IMPROVEMENTS IN SYRINGES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George John Stanford, of No. 9, Southampton Buildings,
London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SYRINGES." A communica-
tion from abroad by William Washington Stewart, of Brooklyn, in the County
of Kings, State of New York, United States of North America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George John Stanford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th September 1878.
GEORGE JOHN STANFORD, of No. 9, Southampton Buildings, London.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SYRINGES." A communication from abroad by William Washington
Stewart, of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, State of New York, United States
of North America.
This Invention is related to that class of instruments which may be generally
denominated syringes, and it more especially refers to that class of instruments
where an elastic vessel or reservoir is substituted for a piston.
The application of the principles of this class of instruments, the practical uses,
are various, and it is not necessary to specify them herein, because the principle
point of the Invention rests in the structure of the elastic reservoir. In addition to
the description of the structure of the reservoir, I will however describe the details
of its application to syringes and fountain pens, which may be considered as repre-
senting the leading types of instruments to which it may be applied.
The Barrel. Heretofore when an elastic wall has been substituted for a piston,
the same has been in the form of a spheroidal bulb of soft vulcanite, to be grasped
by the hand, and the contents expelled by pressure from the fingers. The bulb is
replenished when pressure upon it is relaxed, by the "suction" produced by the
elastic expansion of the bulb in regaining its normal form.
The objection to this device is its instability unless constructed with very thick
walls, and therefore it is in a great measure unfitted for instruments adapted to
delicate operations.

page_text: The objects of this part of my Invention is to fortify the elastic bulb by an outside
case of more rigid material, but with flexible sides.
Therefore, in Fig. 1 I represent a bulb or reservoir such as has been alluded to
above, in which A is the elastic bulb of soft vulcanite, or some other material
equivalent in proportion, and B is the protecting or fortifying case or shell. This
shell may be made of metal, hard vulcanite, or any other similar substance, and
preferably in tubular form. The required flexibility is imparted to its sides by
longitudinal slits b, b, which may be straight, or oblique, and parallel or otherwise,
as preferred, the only object being to secure the amount of flexibility desirable for
the purpose from which the apparatus was designed. For some purposes these slits
are continuous, and extend over the entire length of the space which it is desired to
make flexible. For other purposes a less degree of flexibility may be desirable, and
the perforations may be in the form of short slits, or merely perforations, circular,
star-shaped, or of any form which fancy may dictate. The object being merely to
weaken and make flexible a surface otherwise practically unyielding.
A lining A of flexible material, which is also impervious to the fluid which is to
be handled, is placed so as to cover the slits b, b, and prevent the escape of said fluid.
This purpose will be accomplished whether the lining is placed within or without
the said case, but utility and good taste both make it preferable to place it inside of
the case.
For general purposes soft vulcanized caoutchouc is to be preferred as a material
for the lining, and hard vulcanite of caoutchouc or gutta percha is preferred for the
outside case, though it will be understood that the materials employed should be
suitable to the use designed for the implement.
It will be also understood that I do not restrict myself to exterior forms, but only
to the use of a substantially rigid shell weakened and made flexible at the proper
point by slits or perforations, and a flexible lining to cover said perforations and
prevent the escape of the encased fluid.
Fig. 3 represents a reservoir such as is described above, fitted with a nozzle D, and
thereby made to constitute a syringe suitable for a great variety of purposes, such, for
instance, as dentists require, for druggists and others in sampling, drop-measuring
liquids, handling acids, especially in small quantities. For oilers, and other like
uses. To illustrate some of these uses. Fig. 3 represents a plain syringe. Fig. 4 a
syringe with a long nozzle suitable for sampling and drop-measuring. Fig. 5, fitted
with a glass bulb nozzle suitable for handling acids. The special applications are
too numerous and too evident to make an effort to detail them all, necessary or
appropriate.
In Fig. 6 is represented the Invention applied to a holder for a pen, to con-
stitute a fountain pen. For this purpose it is required to add merely the appliance
to hold the pen, and adapt the Invention to the special circumstances of a pen.
Those parts are the head E. The adjusting slide F, and the vent G. The head E is
fitted to the end of the barrel or case B, and secured there by screw, thread, or any
common mode of fastening. Practically, I think a close fit and frictional contact is
sufficient. A groove e in the end of the head receives and holds the head of the
pen. A central duct f, longitudinal to the head E, conducts the ink from the
interior of the barrel, and permits its discharge through a lateral hole g, upon the
concave side of the pen, whence it descends by gravity to the point. While ink is
being expended in use by the flow from the point of the pen, said expenditure will
be made good by a flow from the barrel, caused by the pressure of the fingers during
the operation of writing. The perforations are arranged at that part of the barrel B
which will be occupied by the fingers and thumb, and the constantly pulsating
pressure of these members as the pen is moved over the paper will cause a constant
flow as described.
In penholders designed only for desk use no addition to the parts is required,
but for pocket use a valve is necessary, to prevent leakage while in the pocket,
and therefore in barrels designed for pocket use I place a sleeve h around

page_text: the stem ?, and arrange said sleeve so that it may be partly rotated, and thereby
open or close the orifice g. I prefer to secure said sleeve in place by means of the
stem i, which passes axially through the head E, and is secured on it by a nut h.
It is evident that this particular method need not be adapted, but as a practical
matter I prefer it. A little knob m serves to turn this sleeve one way or the other,
as may be desired, and proper stops are arranged to limit its movement.
Penmen differ very greatly in their methods of holding the pen, and hence the
barrel having exactly the requisite elasticity to suit one person will be entirely too
hard or too soft for another, it therefore, is desirable that the user shall be able to
adjust the clasticity of the holder to suit his habit, and this will also require require
adjustinent to adapt it to use with inks differing in fluidity, as the more fluid inks
will require less pressure to expell them than those which contain more gummy
matter. To accomplish this purpose I have applied a slide F, which may be inside or
outside of the barrel, but preferably the latter, and which by confining the slitted
portion practically shortens them, and reduces their flexibility, so that as the slide
is moved further on or off the slits the rigidity of the barrel is increased or
diminished, and adjusted to the habit of the user.
A ring slide is not the only means whereby this flexibility may be adjusted. As,
for instance, the slits may be short, (i.e.) with narrow connections "accross at short
intervals, and these connections, may be broken by the user to lengthen the slits and
increase the flexibility to suit, or other mechanical means may be employed. None
of these will however vary the general result aimed at, viz. :-to adjust this flexibility
to the habit of the user, and thereby avoid the necessity for manufacturing a multi-
plicity of grades, as well as to enable the user to suit himself at any time,. for this
purpose, the outside ring is by all means preferable.
At the opposite end of the barrel is a vent n, which is always closed while the
instrument is in use, but may be open when the barrel is to be charged by suction. If
it is charged by removing the head E no vent n will be required. At the end of
the barrel a cap p is fitted with a projection, which, when said cap is depressed by
securing it further on the barrel, enters and closes the vent securely, or a valve of
any other suitable kind may be fitted their :-
I have found it useful to employ a small soft caoutchouc bulb in filling the pen-
holder barrel it is applied to the upper end or cap p, the vent being open. The
air is expelled from the bulb by collapsing its walls before it is put in place, and.
then by exhausting the air from the barrel as it regains its normal form the ink
will be drawn in from a reservoir in which the orifice g is immerged.
By applying the bulb and collapsing it afterwards, any sediment or thickened ink
which may have collected in the duct f may be blown out.
After the pen has been used the surplus ink remaining in the pen may be returned
to the reservoir by holding the pen upward, and alternately squeezing and relaxing
the flexible sides, thereby alternately expelling the air and sucking the ink.
A cover to protect the pen while in the pocket is also employed.
Having now described the nature and construction of the Invention, what I
claim is,―
1st. A barrel B composed of substantially rigid material, and a section of its sides
weakened and made elastic by slits or perforations, as and for the purpose set forth,
combined with a flexible lining to cover said perforations, as set forth.
2nd. A barrel B composed of substantially rigid material, with a section of its
sides weakened and made flexible by slits b, b, longitudinal or oblique to the axis,
combined with a lining of soft vulcanite of caoutchouc, for the purpose set forth.
3rd. A barrel B the walls whereof are weakened by slits or perforations, as set
forth, and provided with a lining A of flexible material impervious to the liquid to
be confined, combined with a nozzle D, whereby when the walls are collapsed by
pressure the expressed fluid may be directed to the place desired.
4th. A barrel B the walls whereof are weakened and made flexible by slits or
perforations, as described, provided at one end with a nozzle D having a circular

page_text: groove e to receive the head of a pen, and a lateral orifice g to discharge the confined
fluid into the pen, as set forth.
5th. A barrel B the walls whereof are weakened and made flexible by slits or
perforations, as set forth, and provided with a flexible lining and nozzle D having a
lateral orifice g combined with a sleeve h, whereby the orifice may be closed and
leakage prevented.
6th. A barrel B the walls whereof are weakened and made flexible by slits or
perforations, as set forth, and provided with a flexible lining and head E fitted to
receive a pen combined with an adjusting device whereby the flexibility of the
perforated portion of the barrel may be regulated to suit the habit of the user, as
set forth.
7th. A barrel B the walls whereof are weakened and made flexible by slits or
perforations, as set forth, and provided with a flexible lining and head E fitted to
receive a pen, combined with a slide F which may be caused to limit the flexibility
of the perforated part of the wall, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George John Stanford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 14th day of September, in the year of our Lord
1878.
GEO. J. STANFORD. (L.S.)