Improvements in Trusses for Surgical Purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1891-Accepted, 18th Aug.. 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trusses for Surgical Purposes.
I, WILLIAM DAVID LEWIS of Ystradmynach Street, Graigwen Road,
Pontypridd in the County of Glamorgan, Artificial Limb 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of trusses as used and
worn for the cure of, or as a remedy for, single or double hernia, more generally
known as rupture trusses, and has for its object, to materially add to the comfort
of the wearer by providing such means as will enable the patient to adjust the
pressure of the pad or pads to suit his or her convenience, such adjustment or
readjustment being, in most cases, capable of being effected during wear without
the need of the patient having to retire to privacy or remove any of his or her
habiliments for that purpose, as obtains with such trusses as hitherto made
and used.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I have hereunto appended
a sheet of drawings in which
Figs. 1 and 2 are front and side elevation respectively of the adjustable pad, and
its accessories, of my improved truss.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved truss arranged for a right hand
hernia in which the said pad is shewn detached.
Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of Fig. 3. with the pad in position upon the frame
of the truss, and shewing the manner in which the adjustable frame strap is
connected to the pad when in wear.
My improved truss consists of a metallic spring frame A, shaped to fit the body
of the wearer after the manner of such frames generally, and stitched or otherwise
enclosed within a casing of soft material, preferably leather, in the usual way.
One end of said spring has rivetted, screwed or otherwise connected thereto, a
slotted metallic head B, the opposite end of A. being provided with a strap C, in
which is formed any number of slotted holes D. Upon the frame A is mounted a
sliding clip E which may be of leather, or metal, vulcanite, bone or the like,
covered with leather or other soft and suitable material, and upon the outer surface
of E a stud E' is provided for purposes hereinafter explained.
The hernia pad F is composed of a metallic vulcanite or other plate, stitched or
otherwise enclosed within a casing of soft material, preferably leather, the inner
portion of F being shaped and padded at F¹, in order to sit comfortably upon the
hernia. Upon the upper portion of the metallic plate in F, is mounted a rotatory
rod, upon which is fixed by any suitable means a ratcheted wheel or disc G, which
extends partly through the material F and F. Upon the front surface of F, and
preferably, about midway of its height, and engaging with the plate therein, is
fixed a duplex lug H, which pivotally holds a lever J, the upper end of which
makes contact with the teeth of G, when pressed thereupon by the tension of a
spiral
or other suitable spring K, placed between the opposite end of J and the
face of F, and connected to either or both, or to the plate within the latter. The
before mentioned rod (shewn by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4) upon which is
mounted the ratchet wheel G, is provided with, or extended to form an arm or
projection L, capable of sliding into the slot in B, and in L is formed any number
of recesses M (shewn more graphically in the enlarged view Fig. 1) with oue or
the other of which engages a set screw N in B, which permits the adjustment of
he pad longitudinally with A, to suit the convenience of the wearer, or the location
Do 1

page_text: of the hernia. The lower portion of the said pad is provided with a strap O, of
any suitable length, capable of passing between the thighs of the patient, and
engaging with the stud E' on E, any number of slotted holes P, being formed in O
for this purpose, and to render the same adjustable. A stud R, similar to E', is
fixed upon the front of F, at or about the position shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, and
with this engages oue or the other of the holes D in C, as shewn at Fig. 4.
In the accompanying drawings I have chosen to illustrate my improved truss as
adapted for the treatment of a single right hand rupture, but it is obvious that by
a slight modification of the pad F, so that the arm L and stud R are at the opposite
sides to that shewn at Fig. 1, that the same frame A, when placed in reverse order
to that shewn in Fig. 3, would be as readily adaptable to receive such a pad, and
be employed in the treatment of a left hand hernia.
In the construction of trusses for double rupture or right and left hand hernia,
the strap C upon A may be dispensed with, and in substitution thereof I form upon
or connect to, that end of A, a second slot B, to receive the arm L of a left hand
pad F, as previously described, in which case either pad may carry the strap 0,
and one pad may have a short strap such as C, capable of being adjustably
connected to a stud R upon the other pad.
I have previously stated that one of the objects of my invention is to provide a
means whereby the patient may adjust the pressure of the pad or pads to suit his
or her convenience, both when the truss is first put on, or at any time subsequently
during wear. From the explanation herein before given, and by reference to the
drawings, it will be easily understood, that if the lever J be pressed at the lower
end, in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, the spring K would be depressed, and
the upper end of J released from contact with the ratchet wheel G, thereby
permitting the pad F F¹ to be placed at any angle relatively to the frame A and
the arm L fixed in B, and that when the pressure upon J is released such angle
would be maintained by reason of the upper end of J making contact, (by the
tension of the spring K,) with the wheel G, and if during wear, the patient requires
that extra pressure be made by the pad or pads upon the hernia, or in the case of
a double truss upon either or both hernias, he or she has simply to press the lower
end of F towards the person or the hernia or hernias, until the lever or levers J
has or have slipped from one, and made contact with the next, or the next lower
tooth in the wheel or wheels G, or until the desired pressure is obtained, and such
pressure could be imparted to the lower end of F, and the required extra pressure
of the pad or pads F1 be attained, instantly, and at any moment, without the need
of the patient having to seek privacy, or to remove any part of the habiliments to
effect this.
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
ist. In an improved truss for the treatment or cure of single or double rupture
or hernia, the construction and use of the herein described combination of parts
constituting such an appliance, connected, and operating substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
2nd. The herein described truss, consisting of the combination of a covered
spring frame A, having at one or either end a socket B, provided with a set
screw N, and at its opposite end a strap C having any number of slotted holes D,
by which the said strap may be adjustably connected to a stud R upon the face of
the pad F, consisting of a metallic vulcanite or other plate covered with leather or
other suitable and soft material, and padded at F1, the said plate carrying a
rotatory rod, upon which is mounted and fixed a ratchet wheel G, extending
beyond F at either side (accordingly as the pad may be for a right or left hand
rupture or hernia) and formed at L to slide within the socket B on A, and provided
with any number of rccesses M, with one or the other of which engages the set
screw N on B. The lever J pivotally mounted upon the face of F at H, and

page_text: actuated by a suitable spring K by which its upper end is caused to make contact
with G, for adjusting the pressure of F. The strap 0, provided with any number
of holes P by which it may be adjustably attached to a stud E', upon a sliding
clip E upon A, the whole connected and operating substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
3rd. The construction and use of my improved truss substantially as set for in
the preceding claim, but having at each end of its frame A a socket B and screw N,
and arranged to carry a right and left hand pad F F' and their accessories, either
being provided with a stud R and the other with a strap such as C, and the
employment of same in the treatment of double rupture or hernia, substantially, as
herein described.
Deal thin 10th day of Tul. 1904
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.