An Improved Appliance for Use in Soldering Artificial Teeth to Mouth Plates.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Appliance for Use in Soldering Artificial Teeth to
Mouth Plates.
1, JOHN FLETCHER, of 1, Cumberland Street, Bristol, Surgeon Dentist, 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 which relates to the process of soldering artificial teeth to mouth
plates consists in an improved appliance for facilitating the said process.
The appliance which constitutes this invention consists of a bracket or carrier
free to rotate and designed to receive a tray adapted to take investments with the
teeth in place and which tray is attachable to and detachable from the said carrier.
Upon this tray, when detached, is placed the investment with the teeth in place,
and the tray with its contents is heated over a Bunsen burner or by a stove.
When sufficiently heated, the tray is placed upon the carrier and clamped by a
clamping screw or other suitable catch.
The investment tray carrier is supported on a suitable handle and is turned
about by the operator who is thus enabled to bring the soldering flame to bear
directly on any part of the work.
The means for rotating the investment tray carrier may vary. According to
one arrangement, rotation of the investment tray carrier is effected by means of a
rack and pinion; the rack being moved backwards and forwards at will by the
operator holding the appliance by the handle. Or, rotation may be effected by
means of a cam actuated through the handle. Or a disc crank or other crank may
be adopted, or a system of levers or other suitable mechanism.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents in side view, my improved dental appliance arranged in
accordance with one form of construction under which the investment tray carrier
is rotated by means of a rack and pinion.
Fig. 2 is a plan with the investment tray removed.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the investment tray shown detached from the investment tray
carrier or bracket.
The carrier or bracket a for carrying the investment tray b is rigidly secured
upon the spindle c on which is also rigidly secured a pinion d free to rotate in the
lugs d' d' of which d' is made in one piece with the handle e, and d³ is secured to d¹
by the screw d³. The pinion d gears with a rack f which extends parallel with
the handle e the stem of which, from the socket e¹ upwards, is shaped as shown at
Fig. 4 which is a section at x Fig. 2. The stem is thus L-shaped to assist to
keep the rack frigid and in place. Below the socket e¹ the rack f bears on a
plate e fixed to the handle e. A milled edged button or stud f', is fixed to the
rackfand, by pressure exerted by the thumb on the said button or stud f¹, the
rack is moved backwards or forwards at the will of the operator who is thus
enabled to rotate the tray carrier a in either direction. The investment tray b
consists of a perforated copper plate slightly dished and secured by bending it at
the edges upon a wire frame which is in outline approximately heart-shaped. The
plate may be otherwise secured to the frame which is extended to form a handle g
as shown.

page_text: In practically using the appliance in soldering artificial teeth, the tray b, having
been detached from the carrier a, is, bearing the investment and teeth, subjected
to the action of heat from a Bunsen burner or stove and, when the investment and
teeth have been heated to the required degree, the tray handle g is grasped
between tongs, or the like, and the tray b returned to the carrier a and hooked to
the eye a¹ and clamped by the clamping pin h fixed to the bracket a and projecting
through the slot g' in the plate g2 extended across the handle g. The operator
then, by means of the thumb, bearing on the milled edged button or stud f',
actuates the rack f backwards or forwards and thus, through the medium of the
pinion d, turns the carrier a and the investment tray b with it, and, by this means,
the operator is, without change of position, enabled to readily direct the soldering
flame directly to bear on any desired point in the operation of soldering the teeth
to the mouth plate.
The appliance facilitates and expedites the operation of soldering teeth, and
the investment tray is more durable than the reticulated wire devices hitherto
used.
I do not confine myself to the means herein before described for rotating the
investment tray carrier, that is to say, a rack and pinion, as it is obvious that a
cam or a disc crank or other crank or a system of levers or other suitable
mechanism may be employed in lieu of a rack and pinion for turning the carrier.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) An appliance for use in soldering artificial teeth to mouth plates, in which
a carrier or bracket for carrying a detachable investment tray is supported on
a suitable handle or stem and is arranged for rotation at the will of the operator
about a suitable pivot, either by means of a rack and pinion or by other suitable
mechanism.
(2.) In an appliance for use in soldering artificial teeth to mouth plates such
as claimed in the preceding claim, means for rotating the investment tray carrier
or bracket; said means consisting of a pinion such as d fixed on the carrier
spindle and gearing with a rack such as f which is extended back parallel with
the handle by which the bearings of the spindle of the said pinion are supported ;
the said rack being free to be reciprocated by the operator and thus to cause the
carrier to turn, substantially as hereinabove described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
(3.) The investment tray b consisting of a plate of copper or other suitable
metal or material secured upon a suitable frame and attachable to and detachable
from the carrier.
Dated this 24th day of November 1896.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.