Improvements in Electrical Combs.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1891-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Combs.
I, JOHN MATTHEW RILEY, of Harrison, Hudson County, New Jersey, United
States of America, Manufacturer, my post office address being 336 Cleveland Ave.,
Harrison Hudson County, New Jersey, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC COMBS, to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to give strength and vitality to the human hair
and thus cause it to assume its natural color and overcome a tendency to baldness.
Other objects are to render the comb convenient for use by reducing the bulk of
the battery receptacle to proper proportions, and to facilitate and reduce the cost
of construction
1
The invention consists in the improved electric comb and in the arragements and
combinations of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth and finally
embodied in the clauses of the claim.
Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like letters indicate correspond-
ing parts in each of the several figures
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device,
Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same;
Figure 3 is a detail view of the tube or receptacle for the toothed plates forming
the voltaic pile,
Figure 4 is a section of the same on line X,
Figure 5 are detail views of said plates and
'
Figure 6 shows the relation of said plates to said tube and the insulation there
between.
In said drawing, a indicates the handle of the device, b a longitudinally slotted
tube forming a backing for the comb and providing a receptacle for the alternating
copper and zinc plates c, d, which are insulated from one another by washers, e, of
non-conducting material and form a voltaic pile the lateral projections of said
plates forming the combing teeth.
The disc like heads shown in Figures 5 and 6, of the plates c, d, are centrally
perforated as also are the washers separating the same, and thus a longitudinal
chamber is formed in the backing of the comb adapted to receive the current
generating material or electrical excitant which is of the kind and nature of any
of the excitants used in dry batteries. The plates being insulated, each pair forms
a battery, the current passing from one plate of the pair through the hair to the
second plate.
The tube at one extremity is turned as at g, forming a centrally open abutment
or stay for the voltaic pile of plates at one end of the backing. The said plates
are all centrally perforated to form the longitudinal chamber, i, for the current
generating material and are arranged within the tube, an insulating film, m, of
celluloid for example, being inserted between the peripheral edges of the disc like
parts and the interior walls or surfaces of the tube, so that there can be no
metallic connections between the dissimilar plates of the voltaic pile.
The pile is then subjected to end pressure, so that the parts are all brought into
very, intimate association, and are held in this relation by another abutment, k,
which is preferably formed by inserting a nut or threaded metallic piece into the
end of said tube and firmly and securely fastening it therein by solder or other
suitable means.
Into said threaded nut or piece, k, the threaded shank, 1, of the handle may be
screwed and the device is then ready for the current generating material, consisting
of sal-ammoniac or other current generating material or excitant.
This being introduced, the chamber is closed by a separable cap n, which is

page_text: removable to allow the said materials within the chamber to be renewed from time
to time, should the renewal be deemed desirable.
To prevent the plates from turning in relation to one another, I prefer to indent
the disc-like parts on one side thereof and form corresponding projections, e, on the
opposite side, so that when pressure is brought to bear, the said projections will be
forced into the insulating washers and the fibre of the latter be forced into the
corresponding recesses as will be understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An electrical comb combining therein a series of electrically different plates
separated by an electrical non-conductor, a chamber for an excitant and means for
holding said plates and insulators in a voltaic pile, substantially as set forth.
2. An electrical comb, the back of which provides a longitudinal receptacle, a
series of toothed and electrically different plates arranged within said receptacle
and means for insulating said plates and for exciting electrical action, substantially
as set forth.
3. The improved electric comb herein described, combining with a slotted tube,
furnishing rigid abutments at its opposite ends, a series of insulated and alternating
plates, forming a voltaic pile, held rigidly within said tube by said abutments,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The improved electric comb herein described, combining therein a slotted
tube having one end turned inward to form an abutment, a series of insulated plates
pressed against said abutment and held by a co-operating abutment secured to the
opposite end of the tube, the said plates being provided with combing teeth and
perforated to form a chamber for generating material, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
5. In combination with the slotted tube, the dissimilar plates c, d, having
projections c, and insulating washers, e, all arranged and combined substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
1001
JOHN MATTHEW RILEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.