US325086A - Electric belt - Google Patents

Description

L. HUGHES.

ELEGTRIG BELT.

(No Model.)

No. 325,086. Patented Au 25, 1885.

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Warren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE HUGHES, OF MARSHALL, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,086, dated August 25, 1885.

Application tiled April 13, 1885. (X0 model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEE HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marshall, in the county of Saline and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Belts, of which the followin g is aspecification, reference being bad therein the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in electric belts and other similar articles, and it has for its objects to so construct the connections of the plates constituting the battery that greater and more perfect conductive power will be obtained, and corrosion and destruction at the point of connection will be in a great measure, if not entirely,obviated, and also to provide for an improved construction of belt proper, whereby it may bemore conveniently used, and made more comfort able to the wearer, as more fully hereinafter specified. These objectsI attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents an elevation of the belt with a portion broken away, showing the inclosed battery; Fig. 2, a detached view of two of the battery elements detached, showing the connecting conductors.

The letter A indicates the belt proper which is constructed of any suitable water proof material, such as rubber cloth, oiled silk, or the like, or a suitable fabric, lined with such material. The said beltis made of double thicknesses of material, so as to form an interior space for the battery, which is indicated by the letter B in the drawings. The said battery is con'iposed of a series of sections composed of zinc and copper plates, (indicated by the 1 by the casing or envelope of the belt, which letters a b,) between which are interposed absorbent or porous separating material 0, which may be felt on other suitable substance. The parts composing said sections are bound to gether bymeans of cords or bands of suitable non-conducting material, as indicated by the letter d.

The letter 0 indicates the connecting-conductors, which are composed of strands of twisted wire passing alternately through the zinc and copper plates of the sections at the ends, being twisted or tied between the plates, in orderto securely connect the whole together.

The extremities of the wires are spread out so as to form brushes, which bear against the respective plates of each section, as plainly shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose more fully hereinafter explained. The end conductors are soldered or otherwise securely attached to the metallic disks or pads O, which are fast ened to the belt near the ends, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The said end conductors are attached one to the zinc and the other to the copper terminal plates of the battery, the disks being thus made to serve as the positive and negative poles of the same. To the inside of the belt near each disk is arranged a flap, D, of linen, cotton, or other suitable material, which may be folded over the disks, to modify or weaken the action of the current, and prevent direct contact of the metal with the body, which is in many cases disagreeable. The said flaps, it is evident, must be of some waterabsorbent fabric, in order to render it conductive material, so as to permit of the passage of the electric current. The belt is provided with the usual strap, E, at one end and with a buckle (not shown) at the other.

The operation of inyinvention will be readily understood in connection with the above description, and is as follows: The sections being arranged as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the absorbent separating material between the plates saturated with acidulated water or other exciting solution, the battery is arranged within the belt, and the connections with the disks, after which the belt is closed, and is ready for use. By means of the connecting-conductors, which are formed with brushes bearing upon the plates of the batterysections, and held against the same presses the whole firmly together, it will be seen that the current passes from one plate to another at numerous points. This causes thezinc plates to decompose uniformly throughout, preventing corrosionat the point of contact or connection of the conductors, which would otherwise be destroyed at such points long before the entire plates were consumed, allowing them to break apart and render the battery useless. It will thus be seen that by my improved connecting-conductors a battery may be formed which will be cheap in construction, and economical in use, as it will not break apart or cease to act until the zinc plates are entirely consumed.

Another advantage of my improved belt is that the disks, being provided with coveringflaps, will not prove disagreeable or inconvenient to the most delicate person, which is a great desideratum.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination, in a battery for electric belts or other like purposes, of the positive and negative plates or elements, and the connectin g-conductors havin g brush es at their extremities bearing upon the connected plates, sub- 7 stantially as and ior the purposes specif ed. or

2. The combination, with the belt, of the battery connected in sections by the connectingconductors, having. brushes at their extremithe battery, and the metallic disks or pads, of

the flaps adapted to cover said disks or pads, substantially as specified.

4. A conductor for connecting the zinc and copper plates of a battery for electric belts, consisting of strands of wire, twisted together between their ends, and having, said ends spread apart in the form of brushes, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEE HUGHES.

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