AN IMPROVED MEDICAL BATTERY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Willis Romer Warren, gentleman, of the City of Brooklyn,
in the County of Kings, and State of New York, United States America,
and also care of J. A. Berly Esque, 16 New Bridge Street London E.C.,
for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED MEDICAL BATTERY.-A communication
from abroad by George Milton Hopkins of the City of Brooklyn, in the
County of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Willis Romer Warren at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th July 1882.
WILLIS ROMER WARREN, gentleman of the City of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings, and State of New York United States of America, and also care of
J. A. Berly Esqre 16 New Bridge Street London E.C. "AN IMPROVED MEDICAL
BATTERY A communication from Abroad by George Milton Hopkins of the City
of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings and State of New York, United States of
America
Fig 1 is a side elevation of my improved battery and
Fig 2 is a vertical transverse section showing the relation of the various parts.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the two figures of the drawing.
My invention relates to the class of voltaic batteries employed for curative
purposes and it consists of a case containing zinc and copper electrodes separated
by sheets of bibulous paper saturated with an exciting fluid, and a cover fitted to
the case and carrying two contact springs for making connection with the two
electrodes, one spring touching the zinc the other touching the copper. the two
springs being clamped to the case cover, by bolts passing through holes in the
cover and each provided with two milled nuts, between which the conducting
wires or cords are clamped. The invention further consists in electrodes of sheet
metal cut in circular form and each provided with two slits parallel with each
other and located at diametrically opposite edges of the disc, the slits being adapted
to receive a flexible band for binding the electrode to any part of the body, or to a
sponge to be used for bathing.
The case A is made in rectangular form, of hard rubber or other material capable
of resisting the action of the fluids of the battery. In the case A and at opposite

page_text: sides thereof there are zinc and copper plates, the zine plate Z and the copper
plate C being separated by a number of sheets B of bibulous paper. One half of
the sheets lying next to the zinc and saturated with a strong solution of sulphate
of zinc the other sheets are saturated with a strong solution of sulphate of
copper.
The case cover D is of the same material as the rest of the case, and is fitted
snugly on a shoulder a and leaving a space above the zinc and copper plates and
the bibulous paper.
Two angle springs b c are attached to the top of the cover D by bolts & each
fitted with two milled nuts e e¹, the nuts e being srewed tightly down upon the
cover while the nuts e¹ are screwed down upon the conducting wires f. The free
ends of the springs are bent inward toward each other with their extremities bent
outward to insure their slipping over the zinc and copper plates when the cover is
placed on the case. The zinc and copper plates extend beyond the top of the
body of the case to allow the springs bc to press upon their outer sides.
The electrodes Z'C' are attached to the extremities of the wires f the electrode Z¹
being connected with the spring b touching the zinc plate Z, and the electrode C¹
being connected with the spring c touching the copper plate C. Each electrode
7 C is perforated with a hole g for receiving the end of the conducting wire f and
with two slots h near diametrically opposite edges for receiving a flexible band i
for bending the electrode on some part of the body, to convey the current to that
part, or upon a sponge for bathing purposes.
This form of battery is particularly well adapted to curative purposes having
great internal resistance and as a consequence is capable of overcoming great
external resistance and the electrodes being broad flat surfaces of thin metal, are
readily adapted to any portion of the body, to which these may be secured by
means of the flexible bands. This form of battery maintains a constant current
for a long time and requires no attention except the moistening of the bibulous
paper from time to time.
Having thus fully described my invention. What I claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is :-
1 In a medical battery having the zinc and copper electrodes separated by
bibulous paper, the combination of the springs bc with the cover D and enclosing
case A substantially as herein specified.
2 In a medical battery a sheet metal electrode having slots h h as and for the
purpose specified.
3 The electrodes C₁ Z¹ having slots h h as and for the purpose specified.
4 The electrodes C¹ Z' having slots h h in combination with the flexible bands i
substantially as herein specified.
5 In a medical battery the combination of the case A, plates Z C bibulous
paper B, springs bc bolts d, and nuts e e¹ substantially as herein specified.
6 The combination in a medical battery of the electrodes CZ¹ having slots h
the wires, bolts d, springs b. c, plates Z. C, bibulous paper B, and case A, as herein
specified.
7 As an improved article of manufacture, a medical battery constructed
substantially as herein specified.
In witness whereof I the said Willis Romer Warren: have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord, one
thousand, eight hundred and eighty-two.
WILLIS ROMER WARREN. (L.S.)