An Improved Means for Inducing Sleep in Cases of Insomnia.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
·COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means for Inducing Sleep in Cases of Insomnia.
I, VICTOR GORGIAS, of Pettau on the Drave in the Empire of Austria,
Gentleman, 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 :-
One of the main conditions of life is deep quiet sleep. A large number of
persons, especially adults suffer however nowadays from insomnia which, as is well
known, depends almost always on an over excited condition of the sensory nerves.
All soporifics which are taken internally are to be avoided as they only injure the
body. If the insomnia has not exactly become chronic, attempts are frequently
made to induce sleep by counting for instance repeatedly up to 100 whilst casting
the eyes to various sides, the object being to divert the mind of the sleepless person.
Such means are however not always effective.
This invention has for its object to produce an arrangement for preventing, in
combination with various senses of the body, the brooding over the events of the
day, business matters, troubles and the like. The apparatus employed for this
object is shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing and has the form
of a lighthouse resting on three feet and provided with side handles h to allow of
its being easily transported. It is formed of iron, steel or aluminium, and the
lower somewhat wider part contains a musical mechanism a with removable discs s,
which mechanism when wound up by means of a handle plays for about
20 minutes. In the upper part of the apparatus a projected light like those of
lighthouses must be produced in changing colours such as for instance red and
white. This play of colours must also last about 20 minutes, and the arrangement
must be such that it commences automatically as soon as the musical mechanism
ceases to play. The following arrangement is employed for this-If the clock-
work mechanism in the part 6 be wound up, the spring case is held fast by the
pin r, and the wheels can only revolve if the pin » be removed. For this object a
small cogwheel Z is mounted on the spindle e on which the music discs are placed,
which cogwheel engages with the large cogwheel Z' and the transfer proportion is such
that the cogwheel Z¹only rotates once during the performance of the piece of music in
question. A camd is mounted on the spindle e of the cogwheel Z, which cam
strikes against the lever and turns it on its point of rotation g so far that the
cam d disengages from the end of the leverf. The pin r is thereby disengaged
and the clockwork operates the gearing, causing a slide piece to be moved to and
fro in front of two glass discs (white and red). In order that the lever f may
remain in a disengaged condition until the clockwork has run down, a hook is
attached to the lever f, which hook engages with a second hook !', the latter having
a spring action. In order that the pin may be again pressed by the spring fl
into the stop opening of the spring case after the clockwork in the case has run
down, a small cogwheel is mounted on the spindle of the wheel which is first
operated by the spring (and therefore has the smallest number of revolutions) and
this cogwheel n engages in the larger cogwheel ', and this transfer is so
proportioned that the wheel n' revolves once when the clockwork has run down.
A wheel m' is mounted on the spindle m of the wheel n', and carries a pin at
the side which lifts the spring hook l', releasing the lever f, and the pin r again
springs into the opening of the spring case. The wheel o is rotated by means
of suitable gearing from the clock work spring. This wheel has a pin, as also has
the slide piece, which latter moves to and fro in the guide pieces A A in front
of two discs, white and red. This to and fro movement of the slide v is
obtained by connecting the pin on the wheel o with the pin on the slide v by means

page_text: of a connecting rod w, so that the action is similar to a cross head and crank of
a steam engine.
Simultaneously with the play of light a sound must be produced resembling the
noise of the approaching waves and then another resembling that of the retiring
water, and these two sounds must regularly alternate as long as the play of colours
is in action. These sounds are preferably obtained by means of two spiral springs,
on each of which alternately a hammer strikes.
For this object, the spindle B is rotated from the cogwheel of the disc o by
means of the gearing ce, and this spindle has two cams D D' standing at 180° to
one another. Each of these cams actuates a lever H or H respectively, which
levers have strikers E E¹ so that the strikers alternately strike on two spiral
springs s of different thicknesses in such a way that by the oscillations of the spiral
springs, long drawn rattling sounds are produced. By the playing of the music,
and then by the flashing of the varying lights and the monotonous noise of the
springs s, the mind of the person suffering from insomnia is so diverted from
brooding that sleep is soon induced. In order to further assist this, a pocket of
waterproof material or the like shown in plan view in Figure 4, containing a
strongly perfumed handkerchief may be placed on the breast of the person in
question and fastened by means of a band round the neck and a button, so that
the person inhales the vapour at each respiration. If however on some evenings
the use of perfume be not effective, a second sachet is employed and a linen flap is
saturated with concentrated spirits of camphor or other medicinal tincture
recommended by the doctor for this purpose. In less serious cases, the first named
apparatus may be entirely dispensed with and only this scented sachet (soporific
sachet) be employed in combination with a sleeping bandage or cap. The latter
is shown on Figure 3 of the accompanying drawing and is arranged as follows-
A broad strip of linen or the like 4 which is placed over the head is provided on
the right and left hand side with pockets or rather waterproof pouches 5 (as the
inner side must be open) of such a size that a piece of bath sponge from which the
water has been more or less squeezed out, may be placed in each in such a way
that the two damp sponges lie exactly on the temples of the person in question.
The fastening must take place in a suitable manner by means of a band 6 under
the chin. The object desired, namely, the production of sleep is thus excellently
produced by these two means, and they are so inexpensive that even poor persons
may easily procure them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
An arrangement for producing sleep in cases of insomnia cousisting in the use of
1. An apparatus for inducing sleep having the form of a lighthouse, the under
part of which contains a musical mechanism with removable discs, and the upper
part a device for producing flashes of light of various colours and another for
producing two sounds which alternate and resemble the breaking of the waves on
the shore, substantially as described.
2. An improved means for inducing sleep consisting of a waterproof pocket or
pouch adapted to he fixed on the breast in proximity to the head and containing a
perfumed pocket-handkerchief or flap of linen soaked in medicinal tinctures
substantially as described.
3. An improved means for inducing sleep consisting of a bandage to be attached
to the head having pouch shaped openings in proximity to the temples adapted to
receive moistened bath sponges to rest on the temples, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th L
1004
LLEWELYN JONES,
Of 5, South Crescent Chambers, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.