concave.
The appliance constitutes a bed pan the use of which is attended with less discomfort
aud pain to patients than is involved in the use of the vessels heretofore employed
for the same purpose. The patient lies approximately evenly upon the vessel which
is introduced and withdrawn without necessitating elevation of the patient to the
extent formerly necessary.
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 :-
1. A bed pan made shallow and approximately flat and gradually deepening from
head to foot and provided with apertures for admission and discharge of urine;
the appliance being so shaped as to be capable of introduction below and withdrawal

page_text: from under a patient with reduced discomfort to such patient, substantially as
herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawing.
2. A bed pan made shallow and approximately flat and of uniform or approxi-
mately uniform depth throughout and provided with apertures for admission
and discharge of urine.
Dated this 14th day of February 1894.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.