Improvements in and relating to Baths.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Baths.
PETER MAURICE STAUNTON, 18, Herbert Street, Dublin, Barrister-at-Law, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in constructing a bath such as the ordinary metal
reclining or other suitable bath, but with a sinaller bath or cistern fixed or placed
within it, preferably at its lower end-which cistern may be used as a separate
sponge bath or as a shower bath-in conjunction with such ordinary bathi-the
cistern may be so placed in the bath as to enable it to be supplied with hot and cold
water from the ordinary overhead supply cocks of the bath or such water supply
may be otherwise provided for. The cistern may also be provided with suitable
means for running off the waste water-if required-and it may be so shaped and
placed in the bath as to prevent its interfering with the free use of the same.- -My
cistern may also be made separate from the bath, in which case I would preferably
fit it with flanges at each side suitable for supporting it in the required position.-I
may also divide the cistern into two separate compartments so as to enable a
hot and a cold sponge bath to be thereby provided. And I may also fit it with
a suitable arrangement to allow of its being used as a shower bath, in which case
I may so arrange the supporting flanges and the sides of the bath as to allow of
the position of such cistern on the bath being raised changed by the bather whilst
he lies or sits beneath it.
Dated this 4th day of Dagomban 1907
Improvements in and relating to Baths.
PETER MAURICE STAUNTON, 18, Herbert Street, Dublin, Barrister-at-Law, 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 chief object the provision of a ready, convenient,
and inexpensive means for enabling a cold sponge bath to be taken instantaneously
after a hot reclining bath, whilst the pores of the skin remain open, before any
cooling of the body has begun, and whilst the feet remain in hot water in the
reclining bath.

page_text: My invention consists in the construction and combination of suitable cisterns
as hereinafter described in connection with the ordinary reclining baths; such
cisterns being placed, or fixed within the reclining bath, preferably at its lower
end, and supported as hereinafter described, in a convenient position for enabling
the bather to fill them from the ordinary overhead supply cocks and to use them
as a sponge bath-I now proceed to more fully describe the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same may be put into practice, with the assistance
of the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Fig. 1 shows the bed of an ordinary reclining bath, in which one of my movable
auxiliary sponge baths is placed.-Such sponge bath A being supported below the
level of the reclining bath by means of the side flanges b, b, the rear ends d, d,
being cut away as shown, for the purpose of enabling such ends to fit closely
against the end of the reclining bath and underneath the overhead supply cocks,
for the purpose of enabling it to receive a supply of water from the same, whilst
the bottom of such bath is kept sufficiently high, to prevent its interfering
with the bathers feet.-Each of the sides of this sponge bath I preferably.
slant outwards from the bottom, and I would have the rear end d, d narrower
than the front at C, C, and by having the width of the cistern reduced to the
minimum size to fit into small reclining baths, and the width of the flanges suffi-
ciently great for the widest classes of reclining baths, and the depth of the cutting
at d, likewise lowered, I find that such sponge baths may be readily fitted into
almost every reclining bath-and used with or without overhead supply cocks.
Fig. 2 shows another reclining bath fitted with an auxiliary sponge bath A,
fixed in substantially the same position as the movable bath hereinbefore
described. I would preferably have this latter bath fixed permanently within
the reclining bath and I would fit it with a suitable arrangement for allowing
the water to run from it into the reclining bath.-Both of my baths are especially
adapted for use in passenger steamers, as their position in the bath will prevent
either the water spilling out of them or their falling on to the floor.-In addition
to affording a hot or cold sponge bath or (where suitable overhead supply cocks
are fixed) a sponge bath that may be graduated from hot to cold; my bath may
also be used for the purpose of regulating the temperature of the supply of water for
the reclining bath, when it is being filled, and the delay caused by mistakes in such
matters and the unpleasantness often caused by the hot water supply coming into
direct contact with the bathers feet, may also be avoided. They may be used in any
ordinary reclining bath, with or without overhead supply cocks, and they may
be allowed to rest permanently in the bath and be used as lavatories. My baths
may be made of sheet iron, tin, or other suitable material-either by hand or
by machinery, the supporting flanges may be strengthened by a rim of wire,
and rubber pads may with advantage be placed at the ends of such flanges, or Í
may substitute adjustable bent arms in lieu of such flanges.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish to state that I am
aware that various forms of lavatories have been invented for use in connection
with reclining baths, which lavatories might to some extent be used for the
purposes for which my invention is intended, but for various reasons--such as
inconvenience of position, small amount of water provided, space required, and
expense of same-such lavatories are of little practical use for the purposes of
my invention. I make no claim to any such contrivances, but what I do claim
and desire to obtain Letters Patent for is:-
(1) The construction and application of a cistern for holding water, having
supporting flanges or arms in lieu of such flanges, and cut away and shaped at
its ends so as to fit into a reclining bath and to obtain its supply of water from the
ordinary overhead supply cocks of reclining baths, substantially as and for the
purposes described and as illustrated in Fig. 1.

page_text: (2) The use and application of a water cistern fixed within a reclining bath,
substantially as and for the purposes described and as illustrated in Fig. 2.
(3) The construction of reclining baths fitted with a fixed cistern substantially
as shown in Fig. 2.
(4) The construction of cisterns suitable for the purposes of affording an
auxiliary sponge bath as hereinbefore described and fitted with a supporting flange
or flanges or arms in lieu thereof, substantially as described.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1898.
PETER MAURICE STAUNTON.