AN IMPROVED BEDROOM VASE
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Michael Duvard, of Luc sur mer Calvados,
in the Empire of France, Physician, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
BEDROOM VASE."
Sealed the 26th October 1858, and dated the 7th May 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Michael Duvard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th May 1858.
I, JAMES MICHAEL DUVARD, of Luc sur mer Calvados, in the Empire of
France, Physician, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED BEDROOM VASE," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to prevent noise or unpleasantness arising
from the vase or utensil when in use, and consists of an upper and lower
chamber fitting closely into each other, and made of any suitable size or
material. The upper chamber is funnel-shaped and pierced with a hole or
holes, connected to which is a pipe to convey to the lower chamber the liquids,
&c., deposited in the upper one.
Attached to the upper chamber, by a cord or other suitable contrivance, is a
ball of glass, metal, or other material, which, when being thrown into the
upper chamber after being used, by its own gravity falls into the hole per-
forated in the bottom of the chamber, thereby preventing any effluvia or
unpleasantness arising from the vase.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Michael Duvard in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MICHAEL DUVARD, of Luc sur mer Calvados, in the Empire of France,
Physician, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Michael Duvard, Her special licence that I, the said James Michael
Duvard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Michael Duvard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
BEDROOM VASE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Michael Duvard, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Michael Duvard, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :-
My said Invention consists of an improved bedroom vase or utensil, con-
structed with an upper and lower chamber fitting closely into each other,
and made of any suitable size and material.
The upper chamber is funnel-shaped and pierced with a hole leading with
or without a pipe to the lower chamber, so as to convey to it the liquids or
contents deposited in the upper chamber.
I place in the upper chamber a ball of glass, metal, caouchouc, or other
material or compound of the same, having a cord or other suitable contrivance
passing through a hole to the exterior, and to prevent any effluvia escaping

page_text: through the said hole, I put one or more knotts to the cord, which effectually
stops the orifice.
The said ball acts as a valve, falling by its own gravity into the hole of the
upper chamber, thereby preventing any effluvia or unpleasantness arising from
the contents of the lower chamber of the vase.
The manner in which my said Invention is to be performed will be clearly
understood by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, with the
figures and letters of reference thereon. Fig. 1 is a section of the vase or
utensil; Fig. 2, a section of the upper chamber only; Fig. 3, an external view
of the utensil.
The upper chamber is shewn at a, resting upon the lower chamber b, both
being made of any desired shape or size. In the upper chamber is the pipe
c, at the top of which, when required, the ball d is allowed to rest, so that no
effluvia can escape from the lower chamber; the said ball has a cord or other
material e passing to the exterior, so that it can be shifted when desired.
Having thus fully discribed the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
I desire it to be particularly understood, that I do not confine myself to the
precise details herein described, as such may be varied or modified without
departing from the principle thereof; but I claim as my Invention, and
which to the best of my knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used
within the realm, the arrangement and construction of a bedroom vase, as
herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Michael Duvard, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.
JAMES MICHAEL DUVARD. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named James Michael Duvard, in
presence of
EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, Patent Agent,
123, Chancery Lane, London.