An Improved Portable Douche or Shower Bath.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Douche or Shower Bath.
We, CELESTINO GIRO, of Via XX Settember, and LEONE SACERDOTE, of Via
Ospedale 28, both in Turin, in the Kingdom of Italy, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to bo performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention relates to an apparatus by means of which a person may readily
and conveniently douche himself upon the head or any other part of the body.
A form of construction of this apparatus is represented by way of example in
the accompanying drawing.
The device consists of a hollow body or vessel A provided at its lower portion
with a finely perforated diaphragm ab and at its upper portion, opposite to the
said diaphragm, with a valve scat e supporting a valve d. This latter is con-
nected with the extremity of a lever e f g which is fulcrumed at f in such a manner
that when the arm g of the lever is depressed the valve is lifted and opened. To
the extremity g of the lever is attached a tension rod terminating in a knob h
which is arranged upon the supporting arm or handle Cattached to the vessel A.
This support C is united to the vessel A at an angle such that upon seizing it
at its extremity and raising it the aperture B of the vessel A is situated above
and the diaphragm ab opposite thereto, below.
The knob is arranged in proximity to the handle or lower extremity of the
support in such a manner that it may be pulled with a finger of the hand with
which the apparatus is held. The vessel A. is filled by immersing it in a receptacle
containing water and opening the aperture B by acting upon the knob h.
The knob is now released thus causing the valve to again fall upon its seat and
close;
the apparatus may then be moved without its being possible for the water
to escape therefrom. When the vessel A has been raised to the desired position,
the knob is again acted upon, the valve rises, air enters the vessel A and the
water issues from the lower portion thereof through the diaphragm a b, falling
upon the required part of the body of the person holding the apparatus.
When, as in the example represented in the drawing, the whole of the operat-
ing mechanism is contained within the support or handle of the device, some
means may advantageously be provided for preventing the water from entering
the handle where its presence should be prejudicial. A closing diaphragm or
partition i arranged about the fulcrum may be employed to this end.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to performed, we declare that what
we claim is;-
An apparatus enabling the self-application of a douche or shower bath
characterised by a hollow body or vessel finely perforated upon its lower portion
and provided with a valve at its upper and opposite portion in combination with
a suitable supporting arm upon which is provided, in proximity to the handle, a
knob by means of which the valve may be actuated in such a manner that, having
grasped the apparatus it may be immersed in water with the valve open, the

page_text: valve then closed and the apparatus raised to the desired height when upon again
opening the valve the shower of water falls upon the user where desired.
Hated this 97th day of May 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.