US2555686A - Whirlpool bath - Google Patents

Description

INVENTORS l AT1-ORNE Filed June 12, 1945 F. J. FARRELLY ET AL WHIRLPOOL BATH June 5, 1951 Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 2,555,686 WHIRLPGL BATH Francis J. Farrelly, New York, andl Peter Catanzaro, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Mary Farrelly, executrix of said Francis J. Farrelly, deceased, assigner to said Cantanzaro and Peter Guba, Ridgefield,

Application June 12, 1946, Serial No. 676,320

(Cl. 26h-36) 6 Claims. l

This invention relates to apparatus commonly referred toas baths, of the type and kind where water is agitated in a tank or vessel, and still further, where air is introduced into the water. Baths of this type and kind have been utilized by the medical profession in the treatment of injuries to the body, or in treatment of other body ailments. More particularly, the invention deals in the provision of an apparatus for controlling the discharge of water from the bath and utilizing this means also in introducing air into the bath and in agitating the water in the vessel. Still more particularly, the invention deals in a unit which is readily attachable and detachable with respect to the tank and adjustable to control positioning of the unit in the tank. The novel features of the invention will be best under-- stood from the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which: y

Fig. l is a sectional View through a portion of a tank showing one of my improved units in a partially raised position in the tank, and with part of the support of said unit shown in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of part of theunit, as seen in Fig. l, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the lower end portion of the structure shown in Fig. 2, showing parts in a different position.

In Fig. l of the drawing, shown at Ill, is part of a tank or vessel of a whirlpool bath; I I showing a part of the bottom wall and I2 part of one side wall. On the side wall I2 is an outwardly extending bracket portion I3 in which is secured. an elongated sleeve t4, which forms a guide and support for a rod I5 of one of the improved units I E. The rod I5 operates upon a spring Il in the sleeve I4 to normally support the unit in raised position in the tank I0. The rod I4 has two or more notches Ill therein adapted to be engaged by a key pin I9 supported in the bracket I3 to retain the unit IS in a partially or fully lowered position in the tank, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 respectively, the unit being held in this position against the action of the spring Il.

On the upper end of the rod E5 is a motor supporting bracket arm on which is suitably supported an electric motor 2l. The lower portion of the motor has a reduced extension 22 which is adapted to t in and be secured in an enlarged upper portion 23 of `a sleeve 24, set screws 25 being employed to secure the motor in position. Fixedly secured in the sleeve 24 is a downwardly extending tubular frame 26, to the lower end of which is secured a ian casing or housing 2l. Secured to the tubular frame is a pair of bracket arms 2328 having apertured ends, as at 29-29 in which is freely mounted a tubular valve shaft30. Arranged between the brackets 2323 and on the threaded portion 3| of the shaft 30 is a feed nut` or disc 32, so that in the rotation of said disc, the shaft 30 may be raised and lowered. Upward movement of the shaft 3@ is controlled by a stop collar 33 engaging the lower arm 28' and lower movement of the shaft is controlled by the end 34 of the valve head 35 striking the bottom of the recess 35 in the fan casing 2l, as seen in `Eig. 3 of the drawing. l

The valve head 35 is fixedly secured to the lower end of the shaft 30 and this head has a bore 3'! with which the passage 33 of the shaft 30 communicates, and the wall of the valve head has on opposite sides thereof, and at different vertical levels, discharge ports 39 and 4G. rIhe port 39 is adapted to be brought into registering position with an air discharge passage 4I in the casing 21 and with a tube extension 42 secured in said casing, the tube extension preferably has a larger diameter bore 43 than the passage 4I.

The main portion of the casing 2l is dishshaped in form, and this casing has a side tubular extension 44 discharging outwardly through one side of the casing, as seen at 45. The valve head 35 is adapted to transverse the extension 44 to block off and seal the discharge e5 when the head 35 is in the lowered position, as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing, in which position the port 43 of the valve head registers with the interior 4S of the casing.

The lower part of the casing 2 is open and adapted to be closed by a cover plate 4l.. rThis plate has a central tubular opening 45 at the lower portion thereof, partially formed by a cir cumferential ange 49 and this ange has a series of circumferentially spaced openings 5l! through which water in the tank I0 can be discharged.

The casing 21 has an upwardly extending tubular portion 5I to which the tubular frame 25 is secured and Within the extension 5i is' a bushing or bearing 52, for a coupling shaft 53, the 'lower end of the shaft extending into chamber 43 of the casing 2l, and secured thereto is a fan or propeller 54. The shaft 53 has a coupling sleeve 55 secured to the upper end thereof, the sleeve 55 projecting above the upper end of the shaft 53-'to receive the downwardly extending 3 motor shaft 56 to which the sleeve 55 is also securedor keyed.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that in the operation of the motor 2|, the shaft 53 together with the fan or propeller 54 are rotated and water can be drawn into the chamber 46 of the casing from the tank and passed out through the discharge 45 in agitating or whirling the water in the tank, and at the same time, air from a suitable source of supply can be passed downwardly through the shaft and out through the tubulardischarge 43 adjacent the discharge of the water at 45. It will be understood that a flexible air hose or the like is attached to the upper end of the shaft 3, but this hose has been omitted, as it forms no direct part of the present invention.

The above operation takes place with the valve head in the position shown in Fig. 2. In lowering the valve head to the position shown in Fig. 3, the unit may be utilized to discharge the water from the tank, in which event, the water will pass from the chamber into the valve head and up through the shaft 30 and out through a hose connected with the upper end of said shaft.A In suchY event, connection with the air supply has been detached and the water discharge hose substituted. This hose may be also utilized forthe purpose of filling the tank by introducing water downwardly through the tube 30 and into thetank through the casing 2 and the opening 48, particularly when the unit is in a raised position, for example, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing. In this last operation, the motor is, of course, not operated.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

l. In baths of the kind defined, an attachment comprising a casing, a propeller in the casing, an electric motor, a shaftfor coupling the motor shaft with said propeller, saidv casing having an opening centrally with respect to the propeller in the casing, the periphery of said casing having a side extension, a discharge passage in said extension, an adjustable valve controlling the dis charge passage of said casing, manual means for adjusting said valve in control of said discharge passage, said valve having a passage therein, a tubular shaft supporting and operating said valve, said shaft forming an air admission passage, and said extension of the casing having an air discharge passage adjacent and angularly to the first named discharge passage of said casing.

2. In baths of the kind defined, an attachment comprising a casing, a propeller in the casing, an electric motor, a shaft for coupling the motor shaft with said propeller, said casing having an opening centrally with respect to the propeller in the casing, the periphery of said casing having a side extension, a discharge passage in said extension, an adjustable valve controlling the discharge passage of said casing, manual means for adjusting said valve in control of said discharge passage, said valve having a passage therein, a tubular shaft supporting and operating said valve, said shaft forming an air admission passage, said extension of the casing having an air discharge passage adjacent and angularly to the first named discharge passage of said casing, and said valve having a passage adapted to place the discharge passage of said casing in communication with the interior of said valve supporting 4 l shaft to discharge iiuid from the bath through said shaft.

3. In devices of the character described, a propeller casing having inlet and outlet passages, a tubular frame extending from said casing, a coupling sleeve secured to the free end of the frame and having an outer enlarged portion forming a seat for an electric motor, means detachably coupling the motor with respect to the enlarged portion of said sleeve, the motor having a shaft extending into said frame, said propeller having a shaft arranged axially of the frame, means within the frame for coupling the motor shaft with the propeller shaft, a pair of bracket arms secured to the frame adjacent said sleeve, means adjustably supporting a tubular valve shaft in said arms, a valve casing adjacent the discharge of the first named casing, and a valve on said valve shaft and operating in said casing in control of the discharge from said propeller casing.

4. In attachments for apparatus of the class described, a casing having intake and dischargev passages, means within the casing drawing fluid into the casing through said intake passage and discharging the same from said discharge passage, a ported tubular plunger valve adjustably slidable in said casing to move into and out of said discharge passage, said valve in one position controlling discharge of fluid through said discharge passage into the apparatus and in another passage through said tubular valve, a tubular shaft extending from and supporting and operating said plunger valve, said casing having an outwardly and downwardly directed tubular extension with a discharge at a point adjacent and angularly to thevfluid discharged from the passage of said casing, and said valve having a port placing the tubular shaft in communication with said tubular extension through the valve in the first named position of said valve, whereby air introduced into the tubulaishaft may be discharged through said tubular extension angularly'to the fluid discharged from said casing.

5. In attachments for apparatus of the class described, a casinghaving intake and discharge passages, means within the casing drawing uid into the casing through said intake passage and discharging the same from said discharge Passage, a ported tubular plunger valve adjustably slidable in said casing to move into and out of said discharge passage, said valve in one position controlling discharge of fluid through said discharge passage into the apparatus and in an-` other passage through said tubular valve, a tubular shaft extending from and supporting and operating said plunger valve, said casing having an outwardly and downwardly directed tubularl extension with a discharge at a point adjacent and angularly to the fluid discharged from the passage of said casing, said valve having a port placing the tubular shaft yin communication with said tubular extension through theV valve inthe 6. In attachments for apparatus of the'class' v described, a casing having intake and dischargek passages, means within the casing drawing fluid into the casing through said intake passage and discharging the same from said discharge passage, a ported tubular plunger valve adjustably slidable in said casing to move into and out of said discharge passage, said Valve in one position controlling discharge of fluid through said discharge passage into the apparatus and. in another passage through said tubular valve, a tubular shaft extending from and supporting and operating said plunger valve, said casing havingl an outwardly and downwardly directed tubular extension with a discharge at a point adjacent and angularly to the fluid discharged from the passage of said casing, said valve having a port placing the tubular shaft in communication with said tubular extension through the valve in the rst named position of said valve, whereby air introduced into the tubular shaft may be discharged through said tubular extension angularly to the fluid discharged from said casing, said valve port being closed in the second named posi- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 885,011 Bergens Apr. 2l, 1908 905,818 Langford Dec. 1, 1908 1,453,513 Metz May 1, 1923 2,280,979 Roelie Apr. 28, 1942

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