IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL EAR DRUMS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Homer Pratt Kelsey Peck, of Cincinnati, in the State
of Ohio and United States of America, Solicitor, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL EAR DRUMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Homer Pratt Kelsey
Peck at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th December
1880.
HOMER PRATT KELSEY PECK, of Cincinnati, in the State of Ohio and United
States of America, Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL EAR DRUMS."
My Invention consists in combining with a thin elastic plate or disc to be inserted
in the auditory passage of the ear, near or in place of the natural tympanum, a
tubular stem through which air may circulate between the outside and the ear
passage back of the plate or disc, and between- that and the natural tympanum, if
still existing, and thus ventilate the ear, and in connecting the plate or disc with
the stem by means of a collar on the inner end of the stem inserted between two
thicknesses of the plate or disc, so that the metallic collar is covered and cushioned
and cannot come in contact with the delicate natural tympanum and cannot irritate
and inflame it. This plate or disc inserted and held in the inner end of the auditory
passage of the ear often relieves deafness, especially in case of the puncture or
destruction of the natural ear drum. But the stem used to insert and withdraw
it, and to keep it in position by being tubular, serves the additional purpose of
admitting air to the ear inside of the plate or disc and of obviating the necessity
of frequently removing the same to keep the ear in a healthy and cleanly condition,
and enables the ear to be ventilated by a partial withdrawal only and immediate
return of the plate or disc in the auditory passage. It also obviates the difficulty
otherwise experienced of inserting and withdrawing the plate or disc on account of
the pressure of the atmosphere if it fits closely, as it generally does, in the auditory
passage.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Homer Pratt Kelsey Peck in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th June 1881.
HOMER PRATT KELSEY PECK, of Cincinnati, in the State of Ohio and United
States of America, Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL EAR DRUMS."
My Invention consists in combining with a thin elastic plate or disc inserted in
the auditory passage of the ear near or in place of the natural tympanum a tubular
stem, through which air may circulate between the outside and the ear passage at
the back of the plate or disc and between that and the natural tympanum, if still
existing, and thus ventilate the ear, and in connecting the plate or disc with the
stem by means of a collar on the inner end of the stem inserted between two
thicknesses of the plate or disc, so that the metallic collar is covered and cushioned
and cannot come in contact with the delicate natural tympanum and cannot irritate
and inflame it. The disc or plate inserted and held in the inner end of the auditory
passage of the ear often relieves deafness, especially in cases of the puncture or
destruction of the natural ear drum. But the stem used to insert and withdraw
it and to keep it in position by being tubular serves the additional purpose of
admitting air to the ear inside of the plate or disc, ventilating it, and obviating the
necessity of frequently removing the same to keep the ear in a clean and healthy
condition, and enables the ear to be ventilated by a partial withdrawal only and
immediate return of the plate or disc in the auditory passage. It also obviates the
difficulty otherwise experienced of inserting and withdrawing the plate or disc on
account of the pressure of the atmosphere if it fits closely, as it generally does, in
the auditory passage.
In the Drawing Fig. 1 represents a face view of the elastic plate or disc; Fig. 2,
a central longitudinal section of the appliance complete; Fig. 3, a similar section
with the elastic plate or disc detached; Fig. 4, a central longitudinal section with
a part of the stem broken away; ad Fig. 5 represents the outline, size, and shape
of the artificial tympanum as formed and used with my improvements for
adults.
In Fig. 1 the small dotted circle denotes the metal flange or collar e. The larger
dotted circle denotes the smaller elastic disc b, which is cemented to the thin flexible
tympanum a and incloses the collar e. The tubular stem, which is denoted by c, is
preferably made of gold about one sixteenth of an inch in diameter and about an
inch and a fourth in length, and is provided with a ring d as a handle for inserting
it in the ear and for removing it, which should be done two or three times a week
for cleansing both the ear and artificial tympanum.
The flexible elastic discs a, b, are cemented together, as indicated in Fig. 4, and
either one may be provided with a slit or button hole f (Fig. 1) to allow the flange
or collar e to be inserted between them. By means of these discs the collar is
perfectly cushioned and thereby prevented from injuring the delicate membranes of
the ear.
The slit enables the user to readily attach a new tympanum a to the
stem c when it becomes frail and insufficient from use. A small wire may be
used to keep the tubular stem open if it gets clogged and its passage closed.
I claim as my Invention, first, a tubular stem c in combination with a thin
flexible plate or disc a, forming an artificial tympanum; second, the double disc a, b,
forming the artificial tympanum, centrally perforated for the admission of air, and

page_text: provided with a suitable opening or slit f for the insertion of a metal tie collar on
the end of the tubular stem c, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
HOND
D
BRAD