Improvements in Apparatus for Massage and Electro Massage.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1895-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Massage and Electro Massage.
1, Dr. GUSTAV ROSSBACH, of Lichtenfels am Main, in the Kingdom of
Bavaria, and Empire of Germany, Physician 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 :-
The present application for Letters Patent has for its object a massage apparatus.
which
may be constructed with or without electrodes, but is in any case independent.
in its action and constructed as hereinafter described.
.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 shows a view of the massage apparatus provided with a back rod.
Figure 2 the same apparatus partly in section.
The massage apparatus consists essentially of a casing a preferably constructed
of polished wood with a thin metallic countersunk rim. In the casing a is placed
a screw matrix c passing through the bottom of the said receptacle and provided
with a metal plate b in order that the ball may be brought into contact with an
induction apparatus through the rod f provided with insulating handle e and which
rod is connected with the electrode. For this purpose the staff f is provided above
the receptacle with a hole g serving to connect the electrode by the insertion of
pin d of the electrode wire d' leading to electrode d. In the casing a which is
hollowed out more or less spherically is placed, a metal or wood ball h which is
covered with graphite and coppered. The form of the receptacle a is so arranged
that the ball which projects about half way out of the opening of the receptacle
cannot fall out of the same. The massage ball which serves for independent
massaging and can also be provided with an arrangement for electro massage is
firstly grasped by the hand of the operator around the receptacle a and then
pressed upon the place to be massaged with a circular motion and under any desired
pressure so that the ball h rolls upon the same and causes a very agreeable pressure
upon the surface of the body to be massaged. For massaging the back the fixed
In the case of
or jointed rod f is made use of which is screwed into the matrix c.
electro-massage a person desirous of massaging himself takes the one electrode of
an induction apparatus in one hand and the casing a connected with the other
electrode of the said induction apparatus by means of the electrode wire to the
pin d in the other hand and can then massage almost any desired portion of the
body with a circular motion. For the electro massage of the back and hips
the back rod is applied to the casing a and connected by means of the pin d
with the electric wire of the electrode and the operation proceeds as above
described.
By means of the above described apparatus it is possible to massage either freely
with the hand or by means of induction.
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 :-
1. The herein before described apparatus for self-massage and electro-massage
characterized by the use of a casing a provided with a metallic rim in which a
graphitised or coppered ball of wood or metal is revolubly secured.
2. A modification of the massage apparatus set forth in Claim 1 consisting
essentially of the combination with the same of the back rod f inserted in the

page_text: matrix c attached to the back part of the casing a for the purpose of back
massage.
3. A modification of the massage apparatus set forth in Claim 1 characterized
by the provision of a hole g in the said rod in combination with the pin d" of the
electrode wire d¹ substantially as described and for the purpose of electro-
massage.
Dated this 30th day of December 1895.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.