Improvements in Adjustable Seats or Couches.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1895-Accepted. 20th July. 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Seats or Couches.
I, WILHELM FRIEDRICH AUGUST ZEGGERT of 14 Karslastrasse, Post
Thonberg, Leipzig, in the Empire of Germany, Masseur, 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 :-
The present invention relates to a seat or bench which is not only adapted for
use as an ordinary house or garden bench couch or seat (and which for the sake of
brevity I shall hereinafter refer to as a "bench ") but has also been found to be
very efficient as an invalid chair.
This bench is adapted by reason of its peculiar construction and operation to
serve as a bench for massage also as a bench for operating purposes or for the
purposes of steam baths hot air baths and sun baths and either for the whole body
or for portions thereof.
The construction is simple and it can be cheaply manufactured.
bench occupies little space and is also extremely portable.
Further the
The accompanying drawings illustrate a bench constructed according to this
invention.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the bench in its folded or collapsed
state.
Fig. 2 being a longitudinal section of the bench when drawn out or extended and
with its head and back portions raised.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bench.
Fig. 4 is an arch or bent piece of cane.
Fig. 5 illustrates the bench in use for bathing the entire body.
Fig. 6 shows the bench in position for bathing a portion only of the body.
The bench consists of a frame b which is provided with four legs a, has at
.ne end the teeth or rack c and is furnished with a frame piece e which is adapted
to be raised or lowered and is provided with stays or struts d.
At its lower
part between the four legs there are four stays in which are suspended the
two baths v. These serve to receive the lathing of the frame and the cane
arch m.
At the lower side of the movable portion of the frame & there is provided a
receptacle o made of sheet metal which is closed at its narrower end and is open at
its wider end as shewn in Fig. 2. In the frame b there is movably mounted a
second frame h which is provided with two legs i (adapted to fold upwards on
hinges) and carries at the opposite end with stops or a cross-bar k to prevent the
frame from being entirely drawn out of the frame b. Both frames are provided
at their upper parts with transverse lathing which in the case of the frame piece h
is removable and is movable on the same so that by moving the lathing along the
frame there can be formed between the frame and the frame piece b an opening
which affords the necessary space for operating when the bench is used for surgical
purposes or for the giving of enemas.
Cane arches m can be erected upon the frame and with the aid of the
clips.
When the bench is to be employed as an ordinary garden or house bench or seat
it is left in its collapsed or folded condition. But if several persons are to sit upon

page_text: the same or articles of a large size are to be placed upon it the movable frame his
drawn out its legs i are turned down the lathing is taken out of the stays fand
placed upon the frame h whereby the bench is lengthened or extended and thus
affords the necessary space.
When the bench is employed for massage or rubbing purposes it is either left in
the position just described or the back piece e is raised by placing the struts d in
the teeth c of the frame 6 according to the required inclination to be given to the
back piece e.
If the bench is to be used in this manner in the open air then for
the purpose of keeping the sun from off the eyes of the occupant a cane arch m is
fixed on the frame piece e and over it is laid a cloth so as to protect the head of
the occupant from the sun whilst the rest of the body remains exposed to the sun
and can thus be given a sun bath. When the bench is to be used for bath
purposes the tub or bath employed is placed under the extensible portion of the
bench the means of generating steam or hot air being advantageously contained in
said tub or bath or the steam or hot air conducted thereto.
The lower part of the receptacle or device o extends into the tub or bath and
thus guides the steam or heated air up to the frame piece e.
In order to prevent
the escape of steam or air cane arches m are fixed at suitable distances apart upon
the frames b and / or on the rising frame e (as shewn in Figs. 5 and 6) and sheets
are spread upon the same.
The body of the "bather" is thus completely covered in all over without his
freedom being hindered thereby in any way.
On leaving the bath it is not necessary that the bather should come out of the
bath with his whole body at once without being properly dried or rubbed. On the
contrary the apparatus just described allows of portions of the body of the bather
to be dried or rubbed one after the other whilst the rest of the body remains in the
bath because said rest of the body is completely surrounded by sheets and cane
arches so that the bather cannot catch cold. If only a portion of the body is to
be bathed then small vertical boards p extending to the bottom of the bench are
inserted between the lathing and cane arches m are fixed at suitable distances upon
the frame and the generator of steam or hot air is brought or the latter is
conducted under the bench between the two boards. The affected part of the
body is then brought over the openings of the lathing situated above said space
enclosed between the upright boards
P. and upon the cane arches there is placed a
sheet and thus leaves the rest (the healthy part) of the body free.
When the bench is to be employed for surgical purposes or for giving enemas
the lathing of the part is removed according to requirement and the bench is
then ready for the purpose required.
The six legs of the bench that is to say the four fixed legs a and the two
movable legs are provided with adjustable means of transport such as wheels or
castors as shewn in the drawing. At the (outer) foot end of the movable bench
piece fixed castors u are provided which also serve as handles for h. This frame
piece is rounded at the top at its opposite inner end and can be turned down as
indicated in dotted lines in the drawing (Fig. 2) whereby the bench can also be
used as an easy chair or lounge. The side pieces of the movable frame h are
grooved (i.e. may have flanges formed or mounted) on their inner edges so that the
baths resting in ƒ can also be placed in h and then be covered over with the loose
lathing l
This enables an invalid to have partial baths without the necessity of being
removed from the bench. For this purpose the corresponding transverse laths
are drawn out so as to enable that portion of the body of the invalid which is to
have the said partial bath to dip into the bath below it.
By placing ice into the bath suspended inside the upper frame piece h and then
placing the invalid upon the bench (ie. upon the laths I supported thereon) and
then if furthermore a sheet be placed upon the cane arches that are fixed in
position the invalid will be situated in a cold air bath which will incommode him
much less than the application of ice or ice bags or cold water applied direct.

page_text: In providing steam baths a high-sided bath can be placed under the frame h so
as to form a movable partition which as already stated may also be constituted by
means of small boards.
The sheet metal receptacle o is arranged to be removable or may rest when not
employed for bathing purposes upon fillets or bars in the frame piece e.
In the case of operations the said receptacle may serve for the reception of the
instruments etc.; and can even be employed to hold refreshments when the bench
is converted into a promenade or bath-chair by use of its movable rollers r.
This invention has also the advantage of enabling water of different temperatures
to be always at hand in sufficient quantities for bathing purposes for children as
well as for grown up people.
The castors are fixed to the legs of the bench by means of hinges pivotted
on a pin s in such a manner that they can be fixed in any position by means of
split or other pins (ie. turned down when in use and turned up when not
required).
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 :-
1. A bench for the purposes described having in combination two frames such
as band adapted to be slid one into the other and provided with legs such as a i
a rack c on the frame b a movable part e of said frame provided with a strut d
adapted to engage in said rack c to adjust said part e at any desired angle
removable lathing such as provided on the frames e and h a sheet metal
receptacle o and arches or bent pieces m mounted upon the frames be and h
substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
2. In a bench of the character claimed in Claim 1 the combination therewith of
movable castors such as r carried in arms pivotted at s which are kept by means of
pins such as t either in their upper or in their lower position as may be desired
and either acting in conjunction or not with castors such as u provided on the
extensible frame piece h so that with the movable back portion e raised the bench
is thus converted into a promenade or bath-chair substantially in the manner and
for the purposes herein before set forth.
3. The improved arrangement construction and combination of parts forming a
beuch substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 29th day of May 1895.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.