Vibrators

Background

My interest was sparked by reading the book The Technology of Orgasm by Rachel P. Maines 1999.  The vibrator dates from the 1880s and was used to treat the woman's disease called Hysteria (Wiki) or Female Hysteria (Wiki).  This was what medicine thought from the time (4 BC) of Hippocrates (Wiki) until 1952 when the American Psychiatric Association dropped the term.  That's to say it was a bogus idea.  See the Faradic web page for more quack ideas.

2011 movie: Hysteria:
"The truth of how Mortimer Granville (Wiki) devised the invention of the first vibrator in the name of medical science." (IMDB),
"In 1880s London, forward-thinking young doctor Mortimer Granville has a difficult time keeping a job until he and an inventor friend concoct an electrifying solution to the rampant "hysteria" affecting England's sexually and socially repressed women." (NetFlix).

Google Books: Nerve-Vibration and Excitation as Agents in the Treatment of Functional Disorder and Organic Disease, Mortimer Granville (NDDB), 1883 - he believed that the nerves worked by vibration.

Fig 1 page 57 (pdf pg 64) Clockwork Percuteur is another name for a vibrator.  Also on page 57:
"I should here explain that, with a view to eliminate possible sources of error in the study of these phenomena, I have never yet percussed a female patient, and have not founded any of my conclusions on the treatment of hysterical males.  This is a matter of much moment in my judgment, and I am, therefore, careful to place the fact on record. I have avoided, and shal continue to avoid, the treatment of women by percussion, simply because I do not want to be hood winked, and help to mislead others, by the vagaries of the hysterical state or the characteristic phenomena of mimetic disease."

Fig 2 page 58: Weiss & Sons Battery powered Percuteur is probably the machine invented by Granville.

A.C. Gilbert

A.C. Gilbert (Wiki: Man, Company) made the Erector Sets and the very early models used a battery powered toy motor.
"The Man Who Changed How Boys and Toys Were Made" by Bruce Watson (Google Books 2003)

Polar Cub

Polar Cub may have been a line of products that started with electric fans.
They made kitchen mixers, hand held electric drills, etc.
POLAR CUB. — Trade name for electric fans, motors, vibrators, drink mixers and other labor-saving devices manufactured by the AC Gilbert Co., Blatchley Ave., New Haven, Conn.

This vibrator uses a universal motor
1668364 Vibrator, Alfred C Gilbert, AC Gilbert Co, 1928-05-01, 601/87 - Erector set - Gilbert DC Motor -

Model No. B87 Box	The tip has broken.  It has a male 8-32 thread. The Label on the top reads: POLAR CUB TYPE H 110 V DC or AC 60 CYCLES OR LESS PAT JULY 5 1921 OTHER PAT  PENDING A.C. GILBERT CO. NEW HAVEN, CONN. PAT JAN. 20 1925  MADE IN U.S.A.	Photoplay Oct 1921 pg 103
Fig 7 shows the wobble

Fitzgerald Star

	The tip unscrews and has a male 10-32 thread.

Eskimo Electric Vibrator

Model 751

Model 760

The unit is marked:
Eskimo
Bersted Mfg. Co.
Fostoria        Oakville
Ohio            Ont. Can.
Model 760    10 Watt
110-12-V. 60 Cycle A.C.

Bersted Mfg. Co. holds patents for over a dozen small kitchen appliances, but I don't see one for any vibrators.

Electreat

852163 Massage implement, Leonard B Buchanan, 1907-04-30, 601/20 361/232 604/20 361/268 -
872148 Electrotherapeutic apparatus, Nelson H Raymond, Joseph C Vetter, Alice C. Patterson, 1907-11-26 - two flashlight like handles for two electrodes.  One has battery the other has induction coil. Has the look of 1305725.
917367 Massage instrument, John W Scott, Daniel Tibbals, 1909-04-06, 601/20 439/476.1 601/119 336/107 361/268 439/909 361/232 439/13 200/60 - prior art
951821 Portable electric-massaging and like apparatus, Nevin Buffington Le Fevre, 1910-03-15, 601/20, - prior art
1049759 Electrotherapeutic Appliance, W. B. Oliver, 1913-01-07, 601/20 200/6R - prior art
1059090 Electric massage-roll, Daniel Tibbals, Thobal Electric, 1913-04-15, 601/20 336/92 336/150 361/268 336/45 336/145 361/232, - prior art - VitaPulser, Commonwealth Electric and Manufacturing Co
1305725 Electric Massage-Machine, Charles W. Kent, Jun 3, 1919, 601/20; 336/117 - Powered by a single "D" cell battery.
Although called a massage machine, this is really an electro shock or Faradic instrument.

	This is a 2 D cell version with accessories.

Oster Stim-U-Lax Junior

DC or AC brush motor.

patent shows straps but unit has metal springs that will last longer.

Patents

Beautysage by Beauty Appliance Corp.

Marked Pat. Pending, but so far I haven't found it.
patent dates: 10-3-33 & 8-14-34 (thanks to an email from Travis G.

1928612 Electrically Operated Massaging Device, Mathew Andis, Oct 3, 1933, 601/81; D24/215
D92995 Dlectric Massager, Mathew Andis, Aug 14, 1934
1998696 Massaging Mechanism, Mathew Andis, Apr 23 1935, 601/108
D123584 Massaging Device, Mathew Andis, Nov 19 1940,
2294947 Massaging Device, Mathew Andis (Andis Clipper Co), Sep 8 1942,

Wahl Electric Vibrator

Gilbert Vilalator No. 7

1896351 Vibrator, James F. Doran, John C. Doran, Feb 7, 1933, 601/74
1543837 Spring-Band Clasp, Charles Fischer, Jun 30, 1925, 267/73 ; 24/115H; 601/74

Main Label: Gilbert Made by the A. C. Gilbert Co. New Haven, Conn USA No. 7  30 Watts A.C. or D.C. 110 120 Volts Type ____ The clips that hold the springs are marked:  US Patent 1543837

Kirby

Royal RexVibrator

Hamilton Beach

Mastercraft

Shelton Electric Corp

Wobble Shaft - the left end bearing surface fits into an offset hole that casuses the shaft to wobble.  at the right end is a ball with a cross shaft.  the cross shaft fits into slots in the retainer/clamp part just to the right.  this stops the wobble shaft from rotating about it's long axis.  to the right is the lock ring for the retainer/clamp.

Magic Fingers (Factory web page)

This is a New Old Stock (NOS) unit still in it's box.  This must be a home unit, rather than the more common motel units which had coin acceptors to turn them on and off.  This on has a timer to turn it on and off.  It's designed to mount to the springs in a bed or chair.

	2570676 Reciprocating bed, John V Henderson, 1951-10-09, - Magic Fingers

3035572 Vibrator, J.J. Houghtaling (Magic Fingers Inc), May 22 1962, 601/60 - shows unit with coin acceptor.
YouTube: Magic Fingers, 19:32 -

Niagara No. 1

This unit has a unique shape for the massage head.  The motor is AC/DC.
Has the Good Housekeeping seal of Approval.


2235183 Therapeutic Vibrator, W.L. Wettlaufer, Mar 18 1941, 601/65; 310/81; 601/26
2235184 Therapeutic Vibrator, W.L. Wettlaufer, Mar 18 1941, 601/58; 248/611; 601/65; 601/90
2674994 Motor Operated Kinesitheraphy Device, O.K. Murphy, Apr 13, 1954,  601/73; D24/215 -

Reflexonic Vibrator for Men

Eureka Vibrator Co.

Wiliam Olsen

Acton Hand Cranked

Knapp-Monarch Co.

Handy-Hannah

Foot-Vibrator
D169515 Electric Foot Vibrator for Therapeutic use or similar article, S.L. McNair (Standard Products Corp), May 5, 1953, D24/212; D15/147

Vita-Motor

1455320 Chiropractic Adjustment Machine, E.H. Ashlock ( Rittenhouse & Sweetlan), May 15 1923, 601/101 - more of a quack machine than a vibrator.

Roll-a-Ray Model RAR-1

Combines a 60 Watt household Edison based lamp in a hand held unit that includes rollers.
The lamp bulb had separated from the Edison base so I'm attempting to fix it by soldering the wire and using Loctite 290, like used to repair flashlight lamps.

This did not work, the gap was too large for the Loctite.

Orgasmatron

North American Vibrator

Mattress

Niagara

Jones Massage apparatus

Joseph Jones holds patents in a number of areas such as Speedometers, Taxi Fare Registers 951077 and Record Players 604829 & 763903
942206 Massage apparatus, Joseph W Jones, 1909-12-07, 601/93; 132/73.6 -

Bebout

This uses a clock spring for power.  a good thing when AC power is not handy, like in a car or camping.  But only runs for a short time.
The eBay example has been broken from the winding force exceeding the strength of the pot metal case.

	784643 Massage-machine, George F Trotter, Universal Manufacturing Co, 1905-03-14, - doorbell like electromagnet shakes head in rocking motion
	791058 Massage-machine, George F Trotter, Universal Manufacturing Co,1905-05-30, - moves head along center line of electromagnet
	837979 Massage-machine, George F Trotter, Triplex Vibrator Co, 1906-12-11, - rotating motor drives off-center shaft
	842503 Massage apparatus, George F Trotter & Anna Bebout, 1907-01-29, - made by Bebout Mfg & Sales Co, St. Louis, MO

Other Technologies

RelaxAcizor Model 5

Overall View	Panel	Inside "45" vacuum tube, Sep 1955 Date
	The three knobs set the strength of the electroshock. Set knobs to START prior to turning ON so you don't get too much shock. The two things at the top are vents for the tube.	The "45" triode tube forms an oscillator in conjunction with a three winding transformer (Plate, Grid and Output).  The gold 20 PRM motor drives a 3PST switch that turns on and off the oscillator with different timings for each of the three outputs.

2651304 Therapeutic Electrode, William J. Browner, Sep 8 1953, 607/152
2661744 Device for Treatment of the Muscles of the Upper Torso, William J. Browner, Dec 8 1953
2668540 Means for Electrical Therapy, William J. Browner,Feb 9 1954, 607/71 ; 307/17; 331/49; 331/60; 331/71; 607/66
3180338 Electronic muscle stimulator, John Moss, Mitchell Kohn, Relaxacizor, 1965-04-27, 607/71,331/106,331/172,331/54,331/112 - cites the pacemaker patent 3057356. Transistor flip-flop circuit.
3424165 Electronic Muscle Stimulator and Electrodes Therefor, JI Moss, Jan 28 1969, 607/150 ; 607/151; 607/153
D192841 Electrical Muscle Stimulator, JI Moss & VJ Marik, May 15 1962, D24/200
D207686 Electronic Facial Muscle Stimulator, JI Moss, May 16 1967, D24/214

Stimulation System

Patent Application US 2006/0052827 A1 Stimulation System - electrodes are connected to nerves leaving the spinal column.  I remember seeing a TV program about this surgical procedure.

Vaginal washer

1374458 Vaginal washer, Larson Theodore Hubert, 1921-04-12, - The Canadian patent CA199326 is dated 1920-04-20 and is the only other patent held by Larson. This web pages is about vibrators that were advertised for one purpose, but mostly used for another. I wonder if this product fits into the same category.  If you can shed some light on this let me know. Photo from Quara: What medical condition from history was treated with a technique we might consider highly inappropriate today? -

Links