Improvements in Medical Capsules.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1900
Improvements in Medical Capsules.
I, KARL MORSTADT, of 20, Ferdinand Strasse, Prague, in the Empire of Austria,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
All the capsules (so called medical capsules) hitherto employed for enclosing
pulverulent medicaments have an edge or flange projecting to the outside which
causes an unpleasant feeling in the gullet when swallowing the capsules, especially
because these projecting edges have become more or less stiff owing to the
previous moistening.
I have indeed endeavoured to avoid these drawbacks by the capsules made
according to my previous Patent No. 26980/96, but even in this it has been
necessary to retain the projecting edges.
Several forms of construction are shown in section in the accompanying draw-
ings to illustrate the various stages of development necessitated by the various
improvements of the present invention.
In the ordinary capsule (Fig. 1) with flat even edges a, it is impossible to
avoid the latter becoming stiff. By shaping them in the manner shown in
Figs. 2 and 3, we have approached considerably nearer to the object sought after,
namely to avoid as far as possible the edges of the capsule becoming stiff. The
form of the edges of the capsule is in fact such that by means of a suitable
partial upward bend b of the same (Fig. 3,) or by specially arranged step-shaped
projections (Fig. 2,) in a word by forming a narrow wall internally on the
capsule edges, the latter need only be moistened at the raised places. The cap-
sules, shown in Figs. 4 to 7 on an enlarged scale, having no outside edges or
flanges are be preferred to the previous shapes of capsules pre-
the drawbacks
less inherent in
cisely because they avoid
the others. The capsule is in fact entirely smooth on its outer periphery,
has no projecting edges, and is only thickened at the adhesion surfaces of the
two capsules, the actual faces d of which are slightly widened.
to
more or
Of course the capsules without edges may be made in the most varied forms
of section, only the ordinary forms being shown in the accompanying drawings.
As may be seen in Fig. 4 the widened connecting surfaces d of the two
halves e of the capsule re left straight (even) but it is no drawback if the former
be provided with the already mentioned wall shaped excrescences either in the
form of a suitable partial upward bend Fig. 7 or of a step shaped projection c
Fig. 6, (as described in my Patent No. 26980/96).
In any case whether the one or the other form of construction be adopted, a
capsule is obtained without an edge, which removes the drawbacks arising to a
greater or lesser extent in the ordinary capsules with edges, and fully corre-
sponds to all the requirements requisite in medical capsules,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;-
Medical capsules consisting of half capsules (e) having no outside projecting
edge, and therefore affording an entirely smooth surface, the widened connecting
surfaces () being either straight (Figs. 4 and 5) or provided with wall shaped
excrescences (bc, Figs. 6 and 7) so that when sticking two capsule halves together,
a capsule is obtained which is entirely smooth, that is to say without an edge
on the outside, substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 4th day of December 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.