Year: 1894

page_text: AUGUSTUS BASIL HOLT CLERKE 7 Church Road Horfield Bristol, Lieutenant
Royal Artillery do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to supply a means of communicating an electric
current to a living body more conveniently than has hitherto been attainable, and
particularly applicable to massage treatment combined with electricity, for which
hitherto an operator has been requisite. Now according to this invention I con-
struct a backpiece of wood, or other suitable material, of a convenient shape, to
which I fix a padded face, preferably divided into two distinct parts, & composed
of some suitable material, preferably a textile fabric. If a non-waterproof
material be used I place a layer of waterproof material under the fabric, so that
it may be washed without wetting the padding. Into each division of the face I fix
a number of smooth metallic discs or studs, so that they are approximately level with
the surface of the fabric. The studs on one division of the face are electrically
connected together and with one pole of an electricity generator, as are those on
the other division with the opposite pole. The most suitable electricity generator
for this purpose is a medical coil worked by a bichromate or similar battery. For
greater convenience in use, a strap may be fixed to the backpiece under which the
hand may be passed.
Dated this 25th day of April 1894.
AUGUSTUS BASIL HOLT CLERKE.
AUGUSTUS BASIL HOLT CLERKE 75 Church Road Horfield, Bristol, Lieutenant
Royal Artillery 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 :-
This invention bas for its object the construction and employment of apparatus
for the purpose of applying an electric current to the human body in an improved
manner.
Now, according to this invention, I construct a backpiece of wood or other
suitable material of convenient shape, to which I affix a face in two separate parts,
each padded and covered with a textile material, by means of a second thin piece
of wood of the same shape as the backpiece, the material covering the face being
lapped over the edge of the thin piece of wood, which is then screwed flat to the
backpiece, so that the padded face fits on to the backpiece as in the welt of a shoe.
Now into this material covering the face I insert a number of metallic studs,
or discs, in practice there are about fifteen in each half of the face. The discs
on the one half of the face are electrically connected together, by means of a
flexible wire underneath the material, and the discs on the other half of the face
are similarly connected. These flexible wires are carried through the backpiece,
being suitably insulated, and continue in the form of a double, insulated, flexible

page_text: wire cord to a convenient length (about 6 ft.). For convenience of handling I affix
to the backpiece a strap, through which the hand is passed.
Now it will be seen that if the apparatus be connected, by means of this cord to
a machine for generating electricity, such as a medical coil, and held so that the
face of it is in contact with a part of the human body, the electric current must
pass, by means of the metallic discs, through that part of the body; and that if the
apparatus be rubbed on the body the current will still so pass.
Having thus stated the nature of my invention, I will now proceed more
particularly to describe the same, with reference to the accompanying drawings and
letters of reference marked thereon.
Figure I is a plan of my invention; Figure II is a section of the same on the
line OR, looking in the direction of the arrow a; and Figure III is a section of
the same on the line QR, looking in the direction of the arrow a'. A is the
backpiece, B & B the two halves of the padded face, C, C, C &c. are the
metallic discs, ggg &c. the connecting wires; e is the thin piece of wood that
holds the face on to the backpiece, and is a strip of wood separating the two
halves of the padded face; h is the flexible wire cord, and d is the strap.
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
claim is :-
I. The construction and employment of apparatus substantially as hercin
described and illustrated by Figures I, II, & III for the purpose set forth.
11. In an apparatus for the purpose of applying an electric current to the
human body, the use of a padded face, divided into two separate and distinct parts,
substantially as herein described and for the purpose set forth.
III. In an apparatus for the purpose of applying an electric current to the
human body, the use of metallic studs or discs, inserted into a textile material,
substantially as herein described and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Twenty-third day of January 1895.
AUGUSTUS BASIL HOLT CLERKE,
Inventor.