IMPROVEMENTS IN SPECULUM TUBES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hobson Aveling, of Upper Wimpole Street, and
James Joseph Hicks, of Hatton Garden, both in the County of Middlesex, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPECULUM TUBES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hobson Aveling and
James Joseph Hicks at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
7th May 1881.
JAMES HOBSON AVELING, of Upper Wimpole Street, and JAMES JOSEPH HICKS,
of Hatton Garden, both in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SPECULUM TUBES."
The Invention has for its object improvements in speculum tubes, and relates to
those which are made of glass silvered on the outside, and which have the silvering
protected by a coating of elastic gum or other suitable material.
Heretofore in such description of speculum tubes the protecting coating has
been applied to the entire outer surface of the tube, and to and over the entering
edge thereof, in order to prevent the latter cutting or otherwise injuring the
patient.
By this plan however the protecting coating has been liable to injury from
blows and otherwise on account of being carried to and over the extreme end of
the tube.
We avoid these inconveniences and retain all the advantages of a smooth
entrance end to speculum tubes in the following manner:-
.
We carry the protecting coating to within a short distance of the entrance end
of the tube leaving the glass tube uncovered for such short distance, and we smooth.
the end of the said tube by polishing the same or by fusing it.
In some cases we thicken the end of the glass tube, applying the thickening on
the outer surface thereof so as to form a protection to the edge of the protective
coating, but where such thickening is not applied we taper, bevel, or round off the
edge of the protective coating in order to preserve it from injury and at the same
time prevent it from injuring the patient.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Hobson Aveling and James Joseph Hicks in the Great Seal
. Patent Office on the 7th November 1881.
JAMES HOBSON AVELING, of Upper Wimpole Street, and JAMES JOSEPH HICKS,
of Hatton Garden, both in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
SPECULUM TUBES."
The Invention has for its object improvements in speculum tubes, and relates to
those which are made of glass silvered on the outside, and which have the silvering
protected by a coating of elastic gum or other suitable material.
Heretofore in such description of speculum tubes the protecting coating has
been applied to the entire outer surface of the tube, and to and over the entering
edge thereof in order to prevent the latter cutting or otherwise injuring the
patient.
By this plan however the protecting coating has been liable to injury from
blows and otherwise on account of being carried to and over the extreme end of
the tube.
We avoid these inconveniences and retain all the advantages of a smooth
entrance end to speculum tubes in the following manner :-
According to the plan represented in section at Figure 1 we carry the protecting
coating a to within a short distance of the entrance end b¹ of the tube b, leaving
the glass tube b uncovered for such short distance, and we smooth the end 6¹ of
the said tube by polishing the same or by fusing it.
In some cases, as represented in sections at Figures 2 and 3, we thicken the
end of the glass tube b, applying such thickening on the outer surface thereof
so as to form a protection to the edge of the protective coating a, but where such
thickening is not applied we taper, bevel, or round off the edge of the protective
coating a, as represented at Figure 1, in order to preserve it from injury, and at
the same time prevent it from injuring the patient.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the mode in which
we carry the same into effect, we would have it understood that what we
claim is,―
The improvements herein described in speculum tubes whereby the protective
coating is secured against injury, and a smooth entrance end is obtained,
substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Joseph Hicks, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.one.
JAS. J. HICKS. (L.S.)