IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR APPLYING THE ELECTRIC LIGHT TO SPECULUMS AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CASTLE SMITH of 49 Avenue Road, Regent's Park in the County of Middlesex,
Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS FOR APPLYING THE ELECTRIC LIGHT TO SPECULUMS AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC
INSTRUMENTS, to be as follows:-
Hitherto when making medical examinations or performing surgical operations.
by the aid of a speculum it has been usual to use a naked flame preferably of a
candle to give the light requisite to enable the operator to properly carry.out such
examination or operation.
It will be obvious that such a mode of giving light to the operator must have
many disadvantages for instance being obliged to hold the light in one hand he
has only one hand available for the operation or if the light is held for him it is
almost impossible to get it into the position or maintain it in the position best
suited for his purpose, while in either case the naked flame will more or less dazzle
his sight to say nothing of the danger to which the person of the patient
undergoing examination or the operation is exposed from the proximity of the
naked flame.
Now the use of the electric light per se presents many advantages over any
other mode of lighting for surgical purposes but its ready adaptability under
varying circumstances renders its use extremely desirable.
Now the object of the present invention is to enable the operator to use with
facility the electric light in combination with an ordinary speculum during the
examination or operation he is performing and the invention consists, in the means
for applying the said light to a speculum such as is now in common use.
In carrying out my invention I employ an incandescent lamp which I secure in
any convenient manner in a hollow metal holder or casing of such a form that the
lamp will be enclosed on three sides and open on the side which will be furthest
from the operator.
The bolder is conveniently pivotted to a plate of metal which is hinged to a pair
of spring clips intended to take onto the edge of the speculum the lamp projecting
more or less as required in front of the bell mouth of the speculum. The holder'
may if desired be made telescopic so that the lamp may be brought into the centre
Price Rd1

page_text: of the speculum. It may also be attached to the metal plate by a ball and socket
joint which will permit of the lamp being moved in any direction. The interior
of the metal holder or casing may also be fitted with some reflecting medium to
increase the light.
On the top of the metal plate above referred to is secured a plate of vulcanite
or other insulating material carrying the terminals to which the wires connected
with the carbon of the lamp are suitably attached.
In place of the spring clips I may hinge the metal plate to a threaded flanged
ring which fits over the mouth of the speculum and is secured at the back by
a second ring threaded to correspond, between which and the first ring the mouth
of the speculum will be firmly gripped.
Or I may use a clamping screw to secure the light holder to the speculum, but
inasmuch as ordinary speculums are made of glass the risk of breakage unless
great care were employed would be very great. By using the double joint I am
enabled to bring the lamp always parallel to the mouth of the instrument whatever
may be the distance the lamp projects over the mouth, but if desired the hollow
holder may be rigidly secured to the hinged metal plate.
Although the chief object of the invention is to apply the electric light to
speculums it will be obvious that it may be applied in a similar manner to other
scientific instruments with the use of which a light is required. For this purpose
I should in most cases prefer to use the clamping screw to secure the light
holder to the instrument, the apparatus in other respects being practically the
same.

page_text: I, CASTLE SMITH of 49, Avenue Road, Regent's Park in the County of Middlesex,
Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS FOR APPLYING THE ELECTRIC LIGHT TO SPECULUMS AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC
INSTRUMENTS, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Hitherto, when making medical examinations or performing surgical operations
by the aid of a speculum it has been usual when artificial light is required to use
a naked flame (preferably of a candle) to give the light requisite to enable the
operator properly to carry out such examination or operation.
It will be obvious that such a mode of giving light to the operator must have
many disadvantages for instance, he has to hold the light in one hand and therefore
has only one band available for the operation or if the light is held for him it is
almost impossible to get it into the position or maintain it in the position best
suited for his purpose while in either case the naked flame will more or less dazzle
his sight, to say nothing of the danger to which the person of the patient under-
going examination or the operation is exposed from the proximity of a naked flame
and also of the risk of setting fire to the bed or other clothes.
The electric light per se presents many advantages over any other mode of
lighting for surgical purposes and its ready adaptability under varying circumstances
renders its use extremely desirable.
Now the object of the present invention is to enable the operator to use the
electric light in combination with an ordinary speculum and the invention consists
in the means employed for applying an incandescent lamp to a speculum such as is
now in common use.
In the accompanying drawing Fig: 1 is a plan view of the apparatus constructed
according to my invention Fig: 2 is a side view and Fig: 3 is an underside plan
of the same Fig: 4 is an end view of a speculum with the lamp applied thereto
and Fig: 5 is a longitudinal section of an ordinary speculum shewing the lamp
in position. a is an incandescent lamp which is secured by binding with thread
or in any other convenient manner in a hollow metal holder or casing b, so that
the lamp shall be enclosed on its two sides and at back and exposed only in front.
This holder or casing 6 is connected by a ball and socket joint or is otherwise
adjustably secured to a metal plate c which is formed with two large holes d d and
is hinged to a pair of spring clips e whereby the apparatus may be attached to the
speculum.
To this metal plate c is secured in any convenient manner a. plate of vulcanite
or other insulating material f to which the terminals g are attached.
The terminals g are connected with the lamp by the coiled insulated wires h h,
or in any other convenient or suitable manner, the holes d in the plate c being of
sufficient size to allow for proper, insulation. The wires h h will allow of the
movement of the holder b in any direction within reasonable limits while the
double hinges will permit of the lamp being fixed in the position most suitable

page_text: for the operator and will also permit of the lamp being brought parallel to the
mouth of the speculum whatever may be the distance the lamp projects over
the mouth.
The holder or casing 6 will form a shade to the lamp and may be lined with some
reflecting material which will increase the light.
It will be seen from Fig. 4 that the lamp will take up but a small portion of
the available sight space even when placed in the position to obtain a direct light
down the speculum but by withdrawing the lamp to one side so as to obtain a
reflected light the whole of the sight space may be made available.
If desired the holder b may be made telescopic by which means it may be brought
quite to the centre of the speculum.
In place of the spring clip I may hinge the metal plate c to an internally threaded
flanged ring which fits over the mouth of the speculum and is secured at the back
by a second ring which screws into the first ring the mouth of the speculum being
gripped between the two rings. This modification, is, shewn at Fig: 6 ii being
the outside ring to which the plate c is hinged and ; the inside or gripping
ring.
°
may also use a clamping screw to secure the light holder to the speculum
but inasmuch as ordinary speculums are made of glass the clamping screw would
have to be used with care. It will however be evident that the means for securing
the light holder to the speculum may be varied to a considerable extent but the
spring clip is the simplest and most quickly applied and therefore preferable.
In applying the holder to other scientific instruments the use of which requires
a light as for instance the stage of a microscope I may use a clamping screw or a
spring clip to secure the light holder to the instrument.
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 clain is
The means for applying the electric light to speculums' and other scientific
instruments, such means consisting essentially in the combination of a lamp
holder a plate to which the lamp holder is pivotted or hinged and carrying
insulated terminals and a fastening to which the plate is hinged and by which the
apparatus is secured to the speculum or other instrument substantially as herein
shewn and described.