IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC, GALVANIC, AND MAGNETIC CHAINS, BANDS, AND GARMENTS, AND IN MEANS OF APPLYING SUCH TO THE HUMAN BODY FOR TREATING DISEASES AND COMPLAINTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, ALSO IN FASTENERS AND ELECTRO-CONDUCTORS IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH CHAINS AND BANDS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isac Louis Pulvermacher, of Regent Street, in
the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC, GALVANIC, AND
MAGNETIC CHAINS, BANDS, AND GARMENTS, AND IN MEANS OF APPLYING SUCH
TO THE HUMAN BODY FOR TREATING DISEASES AND COMPLAINTS, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES, ALSO IN FASTENERS AND ELECTRO-CONDUCTORS IN CONNECTION
WITH SUCH CHAINS AND BANDS."
ealed the 28th November 1871, and dated the 1st June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isac Louis Pulvermacher
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st June 1871.
I, ISAC LOUIS PULVERMACHER, of Regent Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC,
GALVANIC, AND MAGNETIC CHAINS, BANDS, AND GARMENTS, AND IN MEANS OF
APPLYING SUCH TO THE HUMAN BODY FOR TREATING DISEASES AND COMPLAINTS,
A

page_text: AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, ALSO IN FASTENERS AND ELECTRO-CONDUCTORS IN
CONNECTION WITH SUCH CHAINS AND BANDS," to be as follows:-
The object of the first part of my present Invention is to manufacture
chains, bands, and garments or articles of dress with metal plates or
pieces of metal so arranged that they can be used with a self-sustaining
and permanent electrical or galvanic action derived either from an
exciting liquid, or by the perspiration thrown off from the body of the
wearer, and this I accomplish by sewing, looping, or otherwise securing
the plates or pieces of metal upon a backing of porous or absorbent
material, such material having a sticky substance, such as sparadrap,
on the exposed parts, to enable the patient to fasten the article upon
his body at the part affected, or in lieu of the backing being covered
with the sticky substance the plates or the pieces of metal themselves
may be coated over a portion of their surfaces with such substance.
The plates or pieces of metal may be of any shape, perforated or not,
or they may have pins or projections in or on them, or they may be
formed of strips wound into flat spirals or helices, or of beads, eyelets,
or tinsels; if spirals are used they may be wound upon a core, or secured
to a backing after they are wound; in that case an independent
core or lining elastic or not could be introduced into them, the filling
in material or substance being of a porous or absorbent nature, or.it
may be a chemical salt of exciting or electro-depolarizing action, or
the spirals may be left open and the exciting liquid applied to the
backing in any convenient manner. The backing may also be formed
of threads wound upon portions of the spirals to prevent false contacts,
and these threads may form the means of combining the elements in
voltaic arrangement without interfering with the flexibility and elasticity,
or the spirals, beads, or other pieces may be joined in sections by looping
the opposite metals of the elements together, or the core or lining may
be composed of a combination of elastic and non-elastic material, one
of them forming the absorbent and the other the flexible and elastic
portions of the article. In some cases the plates or pieces of metal
forming the elements are to be soldered together either before or after
they are stamped out or otherwise prepared; if this is done before
stamping I propose to solder the overlapping edges of long strips.
together to prevent waste of labour and material. In other cases the
pins of one metal could be soldered to the pins of the other metal
after they have been passed through the backing or the lining and bent
down to touch to fasten and establish regular contacts.

page_text: The second part of my Invention relates to making magnetic bands,
belts, and garments to be worn or applied to the body in a similar
manner and by similar means to those referred to in the first part,
whereby a gentle self-sustaining magnetic action is kept up on the affected
5 parts, or throughout the whole body. I sew or otherwise secure thin
plates, strips, or other pieces bent or not of magnetized steel, hardened,
tempered, or annealed, in or to a fabric or web in sections, each section
being composed of four, five, or more pieces in direct contact, to form
compound magnetic staves or elements, and these may be connected to
other similar elements in any convenient manner, so as not to interfere
with the movements of the wearer.
The third part of my Invention' consists in making bands, belts, and
garments of a combination of elements such as those described in the
first and second parts before referred to in order to produce combined
electrical galvanic and magnetic action.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to certain improvements in
the construction and form of the bands referred to in my previous
Patents Nos. 2656, "¹; 773, and 2740,, whereby I overcome many
difficulties of manufacture, and make them more beneficial in use.
61
68
I propose to construct the bands of elements formed of two wires,
say copper and zinc, wound side by side upon a mandril of such a
shape as to make one side of the band plain and flat, to be applied
to the body, and the other with one or more projecting portions to form
channels to permit of sponge, paper, or fibrous material being placed
therein. I prefer to give eight turns of the wires round the mandril
for each element of the band, and these are connected for any length
by cords or threads laid in the edges of the mandril before the pressure
of the tool is brought upon the wires to hold the cords in place. The
channels for the absorbent material may be round, square, or rectangular,
o suit the material, which may be cut or made to the exact size to fill
he channel, or of pieces built up such as would be the case if perforated
ards were used, whether they had a film of sponge or fibrous material
between them or not.
In some cases the absorbent material could be put in with the
dge cords, and then it would be held in place in a secure manner.

page_text: rotating stud fitted on the inner side by a plate or eye soldered at the
edges so that it can turn freely. The head of the stud is of elongated
form to pass through a slot or aperture in its neighbouring plate, and
then be turned a quarter round to secure it. The stud pin is sufficiently
long to pass through the insulating interstices of the elements, and the
eye plate projects beyond the edge, so that the plate of the opposite
pole can be hooked to it to complete the circuit, or to connect other
bands or portions of bands to combine several lengths together. In
some cases more than one stud is employed on one plate or fastener.
One of the plates, that is, the one which touches the part affected, can
be of any size, and I prefer to make it of disc shape, so that the touching
part can be easily reduced at the will of the operator by a perforated
bag or cap provided with a string to draw the mouth in over the back
of the plate, leaving only one or more openings on the face. By this
means the conducting surface and consequently the power or intensity
of the current can be concentrated or enlarged as desired.
09
The last part of my Invention relates to chains used for transmitting
galvanic currents to persons for the relief of various complaints and
diseases, and are also improvements upon the chains referred to in my
previous Patents before spoken of, and others numbered respectively
582,
66 and 2062, ". According to this part I construct my plates or
elements in ways different to any previously described, that is to say,
the outer plates, say the copper ones, are trough shaped, and the zinc or
opposite metal is inserted into them with pins or wires insulated there-
from, secured in the centre or turnover to hold them in position; these
pins project through the ends of the troughs to form the means of
attachment to the elements next thereto. The opposite or inserted metal
is prevented touching by an insulating material and it is provided with an
absorbent, perforated or otherwise, to retain the exciting fluid or liquid
in the troughs or in contact therewith. The ends of the troughs have
projecting lips, which can be bent into loops for fastening to the wires
of the zinc or opposite metal of the next element. The zinc or opposite
metal need not however be formed of plates in all cases, as metal wire
can be twisted into the proper shape, and covered by a fibrous thread
to prevent it touching, this thread also serving to hold the fluid.
According to a modification I make the troughs of open worked
cylindrical plates, and I insert a wire stem into each end, the wires
being fitted with a disc or plunger at each end to retain a covered wire,

page_text: which is twisted on the inner wire in place, and to form the means of
insulating the metals by the cup-like shape the discs assume when
being pushed in. The inner wire like the opposite plates before spoken
of can be covered with a compound composed of bi-oxide of manganese
mixed with graphite powder, or of bi-chloride of mercury, silver, or some
other salt or oxide, which can be formed into a paste or a solution of
some such salt mixed with other ingredients, or liquid can be used for
the purpose. The ends of the wires which project beyond the cylinders
take into the loops of the flaps or lips of the cylinders in a similar
manner to those before explained, and to prevent these wires touching the
cylinders should they move accidently when in use, I fit an insulating
disc or washer over them.
In
CAMA
40000 the central stamo
L
11
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Isac Louis Pulvermacher in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISAC LOUIS
PULVERMACHER, of Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Electrical Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Isac Louis Pulvermacher, Her special
licence that I, the said Isac Louis Pulvermacher, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Isac Louis
Pulvermacher, my executors, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC, GALVANIC, AND
MAGNETIC CHAINS, BANDS, AND GARMENTS, AND IN MEANS OF APPLYING SUCH TO
THE HUMAN BODY FOR TREATING DISEASES AND COMPLAINTS, AND FOR OTHER

page_text: PURPOSES, ALSO IN FASTENERS AND ELECTRO-CONDUCTORS IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH
CHAINS AND BANDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Isac Louis Pulvermacher, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 Isac Louis Pulvermacher, 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 thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
The object of the first part of my Invention is to manufacture chains,
bands, and garments or articles of dress with metal plates or pieces of
metal so arranged that they can be used with a self-sustaining and
permanent electrical or galvanic action derived either from an exciting
liquid or by the perspiration thrown off from the body of the wearer,
and this I accomplish by sewing, looping, or otherwise securing the
plates or pieces of metal upon a backing of porous or absorbent material,
such material having a sticky substance, wax, diachylon, or sparadrap, on
the exposed parts to enable the patient to fasten the article upon his
body at the part affected, or in lieu of the backing being covered with
the sticky substance the plates or the pieces of metal themselves may be
wholly or partially coated with such substance. The plates or pieces of
metal may be of any shape, perforated or not, or they may have pins or
projections in or on them, or they may be formed of strips wound into
flat spirals or helices, or of beads, eyelets, or tinsels. If spirals are used
they may be wound upon a core or secured to a backing after they are
wound; in that case an independent core or lining elastic or not could
be introduced into them, the filling in material or substance being of a
porous or absorbent nature, or it may be chemical salt or chemical
composed of exciting or electro-depolarising action, or the spirals may
be left open and the exciting liquid applied to the backing in any con-
venient manner. The backing may also be formed of threads wound
upon portions of the spirals to prevent false contacts, and these threads
may form the means of combining the elements in voltaic arrangement

page_text: without interfering with the flexibility and elasticity, or the spirals,
beads, or other pieces may be joined in sections by looping the opposite
metals of the elements together, or the core or lining may be composed
of a combination of elastic and non-elastic material, one of them forming
the absorbent and the other the flexible and elastic portion of the
article.
In some cases the plates or pieces of metal forming the elements are
to be soldered together either before or after they are stamped out or
otherwise prepared. If this is done before stamping I propose to solder
the overlapping edges of long strips together to prevent waste of labour
and material. In other cases the pins of one metal could be soldered
to the pins of the other metal after they had been passed through the
backing or the lining, and bent down to touch to fasten and establish
regular voltaic currents.
The manner in which this the first part of my Invention is carried into
effect is represented in the accompanying Drawing. Figure 1 is a view
of part of a band or belt composed of flat rectangular plates C, Z, C being
the copper or other metal of an equivalent character, and Z the zinc or
metal of its equivalent character, which plates can be secured upon a
backing of waterproof or other material by the tongues or lips a, b, in
the manner shewn in Figure 2, that is, by bending the tongues outwards
and then pushing their points through the meshes of the fabric c¹
forming the backing, and afterwards pressing them down upon the other
side, the tongues a, b, being of a suitable length to lap one over and
upon the other to establish complete voltaic connection and to form a
battery. I prefer to solder these tongues together to secure permanent
contact and also to prevent them becoming disconnected; they may
however be rivetted together if found advisable.
Figure 3 represents a series of plates C and Z of a different shape but
formed with tongues in the manner and for the purposes as the pre-
viously described plates. These plates are arranged in voltaic order for
the current to flow in a zig-zag manner, the two poles being indicated by
the letters P, P¹; there are other tongues c, d, to these plates, which are
also bent over and soldered for directing the current in the proper
direction from one element to the next, as will be understood..
Figure 4 shows a modified construction or formation of plates and in
or through which the current flows in a zig-zag manner. Here instead of
having additional tongues I employ a short length of coiled wire d¹, by

page_text: which a springy character is given to the belt or article to which the
plates are attached by the lips a, b, it also permits of the belt or other
article being folded or rolled up without fear of one plate becoming
disconnected from the other. The plates in Figures 3 and 4 are so
arranged that the upper row can be folded over and upon the lower ones,
so that by laying a film or sheet of moist fibre or tissue between the
folds the elements will be excited independently from the skin and be
caused to act like a voltaic battery chain or band.
Figure 5 is another modification of the form of the plate C, Z, both of
which have a tongue or projecting lip c, d, at the corner which lays
upon or overlap one another to establish and preserve voltaic contact
in each separate element or battery; the elements may however be
connected to form a continuous band by either of the foregoing means.
Figure 6 shows a series of plates C, Z, with tongues passed into and
through the loops of a fabric so that the points project from the same
side as on that which the plates are arranged, which loops may be
formed by additional or by stronger threads being used in the weaving
at the proper places or in the usual threads, or the threads for the loops
may be introduced by the sewing machine or by hand as desired. The
plates C and Z in this Figure are shown as being lapped and soldered
together, the lapping and soldering having been effected when the plates
were in strips and before they were stamped or cut out to form plates
of the required sizes, the tongues being formed at the lapping to give
strength and rigidity at those parts. I have spoken of fabrics, and it
will be understood that felted, woven, knitted, or fabrics otherwise pre-
pared are equally applicable for securing the plates to or to form a lining
as desired. The fabrics may be coated or impregnated with a solution
of any acidulated liquor or body to assist the exciting action of the
perspiration thrown off from the body. The parts of the fabric which
are not covered by the plates may have an adhesive substance such as
one of those I have before referred to or a substance analogous to them
by which the chain, band, or other article can be caused to adhere to the
flesh with sufficient tenacity to hold it in place, or the plates themselves
may be more or less coated with such or an analogous substance for the
same purpose so long as the electrical or galvanic action upon the parts
affected is not interfered with.
I have in Figure 7 represented one article of dress called a chest
protector. This is shown as having metal beads or tinsel plates sewn on

page_text: to it in clusters in voltaic connection, the beads or tinsels being arranged
in voltaic order for proper action upon the chest when the protector is
in wear. This Figure is only given to show to what extent my Invention
can be made available, it being clearly indicated by the foregoing that
drawers, stockings, shirts, slippers, caps, or other article capable of being
worn or applied to the body can have the plates, beads, tinsels, or other
pieces of metal (positive and negative) attached to each other in voltaic
connection.
Figure 8 shows a portion of a band or belt composed of narrow strips
of metals C, Z, bent into flat spirals, the metals of each element being
soldered together in voltaic order; this arrangement may have a lining
or core of linen or other material or a backing, such as I have shown
in Figure 9, the difference in this case being that the backing has two
series of plates or elements to obtain a double or an increased action
upon the parts to which the band or other article to which the plates are
attached is intended to be applied, whether of the sparadrap class or not.
These plates like any of the others can be affixed to the lining, to the
backing, or to themselves by pins, studs, or other appliances as found
convenient. The lining or the backing may be perforated, recessed, or
channelled to hold absorbent or other material capable of retaining
moisture, such as sponge or pulp, which may or may not be first
impregnated or prepared with a salt or a chemical compound possessing
exciting and depolarizing properties, or the plates themselves may be
recessed, channelled, or bent to hold the absorbent or other body in
place as well as to form the means of attachment to the lining or the
backing if such is used with the plates.
Figure 10 represents one form into which I propose to shape my
plates, say the copper ones C, so that the absorbent can be held under
the folds, flaps, or overlappings, the other plates, say the zinc ones Z,
being flat and attached direct to the backing, as will be seen by the
sectional views, Figures 11 and 12. By this means a faulty plate or a
weak element can be removed and a fresh one inserted with facility and
without interferring with the other elements.
The second part of my Invention relates to the employment of
magnetic belts, bands, or other articles and to the manufacture or forma-
tion of plates from magnetized steel, hardened, tempered, or annealed,
by which magnetic action can be applied to any part of the human
body, and the plates retained in position by a self-sustaining power

page_text: similar to that referred to in the first part, the plates being arranged
in elements or in clusters to form compound magnetic staves or horse
shoes.
Some samples of the magnetic elements are represented in Figures 13,
14, and 15, but any other form or shape of steel plates can be arranged
for the purpose. In Figure 13 the plates are alternately flat and bent,
the flat ones having holes in them which correspond with other holes in
the underlap of the bent plates to enable every two plates to be sewn to a
backing by the same thread or attached by the same pin or rivet.
Figure 14 shows a different method of arranging the plates so that only
two rows of stitching for each element are brought to the front of the
band or article. Figure 15 represents another method; in this view all
the plates are flat with prongs arranged in reverse order, the sewing
being through both legs, as seen at the left of the Figure, or stuck onto
the backing by shellac or other body, as seen in the right of the Figure,
the plates in the latter part having no perforations. In each of the
plans last referred to the plates have corners, but they may be rounded
off or formed of other shapes, or they may be composed of strips wound
into spiral or other forms before or after they are arranged upon or to
a backing or lining.
The third part of my Invention relates to the combination of electrical,
galvanic, and magnetic elements in or to the same belt, band, or other
article for the purpose of applying an electrical and a galvanic current
conjointly with magnetism at the one time to the part affected, the
plates, beads, tinsels, or other pieces of metal being so shaped and
arranged in combination with a backing or a lining and with or without
a salt or a chemical compound substantially in the manner heretofore
referred to in the first or the second parts of this Specification.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to certain improvements in
the construction and form of bands referred to in the Specifications of
my previous Patents, No. 2656, 61, 773,6³, and 2740, 68, whereby I over-
come many difficulties in the manufacture and in the application, so
that they are more beneficial in use. The bands are composed of two
wires, say C and Z, which are wound into spiral form and in a con-
tinuous manner along the band for any length, one of them, say the
copper C, being first covered with a thread in distant spirals to keep
the two wires apart. This band is rendered flexible by cords being
inserted into the edges, as shown in Figures 16, 17, and 18, and it is

page_text: kept excited for any length of time by an acid or salt, or a chemical
compound with which sponge, paper, fibres, or a tissue in a central
channel is impregnated or made to imbibe, the channel ; being shaped
at the time of winding the wires upon the mandril or other apparatus
employed for the purpose. In some cases I dispense with the spiral
wound thread at those places forming the flat face of the band so as to
obtain the action of the metals upon the part affected; this may be
accomplished by passing a hot iron sharply over the face to destroy the
threads on the flat side after the band is made up. I prefer to sever
the wires at about every 8 turns to form elements, but any number
of turns may be employed for one element as found necessary. The
channel or channels for the absorbent material or body may be of any
shape and at any part of the band, but I prefer to form it or them at
one side, which could form the back of the band, by this means I preserve
the front of the band in a flat state for its better application to the body.
The absorbent material or the substance used in lieu thereof can be
'inserted before or after the band is made up. In some cases the
absorbent material would be built up of separate layers to obtain the
necessary thickness or bulk, and the passage of the acid or other exciting
liquid or body to or from the interior could be ensured by perforations.
The material could also be affixed to the edge cords to prevent it shifting,
the pinch of the wires upon the cords being sufficient to hold both the
elements and the material in position.
The fifth part of my Invention relates to the construction of fasteners
6 for the chains, bands, or garments before referred to, or to any other
form or arrangement of article by which electrical galvanic currents
or magnetism can be produced, or a combination of such currents. The
fastener is composed of two plates k, k¹, hollowed out or cupped by dies
for retaining the ends of the band or chain between them, as represented
in Figures 18 and 19. One of the plates has a slotted hole in it for
a stud m to pass through after it has been pushed through the coils
of the wires or the links of the chain, as the case may be. When the
plates are brought together and the stud turned a quarter round for its
shoulders to rest upon the solid portion of the upper plate, as seen
5 in Figure 17, to hold the fastener in place. The base of the stud is
enclosed in a washer or a cap n soldered in the plate so that it can
turn freely for fastening or for unfastening the plates, which washer
or cap may have a lug p on it to form the means of attaching another

page_text: currents.
band or chain to increase the length, so that should the band or bands
be twisted round the leg or the arm of a patient, it can be done with
facility. I prefer to make the stud plate k¹ of various sizes and of
different metals, to enable them to act as pole plates for localising
One of the plates may be much larger at one end than the
other at the opposite end, as I have represented in the Figures 16, 17,
and 20, so that the size of the touching can be reduced at pleasure by
drawing a canvas bag over the surface to the desired extent, the drawing
in of the bag being effected by a string or cord sewn or "let" into the
edge; the bag may however have perforations in it, so that the exposed
parts of the plate only shall rest upon the affected part of the body;
by this means the intensity of the current can be concentrated or
enlarged as desired.
The next part of my Invention refers to chains, and consists chiefly
in improvements in the construction and in the means of linking or
connecting the elements together to form a chain of any required length
of those chains described in the Specifications of my previous Patents,
Nos. 582, 8, 773, 8, 2740, 08, and 2062, 69. The links or elements C, Z,
are, according to one method, made of openworked plates, as shown
in Figure 21, where a series of them are represented as linked together,
the links or eyes y, y, being formed during the stamping out of the
plate and before it is rolled or bent into a cylindrical shape, after which
the eyes are bent at right angles for the cylinder of the next element
to be passed through, or a cap or an end piece which fits it, as the case
may be. The cylinder is of tubular form, and one end of it has a
plugs of the same or some other metal insulated from the cylinder
or of wood fastened into it, while the other end has a plug or stopper x
representing the portion of the element made in zinc wire covered in
distant cotton spirals wound spirally upon a pin, and which can be
withdrawn and replaced without disconnecting the links or elements.
The stopper fits a short length of tube to fastened in the cylinder in an
insulated manner to prevent false contacts. The plug last spoken of has
a notch in its side, into which the finger nail or a tool can be inserted
for withdrawing it from the cylinder. There is a space between the
core wire and the outer cylinder, into which a salt or a chemical
compound containing depolarising properties can be placed for the
purpose of charging the elements, or the space may be filled up with
sponge, pulp, or other porous body capable of retaining a solution of

page_text: exciting acid for maintaining a constant electrical or galvanic action.
If a chemical compound is employed I prefer that bi-oxide of manganese
should be made into a paste with or without the admixture of graphite
powder by sulphite of potassium and a solution of some salt, or the
compound may be composed by bi-chloride of mercury with other
ingredients and a liquid, but I prefer the first-named mixture. In some
cases I fit a sleeve or cylinder C¹ also openworked but without lugs
or eyes over the first-mentioned cylinder, so that I can at pleasure by
shifting the sleeve close up the apertures, its solid parts taking over
the opening of the cylinder C. The arrangement of the sleeve will be
understood by referring to Figure 22.
These improvements in chains are most important, as each link or
element can be so easily connected or disconnected from its neighbouring
ones, and also because each cylinder can be replenished with a fresh
core or with a fresh supply of the chemical compound.
The next improvement in chains consists in making the cylinders C
of solid flat plates in the manner represented in Figures 23 and 24, the
eyes y in the lugs or ears in this case being of different diameters, the
larger one for taking over the end of the short tube wo insulated from
the cylinder into which it is inserted, the other for a screw pin t to be
pushed through in forming the link connection with other elements,
the pin being screwed into a plug of wood 8 or other material. I insulate
the central wire from the outer cylinder of each link by the washers
of non-conducting material which become bound against the inside of
the cylinder by their own flexibility, thus ensuring the central position
of the stem with the wire of the opposite metal upon it, as shown in
Figure 25, in which several links or elements are in position. The
distance to which the screws are inserted limits the play of the links or
elements and prevents false contacts.
In some cases I fasten on both ends of the cylinder short tubes in an
insulated manner, round which the rings of the neighbouring element is
linked into a chain, one side of the cylinder receiving the plugs con-
nected with the zinc portion of the element, and the other side receiving
hollow depolarizing cores connected to the plugs, by which it can be
6 put into place or withdrawn. These depolarizing cores I make of a
cylinder of porous paper on which are wound (on a mandril) stout
threads in distance spirals. The depolarizing paste is made to surround
the porous cylinder in a thickish layer, which is kept from falling off by

page_text: the spiral threads. When the effect of the paste is used up it can thu
be easily changed for fresh ones.
The screw pin need not in all cases be a headed pin, as by making a
fillet or beading on the short end tube, as seen in Figure 21, the oute
end of the screw pin t need only be nicked, as shown in Figure 26. As
a modification I propose to thread the ends of the central wire so that i
can be screwed into the plugs.
In Figure 27 I have shewn an openworked plate C, from which a
cylinder can be formed with lugs y, y, at each end, which lugs are to be
rolled up into eyes for taking over the short tube w at one end and over
the screw pin t at the other end of the next cylinder in making up a
chain of a desired length. In stamping out cylinders in this manner
there is a great saving of metal, as the lugs of each of them are cut from
the ends of the plate, from which another cylinder can be cut.
I do not confine myself to the use of one central wire nor to one
supply of chemical compound to each cylinder, as the cylinder can be
divided, so to speak, by the employment of two wires, as in Figures 28
and 29, Figure 28 being on a larger scale to show the parts more clearly.
In this construction the central wire has a metal nut on its inner end,
over which a leather disc is fitted, and which when pushed into the
cylinder forms itself into a cup shape, whereby a perfect insulation is
established; the pasty compound is then inserted and a second disc is
placed over the outer end of the central wire, upon which a metal disc
is made to bear; this being pushed down causes the second disc to form
a cup-like shape to insulate the cylinder from the wire at that end;
another disc z of insulating material is now placed over the wire and
pressed down upon the edge of the cylinder C to prevent the lug or the ear
of the next cylinder which embraces the pin or wire from making a false
contact. The opposite end of the cylinder O is fitted in a like manner
with a central wire, two cup discs, two metal discs, and a plain flat disc, a
the inner ends of the two central wires being prevented touching by a
coiled spring which bears against the inner cup discs of each central
wire. By constructing a chain in this manner the positive pole or wire
of each link is in direct voltaic connection with the negative pole of the
next link or element throughout the whole chain.
Figure 30 represents another construction of voltaic chain, the outer
plates C of which are trough-shaped for receiving the plates Z of the
opposite metals which are enclosed or enveloped in a film of fibre or
3

page_text: tissue or in a chemical compound for maintaining a proper exciting and
depolarizing action in the element. The plate Z of the opposite metal
is doubled or folded over a wire, the ends of which pass through holes
in insulating blocks fastened in the ends of each trough plate, the wires
projecting far enough for the eyes or lugs of the next trough plate to
take over for forming the voltaic connection of one element with the
next.
Elements of this form can be made available for other purposes besides
that of application to the human body, providing the troughs are made
deep enough, and by being rigidly fixed in a frame in a manner such
as I have represented in Figures 31 and 32, the frame being composed
of ebonite sticks or rods A, A, tied in position by cross bars and screws.
In making up a battery of this kind I form notches in the top edges of
the trough-shaped plates leaving a projecting lip B to each of them,
under which the ebonite side bars can take for holding each trough in
position, the plates of the opposite metals holding themselves firmly in
the centres of their respective troughs by the nip or pinch of the flaps J,
which are bent outwards from the sides of the notches of the neighbour-
ing troughs, as will be understood by reference to Figures 33, 34,
and 35, the flaps being formed on one side only of each trough. I
groove the flaps J after they are turned outwards to hold the plates Z of
opposite metal, which are pushed down into the grooves. The troughs
may be charged with a suitable exciting liquid and with or without
either of the chemical compounds before spoken of.
Figures 36 and 37 represent a chain composed of a series of metal
boxes C which contain the plates of the opposite metal Z upon wires,
the ends of which are passed through insulating blocks K, one of which
is shown detached in Figure 38. The side edges of the block are
recessed for the edges of the notch in the box to take into, it being made
to the exact size of the notch, so that it becomes bound in position
thereby, or I form a lip B, Figure 39, on the top edge, as before referred
to, to hold the block in place, the lip being burred down upon it after it
is pushed home. The box in this last construction is stamped or formed
from a flat plate (perforated, openworked, or left plain); the two side
and the two end pieces are then turned up, the lugs being formed on the
end pieces, and also ears for carrying the lid or cover by which the
exciting wet conductor or compound is kept in place, the lid being hinged
to the cars in the ordinary manner. I propose to make one of the side

page_text: pieces to act upon the lid like a spring, so that when the lid is closed
down it is prevented shifting by accident or otherwise unless a pressure
is applied under it.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,—
Firstly. The general construction and combination of plates or other
pieces of metal for forming chains, bands, garments, or other articles
as herein-before described when such are intended for treating diseases
of the human body.
Secondly. I claim the modifications herein-before referred to in such
chains, bands, garments, or other articles.
Thirdly. I claim the construction of fasteners in the manner and for
purposes set forth.
Fourthly. I claim the employment of the trough-shaped battery for
other purposes than that of application to the human body as herein- ]
before set forth; also the special formation of the flaps by which the
battery is made rigid.
Fifthly. I claim the means of securing metal plates upon or to a fabric
as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the accompanying Drawings,
as well as the formation of lips a, b, c, d, in or from such plates, as 2
herein-before described.
Sixthly. I claim the employment of flat strips of metal bent into spiral
form and arranged upon or to a fabric in the manner and for the purposes
described.
Seventhly. I claim the employment of steel plates arranged in groups 2
or elements upon or to a fabric for the purpose of applying portable
magnetism to the human body as described.
Eighthly. I claim the combination of metal plates forming elements
by which an electrical galvanic current conjointly with magnetism can
be applied to the human body, substantially in the manner and for the 3
purposes set forth.
Ninthly. I claim the construction of bands of spirally wound wire in
which channels are formed for holding and retaining an absorbent
material, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.
Tenthly. I claim specially the construction and arrangement of the 3
narts of the chain elements shown in Figure 21 of the Drawings, together

page_text: with the means of insulating the metals C, Z, and the mode of attaching
one element to the next, as described.
Eleventhly. I claim the employment of hollow cylindrical cores
serving either as wet conductors or as depolarizing agents, or as both,
when such are inserted into the opposite ends of the cylinders to that
at which the zinc is inserted, so that the zinc or the cores can be with-
drawn for changing without interfering with the other, as herein-before
described.
Twelfthly. I claim the employment of an openworked sleeve-like
shutter upon the cylinder C, also openworked, as herein-before described
and shown.
Thirteenthly. I claim the employment of bi-oxide of manganese or a
compound composed of bi-oxide of manganese, bisulphite of potassium,
and graphite powder in a moulded or a pasty state in the several
chains or bands herein-before described for the purpose of exciting and
depolarizing the elements thereof.
And, fourteenthly. I claim the means herein-before described of
affixing chains, bands, garments, or other articles upon the human body
by which a self-sustaining and permanent electrical, galvanic, or magnetic
action separately or combined can be maintained upon the part or parts
of the body affected.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isac Louis Pulvermacher, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of December
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.