Abstract: A bath comprises a bath tub and apparatus for assisting persons into and out of the bath tub. The apparatus comprises a lifting column in the form of a telescopic mast, a seat supported by the mast, a first actuator provided for the most part within the mast, for raising and lowering the seat relative to the bath tub, and a second actuator for angularly displacing the mast. The apparatus also comprises a control device for operating the first and second actuators so as to raise the seat from a lowered to an elevated position and to then swivel the seat to a position in which it extends over a rim of the bath tub, and so as to swivel the seat in an opposite direction and to then lower the seat into the bath tub.

Abstract: Apparatus for assisting physically disabled persons into and out of a bath, comprises a base, suckers provided on the base for releasably gripping an inside bottom surface of the bath, a lifting column fixed to the base, a seat supported by the lifting column, and an electrically powered actuator mounted with respect to the lifting column for raising and lowering the seat relative to the base. The lifting column is in the form of a telescopic mast having a lower part fixed to the base and an upper part which can be extended and retracted relative to the lower part by the actuator. The apparatus is self-contained and can be placed in or removed from a bath at will.

Abstract: In order to raise infirm or disabled persons from a sitting to a generally standing position, a hoist comprises a mast, a carrier movable along the mast, and a U-shaped lifting member which is connected at its closed end to an upper end of the mast for pivotable movement about a horizontal axis and which at its open part provides laterally spaced attachment points for the attachment of a body sling. The hoist also includes a U-shaped strut pivotably connected at its closed end to the carrier and at its open part to the open part of the lifting member, and an operating mechanism for raising and lowering the carrier along the mast to thereby move the attachment points along an arcuate path. The operating mechanism is self-locking at any chosen position. Such a hoist is capable of being used for lifting of persons of widely differing heights and builds.