APPARATUS FOR SELF-MASSAGE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Arendt Ångström, Professor at the Royal Technical
High School, at Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, for an Invention of
"APPARATUS FOR SELF-MASSAGE."
+
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Arendt Ångström at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1881.
CARL ARENDT ÅNGSTRÖM, Professor at the Royal Technical High-school, at
Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden. "APPARATUS FOR SELF-MASSAGE."
The object of this Invention is by means of simple apparatus to enable persons
who require massage treatment to obtain it effectually without the help of another
person, and without any such great exertion of strength as would be required if
the self massage should be given with the fingers alone, independent of the fact
that in direct treatment with the fingers all parts of the body are not so approachable
for it as now with the apparatus in question.
These apparatus consist of one or more moveable rollers attached to a haft or
handle. The rollers may be attached either to moveable axles, or themselves be
Inoveable about fixed axles or pins, which are kept in place by plates on the haft.
The rollers may be made of wood, bone, horn, etcetera, or of wood or other sub-
stance with an outer ring of vulcanised india rubber or other firm, but nevertheless
elastic substance.
The surface of the rollers can be smooth or toothed or provided with one or more
elevations.
The hafts are of different length and form, according as in using they are or may
be led with one hand or both.
The apparatus may be constructed also in such wise that they can be used with
advantage when mechanical power from any motor is to be had.
In using, the haft is held by one or both hands, and the roller or rollers brought
several times over the part that requires massage, when through a well adapted
pressure, and movements given in a proper direction (after some little practice and
with very slight exertion), a similar result may be effected as that in massage with
the hand by a second person.
The advantage of such self massage apparatus is that a person therewith can
effect a thorough and active massage of all parts of the body, and with relatively
very slight exertion, far less than in massage with the hands alone, even on those
parts of the body which are approachable by the hands.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Carl Arendt Ångström in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1882.
CARL ARENDT ÅNGSTRÖM, Professor at the Royal Technical High-school, at
Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden. "APPARATUS FOR SELF-MASSAGE."
The object of this Invention is by means of simple apparatus to enable a person
who requires massage treatment to obtain it effectually without the help of another
person, and without any such great exertion of strength as would be required if
the self-massage were given with the fingers alone, independently of the fact that
in direct treatment with the fingers all parts of the body are not so approachable as
with my apparatus.
The apparatus consists of one or more moveable rollers attached to a haft or
handle. The rollers may either be attached to moveable axles, or be themselves
moveable about fixed axles or pins, which are kept in place by plates on the haft.
Referring to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, several different forms of
rollers and handles are shown; Figs. 8 and 9 are to a smaller scale than the others.
The rollers may be made of wood, bone, horn, celluloid, etcetera, or of wood or other
substance with outer rings of vulcanized india rubber or other firm, but nevertheless
elastic, substance. The arrangements shewn in Figs. 1 to 5 and 8 have rollers of
the former materials, and that in Fig. 6 of the latter..
The surfaces of the rollers can be smooth or toothed, or provided with one or
more elevations in the form of comb-like discs. The elevations on the rollers should
.be of such a form that with them a thorough kneading of the muscles or groups of
muscles which require massage treatment can be effected. To accomplish this
purpose the greater the mass of the muscles that is to be kneaded the thinner must
.be the discs.
If the apparatus is required to be of considerable width, the rollers may either be
made wider or several single rollers may be placed beside each other on the same
axle, as shown in Fig. 8. The hafts are of different. length and form, accordingly
as they are intended to be manipulated with one hand or both.
The apparatus represented in Fig. 5 may have a longer handle screwed on from
the side when required, as shown in Fig. 7. In the apparatus represented in Figs. 8
and 9 the roller extends in a right angle from the haft, supported either direct by
plates (Fig. 8) or by a short arm (Fig. 9). The apparatus in Fig. 9 is furthermore
furnished with two supplementary arms, which for the sake of convenience in
transport can be screwed off. The apparatus in Figs: 7 and 8 are chiefly designed
for giving massage to the joints of the feet and the front of the shoulders; that
represented in Fig. 9, on the contrary, is for the hinder parts of the shoulders and
the back.
In operation the haft of the apparatus is held by one or both hands, and the
roller or rollers brought several times over the part that requires massage, when if
the pressure be suitably applied, and the movements given in a proper direction
(after some little practice and with very slight exertion), a similar result may be
effected to that produced by massage with the hand by a second person.
By means of such self-massage apparatus a person can effect a thorough and
active massage of all parts of the body, and with relatively very slight exertion,
far less than in massage with the hands alone, even on those parts of the body
which are approachable by the hands.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which it is to be or may be performed, I would have it understood that what is

page_text: considered to be novel and original, and is therefore claimed as secured to me by
the Letters Patent herein before in part recited is,―
The use for self or hand massage of one or more rollers provided with hafts or
handles, such rollers and hafts or handles being constructed with forms adapted to
the particular muscles or groups of muscles to be treated, substantially as above set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carl Arendt Ångström, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
CARL ARENDT ANGSTROM. (L.S.)