US1931849A

US1931849A - Massaging machine

Info

Publication number: US1931849A
Application number: US458370A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl A Matson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-05-31
Filing date: 1930-05-31
Publication date: 1933-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1950-10-24

Description

@CL 24, 1933. C. A MA1-SON MASSAGING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 31, 1930 18| lll za* L' 2'71 vena :4 m

l 'O 74 716g Oct 24, 1933- c. A. MATsoN MASSAGING' MACHINE Filed May 51, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 2 77 0677 for. (24,@ /udzzm/ lllllllln wllll'zlln11111111111111111111' ffl/III] Patented oci. 24, 1933 NETED STATES PATENT OFFICE My present invention relates to massaging machines. n

An important object of the present invention resides in the provision of a massaging machine having a plurality of massaging lingers, with means toimpart a step-by-step movement to each of said fingers during their travel in a predetermined path.

The step-by-step movement above referred to will' be accomplished at relatively high speed, so

that a vibratory effect on the portion of the bodyA being massaged will be obtained simultaneously with the massaging or kneading effect.

The combined vibratory and kneading movements of the massaging fingers will produce a stimulating effect not heretofore attained by any prior device of which I am aware.

Another object of my invention resides in mounting the motor directly uponthe housing for the finger operating mechanism, thus eliminating the necessity of flexible driving shafts or other torque transmitting means.

A still further feature of the present invention resides in the compactness of structure resulting from the novel driving mechanism utilized.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel clutch drive, which eliminates all worms and worm gearing in the machine. This results in considerably less friction, and enables me to utilize a considerably smaller and less powerful motor than would be required with worm gear driving mechanisms. My device is also considerably quieter because of my novel driving mechanism, a feature which will be inr stantly appreciated.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means to prevent reverse movement of the clutch driving devices during operation.

Other features and objects of the invention reside in the particular construction and arrangement of the various parts of my novel device.

The above and other features and objects of the invention, details of construction, combinations of parts, and advantages, will be hereinafter more lfully pointed out, described and claimed.

Referring to' the drawings illustrating preferred embodiments or" the present invention,-

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View on the line 1`1 of Fig. 2,; l

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional View on the line 2--2 f Fis. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

' mounted on top of the plate 11.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating a modified type of massaging finger;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a still further modified form of massaging finger; 60

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modied form of machine with the ringer operating mechanism' illustrated in cross section, on the lines 6-6 of Fig.V 8; Y

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional View on the line 7,-7 65 of Fig. 6;

Fig.` 8` is a plan sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; 1

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the gear segment and sliding block; 70

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view on the line 10-10 of Fig. 11, illustrating a modification of the device; and

Fig. 11 is a plan sectional View on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Referring now to the drawings, for a particular description of the invention, its construction, assembly and operation, 1 designates a motor havingan operating switch 2 therefor, a handle 3 being xed to the motor housing, and current conducting wires 4 leading to said motor from any suitable source of electric energy, the 'same as illustrated in Fig. 6. Y

Fixed to the motor housing 1 by screws 6 is a casing 5 having a bottom plate 7 held thereto in 85 any desired manner, by screws 22.

The motor shaft 8 depends through the top of' the casing 5 and has pinned thereto at its lower end an eccentric 9. This eccentric 9` is located in an elongated slot 10 in a plate 11, said plate being seated over the journal 12 of a disc 13.V Positioned in the recess 14 in the plate 11 is a roller 15, a plunger 16 being forced against said roller byra coiled spring 17 seated in a tubular chamber 18 in the plate 11. The recess 14 is of greatest -width at the end adjacentto the plunger 16, the roller being greater in diameter than the width of said recess 14 throughout the major portion of the length of saidrecess. A gear 19 is secured to the disc 13 by pins 20 or in any other desired manner. Three Vother gears 21 are symmetrically arranged within the casing 5 on the bottom plate '7, the four gears l19 and 21 being constantly in mesh.

Projecting through the disc 13, gear 19, and 105 bottom plate '7, is a stem 23, said stem being headed over at its upper end in a washer 24 n At the lower end of the stem 23 isa hemispherical member 25, a finger 26 being iixed to saidv member 25 in 110 step; movement.

an angular position. Fixed to each of the gears 21 is a stem 27, each having a hemispherical member and fingers 25 fixed thereto at an angle. A conical member 28 is held on each finger 26 for the purpose of receiving suitable massaging nipples or devices.

The operation of my present machine is simple and will be readily understood, being briefly described as follows:

Rotation being imparted to the motor shaft 8 and hence to the eccentric 9, said eccentric 9 will revolve within the slot 19 in the plate 11, for example, as indicated in the direction oi the arrow in Fig. 2.

The rotation of the eccentric 9 will tend to effect a rotative movement oi the plate 11 about the journal 12, but when such rotative movement of the plate 1l is initiated, the roller 15 will be gripped between the wall of the recessy 14 and the periphery oi the journal 12. This will, ineflect, clamp the journal 12 to the plate 11,

kand cause aY slight rotative movement of said journal 12 and hence of the disc 13 and gear 19. The gears 21` intermeshing with the gear 19Y will f likewise receive this slight rotative movement.

After the eccentric 9 passes top center and starts downwardly on the opposite side of the shaft S, as illustrated in Fig. 2, a rotative movement of the plate 11 in the opposite direction about the jourf nal 12 will be effected.

This movement will cause the roller 15l to enter the. larger end of the recess 14, and` thus will not eiect a rotative movement of the journal 12 .in a reversedirection. ll-cwever, in order to obviate any possibility, due trs-friction or otherwise,

of a reverse movement of thejournal 12, I providea bracket 29- nzsed, to the inner wall of the casing 5, and in this bracket 29 is a recess 30,v anhang-ed roller 31 being seated in said recess and engaging the periphery of the disc 13. This roller :S1-has a spring pressed plunger 32 bearing thereagainst, and should any reverse movement of the disc. 1-3- be initiated, the roller 31 will bind between; the wall ofv the recess and periphery of the disc 13, effectual-ly discouraging any attempt on the part of the disc 13 to reverse itself. Continued rotation ot the eccentric 9 will, of course, rotate the journal 12 and hence the

gears

19 and 21 in a rotational direction in a step-by- This step-by-step rotational movement will alsobe imparted to the ngers 26, resulting in a Vibratory. massaging. action on that portion of the body which is being operated upon. The; lingers 26 are soarranged that they will aping said common center simultaneously, and thus effecting a desired kneading action upon the skin.

andI surface iiesh or n-lusclesv of the portion of the body under treatment.

The advantages,benets, simplicity, and efciency of; my novel device will be instantly apparent to those skilled in this art.

In Fig. 4 i have illustrated a modified type of driving gear 33, having a journal portion 34 adapted to be engaged by the roller 15. A modified type of ringer 35 isalso illustrated, said nger having a stem 36- iixedl to the gear 33, and said finger 35V heinCT perpendicular to said gear. A circular aperture 37 is provided in the bottom plate 71, permitting the finger 35 to travel in a true` circular direction. The structure of the device would otherwise be similar to that rabove described, the effect of this modified ringer structure producing. a slightly different action on the portion of` the bod-y being treated..

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a still further modiied form of finger 38, the gear 39 being similar to the gear 33, but having a recess 40 formed therein. The rounded end 41 of the stem 42 is seated in said recess 40, and a spherical bearing portion 43 is provided between the ringer 38 and stem 42, a suitable bearing 44 being provided in the bottom plates 45 to accommodate the spherical bearing portion 43. The roundedend 41 of the finger will thus be movedl in a circular path.` The inger 38 being longer than the stern 42, however, the outer end of the inger 38 will be moved in a cirlcular path of greaterl diameter than the path of.

movement of the rounded end 4l.

v Each oi the types of lingers 35 and 38 is applicable to my present device, the fingers 38, however, requirinfr a deeper casing 46 than is required in thev other types of ngers.

In Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive I havev illustrated a modiiie'd device wherein the movement of the fingersi) is an oscillation instead of a rotation, or in other words, the back and forth movement as distinguished. from a purely rotative action.

Inv this form of the invention the motor shaft 'also has the eccentric 9 rotating in the elongated slot 10 in the plate 11. The plate 1.1 is seated over the journal 51 of a disc 52, said disc being held to the casing 5 by a supporting rivet 53, or the like. A screw 54 is threaded into the disc 52, and mounted on vsaid screw is a block 55, said block being slidable in a rectangular recess 56 in a plate 57, said plate having one end thereof formed. asa gear segment 58, said plate being pivotall'y mounted on a post 59 secured to the bottom. `plate 60. The disc 52 is rotatable about its support. 53. Mounted on the gear 61 is a pinion 62 in mesh with the gear segment 58,

and gears 63 are also in mesh with and actuatedV by the gear. 61'. The plate 1'1 is provided 'with the roller 15 in the recess 14, said roller engaging the journal 51 of the disc 52 and rotating said journal'in the same manner as the journal 12 is rotated. As rotation is imparted to the journall 51 and disc 52, the screw 54 will be carried by said disc about the support 53, tending also to carry the block therewith.v Because of the fixed pivot point of the segment plate 57, houever, block 55 will be forced to ride in theY recess 56, thus oscillating the plate 57 about its pivot 59. 62 will be actuated rst in one direction and then in a reverse direction. This oscillating movement of' the pinion 62 will in turn be transmitted to the

gears

61 and 63. Thel bottom plate 60 is fixed to the casing 5` by screws 64, and is provided with a plurality of arcuate or horse shoe shaped slots 65 within which thev stems 66 of the lingers 5i) will travel. By the time that the iingers 50 have traversed the slots 65 to one end thereof, the gear segment 53 will have completed its travel in one direction, and will be ready to return, rotating the pinion 62 in a reverse direction, and thus actuating the

gears

61 and 63 to carry thelingers 50 backwards along the slots 65.

The movement of the fingers 50, in their predetermined arcuate paths will, of course, be in a step-by-step motion, similar to the step-bystep: movement impartedI to the iingers 26.

In each of the devices' illustrated in the present application, due to the double action, viz., the step-by-step movement coupled with the rotating or oscillating movement, there will be no slippage of the massaging fingers on the portion of the body being operated upon, but instead there will be a iirm gripping of the fingers to As the plate 57 oscillates, the pinion produce the desired massaging and kneading effect.

If desired, the bracket 29 and roller 3l may be utilized in this form of the device, the roller 31 hearing against the periphery of the disc 52 and efectually preventing its movementl in a reverse direction to that intended.

Also, if desired,'and as illustrated in Fig. 10, the fingers 26 illustrated in Fig. ll may be utilized instead of the fingers 50. The movement of the fingers 26, however, instead of being in a closed path rotation, will be in an arcuate path similar to the ngers 50, because of the particular drive utilized in this form of the device.

The various forms and movements illustrated and described herein are all well Within the range and scope of my present invention, and I have, therefore, incorporated same in the claims of this application. Y

While I have necessarily described my present invention somewhat in detail, it will be appreciated that I may vary the size, shape, and arrangement of parts, within reasonably wide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention.

My invention is further described and defined in the form of claims as follows:

l. In a machine of the kind described, a plurality of massaging fingers adapted to simultaneously engage a surface to be massaged, and cam operated means to impart a step-by-step rotative movement to said fingers.

2. In a machine of the kind described, a piurality of massaging fingers adapted to simultaneously engage a surface to be massaged, and cam operated friction means to impart a step-bystep rotative movement to said lingers.

3. In a machine of the kind described, a plurality of massaging fingers, and means to move said lingers toward a common center while imparting a step-by-step rotative movement to each of said fingers.

4. In a machine of the kind described,A a casing, a plurality of intermeshing gears mounted in said casing, a massaging linger operated by each gear, an actuating member fixed to one of said gears, and means to rotate said member in a step-by-step movement.

5. In a machine of the kind described, a casing, a plurality of intermeshing gears mounted in said casing, amassaging fingeroperated byv each gear, an actuating member fixed to one of said gears, and friction means to rotate said member in a step-by-step movement.

6. In a machine of the kind described, a casing, a plurality of intermeshing gears mounted in said casing, a massaging finger operated by each gear, an actuating member fixed to one of said gears, and cam operated friction meansv to rotate said member in a step-by-step movement.

7. A massaging device comprising a motor, a casing fixed to said motor, a motor shaft projecting into said casing, an eccentric on said shaft, a clutch plate having an elongated slot in which said eccentric is seated, a plurality of gears symmetrically arranged Within said casing, a massaging linger associated with each of said gears, a disc fixed to one of said gears, a journal on-said disc, and a spring pressed friction member carried by said plate and adapted to engage said journal and impart a step-by-step movement thereto.

9. A massaging device comprising a motor, a casing fixed to said motor, a motor shaft projecting into said casing, an eccentric on said shaft, a clutch plate having an elongated slot in Which said eccentric is seated, a plurality of gears symmetrically arranged withinA said casing, a massaging finger associated with each of Vsaid gears, a disc fixed to one of said gears, a jouryreverse movement thereof.

10. A massaging device comprising a moto-r, a casing fixed to said motor, a motor shaft projecting into said casing, an eccentric on said shaft, a clutch plate having an elongated slot in which said eccentric is seated, a plurality of gears symmetrically arranged within said casing, a massaging finger associated with each of said gears, a disc fixed to one of said gears, a journal on said disc, and a friction member carried by said plate and adapted to engage said journal and impart a step-by-step movement thereto and to the gear to which said disc is fixed, the other said gears being in turn actuated by said iirst gear.

11. A massaging device comprising a motor, a casing fixed to said motor, a motor shaft projecting into said casing, an eccentric on said shaft, a clutch plate having an elongated slot in which said eccentric is seated, a plurality of gears symmetrically arranged within said casing, a disc fixed to one of said gears, a journal on said disc, a friction member carried Yby said plate and adapted to engage said journal and impart a step-by-step movement thereto and to the gear to which said disc is fixed, the other said gears being in turn. actuated by said first gear, anda massaging linger associated with each` of said gears, whereby the step-by-step movement of said gears will be imparted to said fingers, said fingers being arranged to travel in a predetermined path.

CARL A. MA'rsoN.v