IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CATAMENIAL AND OTHER MEDICAL BANDAGES
Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM BRADBURY ROBINSON of Brampton in the County of Derby, Lint,
Cotton, Wool and Bandage Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CATAMENIAL AND OTHER
MEDICAL BANDAGES" to be as follows:
This invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of catamenial
and other medical bandages.
I first, produce tubes of an open gauze like material this I do by weaving cloth
with alternate strips double and single lengthwise of the fabric.-I afterwards
divide the cloth from end to end through the single fabric thus separating the
tubes and each tube I turn inside out.-Or I may weave separate tubes in a'
narrow loom or loom suitable for the production of narrow goods.
I bleach the fabric after weaving and so render the cloth absorbent. I then fill
the tubes with fibrous material in two layers one absorbent and the other less so
this I do by placing the tube of fabric upon the exterior of a metal guide which
may be a tube or may be composed of separate rods.-The guide serves to keep
the fabric distended whilst the filling is passed into it.
The fibrous filling is put through the guide and as it emerges the fabric is drawn
forward with it off the exterior of the guide.
The tube thus filled is cut into lengths suitable for pads and these are attached
by sewing to a band the ends of the tube being at the same time closed.
The band is by preference woven with alternate strips single and double-the
double parts receive tapes by which the bandage is supported.
In weaving the tubes I sometimes beat up the cloth closer at intervals where
the tube is cut through to divide it into lengths and so I obtain a firmer fabric for
sewing in closing the pads at the ends and attaching them to the bands.
Or I can make the back of the tube stouter and closer than the front by
introducing more warp.

page_text: "
Improvements in the Manufacture of Catamenial and other
Medical Bandages.
I, WILLIAM BRADBURY ROBINSON of Brampton in the County of Derby, Lint,
Cotton, Wool and Bandage Manufacturer 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 has for its object improvements in the manufacture of catamenial
and other medical bandages.
I first produce tubes of an open gauze like material preferably of cotton; this
I do by weaving cloth with alternate strips double and single lengthwise of the
fabric. Where the fabric is double it forms a tube and the warp in the fabric
is in the direction of the length of the tube. The way to weave such double and
single fabrics is well understood by weavers. For a catamenial bandage it will be
suitable if each tubular or double part of the fabric measures from three to four
inches from side to side, for other uses they may be wider. The intervening strips
of narrow fabric may be conveniently about one inch in width. These portions of
the fabric are denser than the tubular parts. I afterwards divide the cloth from
end to end through the single fabric thus separating the tubes and each tube I turn
inside out.
Or I may weave separate tubes in a narrow loom or looms suitable for the
production of narrow goods but this is less economical.
I bleach the fabric after weaving and so render the cloth absorbent.
I then fill the tubes with fibrous material of an absorbent nature-bleached
cotton in the sliver is suitable. For catamenial bandages 1 prefer to provide two
or more layers one absorbent and the other less so, the layer on the inner side
being say of bleached cotton and the layer on the outer side of unbleached cotton.
For the purpose of introducing the filling I place the tube of fabric upon the
exterior of a metal guide which may be a tube or may be composed of separate
rods. The guide serves to keep the fabric distended whilst the filling is passed
into it. The guide which I employ by preference is a trumpet mouthed tube
flattened at the top and bottom; its size is such that the fabric tube to the length
of several yards can be accumulated upon it, and the slivers to fill the tube can
pass freely through its interior.
The fibrous filling is put through the guide and as it emerges the fabric is
drawn forward with it off the exterior of the guide. For making catamenial
bandages the tube thus filled is cut into lengths of from 9 to 12 inches each
Buitable to form the pad for a bandage and these are attached by sewing to a band
the ends of the tube being at the same time closed.
This band is by preference woven with alternate strips single and double; the
double parts receive tapes by which the bandage is supported.
The band for the catamenial bandage is of a length to project beyond the end of
the pad about five inches at either end; the double or tubular portion through
which the tape is to be passed commences at about one inch from the extremity of
the band and is of a width of about one and a quarter inches. The band may be

page_text: in one long length and extend along the pad or it may be in two short lengths; in
either case the pad is sewn by its ends to the band and the sewing closes the ends
of the external tube of the pad.
For surgical bandages I fill the tubes of fabric as above described or it may be
entirely with the more absorbent material but do not cut them into lengths.
Such bandages are very suitable for use with plaster of Paris and other stiffening
materials as often practiced by surgeons. For catamenial bandages I sometimes do
not fill the tubular fabric continuously with porous materials but pass forward the
porous material through the guide in lengths of say 10 or 12 inches each sufficient
for a pad. Between these lengths of filling I leave portions of the tubular fabric
unfilled. These unfilled parts are afterwards cut through in the middle leaving
ends projecting beyond the pad sufficient to serve as the band.
In weaving the tubes I sometimes beat up the cloth closer at intervals where
the tube is cut through to divide it into lengths in this way I make at intervals
bands in which the fabric is solid whereas elsewhere as already stated it is of an
open gauze like texture. So I obtain a firmer fabric for sewing in closing the
pads at the ends and attaching them to the bands. Or I can make the back of the
tube stouter and closer than the front by introducing more warp and weft.
I would remark that in the specification of a former patent granted to me
N° 2753 in the year 1884 I have described pads made from a fabric woven
alternately single and double with cavities extending across the fabric. This
fabric was then cut up lengthwise and fibrous material placed between the upper
and lower surfaces where these were separate. The construction which I have
described in the present specification is as will be seen very different.
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 :-
(1.) The production of catamenial and other bandages substantially as described
from tubes of woven fabric in which the warp runs lengthwise of the tube and
which are filled with more or less absorbent fibrous material by placing the tube
of fabric upon a tubular or other guide and passing the filling into the tube
through the interior of the guide.
(2.) The production of catamenial bandages substantially as described from such
tubes of woven fabric filled with more or less absorbent material by cutting the
same transversely into lengths suitable for pads, closing the ends of the pads and
attaching them to bands as herein set forth.
(3.) The production of catamenial bandages substantially as described from
tubes of fabric filled with more or less absorbent material and woven with
transverse bands at intervals thicker than the rest of the fabric, by cutting the
same into lengths through the thicker part and attaching the pads so produced to
bands as herein set forth.
(4.) The production of catamenial bandages substantially as described from
tubes of fabric filled with more or less absorbent material and woven with the
back of the tube stouter and closer than the front by cutting the same transversely
into lengths suitable for pads, closing the ends of the pads and attaching them to
bands as herein set forth.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant,