A NEW OR IMPROVED PORTABLE SHOWER BATH
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edgar Edmonds, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman,
and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents,
for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED PORTABLE SHOWER BATH." A'
cominunication from abroad by Eugene Elie Gaston Bozerian, of 17, Boulevard
Saint Martin, Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edgar Edmonds at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd December 1879.
EDGAR EDMONDS, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166,
"A NEW OR IMPROVED
Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents.
PORTABLE SHOWER BATH." (A communication from abroad by Eugene Elie Gaston,
Bozerian, of 17, Boulevard Saint Martin, Paris, France.)
The new hydro-hygienic apparatus which is the object of the present Invention
is composed,
First. Of tubes fitting into each other like a telescope, provided at each joint
with a special packing, which will be afterwards described.
Secondly. Of a reservoir fitted at the top of the telescopic tubes, and provided
with a ring or hoop furnished with holes, through which the water passes.
Thirdly. Of a hand pump for forcing the water from the basin or bottoin of the
apparatus to the reservoir.
Fourthly. Of a tube for the ascending water. The apparatus may be fitted up
and folded up again in a few seconds; when folded up it can be wholly contained
in the basin or receiver of the apparatus, and being very light it may be easily.
carried about when travelling.
As the ring or hoop should be at the height of the shoulders of the person using
it the reservoir is lifted up or lowered by means of the telescopic tubes according
to the height of the person, so that the same apparatus may serve equally as well.
for a child as for an adult person.
Holes or apertures are pierced all round the inside of the ring or hoop. By this.
means the water may run over the whole of the body without wetting the head.

page_text: The water flows gently without pressure regularly and continuously, and does not
splash outside the basin or bottom of the apparatus.
The water flows over the body, falls to the bottom of the basin, is pumped up
into the reservoir by means of the hand pump, and so on.
One or two pails of water suffice for a shower bath for any length of time.
The hand pump may be worked either by the person in the bath or by another
person.
The water enters the reservoir from underneath. A cork float rises gradually as
the water enters, and to this float is fixed a rod, which passes outside through the
top of the reservoir, indicating the height of the water. The pump may be worked
quickly or slowly in such a manner that the reservoir be always about three parts
full, so that the water will flow through the holes or apertures in the ring or hoop
without interruption.
The orifice through which the water passes from the reservoir to the hoop or
ring is provided with a valve. When the flow of water is required to be stopped
the rod, which is affixed to the valve, is pulled; this valve presses on the bottom
of the reservoir and the water stops flowing. By pushing the valve rod up the
water again flows.
The pump and the remainder of the apparatus may rest on a foot board or
wooden grating, which gives lightness to the apparatus, and prevents the feet being
entirely immersed in the water.
The hinged base of the pump is provided with a hook on one side to prevent
any movement of the tubes when the apparatus is fitted up, and which may easily
be packed or lodged between the laths of the wooden platform or grating when the
apparatus is folded up.
This hook is hooked onto a button placed under a cock on the telescopic
tubes.
The mechanism of the single acting suction and forcing pump employed is as
follows:-
The piston is of hot pressed leather, and has a hollow piston rod, in which is a 3
solid rod, which is maintained at a convenient height for the handle by means of a
thumbscrew.
"
One of two spherical valves rises, giving passage to the water when the piston
rises, and the water fills the body of the pump.
When the piston descends the other spherical valve rises, giving passage to the 3
water forced out from the pump body into the reservoir by the telescopic tube.
At the lower end of this tube is soldered a threaded ring, on which is screwed a
copper or brass plug, which may be unscrewed and taken off to permit the cleansing
of the interior of the tubes. All the tubes rest on this plug when they are pushed
one into the other.
On the tube is another ring acting as a cock for the water ascending to the
reservoir.
It is provided with two orifices opposite each other. One serves for the passage
of the water ascending to the reservoir, the other serves to empty the basin.
For this purpose an outside pipe is turned and unscrewed a half turn in such a 4
way that a rose on its end is directed downwards, a receptacle of some kind is
placed underneath it, and the pump is worked until the basin is emptied.
At the upper end of the telescopic tube a ring or piece of thin brass tubing is
soldered in the interior, and a similar ring is soldered on the exterior of the lower
end of the tube, which enters or takes into the preceding one.
As the two rings butt against each other the tabes cannot become entirely
detached even when they are fully drawn out.
Special claim is made to this new arrangement, which avoids any escape or
leakage in the tubes, and which allows the necessary pressure or tightness of the
tubes to be regulated at will that they be not too hard or stiff to pull out, and yet
that they do not yield and enter one another under the weight of the reservoir;
5

page_text: this arrangement allowing the height of the water ring or hoop to be varied
at will.
As this arrangement is essentially novel its application to various purposes is
particularly reserved.
It consists in soldering to the end of the tube a threaded ring, on which is
screwed a nut with its aperture or opening equal in diameter to the tube which
enters into the preceding one. Between the nut and the ring is a packing of
cotton, hemp, india-rubber, or other compressible material, so as to give the
necessary pressure for the purpose previously described.
The compressible packing may be dispensed with, the threaded ring being made
of a truncated form with several vertical cuts in it, so as to obtain the desired
tightness.
All the tubes are fitted one in the other in the same manner.
Handles are placed at the side of the grating or platform, which enables it to
be taken hold of with facility when folded up, and a ring is fixed in the middle
for hanging it against a wall.
As it requires but very little water for its action mineral waters may be used
economically with it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edgar Edmonds in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd June
1880.
EDGAR EDMONDS, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166.
Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "A NEW OR IMPROVED
PORTABLE SHOWER BATH." (A communication from abroad by Eugene Elie Gaston
Bozerian, of 17, Boulevard Saint Martin, Paris, France.)
The new hydro-hygienic apparatus which is the object of the present Invention
is composed,
First. Of tubes fitting into each other like a telescope, provided at each joint
with a special packing, which will bo afterwards described.
Secondly. Of a reservoir fitted at the top of the telescopic tubes and provided
with a ring or hoop furnished with holes, through which the water passes.
Thirdly. Of a hand pump for forcing the water from the basin or bottom of the
apparatus to the reservoir.
Fourthly. Of a tube for the ascending water. The apparatus may be fixed
ready for use and folded up again in a few seconds. When folded up it can be
wholly contained in the basin or receiver of the apparatus, and being very light it
may be easily carried about when travelling.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings represents an apparatus fitted up and ready
to act. As the ring or boop A should be at the height of the shoulders of the
person using it the reservoir B is lifted up or lowered by means of the telescopic
tubes according to the height of the person, so that the same apparatus may serve
equally as well for a child as for an adult person. Holes or apertures a are pierced
all round the inside of the ring or hoop. By this means the water may run over
the whole of the body without wetting the head. The water flows gently without
pressure regularly and continuously, and does not splash outside the basin or
bottom of the apparatus. The water flows over the body, falls to the bottom of
the basin, is pumped up into the reservoir by means of the hand pump C, and
BO on.
One or two pails of water suffice for a shower bath for any length of time.
The hand pump may be worked either by the person in the bath or by another
person.
Figure 2 is a section of the reservoir, in which it may be seen that the water
enters the reservoir from underneath. A cork float D rises gradually as the water
enters, and to this float is fixed a rod E, which passes outside through the top of
the reservoir, indicating the height of the water.
The pump may be worked quickly or slowly in such a manner that the reservoir
be always about three parts full, so that the water will flow through the holes or
apertures in the ring or hoop without interruption.
The orifice through which the water passes from the reservoir to the hoop or
ring is provided with a valve F, which in the Figure is shown raised.
When the flow of water is required to be stopped the rod f, which is affixed to
the valve, is pulled; this valve presses on the bottom of the reservoir and the
water stops flowing. By pushing the valve rod up the water again flows.
Figure 3 is a plan view of Figure 1. It will be seen that the pump and the
remainder of the apparatus rest on a foot board or wooden grating G, which
gives lightness to the apparatus, and prevents the feet being entirely immersed in
the water.
It will be observed in these two views that the hinged base H of the pump is
provided with a hook h on one side to prevent any movement of the tubes when
the apparatus is fitted up, and which may easily be packed or lodged between the

page_text: laths of the wooden platform or grating when the apparatus is folded up. This
hook is hooked on to a button ¹ placed under the cock on the telescopic tubes, as
shown in Figure 4.
Figure shows in section the mechanism of the single acting suction and
forcing pump employed. The piston I is of hot pressed leather, and has a hollow
piston rod i, in which is a solid rod K, which is maintained at a convenient height
for the handle by means of a thumb screw k¹.
One of two spherical valves K rises, giving passage to the water when the
piston rises, and the water fills the body of the pump. When the piston descends
the other spherical valve K¹ rises, giving passage to the water forced out from the
pump body into the reservoir by the telescopic tubes L, L, L, L³, L*, shown on
Figure 4. At the lower end of this tube L is soldered a threaded ring 7, on which
is screwed a copper or brass cap 1, which may be unscrewed and taken off to
permit the cleansing of the interior of the tubes. All the tubes rest on this cap
when they are pushed one into the other.
On the tube is another ring M acting as a cock for the water ascending to the
reservoir. This cock is closed in the position shown on Figure 4, and open when
in the position shown in Figure 1. It is provided with two orifices m opposite
each other. One serves for the passage of the water ascending to the reservoir,
the other serves to empty the basin. For this purpose an outside pipe N is turned
and unscrewed a half turn in such a way that a rose on its end is directed down-
wards, a receptacle of some kind is placed underneath it, and the pump is worked
until the basin is emptied.
At the upper end of the telescopic tube L a ring n or piece of thin brass tubing
is soldered in the interior, and a similar ring is soldered on the exterior of the
lower end of the tube, which enters or takes into the preceeding one. As the two
rings butt against each other the tubes cannot become entirely detached even
when they are fully drawn out.
Special claim is made to this new arrangement, which avoids an escape or
leakage in the tubes, and which allows the necessary pressure or tightness of the
tubes to be regulated at will that they be not too hard or stiff to pull out, and yet
that they do not yield and enter one another under the weight of the reservoir,
this arrangement allowing the height of the water ring or hoop to be varied
at will.
As this arrangement is essentially novel its application to various purposes is
particularly reserved. It consists in soldering to the end of the tube a threaded
ring p, on which is screwed a nut q with its aperture or opening equal in diameter
to the tube, which enters into the preceeding one. Between the nut and the ring is
a packing of cotton, hemp, india-rubber, or other compressible material, so as to
give the necessary pressure for the purpose previously described.
The compressible packing may be dispensed with, the threaded ring being made
of a truncated form with several vertical cuts in it, so as to obtain the desired
tightness. All the tubes are fitted one in the other in the same manner.
Figures 5 and 6 show the apparatus folded up. Handles P are placed at the
side of the grating or platform G, which enables it to be taken hold of with facility
when folded up, and a ring Q is fixed in the middle for hanging it against a wall.
As it requires but very little water for its action mineral waters may be used
economically with it.
Figure 7 shows the details of the hook R, which keeps the apparatus folded up.
The shapes, dimensions, proportions, and materials of all the essential parts of the
Invention may be varied, and the accessory parts may be modified if found
necessary.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim on behalf of my foreign
correspondent,-
First. Any hydrotherapeutic apparatus having telescopic tubes, which permit
the said apparatus to be employed for a child as well as for persons of different
•

page_text: heights, and in which the reservoir of water or other liquid may be easily raised to
any desired height by the employment of the said telescopic tubes with these
portable hydrotherapeutic apparatus.
Secondly. The arrangement hereinbefore described and shown in Figure 4 of
the annexed Drawings for preventing any leakage in the joints of the telescopic
tubes.
Thirdly. The combination of an apparatus by which it is caused to occupy very
little space when folded up after having been used, so that it may be easily carried
about.
Fourthly. The combination of the whole or part of the essential parts which
characterize this Invention, as herein before described and shown by way of example
in the annexed Drawings.
Fifthly. The combination of the apparatus including the reservoir, the hoop or
ring, and the ascending water tube herein described with a single tube, the whole
forming an apparatus, which although it may not be so easily taken to pieces, yet
on the other hand is essentially economical.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edgar Edmonds, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty.
EDGAR EDMONDS. (L.S.)