A Dental Napkin Holder.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
A Dental Napkin Holder.
I GEORGE ALVIN BRONSON, Dentist, of 3201 Washington Avenue Saint Louis,
in the State of Missouri, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of iny invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a new and improved instrument for the use of dentists,
and has for its object to provide a novel, simple and efficient device, which affords
means for the convenient and proper retention of a folded napkin or other absorbent
pad within the mouth of the patient, so as to retain the tongue depressed, and the
napkin pressed against the gum on each side of the teeth that are being operated
upon, and effectively absorb salival moisture during the operation on said teeth.
The improved napkin holder is preferably bent from a strand of wire, and
comprises a double limbed handle piece of a convenient length, which is formed
with a hook on its outer end portion, and is also curved to adapt said handle for
convenient manipulation while in use.
On the portion of the handle piece that is to be inserted in the mouth of the
person during a dental operation, there is a semi-circular presser wing preferably
of wire formed on or secured to one member of the furcated handle piece which
wing is laterally projected a sufficient degree to enable a proper pressure to be
applied by this wing upon the upper surface of the person's tongue, the folded
napkin or other absorbent pad being introduced between the wing and the tongue.
The limbs of the handle piece are properly spaced apart at the end nearest to
the wing by a cross piece which may be integrally formed with them, and on the
limb that in service is located between the cheek of the patient and the outer side
surface of the teeth on that side of the mouth is formed or secured a presser loop
also preferably produced from wire.
A keeper tang may be provided for the retention of the folded napkin or
absorbent pad in connection with the limb of the handle piece whereon the wing is
formed or secured; this needle-like attachment being secured by one end near the
forward part of the wing and projecting its sharp free end rearwardly so as to be
conveniently insertible in a folded portion of the napkin, which will retain the
latter in place on the member and wing of the handle piece.
To apply the device, the napkin or other absorbent pad is correctly folded and
lapped around so as to lie on each side of the teeth that are to be operated on, and
the improved holder is now introduced within the mouth, and made to press on the
porous pad or napkin, so as to wedge it against the gums on each side of the teeth,
the opening between the limbs of the bandle piece permitting the wing to press on
the tongue while the limb of the handle it is on is held towards the gums of the
teeth, the latter being exposed for dental operations by their location between the
handle limbs.
It will be seen that the looped presser piece by its insertion between the cheek
of the person and the gums of the teeth, on the porous pad that has previously
been placed in position, will enable the party holding the outer end of the handle
piece, by a downward pressure on the latter to retain the napkin in place.
As it is desirable that the dental operator should have free use of both hands
while conducting a surgical or tooth filling operation, the patient or assistant can

page_text: retain in place the porous pad and the improved holder, after a proper adjustment
of these parts has heen made by the operator.
Dated this 18th day of December 1894.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
A Dental Napkin Holder.
I, GEORGE ALVIN BRONSON, Dentist, of 3201, Washington Avenue, Saint Louis
in the State of Missouri, United States of America, 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 :-
My invention relates to a new and improved instrument for the use of dentists,
and has for its object to provide a novel, simple, and efficient device which affords
means for the convenient and proper retention of a folded napkin or other absorbent
pad within the mouth of the patient, so as to retain the tongue depressed and the
napkin pressed against the gum on each side of the teeth that are being operated
upon, and effectively absorb salival moisture, during the operation on said teeth.
To this end my invention consists in the construction and combinations of parts,
as is hereinafter described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views shown.
Figure 1 represents a perspective view in part of the lower jaw of a person and
the improvement in position, showing its application to hold the tongue depressed,
and a folded napkin pressed closely against the gums on each side of the teeth that
are to be operated upon;
Figure 2 is a side view of the improved napkin holder; and
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the device on the line 3-3 in Figure 1,
showing the application of the instrument to press a folded napkin on the tongue
and each side of a tooth against the gum, the portions of the mouth shown being
indicated in dotted lines.
The improved napkin holder is preferably bent from a strand of wire, and
comprises a double limbed handle piece 10, of a convenient length, which is curve
bent at 10 to form a hook on its outer end portion, and is also curved at 10°
and 10° to adapt said handle for convenient manipulation while in use.
On the portion of the handle piece 10 that is to be inserted in the mouth of the
person during a dental operation, there is a semi-circular presser wing 11 preferably
of wire formed on or secured to one member of the furcated handle piece, which
wing is laterally projected a sufficient degree to enable a proper pressure to be
applied by this wing upon the upper surface of the person's tongue, the folded
napkin 12 or other absorbent pad being introduced between the wing and the
tongue 13, as is clearly indicated in Figure 3.
The limbs of the handle piece 10 are properly spaced apart at the end nearest to
the wing 11, by a cross piece 10" which may be integrally formed with them, and
on the limb that in service is located between the cheek of the patient and the
outer side surface of the teeth on that side of the mouth, a presser loop 14 is
formed or secured, this being preferably produced from wire.
A keeper tang 15 may be provided for the retention of the folded napkin or
absorbent pad in connection with the limb of the handle piece 10 whereon the
wing 11 is formed or secured; this needle-like attachment if employed in connection
with the instrument proper, is secured by one end near the forward part of the
wing 11, projecting its sharp free end rearwardly, so as to be conveniently insertible

page_text: in a folded portion of the napkin, which will retain the latter in place on the
member and wing of the handle piece, as represented in Figures 1 and 3.
To apply the device, the napkin 12 or other absorbent pad, is correctly folded
and lapped around so as to lie on each side of the teeth that are to be operated on,
and the improved holder is now introduced within the mouth, and made to press on
the porous pad or napkin, so as to wedge it against the gums on each side of the
teeth, the opening between the limbs of the handle piece permitting the wing 11, to
press on the tongue, while the limb of the handle it is on is held toward the gums
of the teeth, the latter being exposed for dental operations by their location between
the handle limbs.
It will be seen that the looped presser piece 14, by its insertion between the
cheek of the person and the gums of the teeth, on the porous pad that has
previously been placed in position, will enable the party holding the outer end of
the handle piece 10, by a downward pressure on the latter to retain the napkin in
place.
As it is desirable that the dental operator should have free use of both hands
while conducting a surgical or tooth filling operation, the patient or assistant can
retain in place the porous pad and the improved holder, after a proper adjustment
of these parts has been made by the operator.
It may be necessary to provide sets of the improved napkin holders of slightly
differing forms to suit different jaw conformations, and pairs for the right and left
side will be needed. The improvement from its construction is adapted for rapid
and cheap production, and it is evident will greatly facilitate the proper retention
of an absorbent pad during dental operations whenever it is used for such a
purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. A dental napkin holder, comprising a handle having two spaced limbs at one
end, a presser wing on one of said limbs and a presser piece on the other limb,
substantially as described.
2. In a dental napkin holder, a handle piece divided near one end to produce two
limbs, hooked at the other end and spaced apart where divided, a presser wing
laterally projected from one limb, a keeper tang on said limb, and a looped presser
piece on the other limb opposite the wing, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.