Improvements relating to Corsets.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1891
COMPLETE DI MUIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Corsets.
I, CORNELIUS BENNETT HARNESS, of the Medical Battery Company, Limited,
52 Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Medical Electrician; 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 :-
My invention relates to corsets, and has for its object to adapt such articles of
wearing apparel for the application or administration of electricity (either galvanic
or Faradaic currents or magnetism) to the body of the wearer, for medical and
other purposes. By my said invention, therefore, I obviate in many cases the
necessity for wearing an electrical belt or similar appliance in addition to an ordinary
corset.
In making an electrical corset, in accordance with my said invention, for the
application or administration of galvanic or Faradaic currents, I secure in or to the
fabric of the corset, any desired number of plates, electrodes or generators,
preferably copper and zinc plates arranged alternately; the said plates may,
however be of any other suitable metal or metals. The said plates may, moreover,
be of any desired shape. I, in some instances, connect these plates, electrodes or
generators to each other by wires or conductors in any suitable manner. In other
instances, the connection between them is established through the body of the
wearer of the corset. When only galvanic currents are required, I sometimes
provide the corset with one or more pockets in which I place one or more battery-
cells, and I suitably connect these cells by wires or conductors with the terminals
of the series of plates or electrodes. When the corset is to be adapted for the
administration of Faradaic currents, I place in the said pocket or pockets, one
or more battery-cells and one or more induction-coils, and I suitably connect the
same with the said plates or electrodes. In this case, I find it advantageous to
provide the corset with a switch or push-piece whereby the induction-coils may be
put into action from time to time, whenever it is desired to administer Faradaic or
intermittent currents. In other instances, I provide for the connection, from time
to time as may be required, of a separate or extraneous battery or induction-coil
with the terminals of the series of plates or electrodes.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown various forms or modifications of
my improved electrical corset.
a is the corset, which may be made of any suitable material and of any desired
form and construction. b, b' are the plates, electrodes or generators; the plates
are preferably made of copper, and the plates b' of zinc. These plates are secured
to the interior of the corset by means of eyelets or rivets or in any other convenient
manner.
In the corset shown in Figure 1, the plates b, b' are connected with each other by
wires or conductors c, and two battery-cells d are arranged in pockets suitably
formed in the corset, and are connected by wires or conductors e, e¹ with the
terminals of the series of plates or electrodes b, 61, the positive terminal of one cell
being connected with the negative terminal of the other cell by a wire or conductor f
Or, instead of this arrangement, I may employ batteries constructed and arranged
substantially as described with reference to electric belts in the Specification of
former Letters Patent granted to me and dated 13th October 1883, No. 4881.
In Figure 2, I have shown a corset in which induction-coils are combined with
the battery-cells d in a manner somewhat similar to that described with reference to
electric belts in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated

page_text: 19th May 1891, No. 8579, that is to say :-One pole of each battery is connected
by a wire or conductor c with one set of the plates, on the same side of the
corset, and with a vibrating tongue or circuit-breaker h, and through the contact-
piece with the coil g, which is also connected by a wire or conductor c' with the
other set of plates b, 6 on the same side of the corset, and by the wire or conductor c²
with one of the contacts of a switch, push-piece or connector k.attached to the
corset. The other pole of the said battery is connected by a wire or conductor
with the other contact-piece of the said switch or connector. By means of this
switch or connector, the battery-circuit may at any time be completed; the core of
the induction-coil will then be magnetised, and will attract the tongue h and break
contact between the latter and the piece; the current induced in the coil g being
then caused to flow through the body of the wearer of the corset, the tongue his
released and springs back against the contact-piece and again completes the
battery circuit, and so on until the switch or connector is operated to interrupt the
circuit. I can, if desired, use an induction-coil having a primary and a secondary
suitably connected with the battery and with the plates b, b.
In Figure 3, I have shown a corset in which the plates or electrodes 6 and 61
are arranged alternately and extend in opposite directions from one of two parallel
wires or conductors c, c¹ nearly to the other, as described in the Specification of
former Letters Patent granted to me and dated 3rd December 1890, No. 19,744.
The wire c is connected with a terminal j and the wire c' with a terminalj; these
terminals are adapted to be connected respectively, from time to time as required,
with the poles of a battery or induction-coil not carried in the corset. With this
arrangement, the circuit will be completed through the body of the wearer at a
great many places simultaneously, that is to say, between each pair of the plates b, b¹.
The terminals, may be in the form of eyelets, into which may be inserted taper
pins forming the terminals of the conductors from the battery or induction-coil. It
is evident that, if desired, the corset shown in this figure or in either of the
following figures may have a battery and also, if required, an induction-coil
permanently attached thereto and carried thereby.
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 show corsets provided with different arrangements of
circular plates, electrodes or generators b, b. These plates are connected with
each other by wires or conductors c, c² and are either so arranged that they will
produce feeble currents of electricity, or are provided with sockets or terminals j, j¹
so that they can be connected with a battery or induction-coil.
When the plates or electrodes are arranged in groups, as shown, for example, in
Figure 6, I sometimes provide the corset with Haps for covering one or more
groups of the said plates as may be required, substantially as described with
reference to electric belts in the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to
me and dated 27th August 1890, No. 13,491.
In making a corset for the application or administration of magnetism to the
body of the wearer, 1 arrange in suitable pockets formed in the said corset, any
desired number of magnets or pieces of magnetised steel. Or 1 introduce such
magnets or magnetised pieces into the fabric of the corset during the manufacture
thereof. The magnets may be of either the straight or the horse-shoe form; or
magnetised pieces of steel of any convenient shape may be used; and these
magnets or magnetised pieces may also, if desired, serve as stiffeners for the corset.
The said magnets or magnetised pieces are placed in any convenient part or parts
of the corset, their position being varied according to requirements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood
that I claim :-
-
First. A corset provided with suitable means for applying or administering
electricity to the body of the wearer thereof.
Second. A corset provided with electrical contact plates, electrodes or generators,

page_text: with or without one or more battery-cells and with or without one or more
induction-coils, substantially as described with reference to either of the modifi-
cations shown in the accompanying drawings, for the purposes above specified.
Third. The modification of my invention wherein I provide the corset with
magnets or with magnetised pieces of steel, for the purposes above specified.
Dated this 16th day of September 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.