Improvements in Surgical Appliances for Use in Setting Broken Limbs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1898-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1898
Improvements in Surgical Appliances for Use in Setting
Broken Limbs.
I, CHARLES SHERMAN SMITH, of Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America,
Physician, 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 relates to that class of surgical appliances for supporting and
retaining in place the parts of fractured limbs and other parts during the process of
healing.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure represents the apparatus applied to a fracture of the upper part of the
arm.
Figure 2 shows a section taken vertical through the centre with some of the parts
separated.
Figure 3 is an outside view of the body plate with its adjusting clip, and
Figure 4 represents one of the arm plates separate.
The object of this invention is to construct an apparatus that will hold a fractured
limb in place, and enable one to secure the best position for it, and a correct fixation
or adjustment of the parts of the bone in relation to each other, also to make the
extension necessary to counteract the tendency of the muscles to draw the parts out
of place.
The construction is as follows:-
A plate A, curved to approximately fit the side of the patient's body C, has a
longitudinal slot r, made in it. This plate is provided with straps D, D, that pass
around the body and have buckles to adjust them by. Shoulder straps e, e, are
attached to the upper body strap to support it. A clip c, curved to fit the plate A,
has a slot s, to receive an adjusting bolt m, that has a nut fitted to slide in the slot r,
in the plate, and a head on the outer side of the slot 8, to secure the clip to the plate
whenever adjusted.
One end of the clip c, is curved over and has a cupped recess inade in it to receive
a part of a ball a, and a cap or socket a¹, having an opening in its top to receive the
stem to the ball, is fitted to screw on over the ball and form a ball and socket joint.
The outer end of the ball stem is made flat and has a hole made in it and an angle
plate d, having one part n, higher in plane than the other part n¹, to allow one of
the bars J, to slide over the other j, to facilitate their adjustment. These bars J, j,
have slots made lengthways of them to receive bolts h, h, by which they are secured
to the angle plate d, see Figure 1. The bars J, j, are made with one end bent to a
right angle to which plates B, B, are fastened by screw bolts b, b. Each of these
plates B, B, are curved to receive a plate, which plates are curved to accommodate
the shape of the limb F. One of the plates k, is shown separately in Figure 4. A
slot n1, is made in each plate k, in which a bolt v, with a head bevelled under on
each side, is fitted to slide level with the inner surface of the plate, and a nut on the
bolt on the outside of the plate D, serves to secure them to that plate. The plates
for the lower or forearm are alike in construction to those for the upper arm, and the
plates k, k, on both are furnished with straps g, g, to bind the limb to the support.

page_text: The apparatus forms a triangle having its base resting against the body and the
fastenings of the parts allows the other two sides of the triangle to be set in almost
any desired position.
The ball and socket joint allow the limb to be raised in front and the clip admits
of its being brought around in front. The attachment for the fore arm serves as a
brace against the body by means of which a proper amount of extension can be
exerted on the upper arm so that a fracture in the upper part of that bone, which is
considered one of the most difficult to manage becomes one of the easiest.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A surgical apparatus consisting of a body plate, two bars adjustably attached
thereto, with means for securing the outer end of one of said bars to the upper arm
and means for securing the outer end of the other of said bars to the forearm, sub-
stantially as described.
2. In an apparatus for securing a fractured limb, the combination of a plate adapted
to be attached to the body and having a vertical slot made therein, a clip having a
slot made in it, a bolt to pass through the two slots and hold the clip to said plate, an
angle plate attached to said clip by a ball and socket joint, means attached to said
angle plate to hold the forearm and the upper arm, substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus for the purpose described the combination a plate fitted to the
body, plates curved to fit the upper arm and having slots to receive bolts to attach
them to a plate having a slotted bar attached, a like set of plates for the forearm also
attached to a slotted bar, with means for adjustably securing said slotted bars, to said
body plate, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of Inl 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.