AN IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE WORN BY RAILWAY TRAVELLERS FOR LESSENING THE EFFECTS OF VIBRATION ON THE SPINE OR NERVOUS SYSTEM
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Samuel Putney at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
July 1870.
I, SAMUEL PUTNEY, of Gray's Inn Road, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS TO BE WORN BY RAILWAY TRAVELLERS FOR LESSENING THE EFFECTS OF
VIBRATION ON THE SPINE OR NERVOUS SYSTEM," to be as follows:-
The prejudicial effects on the nervous systems of railway travellers
from the vibration of the carriages when in motion are well known, and
have in many instances been such as to altogether debar persons from
availing themselves of this universal means of locomotion, without
taking into consideration the (in many cases) permanent injury and
incapacity consequent thereupon.
My Invention is designed with a view to remedy this evil and render
railway travelling available to the most sensitive organizations.

page_text: The essential feature of my Invention is to make the traveller inde-
pendent, so to speak, of the vibration of the railway carriage while seated
therein.
I have devised an apparatus for this purpose to be worn next the
body when travelling, which apparatus consists of a back support
extending upwards along the region of the spine to a little below the
shoulder blades, at which point are connected padded arms passing
under the armpits and also forming an additional support for the
shoulders. These padded arm rests are carried on the ends of upright
bars, which are made adjustable in length to suit the person using them.
Both the side bars and back support are connected at bottom to a frame
or band encircling the waist of the wearer, the whole being secured in
position on the body by suitable straps or bands.
The whole surface of the apparatus next the body is covered with a
soft lining or padding to render the wearing of the apparatus as little
irksome as possible. The arm supports and waist band may also be
jointed at their centres, so that the apparatus may be folded into a
smaller compass for carrying in a bag, for example, when not required to
be worn.
To the waist band and at bottom of each arm support I fix a
metal stud or pin, which when the apparatus is in position projects
through a small aperture or slit made in the seam of the trowsers, over
the hip at either side. To these studs I attach a hoop or bail-shaped
metal band or support, having a slot at each end fitting on the studs
above mentioned in such manner as to retain them in position while
permitting of their free motion. The metal hoop being thus connected
to the apparatus hangs downwards outside the trowsers, being concealed
from view by the coat tails. Thus applied, in order to obtain the
resilient action necessary to neutralize the effects of vibration of the
carriage on the wearer of the apparatus, I either connect the metal hoop
at bottom by means of a stud or other attachment to an air cushion or
other sufficiently elastic surface, or it may simply rest thereon, and in
this manner the sitter will be supported at two points, viz., by the arm
rests and by the hoop. and cushion below, and the vibratory motion of
the carriage will be thus entirely neutralized, instead of its being im
parted to the spine and system as is the case when seated in the usual
way.

page_text: each arm and worn outside the clothes (under the coat for example), the
said rests being attached to the body by straps as before, concealed
from view. The stems of the rests would be provided at their lower
ends with springs to take a bearing on the seat of the carriage and
5 support the wearer with the same object as before.