US1399095A - Vacuo-thermic-body-treatment appliance - Google Patents

Description

I. F. WEBB, SR.

VACUO THERMIC BODY TREATMENT APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED DE02. I9I9.

Patented Dec. 6

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. F. WEBB, Sn.

VACUO THERMIC ODY TREATMENT APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED DIzc.2. I9I9.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1,399,095, Patented Dee. 6,1921.

J. F. WEBB, Sn.

VACUO THERMIC BODY TREATMENT APPLIANCE. APPLlcAnoN man nmz. 1919.

1,399,095 Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR JEAN F. WEBB, SR., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

Application led December 2, 1919. Serial No. 341,902.

To all whom z't may coiwewt:

peculiar features of construction and novel Be it known that I, JEAN F. WEBB, Sr., aa arrangement of parts as mentioned in the citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Vacuo-Thermic-Body-Treatment Appliance, of which the following is a speciication.

. It has been well known to medical science that artificial heat when applied to any part of the human body increases the blood circulation to the part sub-ject to the applied heat, and that'this increased circulation of the blood gradually enables it to absorb and carry off various forms of congestion or morbid conditions which cause pain, andy that when such congestion or morbid condition was finally absorbed and carried off, normal circulation would be restored, anda cure effected. l

It has ,also been long known that placing any part of the human body in a closed vacuum appliance and gradually exhausting the air therefrom would quickly increase the circulation of the blood in the part or organ so inclosed.

Various forms of vacuum appliances have heretofore been invented and used for such treatment, with more or less success, but generally the construction of such appliances or the manner of their application has been such that the4 user has found it difficult, without the aid of an attendant to maintain the appliance or device in the applied position for effecting the desired curative results.

My invention primarily has forits purpose to produce an appllance of the character and for the purposes stated, simple and inexpensive in structure 'and which, in its general contour, may be readily designed to suit the special part or organ of the body tov be treated and which can be conveniently.

applied and operated by the patient and which will speedily effect the desired curative conditions. A

Another and essential object of my invention is to provide an appliance of the character stated so designed that the part or organ to which it may be applied canbe treated by either heat or vacuum alternately, or by both simultaneously, and said appliance used for self-treatment by the patient.-

lVithV further objects in View and hereinafter stated, my invention comprehends a vacuo-thermic medical appliance for the general purposes stated, that 'embodies the following detailed description, as speciiically outlined inthe appended claims and illustrated in the, accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a planI view, parts being in horizontal section of my improved appliance, the same being shown as especially designed for the treatment of rheumatism, writers cramp, etc. A

Fig. 2 is a vertical section,'partly in elevation, of my appliance designed for treatmentof varicose veins, sprained ankles, etc.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view that illustrates my appliance designed for the treatment of varicocele, orchitis and other forms of congested or weakened conditions of the sexual organs.

lFig. vel: is a vdetail longitudinal section of lijhe outer end of the appliance shown in Fig. 5 iS a'front elevation of the appliance shown in Fig. 3.v

Fig. 6 isa perspective view of a further lmodification of my appliance hereinafter molded in the walls, to act as resistance coils for generating the desired heat.

Preferably the body l of the appliance 1s made of a heat resisting glass in which the,

wires 2 are embedded and the glassannealed in the same manner as fire glass 1s made.A

The body being of transparent material and since the effect of the vacuum or heat treatment is visible to thepatient in selftreatment, the said treatment can be regulated as desired and in the manner hereinafter explained.'

In the manufacture of my invention, the body of the different forms of appliances are shaped to suit the particular treatment for which they are to be applied.

In every form, the same general characterigs. l, 2, 3 and 6, l

istic of my invention is maintained and they comprise essentially a bulbular body having theelectric heating coils 2 embedded therein, for generating the heat, a switch connection, preferably attached to the body, and aconnection on the body` for the attachment thereof of an air or vacuum creating bulb,

. and'when the member or part. being treated is to be entirely incased, suitable means is attached to the body for makin an air tight closure at the open end of the ody.

As shown in Fig.v` 1, the body 1 is of a bulbular shape and of a size suitable forreceiving'thereinl the hand and the wrist of the user, it being understood that the said body 1, may be long enough toA extend to near the elbow, to adapt it for theready treatment of a sprained wrist or forearm.

At the open end, the body 1, shown in Fig. 1, is restricted and it there terminates in atubular extension 10 which provides for the convenient attachment thereto of a broad sheet rubber band 3 that aids in keeping the attachment in the desired operative position and also effects an air tight closure for the hollow body.

In the form referred to, the body 1 at the l outermost end has a tubular nipple or extension 11,for'receiving the end of a flexible.

wire cord 7 is supplied with the usual form of switch plu for connecting with the house electric'light xtures or to a battery.

. In Fig. 2 is shown substantially th .L same form -of applianceillustrated by Fig. l, except that the hollow body is shaped for recelving the leg or foot, and the nipple 11 for attaching the vacuum creating bulb device is locatedbelow and adjacent the coupling Y block v12.

In this latter form, arubber closure band 8 is also used and it engages the neck portion 13 of the body and the-leg to make the air tight closure for the upper end.

While the form shown in Fig. 2 isespecially adapted for receiving the foot andthe leg below thel knee, it is obvious the body 1 may be of sufficient length to include the knee joint, and 1n this latter form, anasbestos plate 9 is located on the bottom of the body 1-to avoid burning the foot.

The form shown in Fig. 2 is especially well adapted for the -treatment of gout,

varicose veins in the 'leg and sprainedankles ing block 12, designed for receiving the ordlnary and, when made long enough, for the treatment of rheumatic and other` diseases of the knee.

Vacuum tubes for the male organ alone have long been known or used, vbut they did notinclose the orches (testicles), the seat of the varicocele; and consequently they could not -furnish the proper treatment needed to relieve congested or abnormal conditions in all the parts.

Fig. 5 illustrates -a further form of my improved appliance that is particularly designed for use for effecting the proper treatment of those parts last referred to and, in the said form, the body 1 includes, in addition to the bulbular body portion 1, a sack-- otherwise made fast to the said edge.

In this latter form of my appliance, the outer end of the glass body 1 which is in the nature of a tube, is closed by a disk 18 (preferably hard rubber) .provided with an internally threaded aperture 19,'for receivingthegthreaded coupling 20 on the end of the iexible tube 21 that joins with the air exhausting rubber bulb 40 provided with the usual valve devices 23-24 in the opposite ends thereof, as shown.

Near the inner end, the body 1 has the switch portion for connection with the switch plu 25 on the end of the electric conduit cord t at joins with the source of electric supply. l v v v e In Figa 6 is shown a still further modiication of my invention, the said form being especially designed for cupping on the loca applications to any part of the human body, and in the said form, the body 1 is also provided with a rubber covered edge or rim to provide for an air tight closure 'as the a pliance is held pressed against the part o the human body to be treated.-

In the latter construction, the body 1 is bowl-shaped and has its crown or inner end secured air tight in any suitable manner, to a head portion 35 that constitutes a block Yfor recelving the circuit closing member 36 to which the current wire lead 37 connects. 38 desi ates a central switch in the cord or lead 3%nfor coupling withv the source of electrical energy.

Block 35 has an aperture that opens into the bowl-shaped body and with which connects the stem of avacuum bulb 31 and it also has asocket 32 for receiving a hard rubber handle 33. t

. From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, the complete construction of, tl1e manner in which the appliances may be used and the advantages thereof Will be especiallyl apparent to those familiar With the use of appliances of the character stated. v

ongmany other advantages of my invention, it should be mentioned that the same may "be readily shaped -in various forms suitable for the treatment of different parts, or members, of the human body and' capable of being readily adapted for use by connecting the appliance with a house service electric plug or battery. The patient can easily apply the appliance and maintain it at the desired positions for the special treatment desired, and by reason of having the switch connections and the vacuum devices combinedwith the appliance as shown and described, he user can apply the heattreatment or the vacuum treatment either alternately or together and by observation, he can regulate either curative agent as conditions may make desirable for effecting a speedy and effective cure.

forms Tof my invention, to illustrate the adaptabilityof the same'for the treatment of various parts of the body, it is understood appliances either larger or smallersizes for the treatment of the full length of leg,l individual fingers, elbows or other joints may be readily made Without in thecleast departing from the generic form of my invention as comes Within the scope of the appended claims.

'What I claim is: l. A vacuo-thermic appliance comprising a container of transparent heat resisting material, electric circulation wires embodied in the entire outside transparent shell of the said container, a circuit closure connected with the said container, the latter being proof the human body toA be-treated, heat coils embedded in the shell of the container, a block that constitutes a closure for the other end of the container and into Which the terminals of the heat coils extend, a` circuit clo- While I have illustrated a` number of sure in connection with the said terminals, the said block having an air passage in communication with the interior of the container and a vacuum creating bulb attached to the said block and in communication with the air passage therethrough.

JEAN' F. WEBB, sR.

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