AN IMPROVED ELECTRO-GALVANIC FRICTION BRUSH
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Prince, of the Office for Patents, 4,
Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED ELECTRO-GALVANIC FRICTION BRUSH." - A
communication from abroad by Julius Imme, resident at Berlin, in the
Kingdom of Prussia.
Sealed the 12th September 1861, and dated the 16th March 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Prince at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
March 1861.
I, ALEXANDER PRINCE, of the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED ELECTRO-GALVANIC FRICTION BRUSH," (a
communication from abroad by Julius Imme, resident at Berlin, in the
Kingdom of Prussia,) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of friction brushes, whereby a
galvanic current is to be passed through the human system for the cure of
various descriptions of diseases or complaints.
A strip of leather is bent in a semicircular form and attached at its ends to
an oblong wooden frame. In the leather are to be inserted pins of silver-
plated wire about half an inch in length, stuck in close. rows; these pins are
provided with heads, at the back of which is placed a curved zinc plate in

page_text: close proximity to the pin heads and touching every one. The ends of the
zinc plate rest upon a plain polished copper plate, which is fastened in tho
before-mentioned wooden frame. Against this copper plate is laid a piece of
felted cloth, succeeding which is a polished zinc plate, to which is added a
polished copper plate, and then another piece of felted cloth, and lastly a
polished zinc plate. The felted cloths are to be taken out and dipped into salt
water, they are then replaced with the plates, in the order before-mentioned,
when the galvanic current will pass through the curved zinc plate into the
pins. The brush is to be held so that the hand touches the last zinc plate, the
body coming by that means in contact with the zinc pole. Then by brushing
another part of the 'body (the copper plate being brought into contact with
the body) the electro-galvanic chain will be closed by this operation, and the
current will pass through the body. Should one person be operated on or
brushed by another, the chain will then be simply formed by brushing with
one hand and placing the other hand on the body of the person to be operated
on. The conduction must be facilitated by moistening the felted cloth with
salt water, and the hand which touches the zinc pole, and that part of the
body which touches the copper pole, are also to be made wet with salt water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Prince in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
PRINCE, of the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Prince, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Prince, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such. others as. I, the
said Alexander Prince, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term. therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED ELECTRO-GALVANIC FRICTION BRUSH," (a communication from abroad

page_text: by "Julius Imme," résident at Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia,) upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Prince, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the naturo
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Prince, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of friction brushes, whereby a
galvanic current is to be passed through the human system for the curo of
various descriptions of diseases or complaints.
In order to explain the said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with, for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings hereto annexed, and to the letters of reference marked thereon
respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
a, a, represents a strip or band of leather, bent into a semicircular form, into
which are inserted pins b, b, of silver-plated wire about half an inch in length,
and stuck in close rows; these pins are provided with heads, at the back of
which is placed a curved zinc plate c in close proximity thereto, the leather,
pins, and zinc plate being secured by their ends to a wooden frame of suitable
construction. The ends of the zinc plate c rest upon a plain polished copper-
plate d, which is fastened in the before-mentioned wooden frame; against and
beneath this copper plate is laid a piece of felted cloth e, succeeding which is
a polished zinc plate f, then follows another copper plate g, another piece of
cloth h, and lastly, a sheet of zinc i. The felted cloths are to be taken out of
the frame and dipped into salt water; they are then replaced (with the plates)
in the order before mentioned, when the galvanic current will pass through
the curved zinc plate into the pins. The brush is to be held so that the hand
touches the last zinc plate, the body coming by that means in contact with the
zinc pole. Then by brushing another part of the body (the copper plate being
brought into contact with the body) the electro-galvanic chain will be closed
by this operation, and the current will pass through the body. Should one

page_text: person be operated on or brushed by another the chain will then be simply
formed by brushing with one hand, and placing the other hand on the body of
the person to be operated on. The conduction must be facilitated by moisten-
ing the felted cloth with salt water, and the hand which touches the zinc pole
and that part of the body which touches the copper pole are also to be made
wet with salt water.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I claim the manufacture of electro-galvanic
brushes in the manner herein described, or in any other substantially the same
for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Prince, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
L. J. WETHERELL,
Clerk to Messrs. Prince & Co.,
4 Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross..
ALEX. PRINCE. (L.S.)