Improvements in and relating to Electrical Apparatus for Medical Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by Lucius Thaddeus StaNLEY, of Brooklyn, New York,
United States of America, Electrician.]
Improvements in and relating to Electrical Apparatus for Medical
Purposes.
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare 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 object of this invention is to combine in a small compass and portable form an
induction coil, a galvanic battery and suitable electrodes for applying the current to
any desired part of the human body. With this object in view and with the purpose
of protecting the induction coil and its accessories from the battery solution which is
liable to escape from its cell and of securing good and lasting contacts, an apparatus
is constructed in the following manner.
A cylindrical case or holder is made, the material of which is of hard rubber or
other non-conductor at the ends, and of metal in the middle, at least on its outer
surface. The bottom or lower end of the holder is composed of a hard rubber
receptacle closed by a screw cap. Within this is placed the battery cell. In the
central or metallic portion of the cylindrical holder is placed the induction coil, above
which is the automatic circuit breaker. The upper end of the cylinder is provided
with a metal screw cap to which one electrode is secured and the current from the
other terminal of the coil is conveyed by a switch to the metal surface of the cylinder
which is held in the hand.
The battery cell is composed of carbon, preferably enamelled or varnished on its
exterior. It is provided with a perforated carbon top cemented to the main cup, and
in the perforation a rubber stopper carrying a zinc electrode is fitted. The cell is
held in position by a spring seat and when in position the terminals of the
primary coil engage with the carbon cell and a metal pin that holds the zinc
respectively.
The excitant for the battery is put up in compressed tablets and is composed of
any suitable metallic salt. Those tablets contain a measured quantity of the material
to be used so that one or more of them when dropped into the cell and covered with
water will give the desired strength to the charge.
The details of construction of this invention will be explained by reference to the
accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the faradic battery complete.
Figure 2 is a similar view of the electrode.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of a modified form of cell.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of electrode.
A is the central and main portion of a cylinder of small diameter, composed of or
covered with a conducting material.
Into what for convenience may be considered as the lower end fits the closed end
of a hard rubber or insulating cup B, preferably of the same external diameter as
the metal cylinder. The open end of this cup is provided with a screw cap or
cover C.
This cap contains the battery cell which consists of a moulded carbon cup D,
preferably enamelled or varnished on its exterior surface, except around a bead or
boss E which presents a conducting surface for one or more contact springs F secured
in the cup B and which bear upon the boss E or some equivalent contact surface
when the battery is in its normal position.
Into the open top of the carbon cup is placed an annular carbon cover G which

page_text: resis on an off set in the walls of the cell and which is secured by a coment of sulphur
or other suitable material.
The part G has a tapering opening to receive a rubber plug or stopper II, to which
the zine electrodo is secured by a screw J.
The construction of the cell may be modified in certain particulars, as shown
in Figure 3. The top of the cell in this ligure is formed integral with the sides nud
is provided with the tapering perforation and the boss. The bottom G', however, is
formed independently and is secured to the sides by cement in the same manner that
the cover is secured in figure 1.
While any desired means may be used for holding the ceil in place, it is preferable
to place in the cap ('a spring K which forms a seat for the cell and keeps it firmly
up in its position.
The closed end of the part B forms a base for the induction coil, of which the
primary coil is designated by Land the secondary by M. The core of this coil is a
har or bundle of wires N, which supports the coil by being set in the insulating base
formed by cylinder B.
The opposite end of the core is prolonged and serves to operate a spring circuit
breaking armature P contained within the insulating cylinder R. Y is the metallie
cylinder surrounding the coil and used as a damper. It is adjusted by any ordinary
devices such as are commonly used for this purpose.
S is a metal cap which is screwed or otherwise secured to the cylinder R. A metallio
electrode T is set in a threaded socket V of insulating material screwed into
the cap S
A metallic bridge or contact piece W movable in gnides on the metal plate A
connects parts A und 8 when pushed forward. The electrical conne 'tions and operation
of this device will he be readily understood.
One end of the primary coil is connected to the spring con-contacts F', and through
them to the positive pole of the battery. The other end is connected to the spring
armature P, the conducting back stop of which is connected by a wire which may be
conveniently carried through the core N to a serew passing through the insulated
end of cylinder B3 in position to engage the screw when the battery is in
position.
The ends of the secondary coil are led to the electrode T and the cap 8, so that
any one holding the instrument and apply the electrode to any desired part of the
body will receive a current by pushing up the contact making slide W until the
part A, in contact with the hand is brought into connection with the secondary
coil.
This switch and handle may sometimes be used without the battery as shown in
Figure 2. The handle in this case is a cylindrical preces of insulating material X with
a metal tube or casing A carrying the slide W.
The metal cap S is secured to the end of the handle X and in it is set the insulating
socket and the electrode T. The current for this device is conveyed from an
external source by wires e, e to suitable terminals d, e in connection respectively with
rods or wires in electrical contact, the one with the electrode T, the other with the
cap S.
As the battery call is necessarily small it is difficult to measure and introduce into
it the exact amount of an excitant necessary for a charge. To avoid this the metallic
salts such as bisulphate of mercury, bichromate of potash, chloride of silver and the
like are compressed into pallets or tablets of measured quantity of which, one or two
compose a charge. A suitable quantity of wator is poured into the cell and one or
more of these tablets introduced and allowed to dissolve.
When the current is to be applied to the head, an electrode, like that in Figure 4,
is used. This consists of a base A¹ with a metal plate B secured to it, and a scrow (
in contact therewith and set in the base. A number of flexible metallic teeth D¹
are set in this base and in contact with the metal plate B¹.
This electrode is secured to the holder by removing the flat electrode and inserting
the screw into the socket at the end of the holler.

page_text: It is immaterial how the teeth are made, it being only necessary that they are
flexible and have rounded ends. They may be single wires or wires bent back upon
themselves, as shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First An apparatus for the purpose above specified comprising a battery-case or
holder consisting of end portions of insulating material and a central metallic part
forming one of the electrodes for receiving the current through the body, as set
forth.
Second An apparatus for the purpose above specified comprising a case or holder
consisting of a central metallic portion forming one of the electrodes, insulating ends
one containing the battery the other provided with a metallic terminal, and a switch
for connecting the metallic terminal with the central part constituting the electrode,
as set forth.
Third-In an apparatus for the purpose above specified the combination with the
induction coil secured within a tubular bolder, of an insulating cylinder secured to
the holder and having a closed end that forms a base for the coil, a galvanic battery
contained in said cylinder and terminals for the coil secured in the cylinder in
position to engage with the battery terminals when the latter are in position, as set
forth.
Fourth In my improved apparatus the employment of a closed galvanic battery
cell composed of a carbon receptacle and a perforated carbon cover, the two being
firmly cemented together, substantially as set forth.
Fifth In my improved apparatus the employment of a closed portable galvanic
battery cell herein described, consisting of a carbon cup forming one electrode and a
perforated carbon cover cemented thereto, the exterior of the cell being enamelled
or coated with insulating material except on that portion upon which the circuit
terminals bear.
Sixth The combination with the holder having its middle portion composed of
metal, and its ends of insulating material, of a battery cell in one of the insulating
ends, an insulating electrode carried by a metallic terminal secured to the other
insulating end and a switch for connecting and disconnecting the metallic part of the
holder with the metallic terminal for making and breaking the secondary circuit, of an
induction coil located within the holder as set forth.
Seventh-The combination with a metallic casing or holder of an insulating
receptacle containing a battery cell and inserted in one end of the same, the
closed end of said receptacle forming an insulating supporting base for an
induction coil contained within the metallic casing, an insulating cylinder secured to
the opposite end of the metallic casing, an insulated electrode and a metallic cap
secured to said cylinder and forming the secondary terminals of the induction coil,
and a switch for connecting the metallic cap and metal holder, as herein set forth.
Eighth The combination of a battery case or holder comprising a central metallic
portion forming one electrode and containing the induction coil, an insulating
receptacle fitted into one end of the same and provided with a removable cap and
adapted to contain a battery cell, an insulating casing secured to the opposite end of
the metallic portion, and an electrode secured thereto as shown.
Ninth In my improved apparatus the employment of an excitant or charge for
the battery composed of a metallic salt compressed in given quantities into tablets.
Tenth The electrode shown in Figure 4 having long flexible teeth with rounded
ends.
mis on day of February 2009.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.