Use in Dental Operations.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct.. 1857
Specification Accepted, 22nd June, 1888
Use in Dental Operations.
A communication from ELIAS SMITH, Physician, and FRED KIMBLE, both of Peoria,
in the County of Peoria, State of Illinois, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 :-
This invention relates to an electrical apparatus and its application to dentistry and
has for its object to produce means whereby a current of electricity may be used with
advantage to deaden the pain caused by dental operations. The invention further has
for its object to produce incans whereby the current may be regulated and whereby
also the current may be cut off instantly by the operators when desired.
With these objects in view the invention consists in the aggroupments of parts now
to be described.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which :-
:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of the case which is employed to hold
the batteries etc. employed in this invention.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the interior of the case.
Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the manner of mounting and adjusting the
armature of the induction coil.
Fig. 4 is a view showing the inner face of the board or plate upon which the
induction coil is mounted illustrating the connections between the induction coil and
the discharges and
Figs. 5 and 6 represent modified forms of tightening devices designed to be applied
to the spring carrying the armature of the induction coil.
For convenience in handling and for the purpose of preventing injury to the cells
and so forth employed the principal portions of the apparatus are confined in a box
or case A provided at its upper end with a suitable handle B.

page_text: Within the case A is mounted one or more cells CC which may be the well known
carbon or any other desirable cell.
The elements of the cells are for convenience in raising them from the jars
connected to a transverse bar D which is provided with the vertical rod E projecting
through the top of the shell or case so that by raising or lowering the rod the elements
are withdrawn from or lowered into the cells and liquids.
The cells are connected to the binding posts E F fed to the board G upon which
the induction coil is mounted. The post F is connected by means of the wire H to
the adjustable contact screw I against which bears the spring J and the binding post E
is suitably connected with the induction coil.
The armature K of the induction coil is mounted at approximately the centre of
the spring J so that the vibrations of the armature are varied by the tension of the
spring the spring is mounted in the projecting arms L M projecting from a plate
or bar N mounted in suitable relation to the induction coil one end of the spring is
connected permanently to the arm L and the other end is connected to a lever 0.
The lever O is movable and is manipulated by the screw which passes through the
lever and bears against the arm M so that by turning the screw the lever is moved
away from the arm and any desired amount of tension is imposed upon the spring
and thus the rapidity with which the armature vibrates is regulated.
Instead of the means for tightening the spring shown in figure 3 one of the devices
shown in figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, may be employed.
In the form of tightener shown in figure 5 one end of the spring is attached to a
screw which passes through the arm M so that by turning the screw back and forth
tension may be put upon or taken off the spring.
In the form shown in figure 6 the free end of the spring passes through the arm M
and is connected by a pin to an eccentric which bears against the arm and by which
the spring may be tightened in an obvious manner.
The wires from the induction coil are connected respectively to the binding
posts QR and the post Q is connected to the post S on the top of the case.
The post R is connected with a spring U fixed preferably at about the bottom of
the case.
One end of this spring is fixed permanently and the free end bears when
in its normal position against a metal plane V to the outside of the case is pivotted a
lever W provided with a knob or projection which projects through an opening in the
side of the box or case and bears against the spring U near its free end.
This lever is of such a length that when the box or case rests upon the floor it may
be pressed by the foot of the operator whether he is standing on the floor or a box or
stool. Pressure on the lever W will separate the spring U and metal plate and thus
break the current.
The plate V is connected to a post T fixed to the outside of the box or case.
The cylinders or discharges designed to be held in the hands of the person to be
operated upon are connected respectively to the binding posts T and S.
The post T is connected with the binding post Y by means of a switch Z and to
this post is connected a pair of forceps or other instruments to be used in operating
upon the patient.
In using the apparatus the discharges are grasped by the patient and the elements
of the batteries are lowered into the jars thereby generating a current of electricity
which passes through the circuit completed by the person holding the discharges
when the forceps which are connected as described to the post Y brought into contact
with the tooth a circuit through the forceps and tooth is completed thus causing a
portion of the current formerly passing through the tooth and thus the desired
benumbing effect is produced. After the operation the lever W is pressed in by the
operator or otherwise and the circuit broken.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention as
communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the same is to
be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an electrical apparatus for dental purposes a generator and induction coil

page_text: having its armature mounted on a spring supported at both ends and electrodes
substantially as described.
2. In an electrical apparatus a generator an induction coil having its armature
mounted on a spring fixed at one end and provided at the other with a tension device
whereby the rapidity of the electrical impulses allowed to pass through the
induction coil is regulated and the electrodes substantially as described.
3. In an electrical apparatus for dental purposes the generator the induction coil
having its armature mounted on the spring fast at one end and secured at the
other to a lever and set screw whereby the rapidity of the electrical impulses allowed
to pass through the induction coil is regulated and the electrodes substantially as
described.
4. In an electrical apparatus for dental purposes the elongated spring U forming
a portion of the circuit and the elongated lever W mounted on the exterior of
the case and having a projection extending through the case and bearing against the
spring substantially as described.
5. The combination in an electrical apparatus for dental purposes one or more cells
an induction coil having its armature mounted on a spring supported at both ends and
provided with a tension device the discharges and the forceps or other instruments
attached to one of the discharges substantially as described.
6. The combination in an electrical apparatus for dental purposes one or more cells
an induction coil having its armature mounted on a spring supported at both ends and
provided with a tension device the elongated spring forming part of the circuit the
lever mounted on the case and bearing against the spring the discharges and
the forceps or the like connected with one of the discharges substantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of October 1887.