Improvements in or Appertaining to Portable Shower Baths.
Year: 1889

page_text: · Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 29th June, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Appertaining to Portable Shower Baths.
I, DAVID GROVE of 24 Friedrich Strasse, in the City of Berlin, Germany, Sanitary
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 :-
My invention relates to the construction of a portable shower bath, which is
remarkable for the simplicity and cheapness of its construction, the readiness with
which the said apparatus can be operated and the small space required for storing the
same, so that my improved portable shower bath appears most admirably adapted for
general use in families, or public, military, factory and other baths, where only a
comparatively small space is available and where simplicity of construction is necessary
in order to prevent expense of erection and maintenance.
The apparatus can be readily placed in any ordinary room and can be set in
operation by the person desiring to bathe.
Figure 1 represents my improved portable shower bath, partly in section, and
partly in elevation.
Figures 2 and 3 represent details of the same.
a is a water reservoir consisting preferably of an ordinary beer or other barrel, into
the bung hole of which a funnel like filling device b with ball valve c is driven or
screwed, and by means of which cold or warm water can be filled into the barrel up
to the bung hole, when the water in the barrel will force the ball valve c outwards
thus producing an air tight closure of the barrel and preventing air and water escaping
from the same at this point. A tube d for feeding in the air and pressing the water
to the rose i is inserted in the tap hole and is provided with a threaded conical
stuffing box d¹ so as to be air tight. This conical stuffing box is preferably cast in
one piece with the casting g containing the air and water ways g¹², the ball valve h
and stopper h². The air way g' is connected to the air pump e, and the water way gʻ
to the tube fleading to the rose i.
The ball valve is arranged to play in its casing h¹ between the two ways, id est,
the air way gl and the water way g³, the valve casing being closed by the screw
stopper h, and is in connection with the water way g' by means of the opening k.
The tube fleading to the rose is provided with an appropriate cock in order to
enable the supply of water to the rose i to be turned on or off as may be desired.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:
--
When the requisite quantity of warm or cold water has been put into the reservoir a
through the funnel b, the ball valve c, which up to this time had been kept in contact
with the stop pin or pins c³, is pressed onto its seat so as to produce an air tight
closure. The air pump e is now operated and the air sucked in by the same driven
through the air way g, the valve casing, the opening or port k, the water way g'
and tube d into the reservoir a, when the piston is pressed down, so that the free
space above the water in the reservoir a will gradually become filled with compressed
air. As soon as the pressure of the air in this reservoir is sufficient, the cock / may
be turned on and the water in the reservoir will be compelled, by the pressure of air
above the same, to ascend in the tube d, pass through the water way g³, through the
tube f, up into the rose i and to issue from the same in the form of spray. Although
the water sinks in the reservoir the ball valve c will not leave its seat as the pressure
of air in the valve is greater than that of the atmosphere. The valve h may also be
kept pressed firmly against the seat until the water in the said reservoir is exhausted.
Instead of forming the ways g¹ and g² in one casting, the same may be composed of
tubes connected in suitable manner to the valve casing and the other parts of the
annaratus

page_text: 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 :-
A portable shower bath having a water reservoir a, a funnel 6, an automatic ball
valve c fitted thereto and adapted to supply a limited quantity of water to the reservoir,
an air feeding and water pressure tube d, with a conical stuffing box d¹, inserted in
said reservoir and connected by a guide way g with tube for pressing water to the
rose i, said tube f having a cock 1, in combination with an air pump e and a casting g
comprising air ways g¹ g², the ball valve h and a stopper ², all arranged and adapted
to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.