Improved Process and Apparatus for the Sterilisation and Packing of Bandaging or Dressing Materials.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1896-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for the Sterilisation and Packing
of Bandaging or Dressing Materials.
A communication by the Firm of F. & C. ACHENBACH, of 24 Grosse Gallus
Strasse, Frankfort-on-Main, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturers.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 118 New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention has for its object an improved process and apparatus to be used
in connection therewith for the sterilisation and packing of dressing or bandaging
material in such a way that the cost of this packing is reasonably proportionate to
the cost of the dressing or bandaging material packed, and for this object the
process is so arranged that papier maché, cardboard or the like cases may be
employed as packing vessels.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view;
Figures 2 and 3 are a section and elevation partly in section showing arrange-
ments for preserving the cases from damage during the sterilising process.
The case A which may be round, square or other suitable shape is provided with
holes in its upper and lower ends B B¹, and on ends a thin paper cover or flap C
is attached by one of its edges as at c by means of a suitable gum or adhesive
substance insoluble in steam. The other edge of this cover or flap C or the ring in
which this edge rests on the end B or B¹ of the case is also provided with a gum or
adhesive substance soluble in circulating steam.
The packing of the bandages, etcetera, takes place in the following manner :-
After the case A, on which already one end B' has been securely fixed so as to
exclude germs, etcetera, has been filled with the dressing or bandaging material, the
other end B is also fitted on in a similar manner to the end B. The covers or
flaps C are then turned back and the cases are placed side by side and one above
the other in a suitable sterilising vessel in such a way that the cases of the upper
layers stand over the openings of the cases of the next layers. By this
arrangement an uninterrupted passage of the steam through the holes b of the
several ends of the cases, and through the cases A themselves, and thus through the
dressing or bandaging material in the cases is secured.
The gum or the like on the edge of the cover or flap C or on the ends B B'
thereby becomes soft, so that at the end of the sterilising operation the cover or
flap C of each case A may be pressed flat against the end B or B' as the case may
be, by means of the hand which is covered with a sterilised glove and also by means
of a sterilised instrument. The softened gum of the cover or flap C then
immediately effects a germ tight closing of the case. In order to protect the
cover or flap from damage it may be afterwards covered with a suitable cap
or lid.
As however the edges of the ends B B' would have a tendency to warp or curl
up by the long detention of the cases A in the circulating steam of the sterilising
apparatus, thereby endangering the germ tight closing of the case, clamp rings E
(Figure 2) are placed over the edges of the ends B B¹ to prevent said warping or

page_text: curling. These clamp rings E are conically extended on each inner side in order
to allow of their being more easily fitted on, and in order to firmly secure them and
also to prevent the damaging of the ends B B', they are provided with an elastic
insertion or washer D.
Figure 3 shows a modification of a protecting device for protecting the whole
outer surface of the case A against the action of the steam. This device consists
of a cylinder F which encloses the entire surface of the case, and is provided at the
top and bottom with an elastic insertion or washer D and divided longitudinally
at 1. By this arrangement the cylinder F may be conveniently placed round the
case A, then drawn together by means of a suitably arranged tightening or
straining device Gg Hh, by which means the elastic insertions D at the top and
bottom of the case tightly enclose the case A so that the whole onter surface of
the case is protected against or shut off from the circulating steam. There is
nothing in the arrangements shown in Figures 2-3 to impede or prevent the
fastening down of the flaps or covers C on the ends B or B¹.
Dated this 25th day of October 1895
Improved Process and Apparatus for the Sterilisation and Packing
of Bandaging or Dressing. Materials.
A. communication by the Firm of F. & C. ACHENBACH, of 24 Grosse Gallus
Strasse, Frankfort-on-Main, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturers.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street Birmingham
in the County of Warwick and 322 formerly of 31 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 has for its object an improved process and apparatus to be used
in connection therewith for the sterilisation and packing of dressing or bandaging
material in such a way that the east of this packing is reasonably proportionate
to the cost of the dressing or bandaging material picked, and for this object the
process is so arrangel that papier maché, cardboard or the like cases may be
employed as packing vessel.
In the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification:
Figure 1 is a perspective view;
:-
Figures 2 and 3 are a section and elevation partly in section showing arrange-
ments for preserving the cases from damage during the sterilising process.
The case A which may be round, square. or other suitable shape is provided with
holes in its upper and lower ends B B and on the ends a thin paper cover or
flap C is attached by one of its edges as at c by means of a suitable gum or
adhesive substance insoluble in steam. The other edge of this cover or flap C
or the ring in which this edge rests on the end B or B of the case is also provided
with a gum or adhesive substance soluble in circulating steam.
The packing of the bulager, etcetera, takes place in the following manner :-
After the case A, or which already one end P has been securely fixed so to
exclude germs, etcetera, has been filled with the dressing or bre
material, the
other end i also fitted on in a similar men to the end B
flaps Care then turned back and the cases are placed side by side and one above

page_text: the other in a suitable sterilising vessel in such a way that the perforated sides are
vertical and the fixed ends of the covers on the upper side. By this arrangement
an uninterrupted passage of the steam through the holes 6 of the several ends of the
cases, and through the cases A themselves, and thus through the dressing or
bandaging material in the cases is secured.
The gum or the like on the edge of the cover or flap C or on the ends B B'
thereby becomes soft, so that at the end of the sterilising operation the cover or
flap C of each case A may be pressed flat against the end B or B' as the case may
be, by means of the hand which is covered with a sterilised glove and also by
means of a sterilised instrument. If however the cases are placed as indicated
above, and the steam is allowed to be condensed, the covers will close themselves
by the so generated vacuum. The softened gum of the cover or flap C then
immediately effects a germ tight closing of the case. In order to protect the cover
or flap from damage it may be afterwards covered with a suitable cap or lid.
As however the edges of the ends B B would have a tendency to warp or curl
up by the long detention of the cases A in the circulating steam of the sterilising
apparatus, thereby endangering the germ tight closing of the case, clamp rings E
(Figure 2) are placed over the edges of the ends B B to prevent said warping or
curling. These clamp rings E are conically extended on each inner side in order
to allow of their being more easily fitted on, and in order to firmly secure them an 1
also to prevent the damaging of the ends B B', they are provided with an elastic
insertion or washer D.
Figure 3 shows a modification of a protecting device for protecting the whole
outer surface of the case A against the action of the steam. This device consists
of a cylinder F which encloses the entire surface of the case, and is provided at
the top and bottom with an elastic insertion or washer D and divided longitudinally
at I. By this arrangement the cylinder F may be conveniently placed round the
case A, then drawn together by means of a suitably arranged tightening or straining
device Gg Hh by which means the elastic insertions D at the top and bottom of
the case tightly enclose the case A so that the whole outer surface of the case is
protected against or shut off from the circulating steam. There is nothing in the
arrangements shown in the Figures 2-3 to impede or prevent the fastening down
of the flaps or covers C on the ends B or B¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. As a new article of manufacture a case for bandages and the like con-
sisting of a box having perforated sides and paper pieces fastened with a gum
insoluble in steam and having a coating of a gum soluble in steam substantially as
described.
2. A method of sterilising and packing bandages and the like in cases with
perforated sides by fastening a flexible cover by a gum insoluble in steam at one
edge of a perforated side, providing the cover with a gum soluble in steam, placing
the cases in a sterilising chamber with the fastened edges upwards, introducing
steam and shutting it off after sterilisation substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus for sterilising cases for bandages as described, rings adapted
to be fitted over the edges of the covers substantially as described.
4. In an apparatus for sterilising paper boxes for bandages and the like a mantle
adapted to be put around the boxes and to fit tight at the upper and under edges
of the box, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of July 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.