Patent GB-321871-A (GB)
IPC: A61B7/02
Abstract: 321,871. Wilenkin, L. Dec. 28, 1928. Stethoscopes; anthropometrical appliances.-An auscultation apparatus, in which is incorporated a percussion device, is comprised of two resonators connected by flexible tubes to hearing devices, and switches for closing the connection of each resonator with each flexible tube. The appliance, Fig. 1, comprises cup-shaped resonators 1 of hard rubber or the like, flexible tubes 5 connecting both ear caps 6 to both resonators, tube fittings 2, switch valves 3 for closing the passages from the resonators 1 to the tubes 5, percussion bolts 4 for the percussion of hard organs, and a head bow 7. When it is desired to allow several persons to listen at the same time. the ear cap 6 which contains an ear nipple of bone or hard rubber is removed from the end of the tube 5, and replaced by a three-way distributing piece 10, Fig. 5, to which auxiliary flexible tubes and hearing devices may be attached. The switches 3 are operated by one finger, and may be of the slide valve type, or consist of buttons which may be pressed on to free parts of the flexible tubes 5 so as to close them, or of an eccentric which deforms and closes the tubes when rotated about the percussion bolts 4, or of rotating sectors or circular slides containing certain combinations of perforations which close the passages through the resonator caps to the tubes 5 when these passages do not coincide with the perforations in the sectors or slides. The percussion bolt 4, Fig. 1, slides axially through the cap 1 and may be retained in any desired position by a set screw. A pencil or coloured chalk held by a rubber tube runs through the centre of the bolt so that, by pressing on the cap of the bolt 4 marks are made on the body of the patient. A cap, Fig. 9, to be fitted over the resonator cap 1 for the auscultation or the percussion of weak organs, consists of a holding ring 17, and a diaphragm 16 with a perforation 18 through which a pencil may pass. A modified cap of stiffer construction, and without a diaphragm, for the percussion of certain organs is described. Percussion bodies and rollers of rubber or the like, with or without projections, which may be attached to the bolt 4 and drawn along the body to produce a frictional sound, are also described. The percussion device may be detachable and in the form of a flat tube, with a measuring scale, to be slotted obliquely through a handle with a forked part sliding in a groove on the resonator. In this form, a rubber knob is provided on the upper end of the tube for hammering on the resonator handle which acts as a pleximeter; the pencil through the tube may be replaced by a needle or brush to investigate the pain reaction of the skin; and the tube itself may be fixed to act as an enlarged handle for the resonator. A modified form for imparting hammering movements to the bolt 4 is shown in Fig. 25 where the resonator 1 has a fixed handle 44. Pivoted on this handle at 47 is a hand lever 46 which is pressed downwards by the spring 48, and has a slotted part engaging with lateral pins 45 on the percussion bolt 4. Slides 51 and 52 passing through the tubes 49 and 50 have projections 53 and 54 which touch free parts of the flexible tubes 5. Normally, the springs 55 and 56 draw the slides 51 and 52 into the position shown whereby one tube is closed and the other open. Finger pressure on the side 52 causes the projection 54 to move away from and open the closed tube, and, by continuing the pressing movement, the slide 51 is operated to close the other tube by means of the projection 53. The pencil 12 in this modification is held by the cover 14<1> in a position in which the point projects somewhat from the point of the bolt 4. In a modification of the percussion appliance, the bolt 4 is held pressing on the body by a spring, and it is raised and released again by the movable hand lever acting through a pawl and pawl-arm, the length of the hammering stroke being adjustable.