Improvements for the Connection of Electrical Conductors to Surgical or other Instruments.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements for the Connection of Electrical Conductors to Surgical
or other Instruments.
CHARLES SCOTT SNELL, Electrical Engineer of Culver Park, Saltash,
Cornwall do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is well known that surgical and other operations are now frequently performed
by the aid of electricity in such a way that the metal of the instrument with which
the operation is performed is used to conduct a current of electricity.
To facilitate the connection to the instrument we take a suitable elastic substance
such as india rubber of a cylindrical or other suitable shape and of the required
size, and to this we fasten a metal strip of any desired form, to which a conductor
from the battery or its equivalent is attached. The spring of the substance
employed aids in pressing the metal strip against the metal of the instrument.
Where the handle is required to be insulated, if an elastic substance such as
rubber is used, it may be used to insulate the handle, but in this case a metal strip
is pushed up between the rubber and the handle to make contact.
The metal strip may be roughened on the side next to the instrument, so as to
ensure better contact or may consist of small wires, or other pieces of metal likely
to make good contact. A metal clip or spring may also be used but this is not so
convenient.
C. SCOTT SNELL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements for the Connection of Electrical Conductors to Surgical
or other Instruments.
I, CHARLES SCOTT SNELL, Electrical Engineer of Culver Park, Saltash,
Cornwall, 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 :-
It is well known that surgical and other operations are now frequently performed
by the aid of electricity, in such a way that the metal of the instrument with which
the operation is performed, is used to conduct a current of electricity.
To facilitate the connection of the instrument I take a suitable elastic substance,
such as india-rubber, marked A in Figs. 1, 4, and 5 of a cylindrical or other
suitable shape and of the required size, and to this I fasten a metal strip of any
desired form, to which a conductor from the battery or its equivalent is attached.
This is seen in enlarged detail in Fig. 4 side elevation, and Fig. 5 front elevation,
in which A is a piece of rubber tube, B a metal clip and C the conductor soldered
thereto, and leading to any suitable source of electricity.
The spring of the substance employed aids in pressing the metal strip against the
metal of the instrument.
Where the handle is required to be insulated, if an elastic substance such as
rubber is used, it may be used to insulate the handle, but in this case a metal strip
This is shown on
is pushed up between the rubber and handle to make contact.
the left of the forceps Fig. 1, in which A is the rubber, B the copper and C the
conductor. In Figs. 2 and 3 the metal strip is shown, one figure showing a front
and the other a side elevation. The metal strip may be roughened on the side
next to the instrument, so as to ensure a scraping or cleaning action, affording a
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page_text: better contact, or may consist of small wires, or other pieces of metal likely to
make good contact. A metal clip or spring may also be used, as shown in side
elevation and section by Figs. 6 and 7 respectively, but this is not so convenient.
In Fig. 1 the two different attachments are for convenience shown on one pair of
forceps, not that they would necessarily be so used. It will be readily recognised
that the grip on the instrument will tend to force the two metal surfaces together
and increase the security of the attachment, also that these arrangements do away
with the necessity for specially fitted instruments, no terminals or the like being
required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. The arrangement or combination of the parts of an electrical attachment for
use in connection with surgical or other instruments; whereby an elastic flexible
material admitting of great adaptibility to suit varying sizes of handles or the like,
is so affixed to or combined with a metal contact making strip and conductor, that
electrical connection may be readily made with the instrument required, without
the necessity of specially fitting it with a terminal or other electrical fitting,
substantially as described in reference to and shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5.
2. The combination of a metal spring and conductor attached thereto for the
purpose specified substantially as described in reference to and shown in Figs. 6
and 7.
Deted this 11th day of Waha 1902
C. SCOTT SNELL.