AN IMPROVED ELECTRO-MEDICAL APPARATUS to be as follows:-
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ARTHUR THOMAS KING, of 1 Cambray, Cheltenham in the County of
Gloucester, Medical Electrician do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for "AN IMPROVED ELECTRO-MEDICAL APPARATUS to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to portable apparatus used for administering a current of
electricity of any desired strength for medical purposes, and it has for its object
an improved method of constructing and arranging the several parts of such
apparatus by which great simplicity of adjustment and arrangement are attained,
with fineness and evenness of the electric current produced, easy graduation of the
power and strength of the current, and a wide range of character of the effects
produced.
The improved apparatus consists of a box or case of suitable size, preferably of
wood, which may be made as ornamental as desired. In the lower part of this
case I prefer to arrange a drawer within which the handles or other loose subsidiary
parts of the apparatus may be kept, and the case is closed at its upper part by a
lid provided with a lock.
At the back of the upper part of the case is a chamber, open above, in which is
fitted a galvanic battery consisting of one or more cells of the ordinary well known
kind, from which are brought two insulated metallic wires through which the
current of electricity generated in the battery passes. The battery chamber is
closed by a lid of non-conducting material through which passes a metallic stud to
the lower end of which below the cover is attached in metallic contact one of the
insulated wires from the battery. Upon the upper end of the stud and in metallic
contact with it is fixed a metal handle or switch capable of being moved or turned
backward and forward through a sufficient angle, its movement being limited at
each end by a pin or stop fixed in the cover, and two metal studs are also screwed
or otherwise fixed into the cover so that one of them is directly under the switch
at each end of its stroke, the studs projecting to such a height that the lower side
of the switch presses upon them and forms good metallic contact. To one of these
studs is fixed below one end of an insulated wire the other end of which is brought
through a vertical partition which forms the front of the battery chamber and the
back of the chamber in which the remainder of the apparatus is contained.
The second stud is not connected with any wire.
The insulated wire from the other pole of the battery is also brought through the
vertical partition near the first one, so that if the ends of these two wires are

page_text: brought into a metallic circuit the battery is included in such circuit when the
switch is at one end of its stroke, but the circuit is cut off when the switch is at
the other end of its stroke,
The words "on" and "off," or other suitable indications may be marked upon
the cover opposite the studs.
Small buttons are screwed to the side of the case and serve to hold down the
cover of the battery space and to prevent it from being dragged up when the
switch is being used.
The chamber formed in the case in front of the partition which forms the battery
chamber has a ledge or stop near its upper edge upon which rests a cover of non-
conducting material which is held in its place by screws or other means, and to
the lower side of this cover near one end is fixed a block or bracket through which
passes one end of a core consisting of an iron bar or bundle of iron wires round
which is wound a cylindrical helix composed of four coils of insulated metallic
wire of different lengths and fineness, the electric currents from which will vary
proportionally in their quality and intensity.
The four lengths of insulated wire are continuous throughout and metallically
connected, the ends of each length respectively being brought up to the lower side
of the cover and connected to one or other of four metallic studs which are screwed
through the cover at a short distance apart their upper ends forming a curve the
centre of which carries a metal stud upon which turns a metallic switch similar to
that already described, so that by moving the switch its outer end may be made to
rest and press upon either of the four studs. The centre on which the switch turns
is connected by a wire to a stud near the front of the cover the upper end of which
stud is provided with a binding screw to which one of the wires through which
the electric current passes to the person using the apparatus is attached.
Two similar studs are also fixed in the cover near its back edge, their lower ends
being connected to two wires forming respectively the two extremities of the
circuit, and their upper ends having binding screws to which the ends of the two
wires coming from the battery chamber as already described can be connected.
It will be seen therefore that when the battery is connected by means of the
first switch, a continuous electrical current from it traverses the coil and the person
to be operated upon or any other circuit connected with the outer binding secrews,
and that by means of the second switch this current can be made to pass through
any of the four lengths of wire which compose the coil.
In order to make the current rapidly intermittent that its quality and intensity
may be varied, I bend the end of the bar which forms the core and bring it up
vertically through the cover and I fit it with a screwed polepiece the height of
which can be accurately adjusted by screwing it up or down.
Above this polepiece I arrange a metallic spring having an iron plate above the
screwed pole piece, an adjustable platinum pointed screw being arranged above the
spring, and the electric current being made to pass in its course through a metallic
stud which carries the spring and also through the platinum pointed screw, this
device causing a rapid making and breaking of the electrical circuit in the usual
well known way.
The platinum pointed screw is held and screwed between spring jaws regulated
by a tightening screw so that the pressure upon it can be adjusted, and it is
adjusted in its proper position above the spring by means of a slot in the base of
the bracket which carries it, a fixing screw passing through this slot and holding
it tightly upon a metallic plate with which one of the wires of the circuit is in
metallic connection.
At the end of the case containing the apparatus, opposite to the end of the
cylindrical helix, I make a circular aperture through which passes a metal cylinder
which fits over the helix but can be withdrawn more or less by means of a handle
´at its outer end so as to regulate by its induction the power of the electric current
passing through the helix in the well known way, the current being weakest wher
1

page_text: the tube entirely covers the helix and increasing as the tube is withdrawn and the
helix uncovered.
In order to prevent the tube from being accidentally withdrawn or falling out,
I screw or fix a ring or flange round it to the end of the case. This flange is
provided with a concentric slot slightly enlarged at one end. To the outer end of
the tube is fixed a stud or pin having a head in such a position that when the
tube is closed the head passes through the enlargement in the slot and the tube
being then turned partly round the head passes under the flange whilst the body
of the stud or pin passes along the slot. In this position the tube cannot be. with-
drawn or drop out.
The upper end of the case when the lid is open may slope down to the front.
The current is preferably passed through the person using the apparatus by
means of insulated handles having metallic wires or spindles passed through them,
the insulated conducting wires being connected to winding screws at one end of
the spindles the other end of which are fitted with sponges which can be held tight
by a flange at the end of the spindle which is drawn toward the end of the handle
by a screw and nut at the other end of the spindle.

page_text: I, ARTHUR THOMAS KING, of Cambray, Cheltenham, in the County of Gloucester,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement and accompanying drawing (that is to say) :—
My invention relates to portable apparatus used for administering a current of
electricity of any desired strength for medical purposes, and it has for its object an
improved method of constructing and arranging the several parts of such apparatus,
by which great simplicity of adjustment and arrangement are attained, with fineness.
and evenness of the electric current produced, easy graduation of the power and
strength of the current, and a wide range of character of the effects produced.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, figure 1 shewing
the apparatus with the lid open, and figure 2 an end view of the same.
a is a box or case of suitable size, preferably of wood, which may be made as
ornamental as desired. In the lower part of this case I prefer to arrange a drawer b
within which the handles and other loose subsidiary parts of the apparatus may be
kept, and the case is closed at its upper part by a lid c provided with a lock and
handle.
At the back of the upper part of the case is a chamber d, open above, in which
is fitted a galvanic battery (not shewn in the drawing) consisting of one or more
cells of the ordinary well known kind, preferably Leclanchè cells charged with a
solution of sal-ammoniac, from which are brought two insulated metallic wires e, c¹,
through which the current of electricity generated in the battery passes.
The battery chamber is closed by a lid f through which passes an insulated
metallic stud g to the lower end of which below the cover is attached in metallic
contact one of the insulated wires from the battery. Upon the upper end of the
stud and in metallic contact with it is fitted a metal handle or switch capable of
being moved or turned backward and forward through a sufficient angle, its move-
ment being limited at each end by a pin or stop fixed in the cover, and two metal
studs h¹, h³, are also screwed or otherwise fixed into the cover f so that one of them
is directly under the switch at each end of its stroke, the studs projecting to such a
a height that the lower side of the switch presses upon them and forms good
metallic contact.
To one of these studs ¹ is fixed, below the cover one end of an insulated wire
the other end of which e' is brought through a vertical partition i which forms the
front of the battery chamber and the back of the chamber in which the remainder
of the apparatus is contained.
The second stud h is not connected with any wire. The insulated wire e from
the other pole of the battery is also brought through the vertical partition i near
the first one, so that if the ends of these two wires are brought into a metallic
circuit the battery is included in such circuit when the switch h is at one end of
its stroke, but the circuit is cut off when the switch h is at the other end of its
stroke. The words "on" and "off," or other suitable indications may be marked
upon the cover opposite the studs.

page_text: One or more small buttons 2 are screwed to the side of the case or box and serve
to hold down the cover f of the battery space and to prevent it from being dragged
up when the switch is being used.
The chamber formed in the case in front of the partition i which forms the
battery chamber has a ledge or stop near its upper edge upon which rests a cover k
of non-conducting material which is held in its place by screws or other means,
and to the lower side of this cover near one end is fixed a block or bracket through
which passes and is firmly fixed one end of a core consisting of an iron bar or
bundle of iron wires round which is wound a primary helix consisting of a sufficient
number of layers or coils of insulated copper wire, the two ends of which are con-
nected with one pole of the battery and the hammer of a contact breaker,
respectively, the adjustable screw of the contact breaker being connected with the
other pole of the battery (as hereinafter described) so that the current passes from
the positive pole of the battery to the screw of contact breaker, to the spring of
contact breaker, and through the entire length of the helix to the negative pole of
battery. Metallically connected with the end of the primary wire is an outer or
secondary helix (thus making the primary and secondary wire a continuous coil)
of a sufficient number of layers or coils of fine insulated wire.
The core and helices described are not shewn in the drawing. Upon the upper side
of the cover k, is arranged a metallic stud / carrying a moveable metallic switch m
similar to that already described, and a series of insulated metallic studs concentric
with the centre of the switch m are also fixed in the cover k so that the switch m
may be brought into metallic contact with either of them as desired, conducting
wires being also arranged below so as to connect a certain number of the layers or coils
from each helix to each stud. If, for example, there are twelve studs, two layers of
the primary coil (which is supposed to contain seven layers) are connected with the
first stud, and one additional layer to each of the next five studs so that the sixth
stud would be connected with the whole seven layers or coils of the primary helix.
In the same way the remaining six studs are each connected to one layer or set
of layers or coils of the outer or secondary fine helix, the extreme outer end of
which is connected to the twelfth stud.
The centre on which the switch m turns is connected by a wire to a stud n near
the front of the cover the upper end of which stud n is provided with a binding
screw to which one of the wires n¹ through which the electric current passes to the
person using the apparatus is attached, returning through a similar wire o¹ and
stud and binding screw o.
Two similar studs p, and r, are also fixed in the cover near its back edge, their
lower ends being connected to two wires forming respectively the two extremities
of the circuit, and their upper ends having binding screws to which the ends of the
two wires coming from the battery chamber as already described can be connected.
It will be seen therefore that when the battery is connected by means of the
first switch, a continuous electrical current from it traverses the coil and the person
to be operated upon or any other circuit connected with the outer binding screws,
and that by means of the second switch this current can be made to pass through
any desired number of the lengths of the insulated wires which compose the internal
and external helices.
The contact breaker is used to make the current rapidly intermittent and to
form it I bend the end of the bar which forms the core and bring it up vertically
through the cover at s and I fit it with a screwed polepiece t the height of which
can be accurately adjusted by screwing it up or down.
Above this polepiece t I arrange a metallic spring u having an iron plate above
the screwed polepiece t, an adjustable platinum pointed screw being arranged
above the spring, and the electric current being made to pass in its course through
an insulated metallic stud w which carries the spring u and also through the
platinum pointed screw this device causing a rapid making and breaking of the
electrical circuit in the usual well known way. The platinum pointed screw u
may be held and screwed between spring jaws regulated by a tightening screw so

page_text: that the pressure upon it can be adjusted, and it is adjusted in its proper position
above the spring by means of a slot in the base of the bracket x which carries it, a
fixing screw passing through this slot and holding it tightly upon a metallic plate
with which one of the wires of the circuit is in metallic connection.
At the end of the case containing the apparatus, opposite to the end of the cylin-
drical helix, I make a circular aperture through which passes a metal cylinder y
which fits over the compound helix described but can be withdrawn more or less
by means of a handle at its outer end so as to regulate by its induction the power
of the electric current passing through the helix in the well known way, the current
being weakest when the tube entirely covers the helix and increasing as the tube
is withdrawn and the helix uncovered.
In order to prevent the tube y from being accidentally withdrawn or falling out a
ring or flange may be screwed to the end of the case round it. This flange may be
provided with a concentric slot (not shewn in the drawing) slightly enlarged at one
end; to the outer end of the tube being fixed a stud or pin having a head in such a
position that when the tube is closed the head passes through the enlargement in
the slot and the tube being then turned partly round the head passes under the
flange whilst the body of the stud or pin passes along the slot. In this position
the tube cannot be withdrawn or drop out.
The upper end of the case, when the lid is open may slope down to the front as
shewn.
The current is preferably passed through the person using the apparatus by
means of insulated handles z, ', having metallic wires or spindles passed through
them, the insulated conducting wires being connected to binding screws at one end
of the spindles the other ends of which are fitted with sponges A, A, which can be
held tight by a flange at the end of the spindle which is drawn toward the handle
by a screw and nut at the other end of the spindle.
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. The combination of the primary and secondary coils of insulated wire, the
moveable switch l, adjustable upon the series of metallic studs for the purpose of
including in the electrical circuit any desired number of the coils or layers, and the
battery and electrical contact-breaker, all arranged and operating substantially as
and for the purposes described and shewn in the drawing.
2. In combination with the primary and secondary coils of insulated wire, and
switch operating upon the series of studs, and battery and contact breaker, the
switch h and studs h1, h2, by which the battery can be included in the circuit or
cut off, substantially as described and shewn.
3. The combination of the primary and secondary coils of insulated wire, and
moveable switch Z adjustable upon the series of metallic studs for the purpose
described, with the moveable tube y, substantially as and for the purpose described
and shewn in the drawing.
"