Improvements in Needle Holders for Surgical Operations.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 18th May, 1893-Accepted, 24th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Needle Holders for Surgical Operations.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM KROHNE of 8 Duke Street Manchester Square
London W. Surgical Instrument Maker do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of needle holders for surgical
operations, and has for its object to provide a more convenient and effective
instrument than has hitherto been used.
In instruments of this description, as constructed heretofore, the stationary arm,
having at one end part of the gripping device, is provided with a lug at about its
centre, to which is pivotted the second arm, against which a strong spring bears.
The end of this arm has a projecting part with a pin taking into a lateral slot in
the blade forming the lower part of the gripping device.
Pins and slots or any
other suitable sliding devices are used, connecting this blade and the stationary
blade together, which allow of the first sliding up or down vertically on the
second. When the movable arm is grasped, and the two are pressed together, the
movable blade is caused to move up aud grip the needle firmly, the device being
kept in position by a notched catch at the end of the stationary arm, holding the
movable arm in any desired position. This arrangement is somewhat clumsy and
awkward, as the arms are not centrally arranged, with reference to the gripping
arrangement, one projecting to a considerable distance on one side.
In my present arrangement, I dispense with the lug carrying the second arm,
and pivot it centrally on the stationary arm. This stationary arm is provided with
a slot, so that the pin can move up or down, carrying the arm and lower blade of
the gripper. Both of these latter have holes into which the pin fits, being screwed
to one side of the arm, the end of which forms a knuckle joint. In order to form
a lever, so that the rod may move up and grip the needle, a recess or stop is formed
in the movable arm, against which the end of the spring projects. The spring on
being pressed closer to the stationary arm, straightens, and pushing against the
stop, moves the second arm up, carrying the lower blade of the gripper with it,
the slot in the stationary part allowing this to be done. The device for holding the
instrument in this position is similar to that used in the other instruments, but has
an additional part consisting of a ledge, against which the end of the movable arm
abuts, when pressed down tightly, thereby preventing any undue strain being put
upon the gripper.
It will be seen that with this arrangement a much neater and more convenient
instrument can be made, the arms being situated centrally with the blades, instead
of one projecting from the side of the other.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Needle Holders for Surgical Operations.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM KROHNE of 8, Duke Street, Manchester Square,
London, W. England, Surgical Instrument Maker, 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 relates to an improved construction of needle holder for surgical

page_text: operations, and has for its object to provide a more convenient and effective
instrument than has hitherto been used.
In instruments of this description, as constructed heretofore, the stationary arm,
having at one end part of the gripping device, is provided with a lug at about its
centre, to which is pivotted the second arm, against which a strong spring bears.
The end of this arm has a projecting part with a pin taking into a lateral slot in
the blade, forming the lower part of the gripping device. Pins and slots or any
other suitable sliding devices are used, connecting this blade and the stationary
blade together, which allow of the first sliding up or down vertically on the second.
When the movable arm is grasped, and the two are pressed together, the movable
blade is caused to move up and grip the needle firmly, the device being kept in
position by a notched catch at the end of the stationary arm, holding the movable
arm in any desirable position. This arrangement is somewhat clumsy, and
awkward, as the arms are not centrally arranged, with reference to the gripping
arrangement, one projecting to a considerable distance on one side.
In my present arrangement, I dispense with the lug carrying the second arm,
and pivot it centrally on the stationary arm. This stationary arm is provided with
a slot, so that the pin can move up or down, carrying the arm and lower blade of
the gripper. Both of these latter have holes into which the pin fits, being screwed
to one side of the arm, the end of which forms a knuckle joint. In order to form
a lever, so that the rod may move up, and grip the needle, a recess or slot is
formed in the movable arm, against which the end of the spring projects. The
spring on being pressed closer to the stationary arm straightens, and pushing
against the stop, moves the second arm up, carrying the lower blade of the gripper
with it, the slot in the stationary part allowing this to be done. The device for
holding the instrument in this position is similar to that used in the other instru-
ments, but has an additional part, consisting of a ledge, against which the end of
the movable arm abuts, when pressed down tightly, thereby preventing any undue
strain being put upon the gripper.
It will be seen that with this arrangement, a much neater and more convenient
instrument can be made, the arms being situated centrally with the blades, instead
of one projecting from the side of the other.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference is had to
the accompanying drawings, in which
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations partly in section, taken at right angles to one
another, of an instrument of my improved construction, Figs. 3 and 4 similar views
of a slightly modified form, and
Fig. 5 a cross section of the blades at xx, showing the manner in which they
are connected at the end.
A is the stationary or main arm with blade a, formed in one piece with it, and
carrying the spring B which is made of considerable strength, fastened to it by
means of the key hole shaped slot and screw, in such a manner that it can be
readily detached. This arm is provided with the slot C by means of which the
second arm D and blade E are connected to it. According to Figs. I and 2, these
are pierced with holes through which a pin F passes, screwed at one end and
provided with a finger piece. The blades B and E are flat at their inner surface
so that they slide closely on each other, being held together at their end by the
pieces e, the arm D being forked, the two forked parts being at the outside of the
connection. The pin is screwed at its inner end close to the head, as shown in
Fig. 2 so that it cannot be screwed up too tight, and press the parts together,
causing them to work stiffly. The arm D is furnished with the recess d into which
the end of spring projects in such a manner that when the arms are pressed
together, the end of the spring will abut against the bottom of the recess, and
being straightened by the pressure, will force the arm and blade E with connecting
pin forward, the slot allowing the pin to move in it, and the blade E to slide on
the main blade a, taking up the position shown in full lines in the figures, the
open position in which the parts are out of action being shown in dotted lines in

page_text: Figs. 1 and 3. The needle is gripped between the enlarged end a', of the blade a,
forming a ledge, and the end of the blade E. In order to hold the arm D in
position, after the needle has been inserted, an arm G is provided hinged to the
arm A, having a square end against which the end 6 of the spring B rests, thus
holding the arm G in position in a resilient manner. A number of small ratchet
teeth are formed on the inner side of this arm, which serve to hold the end of the
arm D, which is notched in order to be held more securely. In Fig. 1 the arm G
is shown with a shoulder g, to prevent the arms being pressed too closely together,
and straining the instrument, the end of the arm D abutting against it when it is
pressed in far enough. The spring B allows the arm G to spring back when the
arm D is closed sufficiently for it to pass and be held by the teeth. In Figs. 3
and 4, the arrangement is practically the same, but instead of employing a screwed
pin F, a pin F is used, fixed in the blade E and projecting through the slot C and
and a slot D' in one of the forks of the arm D. By this arrangement the arm can
readily be disconnected or connected without requiring any screw.
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) In an instrument of the kind described, the combination of an arm A, having
blade α, and spring B, with a second arm D and blade E, connected to the first
mentioned arm by a pin and slot, the arm D being provided with a recess d, into
which the end of the spring C projects, substantially as described and for the
purposes specified.
(2) In an instrument of the kind described, the combination of an arm A, having
a blade a and spring B, a second blade E and arm D with recess d, connected to
the first mentioned arm by means of a pin and slot, with the pivotted arm G having
teeth and shoulder g, held in position by means of a spring and acting as a catch
substantially as and for the purposes described.
(3) In an instrument for holding needles for surgical purposes, the combination
with an arm A, having blade a, spring B, slot C and pivotted catch arm G held by
one end B2 of the spring B, of an arm D having recess d, and blade E connected
to the arm A by the pin F, passing through perforations in the arm D and blade E,
and the slot C substantially as described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the
drawings.
(4) In
a needle holding instrument, the combination of an arm A, having
blade a, slot C, spring B and spring catch arm G, with arm D, having recess d and
slot D', and blade E provided with pin F", substantially as described and illustrated
in Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings, and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 18th dow of Mar 1802
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.