US1728080A - Electrotherapeutic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

- Sept. 10, 1929. J. H. T. ROBERTS 1,723,080

ELECTROTHERAIIEUTIC APPARATUS Filed Febv 24, 1928 WHY/V7? J.H. 7'. 30 m,

Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH HARRISON THOMSON ROBERTS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS.

Application filed February 24:, 1928, Serial No.

This invention relates to electro-therapeutic apparatus and has reference to apparatus of the kind exemplified by the socalled violet-ray sets which usually include some means for the generation of high-frequency high-tension electric current and usually make use of a suitably exhausted hollowglass electrode or applicator for applying the electricity to the affected part. Such apparatus is popularly (although not strictly correctly) called violet-ray apparatus and is sometimes, and more correctly, referred to as high-frequency apparatus.

As already mentioned, in apparatus ofthis kind it is customary to employ suitablyexhausted glass-tube electrodes. These electrodes take various forms, some of the commonest forms being surface or simple bulblike or tubular electrodes, combs, rakes and so on. In the case of the comb, the electrode is usually made in the form of a straight glass tube from which project at right-angles, and at distances of perhaps half-an-inch, a series of short glass side-pieces resemblingrthe individual teeth of a comb. 1 v

The chief object of the present invention is to provide a new apparatus of the kind referred to, such apparatus taking the form of an electro-therapeutic hair brush.

In certain constructional details, hair brushes in accordance with the present invention may comprise features that are common to electrical hair brushes of known form as, for example, in the use of bare or partlyinsulated metal bristles and a convex rubber mounting therefor, but a characteristic ofthe present invention is the use of high-frequency high-tension current as distinct from lowfrequency high-tension current (such,for example, as produced from a battery with interrupter and induction coil) this fundamental distinction being exemplified by the necessity of providing for a complete circuit for the low-frequency current of prior constructions whereas the high-frequency current or electrical discharge used according to my invention requires no special provision of that kind.

The electro-therapeutic hair brush according to the present invention comprises br1s- 256,624, and in Great Britain March 8, 192?.

tles or their equivalent as hereinafter described, an electric discharge tubeymeans whereby high-frequency high-tension electric current is conveyechpreferably through the handle, to the back of the brush and means whereby this current is caused to spread an electro-therapeutic discharge over substantially theentire' bristlearea of the brush. v 5

The electro-therapeutic"elfect may take place merely by distributed proximity of the applicator to the bristles (and the head of the user) or by electrical conductivity from the applicator thereto and in the latter case the bristles may advantageously take the form of metal pins carriedby a rubber or other resilient sheet rendered superficially conducting as between all the pins by a metal sheet or coating asliereinafter more fully described with reference to the preferred constructional embodiment of the invention.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect,

- I will now describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which I I i Figure 1 is a plan or face view of the main portion or body of an electro-therapeutic hair brush in accordance with the present invention, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe same.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the brush, the bristles in this form being constituted byprong-like extensions on a branched applicator. I

Figure i is a sectional elevation of a complete, outfit including the brush proper in its preferred constructional form.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged view corresponding with Figure 4 but showing also insulating covering which may beused upon the wholeor the ends of the bristles.

The bristles? of a brush in accordance with the present invention may be bristles as t ordinarily understood or bristles in theform of rigid pins or partially exhausted prongs electro-therapeutic discharge may be mounted or inserted upon or within the back of the brush in any convenient manner.

In the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, there is mounted within the brush back or case 1 an applicator 2 suitably branched to carry the electricity substantially over the surface of the part of the brush in which the roots of the bristles 3 are embedded. The portion or shank 4 of the applicator passes through a hole in the neck of the brush and terminates in a hollow metal cap or connector 5 for insertion in an applicator handle as seen in Figure 4. In this form of the brush, the bristles are preferably of comparatively shortlength so that when the brush is applied to the head, the high frequency branched applicator tube comes into fairly close proximity to the skin.

Figure 3 illustrates a modified form of the hair brush, the bristles in this case being constituedby short glass tubes in prong-like formation on the branches of an applicator tube mounted in a brush baclc The mounting of the applicator tube in this construction is preferably resilient, as for example by being composed of a rubber pad in which the tube is partly buried or to which it is attached, so that when the pron s are pressed against the head of the user they are sufficiently yield ing tocause no discomfort or inconvenience.

The prongs themselves may if desired be tipped or enveloped in insulatingmaterial such for example as rubber or ebonite.

Referring now to Figures t and 5, the reference numeral 6 represents an applicator handle and the numeral? represents a generator of high-frequencyhigh-tension current end ,8 of the generator being adapted for insertion in an electric lamp socket. If desired the elements 7 and 6 may be united into a single structure.

The applicator 2 is a nearly exhausted tube, preferably of glass, terminating at one end in the metal plug 5 for insertion in the handle 6 and is removably secured by screwing or otherwise, or permanently secured, by cement or other suitable material, in a hole in the neck of a hair brush-back carrying numerous bristles 10. The purpose of the nearly-exhausted glass discharge tube applicator is partly to enable the discharge to be visible and so to conform to established public taste in the matter of high-frequency apparatus and partly, by reason of its electrical resistance and the electrical condenser effect which is obtained, to modify or tone down the nature of the electro-therapeutic effect obtained between the brush and the head. It

may be observed here that the high-frequency high-tension current from the generator 7 has a path of entry to the brush byway of the applicator 2 but has no return or exit path,

such as would be absolutely essential if lowfrequency electricity were beingemployed.

It may be explained at this point that the basis upon which the therapeutic value and possibilities of high-frequency electricity are founded is as follows :If alternating (or intermittent)electric current is applied to the human body at low frequency (up to a few hundreds per second) the sensation (if a sufficiently high voltage to pass any appreciable currentthrough the high resistance of the body is used) is very unpleasant or extremely painful. Consequently it is possible to apply only limited voltages so as to limit the amount of current passing through the body. This is the basis ofordinary so-called medical electricity as supplied by a medical or shocking coil (which consists, in principle, of a step-up transformer excited by means of a vibratory or other interrupte in the primary circuit).

It was discovered some years ago, however,

that if the alternations of'the current are of an extremely high frequency (of the order which would be lmown to-day as radio frequency) quite an appreciable current may be passed through the human body (that is, quite a high voltage may be applied to drive the current) with little or no sensation, at least without the convulsive and painful sensations which are caused by any considerable amount of current passed at low-frequency. In fact, the sensation due to high-frequency current, if any sensation at all, amounts to a slight and pleasant tingling sensation. Upon this important physiological discovery has been based the whole scienceof high-frequency (or so-called violet ray) therapeutic I treatment, and the various high-frequency from ordinary electric lighting current, one

(so-called violet ray) devices on the market to-dayare almost invariably based upon the principle of the oscillatory and high-frequency discharge of an electrical condenser incorporated therein.

Electric hairbrushes which have hitherto been brought forward have all been adapted, andcontemplated to be used with low-frequency high-tension'current (or with direct current, which may be regarded as current of zero frequency) and as only limited voltages can be used with such current (for the reasons explained above) these voltages have not been high, enough to produce what may properly be called an electric discharge (including corona discharge,brush dischar e and the various types of discharge commonly associated with the electricity produced by the old-fashioned electric influence machines). Consequently the electricity which can safely and comfortably be used with devices of previous types is not of sufficiently high voltage to jump across an airgap and can only flow when the electric hairbrush is in actual contact with the body or head and also when there is a return path provided to complete the circuit.

Now the important and fundamental differences between low-frequency electricity, as hitherto used, and high-frequency electricity as used for electric hair brushes according to the present invention can be readily appreciated. \Vith high-frequency electricity the voltage used may be very much higher than that of low-frequency electricity and the high-frequency electricity discharges itself, in the manner of a brush discharge or otherwise, to any adjacent object, thus finding its way to earth without the necessity for any definite return path being provided.

A further important and characteristic feature of high-frequency electricity is that it is especially able to transfer its energy through or across substances which are ordinarily nonconductors. This explains why, in the present invention, the highfrequency electricity may be conducted through a nearly evacuated glass tube. The conductor in this case consists of the rarefied gas inside the tube and the energy is transferred across the insulating glass wall, between the conducting gas inside and any conductor which is placed outside, by means of a condenser action, the glass acting as the di-electric; a feature of this kind, if used with previous electric hairbrushes (that is, with low-frequency electricity) would for practical purposes prevent any transference of electrical energy through or across the insulator.

The bristles 10 are all connected together electrically so that the high-frequency electricity may have access to them all. This electrical connection may be effected by making the back of the brush of metal or by providing a metal sheet therein so that normally, or at least when the brush is pressed against the head, the roots of the bristles make sufficient contact with the metal sheet. Alternatively and in the preferred form as shown in Figures 4t and 5, the bristles are inserted from the back through the front of a convex sheet of rubber 9 whereof the front or back or the front and back is or are coated or faced (before or after being furnished with bristles) with metal paint or metal foil or the like conducting material indicated at 11 and 12 respectively in Figure 5, the appli cator making contact at its tip with the metal paint or other conducting material. The convexity of the rubber 9 imparts an added resiliency to the bristles. The bristles themselves may be composed of any suitable mate rial; they may for example be composed of metal which may be left bare or be tipped or enveloped with rubber, ebonite, glass or other insulating material.

The conductive layer or coating on the rubber sheet in so far as the front face of the rubber is concerned may be chosen to add to the attractiveness of the brush and with this object in view the coating may for example consist of gold paint or silver paint or bronze powder or tin foil faced if desired with varin design or re-arranged in nish or celluloid or the like. i The reference numeral 13 (Figs. 1 and 3) indicates an inspection hole through which the user can see when the electric discharge is operating, by

observing the purplish glow in the applica-;

tor tube.

The term hair brush as used herein and in the appended claims is to be construed as a brush similar to a hair brush whether or not it is actually used for brushing the head or hair or for electric massage or therapeutic treatment of any other part ofthe body.

Similarly the term bristles is to be construed as meaning ordinary bristles or the equivalent of ordinarybrlstles as hereinbeforedescribed.

In the accompanying drawings the electrotl'ierapeutic hair brush is shown adapted to be inserted in a well-known manner into'a portion of the conventional high-frequency generating apparatus. It will be understood, however, that the high-frequency generating apparatus '(or some portion of it as shown in Figures 4) may be permanently incorporated or combined with the hair brush. In

this case the back of the brush may be provided with a suitable cover or housing in which the high-frequency generating appaquency high-tension current, a violet-ray applicator of the electricalresistance and condenser type, a handle therefor in electrical connection with said generator, a brush back on the other end of said applicator, and bristles in electrical condition with said applicator. a

2. An electro-therapeutic hairbrushing outfit comprissing a generator of high-frequency high-tension current, a violet-ray applicatorof the electrical resistance and condenser type, a handle therefor in electrical connection with said generator, a brush back on the other end of said applicator, brush bristles, a resilient sheet of material carrying said bristles and carried by the brush back, and means for conveying the high frequency current to saidbristles collectively.

8. An eleetro-therapeutic hairbrushing outfit comprising a generator of high-frequency high-tension current, a violet-ray applicator of theelectrical resistance and condenser type, a handle therefor in electrical connection with said generator, :1 brush back on the other end of said applicator, metal pin-like bristles, aconvex rubberpad carrying said bristles and carried by the brush back, and a conductingshcet of material in hairbrushing 'llO contact with said applicator and with said bristles. i

4. An electro-therapeuticbrush comprisingra partially exhausted glass tube applicator of the electrical resistance and con denser type, a metal cap at one end thereof insertable in a violet-ray applicator handle, a brush back secured to the other end of said applicator tube, bristles carried by said brush back, and means for causing high-frequency high-tension current entering by way of said tube to electrically discharge over substantially the entire bristle area of said brush.

5.An electro-therapeutic brush comprising a partially exhausted glass tube applicator of the electrical resistance and condenser type, a metal cap at one end thereof insertable in a violet-ray applicator handle, a brush back secured to the other end of said applicator tube, a resilient rubber pad carried by I said back, metal bristles mounted in said pad, and an electrically conducting sheet on said pad electrically connecting the bristles with one another, the tip of the applicator tube being in electrical connection with said conducting sheet. p 6. An electro-therapeutic brush comprising a partially exhausted glass tube applicator of the electrical resistance and condenser type, a metal cap at one end thereof insertable in a violet-ray applicator handle, a brush secured back to the other end of said applicator tube, a resilient rubber pad carried by said back, metal bristles mounted in said pad and a coating of metallic paint on said pad, the applicator being in electrical contact with said coating. r

7. An electro-therapeutic'hair brush comprising bristles or their equivalent, an

electric resistance and condenser applicator device whereby high-frequency high-tension electric current is conveyed to the back of the brush and means whereby this current is caused to spread an electro-therapeutic discharge oVer substantially the entire bristle area of the brush.

8. An electro-therapeutic hair brush outfit comprising a generator of high frequency high tension'electric current, a brush handle in electrical connection with said generator, a brush back, a so-called Violet ray applicator device of the glass tubular partially eX- hausted electric resistance and condenser type embodied in the brush back, a metal cap on one end of said tube insertable in said handle,

a rubber pad carried in said brush back, metal bristles mounted in said pad, and an electrically conducting coating on said pad to electrically connect said bristles, said coating being electrically connected to the applicator tube.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH HARRISON THOMSON ROBERTS.

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