Improved Apparatus for Performing Massage.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Performing Massage.
I, FRANZ LOUIS UNGETHUM, of Oetzsch, near Leipsic, Kingdom of Saxony,
Empire of Germany, "Manufacturer, 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:-
Massage has hitherto generally been performed by the hand and fingers of
the masseur or masseuse, and the object of the present invention is to provide
an apparatus for performing massage, by means of which a more effective opera-
tion is attained whilst at the same time it enables the electric current to be
applied to the parts being operated on.
In order to render the present specification easily intelligible reference is had
to the accompanying drawing in which similar letters of reference denote
similar parts throughout the several views:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of one form of the apparatus,
Fig. 2 a plan, Fig. 3 a cross section on line M-M of Figure 1, Fig. 4 a side
elevation partly in section showing the two parts of the device displaced longi-
tudinally and Fig. 5 a plan of Figure 4. Fig. 6 shows the device in combina-
tion with thermo-electric column in side elevation partly in section, Fig. 7 a
plan of Fig. 6 and Fig. 8 a cross section on line N-N of Figure 6 Fig. 9
shows the combination of a number of massage plates with a flexible back piece
and electric connections therewith, Fig. 10 is a plan of Figure 9, Fig. 11 a
cross section on line 0-0 of Fig. 9 and Fig. 12 a side elevation showing the
position of the parts when the back is bent. Fig. 13 shows a side elevation of
an apparatus of the same kind having the massage plates made in one piece
with the backing.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5-A and B are the massage plates having at
their lower interior edge a set of teeth H, H' which engage with each other
and are adapted to grip the parts of the bodies to be operated on. These two
plates A and B are hinged together by means of sleeves C, and D moveable
fongitudinally on a hinge pin E so that the parts are capable of movement
round and longitudinally on the said pin. A spring F is loosely mounted on
the hinge pin E and has one of its ends attached to one half and the other
to the opposite half of the apparatus. This spring tends to press the plates
apart and also to keep them properly in longitudinal position on the pin as
shown at Figure 1. Thus when the apparatus is in use the said spring will be
subjected to both torsional and compressing strains.
Grooves G G are formed at the outsides of the plates, in which the fingers
or thumb of the operator may be inserted to enable the convenient manipula-
tion of the device. In use the parts of the body to be subjected to the massage
are gripped by the two sets of teeth H H and the two plates of the apparatus
are worked longitudinally on their pin against each other, the pressure of the
parts together being varied according to requirement.
In the device shown at Figures 6 to 8 a thermo-electric column is formed

page_text: on the apparatus by means of the similarly shaped metallic parts J and K
soldered together in the known manner and affixed to the interior of the
plates A and B, said plates extending upwardly past the hinge pin and being
bent round to lie along the top of the plates as shown at Figure 7. The lower
ends of the plates cover channels L L formed in the interior surfaces of the
parts A and B, said channels being for the reception of suitable cooling mass.
The upper poles M and M¹ extend along the tops of the plates, whilst the lower
ones N and N¹ run along the lower interior edge of the plates at the bottom
of the teeth H H. In applying this apparatus the masseur employs both
hands placing his fingers on the soldered plates and his thumbs in the recesses G
of either half. The warmth of the hand heats the plates of the thermo-electric
column and generates a weak electric current which passes to the parts of the
body being operated on at the poles N N as soon as both these latter contact
with the body simultaneously, and forms the circuit. The circuit may however
be formed direct by connecting the poles M M₁ as indicated in dotted lines in
Figure 7, or allowing the current to pass through the ends of the fingers of the
operator, circuit being closed through the body of the operator.
In Figures 9 to 12 a series of plates A and B are attached to a back piece O
having a handle P at each end. An electric conductor may be fed through the
handle Pas shown and conducted along the operative parts of each of the
plates through the conductors Q Q as indicated at Figures 10 and 11. In
operation the device is bent in the manner shown and thus grips a larger
surface of the body.
As shown at Figure 13 the plates A and B may be made in one with the back
piece O.
The plates A and B are of substantially the same construction as those pre-
viously described but with the exception that the recesses G G for fingers are
omitted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1: An apparatus for performing massage, consisting of a series of plates having
operating surfaces and being hinged together in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as described.
2: The combination of a series of plates hinged together and having engaging
teeth at their lower operative surfaces substantially as described.
3: The combination of a series of plates hinged together and having operating
teeth at their lower adjacent edges as specified and means for normally holding
the plates apart or out of contact as regards their gripping surfaces substantially
as described.
4: The combination of a series of plates having gripping edges, said plates
being hinged together and means for moving the said plates longitudinally one
against the other substantially as described.
5:-The combination of a series of plates having at their lower operative sur-
faces a series of engaging teeth said plates being hinged together and longitu-
dinally moveable on their hinge pin and means for normally holding the plates
apart and in register one with the other substantially as described.
6: The combination of a series of plates having gripping teeth as specified
and being hinged together, a thermo-electric column formed on the same con-
sisting of a series of soldered plates fixed to the inner surface and extending
round at the top and poles along the top, and lower poles along the bottom inner
edge at the bottom of the gripper teeth, said poles being so disposed that the
circuit shall be completed by the part of the body gripped substantially as de-
scribed.
7: The combination of a series of parts hinged together as specified and
having gripping surfaces formed by a series of teeth arranged at the lower

page_text: adjacent edges and means for conducting an electric current to the said operative
surfaces in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of Avost 1800
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent,
56, Ludgate Hill, London, E.C.