Improvements in and connected with Baths.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Baths.
We, JOHANN OTT, of 33 Königstrasse, Berlin, Coffee-house Keeper, and
BERTHOLD WILHELM CONTI, of 5 Joachimstrasse, Berlin, Author, both in the
Empire of Germany, 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 relates to improvements in connection with baths, which enable
them to be used as vapour baths and as apparatuses for inhaling medicinal and
aromatic vapours.
The accompanying sheet of drawings illustrates a bath having applied thereto
apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, Figure 1 being a plan,
Figure 2 an underside view of the part marked a in Figure 1, Figure 3 a side view
of the said part, and Figure 4 a vertical section of the bath, with the elevation of
a separate apparatus for the production of vapour for inhalation.
The bath vessel is provided with a cover which is impermeable to vapour
whereby the interior of the bath and its contents are shut off from the outer air
the person using the bath being enclosed inside the closed chamber with only his
head protruding through an opening in the cover. Suitable arrangements are
provided which permit the vapour produced in the closed space in the bath to
escape, when desired, through a suitable opening, and to be brought as near as
possible to the mouth of the person using the bath, to enable him to inhale such
vapour.
In the arrangement of apparatus shown in the drawing the closing in of the bath
is effected by means of an impermeable cover a of the same shape as the outside of
the upper edge of the bath vessel, and bent so as to fit over such edge in the form
of a cap.
At the edge of the cover a is a cord b of indiarubber or other suitable material
which causes the cover to lie close to the edge of the bath vessel much as a bath
cap is fixed on the head of a bather. The cover a has an opening c for the neck
of the person using the bath to pass through, which opening is provided with a
cover d to enable the interior of the bath to be closed completely from the outer
air before the user enters the same. The edge of the opening c is likewise
provided with an elastic draw-string in order to close hermetically the opening
round the neck. From this opening c run on both sides, towards the periphery of
the cover, slits e, which enable the end of the cover a to be removed to allow the
person using the bath to enter after the rest of the cover is in place. The parts
can be joined together at by means of hooks and eyes or other similar means.
The cover a is also provided with another opening at g, which can be closed by a
flap h from below, and be held to the cover in the closed position as shown at i by
means of hooks and eyes or otherwise. The hole g opens into a funnel-shaped
pipe k, the mouth of which is directed towards the opening e, in order to conduct
the vapour issuing through the hole g direct to the mouth of the person using the
bath. At the underside of the cover a there is also fixed a cord i to the free end
of which is attached a packet m containing any substance which may be necessary
for the production of an aromatic or medicinal bath. This packet forms a material
part of the invention, as it enables a medicinal or aromatic bath of this kind to be
produced anywhere. This packet consists of a permeable case made of open

page_text: material such as gauze, coarse linen, or the like, whilst the contents can be variel
according to the effect to be produced, for example, the packet may contain tannic
acid which may be set free by the hot water, and either be dissolved in the water
of the bath or be led, in the form of vapour, to the mouth of the person using the
bath and be inhaled by him.
A hook n at the end of the cord 1 can be hung by the user of the bath on
another hook o below the cover a in order to secure the packet in position over the
water, and close to the opening g, when the vapour passing through the packet is
to be inhaled.
The method of using the above described apparatus is as follows:-When the
bath is to be used a packet m containing the medicinal or aromatic substance, in
fixed to the string 7, and the look a hung to the hook o, so that the substance in
the packet m is at first held out of contact with the water. The intending bather
now enters the bath, the cover a being put in place so that the bather's head
protrudes through the opening e, the draw cord round the latter being passed
round the bather's neck so as to close the space between it and the edge of the
opening. The joints at are then secured with the hooks and eyes or other
fastenings. The bather can then introduce the packet m into the water and use
the apparatus as a medicinal or aromatic bath, or allow the vapour of the water to
come in contact with the contents of the packet and then, by opening the flap 4, he
can inhale the impregnated vapour issuing through g and k. When inhalation is
not required the bather can keep the flap & closed, and the vapours then retained
and collected below the cover a produce a vapour bath.
The arrangement above described is only one example of how the invention can
be carried into practical effect; but it will be understood that the apparatus may
be varied according to circumstances without departing from the nature of the
invention, which consists essentially in shutting off the interior of the bath vessel
and its contents from the outer air in such manner that a person using the bath
can enclose himself up to the neck in the space so shut off and at the same time
inhale at pleasure the vapour produced in the said space.
When the temperature of the liquid in the bath is only moderate, it may be
advisable to produce the vapour to be inhaled, by separate and special means.
An apparatus suitable for this purpose is shown in Figure 4. It consists of a small
steam boiler p which is heated by a suitable heating apparatus g. The boiler is
furnished with a filling opening r and a safety valve s. A pipe t leads from this
boiler into the inside of the bath vessel either direct through the side thereof or,
as shown by dotted lines at t¹, over the edge of the same. A flexible pipe may be
connected to the end of the pipe t or t¹ by a screw union, and the bather can direct
the vapour from the boiler p by means of this flexible pipe towards the packet m,
and then inhale the vapour escaping through g and k as before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
First. In connection with a bath the use of means for closing the interior of the
bath vessel from the external air, and for enabling the vapours produced in, or
introduced into, the interior of the bath to be withdrawn therefrom for inhalation
by the user of the bath, substantially as described, and for the purposes
specified.
Second. In a bath the use of a cover a provided with an opening c, closeable
joints e extending from the said opening to the periphery of the cover, a closeable
opening g and a funnel-shaped pipe k turned towards the opening c for the head of
the bather, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
Third. In connection with a bath the use of a permeable packet filled with
medicinal or aromatic ingredients, substantially as described, and for the purposes
specified.
Fourth. In combination with a covered bath vessel the use of a steam boiler p

page_text: a steam pipe from which leads into the interior of the bath either through the
side or over the edge thereof, substantially as described, and for the purpose
specified.
J. OTT,
B. W. CONTI
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, É.C., Agent.