AN IMPROVED BED OR COUCH FOR FACILITATING THE USE OF CLYSTERS OR INJECTIONS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED BED OR COUCH FOR FACILITATING THE
USE OF CLYSTERS OR INJECTIONS."-A communication from abroad
by Madame Barret, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 13th February 1872, and dated the 25th August 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th August 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
5 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BED OR COUCH FOÝ

page_text: FACILITATING THE USE OF CLYSTERS OR INJECTIONS," a communication, to be
as follows:-
Injections of all kinds are often difficult to administer to women, but
by the aid of the peculiar bed to which this Invention relates they may
be easily taken and retained.
This bed is of metal or wood, and either jointed, flexible, or rigid.
At the foot of the bed there is an elevating piece, whereby the patient
is placed with the head low and the body in such a position that the
liquids when once introduced are retained by their own weight. An
automatic or other injector or injecting pump is placed at the proper
height, either at the foot or side of the bed within reach of the patient.
At the centre of the bed and projecting above the same is a seat pan,
its sides forming cushions for olevating the body and facilitating the
reception and retention of the liquids. This pan may be of metal,
ceramic waro, hard india-rubber, or any other suitable material; it is
provided at the bottom with a discharge cock. The bed may be plain
or furnished and covered in any manner desired; it may be in the form
of a sofa, an armchair, a sofa-bedstead, or any other seat which will
serve as an article of furniture while disguising its especial use. If in the
form of an armchair, for instance, the back will be jointed to turn
down; a part of the arms will be placed across the front for resting and
elevating the feet. The seat will havo a reservoir concealed within its
substance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent;
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st February 1872.
1
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM 30
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
5 give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert
Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
O after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven
tion for "AN IMPROVED BED OR COUCH FOR FACILITATING THE USE OF CLYSTERS
OR INJECTIONS," a communication to me from abroad by Madame Baṛrąt,
of Paris, France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said.
William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in "what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom.
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
Injections of all kinds are often difficult to administer to women, the
liquids not being introduced without difficulty and not being retained,
but by the aid of the peculiar bed to which this Invention relates their
reception and retention are easily effected.
This bed is of metal or wood, and either jointed, flexible, or rigid.'
At the foot of the bed there is an elevating piece, whereby the patient
is placed with the head low and the body in such a position that the
liquids when once introduced are retained by their own weight. An
automatic or other injector or injecting pump is placed at the proper
height, either at the foot or side of the bed, within reach of the patient..
At the centre of the bed and projecting above the same is a seat pan,

page_text: its sides forming cushions for elevating the body and facilitating the
reception and retention of the liquids. This pan may be of metal,
erramic ware, hard india-rubber, or any other suitable material; it is
provided at the bottom with a discharge cock. The bed may be plain
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or furnished and covered in any manner desired.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing illustrates the said Invention.
a is the bed frame of metal, which may be either jointed or rigid, as
desired; b is the head; c is the elevating piece for the feet, and upon.
which is placed the injector; d is the pan; e is the injector, whose
clyster pipe is furnished with a sponge stopper.
1
I may also use a sofa, an armchair, a sofa-bedstead, or any other
seat or support which will serve as an article of furniture while dis-
guising its especial use, If I use an arm-chair for instance, the back
will be jointed to turn down; a part of the arms will be placed across
the front for resting and elevating the feet. The seat will have a 1
reservoir concealed within its substance,
Any connections, joints, or means of fastening, such as are com-
monly used in the manufacture of similar articles of furniture, may be
employed.
. As will be seen by the above description the object of the said Inven-
tion is the retention of the liquids, and I will now describe a peculiar
injector or clyster pipe, whose form obviates the necessity of employing
sponge. This injector may be made of any suitable material, but it
must have a conę to serve as an obdurator or stopper.
Figure 2 of the Drawing represents this new injector. a is the ex-
tremity of the same with orifices for the passage of the injection; b is
the obdurator cone of hard india-rubber or other suitable material more
or less elastic for preventing the escape of the liquids; c is the extremity
of the injector, which is to be connected with any suitable reservoir,
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same,
I wish it understood that I claim the above described injection bed or
couch, having as its distinguishing peculiarity the capability of assuming
a form appropriate for placing the body in the most convenient position
for receiving the injection, and for insuring the retention of the same

page_text: during the time necessary to produce its effect, and the application of
this method of construction to chairs and arm chairs, sofas, sofa-bedsteads,
or other seats or supports.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
EDWARD C. Jackson,
W. ROBT, LAKE. (L.S.)