US2074838A - Heating device for limb extremities - Google Patents

Description

March 23, 1937. M. GERIA ET AL HEATING DEVICE FOR LIMB EXTREMITIES Filed Dec. 5, 1955 Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 17 Claims.

This invention relates to a heating device. More particularly, it relates to a warmth producing receptor for use in the manicure and pedicure arts, and also in the heat treatment of the limb extremities of the body.

In the manicure and pedicure arts, various applications are used for treating dry skin, nail and cuticle conditions. It is highly desirable to treat the skin, nails and cuticles with oils or ointments whereby to soften them, by bathing them in oil or covering them with ointment. Hot towels or dabs of hot cotton wads are applied to effect penetration of the oils or ointments. Such usage involves extra time and efiort and extra expense because new wads or towels are necessary for each individual being treated. Furthermore, such methods of treatment are unsanitary, clumsy and only partly effective.

With the above and other disadvantages of the prior art in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective conditioning device for administerng heat treatments to the limb extremities of the body.

Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for producing a sensation of warmth to the limb extremities of the body and permit stimulation of the extremities after treatment with curative oils, ointments and the like.

It is one further object of the present invention to provide apparatus which will accommodate either or both the limb extremities of a person and which will generate controlled temperature and permit the flow of heat therethrough for stimulating blood circulation in the parts being treated.

With the above and other objects in View, the present invention preferably includes a receptor for the limb or limbs to be treated, a heat generating thermostatically controlled unit in connection with the receptor, means for circulating heated aeriform fluid through the receptor and means for regulating the flow and distribution of the fluid and the heat throughout the receptor.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an end view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on and looking in the direction of lines 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail of the heating element included in the present preferred embodiment.

In the drawing similar reference characters designate like parts throughout.

Referring to the drawing, the preferred embodiment of the invention includes a receptor I I], made of any desirable material, such as wood, plastics or metals. The receptor may be of any desired length to accommodate one or both limb extremities of the body, and is of a substantially 5 rectangular construction. It has a floor II with an upwardly extending wall I 3, extending inward- 1y from the opposed end of the front wall. The top of the receptor is of slightly curved outline towards the rear end thereof and forms a hollow 10 space I5 with a roof I6 of opening Il of the receptor. Top I4 and roof I6 diverge toward the rear end of the receptor.

A hand rest I8 is supported by means of opposed supports I9 and 20 mounted on front wall 15 I2, and deflecting wall I3, respectively. Said hand rest extends the major length of the receptor and is easily removable and is provided with an opening 2| for fingers when a new hand rest is to be inserted. Extending outwardly of opening I7 and contiguous with hand rest I8 is an outwardly extending rest plate 22 supported by means of struts 23 and 24 and supports 25.

It is to be noted that intermediate deflecting wall plate I3 is curved and extends from floor Ii r to above floor I8, forming a restriction of opening I7. Furthermore, it is adjacent the rear diverging end of roof I6. Said roof I6 is in connection with a plate member 26 having an upwardly curved section 21 and an outwardly eX- tending portion 28. Said extending portion meets the rear of the top I4 of the receptor as shown.

Mounted intermediate the outwardly extending portions 28 and horizontal portion of plate I3, is a motor 29 held in position by bolt screw members 30 and 3!. Said motor is provided with a fan 32 which is rotatable thereby. Intermediate the horizontal portion of deflecting wall plate I3 and motor 29 is a curved extending plate 33 on which is mounted a heating element 34 held in osition thereon by means of spaced insulated member 35. Said heating element is made of resistant metal for conducting electricity and is mounted in a winding, spaced arrangements as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Said heating element is in connection with a thermostatic control unit 36 to regulate the flow of energy through the heating element.

The heating element and motor are in connection by means of conductors 37 and 38 passing through respective openings 39 and 40 of plate 26 with a switch 4| in the rear of wall top I4. Said switch is provided with a socket, not shown, for a plug connecting the heating and motor ele- 2 ments with a source of electricity. It is to be noted that both plates l3 and 26 are removable as a unit and are held in position in the receptor by means of screws 12 and 33. When these plates are removed, the motor and heating elements are also carried with them and permit of adjustment. The rear end 34 of the receptor opening in which the plates l3 and 2% are disposed is provided with a grid member 55 to permit removal of the heating and motor elements therefrom, and to permit the entrance of air therethrough. Furthermore, said grid member protects the operator from injury in handling the device during its operation. 15 In the use of the device either one or both hands or feet, after having been previously treated, is inserted into the opening ll. I The switch M is turned on and the heating element becomes hot, while motor 29 rotates fan 32. There is an influx of cool air, through rear end opening it, and as it passes through the heating element, it is heated and then deflected upwardly the curved section 2's of plate member 26 and then directed into the larger opening ll, there to come into direct contact with the skin of the limb or limb extremities inserted in the opening. When the heat becomes too intense, thermostat unit 36 disconnects the heating element while fan 32 continues to operate. When the temperature of the 39 element becomes too low, then thermostatic unit 36 closes the circuit of the heating element which again becomes warm. It has been found that temperatures about 10 2{l degrees F. above body temperature are conducive of the best results;

although the thermostat control may be regulated for any temperature.

While the above description of the invention may relate to the treatment of the hands, it is also understood to include the treatment of the 40 feet. There is a uniform flow of warm or preheated air from the small opening to the large opening of the receptor. Furthermore, the roof l6 and curved section 2? may be perforated at and 41 to permit flow of. warm air through 45 the space l5 and down'directly also into the large opening ll. 7

The-present device finds extensive use in beauty parlors, where many people need not wait for individual wiping and hot dabbing of hands with towels and pads. The device is portable, compact and easily assembled for use.

While one preferred form of the invention has been described, it is to be understood that heating elements of different character, such as, chemical generators giving oif heat, gas heaters, steam heaters and the like, are effective in the present embodiment. The device is compactly made and is simple of construction. It is effective also for baking at any desired temperature. The flow of warm air throughout the device is regulated and so circulated as to permit contact with that part of the hand or foot which most easily dries and chafes, namely the fingers. The temperature preferably used in the present apparatus is above 65 the body temperature to obtain a soothing and curative action for the skin by means of warm aeriform fluid.

Changes as to form, construction, use and arrangement of materials may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for warming the limb extremities of the body, comprising a casing, a resting mem- 75 her in said casing for the extremities, aheatgencrating unit adjacent one end of the casing, means in connection with the heat generating unit for dissipating the heat through the casing, and operable means for controlling said unit and the heat dissipating means.

2. Apparatus for heat treating the limb extremities of the body, comprising a hollow casing adapted to accommodate a limb extremity therein, a heat generating unit adjacent one end of the casing, thermostatic control means in connection with the heat generating unit, heat dissipating means in the casing at the opening thereof for distributing the flow of heat therethrough, and

means for controlling the heat generating means and heat dissipating means.

3. Apparatus for heating the limb extremities of the body, comprising a receptor provided with an opening, for accommodating the extremity to be heated, propelling means in connection with the receptor, heat generating means operable with the propelling means, adapted to heat the aeriform medium surrounding the same, to a desired temperature, an automatic control unit in connection with, the heatv generating means, and actuable means in connection with the heat generating and propelling means and connectible with a source of energization for operating said means.

4. Heat treating apparatus, comprising a receptor for limb extremities of the body, having hollow top sides and flooring, and opposed openings therein, a rest member outside the anterior opening of the receptor for the protruding portion of the limb in the receptor, a deflecting member projecting upwardly in the interior, from the floor of the receptor, a heat generating element adjacent the deflecting member in the posteriorbpening of the receptor, means in the posterior opening of the receptor for propelling cool aeriform fluid from the posterior opening against the heating element and upwardly through the receptor to strike the limb extremities therein, and operative means in connection with a source of energy for synchronously operating the heat generating element and the propelling means.

5. Apparatus for warming the oil coated or ointment soaked skin of the limb extremities to permit penetration oftheoil or ointment therein and stimulate flow of blood in said treated portion of the limbs, comprising a receptor forsaid portion of the body to be treated, having a hollow ceiling and flooring, a deflector member extending upwardly from the flooring, heat generating element adjacent said plate propelling means mounted in the receptor for drawing aeriform fluid from one end of the receptor, forcing it against the heat generating element and then forcing the preheated aeriform fluid into contact with the portion of the limb extremity in the receptor, and uperative means for controlling said element and propelling means.

6. Apparatus for heat treating in the manicure and pedicure arts, comprising a receptor fora limb to be treated, having a longitudinal hollow portion therein, a deflecting member extending upwardly into said hollow portion, a curved section in the receptor vertically opposite the member, means intermediate the member and the section for generating heat, a motor mounted between the member and section carrying a propelling member and supporting the generating means, and actuable means for operating the motor unit and heat generating element.

7. Baking apparatus for use in the manicure and pedicure arts, comprising, a receptorhaving a sub- MIL stantially tapering opening extending therethrough, adapted to receive a limb extremity to be baked, therein, a deflector extending upwardly into said opening, an opposed curved upper plate forming part of the ceiling of said receptor, a motor unit carrying propulsion means, mounted intermediate the deflector and the plate, a plate member extending from the motor unit and disposed adjacent the propulsion means, a heating element in the plate member intermediate the plate member and the propulsion means, and operative means for actuating the element and unit, whereby a continual flow of aeriform fluid is drawn in from one end of the opening, heated and distributed throughout the receptor to effect contact of the warmed aeriform fluid with the limb extremity in said receptor.

8. Baking apparatus according to claim '7, in which the heating element is provided with automatic control means whereby to connect and disconnect the element from operation.

9. Baking apparatus according to claim 7, in which the deflector, the curved plate members are integral with the receptor and removable therefrom with the motor unit and heating element attached thereto.

10. Baking apparatus according to claim 7, provided with a replaceable rest in the receptor and abutting the deflecting wall member.

11. Apparatus for baking in the manicure and pedicure arts, comprising a, hollow walled receptor for accommodating the part to be baked, and having an opening extending therethrough, heating means adjacent one end of the opening for warming aeriform fluid in the opening, means for propelling the fluid against the heating means to warm the same and pass it through the opening, thermostatic control means in connection with the heating means to disconnect the latter after it has reached a desired temperature, and operative means for actuating the heating and propelling means.

12. A heating device for the heat treatment in the manicure and pedicure arts, comprising a hollow receptor for accommodating the part to be heated, means in connection with the receptor for generating heat therein, deflective means extending toward the ceiling of the receptor for guiding theheat to be transmitted therethrough and means inside the receptor for circulating the heat generated therein, whereby the heat will form contact with the surface of the part to be treated in said receptor.

13. Apparatus for baking the limb extremities of the body, comprising a receptor, means mounted in the receptor for accommodating the part of the limb to be treated, a deflecting member in the receptor, a heating element adjacent said deflecting member, propulsion means mounted on the deflecting member for circulating the heat throughout the receptor, and means in the receptor regulating the propulsion means and heating element.

14. Apparatus for heat treating the limb extremities of the body, comprising a hollow receptor for the limbs, said hollow extending the length of the receptor, a motor unit mounted at one end of the receptor, and in the opening thereof provided with propelling means for drawing aeriform fluid into the opening, a heating element disposed in the path of movement of the aeriform fluid from the propelling means for heating the fluid deflecting means extending upwardly into the opening for deflecting the path of flow of warmed fluid into the major portion of the opening and make contact with the limb extremities therein, actuable means in connection with the motor unit and the heating element for operatively connecting same with a source of energization, means in connection with the heating element for automatically regulating the flow of energy therethrough, and a grid member in the end of the receptor adjacent the motor unit for protecting the operator from contact with the motor unit.

15. Apparatus for heating the limb extremities of the body, comprising a longitudinal casing provided With a floor therein for accommodating the limb extremity and a rear open section, deflecting means intermediate the floor and rear section, heating means adjacent the deflector in the rear section, propelling means opposite the heating means for circulating warmed aeriform fluid thru the casing to treat the limb extremity therein, automatic control means in connection with the heating means for controlling the operation thereof when the temperature of the same is too high for body resistance, and switching means in connection with the heating, propelling and control means for disconnecting the same from operation. I

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, in which the ceiling of the casing and rear section is perforated to permit passage of aeriform fluid therethru into the casing onto the exposed portion of the limb extremity.

17. Apparatus for heating the limb extremities of the body, comprising a longitudinal casing provided with a floor for the limb extremity, and a perforated ceiling, an integral rear open section having an upwardly extending deflecting member and an arcuate perforated ceiling, electrically driven propelling means in the section for forcing aeriform fluid thru the ceilings and onto the casing, heating means intermediate the member and propelling means for raising the temperature of the fluid perparatory to entrance into the casing, automatic temperature regulating means in connection with the heating means,

and circuit making and breaking means in connection With a source of electrical energy and the propelling, heating and temperature regulating means.

MARY GERIA. ANDREW GERIA.

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