Improvements in or relating to Fastening Devices for Trusses and other Surgical Appliances.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th July, 1895-4ccepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Fastening Devices for Trusses and
other Surgical Appliances.
I, KARL ROBERT SCHRAMM of 47 Belmont Street, Chalk Farm Road, County
of Middlesex, Orthopaedic Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the devices for fastening together the springs and pads
of trusses and the pads or other parts of other surgical appliances; I will describe
it as applied to connecting the springs and pads of hernia trusses. The back or
spinal pad is preferably formed by a suitable soft pad secured upon a metal plate
perforated towards each end where the two springs are to be connected. The two
nearest edges of the perforations are turned up so as to form a back or support for
the end of the spring and a pin is carried across each of the openings thus formed
the pin being supported in any convenient manner say by ears or lugs rivetted to the
back of the plate and projecting up through each of the slots. The whole is
secured and strengthened by a smaller plate which may be passed along the back
of the plate previously described and rivetted thereto.
The end of the spring to be connected to the plate is turned round in the form
of a hook and can be slipped under the pin between it and the smaller supporting
plate and brought round between the pin and the back support previously mentioned,
the spring being thus securely connected to the plate and pad, but at the same
time free to turn as on a hinge; the spring can be detached at any moment when
required.
The pad at the other end of the spring may be adjustably connected thereto by
a suitable socket through which the spring passes and is secured by a pin preferably
pivotted or hinged which enters one of a series of holes in the spring and passes
through it into the plate upon which the pad is formed thus fixing the pad and
spring together. The socket preferably consists of a piece of bent metal passed
through slots in the plate and rivetted upon the back of it. Lugs or brackets are
provided upon the plate or socket preferably the latter so as to form a hinge
connection for the pivotted pin already described.
Hitherto where fittings of this nature have been employed the attachments to the
plate did not pass through it as above described, but merely rested upon it and
were secured by screws, but it was found that they were apt to work loose and were
besides usually cast in gun metal and were therefore heavy and to some extent
clumsy, whereas the present fittings can all be made of thin stampings light,
elegant and secure.
As regards trusses the pads have not hitherto been made detachable from the
springs, but a very great advantage results from this arrangement inasmuch as the
shape size and resistance of the pad can be promptly varied and also a stronger or
weaker spring or one of a different shape or size can be applied at any time or a
truss can be immediately prepared from the various parts to meet any special
requirements, and the whole truss is by the construction above described lighter
than those usually made and no screws of any kind are employed.
Hitherto the cross strap usually employed for connecting the two front pads has
been a simple strap and was therefore liable to press upon the wearer between the
pads; to avoid this I place in or upon the strap (preferably the strap is double and

page_text: stitched together around the edges) a spring or strip of metal shaped or bowed
outwards so as to relieve this pressure and prevent the strap from taking a perfectly
straight course from pad to pad. The strap is provided with a number of holes at
each end so as to adjust it to length or other length adjustment may be adopted.
Dated this 5th day of February 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Fastening Devices for Trusses and
other Surgical Appliances.
I, KARL ROBERT SCHRAMM of 47 Belmont Street, Chalk Farm Road, County
of Middlesex, Orthopaedic Mechanician, 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 :-
This invention relates to the devices for fastening together the springs and pads
of trusses and the pads or other parts of other surgical appliances; I will describe
it as applied to connecting the springs and pads of hernia trusses.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example the application
of my invention to a hernia truss,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete truss,
Figure 2 is a view, presented edgewise, of the back or spinal pad-plate and of
the hooked end of one of the two spring arms which is to be connected therewith
as hereinafter explained; parts of this view are in section.
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 except that the spring arm is shown in
engagement with the back pad-plate, whilst
Figure 4 also a view similar to Figure 2 shows the spring arm the back pad-plate
aud appurtenances in the position they are intended to occupy, relatively to each
other, when the truss is in use.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively perspective plan and underside views of the
pad-piece which is adjustable on the spring arm of the truss.
Figure 7 is a section on the line 77 of Figure 5.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of that end of the spring arm on which the pad-
piece (Figures 5 and 6) is adjustable,
Figure 9 is a section on the line 99 of Figures 5 and 8 and shows the pad-piece
and spring arm engaged with each other; and
Figures 10 and 11 are perspective plan and underside views respectively of an
alternative construction of back-pad-plate according to this invention.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
With reference first to Figures 1 to 9 A is the back pad-plate to which a suitable
soft pad can be secured in a manner well understood. At each end two lugs A¹ are
struck up out of the solid plate as shown. B is a hinge-pin extending between the
individual lugs of each pair as shown and having its ends rivetted over to retain it
in position. In proximity to each hinge-pin are two studs C with their lower ends
fixed in the pad-plate A and their upper ends bevelled off as shown on the side
which faces away from the adjacent hinge-pin. The clearance, or least distance
between each stud and the hinge pin is approximately equal to or very little greater
than the thickness of metal of the book-shaped end of the spring arm hereinafter
described.
D are spring plates one of which is situated below each hinge pin at the opposite
side of the pad-plate A thereto. Each spring plate D is rigidly secured by one
end D¹ to the pad-plate A, and provided at its outer end with a pin D 2 which
projects through a hole A 2 in the plate A.

page_text: E are the spring arms of the truss. Each of them is an elastic strip of metal
which at one end is bent to form a hook E' and at the other end has a series of
perforations E 2.
E3 E4 are depressions in the exterior or convex surfaces of the hooks E', the
former to receive the pins D2 and the latter to receive the studs C as hereinafter
described. E5 are marks made upon the spring arms to serve when brought to
the edge of the pad-plates to indicate which of the perforations E2 is under the
detent of the pad-piece.
FF are the pad-plates which are adjustable on the perforated ends of the spring
arms E, and like the back pad-plate may have soft facings as is customary. Each
pad-piece F consists of two plates F1 F2 of sheet metal, one of which (F2) is of
channel form in cross section as shown and is secured to the other (F¹) by rivets F 3
and by bending over on to that other, tongues F4 which are integral with the
plate F2. By the arrangement of the channelled plate F 2 as shown, relatively to
the plate F¹ a channel F is constituted, in which one of the spring arms E is
received. G is a detent pivotted upon the plate F1 of each pad-piece F, by a hinge-
pin H, the latter being held in place by lugs F6 struck up like those (A³) on the
back pad-plate A. Holes F 7 are made opposite each other in the plates F F 2
and a tongue G' is arranged on the detent so that it can pass through both these
holes to lie across the channel F 5. The tongue is notched as at G2 and the
detent G and holes F 7 are so arranged relatively to each other that the tongue G
presses laterally, in passing, against the edge of the hole F 7 in the plate Fan!
therefore has to be forced therethrough; consequently when forced far enough
it springs to an extent sufficient to engage it, at its notched part with the underside
of that plate, and cannot be accidentally freed therefrom. To free the pad-plate
from the arm all that is necessary is the application of sufficient force to the
pad-piece to cause the plate F2 to thrust back and raise the pointed end of
the detent.
Hitherto where fittings of this nature have been employed the attachments to
the plate F merely rested upon it and were secured by screws, but it was found
that they were apt to work loose and were besides usually cast in gun metal and
were therefore heavy and to some extent clumsy, whereas the present fittings can
all be made of thin stampings light, elegant and secure.
To connect each spring arm E with the back pad-plate A the end E6 of the
hook E¹ is insinuated between one of the hinge-pins B and the pin D2 below it,
first depressing the latter and its spring D so that the pin D 2 engages with one of
the depressions E3 as shown in Figure 3; next it is turned about the hinge-pin B
into the position in which it is shown in Figure 4. In assuming this latter position
the end E 6 of the hook is deflected inward by being forced along the studs C,
which slightly yield, simultaneously, and are received in the depressions E4 which
are provided in order that the studs may not offer too much hindrance to this first
part of the movement of the spring arm; after passing these studs the hooked
end restores itself, elastically, to its original form, and therefore will not become
disengaged from the hinge-pin B except by an operation the reverse of that just
described. Further by the time that the spring arm has turned about its hinge pin
into the position in which it is shown in Figure 4 the depressions E4 have passed
clear of the studs C which consequently are sprung back a little from the hinge-
pius and thus bear with increased force upon an undepressed part of the hook so
as to hold it securely in position.
To adjust a pad-plate F upon the perforated end of one of the spring arms E the
latter is introduced into the channel F5 and any desired one of its perforations E2
is brought into line with the holes F7 of the pad-plate E whereupon the detent G
is moved to cause its tongue G¹ to pass through the perforation E2 and holes E 7
and lie across the pad-piece F and channel F5 to retain the pad-piece in position
and to lock itself in the manner herein before described. With reference now to the
alternative construction of back-plate illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 the hinge-

page_text: pins B are carried by lugs A' rivetted to the base-plate A, and the spring plates D
have tongues D 3 thereon which partly encircle each hinge pin B at one side, the
opposite side thereof being partly encircled, to a greater extent by the hooked
part H₁ of a strip H. There are two of these strips, one for each hinge-pin, and
the straight part H 2 of each is received in a guide A 3 secured to the base-plate.
I is a spring which is compressed between projections H 3 of the two strips H and
acts to keep the hooked parts H' thereof close to the hinge-pins B whilst permitting
those parts to be moved away from the hinge pins when the hooked end E¹ of a
spring arm E (such as is shown in Figure 2) is engaged with the hinge-pin. Such
engagement is effected by forcing the hooked end of the spring arm over the spring
plate D and causing the edge of the hook to pass between the hinge-pin and the
hooked part H' of the strip H. The spring plate D will then bear against the book
in such manner as to keep it steady in any position into which it is moved about
the pin B.
As regards trusses all the pads have not hitherto been made detachable from the
springs, but a very great advantage results from this arrangement inasmuch as the
shape size and resistance of the pad can be promptly varied and also a stronger or
weaker spring or one of a different shape or size can be applied at any time or a
truss can be immediately prepared from the various parts to meet any special
requirements, and the whole truss is by the construction above described lighter
than those usually made and no screws of any kind are employed.
Hitherto the cross strap usually employed for connecting the two front pads
across the front of the wearer has been a simple strap and was therefore liable to
press upon the wearer between the pads; to avoid this I place in or upon the strap
(preferably the strap is double and stitched together around the edges) a spring or
strip of metal shaped or bowed outwards so as to relieve this pressure and prevent
the strap from taking a perfectly straight course from pad to pad. The strap is
provided with a number of holes at each end so as to adjust it to length or other
length adjustment may be adopted.
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 surgical truss or the like in which the spring arms and the pads are all
adapted for prompt disconnection.
2. A surgical truss or the like in which the back pad-piece and spring arm or
arins are adapted for prompt disconnection.
3. In a surgical truss or the like the combination with the back pad-piece A and
spring arm E of hinge fastening-devices which maintain those parts in the desired
connection with each other and are specially constructed to facilitate their connection
and disconnection substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In a surgical truss or the like the combination with the hinged arm E of
spring devices such as D E3 for maintaining the arm in one or more of the several
positions into which it can be turned about its hinge substantially as described.
5. In a surgical truss or the like the combination with a back pad-plate A of
spring arm E hinged thereto spring device such as D E3 controlling the spring
pad plate such as F adjustable on said arm and a spring device such as G for
retaining the adjustable pad-plate in position substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
arm a
6. In a surgical truss or the like the combination with the back pad A and
spring arm E of a hinge connection and controlling device therefor substantially as
and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4 or Figures 10
and il of the accompanying drawings.
7. In a surgical truss or the like the combination with the spring arm E of a
pad-plate adjustable thereon and a locking device for the latter substantially as
described and illustrated in Figures 5 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 8. In a surgical truss or the like a pad-plate having a retaining device thereon
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7
of the accompanying drawings.
9. In a surgical truss or the like a sheet metal pad-piece substantially as described
and illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
10. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the surgical truss
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dateu
this 17th day or June 1895.
K. R. SCHRAMM.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.