IMPROVEMENTS IN BATHING- APPARATUS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Claes Erik Winterros at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th December 1881.
CLAES ERIK WINTERROS, of Christiania, Norway. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BATHING-
APPARATUS."
This Invention relates to portable bathing apparatus and consists first in the
application of a diaphragm pump for lifting the water. Also in providing the
cabin with two water receptacles one for hot and the other for cold water, said
receptacles being connected with the pump in such a manner that the proportion
of hot and cold water lifted by the pump may be varied at will by means of a
valve. Also in providing the ascension pipe with a lateral branch pipe closed by a
valve and fitted with a detachable hollow ring perforated at the inside for subjecting
any part of the body to a douche-bath if desired. Also in closing the high level
water receptacle and providing it with a discharge pipe, extending upward inside
the receptacle and allowing the air to escape until the water reaches the mouth of
the pipe, after which the air in the receptacle is compressed by a further supply of
water, and the receptacle acts as an air vessel of a pump, the water being forced
out of the receptacle as soon as the outlet at the bottom is opened. Also in placing
at the top of the cabin a hood having a double bottom through which passes a
movable tube resting on the upper bottom with a collar which closes a ring shaped
opening, through which when the tubo is lifted water escapes and passes through
the perforated lower bottom in the shape of a douche, a valve suspended to a
movable lever being placed opposite the upper extremity of the tube, so as to close
the same, when the tube is lifted, but letting the water escape when the collar of
the tube rests on the false bottom. For facilitating the transport, the cabin may
be made of canvas or other fabric attached to the hollow base which contains the
water receptacles and the pump, while the cover carrying the high level receptacle
is attached to the other end of the canvas and can be drawn up by means of a
string and pulleys, which latter are secured to form standards.
These standards may be made in two pieces and secured in sleeves attached to
the base of the apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Claes Erik Winterros in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th June 1882.
CLAES ERIK WINTERROS of Christiania Norway.
APPARATUS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BATHING
This Invention consists in a novel combination and arrangements of parts
forming a bath or bathing apparatus all self contained and in the form of a cabinet
or wardrobe, which can be put up in any bedroom or other room like any other
piece of furniture and fitted up in a plain or in the most ornamental style. In the
cabinet a pump is provided by preference of a diaphragm form, for lifting the
water to the required height and two water receptacles one for hot and the other
for cold water said receptacles being connected with the pump in such a manner
that the proportion of hot and cold water lifted by the pump may be varied at
will by shifting a handle in connection with a valve. The water is by the pump
forced up into a closed high level receptacle arranged at the top of the cabinet or
bath apparatus and provided with a small air discharge pipe extending upward
inside the receptacle for the purpose of allowing the air to escape until the water
reaches the mouth of the pipe after which the air in the receptacle is compressed
by a further supply of water and this high level receptacle acts as the air vessel
of the pump the_water_being_forced_out_of_the_receptacle_ns_soon_as_an_outlet.at
the bottom is opened. This high level receptacle has double bottom through which
passes a movable tube which can rest on the upper bottom with a collar or flange
that then closes a ring shaped opening, through which, when the tube is lifted, the
wates escapes downwards and passes through the perforated lower bottom in the
shape of a shower a valve suspended to a movable lever being placed opposite the
upper extremity of the tube so as to close the same when the tube is lifted up
against it, but letting the water escape down through the tube when the collar or
flange of the latter rests on the upper or false bottom. The pump is actuated by
the foot of the person having a bath within the cabinet assisted or not by a handle
worked by his hand or the pump may also be made to work by a handle outside
the cabinet.
For facilitating the transport the apparatus may be made in the form of a
travelling trunk or box the body of which forms the hollow base of the apparatus
and contains the cold and hot water receptacles and the pump; the cover or lid
contains the high level receptacle.
When this portable or travelling bath is to be used as a bath, four standards are
secured to the hollow bottom or body and the lid is by means of string and
pulleys secured to the top of the standards and drawn up to the proper height;
canvas or other curtains are fastened to the lid and to the base. The standards
may each be made in two pieces and secured in sleeves or sockets attached to the
base of the apparatus.
The ascension pipe from the pump to the top water receptacle with the double
bottom may be provided with a lateral branch pipe which can be closed by a valvo
and be fitted with a detachable hollow ring perforated at the inside for subjecting
any part of the body to a jet bath if desired.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a front view of the bath cabinet,
Figure 2 a vertical cross section Figure 3 a vertical transverse section Figure 4 a
plan Figure 5 a plan section and Figure 6 a smaller perspective front view with
the door removed.

page_text: The cabinet itself consists of a bottom frame A to which the sides or walls are
fastened and a top frame B to which is fastened the top or lid C. In the
front wall there is a door which can be closed from within and is provided with a
small window or light pane [E. From the frame A is suspended a tin water
cistern F which is covered with boards G forming the floor of the bath cabinet or
wardrobe to one of the boards is fixed a diaphragm or membrane pump which
serves to pump up the water. It consists of a cylindrically hollowed out piece of
wood H (Figure 3) which rests on four legs; I is the halfspherical piston which in
the middle is screwed to the likewise halfspherical weight K and between the two
there is a halfspherical leather diaphragm J which is fixed to the circumference of
the piece of wood H the halfspherical form of the leather J is of special value as it
ensures the durability of the leather while at the same time the greatest possible
alteration of volume or space is thereby rendered possible; this construction of
pump is also cheap and works without noise or friction; the piston rod is so
connected to the treadle L that the piston is raised when the treadle is depressed
and the piston is lowered again by the weight K, when the down pressure of the
foot of the operator on the treadle is released.
The treadle is connected with the handles h and 7 by the rod i so that the pump
can be worked by the treadle alone or by that and either of the handles or by the
handle inside the cabinet and by the handle i outside or by either of the
handles.
تر
1.
Another water reservoir Q is fixed on one of the side walls which has an
opening c with a sieve-like cover. This receptacle is for the cold water. On the
top C of the cabinet there is lastly a third or high level reservoir which is closed
above and provided with two bottoms or floors the under one V has holes in it
and the upper one X is solid; the jet pipe Y goes through both bottoms and has a
colla
flange at the upper end and is so constructed that it can be moved up and
a little. The pipe fits well in the opening in the lower bottom whilst there
is a ring like opening in the upper bottom which opening is covered by the collar
of the pipe Y when the latter is pulled down to the lowest position; this collar
bas also a leather washer to insure against leakage. The jet pipe Y being in the
lowered position, the water flows down as a solid stream in the middle of the
bathroom. If however the pipe Y is pushed up it presses against the valve or
lid a the bottom of which is covered with leather so that when the flange of the
pipe Y is pressed against it, the water can only escapo by the ring-like opening in
the upper or false bottom X and passes through the small holes in V and forms a
shower bath in the bathroom. If both openings are to be closed the valve end of
the lever A° that turns on the fulcrum O" can be pushed down by raising the
screw A¹¹ connected to the lever A° which has the effect of pressing the leather
covered valve or lid a on to the flange of the pipe Y and closing the latter.
The apparatus has the following pipe arrangement; suction pipo N joins the
pump with the hot water reservoir F. The pipo has a rose below to prevent any
dirt from being pumped up and is made flexible by a piece of indiarubber pipe o.
Suction pipe P connects the pipe with the cold water reservoir Q; this pipe can
be closed by means of the screwvalve R.
A delivery pipe connects the pump with the high level reservoir U, it can be
shut by a flap valve T below.
A piece of india rubber pipe comes out from about the middle of the delivery
pipe and can be closed by the screw valve b. If the apparatus is to be used the
reservoir F is filled with warm water and Q with cold. As long as the valve R is
shut, warm water only can be pumped up into the reservoir U, but if the valve R
is opened a little, both warm and cold come into the pump, and if it is wholly
opened only cold water passes through the pump and thence up into the
reservoir U the cold water tank Q standing higher than the warm water tank F.
If the lever A is screwed down into its lowest position the reservoir U is filled

page_text: more and more and the air escapes through the very small pipe c'. When the
water reaches the upper end of the pipe c' the air becomes compressed in the upper
part of the reservoir and it acts as an air vessel. If the flap is opened for the
pipe Y (by means of the screw A" and the lever Aº) the water comes down
through the pipe Y as a jet bath and if the pipe is pressed up to the flap a the
water comes down between both floors in U and by the perforated bottom V as a
shower. If A is shut and b is opened a stream of water can be directed to any
part of the body desired.
Lastly the ring shaped tube k Figure 3 can be screwed to the hose and when it
is carried up and down being on its inner surface provided with holes, it forms a
ring jet. Of course the pump must be worked the whole time while the bath is
going on but that does not need any great exertion, as it can be worked by the
foot alone which leaves the hands and arms free.
Valve Figure 1 is used for emptying the apparatus after use by putting the
spout of a water can on the valve shank and then pumping the water or slops up
into that water can.
The travelling bath or the apparatus in a portable form is shown at Figures 7
to 10 Figure 7 being vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus when packed
ready to be taken on a journey Figure 8 a vertical transverse section, Figure 9 a
plan section, and Figure 10 is a front elevation of the bath put up ready
for use.
The reservoirs F and Q for cold and hot water and the pump and the treadle
apparatus are placed in the lower part or box A whilst the high level reservoir U
is fixed to the underside of the lid B. Both these parts A B may be of galvanized
iron or wood. If the apparatus is to be used the standards or sticks D which
may be made of two or more parts held together by sockets D¹ are connected to
the sides.of_the_box.A.by_the_sockets or staples cll and are joined at top by a cross
piece F. The lid B is then lifted by the string H' which runs over two pulleys
up to the cross piece F¹ and the string then fastened to one of the standards as
shown in Figure 10. X is an oil cloth or other curtain hooked or buttoned on to
the lid B and to the box A. Or there may also be a separate narrow curtain at
the place of entry in front. Of course the delivery pipe of this apparatus must
be made of flexible material.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this Invention and the
manner of carrying the same into effect I declare that I claim.
First. The combination of parts forming the improved cabinet or portable
travelling bath apparatus in which warm water from a bottom tank or cold water
from a tank at a somewhat higher level or simultaneously partly one and partly
the other is by means of a pump forced up to a high level receptacle whence
it may be allowed to descend as fast as it is pumped up all substantially as
described.
Second. The combination of parts forming the combined cabinet or portable
travelling apparatus having a warm water bottom tank F a cold water tank Qa
diaphragm pump a closed high level receptacle U and means for regulating
the supply of hot or cold water to the pump substantially as described and
shown.
Third. The combination of the diaphragm, pump shown and described with a
bath apparatus constructed and operating substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of parts forming the closed high level reservoir U
for shower or douche and also forming an air vessel substantially as described and
shown.
Fifth. The combination of the receptacles F and Q with their pipes and valves
and in connection with a pump and with a valve R so that by regulation of the
Jatter the temperature of the water can be regulated as required substantially as
described and as shown.

page_text: Sixth. The combination of parts forming the cabinet bath and the portable
travelling bath as shown on the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Claes Erik Winterros have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twentysixth day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two:-
CLAS ERIC WINTERROS. (L.S.)