US459144A

US459144A - Electro-therapeutic belt

Info

Publication number: US459144A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-09-08
Anticipated expiration: 1908-09-08

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. W. MATTHEWS. ELECTRO THERAPEUTIG BELT.

No. 459,144. Patented Sept. 8,1891.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets*Sheet 2. H. W. MATTHEWS.

ELECTRO TEEEAPEUTIG BELT.

No. 459,144. Patented Sept. 8, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

HUGH L MATHI'IEVS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRO-THERAPEUTIC BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,144, dated September 8, 1891.

Application filed .Tune 26,1891.

T0 all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH V. MATTHEWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electro-Therapeutic Appliances, whichare fully set forth in the follow- -ing specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which Figure l shows my electro-therapeutic belt 1n perspective provided with my special devices. Fig. 2 shows one of my improved aluminium electrodes in side elevation. Fig. 3 shows the same from the top. Fig. 4 shows a metal socket (L in section. Fig. 5 shows one of my insulators in side elevation. Fig. G shows Fig. 5 in plan view. Fig. 7 shows my battery in perspective. Fig. 8 shows a modification of my said device. Fig. 0 shows a vertical section of the electrode, Fig. 2.

Like letters refer to like parts.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of electro-therapeutic body appliances; and my said invention consists in providing` electrodes of non-corrosive and iieXible metal faced with suitable absorbents of moisture, adapted by special mechanism to be removably attached to a belt or truss; and it further consists in providing suitable insulating devices for those places from which said electrodes have been removed; and it also and further consists in so connecting` such electrodes in sets or pairs as to be adapted to operate on certain parts of the body, while at the same time intermediate parts of the body are relieved from the full force of the current, so as to be eitheronly mildly affected thereby or not at all; and in order to attain said desirable ends I construct my said improvements in substantially the following manner, namely:

I attach my said improved electrodes either to a belt or other pieceof apparatus by nroviding` a metallic ring or socket a, which is securely attached to said belt or part, and it preferably consists in adapting for said purpose a Well-known device used for gloves, consisting of such a socket-piece a, into which a removable spring-button d is attachable. To said button a' is attached. permanently a iieXible aluminium disk i), made so thin that Serial No. 397,609'. (No model.)

it may easily be bent by the .fingers into any desired form. The object of making said disk of said quality of material is, first, that said disk. may not wear out and in wear become unsightly and also discolorand injure fabrics coming in contact with it, and, second, that the said disk may be shaped by the patient to tit into any depression 0r over any elevation on the body and retain its form in that place, and thus cause a more gentle action on the part, because the electrode by thus iitting over the entire part acts with its whole surface instead of from a point, as it must do when of stiff material, and has its convex side toward the body, a form in which all iniiexible electrodes must be used, because if used as fiat` disks their edges would be irritating when in ahollow part of the body*as, for instance, under the arm-because the current could then act only on the circumference of the disk, and, on the other hand, if an electrode of convex form were applied to the angle of the shoulder, for instance, its action would be from a comparatively small part of its surface, or a point which would render it painful, besides reducing its effects to too small a surface. The said several disadvantages are all overcome by the use of such improved thin metallic tiexible and non-corrosive disks, as shown in my construction.

On a suitable belt are attached as many sockets d as may be considered necessary or desirable, which are all connected by a suitable conductor k, and it with the battery or batteries yL' in the pockets i', as herein shown. Said conductor 7n is for convenience, and its safety from injury placed between the several layers of the belt, and is here indicated in broken lines connecting said several sockets d and battery or batteries r.

Insulators M to insulate the sockets d when not holding an electrode Aare also provided, and form a highly necessary and useful part of my invention.

Said insulators are made of an adjustable button a', adapted to be removably inserted into said sockets d., to which is attached an insulating-body, as apiece of rubber Z, and said i nsulating-body is faced with softchamoisskin m or other suitable material to prevent its irritating the skin. By means of this arrangement and construction of the parts the ICO.

said electrodes may be moved from place to place and the current kept from escaping at any of said sockets by placing in them said insulators M.

In Fig. S is shown a special device to show hour my invention may be arranged for special purposes. In this case apocketP is suspended from a socket c in the belt bya strap, in the upper end of which is abutton d', which enters said socket a, and to said button is at-V tached a lead 7a to sockets a in the pocket P, one of which is provided with my electrode A, from Which and through the body to the electrode A in the opposite end of the belt the circuit may be completed, instead of through a metallic conductor.

It is awell-known fact that the'metalplates b, which for-m the electrodes in like appliances, soon become corroded and unsightlyl annealed, so that it may retain the form it may be made'to assume to lit any partot the body.

What I claim is 1. The combination, in an electric belt provided with a battery andy metallic sockets fixed in said belt and connected to said battery, of electrodes provided with spring-buttons adapted to bc received and removably held in said sockets, substantially as specilied.

2. The combination, in an electric belt pro vided with a battery and metallic sockets in said belt connected by conductors, of exible metallic electrodes provided With spring-buttons adapted to be removably secured in said sockets, substantially as specified.

3. The combination,.in an electric belt provided with a battery and metallic sockets electrically connected in said belt, of metallic electrodes and insulators adapted to be interchanged and removably heldin said sockets, substantially as specified.

4. The combinatiomi-n an electricbeltprovided with a ybattery and metallic sockets electrically connected in said belt, of'spongefaced Aremovable electrodes, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, in an'electric belt provided with a battery and metallic sockets electrically connected in said belt, of aluminium electrodes faced with sponge and removably held in said electrodes, substantially as specified.

HUGH lV. MATTIIENVS.

Witnesses:

WM. ZIMMERMAN, ANTON FOUGNER.