AN IMPROVED METHOD OF GENERATING AND APPLYING ELECTRICITY FOR MEDICINAL OR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR"
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Vacy Ash of Marylands Road. Saint Peter's Park
te
in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
GENERATING AND APPLYING ELECTRICITY FOR MEDICINAL OR OTHER PURPOSES,
AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Vacy Ash at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th April 1883.
ROBERT VACY ASH of Marylands Road St Peters Park in the County of
Middlesex "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF GENERATING AND APPLYING ELECTRICITY
FOR MEDICINAL OR OTHER PURPOSES AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"
The object and design of this Invention is to afford a more perfect means than
has yet been attained for the production of electric and magnetic currents and
discharges in and upon substances and surfaces of wearing apparel worn by human
or other living beings in such a manner as to ensure the production of currents or
discharges in any required direction and with the proper power over the whole
surface to be treated Tho means hitherto employed for this purpose have been
chains or bands baving the properties of chains in which the joints or connections
always become corroded after short use whereby the electrical action is reduced
and finally stopped so far as the terminal plates are concerned in which case the
chain or band becomes inoperative The system of chains also involve the removal
of the chain or band to different parts of the body in fact to the part desired
whereas according to my invention, hereinafter described there is this important
difference that the moisture or vapour of one part is made to perform the part of
the liquid excitant to generate a current which owing to the " polar extensions"
is applied to another part of the body.
The magnetic or electrical effects are to be produced according to my invention
by an arrangement of sensitive metallic or other magnetic or electrical current
Pasion AdI

page_text: producers and in such a manner that when in use and upon the body the electric
or magnetic energy will be excited automatically but when not worn or in use
there will be a cessation of such energy thus avoiding continual waste.
As an example, When carrying my invention into practice I interweave sew or
otherwise combine or attach to textile fabrics strands of copper surrounded spirally
by zinc, wire, or other equivalent metals, and with open spaces, threads or strands
of nonconductors interposed, the elements will, whilst adapting themselves to the
curves or undulations of the body, be electric and magnetic current producers or
other current producers having polar extensions of Silver Gold, or platinum so as
not to produce an injurious effect on the surface by actual application, or when
a conducting medium is interposed between the poles and the surface to be
operated upon, conduction and influence as the case may be, are effected-For
instance when the respirator is constructed of the wires mentioned or other
equivalent wires such as zinc and silver or zinc and platinum or the like then the
moisture of the breath keeps up the electrical excitation The duration is regulated
in the usual way videlicet by applying the positive or negative pole where required.
The system I have adopted of weaving the elements of copper and Zinc or other
combinations mentioned into the substance of fabrics is also new I illustrate this
by the example of stiffening stays or other similar articles of clothing by inserting
my spirally made exciters of electricity in the place of the usual stay bones and
connecting the ends in a suitable manner according to the well known electrical
laws for producing the required potential by terminating the one or more series
in such a manner that while no injury results to the surface the current is
conveyed to the Patient and the moisture from the skin in the condition of vapour
excites the galvanic series above named and thereby produces the current of
electricity which can be applied at any convenient part determined by the
Physician
The means of producing the electrical and magnetic currents possesses novelty
from the manner in which the wires are arranged rather than from the composition
of the elements, copper and zinc, or zinc, and silver, gold, platinum, or the like.
The automatic excitation is one of the principal features of this invention and
differs greatly from the galvanic chains which are usually excited by vinegar and
water, which soon dries up and the action then from this cause also ceases.
This point is more clearly seen by regarding my improved form of webb battery
as possessed of a means of absorption by which it constantly renews itself Never-
theless on removal from the source of moisture or vapour the action rapidly ceases
thus avoiding waste.
With respect to the construction which has been referred to and with regard to
the absorbing power of the cotton or other medium between the metals I would
point out that the thickness of this varies in proportion to the internal resistance
required in this my improved construction of webb battery, the thicker the medium
the greater the resistance will be and the spaces facilitate evaporation and like the
non conducting threads increase the internal resistance.
The metals whether wire like or flattened, if small, will readily be moulded to
any required figure necessary for the human body or other living being. The
polar extensions may be long or short as the case may be and are always to be of
Gold silver or platinum, or any other metal, if any, which shall be incapable of
poisining the skin.
In the case of surfaces too sensitive for actual application of the metallic poles
I provide any moderately good conducting material and place it over the conductor
or poles.
When the combined metals are manufactured with the textile fabric in the
continuous form the conductors and generators are parallel and spirally arranged
so as to facilitate the multiple are formation and so secure the requisite potential-
In some cases I should prefer to employ the flattened formations of conductor as
the same system of excitation already explained would be adopted in each case,
that is to say I do not limit myself to the use of wires

page_text: The combined metals being regarded as so many threads in a woven material
and woven in are then to be cut at so many ends as may be necessary according to
the number required in series and then joined according to the well known rules
for "multiple arc" and "series connections"
•
The wire like form not to be always used. The principle of excitation would
remain the same whether the wire be round, flat, grooved or even if the conductor
should be tabular.
The chains already made have been referred to and owing to their weight and
numerous other reasons not necessary to refer to here I have thought it only
necessary to point out how my invention differs from these devices and to call
special attention to the automatic action of my webb battery.
The battery itself is not necessarily in the centre of the fabric into or on to
which it is woven or within which it is contained but as a Carpet for example is
made on a webb so also I reserve to myself the method of using my webb as a base
on which to set up or give a plush-like or other soft and absorbant surface to be
presented towards the skin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Vacy Ash in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th October
1883.
86
ROBERT VACY ASH of Marylands Road St Peters Park in the County of
Middlesex AN IMPROVED METHOD OF GENERATING AND APPLYING ELECTRICITY
FOR MEDICINAL OR OTHER PURPOSES AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"
The object and design of this Invention is to afford a more perfect means than
has yet been attained for the production of electric and magnetic currents and
discharges in and upon substances and surfaces of wearing apparel worn by human
or other living beings in such a manner as to ensure the production of currents or
discharges in any required direction and with the proper power over the whole
surface to be treated.-The means hitherto employed for this purpose have been
chains or bands having the properties of chains in which the joints or connections
always become corroded after short use whereby the electrical action is reduced
and finally stopped so far as the terminal plates are concerned in which case the
chain or band becomes inoperative. The system of chains also involve the
removal of the chain or band to different parts of the body in fact to the part
desired whereas according to my invention hereinafter described there is this
important difference that the moisture or vapour of one part is made to perform
the part of the liquid excitant to generate a current which owing to the "polar
extensions" is applied to another part of the body.
The magnetic or electrical effects are to be produced according to my Invention
by an arrangement of sensitive metallic or other magnetic or electrical current

page_text: producers and in such a manner that when in use and upon the body the electrical
or magnetic energy will be excited automatically but when not worn or in use
there will be a cessation of such energy thus avoiding continual waste.
As an example. When carrying my Invention into practice I interweave sew
or otherwise combine or attach to textile fabrics strands of copper surrounded
spirally by zinc wire, or other equivalent metals, and with open spaces, threads or
strands of nonconductors interposed, the elements will, whilst adapting themselves
to the curves or undulations of the body, be electric and magnetic current producers
or other current producers having polar extensions of Silver, Gold, or platinum so
as not to produce an injurious effect on the surface by actual application, or when
a conducting medium is interposed between the poles and the surface to be
operated upon, conduction and influence as the case may be, are effected.
For instance when the respirator is constructed of the wires mentioned or other
equivalent wires such as zinc and silver or zinc and platinum or the like then the
moisture of the breath keeps up the electrical excitation. The duration is regu-
lated in the usual way videlicet, by applying the positive or negative pole where
required. The system I have adopted of weaving the elements of copper and zinc
or other combinations mentioned into the substance of fabrics is also new, I
illustrate this by the example of stiffening stays or other similar articles of clothing
by inserting my spirally made exciters of electricity in the place of the usual stay
bones and connecting the ends in a suitable manner according to the well known
electrical laws for producing the required potential by terminating the one or
more series in such a manner that while no injury results to the surface the current
is conveyed to the Patient and the moisture from the skin in the condition of
vapour excites the galvanic series above named and thereby produces the current
of electricity which can be applied at any convenient part determined by the
Physician.
The means of producing the electrical and magnetic currents possesses novelty
from the manner in which the wires are arranged rather than from the com-
position of the elements copper and zinc, or zinc and silver, gold, platinum or the
like.
The automatic excitation is one of the principal features of this Invention and
differs greatly from the galvanic chains which are usually excited by vinegar and
water, which soon dries up and the action then from this cause also ceases. This
point is more clearly seen by regarding my improved form of web-battery as
possessed of a means of absorption by which it constantly renews itself. Never-
theless on removal from the source of moisture or vapour the action rapidly ceases
thus avoiding waste.
With respect to the construction which has been referred to and with regard to
the absorbing power of the cotton or other medium between the metals I would
point out that the thickness of this varies in proportion to the internal resistance
required in this my improved construction of webb-battery, the thicker the
medium the greater the resistance will be and the spaces facilitate evaporation and
like the non conducting threads increase the internal resistance
The metals whether wire-like or flattened, if small, will readily be moulded to
any required figure necessary for the human body or other living being. The
polar extensions may be long or short as the case may be and are always to be of
Gold silver or platinum or any other metal, if any, which shall be incapable of
posoning the skin.
In the case of surfaces too sensitive for the actual application of the metallic
poles I provide any moderately good conducting material and place it over the
conductor or poles
When the combined metals are manufactured with the textile fabric in the
continuous form the conductors and generators are parallel and spirally arranged
so as to facilitate the multiple are formation and to secure the requisite potentials-
In some cases I should prefer to employ the flattened formations of conductor as
the same system of excitation already explained would be adopted in each case,

page_text: that is to say, I do not limit myself to the use of wires. The combined metals
being regarded as so many threads in a woven material and woven in are then to
be cut at so many ends as may be necessary according to the number required in
series and then joined according to the well known rules for "multiple arc and
"series connections."
"
The wire-like form not to be always used. The principle of excitation would
remain the same whether the wire be round, flat, grooved, or even, if the conductor
should be tubular,
The chains already made have been referred to and owing to their weight and
numerous other reasons not necessary to refer to here I have thought it only
necessary to point out how my invention differs from these devices and to call
special attention to the automatic action of my web-battery.
The battery itself is not necessarily in the centre of the fabric into or on to
which it is woven or within which it is contained but as a carpet for example is
made on a web, so also I reserve to myself the method of using my web as a base
on which to set up or give a plush-like or other soft and absorbent surface to be
presented towards the skin.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention together with the means
of carrying the same into practical effect I wish it to be understood that what I
claim as new and as of my Invention is
The novel construction, combination and arrangement of a medicinal electro or
magnetic battery to be employed in the manner and for the purpose as herein
substantially described.
In witness whereof I the said Robert Vacy Ash have hereunto set my hand
and seal this the eighteenth day of September in the year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
Witness =
THOMAS WRIGLEY
75. Chancery Lane
London W.C.
RODENI YAVI ADIL (4.5.)