Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1887
Specification Accepted, 8th Nov., 1887
We, HERBERT W. SITWELL, CECIL F. SITWELL and JULIETTE SITWELL, all of the
City of Richmond, State of Virginia, United States of America, do hereby declare
he 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 :-
We, HERBERT W. SITWELL, CECIL F. SITWELL and JULIETTE SITWELL, all of the
City of Richmond, State of Virginia, United States of America, do hereby declare
he 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:
-
This invention relates to devices designed to be applied to the body to modify the
temperature thereof.
Devices of this character as heretofore constructed fail to give the best results for
the reason that the fluid used to regulate the temperature passes back and forth
through the pad or bandage over the surface under treatment a number of times, thus
modifying the temperature of the fluid used, so that at the discharge end of the pad or
bandage the temperature of the fluid will approach more nearly to that of the body
than at the receiving end of the pad. The object of our invention is to overcome the
objections heretofore found to exist, and to this end the invention consists in a surgical
pad or bandage embodying a supply tube, a discharge tube, and a number of indepen-
dent connecting tubes leading from the supply tube to the discharge tube. It consists
also in novel features of constructions and combinations which will be fully described
in the ensuing specification and claimed in the claims at the close thereof.
In the accompanying drawings.
:-
Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved pad or bandage.
The pad or bandage shown may be constructed of any light, impervious material,
though light rubber tubing is recommended.
The pad or bandage consists essentially of a feed or inlet tube A, a discharge tube B,
and a number of independent circulating tubes CC leading directly from the inlet
tube A to the discharge tube B. The inlet tube A may be of any convenient length,
and, if intended to be used for hot or cold air or vapor may be fitted at its receiving
end with a perforated plug, by means of which it may be connected with any suitable
vessel which supplies hot or cold air or vapors. On the other hand, if intended to be
used for hot or cold water, the plug is unnecessary, as the receiving end of the tube A
may be placed in the vessel containing hot or cold water and used as a syphon to
induce circulation through the tubes of the bandage.
The tube A is closed at its other extremity a and is provided with a longitudinal
series of apertures to receive the ends of the circulating tubes C C. The discharge
tube B is likewise closed at its end b and provided with a corresponding longitudinal
series of apertures to receive the opposite ends of the circulating tubes C°C. The open

page_text: or discharge tube B is of such length that the fluid or vapor used may be conducted
to any suitable receptacle.
The drawing illustrates a pad or bandago substantially rectangular with the feed
tube A and the discharge tube B parallel, and the circulating tubes C C arranged
parallel with each other but at right angles to the feed and discharge tubes, but it will
be understood that the specific form may be varied without departing from the spirit
of the invention involved, to suit different requirements, as for instance, in constructing
such an appliance for application to the head it should conform to the contour of the
head and the feed and discharge tubes A and B could not well be maintained in
parallelism, but the end sought could be attained as the circulating tubes would receive
Huid of a given temperature simultaneously from a common supply (tube A) and the
temperature of the fluid would be but slightly modified in traversing once the length
of the circulating tubes to the discharge tube B.
To maintain the parallelism of the circulating tubes CC they may be bound together
in any suitable or approved manner, though we prefer to cement their under surface
to a film of rubber tissue, as this material is extremely light (12 yards weighing only
1 lb.) and so flexible that the entire appliance may be rolled into a small compass and
carried in the pocket. If preferred this film or sheet may be perforated to afford
ventilation.
It will be understood of course that the supply and discharge tubes are of greater
diameter than the circulating tubes, as they must each carry a greater quantity of
liquid or vapor than any one of said circulating tubes.
We have found that a diameter of about one quarter of an inch for the tubes A
and B, and one eighth of an inch for the tubes CC, gives good results, but do not
confine ourselves to these proportions.
The pad thus constructed is extremely light, easily manipulated, and owing to its
extreme flexibility, readily adapts itself to the portion of the body to which it is
applied. We prefer to construct the entire device of light flexible rubber tubing
though in some instances we contemplate using hard rubber for the tubes A and B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is
1. In a pad or bandage for the application of heat or cold to the body, the com-
bination of the inlet or supply tube, the discharge tube, and a number of independent
circulating tubes connecting the supply tube directly with the discharge tube.
2. The combination substantially as before set forth of the feed and discharge tubes
provided with a longitudinal series of perforations, and the independent circulating
tubes each leading from one of the perforations of the feed tube to the opposite
perforation of the discharge tube.
3. The combination substantially as before set forth, of the feed and discharge tubes each
closed at one end, and a series of parallel circulating tubes connecting the feed and
discharge tubes.
4. The combination substantially as before set forth of the feed and discharge
tubes, the series of circulating tubes affording direct communication between the
feed and discharge tubes, and a film of rubber tissue to maintain the parallelism of
the circulating tubes.
Dated this 18th day of July 1887.
HERBERT W. SITWELL. L.S
CECIL F. SITWELL. L.S.
JULIETTE SITWELL. L.S.
Carpmael & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.