An Improved Method of and Means for Preventing Sea-sickness.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Preventing Sea-sickness.
I FREDERICK W. KIMBALL, of 3 Union Square, New York, United States of
America, Merchant 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved method of and device for preventing sea-
sickness. I have discovered that sea-sickness is induced to a great extent by the
action of the clothing on the stomach and that if the pit of the stomach be guarded
in such a way that nothing can contact with it, sea-sickness will not occur, and
therefore the object of my invention is to provide a simple means of guarding or
shielding the stomach for this purpose.
Another object of my invention is to produce a guard or shield which may be
conveniently applied to the stomach and easily adjusted up and down, and also to
produce a guard of this kind which is light and comfortable and properly
ventilated.
To these ends my invention consists of a method of and device for preventing
sea-sickness, which method and device will be hereinafter described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the views.
°
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device as applied to the stomach of a
person;
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail front view of the guard or shield and its connecting
straps; and
Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
The device consists essentially of a convex guard or shield 10 which may be of
any approved shape, but is preferably oblong and which may be of any suitable
material, although something light like papier maché is most suitable for the
purpose. The material should also have sufficient rigidity to prevent it from
collapsing and coming in contact with the stomach.
The shield or guard 10 is convex and has its edges curved outward, as shown
at 11 in Figure 3, so that it may rest against the body of the patient without
annoying him, and the shape described enables it to bear at the edges only and thus
the pit of the stomach is efficiently shielded and the clothing is kept from coming
in contact with it. The shield or guard may be made of any necessary size, but only
needs to be large enough to fairly cover the pit of the stomach. The shield or
guard is perforated, as shown at 12, to provide for proper ventilation, and it may
be fastened to the body in any convenient way, the way shown being perhaps as
good as any.
As illustrated, the shield or guard is provided with end straps 13 and 14, adapted
to buckle around the waist, and with a top strap 15 adapted to extend around the
neck and over the shoulders, these straps being provided with any suitable
adjusting buckles so that the shield or guard may be easily fastened and
adjusted.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. The herein-described method of preventing sea-sickness, which consists in
covering the stomach to prevent anything from contacting therewith.
2. The herein-described device for preventing sea-sickness, which consists of a
convex shield or guard adapted to bear at its edges against the body, and means
for fastening the shield or guard to the body, substantially as described.
3. The herein-described device for preventing sea-sickness, comprising a
perforated convex shield or guard, and fastening straps to secure the said shield or
guard to the body, substantially as described.
4. The herein-described device for preventing sea-sickness, comprising a convex
perforated shield or guard having curved edges to bear against the body, and
fastening straps to secure the shield or guard to the body, substantially as
described.
Dated this 11th day of December 1894.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.