Improvements in Trusses.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
Improvements in Trusses.
:
I, CHARLES ALEXANDER HARVEY, of 816 Broadway New York, in the County
of New York and State of New York, one of the United States of America, Inventor
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 is an improvement in trusses and consists in the novel features
of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described. It is a well
known fact that in cases of hernia, the rupture can be held in place to the best
advantage and with the greatest comfort hy the human hand, and especially by
placing the fingers of the hand in such a position as to most perfectly conform to
the parts according to the nature and circumstances of the case. The object of
my invention is to provide a mechanical construction which will resemble as exactly
as possible the fingers of the human hand in its adaptability and comfort in holding
the rupture in place.
To this end I provide a truss in which the pad consists in one, two or more
fingers made of some soft pliable material, such as rubber, and connected in such a
manner with their supporting devices that each finger is adjustable independently
so as to assume different positions with respect to each other and said fingers are
also arranged so as to be adjustable in other directions by means of a compound
wrist movement, and the fingers are held in operative position by a yielding or
spring pressure. In applying and using this improved form of truss, it will be
seen that the person intending to use the same can place the fingers of his hand
in proper position to support the rupture in the most perfect and comfortable
manner and then by removing his hand and holding it in the same position the
fingers of the truss can be adjusted to the same positions so that when the truss
is applied the artificial fingers will assume the same position with respect to the
body as were assumed by the fingers of the person's hand and the comfort of the
wearer can be readily secured. Any desired number of artificial fingers may be
employed but it is not thought that more than three will be required in cases
of ordinary difficulty, and in fact one or two will usually be found sufficient.
In the accompanying drawings I have shewn several forms in which I have
contemplated embodying my invention, and my said invention is fully disclosed in
the following description and claims.
Referring to said drawings:-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of my improved truss, shewing it in the
position assumed when applied to the person.
Figure 1 is a detail view of one form of spring used in my improved truss.
Figure 2 is a view of a truss shewing the fingers supported in an inverted
position.
Figure 3 is a view of a truss shewing the fingers supported in another
position.
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the truss supports and fingers.
Figure 5 is a side view of the fingers and their adjusting devices.
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are details of the parts referred to in the course of the
description.
Figures 11, 12 and 13 are views illustrating a slightly modified construction.
In the said drawings, A represents the metallic band from which the artificial
fingers B B are supported, and this band is preferably covered with webbing or
any other suitable material as is customary.
The fingers B B are formed preferably of rubber as this substance affords a

page_text: soft and yielding surface not unlike human flesh, but they might if preferred be
made of some other material and covered with rubber or other soft material to
give them a certain softness, which is very desirable. The fingers if made from
rubber are formed upon or suitably secured to a central rib or web b shewn in
detail in Figure 6 which is provided at its rear end with a lug or projection
having a central aperture 6 to receive a bolt or screw for securing said finger to
its support, and being also provided with serrated portions as indicated on the
drawings, the serrations being preferably radial.
The lugs 6 of two fingers, in case two are to be employed in the truss, are secured
to a block C shewn in detail in Figures 9 and 10, by means of a screw or bolt c
passing through the aperture of one finger lug an aperture e in the block and
engaging screw threads on the interior or the aperture 62 of the other finger lug
as shewn in Figure 3, or a separate nut may be provided if desired.
The end faces of the block C are provided with serrations which engage and
intermesh with the serrations of the lugs of the fingers. It will thus be seen
that either or both of the fingers can be adjusted to any desired position on the
screw e as an axis and secured in their adjusted positions by tightening the screw
and drawing the serrated portions into close engagement.
The block C is provided with a rearwardly extending projection C which is
adjustably secured. to the pivotted supporting wrist piece D by the wrist in D¹.
The adjacent faces of the parts C' and D are provided with intermeshing serrations,
as seen in Figure 5, and a wrist connection is thus formed by means of which the
fingers can be adjusted laterally to any desired position on the wrist pin D² as a
pivot. The wrist pin D' is provided with screw threads which engage a screw-
threaded aperture in the part D and hold the parts in their adjusted positions.
The wrist piece D is provided with a transversely extending aperture d which
engages a pivot pin e on a supporting plate E which is secured adjustably or rigidly
to the band A. By means of the constructions just described it will be seen that
the fingers may be adjusted to any desired positions. with respect to each other and
with respect to their supports and by means of the wrist connections any desired
lateral adjustment can be secured while the pivot pin e allows the whole device to
move outward and inward thus providing a construction very accurately resembling
the human hand in its adjustments and adaptability.
The manner of connecting the fingers to the truss band A may be varied to suit
the circumstances of the case and to secure the position which is most desirable.
In Figures 1 and 3 the fingers are shewn as depending from the band A in a
vertical or inclined position and in Figure 21 have shewn a construction for
supporting the fingers in an inverted position and securing the same adjustments
and yielding pressure.
In order to secure the desired yielding pressure I employ a stiff metal spring F
constructed preferably as shewn in the drawings. This spring F is secured by an
adjusting screw to the metal band A and is provided with an inwardly bent
portion which engages the band while its extremities set at a little distance
therefrom as clearly shewn in Figure 4, and this form of spring is shewn applied to
the fingers in Figure 3. The end of the spring which is engaged by screw may
be drawn inward closer to the band by turning up the screw and the tension of the
spring can thus be adjusted to give the pad the desired pressure. The fingers and
their connected parts are pivotally hung on the pivot pin e as before stated, and the
spring is connected to said parts on one side or the other of the pivot to give
said fingers the desired pressure.
In Figures 1 and 2, the block C is shewn as provided with a perforated ear or
lug on the side toward the fingers B, B, which receives the end of the spring F,
the spring in these cases pressing inward upon the fingers, or toward the body of
the wearer, to give the desired pressure. The adjustment in case this form of
spring is employed may be secured by giving the spring an outward bend at the
point where it is engaged by the screw, and permitting the end of the spring to
bear against the band A, as shewn in Figure 1ª. In order to permit the desired

page_text: adjustments of the fingers on the wrist pin D₁ as a center, without disengaging the
spring or straining the parts, the end of spring is given the form of a segment.
as shewn in the drawings, concentric with the wrist pin D' so that any desired
lateral adjustment may be effected without interfering with the operation of the
spring.
In Figures 2, 7 and 8 I have shewn the wrist piece D constructed somewhat.
differently from those shewn in the other pieces. in order to support the fingers in
an inverted position when this is desirable. The wrist piece is in this case made
longer and is preferably curved slightly so as not to interfere with the proper
lateral adjustments of the fingers on the wrist pin D'. The fingers will be held in,
engagement with the person by a spring F of the construction shewn and described
in respect to Figure 1.
In Figures 3 and 4 I have shewn the supporting plate E adjustably secured to
the band A by means of the screw E' and the adjacent faces are provided with
serrations. The spring F in this instance engages a lug or ear 6x projecting from
the wrist piece D on the upper side of its pivotal connection with the supporting
plate and the spring F is constructed as shewn in Figure 4 to press outwardly and
thus cause the fingers to exert an inward pressure. In this form, in addition to the
lateral adjustment permitted by the wrist connection the supporting plate E may
be adjusted on the screw E' as a center and the end of the spring is given a.
segmental form in order to permit this adjustment without interfering with the
operation of the spring.
When it is desired to use this improved truss, the fingers B B are adjusted to the
desired position to hold the hernia in place in the same manner that the fingers of
the person's hand would be employed and the tension of spring F is adjusted to.
give the desired pressure to said fingers. It is to be noted that by the construction
shewn and described the very nicest and most delicate adjustments may be
accurately effected and when once effected the parts may be secured rigidly in
their adjusted positions. The elastic fingers can thus be made to assume the exact
positions which are desired and they will remain in their adjusted positions until
readjusted as circumstances may require.
In Figures 11, 12 and 13 I have shewn a slightly modified construction in which
a different means of adjusting the pressure of the fingers is employed. In this
form the fingers are constructed as before described (three being shewn) and are
The block C' is
adjustably secured to the block C as heretofore set forth.
adjustably secured to the wrist piece D2 at the point d' so that the block can be
adjusted about said point as a center. The wrist piece D2 is loosely mounted on a
rod or shaft F1 which is held loosely in a frame G secured to the band A. Upon
the rod F is coiled a spring H one end of which rests upon the outer surface of
the wrist piece D the outer end engaging an arm & extending from a ratchet
hub K rigidly secured to shaft F. The frame G is provided with a spring pawl g
which is adapted to be placed in engagement with any one of the ratchet teeth on
the hub K. The desired pressure of the fingers can be obtained by moving the
When the
ratchet so that one or another tooth is made to engage the pawl g.
pressure is to be relaxed the pawl g will be swung laterally on its pivot out of
engagement with the ratchets, and the ratchet hub may then be moved backward to
the desired point. The movements of the ratchet hub with respect to the pawl,
will regulate the tension of the spring H, and thus the pressure exerted by the-
fingers, and if desired I may form the shaft F¹ with a polygonal head so-
that said shaft may be turned by means of a wrench to adjust the tension of
the spring.
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 provided with pads formed of elastic material and having the form.
of the fingers of the human hand, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. A truss provided with the pivotally supported pads of elastic material having
the form of the fingers of the human hand, and a spring for exerting a pressure
upon said pads, substantially as described.
3. In a truss the combination with the pivotally supported pad, of a spring
having a segmental portion engaging a part connected with said pad and means for
adjusting said pad laterally about a point concentric with the segmental portion of
said spring, substantially as described.
4. In a truss the combination with the pivotally supported pad provided with the
wrist piece and wrist pin for securing the lateral adjustments of said pad, of a
spring having a segmental portion concentric with said wrist pin, engaging a part
connected with the pad, substantially as described.
5. In a truss the combination with the truss band of the artificial fingers
supported therefrom, said fingers being adjustably secured to their supports and
independently adjustable in respect to each other and to said supports, substantially
as described.
6. In a truss the combination with the truss band of the elastic artificial fingers
supported therefrom, means for adjusting said fingers with respect to each other,
and their supports and means for adjusting said supports with respect to said band,
substantially as described.
7. In a truss the combination with the truss band of the block supported
therefrom, the artificial fingers provided with attaching ribs and means for
adjustably securing said ribs to said block, the adjacent faces of said ribs and
blocks being provided with serrations, substantially as described.
8. In a truss the combination with the truss band of the block connected thereto
by a wrist connection permitting the lateral adjustment of said block, of the
artificial fingers provided with attaching ribs adjustably secured to said block
whereby said fingers may be adjusted independently with respect to each other and
to said block and said block may be adjusted with respect to said band, substantially
as described.
9. In a truss the combination with the truss band, the supporting plate provided
with the pivot pin the wrist piece engaging said pivot pin, the block adjustably
secured to said wrist piece the artificial fingers adjustably secured to said block and
a spring secured to said band and having a segmental portion engaging an ear
secured to said block, substantially as described.
10. In a truss the combination with the supporting band, of the pivotted wrist
piece, the fingers secured thereto adjustably, of a spring engaging said wrist
piece, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism for adjusting said spring, substantially
as described.
11. In a truss the combination with the supporting band of the wrist piece, the
rod or shaft pivotally supporting the same, the fingers adjustably secured to said
wrist piece, a spring engaging said wrist piece, a ratchet hub secured to said shaft
and engaging said spring and a pawl secured to said band for engaging the ratchet
hub, substantially as described.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.