An Apparatus for Correcting Spinal Curvature.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 1st Mar., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for Correcting Spinal Curvature.
1 HERMANN WOLFERMANN, Doctor of Medicine of Strassburg, Elsass in the Empire
of Germany 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 consi 3 in an apparatus for correcting spinal curvature of all kinds
and is equally applicable for lateral curvature to the right or left or for simultaneous
spinal curvature of the ertebral column.
The apparatus consists mainly of two parts of the pelvis part and of the thorax
part. A shell is fastened to the former to contain the plates connecting the two parts.
These connecting parts are the principal features in the arrangement of the apparatus
as they permit of an adjustment of the thorax part towards the pelvis part corre-
sponding to all kinds of deformities namely:
1. Adjustment on the longitudinal axis.
2. Adjustment on the sagittal axis.
3. Raising and lowering of the thorax part.
4. A lateral displacement of the thorax part towards the pelvis part.
Reference being made to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus showing both parts in vertical or central
position to each other.
Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 3 shows the apparatus with the thorax part turned on the sagittal axis.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the connections between the thorax part and the pelvis
part. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through these connecting parts. Fig. 6 is a
horizontal section on line x x Fig. 4. Figs. 7 and 8 show on an enlarged scale the
connection at the sagittal axis S. Figs. 9 to 11 illustrate a modification hereinafter
referred to.
The steel hoop a which holds in shape the thorax part A is widened behind in the
centre. On this part a¹ are secured two pins 6 one above the other and along these
is guided a sliding plate d¸rovided with a longitudinal slot hole c. The pins 6 project
somewhat above the surface of the rail d and are provided with a screw thread on
each of which is screwed a nut b¹ serving for the securing of the plate d. The
lower slightly bent end of e plate d is widened into an eye which is revolvable on
a disc e provided behind with a flange e¹ and having in front two studs f. Along
these two studs is guided the transverse bar g of the T shaped plate / said bar being
provided with a corresponding slot g' which is the connecting part proper between
the thorax part A and the pelvis part B. The securing of the position between the
transverse arm g and the disc e or the studs f is done by the screw i which is
screwed in a screw threaded hole tapped in the centre of the disc e. The geometrical
centre line S S of this screw i represents the sagittal axis already spoken of. The
vertical leg of the T shaped plate h terminates below in a socket h¹ within which
a rod k is secured by means of the eyelet pin the rod k being inserted into the
socket m secured to the steel hoop of the pelvis part B. The end of the stud k
projecting below from the socket m has a second eyelet . The raising of the
stud k in the socket m is prevented by the screw n. It is clear that by means of the
above described arrangeme the following adjustments are possible between the thorax
part A and the pelvis part L. After loosening the screw the thorax part A may be
revolved by means of the eye d' around the disc e that is, around the sagittal axis and
can then be secured in this position by tightening the screw i.
The part A with the connecting rails can be rotated around the rod k. The thorax
part after loosening the nut b¹ can be adjusted in the upper position on the rail d.

page_text: The thorax part after loosening the screw i can be adjusted to the right or left along
the transverse bar g and can be secured in the suitable position by the tightening of
the screw i.
By reason of these various adjustments of the thorax part A towards the pelvis
part B the improved apparatas is suitable for use as a corrective for very various and
more or less severe spinal deformities as at the beginning the apparatus is accurately
adjusted to the deformed spine and then from time to time it is adjusted to approach
always nearer to the normal position.
According to experience the deformities of the vertebral column do not only consist
of a lateral deviation from the normal longitudinal axis but mostly also at the same
time of a spiral shaped distortion. In fitting the apparatus the thorax part A with
the connecting plates will therefore act to distort the rod k from the normal position
corresponding to such curvature.
In order to enable this spiral distortion of the vertebral column to be also gradually
corrected there is added to the apparatus a device which tends continually to draw the
connecting plates with the thorax part into the normal position with regard to the
pelvis part.
The device is illustrated more particularly in Figs. 4 and 6. The same consists of a
bar o provided with a slot o' and which is fastened to the saddle q serving for con-
necting the socket m with the steel hoop l. In the slot o' is guided a slider which is
provided at the upper end with a semicircular groove and has beneath the latter a
holo tapped with female screw thread for the screw t located in the upwardly
bent end of the bar o. By turning the screw the slider may be moved to and
fro on the bar o.
Over the groove 1 of the slide r is placed a spiral spring u the ends of which are
fastened to the loops and secured to the rod k. By screwing the slide r forward
or backward the tension of the spiral spring u may be adjusted.
This spiral spring tends then with more or less power to turn the rod k in the
30cket m continually towards the side of the slide r and thereby counteracts spinal
distortion in the opposite direction. The position of the spiral spring shown by Figs. 4
and 6 corresponds to a distortion to the right of the vertebral column. If a distortion
the left of the vertebral column is to be treated the bar o with the spiral spring u is
'aken to the opposite side and screwed to the opposite lug of the saddle q as is shown
by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. If a spiral shaped distortion of the vertebral column
Loes not exist on either side and therefore a lateral counter pressure is only necessary
or the treatment of lateral curvature the bar o with the spiral spring u may be
! moved
The normal position between the connecting plate and the pelvis part is then
secured by a screw which as shown by Fig. 5 is passed through a slot in the sockel m
and screwed into a corresponding hole tapped in the rod k.
The figures 9 10 and 11 show in elevation plan and vertical section respectively a
simplified construction of the device for altering the tension of the spiral spring.
The
rod k terminates here in an octagon or nut end k' to which is attached a lever T¹ which
is connected with the one end of the spiral spring u³.
The other end of the latter is connected with the spring band of the pelvis part.
Instead of the octagon k¹ one can also adopt any other adjustable connection between
the parts and T'. It may be seen that by displacing the lever T¹ on the octagon in
the one or the other direction the tension of the spiral spring u³ can be increased or
diminished. The spiral spring may be turned to the one or other side.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. An apparatus for correcting spinal deformity consisting of the thorax part A and
of the pelvis part B in combination with an adjustable plate d with eye d¹ the disc
forming the pivot for the latter and the T shaped rail h the lower end of which is

page_text: revolvable on rod k in a socket fastened to the pelvis part for the purpose of relative
adjustment as set forth.
2. In the apparatus substantially as set forth in claim 1 a device for correcting
simultaneous spiral curvature of the spine by continual counter rotation of the thorax
part towards the pelvis part consisting of the slider adjustable on the right and left
of the spiral spring u placed around the latter and fastened on the rod k or consisting
of the spiral spring u¹ adjustable to the right and left and of the lever T¹ adjustable on
the rod k substantially as set forth.
Dated this 30th day of January 1890.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.