Improved Construction of Portable Sweating Bath, Applicable also for other Useful Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Construction of Portable Sweating Bath, Applicable also
for other Useful Purposes.
I, QUIMBY SILAS BACKUS, of 1734 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to construct or arrange an apparatus of a portable
character that it may be used when expanded as a Sweating or Turkish Bath, as a
Photographer's Dark Room, as a Tent, as a Cupboard or a Wardrobe and as a
Travelling Trunk or box when contracted.
The apparatus consists of a circular or other shaped pan in metal, to the inside, near
the top, is fixed one or more strong wires in preferably circular order and also folding
legs which may be tubular with other tubes, or they may he rods telescoping within
them the upper ends of the smaller tubes or rods being provided with knuckle jointed
end pieces or with extensions for carrying a canopy or cover, this having also wires
attached to its inner side corresponding to the wires of the pan for attachment of a
curtain or screen which when the article is folded into small compass lodges between
the wires and the pan but which when extended forms the wall, within which a person
may stand or be seated for the purpose of being sweated an oil lamp or other means of
heating the interior and producing sweat being employed.
The cover has a hole through its centre provided with a neck band to close round
the persons neck, his head being outside and his body encased. The seat, if a seat be
required is of the folding kind, so as to pack within the pan when the article is not in
use or when being moved, such as when travelling.
If the article be used as a Wardrobe hooks or rails may be provided for hanging up
articles of wearing apparel.
The pan portion can also be used for stowing articles of wearing apparel when
travelling or when the article is extended it can be used as a Photographer's dark roomD
or for other purposes.

page_text: The canvas which is of a waterproof material has preferably only one side, slit,
through which a person may pass, the slit being secured by any means of fastening
to prevent escape of moisture while being used as a bath.
Dated this 29th day of December 1887
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Q. S. Backus.
SUMTUPI
DMPICATION.
Improved Construction of Portable Sweating Bath, Applicable also
for other Useful Purposes.
I, QUIMBY SILAS BACKUS, of 1734 North 15th Street, Philadelphia, State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Engineer, 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 object of this invention is to construct or arrange an apparatus of a portable
character that it may be used, when expanded, as a Sweating or Turkish Bath, as a
Photographer's Dark Room, as a Tent as a Cupboard or a Wardrobe, and as a
Travelling Trunk or box when contracted.
My invention will be clearly understood by the annexed drawings. Figure 1 is a
view of the skeleton frame of the apparatus in an extended form and Figure 2 a view
of the same partly contracted.
The apparatus is composed of a pan A having on the inside, a series of, say, three
lugs B, B, B, to which are jointed tubes C, C, C, as uprights when extended or folded
upwards.
The tubes C, C, C, have telescoping within them, other tubes D, D, D, the tops of
which are attached by rubber strips E, E, E, to upper tubes F, F, F, said rubber
strips E, E, E, serving as knee or knuckle joints for folding inwards when sleeve
tubes G, G, G, are released from pinch screw contact with the upper rods F, F, and
slid up said rods as at Figure 2.
The upper rods F, F, F, are jointed to ears H, H, H, which in conjunction with the
lugs B, B, B, give direction for the proper infolding of the rods C, F, so that when
completely lowered they occupy a compact position within the bottom pan A. The
ears H, H, H, depend from a top ring or frame I, on which the rings of a canopy, or
cover can be arranged, said cover being preferably in a piece with the body K and
laced by other rings to a wire or band L fitted in the lower part of the pan A, so that
j

page_text: when the body canvas is drawn round, as at Figure 3, it serves to enclose any article
that may be placed inside. The meeting edges of the cover K are provided with snap
buttons, which keep it closed, as represented by Figure 4, where the apparatus is
indicated in use as a sweating bath, the band or contraction from the centre of the
cover J serving to fasten round the neck of a person for retaining the heat within, and
so produce a sweating action upon the person's body, this being increased if desired
by the introduction of a pail of hot water, or by spirit, or other lamp placed within the
pan A.
According to the view Figure 3 where the neck band of the cover is drawn tightly
together, the apparatus can be used as a dark room for a Photographer, as a tent for
temporarilly storing, say, cricket bats, or the clothing of players in a field, or in the
case where the apparatus is erected within a house it could be used as a Wardrobe, or
for other purposes to which it may be found available, the apparatus being perfectly
rigid when expanded and capable of sustaining a great weight within it.
According to Figure 5, which shows the pan A as having the uprights C, F, and
ring I lowered with the canvas K within it (closely packed) whereby the apparatus is
always available for extension and if it be desired to use the apparatus as a Travelling
Trunk, many articles of clothing can be placed upon the canvas J and a lid M be put
on, as at Figure 6, and secured in position to constitute a Travelling Trunk with all
the appliances for a sweating or Turkish bath within it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The construction and arrangement of the apparatus, shown at Figures 1 and 2,
capable of expansion when provided with an outside canvas J, K, as a sweating bath,
or as a Wardrobe, a Photographer's dark room, or other useful purpose, and when
contracted by the means described with reference to Figure 2, the upper frame can be
lowered into the pan A to enable said pan and its cover M to be used as a Travelling
Trunk or box as set forth.
2. The particular construction or arrangement of the tubes C, F, and their connection
by the telescopic tubes D, D, and rubber knee pieces E, E, for folding purposes, also
the employment of the tubes G over the knee pieces and tubes Cas a means for locking
the apparatus in an expanded condition as hereinbefore described.
741
1
1930
The 17th day of August 1908.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Quimby Silas Backus.