Electric Heaters for Applying Artificial Heat to the Human Body, and also for the Purpose of Artificially Heating Apartments, Cars, Furniture, and such like
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 15th June, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Electric Heaters for Applying Artificial Heat to the Human Body,
and also for the Purpose of Artificially Heating Apartments,
Cars, Furniture, and such like.
1, JOHN EMORY MEEK, of 87 Maiden Lane, New York City, State of New
York, United States of America, Electrician and Manufacturer of Electrical
Devices and Apparatus do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to he particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in electric-heaters, for applying artificial
heat to the human body, and also for the purpose of artificially heating apartments,
cars, furniture and numberless other similar uses.
I
It is my object to produce an electric heating fabric or device, which shall
preferably be pliable and soft exteriorly, and which is applicable to a great variety
of uses.
I attain these objects by interposing an electric conductor (which,
however, has the desired resistance) in the form of a wire or thin strip of metal,
between threads or yarns of any suitable non-conducting material, preferably
asbestos, in such manner, that the threads or yarns shall separate and insulate the
adjacent parts of the conductor from each other, and also from exterior contact.
I prefer to make my fabric by a weaving process, in which the conductor shall he
woven in a loom together with the insulating and fire-resisting threads, and the
conductor may form, either alone by itself, or in conjunction with the nou-
conducting and insulating fibrous material, the warp or the filling as desired.
ordinarily prefer to weave the conductor either alone or in conjunction with the non-
conducting fibrous threads or yarns, into the fabric as the filling: for a reason
hereinafter set forth. In certain forms of my invention, however, the conductors
may be disposed between two layers or sheets of non-conducting and protecting
material, and the whole be confined in proper relative position, (so that there
shall be no short circuiting of the conductor) by quilting together the cloth, sheets
or like pieces of insulating material between which the conductor is placed, in such
manner, that the quilting threads shall hold all the parts firmly in their relative
positions, and prevent short circuiting through movement of the conductor, and
yet not interfere with the pliability of the completed device.
Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a piece of my electrical heating fabric,
showing the preferred arrangement of the conducting and non-conducting threads
of which the fabric is made. The right-hand end of this figure shows the fabric
as completed; the threads having been compacted together by the operation of the
machine. The left-hand end shows the strands, both warp and filling, and also the
conducting wire, separated from each other and enlarged, the better to illustrate
the invention. This figure also shows, at one side, a sheath or cover for the section
of fabric, which is shown as completed.
Figure 2, represents a cushion made of the fabric, curved, thus showing its
flexibility and adaptability to application to a limb of the human body.
Figure 3, represents a perspective view of a blanket, large band, rug, piece of
furniture covering, or simple sheet, embodying my invention.
Figure 4, represents a sweating jacket embodying the invention.
Figure 5, represents a perspective view of a completed cushion.

page_text: Figure 6, represents a perspective view of the invention, in which the conductor
is enclosed between two separate sheets or pieces of woven or other non-conducting
material, and quilted or otherwise fastened together.
In Figure 1, all the elements necessary for a complete electrical heater are
illustrated. The conductor B is woven with strands of any suitable non-conducting
material, preferably asbestos, and is preferably woven with the non-conducting
filling weft threads D, because these threads being much larger than the wire
conductor, and more or less soft and compressible, the conductor will be partially,
if not wholly embedded therein, when the filling threads are crowded into place by
the operation of the loom, and thus will be insulated by the non-conducting filling
threads in addition to the warp threads E. I sometimes cover the conductor
before weaving with a special non-conducting or insulating wrapper, similar to the
insulating material usually applied to electrical conductors.
The conductor, as above stated, may be woven with the warp threads, but it is
preferably woven as or with the filling threads D, as shown in Figure 1, because
when so made, it may be cut transversely into pieces of any desired size, each con-
taining a continuous insulated conductor or wire, thus forming a complete electrical
heater, it being only necessary to connect the terminal wires of an electric circuit
to the ends of the wire lying in the filling, which are exposed by the cutting of the
fabric.
When my devices are made by the weaving process, I prefer that the warp
threads should be placed in fine combs, so that they almost, if not quite, touch one
another, in order to form an exterior insulation for the wire, which is additionally
protected by being imbedded in the filling threads when compressed.
Two shuttles may be employed one carrying the non-conducting filling strand,
and the other, the conducting wire, or the non-conducting strands may be made
with the wire imbedded in them, in which case, a single shuttle may be employed,
carrying the compound strand. I prefer to cover the fabric, when completed, with
one or more thicknesses of suitable material, as seen at G, such as Hannel, felt,
plush or such other material as may be desired. This cover may be in the form of
a separate removable sheath or case or may be attached to the article as desired,
and when the conductor is intended for use under circumstances requiring purifying,
particularly if water or special cleansing solutions be used, as, for instance, blankets
or heating pads, for hospital or other therapeutic use, where the article might
become contaminated by infectious diseases, then I prefer to apply an exterior
water-proof coating, or to treat the cover or casing, G, with water-proofing upon its
outer surface so that the article may be readily cleansed by purifying and suitable
disinfecting solutions.
I show in Figure 1, how the completed fabric F, may be cut across on the
line G, and then, it will only be necessary to connect the exposed ends of the
conducting wire to the terminal conductors H and 1. These conductors may be
connected to a plug J, and they are preferably brought through the covering of
the fabric together, so as to form one cord, as shown. The plug J makes the
usual electrical connection with a socket K, and a number of fect of conductors L
and M may also be employed to give the necessary freedom of movement to the
pad or cushion, and these conductors L and M may be attached to plug N, adapted
to couple to a socket 0 of a chandelier or bracket 0', or any other suitable source
of current. In case a current is not available, a battery may be used.
In Figure 6. I show the invention made by placing the conductor a between two
sheets or layers, b, b, of insulating and exteriorly protecting material. The wires
may be coiled in any suitable manner, so that the adjacent parts thereof may be
separate from each other, and then the two opposite sheets, b, being placed
together with the conductor between them, the whole may be stitched together by
quilting stitches or the parts confined in their relative position in any other
suitable manner to prevent short circuiting.
It is evident that a plurality of thicknesses of the non-conducting, insulating
material may be employed, on one or both sides and that the article, when made a-

page_text: shown in Figure 6, may be enclosed within an exterior casing, the same as
indicated at G, and that the water-proofing treatment of the exterior thereof, may
be likewise employed.
I also sometimes treat the article, or the exterior casing or covering G, onefor
both, as preferred, with antiseptic materials, to prevent the spread of diseasesby
their use.
I sometimes treat the threads or yarns, of which the fabric is woven, and also
the thread or yarn from which the exterior covering is made, with water-proofing
material, so that they will not absorb moisture. This is sometimes important.
My products are, as will be seen, relatively soft, and are quite pliable, and can
be made into pads. sheets, sweaters, cushions, furniture coverings, curtains, clothing
and a great variety of other articles. Invalid chairs, car seats, mattresses,
blankets, etc., may also be suitably heated by this means. Railway cars, rooms in
houses, state-rooms, and the like can be readily heated in a uniform and even
nanner by means of hangings, curtains, table covers, carpets, rugs, etc.; and it will
be understood that the degree of heat can be regulated, either by the special con-
struction of the fabric, or by suitable regulation of the current.
The ordinary
incandescent lighting systems supply a suitable current for use in connection with
my invention.
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
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
First. In an electrical heater, an electric resistance fabric, consisting of a
conducting wire, woven with non-conducting strands, preferably asbestos, said
non-conducting strands preferably forming the warp of said fabric, and having said
wire preferably woven as or with the filling thereof, so that the fabric may be cut
parallel with said filling strands into pieces of suitable size for use as cushions,
pads, blankets, garments and for other heating purposes, each piece so cut from
the fabric being in itself a complete electrical heater when connected in circuit, as
and for the purposes set forth.
Second. An electrical heater, comprising a continuous conducting wire, woven
with non-conducting and insulating threads into a fabric in such manner that the
wire will be enclosed within and insulated by the non-conducting and insulating
strands of the fabric, as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. An electrical heater, comprising a continuous conducting wire or strip of
metal, enclosed within and insulated by flexible sheets or layers of non-conducting
and insulating material placed about the conductor, the whole being enclosed
within a flexible exterior wrapper or case, as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. An electrical heater, comprising a continuous conducting wire or strip
of metal, enclosed within and insulated by flexible sheets or layers of non-
conducting and insulating material, placed about the conductor, the whole being
enclosed within a flexible exterior wrapper or case, said case being treated with or
covered by water-proofing material, as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. An electrical heater comprising a conducting wire, coiled, beut or folded,
for the purposes set forth, and enclosed within exterior flexible sheets or layers of
nou-conducting and insulating material, the whole being fastened together, and the
folds of the wire kept from contact with each other by stitching, or in any other
suitable manner, for the purposes set forth.
Sixth. An electrical heater, comprising a conducting wire embedded within and
insulated and protected by flexible, water-proofed, non-conducting and insulating
material, for the purposes set forth.
Seventh. An electrical heater comprising a conducting wire embedded within
and insulated and protected by flexible sheets or layers of disinfected, non-
conducting and insulating material, for the purposes set forth.
Eighth. A fabric for the purpose stated, composed of a conductor first covered
with insulating material and then woven with non-conducting material.

page_text: Ninth. An electrical heating device, comprising a conductor enclosed within
flexible protecting and insulating material in combination with a suitable current
regulator for the purposes set forth.
Tenth. A heating conductor interlaced with the threads of a flexible non-
conducting and incombustible fabric, for the purposes set forth.
Eleventh. A heating conductor, interlaced with the threads of a flexible, non-
conducting fabric, for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 25th day of February 1895.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.