Improvements in or connected with Chairs, Seats, or like Supports for Invalids.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 9th Oct., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Chairs, Seats, or like Supports
for Invalids.
I, JOSEPH BILLETTE WHITE, residing at 145 Harrison Street, in the City of East
Orange, in the County of Essex, and State of New Jersey, United States of
America, Merchant, 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 chairs, seats or supports for invalids, and the object
thereof is to provide an improved device of this class particularly adapted for
use in the offices of physicians and surgeons, in the treatment of certain form of
diseases, but may be used as an invalid's chair, seat or support wherever necessary,
in private rooms, dwellings and similar places.
My invention may be applied to a chair, lounge or other support, but in the
following Specification I have shown the same as applied to a chair, and
the invention is fully disclosed in the following Specification of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which;-
Fig. 1, is a perspective front view of my improved chair, showing the parts
thereof in a position for use;
Fig. 2, a back perspective view showing the parts folded together;
Fig. 3, a back view of a portion of the chair;
Fig. 4, a transverse section of the bottom thereof;
Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of construction;
Fig. 6, a side view of one of the back standards of the chair; and,
Fig. 7, a side view of the other back standard of the chair.
In the drawing forming part of this Specification, the separate parts of my
improvement are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the
views, and in the practice of my invention as shown in the drawing, I provide a
chair or support which comprises a base portion 5, in the top of which is formed
an angular opening 6, and the base 5, is provided with legs 7, and hinged to the
front thereof, is a folding plate or cover 8, which is adapted to be folded back-
wardly so as to close or cover the opening 6, in the base of the chair as shown
in Fig. 2, or to be extended forwardly as shown in Fig. 1, to form a support for
the feet, and the outer portion of the cover 8, is provided with an extension 8
and hinged to the outer end of said plate or cover 8, is a transverse strip 9, to unie
ends of which are secured legs 9, and the transverse strip 9, is adapted to be
folded onto the extension 8*, and the legs 9*, parallel with the plate or cover 8,
and said plate or cover and the legs 9, when thus folded together are adapted
to close the opening 6, in the base 5, of the chair, and when said parts are in the
position shown in Fig. 1, they serve as a foot support.
The back of the chair consists of a frame, composed of two side standards 10,
which are secured thereto, at 11, and which project upwardly and backwardly,
and a cross har 12, by which the upper ends of the side bars 10, are connected
and hinged to the base 5 at 13, is a plate or board 14, which constitutes the
central portion of the back, and which is adapted to be folded within the

page_text: standards 10, of the frame of the back as shown in Fig. 2, or to be lowered
into the position shown in Fig. 1,. and secured to the upper part thereof,
are chains or cords 15, which are also connected with the upper portion of the
frame of the back, and which are adapted to hold said plate or board 14, in the
position 'shown in Fig. 1, and when said plate or board is folded within the frame
of the back it is held in place by sliding locks 16, of any desired form or
construction.
Supported within the opening 6, of the base of the chair is a hollow curved
or circular cushion 17, composed of rubber, rubber and canvas or any suitable
material, and the upper portion of the frame of the back of the chair is provided
with an upwardly curved extension 18, 'to the back of which is secured two water
tanks or vessels 19, and 20, and centrally of the water tanks or vessels 19, and 20,
and below the same, is a supplemental tank or vessel 21, and the water tanks or
vessels 19, and 20, are both in connection with the tank or vessel by means of
pipes 22, in which are placed ordinary plug valves 23, and placed beneath the
water tank or vessel 19, is an ordinary alcohol lamp 24, or any suitable heating
device may be substituted therefor.
Extending from the bottom of the water tank or vessel 21, on one side thereof,
is a pipe 25, a part of which is shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and 3, and in dotted
lines in Fig. 1, and this pipe extends downwardly along one side of the frame
of the back of the chair and beneath one side of the top plate 26, of the base of
the chair, and is in connection with the open, curved or circular hollow cusnion 17,
and said pipe is provided with a valve 27, which passes through the top plate 26,
of the base 5, of the chair and in said pipe 25, near the water tank or vessel 21,
is another valve 28.
Communicating with the opposite side of the water tank or vessel 21, is another
pipe 29, which passes down the opposite side of the frame of the chair, and beneath
the opposite side of the top plate of the base 5, of the chair, and is provided with
a valve 30, which passes through said top plate, and with another valve 31,
adjacent to the water tank or vessel 21, and the end of the pipe 29, is provided
with a flexible tube 32, with which is connected a suitable discharge nozzle 33,
similar to those employed for injection purposes.
Placed in the base 5, of the chair, is a sliding drawer 34, which is shown in
Fig. 2, and this drawer is adapted to be removed from the base through the back
thereof, and to be inserted thereinto, as will be readily understood, and this
drawer is adapted to serve as a receptacle for water or any other substances.
The cushion 17, is also provided with a discharge spout 35, in which is placed
a valve 36, by means of which the water therein, may be emptied into the sliding
drawer or receptacle 34, of the cushion.
The water tanks or receptacles 19, and 20, may be of any desired capacity, and
a lamp or other heating device may be placed in each if desired, and the water
therein, may be heated to any desired extent, and said water or a suitable amount
thereof, passes into the tank or receptacle 21, and through the pipe 25, into the
cushion 17, and thus fills and warms said cushion, and at the same time the water
may be allowed to pass through the pipe 29, and through the flexible tube 32,
and the discharge nozzle 33, and this water may be used for injection or other
purposes.
In Figs. 5, to 7, inclusive, I have shown a modified form of construction, in
which the water tanks 20, and 21, are placed on one of the side standards 10, in
the back of the frame, and are connected by means of the pipe 22, in which is
placed a valve 23, and the pipe 29, is carried downwardly and around the base of
the chair and provided with the nozzle 33, as hereinbefore.described, while. the
tank 19, and the lamp 24, are placed in the opposite side standard 10, and said
tank is provided with the pipe 25, which is in communication with the oushion 17,
as hereinbefore described, and the tank 21, is provided with another pipe 40, in
which is placed a valve 41, and this pipe 40, is carried downwardly through the
standard 10, in which the tank 21, is placed, and transversely of the base of the

page_text: chair, and is in communication with the pipe 25, and by means of this arrange
ment the water may be warmed or heated to any desired temperature, an
substantially in the same manner as with the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2
and 3.
With this form of construction however, the tank 20, is simply a supplemental
tank, and may or may not be employed, the tanks 19, and 20, being sufficient to
answer all practical purposes, and said tanks may be provided with means whereby
they may be filled with water in any desired manner, and it will be apparent that
other changes in, and modifications of the construction herein described, may be
made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its
advantages.
The cushion 17, is supported by a plate 37, in which is formed a central
opening 38, and the form of said cushion corresponds with the form of said central
opening 38, and my improved chair is also provided with side arms 39, and
the opening in the back frame is large enough to admit of the passage of the head
and body of the occupant of the chair when the central portion of the back is
lowered into the position shown in Fig. 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
-
1. A chair, seat or support for invalids, comprising a base, provided with an
opening in the top thereof, and a hinged cover which is adapted to serve as a foot
rest, said chair being also provided with a back which comprises a frame, and a
central portion which is hinged to the base and which is adapted to be lowered,
a hollow circular or curved cushion supported in said base, a water tank con-
nected with the frame of the back, and water pipes connected with said tank, one
of said pipes being in communication with said cushion, and the other being pro-
vided with a flexible tube, substantially as shown and described.
2. A chair, seat or support for invalids, comprising a base, provided with an
opening in the top thereof, and a hinged cover which is adapted to serve as a foot
rest, said chair being also provided with a back which comprises a frame, and a
central portion which is hinged to the base, and which is adapted to be lowered,
a hollow circular or curved cushion supported in said base, a water tank connected
with the frame of the back, and water pipes connected with said tank, one of said
pipes being in communication with said cushion, and the other being provided
with a flexible tube, and means for heating the water, substantially as shown and
described.
3. A chair, seat or support for invalids, comprising a base, provided with an
opening in the top thereof, and a hinged cover which is adapted to serve as a foot
rest, said chair being also provided with a back which comprises a frame, and a
central portion which is hinged to the base, and which is adapted to be lowered,
a hollow circular or curved cushion supported in said base, a water tank connected
with the frame of the back, and water pipes connected with said tank, one of said
pipes being in communication with said cushion, and the other being provided
with a flexible tube, and means for heating the water, and said base being also
provided with a removable drawer or receptacle, substantially as shown and
described.
4. A chair, seat or support for invalids, comprising a base, provided with a top
plate in which is formed an opening, a cover for said opening which is hinged to
the front of the base, and which is adapted to serve as a foot rest, a back comprising
a frame, secured to the base, and a central portion which is hinged thereto, said
central portion being adapted to be lowered, and said frame being provided at the
top thereof with water tanks, which are in communication, and said base being
provided with a circular hollow cushion which is supported therein, and two pipes
which are in communication with one of said water tanks, one of said pipes being
in communication with said hollow cushion, and the other being provided with a

page_text: flexible tube, with which is connected a nozzle,, substantially as shown and
described.
5. A chair, seat or support for invalids, comprising a base, provided with a top
plate in which is formed an opening, a cover for said opening, which
is hinged to the front of the base, and which is adapted to serve as a foot
rest, a back comprising a frame secured to the base, and a central
portion which is hinged thereto said central portion being adapted to be
lowered, and said frame being provided at the top thereof with water
tanks, which are in communication, and said base being provided with a circular
hollow cushion which is supported therein, and two pipes which are in com-
munication with one of said water tanks, one of said pipes being in communication
with said hollow cushion and the other being provided with a flexible tube with
which is connected a nozzle, and said base being also provided with a removable
drawer or receptacle, and means connected with one of the water tanks for heating
the water therein, substantially as shown and described.
6. A chair, seat or support for invalids, comprising a base, which is provided
with a central opening, and means for closing the same, said seat or chair being
also provided with a support for the back, a hollow circular or curved cushion
supported in said base below the opening formed therein, and a water tank con-
nected with the back support, and pipes connected with said tank one of said pipes
being in communication with said cushion, and the other being provided with a
flexible tube and said back support being also provided with means for heating
the water, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 5th day of August 1897.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.