US54655A - Improvement in compressed-air baths - Google Patents

Description

N.PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D- C /mw M22/MW /fffg Nrrnn STATES PATENT PAUL fr. WARE, or TORONTO, cANADA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 54,655, dated May 8, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL T. WARE, ot' Toronto, in the county of York and Province of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compressed-Air Baths for the Treatment of Diseases; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure lis acentralvertical section of abathing apartment with my surrounding case or jacket and other improvements. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same in the plane of line w w, Fig. l, showing a plan of the bottom, the air-heating and air-purifying cylinders, and condenser or force-pump. Fig. 3 is a section made by the same plane, but looking in an opposite direction, representing a plan of the under side of the ceiling or top of the bathing-apartment. Fig. 4t is a central vertical section of the heating and purifying cylinders and condensing-pump. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a different arrangement of the pipes with the purifying steam and ice cylinders.

Like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the tgures.

My invention relates to the method ofadministerin g com pressedair baths as patented by 0. Stone, October 24, 1865 and it consists of the following improvements: first, the warming of the compressed-air chamber by means of a steam or hot-air coil, or its equivalent, surrounding the same and inclosed within a nonconducting case or jacket for the equal and uniform diffusion of warmth throughout the apartment occupied by the patient; second, heating the compressed air before it is intro duced into the bath'ehamber by means of a coil passing through a steam-chest condenser; third, the arrangement and employment of cocks or valves, which are accessible only to the patient, by which he can regulate the temperature to adapt'it to his comfort and requirements, thereby avoiding the miscalcula tions and errors ot' outside attendants, which `might result fatally by raising the temperature two high fourth, the arrangement of safety-valve which is inaccessible to the patient, so that the pressure of the condensed air cannot be made to exceed a certain safe limit, whereby the possibility of bursting the chamber is prevented; fifth, the method of introducing water against the pressure of the condensed air in the chamber, to administer a shower-bath to the patient while taking the warm bath 5 sixth, introducing artificiallyheated air into the bath-chamber, and also artificial heat around the exterior wall of the same by means of the heating-coil c, or by other means of radiation and absorption, simultaneously with the act of relieving the bathchamber from the pressure of condensation, in order to counteract the reduction of the temperature within said chamber by the heat becoming latent in consequence of the sudden rarefaction of the air.

As represented in the drawings, Ais the compressed-air chamber or bathing-apartment, conapartmentA, and leaving an air-spacebetween the two cylinders.

a c is a steam or hot-air coil surrounding the compressed -air chamber, for the purpose of heating the sides ofthe same and the surrounding space, and thereby preventing the radiation of heat from the former.

C is the air-condenser or force-pump, which may be of any suitable construction. From this pump the compressed air is forced through the eductionpipe b into the purifier D, which consists of an air-tight cylinder partially illed with lime-water or other absorbent of carbonicacid gas and other deleterious properties present in the air employed. From this cylinder it emerges by pipes 6 c, through which, when used cold, it passes directly into the bathchamber; but if required to be warmed the i passage through this pipeis closed at its termination by the cap 7c, which causes the air to diverge through the pipe f into the coil dwhich is situated in a heating-cylinder, E, provided with steam exit and entrance pipes d2 cl3, by which'the coil is kept surrounded by the exhaust-steam of the engine which drives the pump. From the heater the air enters the bath through the pipe g g. The valve d', by which the heat is regulated by the amount of steam permitted to enter the heater E, is under the control ot' the patient in the bath, as will be hereinafter described.

The compressedair apartmentAmaybe con structed in any suitable manner so as to be air-tight. It is secured against expansion by means of a central bar, F, and four or more rods connecting the upper and lower base plates, it. In the bottom is spread a stratum, j, of plaster-of-paris, lime, or other porous material, through which passes the cold-air pipe e to the center of the chamber, where it terminates, and is provided with a screw-cap, 7c, for closing the same when required.

The hot-air pipe g is formed in a coil, g g', resting on the stratum j, which also terminates at the center, where it has a thread cut on its end for screwing' on cap 7c.

At the top and bottom of the apartment are two valves or stop-cocks, Z Z', of any suitable construction, and both accessible to the patient or occupant of the chamber, the upper one, l, opening into a pipe, fm, through which the air may be discharged into the chimneyv or other main flue, or directlyinto the open air. lz is a safety-valve of similar construction, inaccessible to a person within, but accessible from without by means of the passage m from the jacket B. The valves l Z are accessible to the occupant of the bath, so that he may regulate the amount of air-pressure in the chamber according to his sensations, which cannot be known by an attendant outside of the bath. As the compressed air from the pump is constantly entering to supply that which is consumed in breathing, the regulation of the escape valves determines the pressure maintained in the bath, which may be that of two or three atmospheres, or more or less, according to theystrength and condition of the patient; but as the sensation from inhaling the condensed air is usually agreeable and exhilerating, patients are liable to produce too great a pressure by keepin gthe escape-valves too much closed, and thereby incur danger from the burstingof thebath-chamber. Topreventthis the safety-valve Z2 is made inaccessible to the occupant, and is loaded so that it will open before the pressure of air within the chamber reaches a point that might be dangerous.

A depression, a, is formed in the stratum j, through which and the bottom plate, t', is an opening, a', having a pipe, 0, leading therefrom, through which the water, in bathing, is discharged, the hole a being closed by a plug, p, or other suitable means.

Gis afloor of wood or other suitable material above the coil gg, perforated or formed of slats, with spaces between them for the passage of the water and air, as shown in Fig 2.

VIngress and egress is had into and from the apartment A through a door, H, and a suitable inclosed passage through the surrounding air space and jacket B. The door swings inward, and is made tight by the air within the room pressing the same against a rubber or other suitable packing, q, Fig. 2.

The bath-chamber is properly lighted by windows I I, also provided with inclosed passages opening into the space outside of the jacket.

The pipe a, which supplies steam to the coil a a, is provided with a stop-cock, r, by which the ow through the same, and consequently ,the heat, may be regulated by the patient, the

coil terminating in a pipe, a2, through which the steam escapes.

J is a center-table secured to a sleeve-bracket, which, being provided with a set-screw, s, enables the table to be raised out of the way when required for the entrance ot' a bed or stretcher, as shown in red lines, Fig. 1.

K K are two openings or pipes, provided with suitable stop-cocks t t, for the entrance into and escape of air from the non-conducting space when it is required to cool the central compartment for administeringa cold-air bath.

L and M are two water-reservoirs, represented of cylindrical form, resting on the top of j acket B, the former being designed for cold and the latter for warm water. The water in M may be heated by means of a steam-coil, c c, connected by a pipe, c', with the exhaustpipe of the engine. rlhe degree of heat is regulated by a stop-cock, r', in pipe c', which is operated by the occupants ot' the apartment A, as shown in Figs. l and 2. Pipes w w extend downward from the reservoirs into the bathing-apartment, and are provided at their lower ends with perforated plates or other device, and stop-cocks y y for administering shower-baths, hot and cold, whenever desired. Communication is made from the compressedair chamber to the top of the reservoirs L M by means of pipes u a, so as to equalize the pressure of the air, and thereby cause the water to fiow through the pipes 'w 'w when required.

At the conclusion of a cold-air bath, as the pressure is let oli' the bath the heat is absorbed by the rarefaction of the atmosphere, which so lowers the temperature as to condense the moisture and produce vapors in the bathchamber. The respiration and circulation of the patients having been so increased by the condensed air that they have breathed as to produce a glow of warmth, the sudden reduction of the temperature from this cause is attended with very unpleasant effects, and with rigors and chills that are pernicious to those ofenfeebled condition. Hence some provision adequate to restore the amount of caloric that has become latent or insensible by the expansion of the air when relieved from pressure becomes necessary. To counteract this effect the air is blown through the heater, so as to deliver warm air into the bath-chamber, and thus prevent the patient becoming chilled. This may be done through the same pipe by turning it through the heater, or by another pipe for the purpose. When but one pipe is used it passes in a coil through the steam-heater; but the steam is not let on to heat it until the pressure is being let off the bath, producing the condition which requires an elevation of the temperature to p rotect the patient from injurious chilling. rllhe heated air may also be made to circulate through the heating-coil a surrounding the exterior of the bath-chamber simultaneously with the letting off of the pressure within the bath, so as to aid in maintaining the uniform temperature at the close of the operation which is so essential to the comfort and welfare of the patient.

1n warm weather it may be desirable to cool the air by passing it through an ice-cylinder before it enters the bath-chamber. Fig. 5 represents an arrangement for this purpose, in which Q represents the ice-cylinder, and e' a branch pipe, which, diverging from e soon after the latter leaves the purifier, opens into the ice-cylinder. At the bottom of this cylinder a pipe, c2, conducts the cooled air into pipe g, with which it forms a junction before the latter enters the bath-chamber. "Near the junction of the pipes e c', and in the same, is a double valve or stop-cock, operated by the handle e3 within the bath-room, and so arranged that when the valve in one pipe is open that in the other will be closed, and vice versa. By this means the purified air from D may be made to pass through either the ice or steam cylinder, or through both, by turning the handle c3 so as to leave both valves partially open. This arrangement renders it necessary for only one pipe, g, to enter the bathchamber, and thereby dispenses with the use of pipe e and cap 1c within the same.

The operation of my improvements, constructed as before described, is as follows: The safety-valve is rst adjusted so that the pressure within the bath-chamber cannot exceed a certain safe limit. The patient or patients then enter the apartment through doorH and the condensingdyumptlis set in motion. Then, if a cold bath is required, the occupant closes the hot-air pipe g by the means of the screwcap 7c, leaving the cold-air pipe e open. The air which has been forced through pipe b escapes through the perforations in c into the lime-water or other preparation in the purifier D, when, in rising through the same, as shown by arrow, Fig. 4, the greater affinity of the lime attracts and retains the impurities in it, the now purified air being forced through pipe cinto the apartment, where it is discharged through the open end of the same. The patient can now regulate the degree of compression of the air by means of either or both of the valves l l', adjusting the same according to the pressure required, the employment of both being preferable, as it elects a better ventilation by allowing an escape, from both the top and bottom, of the vitiated air. He can modify the temperature of the room to suit his requirements by means of the handle d! of the steamvalve, as heretofore described.

When a Warm bath is required the patient transfers the cap k to pipe e, leaving the hotair pipe g' open, which compels the air to pass through the heating-cylinder, pipe g, and coil g', from whence it escapes into the bath-chamy ber. The temperature of the air and room are regulated bythe handle cl, as before stated, and by the handler of the valve which regulates the ow through the surrounding steamcoil a a.

The water shower-baths can be taken at any time during either of the air -baths by the patient merely turning the cocks y or y', as a warm or cold one is required, the temperature ofthe warm one being regulated by the valvcr.

The advantages of these improvements are obvious when it is considered that the effect of subjecting patients differently constituted to the inhalation of compressed air is widely different, producing variations in the circulation varying with the vital energy and plethoric condition of the patient. As he is for the time isolated from all communication outside,

it is highly important that there should be provided the most perfect and complete means of adapting the temperature to his wants, both in respect to the whole apartment and to the air which is supplied by the pump. Thus, as the treatment produces a sense of chilliness in some, while in others of a more plethoric habit great heat prevails as a natural consequence of the increased amount of carbon consumed in the system, the only means of making the treatment safe and agreeable is to place all of the valves which control the temperature and quantity of air under the patients own control. Provided With suitable instructions before entering, he may then safely and easily go through the various vprocesses and conditions ofthe treatment, modifying it from hot to cold, as he may require, by simply manipulating the valves, and taking a showerbath of water (cold or warm) while breathing air of two or three fold density.

The improvements which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, are- 1 In combination with the compressed-air chamberl A and exterior jacket, B, the heatingcoil a, or its equivalent, for radiating warmth equally through the metallic sides or walls of said bath-chamber, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement of the steam-chest E and compressed-air coil d d and valve d within the bath-chamber A, for warming and regulating the temperature of the condensed air before it enters thc bath, substantially as shown and described.

3. In combination with a closed chamber or vessel for condensing air-baths and the pipes for the induction and eduction of air, Water, Svc., into and from the same, the employment ot' valves rr and d', arranged within the bathchamber so as to be controlled and operated exclusively by the patient confined therein, substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.

4. In combination with a compressed-air bath chamber, the safety-valve l2, so arranged as to be inaccessible to the occupant of the bath, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In combination with the air-chamber A and water-reservoirs L and M, the pipes u u, or their equivalent, for the purpose of maintaining within said reservoirs a pressure corresponding With that within the air-bath, as and for the lpurposes set forth.

6. In connection with the cold-air bath, the

introduction or application of artificial heat In witness whereof I have hereunto signed into or in contact with the compressed-air bath my name in the presence of two subscribing simultaneously with the letting oft' of the cou- Witnesses.

densed air, for the purpose of restoring the caloric which becomes latent by the sudden PAUL T.Y"WARE. rarefaction of the air in the bath-chamber,

thereby preventing the formation of vapor and Witnesses:

the chilling of the patient, substantially as JAY HYATT,

herein set forth. J. C. 000K.

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