Improvements in Electrically Heated Robes, Towels, Quilts, and other Articles of Flexible Fabric.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1394-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrically Heated Robes, Towels, Quilts, and
other Articles of Flexible Fabric.
We, HENRY GIBSON O'NEILL, Electrician and EDWARD JEWELL, Merchant
and Manufacturer, both of 274 Purchase Street, in the City of Boston, in the
County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, do
hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
The chief object of this invention is to provide simple, cheap and effective means
for creating local heat in the human body, through the medium of electrically
heated fabrics, for the treatment of cases in hospitals and sick rooms, especially
when congestive symptoms or others requiring heat become apparent, or when
defective circulation makes such application of a heat producing agency desirable.
To this end and for toilet and other uses requiring heat, the said invention
consists chiefly in a flexible robe, towel, bandage or other article or fabric provided
with electrical heating devices and adapted to be applied to the human body. The
said invention further consists more particularly in the particular construction and
combination of parts constituting the said electrically heated articles substantially
as set forth.
In the accompanying drawings;
Fig. 1. represents a view partly broken away of a bag of toweling containing my
electrical heating device;
Fig. 2. represents a similar view of the bag open, not broken away, and without
the said device ;
Fig. 3. represents a detail view of the electric heating device and of the sheet of
fabric to which it is attached ; and
Fig. 4. represents a section through the resistance wire and its wrappings.
A designates an electrical conductor, preferably of wire, and forming part of a
circuit, but affording sufficient resistance to develop the required degree of heat,
a sufficiently strong current being employed. This resistance A is provided with
an insulated coating a preferably of asbestos braided thereon and may have an
interior water proof insulating covering a'. If combustible material, such as silk
or cotton, be used for the coating a, it should be treated with some fire proof
composition. Any other suitable water proof material may be substituted for the
rubber in the coating a¹, for example, oxidized linseed oil when the temperature
does not exceed 200 degrees Fah't, and this water proof material, whether rubber
or anything else, may be applied in any known and convenient way or any way
that may yet be discovered, and either in liquid or solid form. Extra covering of
silk or other material may of course be added.
The resistance thus insulated and practically fire and water proof so far as the
circumstances of its purpose and use are concerned, is attached to a body B of
cotton, silk or other flexible material adapted in size and form to its specific end,
that is to say, for use as a robe, towel, bandage or whatever else it may be.
When it is meant for a towel a body of light duck or other suitable woven fabric
is used, the resistance being secured thereto, preferably in uudulating or zigzag
lines as shown, by encasing the resistance and wrappings in a piping or thin
jacket e, which is stitched to the said flexible body B. Or this piping may be

page_text: dispensed with and the said conductor A may be attached to the said flexible body B
by cross stitching or in any other convenient way.
The terminals A1, A2 of the resistance, pass out near the same point for
convenience sake and are at that point firmly secured to the body B, being
reinforced by additional coverings a¹. These terminals, outside of the said
covering, are provided with a common jacket a² and terminate in a plug B', which
is used to close the circuit. To regulate the heating effect, a rheostat may of
course be employed, but I prefer to use for the same purpose a branch conductor C
extending from a point on the resistance wire A, which allows a good part of the s: id
resistance to be cut out of circuit at will, thus proportionately reducing the heating
effect. Of course the plug B' is not at all essential. Any suitable circuit closing
means may be employed.
The body B and resistance A are enclosed in a bag D of soft toweling which is
open at one end d to receive them, said end closing at will by buttoning a flap I 1;
the body being then secured to said bag or case D, by buttons 61 and button-
holes d', on these respective parts. Or any other convenient method of fastening
may be adopted.
These fastenings hold the body B and heating resistance in place but allow them
to be readily withdrawn and changed when occasion arises, and the exterior bag or
casing D, as soiled, may also be removed, leaving the said body neat and clean.
Both of these parts B and D being flexible make up a towel which is capable of use
like any other; and the current of electricity in passing through the said resistance
will endow the said towel with a pleasing and beneficial warmth as it is applied to
the skin.
Of course when a robe, bandage or other article is made in accordance with this
invention the form of the interior body and outside case, as well as the material of
both, must be varied accordingly.
No electro-therapeutic agency is claimed, the invention being intended only as a
heat applying device especially available for surgical and toilet purposes, though
capable of use with flexible articles generally.
Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is :
1st. A towel, robe or other article of flexible fabric provided with a flexible
resistance within the same, said resistance having water proof and fire proof
coatings and being adapted to connect with the conductors of an electrical circuit,
substantially as set forth.
2nd. In a towel, robe or other article of flexible fabric an exterior bag or casing,
in combination with a sheet adapted to be inserted within and removed from the
same and a flexible resistance attached to the said sheet and removable therewith,
the said resistance being provided with water proof and fire proof coatings and
adapted to be connected with the conductors of an electric circuit, substantially as
set forth.
3rd. In combination with the resistance and flexible fabric of an electrically
heated towel or other article adapted to be applied to the human form, a branch
conductor by which more or less of the said resistance may be cut out of circuit
at will, substantially as set forth.
Dated the 10th 1
1004
HENRY G. O'NEILL.
EDWARD JEWELL.
Edwards & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.