Improvements in Water-bags for the Local Application of Heat or Cold to the Body.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1895
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Water-bags for the Local Application of Heat or
Cold to the Body.
I, WILLIAM H. DALY, of Bayonne City, in the County of Hudson, and State
of New Jersey, United States of America, Broker, 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 invention relates to water-bags or similar therapeutic appliances for the local
application of heat or cold to the body. The object of the invention is to enable
the operator or user to conveniently handle the bulky bag containing the hot or
cold fluid, and to hold it for a more or less prolonged period without difficulty on
the desired portion of the body.
In carrying out my invention I provide a liquid-proof bag constructed of a
material capable of withstanding the temperatures to which the bag is subjected in
service without leakage, and so construct it that the operator or user may secure it
to the hand. For this purpose the bag may be constructed in the form of a mitten
or glove, or may have a non-conducting backing of flexible material secured to it,
or may be provided with straps or a handle by which it may be gripped by the
hand.
With this object in view the invention comprises a liquid-proof bag adapted to
be filled with or emptied of a liquid and provided with means for holding it in the
hand. The several features of novelty of the invention will be more particularly
hereinafter described, and will be definitely indicated in the claims appended to
this Specification.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention,
Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of the invention, and Figure 2 is a section
of the same on a plane indicated by the line x-y, Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a plan view of a modification of the invention, and Figure 4 is a
sectional view of the same;
Figure 5 is a plan view of another modification, and Figure 6 a sectional view
of the same.
In Figure 1 the device comprises a hollow glove or mitten with a space between
its inner and outer walls a, a¹ and with a protruding neck or funnel 6 at a suitable
point, in which fits a screw plug or stopper by removing which the bag may be
filled with liquid. The hand may then be inserted within the mitten-shaped space
in the interior and the bag applied locally and held in place without material
discomfort to the operator. In lieu of having the space to receive the hand
entirely surrounded by water, one side of the bag may be provided with a glove
or mitteu-shaped receptacle for the hand, or straps may be secured thereto, as
indicated at d, d¹ in Figure 3, and the surface of the bag next to the hand may be
covered with a heat non-conducting fabric, as felt, as indicated at e. In the form
shown in Figure 1 the inner wall of the mitten may also be lined with felt. In
some cases, also, it is desirable to mitigate the intensity of the heat upon the
surface to which it is applied, and in such cases the bag may be provided with a
felt or other poor heat conducting surface, as indicated at fin Figure 4. In lieu
of the straps d, d', indicated in Figure 3, a non-conducting backing of wood, as
indicated at g in Figure 6 may be provided, and rigid metal straps h, h¹ be secured
to the wooden backing. The filling orifice b, when the bag is in the form of a
mitten, is preferably located at the open end so as not to obstruct the use of the
device.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
'
3
1. The device for the local application of heat or cold to any part of the body at
the will of the patient comprising a waterproof receptacle for a liquid formed and
constructed for attachment to the human hand.
2. A water-bag having a waterproof cavity for hot or cold- liquid, and means for
filling or emptying, and provided with a hand pocket, straps or similar devices
for fitting it to the human hand in a convenient and effective manner for convenience
of manipulation.
3. The water-bag provided with hand pockets or fastenings for convenience of
manipulation, and a layer of good non-conducting material over the wall of the
bag against which the hand bears in use.
.
"
u
WILLIAM H. DALY.