US565475A

US565475A - John teodor lindahl

Info

Publication number: US565475A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-08-11
Anticipated expiration: 1913-08-11

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. T; LINDAHL. MASSAGE APPARATUS.

110. 555,475. Patented Aug. 11, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN TEODOR LINDAHL, OF STOOKHOLM, SWVEDEN.

MASSAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 565,475, dated August 1 1, 1896. Application filed December 27, 1895. Serial No. 573,438. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN Tnonon LINDAHL, a subject of the King of Sweden and Norway, and a resident of Stockholm, Sweden, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Massage, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formin g a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for massage (movement cure) which is simple and suitable for use in the home, enabling massage to be taken by a person without assistance of an attendant or helper, or when such a person is at hand enabling him to perform the massaging with greater ease than heretofore has been the case.

The invention consists in providing a crankaxle journalized in suitable posts, which at their upper end carry a straight axle, around which a number of hammer-shafts are journaled so that their lower ends, which are provided with slots in which the cranks of the said axle move, receive an oscillating motion when the said crank-shaft is being revolved, whereby padded hammers placed at the upper end of said shafts will receive a hammering motion. For turning the said crank-shaft it is provided with rollers, preferably one at each end outside the posts, around each of which rollers is wound a string or cord in different directions, so that pulling alternately on one or the other of said cords the crank-shaft will be turned alternately in one direction or the other. The said posts carrying the axles and hammers are hinged to a bed-plate or bottom frame, on which is placed a chair, and the position of the posts may be adjusted more or less from the chair for the purpose of adjusting the hammers to strike the person at the right place. The hammers are also adjustable up and down, as is also the chair, and the hammers may be turned so as to strike a person sitting or lying on the side of the hammers opposite to the chair.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an end view of such an apparatus seen from the end opposite the chair. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 shows the lower part of the hammer-shaft with its slot for the curved crank-shaft.

The frame or bed plate is represented by a. On one end of the same is placed a chair 2), preferably adjustable as to its height in the well-known manner. On the other end of the bed-plate is placed two posts 0, in the lower part of which is journaled a crank-axle d, which, between the two posts, is curved so as to constitute four cranks e. At the top of the posts is fastened another axle f, on which the hammer-shafts g are journaled, so as to be able to oscillate around the same. Said hammer-shafts are at the lower end provided with slots or openings h (see Fig. 3) of suitable size for the crank to move in, and one of said hammer-shafts is by means of said opening put over each of the said cranks. Outside the said posts the said crank-shaft is straight and preferably provided with one roller 2' at each end. Around each of said rollers is wound'a string, cord, or chain 70, whose one end is fastened to the surface of said roller and whose other end is provided with a suitable handle 6. The said strings, cords, or chains are wound around the rollers 11 or the shaft in opposite directions, so that one of the cords will be wound onto its roller when turning the crank-shaft by pulling the other cord.

The u er end of the hammer-shaft is provided with padded hammers 127., preferably fixed so that they may be adjusted up and down to a suitable extent as well as fastened either at the side toward the chair I) or the opposite side. The hammer-shafts g may also be made in two parts, as shown in the drawings, one of the parts being provided with a sleeve 12, through which the outer part slides, but to which it can be fastened by means of a thumb-screw 0, so that the hammer-shafts may be shortened or lengthened by moving the one part in or out of the sleeve and thereupon fixing the same. The posts a are fastened to the plate by means of hinges y, so that the posts and the mechanism carried by the same may be turned more or less off from the chair, and guides 19, fastened to the frame, run through the posts, so that the latter may be fixed in any desired position by tightening the nut g on the bolt 1'.

The use of the apparatus is obvious. If a person needs massage, for instance, at the back, he sits down in the chair after having adjusted the padded hammers to a suitable height. By taking hold of the strings, cords, or chains one by each hand and pulling alternately on one or the other he will get the crank-shaft to revolve a few revolutions in each direction alternately. The movement of the crank-shaft will causethe hammershafts to oscillate around the upper axle, so that the padded hammers willstrike the back of the person. The power of the stroke may be adjusted by pulling faster or slower and by moving nearer or closer to the hammers. By adjusting the height of the chair, the length of the hammer-shafts or the padded hammers up and down, or two or more of them at the same time, the hammers may be made to strike the place of the body where the massage cure is wanted. It is not necessary that the person taking the massage cure should pull the strings, as a person standing at the other end may, by pulling the strings, cords, or chains, work the apparatus.-

By placing the hammers on the side opposite the chair and adjusting the inclination of the posts and the mechanism carried by the same the apparatus may be used for striking a person lying on a sofa or the like, whereby places of the body otherwise hard to get at-can be struck. The use of the apparatus for self-massage may also serve to give the arms useful exercise.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for massage, the combination of posts placed on a suitable footplate provided wit-ha suitable chair, a crankshaft journaled in the lower part of said I posts, cords or strings fastened with one end to said crank-shaft or rollers thereon and partly wound around the same in different directions, hammers having adjustable shafts journaled between their ends to a fast axle between the top of said posts and their power ends joined one to each of the cranks of said crank-shaft in such a manner that they will receive an oscillating motion,when said crankshaft is turned, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus for massage, thecombination of posts hinged to a bed or foot plate, provided with an adjustable chair, so as to be turned more or less back from the said chair, a crank-shaft journaled in the lower parts of said posts, cords, strings, or chains, whose ends are fastened to the said crank-shaft or rollers thereon and wound around the same in different directions, hammers adjustably fastened to hammer shaft, the length of which is adjustable, and which are between their ends journaled on an axle between the top of said post, their lower ends being joined one to each of the cranks of said crank-shaft in such a manner that the said hammer-shafts will receive an oscillating motion, when said crank-shaft is revolved, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 2d day of December, 1895.

JOHN TEODOR LINDAHL. WVitnesses OLOF DAHL, BERTIE BRANDER.