New or Improved Hernia Truss.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Hernia Truss.
I, HEINRICH LOEWY of No. 92, Dorotheenstrasse, Berliu, Prussia, in the
Empire of Germany, Manufacturer to the Court, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improvement in that class of hernia trusses, in which
the hollow rubber- or elastic-pad is filled with water or other suitable fluid
substance. Trusses of this kind are known to be more convenient to the wearer
than those with a solid or bolstered pad, as the pressure of the water-filled pad is
more soft and yielding; but in many cases, and particularly in severe cases of
scrotal hernia, trusses of this kind fail to retain the hernia, because the soft and
yielding pressure of the pad gives way. To prevent this, I apply to the water-
filled pad or cushion of the truss a suitable mechanical means for acting against the
said water-filled pad a sideward pressure, the result of which is, to force the fluid
contents of the cushion into a predetermined direction, and, in consequence, the
tension of the pad is concentrated to a comparatively small space on the lower
surface of the pad. The said sideward pressure acting against the water-filled
cushion, deforms the shape of said cushion in a manner to place that part of its
surface where the tension is greatest, opposite the hernia which tends to escape, the
said tension of the pad being strong enough to retain the hernia, which encounters
a pressure in direct opposition. The said pressure, though being soft, is not
yielding on account of the tension obtained by the apparatus of my invention; and
the pad, as a whole, is sufficiently soft to prevent inconvenience, even if a very
strong main spring be employed to force the pad against the rupture.
The apparatus of my invention suitably consists of a spring, or it may be a
hinged piece of metal or other suitable material, and said spring or blade is
preferably provided with a strap or band, which by means of holes and button, or
a buckle, may be adjusted to act against the water-filled pad a sideward pressure
of the desired degree. If, in the course of time, the general tension of the water-
filled pad becomes slack, the said spring or pressure device will equally serve to
obtain or restore the required degree of tension by tightening up the pressure
device.
I wish it to be distinctly understood, that the spring or other device which serves,
according to my invention, to act as a pressure against the pad to force its contents
into a deterinined direction, does not increase or add to the pressure of the main
spring, which forces the pad against the body. Auxiliary springs to increase the
pressure of the main spring are known and have been applied before to trusses, but
my invention consists in applying to a truss-pad containing a fluid, suitable means,
which, by their own resiliency, or by a tightening device, act to force the contents
of the pad into a determined direction and thereby increase the tension of the pad
on a predetermined space of its useful surface.
Dated this 15th day of June 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I HEINRICH LOEWY of No. 92 Dorotheenstrasse, Berlin, Prussia in the Empire
of Germany, Manufacturer to the Court 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:-
My invention relates to an improvement in that class of hernia trusses, in which
the hollow rubber- or elastic-pad is filled with water or other suitable fluid
substance and thereby distended. Trusses of this kind are well known, and are more
convenient to the wearer than those with a solid or bolstered pad, as the pressure
of the water-filled pad is more soft and yielding; but in many cases, and
particularly in severe cases of scrotal hernia, trusses of this kind are not successful,
because the pad being filled with water is too yielding, and fails to retain the
hernia.
In order to avoid this drawback and to enable the truss to be used with full
safety even in the severest cases, a pressure device B is according to the present
invention, applied laterally to the pad A which consists of indiarubber or similar
elastic material and may be coated outside with. leather or other suitable substance.
This pressure device consists of a metal spring which is coated with leather or
fabric, or may also consist of some other suitable material. One end of the spring
or pressure device B is attached to the base of the pad on the grip spring, the other
free end is preferably provided with a strap or band 6 having a row of holes in
order to allow of its being fastened more or less tightly on a stud a on the pad A.
In the accompanying drawings a truss is shown provided with a pressure device;
Figures 1 and 2 show the pressure device unfastened, and drawn tight,
respectively.
Figure 3 is a bottom plan;
Figure 4 a top plan,
Figure 5 a longitudinal section, and
Figure 6 a side elevation of a modified form of construction of the invention,
Figure 7 is a plan,
Figure 8 a side elevation,
Figure 9 a longitudinal section, and
Figure 10 a bottom plan of a modified form of construction.
If the pad A filled with water or other suitable liquid by means of the pipe e be
not pressed by the side pressure device, (Figure 1) the pressure of the water filling
in the pad will be equally distributed on all parts of the pad surface, and the
pressure will be a flexible one which can yield in every direction. If however the
pressure device B be drawn more or less firmly against the pad A (Figure 2), it
will press the liquid in the pad A in a given direction and the pad will thereby
receive a greater pressure on a comparatively small part of its surface which
cannot essentially yield towards the side where the pressure plate B is place.l.
This increased and strongly pressed part of the under side of the pad lies in the
hernia and exerts a pressure directly opposed to the outward pressure of the hernia.
This latter is thus effectively retained by the strongly strained pad, and thus the
truss owing to its elasticity is as a whole much more convenient and pleasant to
wear than the trusses with fixed or stuffed pads. The grip springs may be very
strong without the truss being inconvenient.
It is desired to be expressly stated that the pressure device B does not serve for
still strengthening the pressure exerted by the grip springs. Springs which exert
this action are known. The invention consists on the contrary in a pressure device
bearing against a pad filled with liquid in such a way that the contents of the pad

page_text: are forced in a given direction and thereby increase the pressure on a portion of
the pad surface, any yielding of the liquid to one side where the device B rests.
being however prevented.
If the pressure device B consists of a spring, the latter may be so arranged that
it has a constant tendency to press against the pad A, so that the attachment of a
binding strap is unnecessary, but the latter is also in this case useful in order to
allow of the pressure of the spring B against the cushion A being strengthened if
desired. The pressure device B is so narrow and so shaped that it is never
troublesome or inconvenient.
In the modified form of construction shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 & 6, the pad A
filled with liquid is inserted in a slot of the pad plate D in such a way that its
rounded or domed upper side projects from the pad plate at the top. The pressure
device B in this case does not lie sideways against the pad A but from the top.
It has however a similar action as the device described with reference to
Figures 1 & 2, namely to press the liquid contents of the pad A to a given place
corresponding to the hernia, and to increase at this place the pressure of the pad in
such a way that it acts directly against the emerging hernia. The indiarubber
pad lying in the slot of the truss plate D is retained in said slot by means of a
covering E of indiarubber. Further, the under surface of the truss may also be
coated with a covering F of leather or other suitable material, as shown in Figure 5.
The filling pipe c of the water pad A is preferably passed through the pressure
device B. A small stud b may be attached in front on the spring or hinged
pressure device D on which stud the strap or band proceeding from the side strap
or belt of the truss or from some other suitable place may be buttoned in order to
cause the pressure device B to act more or less strongly from above against the
pad A. The pressure device B acts only and exclusively on pad A and not on the
whole truss, which latter stands only under the pressure of the grip spring.
The construction shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 is more particularly suited for
application as a navel truss when slightly altered to correspond to the circumstances.
This form is shown in Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10. The elastic pad A filled with liquid
is also here inserted in the slot of a truss plate D, which in this case is formed as
an elongated plate widened in the middle, and may be made of a springy material
such as steel, hard rubber or the like. The pressure device B is mounted on this
plate D in such a way that it may slide thereon by means of small elongated slots e,
Figure 10. On the ends of the plate D straps or belts are fixed by means of which
the truss band may be placed around the body. The spring B exerts only a very
moderate pressure on the water pressure pad A in the normal position of the parts,
Figures 8 and 9. As soon however as any increase of pressure takes place from
the side of the body, either through coughing, sneezing or undue extension of the
stomach, the spring plate will bend to correspond to the body and consequently the
pressure device B, which is mounted so as to slide on the plate A, will be more
strongly pressed against the pad A and will force the liquid contents of the latter
towards the body, whereby the pressure of the pad will act at the place of the
hernia, and effectively prevent protrusion of the hernia. The normal pressure of
the bandage is therefore a very moderate one and not inconvenient, but on any
movement tending to cause the hernia to protrude more strongly, the pressure of
the pad A will increase automatically, and act against the hernia, whereby a very
inuch greater convenience of wearing is obtained with perfect security.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A truss having its pad which is arranged to be filled with water, provided
with a pressure device resting thereon, by means of which the liquid contents may
be forced to any given point of the pad, thus increasing the pressure, substantially
as hereinbefore set forth.
2. A truss of the kind described, in which the pressure device consists of a spring

page_text: or hingeably fastened plate bearing laterally against the truss-pad, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
3. A truss of the kind described, in which the pressure pad filled with liquid is
arranged in a slot of the truss plate, and the pressure device is adapted to act from
above on the pressure pad, substantially as described.
4. A truss of the kind described, consisting of a flexible spring plate having a
pressure pad filled with liquid let into its centre and a pressure device so attached
on said truss plate as to act more strongly on the pad at each bending of said plate
substantially as described.
5. A truss of the kind described, in which the truss plate consists of a flexible
spring plate with the object of allowing it to be used as a navel truss, substantially
as described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.