Improved Sanitary Bed or Cushion for Infants or Small Children
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Sanitary Bed or Cushion for Infants or Small Children
1, JULIUS KRAUT, of Schwabinger-Landstrasse 43, Munich, in the Empire of
Germany, Artist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide an appliance for the cradles or
bedsteads of infants or small children by means of which they are perfectly
protected against laying in the wet, and also all excrements will be entirely carried
away.
The appliance is so made that it can without anything further be used in any bed
or cradle and may also be used instead of a cushion for carrying the child on.
The appliance consists of a trough formed of or lined on its interior with a
waterproof material.
In order that the trough may be as light as possible, and yet be strong and firm
enough, it is preferably made out of basket work interiorly lined with the water-
proof material. It will be of course understood that it might be made out of
corresponding metallic work.
The edge of this trough is provided with a row of buttons or hooks on
which a
cloth, preferably of flannel, can be stretched and fastened. The cloth, though
tightly stretched, can therefore be easily undone as it will be wanted to be
occasionally changed.
The cloth forms an extremely comfortable, soft and elastic surface for the body,
fitting it perfectly.
An opening is provided at a suitable place, and under this place a strip of
leather, also having a hole, is fixed, the hole is formed in a curved out portion of
one side of the strip which besides is of a good width. By this means a firm
support is provided for the corresponding part of the body and a suitable and
convenient depression will also be formed therefor.
The opening serves for the passage of a lead-off tube to the interior of the
trough. The upper portion of this tube is widened out or funnel-shaped and is of
a waterproof, elastic and soft material, by this means it can be easily applied about
the buttocks or genital parts and will so take up the excrements. The attachment
of it to the body should be such that it can be easily undone and it should not press
on any tender places.
The excrements are received in the funnel-shaped mouth and led away below by
the tube, the liquid serving as a wash for the solid portions.
The child lies easily and without fear of any draft on the cloth which is stretched
on the buttons or hooks, and is covered with the usual bedclothes which may also
be fastened at the edge of the trough. It may move about just so much as may be
necessary without being strained in its position. The excrements pass off in the
tube so that the child lies always dry.
The tube may be removed from time to time and be emptied and cleansed, which
can be easily done by rinsing it out with water.
If the child is to be carried about, this appliance comes in very handy, as with a
cushion, and it has the advantage that it is rigid, so that the child is always held in
the best position to secure its proper growth.
The child will always lie perfectly dry, and the application of swatheing bands or
napkins is entirely superfluous.
From this cause and because the child does not need to be wrapped or bound up,
it will always lie warm and be free from colds.

page_text: As the interior of the trough is waterproof, it can be very easily purified, so that
the invention corresponds in the best manner to all hygienic requirements.
Dated this Ninth day of January 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Sanitary Bed or Cushion for Infants or Small Children.
I JULIUS KRAUT of Schwabinger-Landstrasse 43 Munich in the Empire of
Germany, Artist 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 has for its object to provide an appliance for the cradles or bed-
steads of infants or small children by means of which they are perfectly protected
against lying in the wet, and also all excrements will be entirely carried away in
the simplest manner.
The appliance is so made that it can without anything further be used in any
bed or cradle and may also be used instead of a cushion for carrying the child on.
The arrangement is shown on the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 a longitudinal section.
Fig. 5 a detail.
The foundation of the whole appliance consists of a trough a which in order that
it may be as light as possible and yet be strong and firm enough, is preferably made
out of basket work. It will be of course understood that it might be made of any
suitable material.
A cloth c is stretched over the trough or a suitable elastic framework, or net-
work may be employed, over that a cushion which forms the under bed, a bed
cover d, a bodice or corset 1, Fig. 5, an indiarubber waist belt g and a receiving
vessel S arranged beneath the same.
The edge of this trough is provided with a row of buttons or hooks on which the
cloth c, cushion b etc. are fastened. The stretched cloth or elastic web forms the
elastic support for the bed whilst the part of the trough beneath the same is
utilised for holding the receiving vessel. The cushion b rests on this support.
A circular opening o is formed on the supporting web or network, through which
opening a connecting tube u between the indiarubber belt to the collecting vessel S is
passed.
The body of the child is covered by the bodice 1, the shape of which is shown in
Fig. 5, which bodice entirely lines the body belt g which will be hereinafter more
particularly described, in such a way that the body of the child nowhere comes in
direct contact with the indiarubber. The ends of this bodice are connected by
means of elastic bands or the like so that the breathing of the child or the expansion
of the body are unimpeded.
In addition to serving as a lining for the body belt this bodice also serves for
holding the latter securely on the body of the child. The indiarubber body belt
which is shown in perspective in Fig. 4, has between the legs and the bottocks of
the child an extension I which develops into the tube u, and is so formed that it
does not at all come in contact with the genital organs and any scattering of the
excreta is prevented. Its side flaps fit against the body of the child without
exerting any pressure on the same, as they yield to every movement. The widened
part is terminated above by an extension III which is attached to the bodice l.
The connection between the body belt g and the collecting vessel S is an easily
detached and yet tight one, and is formed by means of a flexible tube u of suitable

page_text: length, so that it can yield in any direction to the movements of the child. The
collecting vessel S which may be made of any suitable material is arranged in the
trough a in such a way as to be easily detachable, but is otherwise secured against
moving and extends to all sides so that if moved any spurting out of the contents
is prevented. If the collecting or receiving vessel be made of indiarubber, a
mouthpiece is attached thereto to allow of its being emptied and cleansed, which
mouthpiece may be easily closed by a clamp or cap as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 3
shows a cross section of the receiving or collecting vessel when it is made of sheet
metal or other solid material. The annular recess has for its object to prevent
when the apparatus is being carried about, any wave like movement of the contents
whereby the latter might be caused to spurt out. Between the supporting cushion b
and the bed cover an indiarubber cover or sheet i may also be arranged which sheet
is provided with a tube nozzle which may be easily placed over the tube u. It has
for its object in the worst cases to prevent even a slight wetting of the cushion.
The following may also be added to the preceding description. The child is clothed
as usual.
When the actual device has been arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 1
it is placed over the bodice and the latter is fastened. The upper bed is then laid
thereon and attached to the trough, so that it is impossible for the child to kick
itself uncovered. The following essential advantages are attained with the
arrangement hereinbefore described.
The child always lies dry and warm without being subjected to any pressure and
it can move its body perfectly freely. It can be lifted together with the trough
and the whole arrangement completely out of the bedstead, and carried conveniently
about, whilst still lying warm and comfortable in its bed. In spite of the flexibility
of its bed in all directions the child cannot spring or fall out. Whilst formerly a
large number of napkins were necessary in order to keep the child dry, this
inconvenience is entirely dispensed with in this present invention.
The dangers, such for instance as that of getting a chill, to which the child is
exposed during the frequent changing of the napkins are entirely avoided. Any
scratching of the child during this latter operation can also no longer take place.
The apparatus is of very great service particularly for sick children for instance,
and during a long journey.
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
A device for enabling infants and small children to be quite dry, consisting of a
trough covered with a cloth, elastic web or network removably stretched over it,
and also with an underbed b, of a bodice fitting the trunk of the child, and of a
body belt made of soft indiarubber which fits round the bodice and encloses the
part of the body in question, which belt is provided at I with an extended part and
by means of a flexible tube u conveys the excreta to a receiving vessel S arranged
in the trough.
Dated this 9th day of October 1803
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.