IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF SEA SICKNESS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Hodge Simpson, residing at No. 127, Milk
Street, Boston, U.S. of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF SEA SICKNESS."
Sealed the 19th March 1867, and dated the 19th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Hodge Simpson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th December 1866.
I, MICHAEL HODGE SIMPSON, residing at No. 127, Milk Street, Boston,
U.S. of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF SEA SICKNESS," to be
as follows:-
Experience acquired during many sea voyages has convinced me that sea
sickness is produced from the motion of the vessel, causing the stomach to rub
against the diaphragm and inferior organs.
The object of this Invention is to provide apparatus by means of which a
traveller may prevent this rubbing action, and to effect this I employ
apparatus so constructed that the traveller may connect his body as rigidly as
possible with the ship.
For this purpose I construct a chair in the manner represented in the
perspective view, Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed. This chair is securely
fixed to any part of the ship; it has two arms A, B, one of which, A, may
be fixed, whilst the other, B, is capable of moving to and from the arm A; to
allow of this the ends of the arm B are connected to slides sliding in grooves

page_text: or guides formed from end to end of two wooden rails forming part of the
chair, and to which the slides may be fixed by binding screws, as shewn, or
by other means. At the top of the back of the chair there is a rest C for the
head, placed as represented in the Drawing, so as to support the head in a
natural and easy manner. The traveller should sit down before the boat
starts, and after having settled himself as comfortably as possible by placing
the cushions so that the arms. of the chair support him by the arm pits without
. hurting his shoulders- or impeding his breathing, he should advance the
inoveable arm B towards the arm A, so that both arms shall press against his
body and hold his body as rigidly as possible; the set screws are then turned
so as to fix the arms A and B. In this position the traveller can support his
head against the piece C, or lower it against his chest, his hands and feet
being left free.
Figures 2 and 3 represent two back views of the seat or chair; in these
views the chair is resting on the front legs and on the ends of the two arms A
and B. In this manner the traveller can vary his position when he is
sufficiently accustomed to the motion of the ship to be able to change his
position from that represented in Figure 1. In Figure 2 the traveller is
shewn to be lying on his stomach and chest, and to be fastened to the back of
the chair with his feet resting flat on the ground, and since the chair is rigidly
fixed the traveller is held as firmly as before.
In Figure 3 the traveller is shown to be seated on a board D (previously
fastened to the bottom of the back of the chair) with his back against the
back of the chair.
To enable the traveller to resist with more certainty the effect of large
waves the arms A, B, are furnished with fixed handles for the traveller
to hold when in the position shown in Figure 1, and other handles are
attached to the back legs or other part of the seat for the traveller to hold
when in the attitude represented in Figure 3. The traveller by holding these
handles may retain himself in a rigid position during the passage of the wave.
I do not intend to limit myself to the forms of seat shewn, as they are only
given as examples. Thus the arms A and B in place of being straight may
be curved to follow the shape of the body, or nearly so, the pressure against
the body will then be more even; both arms may also be made moveable, and
so arranged that the height of the upper ends of the rods may be adapted to
the height of the traveller. The head rest may also independently of its
vertical adjustment run along a groove formed in the top rail of the back of
the chair, in order the better to adapt it to the position of the traveller.
In Figure is represented a sofa combining several seats constructed

page_text: The
according to my system. The space between the moveable arm of one seat
and the fixed arm of the next is sufficient for the slides and set screws.
seats may be of varied sizes to suit different persons.
. The principle which governs the construction of these seats may, as shewn
at Figure 5, be applied with some modifications to sofas or beds. With sofas
or beds as now constructed not only is it impossible for a traveller to hold
himself rigid, but he is sometimes actually thrown out on to the floor of the
cabin. The side boards A and B in Figure 5 are to insure the immobility of
the body which rests against the fixed board A or its equivalent; the moveable
board B as well as the fixed board A abut against the side of the frame of the
bed, only the-abutments of B are in two parts, and provided with grooves,
slides, and set screws, so that the moveable board may be pressed against the
body of the traveller to hold it firm; straps may also be fixed to either of the
two boards A or B for greater security. A head rest similar to that of the
seat fitted with a soft cushion may be fixed to, the sofa or bed. In order that
the traveller may himself adjust the position of the moveable arms (either of
the sofa, bed, or seat,) the moveable parts may carry a system of rods pro-
vided at one end with a crank and gearing within reach of the hand of the
traveller, and at the other end with a pinion working in a rack fixed to the
frame of the seat, sofa, or bed. By turning the crank the traveller may
adjust at pleasure the position of the moveable piece; or suitable means may
be provided for permitting the traveller to adjust separately the position of
the two ends of this piece.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Michael Hodge Simpson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
HODGE SIMPSON, residing at No. 127, Milk Street, Boston, U.S. of America,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year. of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Michael Hodge Simpson, Her special licence that I, the said Michael
Hodge Simpson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Michael Hodge Simpson, my executors, administrators, and assigns.

page_text: should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term theroin 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION OF SEA SICKNESS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Michael Hodge 'Simpson, 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 bo 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 Michael Hodge Simpson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
Experience acquired during. many sea voyages has convinced me that sea
sickness is produced from the motion of the vessel causing the stomach to rub
against the diaphragm and inferior organs.
The object of this Invention is to provide apparatus by means of.which a
traveller may prevent this rubbing action, and to effect this I employ apparatus
so constructed that the traveller may connect his body as rigidly as possible
with the ship.
For this purpose I construct a chair in the manner represented in the per-
spective view Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed; this chair is securely fixed to
any part of the ship; it has two arms A, B, one of which A may be fixed, whilst
the other B is capable of moving to or from the arm A; to allow of this the
ends of the arm B are connected to slides sliding in grooves or guides formed
from end to end of two wooden rails forming part of the chair, and to which
At
the slides may be fixed by binding screws, as shown, or by other means.
the top of the back of the chair there is a rest C for the head, placed
as represented in the Drawing, so as to support the head in a natural and
easy manner. The traveller should sit down before the boat starts, and after
having settled himself as comfortably as possible by placing the cushions so
that the arms of the chair supported him by the armpits without hurting his
shoulders or impeding his breathing, he should advance the moveable arm B
towards the arm A, so that both arms shall press against his body and hold
his body as rigidly as possible; the set screws are then turned so as to fix the
arms A and B. In this position the traveller can support his head against
the piece C, or lower it against his chest, his hands and feet being left free.

page_text: Figures 2 and 3 represent two back views of the seat or chair; in these
views the chair is resting on the front.legs and on the ends of the two arms A
and B. In this manner the traveller can vary his position when he is suffi-
ciently accustomed to the motion of the ship to be able to change his
position from that represented in Figure 1. In Figure 2 the traveller is
shown to be lying on his stomach and chest, and to be fastened to the back of
the chair with bis feet resting flat on the ground, and since the chair is rigidly
fixed the traveller is held as firmly as before.
In Figure 3 the traveller is shown to be seated on a board. D (previously..
fastened to the bottom of the back of the chair) with his back against the
back of the chair.
•
.
To enable the traveller to resist with more certainty the effect of large.
waves the arms A, B, are furnished with fixed handles for the traveller to
hold when in the position shown in Figure 1, and other handles are attached
to the back legs or other part of the seat for the traveller to hold when in the
attitude represented in Figure 3. The traveller by holding these handles may,
retain himself in a rigid position during the passage of the wave. .
I do not intend to limit myself to the forms of seat shown, as they are only.
given as examples. Thus the arms A and B in place of being straight may
be curved to follow the shape of the body, or nearly so, the pressure against
the body will then be softer and more even; or they may be stuffed and
trimmed like the various other parts of the chair, and coverings may be
applied as a protection from the cold, and waterproofs as a shelter from spray
or wet, and an adjustable footboard to accommodate the feet. The method of
adjusting and securing the moveable arm B niay also be varied, and one end
of it only need be moveable, the other end simply pivotted on a centre. Both
armis may also be made moveable and so arranged that the height of the upper
ends of the rods may be adapted to the height of the traveller. The bead
rest may also, independently of its vertical adjustment, run along a groove
formed in the top rail of the back of the chair in order the better to adapt it
to the position of the traveller.
In Figure 4 is represented a sofa combining several seats constructed
according to my system. The space between the moveable arm of one seat
and the fixed arm of the next is sufficient for the slides and set screws. The
seats may be of varied sizes to suit different persons.
The principle which governs the construction of these seats may, as shown
at Figure 5, be applied with some modification to sofas or beds. With
sofas or beds, as now constructed, not only is it impossible for a traveller to
hold himself rigid, but he is sometimes actually thrown out on to the floor of

page_text: the cabin. The side boards A and B in Figure 5 are to insure the immobility
of the body which rests against the fixed board A, or its equivalent; the
moveable board B, as well as the fixed board A, abut against the side of
the frame of the bed, only the abutments of B are in two parts and provided
with grooves, slides, and set screws, so that the moveable board may be pressed
against the body of the traveller to hold it firm; straps may also be fixed to
either of the two boards A or B for greater security. A head rest similar to
that of the set fitted with a soft cushion may be fixed to the sofa or bed. In.
order that the traveller may himself adjust the position of the moveable arms
(either of the sofa, bed, or seat) the moveable parts may carry a system of rods
provided at one end with a crank and gearing within reach of the hand of the
traveller, and at the other end with a pinion working in a rack fixed to the
frame of the seat, sofa, or bed. By turning the crank the traveller may
adjust at pleasure the position of the moveable piece; or suitable means may
be provided for permitting the traveller to adjust separately the position of
the two ends of this piece.
Having thus described my Invention, it should be understood that what I
claim is.the combination of apparatus for preventing sea sickness, substantially
as above described, and whatever may be the mode of its application, so long
as it realizes the principle above set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Hodge Simpson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
MICHAEL HODGE SIMPSON.
(L.B.)