mprovements in Instruments or Appliances to be Used in the Operations of what is known as "Treatment. Massage
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
mprovements in Instruments or Appliances to be Used in the
Operations of what is known as
"Treatment.
Massage
"
I, JOHN FISHER, of Chindrass House, Matlock, in the County of Derby,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
"
Among the operations used in the system of medical treatment now well known
19 massage," is one in which the flesh of the patient is submitted to a series of
apidly struck blows from a moderately hard substance, such blows being ordinarily
ight and sharply struck, but of varying severity, and repeated for a sufficiently
ong time upon the part or parts of the body to which it is desired that the
reatment should be applied. My present invention has for its object a novel
instrument or appliance by which the required process can be performed with the
greatest accuracy, delicacy, and efficacy, and far more readily and easily than has
heretofore been the case.
For this purpose I take a handle preferably of wood or other suitable material
into which I fit and fix firmly, one end of a thin and comparatively narrow blade
of steel, wood, whalebone, or other sufficiently elastic and suitable material. To
the outer end of this blade I fit upon each side a pad of any convenient shape but
preferably circular, formed of metal, india rubber, leather, hair, cloth, or a
combination of one or more of such materials, or other suitable materials. I prefer
however to use leather to form the pad or cushion described, a disc or plate of
such leather being fitted upon each side at the end of the elastic steel blade first
described, and their edges being stitched or otherwise secured together with or
without the intervention between them of any suitable padding or packing. One
side of the pad so formed may be of a different material or of a different degree of
hardness of leather to the other side so that a softer or modified blow better
adapted to be used on delicate patients may be given, or the harder side may be
used upon the body outside the linen or dress of the patient, whilst the softer
side can be used directly upon the skin, or vice versa, to suit different cases or
circumstances.
The instrument constructed as described is used as follows:-
The operator holding the handle in his hand, by means of the elasticity and
springiness of the elastic blade, is enabled to give a rapid series of blows with the
pad at the extremity of the latter upon the required part of the body of the patient,
and such blows can readily be varied by a skillful operator so as to give the
requisite delicacy, sharpness of touch, or severity of blow, which may be necessary
to produce most effectually the result required.
The length, size, and weight of the instrument and of the parts composing it
may be varied and modified to suit the particular individual whose case is to be
treated with it, and the particular result which it is desired to obtain, and with a
little practice the patient can himself use the instrument and operate upon himself,
or if more convenient can be treated as already described by a second person.
The instrument may be varied more or less. For instance one or both sides of
the striking pad may be provided with a disc or plate of copper or other suitable
metal or wire gauze, such disc or plate being connected to an insulated conducting
wire which is led away and connected to one pole of a suitable generator of
electricity the other pole of which is connected by a corresponding insulated
conducting wire applied to another part of the body of the patient. In this case
each handle of the instrument is insulated from the metallic disc or plate so that
every time a blow is struck with the latter in the manner first described an

page_text: electrical current or shock of any desired intensity is caused to pass through the
body of the patient. Or each disc may be gently pressed on different parts of
the body and held there so that the current may be continued for such time as the
operator may think sufficient. Or, the handle may have two elastic blades fixed
to it instead of one, each provided with a pad of the kind described, at its extremity,
both pads being provided with conducting discs or plates having insulated wires
connected to the electric generator, so that at each blow a current or shock of
electricity is caused to pass through the body of the patient between the two pads,
the conducting plates upon which are of course kept perfectly insulated from each
other.
•
It is evident that the elastic blade described by which the efficacy of the blow
or series of blows is obtained, may be of any convenient shape and length so that a
patient when using the instrument himself may be able without difficulty to apply
it to any part of his body.
The different forms of discs or plates described may be fitted upon the hands of
the operator, or upon gloves worn by him, whether for striking or rubbing the
patient, or for passing currents of electricity through the body.
The improved instrument or appliance described is extremely effective for the
different purposes required, is inexpensive, not liable to get out of order, and very
readily and easily used. The details of its construction may be varied more or
less to suit the different circumstances and conditions under which the instrument
is to be used.
1000
Improvements in Instruments or Appliances to be Used in the
Operations of what is known as * Massage" Treatment.
I, JOHN FISHER, of Chindrass House, Matlock, in the County of Derby,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following
statement, and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
$6
Among the operations used in the system of medical treatment now well known
AS massage," is one in which the flesh of the patient is submitted to a series of
rapidly struck blows from a moderately hard substance, such blows being ordinarily
light and sharply struck, but of varying severity, and repeated for a sufficiently
long time upon the part or parts of the body to which it is desired that the
treatment should be applied. My present invention has for its object a novel
instrument or appliance by which the required process can be performed with the
greatest accuracy, delicacy, and efficacy, and far more readily and easily than has
heretofore been the case.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, Figure 1 being a
plan, and Figure 2 a side view of the novel instrument. Figures 3 and 4 are similar
views of a slightly modified instrument.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In order to put my invention in operation, take a handle b preferably of
wood or other suitable material, into which I fit and fix firmly one end of a thin
and comparatively narrow blade a of steel, wood, whalebone, or other suitable
material of sufficient elasticity and flexibility. To the outer end of this blade a
1 fit upon each side a pad c, c of any convenient shape but preferably circular,
formed of metal, indiarubber, leather, hair, cloth, or a combination of one or more
of such materials or other suitable materials. I prefer, however, to use leather to

page_text: form the pad or cushion c, described, a disc or plate of such leather being fitted
upon each side at the end of the elastic steel blade a first described, and their
edges being stitched or otherwise secured together as shewn, with or without the
intervention between them of any suitable padding or picking, the discs being
rivetted or fixed to the blade as at e. One side of the pad so formed may be
of a different material or of a different degree of hardness of leather, to the other
side c', so that a softer or modified blow better adapted to be used on delicate
patients may be given, or the harder side may be used upon the body outside the
linen or dress of the patient, whilst the softer side can be used directly upon
the skin, or vice versa, to suit different cases or circumstances.
The instrument constructed as described is used as follows:-
The operator holding the handle 6 in his hand, by means of the elasticity and
springiness of the elastic blade a, is enabled to give a rapid series of blows with
the pad c at the extremity of the latter upon the required part of the body of the
patient, and such blows can readily be varied by a skilful operator so as to give
the requisite delicacy, sharpness of touch, or severity of blow, which may be
necessary to produce most effectually the result required.
The length, size, and weight of the instrument, and of the parts composing it
may be varied and modified to suit the particular individual whose case is to be
treated with it, and the particular result which it is desired to obtain, and with a
little practice the patient can himself use the instrument and operate upon himself,
or if more convenient can be treated as already described by a second person.
The instrument may be varied more or less. For instance one or both sides of
the striking pad c may be provided with a disc or plate or cup, of copper or other
suitable metal, or wire gauze, as shewn at d, Figures 3 and 4, such disc or plate d
being electrically connected with an insulated conducting wire f which is led away
and connected to one pole of a suitable generator of electricity, the other pole of
which is connected by a corresponding insulated conducting wire to a similar
instrument, (or to a conducting plate), applied to another part of the body of the
patient. The wire is shewn passing through the handle b, and in this case, the
handle of each instrument is insulated from the metallic disc or plate so that
every time a blow is struck with the latter in the manner first described an
electrical current or shock of any desired intensity is caused to pass through the
body of the patient. Or, each disc may be gently pressed on different parts of
the body and held there, so that the current may be continued for such time as
the operator may think sufficient. Or, the handle may have two elastic blades
fixed to it instead of one, each provided with a pad of the kind described, at its
extremity, both pads being provided with conducting discs or plates having
insulated wires connected to the electric generator, so that at each blow a current
or shock of electricity is caused to pass through the body of the patient between
the two pads, the conducting plates upon which are, of course, kept perfectly
insulated from each other:
It is evident that the elastic blade described by which the efficacy of the blow
or series of blows is obtained, may be of any convenient shape and length so that a
patient when using the instrument himself may be able without difficulty to apply
it to any part of his body. If the elastic blade be not of metal, separate insulated
conducting wires pass away from the metallic plates upon the pads, to the electric
generator.
The different forms of plates or discs described, may be fitted upon the hands of
the operator, or upon gloves worn by him whether for striking or rubbing the
patient, or for passing currents of electricity through the body.
The improved instrument or appliance described is extremely effective for the
different purposes required, is inexpensive, not liable to get out of order, and very
readily and easily used. The details of its construction may be varied more or
less to suit the different circumstances and conditions under which the instrument is
to be used. For instance, the elastic blade may be covered with leather or other
material, or it may be nickel-plated, and may be magnetized. Or, a pad may be

page_text: used upon one side and a brush upon the other side. The metal disc, plate, or cup,
is provided with a central screwed stem, at g, by which it can be fixed to the pad;
or can be removed when it is desired to use the instrument without the electric
current.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The instrument to be used in massage treatment, consisting of the flexible
elastic blade a, handle b, and disc or pad c, combined and used substantially in the
manner and for the purpose described, and illustrated.
2. In combination with the instrument described and claimed in Claim 1, the
metal plate, disc, or cup, d, conducting wire f, and a suitable generator of electricity,
substantially as and for the purpose described, and illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
3. In the instrument described and claimed in Claim 1, the use of materials of
different character or different degrees of hardness upon the two sides of the disc
or pad c, substantially as described.
4. The use upon one handle, of two of the flexible blades, pads, and electrical
conducting wires, described and claimed in Claim 2.
5. The method substantially as described, of applying pads of the kind described
in Claims 1, 2, and 3, to gloves or to the hands of the operator, instead of to flexible
elastic blades.
Dated 2
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 & 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.