AN IMPROVED SURGICAL VICE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Westropp Brereton, of Oughternard, in the
County of Galway, Ireland, Surgeon, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
SURGICAL VICE."
Sealed the 21st February 1879, and dated the 31st August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Westropp Brereton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st August 1878.
WILLIAM WESTROPP BRERETON, of Oughternard, in the County of Galway,
Ireland, Surgeon. "AN IMPROVED SURGICAL VICE."
My Invention relates to a surgical instrument or vice designed to fix a portion of
a patient while undergoing a surgical operation, which instrument is furnished with
a turniquet band to arrest hemorrhage and prevent the return of circulation when
Esmarch's band is being used; and, further, to enable the surgeon to operate without
the aid of assistants.
Within a suitable frame I arrange two right and left hand screws parallel to each
other, and able to rotate in suitable bearings; these screws are geared together by
pinions of equal diameter. One of the screws is furnished with a combined lever
and crank handle, by turning which both screws may be rotated.
Two jaws or parts are arranged to slide in the frame, suitably guided. The screw's
pass through the jaws or sliding parts, and when rotated cause the jaws or sliding
parts to approach or recede from each other, according to which way the crank
handle is turned.
:
Each jaw or sliding part has attached to it by a spring or springs an upper jaw
or part extending upward, and having a suitable slot, with antifriction rollers.
Through these slots are passed two tourniquet bands; these bands are guided by
suitable rollers, with which the lower portions of each jaw or sliding part and the
frame are provided.
The limb or portion of the patient to be operated upon is placed between the
bands and upper jaws or sliding parts, and by operating the screws the said jaws
with the bands holding the limb may be readily adjusted, so as to hold such limb
gently and without undue pressure, but at the same time rigidly, during operation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Westropp Brereton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th February 1879.
WILLIAM WESTROPP BRERETON, of Oughternard, in the County of Galway,
Ireland, Surgeon. "AN IMPROVED SURGICAL VICE."
My Invention relates to a surgical instrument or vice designed to fix a portion of
a patient while undergoing a surgical operation, which instrument is furnished with
a tourniquet band to arrest hemorrhage and prevent the return of circulation when
Esmarch's band is being used; and, further, to enable the surgeon to operate without
the aid of assistants.
Within a suitable frame I arrange two right-hand screws parallel to each other,
and able to rotate in suitable bearings; these screws are geared together by pinions
of equal diameter. One of the screws is furnished with a combined lever and crank
handle, by turning which both screws may be rotated.
Two jaws or parts are arranged to slide in the frame, suitably guided. The screws
pass through the jaws or sliding parts, and when rotated cause the jaws or sliding
parts to approach or recede from each other, according to which way the handle
is turned.
Each jaw or sliding part has attached to it by a spring or springs an upper jaw
or part extending upward, and having a suitable slot, with, antifriction, rollers.
Through these slots are passed two tourniquet bands; these bands are guided by
suitable rollers, with which the lower portions of each jaw or sliding part and the
frame are provided.
The limb or portion of the patient to be operated upon is placed between the
bands and upper jaws or sliding part, and by operating the screws the said jaws
with the bands holding the limb may be readily adjusted, so as to hold such
limb gently and without undue pressure, but, at the same time rigidly, during, an
operation.
In order that the said Invention may be more readily understood and carried out
in practice, I proceed to more fully describe the same, as illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan, Fig. 3 an end view of the instru-
ment, and Fig. 4 a detail view.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
A is the frame, which may be constructed of metal or other suitable material;
F, F, are the jaws or sliding parts, capable of being moved to and from each other
by means of the right-hand screws B, B, rotating in suitable bearings, and operated
by the combined lever and crank handle H; S, S, are flat steel springs connecting
the lower and upper portions of the sliding parts or jaws.
Instead of connecting the said lower and upper portions of the jaws or sliding
parts in this manner, they may be connected by a suitable hinge, as shown in Fig. 4,
or other convenient method, the object of the said springs being to allow the upper
portion of the jaws to yield, and at the same time to cause a gentle pressure as they
are advanced towards each other when tightening the bands on the limb to be
operated upon.
R, R, are rollers round which the bands are passed, the joinings of which are seen
at J; E, E, are the pinions gearing with each other, and fixed on the screws B, B,
for the purpose of operating the said screws, as above described.
The action of the apparatus may be briefly described thus:-The limb to be
operated upon being inserted between the bands at L, the jaws or sliding parts F, F,
are caused to approach each other, and in doing so carry with them the rollers
attached to their lower portions, thereby tightening the bands on the limb, while
the upper portions of the jaws are simultaneously closed against the said limb; but
owing to the intervention of the springs S, S, the said jaws are prevented from

page_text: acting rigidly; thus it will be evident that a gentle and simultaneous pressure is
produced by the bands and the jaws, while at the same time the limb is held in a
perfectly fixed and rigid manner.
The apparatus may be constructed to work with a single screw, one portion of
its length having right and the other portion a left hand thread, but I prefer to
employ two right-hand screws, as herein-before described, for as thereby the jaws or
sliding parts are moved with greater ease and accuracy, and with more regularity,
and their bases maintained in a true position always at right angles to the sides of
the frame.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would have
it understood that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
constructing and arranging apparatus, substantially as herein-before described and
shewn for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Westropp Brereton, have unto this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.