Improvements in Electric Rollers for Therapeutical and Massage Purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: BOTICATION.
Improvements in Electric Rollers for Therapeutical and Massage
Purposes.
I, JOHN WILSON GIBBS of St. Andrew's Hotel New York in the County and
State of New York, United States of America Physician do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The leading feature of my appliance consists in a cylindrical body ordinarily
provided at its sides with circular lateral flanges, the same being sustained within
a bifurcated holder in most instances, which holder is usually provided with an
ornamental handle.
My electric roller, is preferably cylindrical in form and provided at its sides
with circular lateral flanges having a horizontal bifurcated holder the ends of
which are ordinarily secured to the roller-flanges by screws or rivets.
The handle for the holder is circular in cross-section and may be made neat
and ornamental.
It is manifest that various forms of electricity-generating rollers may be used.
For example, the face of my roller may consist of alternate plates of suitable
metals, as copper and zinc, the moisture of the body of the person to whom my
device is applied serving to complete the circuit; or sheets of copper or zinc may
be wrapped around the bar, the ends of the same being exposed and having
intermediate-absorbent medium, as cloth or other fabric.
It is manifest that various omissions of some particulars could be made without
materially affecting the essential features of my invention or the operation of the
emaining parts, and I do not therefore wish to be limited to the specific structural
letails of the organization herein set forth. It is believed that electricity thus
pplied is not only a cure for various ailments, but that the use of a slight current
egularly taken will increase the flesh and improve the complexion.
It is obvious that other anodes and cathodes may be substituted for the copper
nd zinc plates described.
Dated this 12th day of January 1007

page_text: Improvements in Electric Rollers for Therapeutical and Massage
Purposes.
I, JOHN WILSON GIBBS of Hotel St. Andrew and of 953 Broadway, New York,
in the County and State of New York, United States of America, Physician, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The leading feature of my appliance consists in a cylindrical' body ordinarily
provided at its sides with circular lateral flanges, the same being sustained within
a bifurcated holder in most instances, which holder is usually provided with an
ornamental handle. In the drawings which accompany and form part of this
specification, Figure 1 represents a plan view of an appliance constructed accord-
ing to my invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections of electric rollers
made in accordance with this my invention. Like letters of reference indicate
like parts in all the views.
Referring particularly to the drawings, A denotes my electric roller, which is
preferably cylindrical in form and provided at its sides with circular lateral
flanges a. B is a horizontal bifurcated holder, the ends b₁ of which are ordinarily
secured to the roller-flanges a by screws or rivets a¹.
The handle 'C for the holder is circular in cross-section and may be neat and
ornamental. It is manifest that various forms of electricity-generating rollers
may be used. For example, the face of my roller may consist of alternate plates
of suitable metals, as copper A' or zinc A2 the moisture of the body of the person
to whom my device is applied serving to complete the circuit; or sheets of
copper A3 or zinc A may be wrapped around the bar A the ends of the same
being exposed and having intermediate moisture-absorbent medium, as cloth or
other fabric D. It is manifest that various omissions of some particulars could
be made without materially affecting the essential features of my invention or
the operation of the remaining parts, and I do not therefore wish to be limited
to the specific structural details of the organization herein set forth. Obviously
the elements of the structure described may be located at an angle to the plane
in which they are shown, or they may be inverted, if desired. I accordingly use
the words "horizontal," "lateral," and the like in a relative sense. It is believed
that electricity thus applied is not only a cure for various ailments, but that the
use of a slight current regularly taken will increase the flesh and improve the
complexion. The modification of the muscular tissue produced by this means is
primarily the result of the influence of the current upon the nerves, the muscles
being controlled by the nerves, both in their movement and in their nourishment,
the healthfulness of the skin following an improved condition of the blood and
the increased flow of the latter involving augmented nourishment and capacity to
eliminate deleterious matter. It is obvious that other anodes and cathodes may
be substituted for the copper and zinc plates described.
As it is evident that many changes in the construction and relative arrange-
ment of parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope
of my invention I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the
particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but that
I reserve the right to make such changes and that

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An electric roller consisting of a central body and superimposed generating.
plates as copper and zinc.
2. An electric roller consisting of a body provided with axial bearings, and
with a smooth cylindrical face the said face formed by, and consisting of a series
of contiguous generating face-plates, as copper and zinc, supported thereby, and
of a bifurcated holder to engage the said axial bearings, whereby an even pressure
may at all times be exerted upon the person to which the said roller is applied,
and a circuit may become established upon application of the roller to the said
person.
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