AN IMPROVEMENT ON SINGLE AND DOUBLE TRUSSES
Year: 1819

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PHILIP
PINDIN, of Farningham, in the County of Kent, Shoemaker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George' the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twentieth day of
April, in the fifty-ninth year of His reign, give, and grant unto me, the
said Philip Pindin, my exors, admňors, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Philip Pindin, my
exors, adññors, and assigns, during the term of years therein mentioned, should
and 'might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's 'Colonies and
Plantations abroad, my Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT ON SINGLE AND
DOUBLE TRUSSES; in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso
that if I, the said Philip Pindin, shall not particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be perforined,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to
be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letter's Patent, that
then the said Letters Patent, and all libérties and advantages whatsoever
thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by
the same, relation being thereunto had, will more fully and 'at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Philip Pindin, do hereby declare that my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into effect and used, is herein-after fully
described and ascertained, reference being had to the Drawing of the same
which is hereunto annexed, and in which Fig. I. represents a perspective view
of one of my said improved trusses, as the same is to be made and used for the
disorder called an umbilical or navel rupture; this truss consists of the pad 1,
which is secured over the affected part by the body or belly band 2, 2, and the
several other parts herein-after described. The pad for this truss I make or
construct as follows:-
First, a piece of calf, morocca, roan, or other fit leather is cut out for the
front of it, of a shape resembling Fig. II., or of such other shape and of such
dimensions as the nature of the disorder may require. This piece may
be stitched or otherwise ornamented at pleasure, before the making up of
the pad, and for distinction sake I call this the outer leather; next, a thicker
piece of calf or other leather is cut to the same size as the former, or rather less,
having its edge pared thin on the rough side, and this I call the inner leather;
these two are now put with their rough sides in contact with each other,
'and they are so held together by the tails of the studs 7, 8, 9, 10, 13,
and 16, Fig. II., which pass through both these leathers and through
holes in pieces of tin or other metal on the inner side of the same, and
upon these they are strongly rivetted; and lastly, two small holes for a
ribbon to pass through are made the centre of this piece.
In the next place
a piece of sound cork is prepared of the same shape as Fig. II., but about
half an inch less in length and breadth whatever its size may be. This piece
of cork is in the first instance about half an inch thick, but has a hole formed
in its centre of about an inch in diameter, and is cut into a dish-like or hollow
form so as to appear in section like c, c, in Fig. III., this section being
supposed to be taken through the line a, b, in Fig. II.; the cork thus shaped is
then covered (hole and all) on both sides with wash leather sewed round the
external edges, and pressed into the hole in the cork towards its convex
surface; and lastly, a piece of calf or other strong but thin leather, larger than
the hole, is pasted or glued, and sewed upon the convex surface of this cork
pad, having a small hole worked in its centre to permit a ribbon to pass
through it. Fig. III. is a general section of this pad, in which c, c, is the
cork; the yellow line d, d, d, d, the wash leather enveloping it; and e, e, the calf
leather fixed upon it, having the hole f in its centre; g, g, is the inner and h, h,
the outer leathers. The hollow or concave side of the cork so prepared and
covered with leather, as aforesaid, is next covered by a soft pad of sattin,

page_text: linen, wash or other leather, or other fit materials, evenly stuffed with combed.
wool or other soft and elasting material (except in the centre only, which is
without stuffing), such pad being about half an inch larger each way than the
cork pad, and about the same thickness when stuffed. It is seen in section
at i, i, in the same Figure. This last pad is fixed by tufts of silk or cotton k, k,.
and stitches of strong thread or silk, shewn at l, l, as they would appear when
not drawn tight, and these pass through the same, and likewise through the
cork pad very near to its edge, and also through the inner leather, so as to
attach the whole of these three firmly together, and when this is effected I fix
the inside and outside leathers together by means of glue, paste, sewing, or any.
other sufficient means, by which the whole becomes consolidated into one pad.
Lastly, a moveable pad m, composed of sattin, linen, or wash leather, stuffed
with wool, sponge, eider down, or such like soft and elastic material, is fixed to
a narrow double ribbon or tape, passing through the central holes in the several
leathers of the pad, and is tied in the front. This pad m may be removed or made.
larger or less, or harder or softer, as the nature of the complaint may require.
The entire pad thus formed is held and secured in its place by the body or belly-
band 2, 2, Fig. I., which is made of leather, sattin, or other fit material, and
is lined with wash leather, and stuffed or padded with Witney coating, flannel,
or other soft material. This band may be about two inches wide for adults, and.
must terminate in two buckling straps at each of its ends, marked 3, 4, 5, and 6,
for the purpose of securing and regulating the pressure. The buckles are
attached to small leather straps that button on to the studs 7, 8, 9, and 10, in
the front of the pad, as seen in Fig. II. But for children or when the truss.
is required to be small, four longer studs to take two straps each may be used;
and in order to produce a greater degree of pressure, I apply a small pad of
leather stuffed with wool or other soft material under each buckle, as seen.
at 11, 11, 11, 11, in Figre I., taking care that the length of the buttoning straps
be such as not to let these last-mentioned pads be entirely beyond nor upon
the pad 1, but so adjusted that their centres may come over the edge of the.
same. 12, 12, are shoulder straps or braces of linen, tape, leather, or other.
material, also padded with flannel or Witney coating; these button on to two
studs or buttons fixed to receive them near the middle of the back of the body.
or belly band, while their other ends button upon the two upper studs 13, 13, of
the pad 1, drawn separately at Figure II. These shoulder straps prevent the
pad from falling downwards, and to prevent its rising, I use the thigh belts
14, 14, Fig. I.; these are made of thin calf or wash leather, or linen, in the
inside, strengthened by calf or other ornamental leather or material on the
outside, and are flat and padded with Witney coating or flannel from n to o

page_text: .
being the part which comes on the outside of the thigh, while the part P, which
comes within the thigh, and which would otherwise cause a chafing, is made
round, oval, or other convenient shape, by closing the external or principal
leather so as to form it into a sort of small pipe; or this leather may remain flat
and be cut narrower, and be strengthened by an extra piece of leather added to
it pared thin at its edges, round which is rolled Witney coating, flannel, or other
soft material, which is covered by an external casing of calf or 'wash leather,
or linen. The buckle is prevented from hurting the skin by a soft pad under-
neath it, similar to 'those at 11, 11, 11, 11, and immediately behind the buckles
a leather or other strap lined or not with wash leather, as' at -15, 15, is sewed on
and rises upwards and buttons upon the two lower studs 16, 16, of the pad,
thus preventing it most effectually from rising. 17, 17, are two similar, straps
sewed to the opposite sides of the thigh belts, 'and buttoning upon two studs or
buttons in the body or belly belt placed just behind the hips, for the purpose of
assisting in keeping up the thigh belt. Fig. IIII. is a view of this.truss-as
fixed upon the body, by which the uses of the several parts, and the manner of
fixing and using the same, will be apparent, the same references being used to
this Figure as to Figure 'I.
Fig. V. is a perspective view of one of my 'single trusses to be used for a
rupture in the groin, the present figure being 'adapted to the left side, but for
the right side it would be exactly the same, save only the transposition of the
parts and the substitution of a right-sided pad. This, like the last truss,
consists of the pad 1, the body belt 2, 2, the thigh bélt 14, and the back:
brace or strap 17 to keep up the thigh belt; the manner in which this truss is
to be used and worn will be apparent from inspection of Fig. VI., which
represents it fixed in its right situation upon the body. The pad is formed of
the same materials as that last described, but is rather different in shape and
construction, Fig. VII. shewing a front view of a pad for the 'right side, and
Fig. VIII. one for the left. This pad consists of an outside and inside leather
like the last, the shape of which is shewn at Figs. VII. and VIII. by the
letters q, q, q, drawn of one half of the average length and breadth in these
Figures which I usually make it for adults. The metal studs or buttons on
this pad are riveted through the front and back leathers, and a piece of tin or
other metal within, which assists likewise in preserving the form of the pad, as
in the former case; and these studs are in this truss either 3, 4, or 5 in
number, and must be disposed so as to make the pad sit with ease to. the
patient, according to the circumstances of the complaint; but the forms shewn
at r, s, t, v, in the Figures, which are purposely varied, will be generally found
most convenient. Immediately upon and next to the inner leather is placed a

page_text: pad of cork of the same 'shape as the said leather, but rather smaller, cut flat
or a little hollow towards the inner leather, and' shamfered to a thin edge on
the other side, while the middle part is left convex or protuberant. The
convex side of the cork is next covered with a piece of Witney coating or
blanketting cut to fit, but not to overlap it, and the cork and blanket together
are covered with wash leather overlapping them, and sewed upon the flat.side.
This cork pad'so prepared is. next covered on its convex side with another pad
of the same shape as the cork, but about half an inch wider all round, and
about an inch thick, which pad is formed of thin calf leather at the back, cut
about the size of the cork when' covered, and upon the edge of which is sewed
the wash leather which forms its front. Lastly, it is stuffed with combed wool
or other soft and elastic material to a proper degree of hardness for the
complaint by a slit cut in 'the calf leather back, as shewn at Figure XII. The
disposition of the several parts of this pad are shewn, in section (taken through
the line u, u, Figure VII.) at Figure IX., in which q, q, is the 'outer and w, w,
the inner leather; r, s, t, v, being the studs or buttons passing through the
same; is the piece of cork covered with Witney coating and wash leather, and
y, y, the last-mentioned.pad, which is to be secured to the inner leather W., W.,
by a row of silk or other.tufts and stitches of thread, silk, or twine z, z, which
are made all round the same at from half to thrée quarters of an inch-asunder
Lastly, the inner and outer leathers q, q, and w, w, are to be glued; pasted, or
otherwise affixed together, and then the pad will be compleat. The other
parts of this truss are so nearly similar to the one first described that it becomes
almost unnecessary to mention them. The body belt 2, 2, being formed in the
same manner and with the same materials, except that it is generally made
about half an inch less in width, and that instead of having double buckling
straps at its ends it generally has but one buckling strap at one end only, while
the other end buttons. on to the upper stud or button r of the pad. The
parts of this belt which pass over the 'hips are likewise occasionally made
round, oval, or other convenient shape, by covering the leather strap with
Witney coating, or other soft material, and then wash or other leather goes
found the whole, as before described, to prevent its chàfing. The thigh.belt is
likewise made in the same manner as before described, p'being the rounded
part for the inside of the thigh. 11, 11, are 'pads under the buckles to prevent
injury and produce a greater pressure; these are disposed as at: Fig. I.,,(and
although more studs may occasionally be placed upon the pads than are neces-
sary for the buttoning of the several straps.: at once, yet they will be found
highly useful to the wearer, by enabling him or her to alter, the inclination of
the pad. so as to fit the groin by varying the positions of the thigh and body

page_text: belts. An additional buckling like 3, 4, in Fig. XIII. is sometimes made and
fixed upon a stud placed for that purpose in the body or belly belt, while its
other end has a buckle and strap to attach and adjust it to the pad so as to
make it sit more pleasantly and produce a greater pressure. This is, however,
only necessary in the single truss, and it may be put on and worn or taken off
at pleasure.
Figure X. is a perspective view of my double truss to be used when
ruptures occur on both sides of the groin; and Figure XI. shews the manner
in which the same is to be put on and worn. In these the same letters indicate
the same parts as in Figures V. and VI., and the construction is so similar as to
render a particular description unnecessary. The body belt 2, 2, is the same,
except that it may be made with a buckling strap or buckling straps at each
end. The thigh belts 14, 14, and the hip straps 17, 17, are precisely similar
to the last; but in the double truss there must be one for each side, as shewn
in the Figure. The pad is likewise formed in the same manner as last described
as to the inner and outer leathers, corks, and rivetting of the studs, except
only as to the last pad y, y, in Figure IX., which, instead of being of the
same shape as the cork, must be in the form of two pads united, as shewn at
Figure XII. The corks and outer leathers are, however, just the same as if
they were for two separate pads, but the inner leather of both is in one piece,
as shewn at Figure XII., and should be strengthened on the inside at the upper
part marked 18 by a piece of calf or other strong leather, which may be lined
with wash leather or not, but which cannot be seen in the Figure as being
ünderneath; this insures greater strength, and prevents this double pad from
tearing. asunder; and for the same reason a piece of strong calf or other
leather 19 is buttoned upon the studs s, t, s, t, which prevents the lower parts
v, v, of the pad from separating or getting to wide asunder. If required this
strap may have two small pads under it to cause a greater pressure, as shewn
at 20, 20, in Fig. XI. The trusses which I have above described will be found
equally applicable and useful to male or female patients without any variation
of their form, save only such as may be necessary to suit the circumstances of
the complaint, and in the construction of them I carefully avoid the use of
metallic and all other springs (that of the combed wool or Witney cloathing,
blanketting, flannel, or other elastic stuffing only excepted); they will, therefore,
be found most comfortable in the wear; and as it is the form and construction
of these trusses which I claim as my Invention, I do not bind myself to the
use of the particular kinds of leather or other materials which I have herein-
before described, as the same trusses may be formed of silk, satin, linen, or
other materials, nor do I bind myself to the size of the pads; nor the situation

page_text: and number of the studs upon them, as these must vary with the age of the
patient and the nature of the complaint; but I have described such parti-
culars, both as to form, size, and materials, as I generally use, and which, by
experience, I find to be the best suited to the purpose.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philip Pindin, party hereto, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Third day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and nineteen.