Improvements in Electric Light Fittings for Medical and Surgical Purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 10th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 6th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Light Fittings for Medical and Surgical
Purposes.
We, Dr. MARIE PAUL OUDIN and HENRI OTHON KRATZ-BOUSSAC, of 34 Rue
du Chateau d'Eau, Paris in the Republic of France, Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus forming the subject of this invention is mainly intended to supply
physicians and surgeons with a convenient source of light for the inspection of the
various natural cavities of the human body.
It consists of two essential and distinct parts.
(1) A box containing a battery preferably a number of Gassner's patent cells.
and adapted to operate incandescent lamps. This part of the apparatus need not
be altered although of course it is apt to be improved as regards the methods of
formation of the batteries and the arrangement of the cells. Taking then from 4
to 10 cells of this description in their present condition, we arrange them either in
series or in parallel so as to obtain one or two sets of cells which may according to
requirements mutually strengthen and supplement each other.
(2) The lighting apparatus proper may vary in shape and construction according
to the special cases for which it is intended but at all events it mainly consists of
an incandescent lamp, the contacts of which are arranged in such a manner that
the circuit will close as soon as the apparatus is set in operation but automatically
open again and thereby bring about the instantaneous extinction of the lamp when
the medical examination is completed and the apparatus brought to rest.
To obtain these results a combination of devices is employed in which the con-
tacts are normally kept apart by a spring.
The chief device in this combination is a sort of finger-piece adapted to be
passed on the thumb or finger of the surgeon's hand without in any way interfering
with the movements of the hand, or, indeed, the finger carrying it. This finger-
piece serves as a support for an incandescent lamp so arranged as to light up the
different organs or cavities that may be touched or held open by hand or by an
instrument.
The finger-piece consists preferably of two concave metal plates fitting the back
or upper surface of the finger for which they are intended and whereon they are
maintained by two india-rubber strips or bands. These two plates are connected
by a joint or hinge which must be placed against the articulation of the finger
between the first and second phalange. A spring arranged on the convex surface
of either of the plates (or in the case of a spiral spring located within the hinge-
joint) is adapted continually to keep the two plates in a somewhat bent condition,
unless the action of the spring is counteracted by the finger of the observer.
In order to bring about the closing of the electrical circuit at the required
moment various mechanical contrivances may be used. In one example the two
metal plates hinged together as aforesaid form one of the conductors leading up to
the lamp which is pivotted by means of a ball-and-socket joint or otherwise to the
free end of the upper or front plate. A plate say of ebonite, insulates the two
parts of the joint from each other, either of which parts is connected with one of
the wires of the lamp. The current returns through two metal rods surrounded by
a suitable insulating sheath or casing which at the same time serves the purpose of
attaching them to the first mentioned plates. When the apparatus is erected the
two rods come in contact above the hinge and thereby close the circuit; while when
the action of the finger ceases, and the apparatus is thereby allowed to resume its
normal position the spring whose fulcrum upon the front plate should of course be

page_text: insulated as well will at once open the circuit and thus cause the extinction of the
lamp.
An instrument for holding down the tongue may be constructed on the same
principle. It is provided with a bent metal plate or blade which is hinged to the
handle against which it is pressed by a spring.
By pressing upon the lower surface of the blade while applying the horizontal
arm thereof on to the tongue of the invalid, the strain will cause the blade to swing
on the pivot when a contact forming part of the said blade will touch the contact
provided on the handle thus closing the circuit through which the current will flow
and light the lamp. But the moment the strain ceases the spring by again pressing
the blade against the handle will destroy the contact and re-open the circuit thus
causing the extinction of the lamp.
Incandescent lamps arranged on the same principle may similarly be applied to
other surgical instruments of various descriptions such as specula etc., the details of
construction being subject to modification according to the requirements of each
special case.
Dated this 10th dow of Jul. 1900.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Light Fittings for Medical and Surgical
Purposes.
We, Dr. MARIE PAUL OUDIN and HENRI OTHON KRATZ-BOUSSAC of 34 Rue
du Chateau d'Eau, Paris, in the Republic of France, Manufacturers, 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:-
The apparatus forming the subject of this invention is mainly intended to supply
physicians and surgeons with a convenient source of light for the inspection of the
various natural cavities of the human body.
It consists of two essential and distinct parts.
1). A box containing a battery preferably a number of Gassner's patent cells,
and adapted to operate incandescent lamps. This part of the apparatus need not
be altered although of course it is apt to be improved as regards the methods of
formation of the batteries and the arrangement of the cells. Taking then from 4
to 10 cells of this description in their present condition, we arrange them, either in
series or in parallel so as to obtain one or two sets of cells which may according to
requirements mutually strengthen and supplement each other.
2). The lighting apparatus proper may vary in shape and construction according
to the special cases for which it is intended but at all events it mainly consists of
an incandescent lamp the contacts of which are arranged in such a manner that the
circuit will close as soon as the apparatus is set in operation but automatically open
again and thereby bring about the instantaneous extinction of the lamp, when the
medical examination is completed and the apparatus brought to rest.
To obtain these results a combination of devices is employed in which the
contacts are normally kept apart by a spring.
The chief device in this combination is a sort of finger-piece adapted to be passed
on the thumb or finger of the surgeon's hand without in any way interfering with
the movements of the hand or indeed the finger carrying it. This finger-piece
serves as a support for an incandescent lamp, so arranged as to light up the different
organs or cavities that may be touched or held open by the hand or by an
instrument.
in the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 represents the finger piece in side elevation with the contacts apart

page_text: Fig. 2 is a front view with the thumb straight and the contacts close to each
other for producing light.
Fig. 3 shows an instrument constructed on the same principle for holding down
the tongue when examining the mouth or throat.
The finger-piece consists preferably of two concave metal plates A and B fitting
the back or upper surface of the finger for which they are intended and whereon
they are maintained by two indiarubber strips or bands K K. These two plates
are connected by a joint or hinge C which must be placed against the articulation
of the finger between the first and second phalanges. A spring R arranged on the
convex surface of either of the plates (or in the case of a spiral spring, within the
hinge-joint) is adapted continually to keep the two plates in a somewhat bent
condition unless the action of the spring is counteracted by the finger of the
observer.
In order to bring about the closing of the electrical circuit at the required
moment various mechanical contrivances may be used. In the example shown in
Figs. 1 and 2 the two metal plates hinged together as aforesaid form one of the
conductors leading up to the lamp which is pivotted by means of a ball and socket
joint, or otherwise, to the free end of the upper or front plate. A plate e say of
ebonite, insulates the two parts of the joint from each other either of which parts is
.connected with one of the wires of the lamp. The current returns through two
metal rods m and n surrounded by a suitable insulating sheath or casing which at
the same time serves the purpose of attaching them to the plates A and B. When
the apparatus is erected the two rods come in contact at a and b above the hinge C
and thereby close the circuit; while when the finger is bent and the apparatus is
thereby allowed to resume its normal position the spring R whose bearing point
upon the front plate should of course be insulated as well will at once open the
circuit and thus cause the extinction of the lamp. In Fig. 2 the front end of this
spring is shown broken away in order to render the contact ends a and b of the
rods m and n visible.
The instrument shown in Fig. 3 for holding down the tongue may be constructed
on the same principle. It is provided with a bent metal plate or blade L which is
hinged at C to the handle M against which it is pressed by a spring R.
By pressing upon the lower surface of the blade L while applying the horizontal
arm thereof to the tongue of the invalid, the strain in the direction of the arrow f
will cause the blade L to swing on the pivot C when the contact a forming part of
the said blade will touch the contact b provided on the handle M thus closing the
circuit through which the current will flow and light the lamp, the course pursued
by the current being along the dotted line in Figure 3. But the moment the strain
ceases in the direction of the arrow f the spring R by again pressing the blade L
against the handle M will destroy the contact between A and B and re-open the
circuit thus causing the extinction of the lamp.
Incandescent lamps arranged on the same principle may similarly be applied to
other surgical instruments of various descriptions such as specula etc. the details of
construction being subject to modification according to the requirements of each
special case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In surgical instruments employed for the inspection of organs or cavities of
the human body the combination with an incandescent lamp (fed by special
batteries) of mechanism so arranged that the simple extension or straightening of
the finger or thumb carrying the instrument as in Figures 1 and 2 or the strain
consequent upon its employment as in Figure 3 causes the circuit of the lamp to
close by bringing into contact two contact surfaces suitably arranged the circuit
being broken when upon the suspension of the action of the instrument a suitable

page_text: spring automatically moves the two contact surfaces apart substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete electric
lighting device substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete electric
lighting device substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this Tenth day of April 1891
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.