Improvements in Electric Massage Instruments.
Year: 1899

page_text: ヒト
Improvements in Electric Massage Instruments.
We, LOUIS CASPAR, of 929, North Lawndale Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America, Electrician, and ARTHUR HARVEY PEIRCE, of Calumet Club,
Michigan Avenue, and 20th Street, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare that 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 invention relates to electro-therapeutic massage instruments, the
purpose of the invention being to produce mechanical and electrical effects
whereby the skin and muscular and nerve tissues may be favorably acted upon,
this I accomplish by means embodied in a neat portable or hand instrument
having some novel features which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing
and which will hereinafter be particularly described.
In the drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of my massage instrument, the
cover of case being removed to show interior mechanism; Fig. 2 is a vertical
cross-section of same, taken on line 2 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are details showing
modifications in the head of the instrument.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide means for producing mechani
cally a rolling massage action and a tapping or vibratory effect and I also employ
parts of the instrument to act as electrodes and produce an electrical action on
the skin while making one or more of the above mechanical effects.
In illustrating my invention the following description will refer more particu-
larly to the means I show in Figs. 1 and 2 which is the preferably form or con-
struction of the instrument.
A refers as a whole to a box or case provided with a cover a and for containing
electro-magnetic mechanism for operating a vibratory device to produce the
striking or tapping effect referred to above. Attached to the case A is a handle A¹
having a central box or opening a through which pass conducting cords contain-
ing wires r and which are connected to a suitable battery, for instance as shown
at y, and to the interior mechanism of box hereafter referred to.
A2 is a short neck or projection on the top of case A and to which is attached
the head of the instrument referred to as a whole by. B. B is a striking device
which consists of rollers B' mounted on a spindle or axle which has bearings
in arms B. The arms B2 are attached to a collar B3 secured to the neck or pro-
jection A, the said neck being provided with a passage a². The rollers B are
preferably made with an annular groove and rounded corners b².
C is the striking or tapping device. This consists of strikers or fingers c,
preferably constructed in pairs and having a cross-piece c¹ which is attached to
a rod or shank C connected to a vibrator in the case of instrument. The fingers
or striking part c is provided with a slot or opening 2 through which the axle b

page_text: of the roller B passes and permitting free action of striking parts without contact
with the said axle.
Contained in the case A is an arm or projection C to which the rod or shank C¹
is attached. The arm C is attached to an armature D, pivoted at d to a bracket F.
C³ is a spring for keeping armature out of contact with pole pieces. Above the
armature are electro-magnets E having pole pieces e. Below the armature D
is an insulated. plate D¹ having a contact piece or screw and a set nut d³. A
small spring or tongue d¹ is attached to the armature and normally makes con-
tact with the screw d. The wires and r¹ are connected to the magnetic coils E
and to the plate D¹.
To cause an electric current to pass through massaging parts or head of instru-
ment when contact is made with skin of user I provide the following means.
Leading from the plate D¹ is a wire a connected to suitable switching means,
as for instance the tongue g of the push button G. From the contact piece g¹
a wire leads to the head of the instrument; as shown in Fig. 2, this connection
is to one of the arms B². When the connections are closed by the button G, and
the head of instrument placed against skin, the electric current passes through
the arm B, through the roller B₁ and the circuit is completed through the striking
part C and its connections to the armature and coils of same. The rollers B¹
and the striking part C form electrodes in the above instance, but this may be
varied without departing from the spirit of my invention. As shown in Fig. 3,
the rollers B₁ are insulated and have suitable connections so as to form the
electrodes, and in Fig. 4, a pair of striking parts are insulated and have con-
nections so as to make them the electrodes. While I have shown the striking
device as consisting of a pair of strikers, it is readily to be seen that one striker
may be employed for the purpose, and the striker or strikers may have, if desired,
only one finger or striking part.
The operation of the instrument is as follows: The head of instrument B
is placed against the face or the skin' on any position of body desired to be
massaged. The instrument is moved back and forth thus actuating the rollers
and massaging the part desired. Should a tapping or striking action be required
the wires to battery are connected or circuit closed, the armature D will then
vibrate thus actuating the arm C2, and the striking part C. Should an electrical
action be desired on the skin or muscular tissues of the patient or user the
button G is closed thus causing a vibratory electrical effect by the current passing
the parts of head of instrument which act as electrodes, the current being made
intermittent by the vibratory or breaking action of the armature D.
It will thus be seen that my invention provides a very neat and compact
instrument for the purposes of massaging or electro-therapeutic treatment
described. It is readily to be seen that construction of the instrument may be
modified if desired without departing from the leading features of my invention.
Thus any well known form of electro-magnetic mechanism may be employed in
the case A for actuating the striking part C, and the use of parts of the head B
as terminal electrodes while performing the office of massaging may be modified
as already noted. Clock work may be employed for actuating the striking device
of instrument, but the instrument would then be deficient in performing an
electrical effect on the skin this electrical effect in conjunction with other effects
producable forms an important therapeutic feature of the present invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
j
1. An instrument of class described, having a rolling device, a striking or
vibratory device and means for actuating the said striking device, substantially
as set forth.
2. In an instrument of class described, means for producing a rolling massage
action, means for producing a tapping or vibratory action and means for pro-

page_text: ducing an electrical action on the skin through some of the said parts, as set
forth.
3. In an instrument of class described, a head having rollers and a striking
or vibratory device, and a case containing electro-magnetic mechanism for actu-
ating the striking device, as set forth.
LOUIS CASPER,
ARTHUR HARVEY PEIRCE.
By Herbert Haddan & Co.,
Agents to Applicants, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.