IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO SHOWER BATHS, AND OTHER LIKE APPARATUS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OR APPLICABLE TO SHOWER BATHS, AND OTHER LIKE APPARATUS." A com-
munication from abroad by Eugène Elie Gaston Bozérian, of Paris, in the
Republic of France.
Sealed the 18th June 1878, and dated the 22nd January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd January 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO SHOWER BATHS, AND OTHER
LIKE APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Eugène Elie Gaston
Bozérian, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to shower baths and other like hydropathic apparatus,
and it consists in the utilization in the manner herein-after described of the weight
of the person using the apparatus, which is caused to act directly upon one or more
pistons, in order to force up the water to the requisite height, the water thus
elevated being allowed to fall back upon the person using the apparatus, and being
continually pumped up again.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to employ two treadles or foot
boards carried by three levers of equal length, oscillating on centres which are sup-
ported in bearings on the upper part of the air chamber of a double-barreled force
pump. This pump is supported on the bottom of a foot bath, and its two barrels
are connected at their lower extremities with the air chamber by U shaped con-
necting pipes, which are provided at the ends in the said air chamber with valves
opening upwards.
The middle lever is in a higher plane than the two side levers, the object of this
arrangement being to maintain the treadles or foot boards normally horizontal.
At the opposite extremities of this middle lever (or under each treadle) there are
jointed rods which actuate respectively the pistons of the two pump barrels, the
said pistons being provided in their centre with a valve opening downwards.

page_text: The air chamber is also provided with two orifices, one of which is connected to
a vertical pipe bent round at its upper extremity, and terminating in a rose; this
pipe is also fitted with horizontal hoops formed by pipes perforated with holes, and
each provided with a cock or valve.
The other orifice in the air chamber is provided with an india-rubber pipe ter-
minating in a valve or cock and a nozzle.
In using the apparatus the bath is filled with water to a suitable level, and the
bather places himself in an upright position, with his feet resting upon the treadles;
he then, by inclining his body to one side or the other, depresses one of the treadles,
whereby the corresponding piston is caused to descend, the valve on the said piston
closing. By the descent of this piston the water contained in the pump is caused
to lift the corresponding valve of the air chamber, and pass into the said air
chamber, whence it escapes up the vertical pipe, and is ejected vertically through
the rose, or horizontally through the perforations in the branch of pipes upon the
person using the bath,"
The operator may also take the flexible pipe in his hand, and direct the nozzle
against any desired part of his body. In the meanwhile the other treadle will have
risen, bringing up the corresponding piston with it. The valve of this piston opens
as the piston rises, and the corresponding valve of the air chamber being closed
the water in the bath will enter the barrel, and be in its turn forced into the air
chamber, when the bather throws his weight upon this treadle. The same water
will thus be continually ejected with uniform force, being pumped up as fast as it
returns to the bottom of the bath.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
July 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO SHOWER BATHS, AND OTHER
LIKE APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Eugene Elie Gaston Bozerian,
of Paris, in the Republic of France.
The said Invention relates to shower baths and other like hydropathic apparatus,
and it consists in the utilization in the manner herein-after described of the weight
of the person using the apparatus, which is caused to act directly upon one or more
pistons, in order to force up the water to the requisite height, the water thus
elevated being allowed to fall back upon the person using the apparatus, and being
continually pumped up again.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a perspective view of a shower bath constructed
according to the said Invention, the same being represented as in operation, in
order to illustrate more clearly the mode of working it.
Figure 2 is a vertical section taken through the bath proper, and showing the
construction of the pump and valves herein-after described.
In the apparatus shown in the Drawing two treadles or foot boards A, A¹, are
employed, carried by three levers B, B¹, B, of equal length, oscillating on centres
which are supported in bearings on the upper part of the air chamber C of a double-
barreled force pump. This pump is supported on the bottom of the bath proper D,
and its two barrels E, E, are connected at their lower extremities with the air
chamber C by U shaped connecting pipes F, F, which are provided at the ends in
the said air chamber with clack valves a, a¹, or other valves opening upwards.
The central lever B' is in a higher plane than the two side levers B, B", the
object of this arrangement being to maintain the treadles in foot boards horizontal.
At the opposite extremity of this central lever B¹ (or under each treadle) there are
jointed rods G, G¹, which actuate respectively the pistons e, e¹, of the pump barrels
E, E¹, the said pistons being provided in their centres with clack or other valves
opening downwards.
The air chamber C is also provided with two orifices H and H¹, one of which H
is connected to a pipe I bent round at its upper extremity, and terminating in a
rose J. This pipe is also fitted with several curved branch pipes K (three in the
apparatus shown in the Drawing) arranged horizontally, and perforated with holes,
and also each provided with a cock or valve. To the other orifice H³ in the air
chamber is attached an india-rubber pipe or hose L, terminating in a valve or cock
and a nozzle L'.
It is obvious that in lieu of arranging the pump on the upper side of the bottom
of the bath, as represented more clearly in Figure 2, the upper orifices of the
barrels of the pump may be arranged to be on a level with the upper surface of the
said bottom, the barrels themselves being underneath the bottom, and attached to
the air reservoir, which may remain above the bottom.
In some cases this modification is preferable, as it admits of a longer stroke of
the pistons, as well as a lower level of water in the bath.
In working the apparatus the bath is filled with water to a suitable level, and
the bather places himself in an upright position, with his feet resting upon the
treadles; he then by inclining his body to one side of or the other depresses one of
the treadles, and consequently also the corresponding piston, the other treadles and
piston being by this action elevated.

page_text: In the position shown in Figure 1 of the Drawing the left treadle A¹ is depressed,
whereby the corresponding piston e¹ is caused to descend, the valve on the said
piston closing at the same time; by the descent of this piston the water contained in
the pump is caused to lift the corresponding valve a¹ of the air chamber C, and
pass into the said air chamber, whence it escapes up the pipe I, and is ejected
vertically through the rose J, or horizontally through. the perforations in the pipes
K upon the person using the bath.
The operator may also take the flexible pipe or hose L in his hand, and direct
the nozzle L' against any desired part of bis body. Simultaneously with the descent of
the treadle A¹ the other treadle A will have risen, bringing up the corresponding piston
e with it. The valve of this piston opens as the piston rises, and the corresponding
valve a of the air chamber being closed the water in the bath will enter the barrel
E to be in its turn forced into the air chamber by opening the valve a when the
bather depresses the treadle A. The same water will thus be continually ejected
with uniform force, being pumped up as fast as it returns to the bottom of the bath.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the utilization, substantially in the manner herein described, in shower
_baths_and_other_like hydropathic apparatus of the weight of the person using the
apparatus, which is caused to act directly upon one or more pistons, in order to
force up the water to a given height, the water thus elevated being allowed to fall
back upon the person using the apparatus, and being continually pumped up
again.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Third day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.