Name that mystery part?

I googled it out and oh boy. Amazing and horrifying.

BTW, apparently modern equivalent are a little smaller, looking at Chinese websites that sell them. But they are still in use, even though some people are trying to invent a machine that works without.
 
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You know, we've all been assuming this thing has no moving parts, but what if the plastic part slides? As in, it's a switch, operated mechanically from the right side. Perhaps a magneto point or a squat switch.
 
No, there are no moving parts. Ironically apprently someone tried to make one like that (with moving electrode), but it wasn't commercially successful.
 
Eddie, can I announce it -- considering that I cheated with computer-assisted search? Or let people discover it by fair means?
 
Pete,
'gotta know your "method". I tried the Google Image cheat but came up with nada.
 
Google Image won't find it, but I did manage to apply a little more Google-fu and find out what it is. I was amused to find that I was right about what it does, but wrong about why.
 
Stereolithotripsy electrode, for treating kidney stones.

Take an elliptical tank of water, position the electrode at one focus. Position the patient in the water with the stone at the other focus. Pop a spark using the electrode. Shock wave travels outward, is bounced back to the OTHER focus, where the stone is.

Ron Wanttaja
 
wanttaja said:
Stereolithotripsy electrode, for treating kidney stones.

Take an elliptical tank of water, position the electrode at one focus. Position the patient in the water with the stone at the other focus. Pop a spark using the electrode. Shock wave travels outward, is bounced back to the OTHER focus, where the stone is.

Ron Wanttaja
Click to expand...

Winner!

Apparently these things were only approved for one use, so I was offered it as a very expensive souvenir.

Back in the '80's that was how it was done, and with the quality of the anaesthetics and the imprecision of the method, it was a bit of an ordeal. You were left groggy and nauseated and bruised and with a string coming out that later had to be pulled. OUCH! :yikes:

Currently they place you on a table with a cut-out, and use a slab of silicone to focus the shock waves. Sometimes done with a spinal, rather than a general anaesthetic. A walk in the park compared to how it used to be.

Yay science and progress!

Ron - fly into Copperhill, TN to claim your prize. Your choice of beer at El Rio!
 
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DaleB said:
Google Image won't find it, but I did manage to apply a little more Google-fu and find out what it is. I was amused to find that I was right about what it does, but wrong about why.
Click to expand...

So, I am interested in how you found it also. What search data did you use?
 
Greg Bockelman said:
So, I am interested in how you found it also. What search data did you use?
Click to expand...
I believe I started with "cage spark gap electrode". That resulted in an immediate hit for the US patent for a lithotripter electrode that looked fairly similar, followed by another (pat. 7896822) that matches exactly.
 
DaleB said:
I believe I started with "cage spark gap electrode". That resulted in an immediate hit for the US patent for a lithotripter electrode that looked fairly similar, followed by another (pat. 7896822) that matches exactly.
Click to expand...

Funny, I did the same search, but I only did an image search. Didn't come up with anything. Or maybe I didn't look hard enough.
 
I didn't find anything useful at all in an image search, using the original picture. Just a bunch of European living rooms and a mummy. :) Once you know what it is (lithotripter electrode) an image search is useful, but only to verify that you're right.

It did not occur to me until I read the description of how the thing works that you would ever use a spark to create an acoustic wave. I'd normally expect it to be used only for RF. You live and learn.
 
FastEddieB said:
Winner!

Apparently these things were only approved for one use, so I was offered it as a very expensive souvenir.

Back in the '80's that was how it was done, and with the quality of the anaesthetics and the imprecision of the method, it was a bit of an ordeal. You were left groggy and nauseated and bruised and with a string coming out that later had to be pulled. OUCH! :yikes:
Click to expand...
BTDT. In my case, when they started, I could feel the impact. I said "Hey, I can feel that!"* and a nice lady came over to my IV. Next thing I knew, I was waking up in the recovery room.

WITH the string installed. They couldn't take it out while I was out, nooooooo.

(* actually, with the amount of drugs I was already on, it was something more like "Huuyyy, aye fllllll tht." They're probably like dentists, though, and can read through the slurring.)

I don't think they were approved for only one shot, since I distinctly recall hearing a regular THWACK...THWACK...THWACK sound, too close and regular for replacement after each (unless it was belt-fed). I think they were relatively limited to the number of shots, each, and think they started each session with a new one.

The hospital where I had it done had the waiting rooms and hallways decorated with "Pop art" using hundreds of these things. No problem at all when I wanted a couple of souvenirs.

Oh, and to firmly establish aviation content here, mine were made by Dornier.

Ron Wanttaja
 
DaleB said:
It did not occur to me until I read the description of how the thing works that you would ever use a spark to create an acoustic wave.
Click to expand...

Since it was in water, it was more like sonar than anything else.

Yes, I was in the machine that goes, "Piinnnnnggggg!"

Ron "Where's the fetus-frightening machine" Wanttaja
 
wanttaja said:
Since it was in water, it was more like sonar than anything else.

Yes, I was in the machine that goes, "Piinnnnnggggg!"

Ron "Where's the fetus-frightening machine" Wanttaja
Click to expand...

It's on lease back from the company we sold it to....
 
CT4ME said:
'gotta know your "method". I tried the Google Image cheat but came up with nada.
Click to expand...
I used the same approach that Dale used: "spark cage electrode".
 
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