Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
CUMI LEIE
Pessary.
I, JULIAN AUGUSTINE HURDLE, of 35 Warren Street, in the City, County'
and State of New York, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, 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 novel supporter for the womb, and is adapted to hold
the same in position while performing the natural exercise of daily duties.
It is a well known fact that many females of the present generation suffer
excruciating pain by the falling of the womb, which is caused, in many cases, by
the weakness of the ligaments which give way to the weight of the womb and thus
pull down upon the Fallopian tubes, thereby causing great distress and pain and
ultimately prostrating the whole physical structure beyond reparation.
Many devices have been made for supporting the womb in proper position, but
they have been of such a construction as to cause great distress and pain while
adjusting them, and likewise when removing them. I propose to obviate these
objections and produce a device that any female can adjust without the aid of
others, and which will support the womb and hold it in position during the daily
exercise of the person wearing it.
My invention consists of an inflatable and collapsible pessary made of any
suitable material and of any desirable conformation. I prefer to have them made
of rubber, although they could be made of oiled silk and other textile fabrics. The
whole may be connected with automatic cut-off air valves, all of which will be fully
hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1, represents a vertical section of a pessary inflated; in this figure it is
shown how the conformation may be produced and the manner in which it is
inflated.
Fig. 2, is also a vertical section of a pessary detached from the tube having the
automatic cut-off air valves connected therewith.
Fig. 3, is a similar view of the pessary having a ring shape at top when
inflated.
Fig. 4, is a vertical section of a pessary having a cup-shape at its upper end
adapted to retain medicinal liquids, salves, etc.
Fig. 5, is a similar view of a pessary having vertically projecting fingers.
Fig. 6, is also a vertical section of a pessary of a vase shape, the latter adapted
to allow the impurities of the womb to escape and be retained therein.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings, in which
a represents the body of the pessary in an inflated condition; b is the lower end
and c the upper lobe thereof; d is a silk thread or fine wire properly connected at
the top of the upper lobe, from which it depends to and through the air duct e to
which it is fastened. It will be observed that this air duct is held within the neck f
of the pessary and air tube 9, the latter of which is in turn connected with an
automatic air ball valve h; the lower end i of the structure containing the valve is
screw-threaded, and is adapted to receive a removable corresponding device
connected with an air tube k of proper length, with the free end of which is
connected a proper mouth-piece l, hand-pump or bellows.
The thread or wire d may be dispensed with in many cases, but when the
conformation of the pessary needs changing the thread d is used and may be
adjusted so as to make a deeper impression upon the upper lobe by shortening the
said thread or wire.

page_text: I have found by experimental test that it will, in many cases, be necessary to
re-inforce different parts of the pessary in order to have it hold its conformation
when resisting pressure brought to bear upon it.
It will be obvious that many shapes will be required as there are conditions
that will demand it, therefore, do not lay great stress upon any particular form.
Mode of Operation.
In order for the patient to properly adjust the pessary the following steps are
necessary to be taken: First, the tube k must be connected with the lower end of
the structure containing the air ball valve, and the pessary must be in a collapsed
condition. The patient will then lie on her back upon an incline sufficient to
elevate the lower portion of the body, and, while in this position, she must spread
her limbs apart and move them outwardly and inwardly several times thus enabling
the womb to fall back; the pessary should then, in its collapsed condition, be
pressed through the vagina and into the channel leading to the womb, until but a
small portion of the neck protrudes; then place the mouth-piece m to the mouth
and blow until the pessary is properly inflated which can be inferred by the sense
of feeling.
It will be obvious that when the air enters the valve it will cause the ball to
ascend and allow the air to pass into the pessary; when the pressure of air is
relaxed from beneath the ball the pressure within will cause it to descend to its
seat thus cutting off the air and preventing its escape. The tube can, after the
pessary shall have been inflated, be removed, and a small screw cap is then placed
over the lower end of the structure containing the air ball valve. Whenever the
patient desires to remove the pessary, she has only to remove the small screw cap n
and with it press on the protruding point, which operation elevates the ball and
allows the air to escape thus causing the pessary to collapse when it may be easily
removed.
The patient need not be confined to this method of inflating the pessary, as she
may use an ordinary hand-pump or bellows which will produce the same result.
Whenever salve or medicated liquids are to be applied to the womb, the patient
while lying on the inclined plane, can insert the salve or liquids after which the
pessary is applied and then inflated, which results in holding the medicated
substance within their proper place.
In some instances I may change the form by having a tube of hard rubber, metal,
or other stiff substance, having one end thereof mounted within the inflatable
pessary, and the other ond adapted to be connected with inflating devices and
means for holding the same in place.
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 :-
First. As a new article of manufacture, an inflatable and collapsible pessary.
Second. An inflatable and collapsible pessary combined with automatic cut-off
devices.
Third. In combination with an inflatable and collapsible pessary, of the lower
portion thereof formed into a lobe, and depending neck thereof adapted to receive
a tube having automatically operating air valves connected therewith.
Fourth. The combination consisting of a pessary, the upper and lower lobes
thereof, an adjustable thread or wire connected with the upper lobe, an air duct
adapted to hold the lower end of said thread or wire, an automatic air ball valve
and a blow tube, as set forth.
Dated this 11th 1
1004
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.