AN IMPROVED ELECTRICAL BELT CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES »
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cornelius Bennett Harness of Holborn Viaduct in the
City of London. for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED ELECTRICAL BELT
CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES »
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Cornelius Bennett Harness
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th October 1883.
CORNELIUS BENNETT HARNESS, of Holborn Viaduct in the City of London, "AN
IMPROVED ELECTRICAL BELT CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES "
My invention relates to apparatus for applying electricity for medical curative
purposes and comprises an improved electrical belt adapted to be worn upon the
person.
My said invention consists essentially in providing a belt with one or more
battery elements which are suitably connected to terminals attached to the said
belt and adapted to bear upon the body.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide a belt of any suitable
material, the ends of which are adapted to be joined together by some convenient
device such as a buckle
In the said belt are formed pockets corresponding in number to the number of
battery elements with which the belt is to be provided. Over the said pockets is
a flap closed by buttons or the like
With a belt thus constructed, the battery elements are prevented from coming
into contact with the person.
The battery which I use with my improved belt is preferably a dry battery, but
it may be of any other suitable construction. The battery however which I prefer
to employ is that described in the specification of Letters Patent granted to Willis
Romer Warren and dated July 20. A.D. 1882. No. 3443.
The battery elements are inserted within the said pockets which may be lined with
some impervious material (in lieu of the hard india-rubber or other case as described
in the said former specification) to prevent the chemicals contained in the battery
from penetrating to the exterior of the belt.
All the positive electrodes of the said elements are suitably connected by a
conducting wire, hidden beneath the flap of the belt, to a suitable metal plate
attached to the inner side of the belt at one end thereof, and serving as one of the
terminals. The negative electrodes are all connected in a similar manner to
another plate, situated at the opposite end of the belt and forming the other
terminal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Cornelius Bennett Harness in the Patent Office on the 12th April
1884.
CORNELIUS BENNETT HARNESS of Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London “AN
IMPROVED ELECTRICAL BELT, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES
"
My invention relates to apparatus for applying electricity for medical curative
purposes and comprises a belt provided with one or more suitable battery elements
which are connected to terminals attached to the inner surface or other convenient
part of the belt and adapted to bear upon, and make contact with, the body of the
person wearing the same.
My said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which >
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a belt embodying my improvements
Figure 2 is an view of a portion of the same showing the pockets
Figure 3 is a similar view illustrating a modification of my invention
Figure 4 is an exterior view and
'
Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line xx thereof illustrating another
modification of my said invention
Figures 2, 3. 4. and 5 are drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing
A is a band or belt of canvas, wash leather or other suitable material. This
band may be of any desired width or shape and is preferably lined with somė
material such as flannel that will retain the warmth of the body. The ends of
the said band are provided with a fastening for uniting them; "I have shewn for
this a buckle a but if desired laces or other suitable means may be employed for
this purpose.
On the outer side of the band I form pockets or bags B to receive the batteries
or battery elements 6 The said pockets are preferably lined with some material
impervious to liquid to prevent the soiling of the belt by the chemicals with which
the battery is charged
The said pockets are provided with flaps C for covering and protecting the
batteries. These flaps as shewn in Figure 1 are connected and fastened by laces o,
but buttons or other suitable devices may be used for this purpose.
The battery elements, cells, or pairs in the said pockets may be connected either
in parallel or in series to the terminals D. The said terminals may be discs plates
knobs, buttons, or other pieces made of any suitable metal and of any convenient
Bize. The terminals may be made flexible by constructing them of small pieces of
metal jointed or hinged together or they may be made of tin foil or other metal in
like condition
The battery elements or pairs are connected or joined up by means of the small
metal plates or pieces c¹ which are connected in pairs by the wire d.
In Figure 3 I have shewn a modification of my invention wherein I employ
metal contact plates or pieces E attached to the sides of the pockets and so connected
that when the elements are inserted in the pockets the circuit will be completed to
the terminals.
Provision is made for ensuring proper contact between these plates or pieces E
and the plates electrodes or poles of the battery elements so that when one of the
latter is inserted in its pocket its electrodes will come in contact with the plates E
and thus each element will make electrical connection with the adjacent element
or elements
In figure 3 the plates E on one side of the pockets are connected to the wires 1
and the plates E on the other side of the pockets are connected by the wire 2.

page_text: Instead of these contact plates I may employ clips studs or similar devices which
may be connected by interlining the belt with wire.
I prefer in some instances to mount the discs, plates or studs forming the
terminals D on spiral springs e as shewn in Figures 4 and 5 so that the belt does
not require to be so tightly fastened around the wearer as would otherwise be
necessary, and the said discs, plates or studs will exert a yielding pressure upon the
part of the body on which they bear thus ensuring proper contact without
bindering the circulation of the blood. If desired the belt or band A may be
provided with elastic gussets
I sometimes find it desirable to cover the terminals with wash leather or other
material which when permeated and slightly moistened by the perspiration of
the body will have sufficient conductivity to permit the passage of the current.
I find it advantageous to arrange the battery elements in each half of the belt
and to connect them by the wires 1 in series to separate terminals as shown in
Figure 1, I prefer to connect them in such a manner that the two terminals of one
polarity are at the middle of the belt and the two terminals of opposite polarity
are at the ends thereof. But if desired the batteries may be arranged in series
with conductors extending between them and to terminals arranged at the ends of
the belt, or each element may have separate terminals
It will be obvious that the circuit may be completed through the body or
entirely by the belt.
The battery which I prefer to employ in connection with the improved belt is
that described in the specification of Letters Patent dated July 20th A D 1882
N° 3443 but I may use batteries wherein any suitable metals and chemical solution
or exciting medium are employed
The batteries may be made oval square cylindrical or of other convenient shape
as desired
Instead of lining the pockets with water-proof or impervious material, the
battery elements may be wrapped or enclosed in such material.
In some cases I arrange the circuit so that it will be completed through the
buckle a or other fastening when the two ends of the belt are united.
This may
be done by extending the wires 1 shewn in figure 1 from the batteries to the said
fastenings a
Instead of using batteries carried in the belt in the manner herein before
described so that a constant current of electricity is caused to pass through the
body of the wearer may provide for the temporary application of the current to
the wearer of the belt as follows that is to say. I may connect the conducting
wires to a battery or to the secondary of an induction coil not carried in the belt
or on the person of the wearer thereof
In this case all the terminals D would be connected by suitable conductors and
I provide terminal wires or conductors which the wearer at any time can connect
with any convenient battery or induction coil; the current can thus be applied for
any desired length of time and then the said terminal wires can be disconnected
from the said battery or coil without removing or taking off the belt.
Having thus fully described my said invention and the manner of performing
the same I wish it understood that I claim ;—
The above described electrical belt embodying the improvements herein above
specified and comprising
First. The pockets provided with contact plates or pieces so arranged that the
insertion of a battery element into one of the pockets will connect the said element
with the adjacent element or elements as above specified
Second. The discs or plates forming terminals to make contact with the body of
the wearer and mounted on springs, substantially as, and for the purpose, set
forth.
Third. The provision for completing the circuit through the buckle or other
fastening substantially as set forth.

page_text: Fourth. The modification of my invention whereby I provide for obtaining the
current from a battery or induction coil not carried by the belt, substantially as set
forth.
In Witness whereof I the said Cornelius Bennett Harness have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Ninth day of April in the year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
C. B. HARNESS (L.S.)