US416803A - Fourths to charles - Google Patents

Description

N0 MOdeU p A, PHILLIPPI.

VOLTAIG BELT. l No. 416,803. PatentedDeo. 10, 1889.

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N. PETERS Pmmmgnphor. wmgwf ma UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. PHILLIPPI, OE READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORr OE THREE- FOURTHS TO CHARLES J. CLARK AND SAMUEL LUTZ, OF SAME PLACE.

VOLTAIC BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,803, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filed May 7, 1889. Serial No. 309,914. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. PHILLIPPI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Berks, State of Penn- Sylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Voltaic Belts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

1o My invention has for its object the provision of a volt-aic belt for therapeutic purposes, and it is my intention that my belt shall be adjustable, so as to provide a circuit which may be divided into two parts where more local treatment is desired. To this end I have constructed my belt in the manner described in the following' specification, and with the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end. of the same.

In the drawings, Figure l is a Afront View of my belt, showing the water-proof fiap raised. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line yy y of Eig. l, the flap being buttoned down. Fig. 3 is a rear view of my cell-chain Idetached from the belt, and Fig. el is a vertical section on the line cc Qc of Fig. Vl.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The belt proper may be made of any text- 'i 3o ile material; but I prefer to use woolen cloth or flannel A, faced with' water-proof material, as rubber A. The woolen cloth is brought next to the body of the wearer, the rubber being turned outward. Y 3 5 As preferably constructed my belt is made in three sections-a battery-section B and two end sections B-the whole being connected by preferably elastic straps C, and the belt is fastened in place by means of the buckles O. A duplicate fold of water-proof material B2 is fastened along the top of the battery-section B, andis adapted to fold over the front of the same and be fastened by nieansof the buttons B3. Fastened on the front or water-proof face of the battery-section are three vertical strips D D D2. These strips are fastened to the belt by means of buttons E E E2 at the middle and at the opposite ends of said strips, respectively, and 5o Y forming electrodes with the same. The strips may be made of any convenient metal, German silver being preferred. Spring-buttons F, F2, and E are attached to these strips between their ends for fastening the cell-chain or battery proper to thebelt. Buttons of this 5 5 kind are preferably employed; but it is evident that any form of fastening may be employed whereby the cell-chain may be secured to said strips.

The cell-chain which provides the electric 6o current in my device is composed of any desired number of cells, which may or may not be connected with the central strip D. As preferably constructed, however, my chain is divided into two sections, as shown Vin Eig. 3, a central conductor being interposed between said sections and fastened to said strip D, as hereinafter described. The object of the division ofv the chain into two sections is the adjustment of my belt to local action, if de- 7o sired, this adjustment being attained by the charging of one section only, thus confining the electric action to that part of the belt. In this way the strip D, through the electrode E, forms one end of a circuit, the other end of which is found either at E or E2.

Each cell of my chain consists, essentially, ef a back and front plate fastened together with interposed excitant-holders. My pre- A ferred construction is, shown at G, where the 8o plates are shown rivetedV together with fiber or other non-conducting rivets, the plates being thus insulated one from the other and short circuit avoided. The top plate in this cell is extended in an aperiured and ,slotted 8 5 tongue G2, while the bottoni plate is continued in the other direction and turned back on itself, as shown at G3. Between the back and front plate is interposed the excitantholder G4, preferably in two layers, as shown, 9o and hollowed out, as at G5, for the reception of the rea-gent for replenishing the same. The excitant-holder consists of layers of textile material best calculated for absorption, which have been soaked in a saturated solu- 9 5 tion of muriate of ammonia or other suitable well-known reagent. After having been thus soaked the text-ile pads are dried and are then ready for use. A proper openingA is made in the back plate of the cell opposite the holroo low in the excitant, and this opening is closed by the pivoted valve G6. The object of this construction is to enable the wearer'to insert a Wafer of muriate of ammonia or other re' agent, as desired. The back plate is perforated at intervals, as shown at G7, in order to expose a proper excitant-surface for the absorption of water in the preparation of the cells for action. This preparation consists in simply immersing the cell or cell-chain under Water until the excitant has absorbed a suflicient quantity of fluid to sot up brisk action in the circuit.

l iind it best in manufacturing the chains, in order to preserve the front plate intact, to place next said front plate and against the front of the excitant-holder a plate G3, which acts With the rear plate of the cell in producing the current in the same. The cell G is shown provided with such a plate, having its outer edge turned up in order to facilitate its removal. The front plate in this construction simply acts as a conductor, and is not Wasted by the mechanical action of the excitant.

The cell H in Fig. l is typical of the modified form of my cell, showing the plates held together by metallic rivets passing through apertures slightly larger than the rivets themselves, and insulated from the plates of the cell by means of non-conducting Washers. These rivets are shown at H and the washers at H2. The front plate of the cell H is provided with a slot-ted ear H3, through the slot in which the ear G3 is passed. The back plate o'f the cell H is in all respects similar to that of the cell G, and is provided with a similar t-urned-back ear, save that there is no real aperture or'valve for the same corresponding to G The excitant-holder Within the cell H is not hollowed out, as may be seen in Fig. 2. This presents a slightly-cheaper form of cel-l not so easily replenished, but still useful in many connections. The middle conductor is shown at I, and consists of a plate having a hole near the middle of the same, and an offset recess 12, communicating with said hole.

Apertured and slotted ears are provided at both ends ofthe cell-chain in every respect similar to that shown at The method of fastening the end ears and central conductor is plainly shown in Fig. l, Vand consists in simply slipping' the same over the buttons F, F', and F2 on the strips, and then drawing the shank of said button into the slots on said ears and conductor.

The method of fastening the metallic strips to the battery-section of the belts is shown in section at Fig. 2, Where the strip D is shown fastened to the section B by means of the electrode buttons E, the end of the shank of each of which is turned over, as at E3, in order to secure the strip. The Waterproof flap is shown insaid figure at B2, and the spring-button is shown secured beneath the water-proof facing of the section at F.

In using this belt the chain, is detached from the belt immersed in Water until the various cells have become properly moistened and then reattached in the position shown in Fig. l. The Water-proof flap is then buttoned down over the front of the chain, as above described, in order to save the clothes of the wearer. The belt is then applied to the body, the positionof the chain varying with the case to be treated, but the flannel side of the belt being invariably placed next the body. The belt having been fastened in this position by means of the' buckles C', it is evident that a double circuit will be set up, proceeding through each division of the belt, the middle strip, and each end strip. Thev therapeuticfaction of this current in vcases of rheumatism, neuralgia, lumbago, andthe like has been found extremely beneficial, and by properly varying the'strength of the excitants and the metals used in the cells my belts may be adapted to Wearers of different ages and sexes.

lVhere desired, only one-half of the circuit may be used by simply immersing one-half of the chain alone, a restricted and local action being the result.

l do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction herein shown, nor to the precise number of cells employed, or arrangement in employment.

lVhat I claim isl. A belt and metallic strips secured to one side of said belt by means of conducting attachments extending through the belt, in combination with a chain of cells constituting an electric battery, and means for attaching the ends of said chain to said strips, substantially as specified.

2. A belt and metallic strips secured to one side of said belt by means of conducting attachments extending through the belt, and a water-proof {iap attached to said belt and adapted to fold over said strips, in combination witha chain of cells constituting an electric battery, and means for attaching the ends of said chain to said strips, substantially as specified.

3. A belt and metallic strips secured to the side of said belt by means of conducting attachments extending through the belt, in combination with a chain of cells constituting an electric battery, and spring-buttons secured to said strips and adapted to engage with said chain, substantially as specified.

4. A belt having three electrodes projecting through the same, in combination With a cell-chain having a central conductor, and means for connecting the ends of said chain and said conductor to said electrodes, substantially as specilied.

5. A belt having three electrodes projecting through the same and a Water-proof flap fastened to said belt and folding over said electrodes, in combination with a cell-chain having a central conductoigand means for lloo IIO

connecting the ends of said chain and said plate and swinging in front of said perforaeoncluetor to said elect-Podes, substantially as tion, substantially as speeed. 1o specified. In testimony whereof I aix my signature in 6. A11 electric cell for voltaio belt-s, consistpresence of two witnesses. ing of a front and back plate and hollowed- FRANK A. PHILLIPPI. out excitant-holder secured between the two, Titnessesz said back plate being perforated opposite C. J. CLARK, said hollow, and a valve pivoted -co said back L SAML. LUTZ.

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