Improvements in Fastenings for Surgical Appliances and Articles of Wear.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Fastenings for Surgical Appliances and
Articles of Wear.
I WILLIAM MACGILL B.A. of Albert House, Victoria Street Fraserburgh in the
County of Aberdeen, Schoolmaster do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
.
It may be applied to the "hook-and-eye" the eye-and-stud," the "strap-and-
buckle the "slit-and-button," the " spring-catch" or other type of fastening.
One of the two holding-parts of such fastening-couple instead of being attached
directly to the article fastened, is mounted on, or carried,,by, a screw, of suitable
length, working in a nut, or female-screw, which is attached to the article to be
fastened, in such a manner that by turning the nut, or, if so arranged, by turning the
screw itself, the latter may be retracted or propelled. Thus the fastening becomes
finely, readily, and constantly adjustable as to tightness, compass, or fit, without
any necessity for undoing or alteration.
"

page_text: Improvements in rastenings for surgical approves
Articles of Wear.
I, WILLIAM MACGILL, of Albert House Victoria Street Fraserburgh, Aberdeen-
shire Schoolmaster 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 improvement is specially applicable to articles or appliances that have to be
kept fastened on a limb or part of the body for surgical or orthopaedic purposes but
it may be applied to any articles or appliances that have to be so kept fastened, as
skates, gaiters, gloves, &c. Along one side of the opening part of the article to be
fastened, there is firmly attached, by sewing through suitably drilled holes, or
otherwise, a light strong strip of metal or other suitable material. This carries,
firmly rivetted or otherwise fixed to it, the projecting studs, pins, buttons or hooks
each of which forms one member of a fastening couple. The number of these will
vary with the length, shape tightness required & other conditions, but it is one
benefit claimed for the improvement that fewer couples will be needed with it than
without it. The eyes which are to engage & hold to the foresaid studs, pins, buttons
or hooks are cut in the flattened end of a metal screw, longer or shorter according
to the amount of play, & variation of compass or tightness, that may be required.
On this screw there fits and works a nut or female screw shaped as a short tube or
cylinder terminating in a milled head or disc for turning it. The female screw is
cut right through the cente of this head or disc as well as along the axis of the
cylinder part. The latter part is always next the eye-bearing end of the screw.
This cylindrical part of the nut fits & turns in a bearing in which it is inserted.
This bearing is fixed in any firm & suitable way on to another strip like the above
mentioned & attached in like manner along the other side of the opening part of
the article or appliance so that the corresponding members of fastening couples on
the two strips are opposite each other. The bearing may be made by taking a
short metal strip, of breadth equal to the length of the cylindrical part of the nut,
and bending it sharp back on itself then round the nut, fitting exactly, till it meets,
then bending sharp back into the continuation of its original direction-so that seen
sideways it has the shape of the capital letter Omega. It is then fixed to the strip
by its two short straight bases, by soldering rivetting or other suitable means. Or,
the strip itself may be bent round exactly as above at the proper places, to form
bearings. To bridge over the interruptions of continuity-in-the-straight-line of the
strip, the opposing edges at each interruption may be soldered, or pinned, or wired
together or joined by a short piece firmly attached on each side of the interruption.
Before the bearing circle is thus fastened on, or closed up, the nut must be fitted &
enclosed in it in cases where the nut is to have a collar at the cylinder end to
prevent it from slipping back out of the bearing whenever the fastening couple is
disengaged. Or, again the bearings may be made of small plates of somewhat
thicker metal bent at right angles one plane being the base for attachment to the
strip the other being perforated with an aperture just large enough to admit freely

page_text: the cylinder part of the nut, or only the screw itself. Here, again, the strip &
bearings may be cut out of one piece the parts for the latter being afterwards
turned up at right angles to the rest. Further, where necessary non-metallic
materials such as vulcanite, bamboo, or wood may be used for strips or bearings or
both, where only one fastening couple is required the strips may in some cases be
reduced to small plates. In other cases the nuts or female screws may be fixed to
the strip while the screw is turned in each & carries the eye by means of a swivel-
joint allowing the eye to retain its plane while the screw rotates. Also the
improvement may be used with other kinds of fastening couples besides those
already mentioned. Thus the ordinary strap with holes may be attached to one
strip or side & a buckle to the screw in the other side. In this case the strap and
buckle give the rough adjustment for wide variation of compass or tightness and
the screw gives the finer adjustment of pressure. Or a spring-catch may be on one
strip and its socket on the other. Finally either member of a fastening couple may
be on strip or screw respectively according to requirement and, generally there
may be many varieties of form, size & arrangement after the fastening couples have
been joined or engaged in the usual way the nut (or the screw) may be turned and
the fastening is retracted & tightened, or propelled & slackened and thus very
finely and readily adjusted as to tightness at any time without undoing the
fastening.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner, the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is :-
The combination of fastening couples, such as herein described, with screws
and nuts, or female screws in the manner and for purposes substantially as herein
described.
Dated thin 14h dan of Nhau 1000