An Electric Exercising Machine.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1889-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE ELECTRIC EXERCISING MACHINE COMPANY,
of Nashua, State of New Hampshire, United States of America.]
An Electric Exercising Machine.
I, OLIVER IMRAY of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents 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 :-
This invention relates to an exercising machine by which when used electric
currents are conveyed through the body of the user thereby obtaining simultaneously
the therapeutic effects of the bodily exercise and the application of electricity.
The invention consists in the combination, substantially as hereinafter more fully
set forth, with mechanism by which exercise is obtained by pulling against the
resisting force of gravity or of a spring, of a dynamo which is operated to generate
electric currents, when the exercising machine is used, means for conveying these
currents through the body of the person using the machine, and means for varying
the power of these currents and at the same time indicating their power.
The invention also consists in the construction, as hereinafter more fully set
forth, of the circuit interrupter used to produce a succession of intermittent
currents.
And it further consists in the construction of the pulling handles, as herein-
after more fully set forth, whereby simplicity of construction and perfect conduction
of the electric current is obtained.
In carrying our invention into effect, we combine with a rotating shaft suitably
supported, an armature fixed on the shaft and rotating between the arms of a
horseshoe magnet; two reels upon this shaft, one fixed to the shaft, and the other
loose upon the shaft; cords wound upon these reels, which cords when unwound by
pulling upon the same, rotate the shaft and the armature; springs or weights attached
to the shaft and affording a force which acts to resist the force exerted in pulling
upon the cords, conducting handles attached to the cords; electric connections from
the rotating armature to the handles; and a suitable commutator, for intermittently
interrupting the currents produced by the rotation of the arunature, and we pivot the
imagnet upon a shaft extending through the case containing the dynamo, whereby the
strength of the magnetic field in which the armature rotates can be varied by moving
the arms of the magnet transversely on either side of the armature and we attach
to this shaft on the end which projects through the case containing the dynamo an
arm at right angles to the shaft, which arm by its position indicates the position of
the arms of the magnet relatively to the armature. In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a view of the machine in elevation, a portion of the case being
shown as broken away in order to show the reel on which the pulling cord is
wound.
Figure 2 is a view of the case in elevation with the top removed, and one of the
reels being shown partly in section.
Figure 3 is a view in elevation of a modified form of reel and retracting
spring.
Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the case through the armature and field-
magnet.
Figure 5 is a view in elevation of one side of the commutator.
Figure 6 is a view in elevation of the commutator.
Figure 7 is a view in elevation of the other side of the commutator.

page_text: Figure 8 is a view showing weights substituted for springs and-
Figure 9 is a sectional view of the conducting cord and handle.
In these several figures the same letters refer to the same parts.
Referring to the drawings, A is a rectangular case of wood or other suitable
material the dimensions of which may suitably be thirteen by eight inches.
In this case is mounted longitudinally a shaft B, preferably of metal, and this shaft
carries the armature C, rotating between the arms of a horseshoe permanent
magnet, D.
The armature shown is of the type known as the Siemens armature, and by its
rotation in the magnetic field formed by the permanent magnet produces electric
currents which flow alternately in opposite directions, and rise from zero when the
core of the armature is parallel with the arms of the permanent magnet to a maximum
when the core is at right angles to these arms, and then decline from maximum to
zero as the armature completes its rotation.
The electro motive force of these currents depends upon the strength of the
magnet field in which the armature rotates, the length of the wire upon the core, and
the rate of rotation of the armature.
In order that it may be possible to vary the strength of the magnetic field and the
consequent electro-motive force of the current as may be desired, the magnet is
attached to a support E, of wood or of other suitable material which support by means
of the shaft F is pivoted on the case thus enabling the poles of the magnet to be
turned so far away from the armaturo on either side as to reduce the number of lines
of force cut by the wire of the rotating armature to such an extent that practically
no current will be produced when the armature rotates or to be placed in any position
intermediate between this position and that in which the greatest number of lines of
force are cut by the wire of the armature, which position will be when the longitudinal
axis of the magnet is at right angles to the shaft upon which the armature is fixed.
The shaft F projects through the side of the case, and to the end of this shaft is
attached, at right angles thereto, an index arm, G. When the poles of the permanent
magnet are in such a position relatively to the armature that the field in which the
armature rotates is at its maximum strength, the index arm G will be in a vertical
position as shown in dotted lines and by turning the index on either side the magnet
will be correspondingly swung and the strength of the magnetic field will be corre-
spondingly weakened until reduced to a practical minimum when the index arm is in
the position shown in full lines.
It will thus be seen that the person using the machine can make an accurate and
delicate adjustment of the strength of the magnetic field as may be desired and can at
will use the apparatus as a simple exercising machine or with an electric current of
any desired power within the limits afforded by the dynamo.
Suitable stops limit the swing of the magnet on either side.
The strength of the current can also be varied by moving the armature away from
the magnet, by giving the shaft a longitudinal movement, but we prefer to move the
arms of the magnet.
Instead of a permanent magnet we can use as a field magnet an electric magnet
excited by the currents produced by the rotation of the armature and we can use
any other form of rotating armature other than the form of armature shown. The
armature may be of the form by which a continuous current is produced, and a suit-
able commutator may be provided for converting the alternate currents into a current
flowing in one direction.
It is obvious that in this machine the reels upon which the cords are wound must
be capable of rotating independently in order that each cord may be pulled inde-
pendently to afford proper variety of exercise. For this reason one of the reels is
fixed to the shaft and the other is loose upon the shaft and the same result may be
accomplished by having a separate shaft for each reel.
Referring to the drawing H, H' are the reels. I, I' are the cords wound thereon

page_text: J, J are the handles attached to the cords and K, K¹ are the retracting springs.
These springs as shown in Figure 1 are preferably spiral springs of any desired
strength each of which is attached by one end to a cross bar L, upon the end of a
rod M, extending vertically from the case and by its other end to a pulley N, over
which a cord O, passes. One end of this cord is attached to the reel and the other
end of the cord is attached to the case. These springs are removable in order to
permit the use of springs of different strength. When the reel is rotated by pulling
upon the handle, the cord O, which passes over the pulley is wound upon a part of
the reel and the spring is extended, and when the pulling force is relaxed the retractile
force of the springs causes the reel to reverse its rotation and to wind up the pulling
cord attached thereto.
Instead of these spiral springs shown in Figure 1, we may-use a helical spring as
shown in Figure 3 one end of this vertical spring being attached to the end and the
other end being attached to the case.
We may also obtain the retracting force by means of weights which may be
arranged in any convenient manner. A suitable arrangement is shown in Figure 8,
in which Figure 1 shows movable weights P, supported on a platform R, sliding upon
guides S, upon extension piece, T, attached to the case.
This platform is connected to the reel by a cord U.
One of the forms in which electricity is advantageously used as a therapeutic
agent is in a succession of intermittent currents of high electro motive force.
In the electrical apparatus generally used for medical purposes these currents are
produced by the action of an induction coil in the primary circuit of which a
continuous current of low electro motive force derived from a galvanic battery is
rapidly interrupted, by means of an automatic current breaker, thus generating
in the secondary circuit of the induction coil a succession of currents of high electro-
motive-force.
It is desirable that the currents produced in the electric exercising machine should
be of this character but as the alternate currents generated by the dynamo are not
intermittent but fluctuating and have not sufficient electro-motive force to produce
the desired physiological effects, it is desirable to combine with the apparatus à device
for converting these fluctuating currents into intermittent currents of high electro-
motive force.
This device acts to rapidly break and close the currents generated in the coils of the
armature by its rotation in a field of force and thus by what is known as self induction
produce in these coils intermittent currents of much higher electro-motive force than
those due to the rotation of the armature and which are similar to these produced by
the induction coil and have the same physiological action.
This electrical exercising machine therefore in addition to being useful for
obtaining beneficial physical exercise can also be used for obtaining beneficial
electric currents and by means of suitable electrodes these currents can be conveyed
to any part of the body.
The device for breaking and closing the electric circuit in the coils of the armature
consists of a cylinder A, of hard rubber or of some other suitable insulating material
placed upon the shaft of the machine or connected therewith so as to rotate with the
armature; upon the surface of the cylinder are a series of metallic surfaces separated
from one another by some insulating material. A spring B', bears upon this cylinder
and is connected electrically through the shaft B, and a spring C¹, bearing upon this
shaft to one end of the wire upon the armature, the other end of the wire on the
armature is connected to one of the metallic surfaces on the cylinder and these
surfaces are electrically connected together. The pulling cords contain conducting
wires which are connected to the handles which are made of metal or have suitable
metallic plates thereon. One of these wires is connected to the shaft in any suitable
manner as by means of a spring D', and the other is connected to the metallic portions
of the cylinder A', as shown at E¹.
When a handle is held in each hand and the spring B₁ bears upon an insulating

page_text: space on the surface of the cylinder A¹, an electrical current is established from one
terminal of the armature through the metallic part of the cylinder A the wire B¹, the
cord I, the body of the person holding the handles, the cord 11, the spring D¹, and
shaft B', to the other terminal of the armature, but when the spring B', comes into
contact with a metallic space on the cylinder the circuit through the handles is
broken and the armature is short circuited through the springs C and B', and a wire
connecting these springs.
This short circuiting of the armature occurs as many times during its rotation as
there are metallic spaces on the cylinder A', and each time that the circuit is
re-established through the handles or electrodes a current is produced by induction
which is of much higher electro-motive force than that generated by the rotation
of the armature in its magnetic field.
The number of metallic surfaces on the circuit interrupter may be as many as
convenience of construction will admit of but in practice twelve will be found to give
good results.
We are aware that in some forms of electric medical apparatus in which the
current is derived from a dynamo, a circuit interrupting device has been used, we
therefore do not claim the same.
The manner in which we construct this circuit interrupter is we believe novel and
is advantageous in that it enables the circuit interrupter to be made very easily and
cheaply.
The cylinder is made of hard rubber or of some other suitable insulating material.
In this cylinder are inserted a series of pins a, a of brass or other suitable metal at
equal distances apart and parallel with and concentric to the shaft on which the
cylinder is placed. A groove is then turned upon the periphery of the cylinder of
sufficient depth to expose the surface of these pins, thus forming in the groove a series
of conducting and insulating surfaces.
The pins are connected by the wire on one side of the cylinder and on the other
side of the cylinder one of the pins is connected by the wire c to one end of the wire
upon the armature. The wire is connected to the wire in the cord.
The handles and conducting cord are shown in an enlarged sectional view in
Figure 9.
The cord is composed of a core d, upon which are spirally wound three or more
strands of fine wire c and this core d'is enclosed within a braided covering b¹ which
should be perfectly cylindrical in order to prevent friction. This cord is a convenient
form but any other cord may be used which contains a conductor.
The handle is composed of two cylindrical blocks of wood L' L' having spherical
ends, these blocks are opposed to one another with a space between them and are
connected by a ring of metal M', which surrounds the blocks and to which the ring
is secured, the cord passes through a perforation in the block which is preferably
surrounded with a ring of rubber G, to the space between the blocks and is prevented
from being withdrawn by a knot or any other suitable device. The wire in the cord
is secured between the metallic ring and one of the blocks thus forming a perfect
electric connection between the ring and the wire.
These handles are ornamental in appearance and are convenient to grasp while the
metallic ring affords an extended conducting surface.
Any other form of conducting handle may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :
First. In an electric exercising machine the combination substantially as and for
the purpose set forth of a rotating dynamo armature, a pivoted field magnet between
the arms of which the armature rotates, capable of having its arms moved transversely
on either side of the armature so as to vary the strength of the magnetic field, as
may be desired.

page_text: Second. In an electric exercising machine the combination substantially as and for
the purpose set forth of a dynamo armature fixed upon a rotating shaft, a field
magnet between the arms of which the magnet rotates, a shaft attached to said magnet,
and turning in the case containing the dynamo parallel to the shaft carrying the
armature whereby the arms of the magnet are capable of being moved transversely
on either side of the armature, so as to vary the strength of the magnetic field as
may be desired.
Third. In an electric exercising machine, the combination substantially as and for
the purpose set forth, of a dynamo armature fixed upon a rotating shaft, a field
magnet between the arms of which the magnet rotates, a shaft attached to the
magnet and turning in the case containing the dynamo parallel to the shaft
carrying the armature, and an index arm on the outside of the case and attached
to the shaft carrying the magnet.
Fourth. In an electric exercising machine the combination of the shaft B., the
dynamo armature C, carried thereby, the horse-shoe permanent magnet D, the
shaft F, to which the magnet is attached, the support E, for the magnet, and the
index arm G, on the front of the case, and attached to shaft F.
Fifth. In an electric exercising machine, the combination substantially as and for
the purpose set forth, of a case, a shaft mounted longitudinally in said case, a
dynamo armature on said shaft, a field magnet between the arms of which the
armature rotates, a reel fixed on the shaft, and having a cord wound thereon,
acting when pulled to rotate the shaft, a weight or spring attached to said shaft
for counteracting the pulling force exerted upon the cord and acting when the
pulling force is relaxed to rotate the shaft in the opposite direction, a reel loose
on the shaft, and having a cord wound thereon, which acts when pulled to rotate
the reel, a weight or spring attached to the reel for counteracting the pulling force
exerted upon the cord, and acting when the pulling force is relaxed to rotate the reel
in the opposite direction, handles attached to the cords, and having an electric con-
ducting surface thereon, a conducting wire in each cord, and an electric connection
whereby the currents produced by the rotation of the armature are conveyed by the
handles or other electrodes through the body of the person operating the machine.
Sixth. In an electric exercising machine, the combination substantially as and for
the purpose set forth, of a rotating shaft, a dynamo armature carried thereby, a circuit
interrupter connected with the shaft, and rotating therewith, electric connections for
conveying through the body of the person using the machine the electric currents
produced by the rotation of the armature, and an electric connection whereby this
current is intermittently interrupted by the circuit interrupter and short circuited
through the armature of the dynamo.
Seventh. The circuit interrupter consisting of the combination substantially as and
for the purpose set forth of the cylinder of hard rubber or other suitable insulating
material, the series of metallic pins inserted into the cylinder at equal distances apart
and concentric to and parallel with the axis of the cylinder, a groove on the periphery
of the cylinder, cut to expose the pins and an electric connection between the pins.
Eighth. In an electric exercising machine, the combination substantially as and for
the purpose set forth of the rotating shaft B, the loose and fixed reels H, H¹ thereon
the cords I, I', attached to and wound upon each reel respectively, and each acting
when pulled to rotate the reels, cords O, O, attached to and wound upon each reel,
respectively, in opposite directions to the cords, I, 1', and a weight or spring attached
to each cord O, and acting to counteract the pulling force exerted upon the other cord
when the force is relaxed to rotate the reels in the opposite direction to that caused by
the pulling cords.
Ninth. In an electric exercising machine the combination substantially as and for
the purpose set forth of the rotating shaft B, and the reel H, on this shaft, the
cord O, attached to the reel at one end and wound thereon and attached by the other
end to the case, the pulley N, over which the cord passes, the platform R, attached to
the cord and sliding on suitable guides.

page_text: Tenth. The handle consisting of the combination substantially as and for the
purpose set forth of the cylindrical blocks L' opposed to one another, and connected
by the metallic band M' surronding the block.
Dated this 21st day of December 1080
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.