Improvements in or relating to Portable Pumps for Baths.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th Nov., 1889-Accepted. 14th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Portable Pumps for Baths.
I, DONALD NOBLE, of Elmwood House, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in pumps for baths such as may be readily
removed from one room or place to another as well as used with baths that are a
fixture and its object is to provide a light, cheap, simple, effective, and portable double
acting pump, capable of being operated by the feet of the bather, and that may or
may not be combined with a collapsable India-rubber or other bath or tray.
According to my invention on suitable framework is mounted horizontally a barrel
(provided with suitable ends or covers) in which are placed two pistons or rams con-
nected together so as to form a double acting pump.
To the outside or ends of the barrel may be attached two vertical tubes or pipes each
provided with two seats for the reception of ball valves.
These pipes may be connected at their lower and upper ends so as to communicate.
respectively with a central inlet and outlet, to each of which may be attachod a piece
of flexible india rubber or other tubing armed when preferred at its free end with
a nozzle or rose. Between the seats of each pair of ball valves may be fixed a
horizontal pipe for connecting the ends of the barrel with the vertical pipes. It will
be readily understood that when preferred the above described fixed pipes may bo
dispensed with, and corresponding passages with valve seats formed therein or cast
on the barrel.
A reciprocating motion may by the feet of the bather be imparted to the piston
or rams from a double treadle, preferably outside of the framing, mounted at or about
its centre on a shaft, carried in suitable bearings below and at a right angle to the
barrel, through an arm or lever connected at its ends respectively to the shaft and
pistons.
The flexible tube provided with a nozzle may be placed in a bucket or other
receptacle containing hot or cold water and the other tube which is armed with tho
rose held by the operator, and when the treadle is oscilated by the feet of the bather
water will be drawn out of the bucket into the barrel at one end by the vacuum formed
therein when the pistons are moved to one end, and at the same time the other piston
will be closing the lower ball valve opening the upper valve and forcing the water
already in the barrel up through the other vertical tube and and upper flexible tube
and rose on to the bather.
When the bathing operation is complete the hath or tray may be emptied whilst the
bather is drying himself by reversing the position of the flexible tubes armed with the
nozzle and rose and by working the treadle.
When the above described double acting pump is combined with a collapsable
india rubber bath the latter may be rolled up, and bath and pump packed into a small
compass for travelling purposes.
Dated this Eleventh day of February 1889.
DONALD JUBLE.
By W. Fairburn Hart,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Portable Pumps for Baths.
I DONALD NOBLE, formerly of Elmwood House, Leeds, in the County of York, but
now of the Wheat Sheaf Hotel, High Street, Manchester in the County of Lancaster,
[Price Ed

page_text: Engineer 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 pumps for baths such as may be readily
removed from one room or placo to another as well as used with baths that are a
fixture, and its object is to provide a light, cheap, simple, effective and portable double
acting pump capable of being operated by the feet of the bather and that may or
may not be combined with a collapsable Inlin-rubber or other bath or tray.
In the drawings :-
:-
Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation on line fig. 3: Fig. 2 a side elevation:
Fig. 3. n plan looking at the top; Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a plan and sectional
elevation of collapsable tray or bath Fig. 6 a sectional plan showing valves arranged
on the ends or covers of the pump barrel.-Like parts in ail the views are marked
with the same letters of reference. A is the framework preferably, though not
necessarily so, constructed of a light metal (such as sheet iron, brass, zine, or other
suitable material, platform mounted upon logs or feet ad, say about one and a half
or two, or more inches high, to which an inner lining a' a' of wood, such as walnut,
may be screwed or attached to form a box or easing for receiving and enclosing parts
of the netuating mechanism. A suitable size for the platform is about say ten and
half inches by eight and a half, but I distinctly wish it to be understood that I do not
limit my-lf to these or any other dimensions herein given as they may be varied or
aite red as circumstances may require. In order to make the platform A as thin as
possible, I strengthen the underside with any desired number of anglo pieces as a
The top of the plattor is also armed with one or more (two are shown in the
rawings) pieces of cork or other suitable material a² a²attached thereto by cement,
rivets or other convenient means, on which the toes or fore part of the bathi³es foot or
tet is or are placed during the bathing operation. Above the platform, say at or
about four or five inches therefrom, is mounted horizontally on the top of a hollow
pillar or support B the barrel (provided with ends or covers e) in which are placed
Two pistons or rams el connected together by a piston rod ³ to form a double
arting pump. A reciprocating motion is given to the piston or rums by the
heels of the lathers feet as he stands upon the platform A through loose and removeable
edals D D', double ended lever E, shaft F carried in suitable bearings below the
platform at a right angle to the barrel C. and arm or lever mounted at one end
npon the shaf F and arranged so that its other end shall engage with a slot et formed
for its reception at or about the centre of the piston rod e¨. Although I have shown
the above mentioned shatt and parts connected therewith enclosed within the casing
of the platform yet I would have it understood that when preferred they may be
placed outside thereof, that is to say, pedals and lovers may be placed at one end of
the shaft and the lever connected with the piston rod at the other end, but I prefer the
arrangement shown in the drawings as it is more compact and not so liable to be
damaged or get out of order. To the outside of the barrel is attached the tubes H¹
communicating at one end with the interior of the barrel at (or when preferred
the connection may be made in the centres of the ends or covers e) and at their other
ends with a valve box I placed between them at or about the centre of the barrel.
The valve box is divided at its rentre by a plate i to form two compartments or
tubus communicating with a central inlet and outlet and respectively with
the tubes H. In each of the tubes are fixed two valve sents and 7 7
provided with indi-rubber or other suitable ball valves ¿¿¿17º and a
piece of
perforated zine or other material to prevent the valves from rising too high. The
communication between each of the compartments or tubes and the tubes I_E
is midway between the valve seats as shown. It will be readily understood that when
preferred the above described fixed pipes may be dispensed with; and corresponding
passages with valve seats formed therein or cast or cast on the barrel or on the ends or
covers e as shown at Fig. 6. To the contral inlet and outlet pipes is respectively
attached a piece of indin rubber or other flexible tubing J, of any suitable length,
that for the inlet being armed with an ordinary nozzle, and the outlet with or without

page_text: a rose, or with the brush and rose combined described in the Provisional Specification
accompanying my application for British Letters Patent dated the twenty fifth day of
July A.D. 1889 No. 11,830. The flexible tube provided with a nozzle may be placed
in a bucket or other receptacle containing hot or cold water and the other tube which
is armed with the rose held by the operator. When the pedal D is depressed the
pistons will be moved to the end C of the barrel at the same time a vacuum will be
formed at the end C which opens valve closes and draws water up out of
the bucket into compartment along the tube H₁ and from thence into the space (¹
of the barrel. During the motion of the piston c³ to the end C² of the barrel any
water that has been previously drawn up into that end of the barrel is driven along
tube H into compartment & closing valve 10 and opening and forcing the water
onto the bather. A similar action is obtained when the other pedal is depressed, only
the action of the valves are reversed.
The portable pump is placed in the centre of an idia rubber or other flexible and
water proof collapsable bath or tray L such as is shown at Figs. 4 and 5 having a
portion of its outer edge or edges folded over and cemented or stitched together to
form the sides or walls which may be inflated with air either by the bathor's
mouth or by the pump, (through pipe and valve ) prior to water being drawn into the
latter. In some cases when preferred the bath may be provided with any desired
number of hollow rits (shown in dotted lines) which are made to communicate
with the wall as shown.
When the bathing operation is complete the bath or tray may be emptied whilst
the bather is drying himself by reversing the position of the flexible tubes armed with
the nozzle and rose and by working the treadle.
When the above described double acting pump is combined with a collapsable
india rubber bath the latter may be rolled up, and hath and pump packed into a
small compass for travelling purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invon-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is.
First. The manufacture and use of the portable pump for baths such as is herein
described in which on a pedal being depressed by the heel of the bather's foot water
will be drawn up into one end of the pump barrel, and the water previously drawn
up into the opposite end ejected onto the bather substantially as herein before
described.
Second. The combination with portable pumping mechanism of suitable construction
for bathing purposes such as is herein described of an india rubber or other flexible
and collapsable tray or bath such as is shown and described at Figs. 4 and 5.
Third. In portable pumping mechanism for baths such as is herein described, the
combination with a barrel such as having pistons working therein, with the
pedal mechanism actuated by the heels of the bather's foot or feet and the valve box
Such as I and parts connected therewith all operating together substantially as and
for the purposes herein set forth.
Fourth. The improved pumping mechanism for baths actuated by the feet of the
bather and the flexible and collapsable tray herein described and represented respectively
as Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Eighth day of November 1889.
DONALD NOBLE.
By W. Fairburn Hart,
Agent.