US443580A - Electrical and vapor face-bath - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N.LYKE. ELECTRICAL AND VAPOR PAGE BATH.

No. 443,580. Patented Dec. 80, 1890;

WIT .NESSES IN VEJVTOR flttorney (No Model) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N/LY'KE. v ELECTRICAL AND VAPOR PAGE BATH. No. 443,580. Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

Fi .2. fll F y l (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. N. LYKE. ELECTRICAL AND VAPOR PAGE BATH.

No. 443,580. Patented Dec. 30,1890.

Carr-en isfiwn/ Bat- WITNESSES fl7? Y I flttorney a: NURIUSPETERS co., worn um UNITED, STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

NATHANIEL LYKE, OF \VILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRICAL AND VAPOR FACE-BATH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,580 dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed April 25, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL LYKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVil- 1iamsport,in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical and Vapor Face-Baths; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,- such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a simple and convenient face-bath in which medicated vapor and electrical currents may be used either separately or together, these currents being either homogeneous or heterogeneous in' their nature and applied wherever needed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a face-bath embodying my invention, the cover being raised and the water-pan in place. Fig. 2 represents a transverse vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 represents a similar section from front to rear, the water-pan being removed and the vapor-pan substituted, the deflector also in place. Fig. 4 represents a detail view of the deflector for concentrating the vapor on the face. Fig. 5 represents a detail view of the small pan for holding the solutions which give off the medicated vapor. Fig. 6 represents a detail view of the tray on which this pan is supported; and Fig. 7 represents the bath and appliances in side elevation, partly broken away to show the pa-' tient with the sponges in contact with his forehead, cheeks, and neck to provide for the passage of the two currents and the fresh-airinhaling tube in his mouth.

In said drawings, A designates the wooden casing of the bath, in structure and form resembling a commode (though these may be varied at will) and provided with a hinged cover A. The body of this casing has an interior sheet-metal lining B, from which a ledge 11 extends inwardly, running around the interior of said casing at about the middle of the height thereof. The back of said casing is provided with an opening 0, through which a lamp 0 may be introduced into the space E below said ledge. A door 0' closes the said opening, except while the lamp is being thus $erial No. 349,429. (No model.)

into and fills said opening, and said tray isfurther provided with openings d, arranged in series along its sides, for allowing the air "heated by the lamp to pass upward and es cape at the top of the bath. This tray D is not indispensable, but makes it easier to set the tank or pan-accurately and securely in place. Of course a support or suspending device of some kind would be needed.

F designates a sheet-metal deflector, open at the top and bottom, with upwardly and inwardly inclined sides, arranged above the said pan E, and provided with lateral flanges F, which extend from its bottom over the outer part of the tray D as far as the lining B. These flanges are provided with draft-open ings f, registering with openings d, through which the ascending heated air makes its escape, as stated. The lower draft-opening may be made by partly sliding back the door c.

The patient holds his face above the tank or pan E (a cloth covering being preferably spread over his head and shoulders) and allows the medicated vapors to act on the cuticle. In many instances these vapors are of such a nature that to inhale them would be highly injurious. I therefore provide an inhaling-tuhe G, which extends to the air outside of said covering, and has an inward extension G' of glass to be held in the patients mouth. This is the part most exposed to the vapors and needs to be proof against their chemical action. The remainder of said tube is preferably of rubber. To provide for the use of electricity with or without said vapors, I make use of the following devices: On the inner face of the said lining B are formed sockets I I I at the sides and back, as shown, or wherever may be most convenient, each socket being composed of a'strip or plate of metal attached to said lining and set out in the middle. These sockets are adapted to receive the supporting-brackets J of sponges K, which serve as electrodes. Each bracket consists of a flat plate bent twice at right angles, and thereby providing, besides the main vertical part which its in the socket, a horizontal inwardly-extending part with a short wall extending downward from its inner end. At the second bend, where this wall begins, the sponge-plate K is connected to said bracket by hinge 71:, allowing it to turn over backward into an inclined position. The said wall j acts as a stop to prevent it from turning too far forward. The sponge-plate in each instance is only a flat plate of metal to which the sponge is suitably secured. The hinged attachment to the bracket allows the sponge to be applied in such manner as to conform approximately to the surface of the face or head. Each sponge-plate is provided with a transverse sleeve 7.1 for the attachment of a circuitwire.

The wooden casing A is recessed to form sockets L L L which are also adapted to receive said brackets, the latter being then insulated from each other by the wood of said casing. Either one or any one of the circuitwires may be attached to a movable sponge or other hand-electrode. By means of these devices the current may be directed and applied in divers ways. If one of the side sponge-brackets be in the socket I of the lining 13 and the other side sponge be in the opposite socket L of the woodwork,the circuitwires H H being connected to their respective sponge-plates in the manner described, the two sponges will be respectively the anode and cathode, and the patients face pressed inbetween them will complete the circuit. Again, if both side brackets be left in the lining-sockets I I and the third bracket be set in the socket- L'- at the rear of the wood-work the two former will be anodes or cathodes and the latter will be the other electrode, as the case may be. The patient presses his forehead against the sponge at the rear of the casing and his check against one of the others, an electric current accordingly passing through his face in anobliquc direction. By attaching the wire ll to a free electrode, as stated, any part of the person of the patient may be broughtinto the circuit. Thusif this electrode be pressed againsthis heel and both of the side sponges against his cheeks, their brackets being in the linii'lgsocliets, there will be an electrical current setup through the whole length of his leg and body, dividing finally to reach the checks. It is also practicable to apply simultaneously a galvanic and magneto-electric or frictional current. Thus let the two side sponges be in a galvanic circuit, one bracket being in the socket of the lining and the other bracket in the wooden socket, as described,thenletthethird bracket he in the wooden socket I) and both it and the free electrode connected to the wires 0 P of a faradie or magneto circuit. It is obvious that if the patient presses his cheeks and forehead against the three socketed sponges and holds the free spongeagainst the back of his head a galvanic current will pass through from cheek to cheek and a magneto-electric current from forehead to oeeiput. Of course their directions may be reversed or the currents transposed, or they may be applied to other parts or in other directions; also, frictional electricity, thermo electricity, or any other form of electrical action. may be substi' tuted or used in addition.

It has not been deemed necessary to illustrate an ordinary galvanic battery, magnetoelectric' machine, frictional machine, or then mo-electric battery, inasmuch as the construction of any or all of these has nothing to do with my invention.

The number andarrangement of sockets for the sponge-brackets maybe varied at will.

It is often desirable to use water as one of the electrodes, for it covers a wide surface and adapts itself to the features better. than any more solid substance. To this end Iemploy a largerwater pan Q, which rests on the ledge b or tray D after the removal of patch], and of course is in electrical communication with one of said circuit-wires, preferably by immersing its terminal in the liquid in the aforesaid pan Q. The other electrode of the circuit may be held to the patientsneck, or to any part of his person, or merely grasped in either one of his hands, electrical connection being made through the water and wire either directly or by contact of the latter with the sides of pan E. Of course any orall of these electrical arrangements may be used with the vapor-bath or without it, except that the water bath and vapor-bath, requiring differentpans, which are substituted the one for the other, cannotbe used simultaneously.

Having thus described my invent-ion,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let tors Patent, is

1. The pan of a vapor faeebath, in combination with detachable electrodes, applied substantially as set forth.

2. A facebath provided with two sets of sockets, one set being in electrical communication with each other and the second set insulated each from the other, in combination with electrodes having supports that are in terchangeable in said sockets, and circuitwires making connection with said electrodes, substantially as set forth.

3. A face-bath having electrodes on opposite sides, in order that the patients face being introduced between them may complete the circuit.

4-. A face'bath having on each side sponges constituting electrodes, the said sponges having a hinged connection to their supports, in order that they may conform approximately to the patien ts face introduced between them, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with a vapor face-bath,

an air-inhaling tube which extends out of the same and is provided with a glass part at its inner end, substantially as set forth.

6. In a face-bath, a detachable water-pan, in combination with electrical connections, a vaporizing pan and tray, and a casing provided with a lining having a ledge for supporting either said water-pan or said vaporizing pan and tray, substantially asset forth.

7. A bath having a series of sockets formed in its wood-work and provided with a metallic lining which has another series of sockets formed therein, in combination with a series able from one socket to another, and electrical connections which bring said electrodes into the circuit whichever sockets may be occupied, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NATHANIEL LYKE. Witnesses:

FRED VAN FLEET, JONATHAN H. ULMER.

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