IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES FOR MEDICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Stringfellow, of Chard, in the County
of Somerset, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GALVANIC BATTERIES FOR MEDICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Scaled the 5th January 1859, and dated the 2nd October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Stringfellow,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd October 1852.
I, JOHN STRINGFELLOW, of Chard, in the County of Somerset, En-
gineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES FOR MEDICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES '
to be as follows:-
-סיוון
This Invention is distinguished from former contrivances for the
duction of voltaic electricity to be worn on the person, by being a
battery formed of small compound plates or bars composed of any two
simple or compound metals of suitable chemical qualities, which plates
or bars are permanently connected together so as to form one system,
the whole system being capable of being folded into two or more lengths
when necessary, and placed in a case small enough to be carried con-

page_text: veniently in the pocket or otherwise. The acid necessary to the action
of the metallic plates is carried (in contact with them) in either of two
ways, or by a combination of both. 1, by means of filtering paper
or other bibulous substances or collection of fibres between the two
metals; or, ondly, by means of the capillary force which the metals
themselves supply when the space left between them is sufficiently
narrow. In the latter case the metals are prevented from touching
each other by threads. or paper interposed between them at intervals.
These two methods may be varied in details, and may be used in com-
bination, in different parts of the same system.
The voltaic electricity developed by the battery is conveyed to any
part or parts of the person by means of metallic wires covered with
braid, and furnished with a metallic plate or point at the end of each.
The whole may be conveniently worn on the person, and may be
used in most cases without exciting remark by its appearance.
Batteries of this form may be used for other purposes for which vol-
taic electricity is desirable or applicable, and such use of them will be
claimed as well as that for medical or physiological purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Stringfellow in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 1st April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN STRINGFELLOW, of Chard, in the County of Somerset, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, fór Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Stringfellow, Her special
licence that I, the said John Stringfellow, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Stringfellow, my execu-

page_text: tors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GALVANIC BATTERIES FOR MEDICAL AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Stringfellow, by.
an 'instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature 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 John Stringfellow, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being, had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed (that is to say):
The nature of my said Invention having been set forth in my Pro-
visional Specification, I will first repeat the same here, and then 'pro-
ceed, by reference to the Drawings annexed, to describe the manner in
which the said Invention may be most advantageously carried into
effect.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
This Invention is distinguished from former contrivances for the pro-
duction of voltaic electricity to be worn on the person by being a
battery formed of small compound plates or bars composed of any two
simple or compound metals of suitable chemical qualities, which plates
or bars are permanently, connected together so as to form one system,
the whole system being capable of being folded into two or more lengths
when necessary, and placed in a case small enough to be carried conve-
niently in the pocket or otherwise. The acid.necessary to the action
of the metallic plates is carried (in contact with them) in either of two
ways, or by a combination of both. First, by means of filtering paper.or
other bibulous substances or collection of fibres between the two metals;

page_text: or, secondly, by means of the capillary force which the metals them
selves supply when the space left between them is sufficiently narrow.
In the latter case the metals are prevented from touching each other by
threads or paper interposed between them at intervals. These two
methods may
be varied in the details, and may be used in combination,
in different parts in the same system. The voltaic electricity developed
by the battery is conveyed to any part or parts of the person by means
of metallic wires covered with braid, and furnished with a metallic plate
or point at the end of each. The whole may be conveniently worn on
the person, and may be used in most cases without exciting remark by
its appearance. Batteries of this form may be used for other purposes
for which voltaic electricity is desirable or applicable, and sucli use of
them will be claimed as well as that for medical or physiological
purposes.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I now proceed
to describe the best means with which I am acquainted for carrying the
same into effect, and in so doing refer to the Drawings hereunto an
nexed; and I use the words following in the senses here ascribed to them,
videlicit: That which in the Provisional Specification I called a com-
pound plate or bar, I here call a voltaic or galvanic pair, or simply "a
pair." Any number of such "pairs" combined temporarily or per-
manently in one system I call "a battery." So much of a folded battery
in which the connection is permanent as is contained between joint and
joint I call "a leaf."
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, represent the manner in which I
construct my voltaic pairs herein-before referred to. A, is a plate of
amalgamated zinc, of the shape separately indicated on Figures 1, and 2,
around which is wound a bibulous or fibrous material a, a, such as
thread, silk, hair, small gut, asbestos, or any substances capable of in-
sulating the one metal from the other. Figures 3, 4, and 5, represent
strips of copper, or other metal electro-negative to the metal plate A,
which are composed in the manner shown; Figure 3, being formed of
copper gauze Figure 4, of a strip of copper having two rows of slots
punched out of the metal; and Figure 5, a similar strip, but pierced or

page_text: perforated with a number of circular holes, as indicated. Either of these
strips may be bent round the zinc plate A, and the edges soldered
together in the manner severally indicated in the Figures 6, 7, and 8.
Or, instead of using these strips, I form the voltaic pair by winding round
the zinc plates lengths of flattened copper wire in a spiral direction, an
insulating substance having been placed between the two metals; at the
ends the wires are wound closer together and soldered. B, B, are
pieces of flattened wire which are inserted beneath the negative inetal
and soldered thereto, but insulated from the zinc bars or positive metal
by pieces of varnished paper, gutta percha, or other insulating substance
interposed between them. In order to construct a battery, I combine
two or any greater number of galvanic pairs, constructed in the manner
herein-before directed, in a series, by soldering the ends of the pieces of
flattened wire of one pair to the zinc plate of the next, in the manner
represented in Figure 9. These small galvanic pairs, when so combined
in leaves, may be arranged in any number or series so as to form a
battery of intensity by uniting the poles of one leaf or battery and the
dissimilar poles of the next in the series by means of the projecting
tubes C, C, which are made hollow for the purpose of inserting the con-
necting wires. And, in order to form a battery of quantity, then I con-
nect the similar poles throughout the series. The tube C, is soldered
to the zinc plate or negative pole, while C, is attached to the copper or
positive pole. Figure 10, is a plan; and Figure 11, an edge view of a
series of leaves constructed in the manner before described and referred
to in Figure 9. Instead of a rigid connection throughout there is a
hinged joint, A, A, which admits of the battery being folded and in-
serted into a case, as represented in Figure 12, so as to be easily porta-
ble. I place studs or strips of gutta percha, or other insulating medium,
at intervals on some of the pairs in each leaf, in order to prevent the
leaves of the battery when folded, or placed in juxtaposition, coming in
metallic contact. Figure 18, represents a combination of six leaves
hinged together at a, a, in the same manner as those indicated in
Figures 10, and 11. It will be necessary to observe that in the hinged
joint the hinges must be so arranged that one side or half of the hinge

page_text: shall be in communication with the positive metal; while the other half
is in connection with the opposite or negative metal. The projecting
tubes CC, are placed in the opposite ends and poles of the series.
Figure 14 represents another form of portable battery, in which the
leaves are arranged similar to the leaves of a book, being hinged at the
back. Any number of leaves may be so connected together, or in the
form and manner represented in Figure 12. In order to excite the
voltaic pairs when required for use; I draw along their surface a sponge
imoistened by diluted acid; the intensity of the current generated being
dependant upon the strength of the exciting liquid. In order to con-
nect the plates in any galvanic series, I make use of a flexible metallic
band or cord, the ends of which terminate in a hook, snap, or other kind
of fastening, according to the formation of the plates to be connected.
These cords may be also employed for conveying the current from the
battery to its intended application. In order to convey the electric cur-
rent generated by the batteries herein-before described, I insert into the
projecting tubes, C, C, metallic pins or snaps, similar to those used for
connecting the ends of necklaces, and attach to them flexible metallic
bands or cords, terminating either in metallic discs or points according
to the uses for which the current is to be employed. These flexible
imetallic cords or bands are made in the following manner :-I wind
round threads of cottoni, silk, or other suitable materials, thin strips of
flattened wire to any suitable or required length, and afterwards twist a
series of thread so covered together so as to form a cord or band, and
then plait or braid. round the cord threads of silk, mohair, or other
similar material. Although I have shewn in the Drawings and de-
scribed the use of copper and zinc as the two opposite voltaic electrical
metals, other metals, the one being electro-positive to the other, may be
used with more or less advantage. I do not confine myself to the
arrangement of the metals, as they may be so combined that the posi-
tive metal may form the interior, and the negative metal the exterior,
or vice versa.
.:
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the sanie is to be performed, I declare that

page_text: described, and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
And, second, the flexible metallic connecting bands or cords, herein-
efore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Stringfellow, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
efore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Stringfellow, have hereunto.
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
J. STRINGFELLOW (L.S.)
0 Taken and acknowledged by John Stringfellow,
party hereto, at the Enrolment Office,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, the Fifteenth day of March, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,