Improvements in or relating to Adjustable Springs for Trusses and other Surgical Appliances.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Adjustable Springs for Trusses and
other Surgical Appliances.
I, WILLIAM FRANK WOODLAND of 8 Forest View, Albion Place, Southampton
County of Hampshire, Orthopaedic and Surgical Mechanician 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 devices to enable the pressure of hernial trusses and other
surgical appliances to be easily adjusted to meet the requirements of each particular
case. I will describe it as applied to hernial trusses.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates by way of example the application
of my invention to a single hernial truss, A is the mainspring of the truss which
may be made in any of the usual or other shapes, but preferably lighter than usual,
B is a ribbon wire or band of steel or other metal or material which is firmly fixed at
the back of the mainspring A by the screw or rivet D.
On the inner side of the mainspring A are a series of small lugs C which may be
made on the mainspring A, or separately fixed thereto. These lugs are so bent as to
allow the ribbon, wire, or band B to freely slide and yet be kept in close proximity to
the mainspring A, or as an alternative arrangement I make the mainspring A without
the lugs C, the ribbon, wire, or band B being kept in place and in close proximity
to the mainspring A, by winding over A and B a strong tape either of metal or
other material.
The ribbon, wire, or band B is fastened to the screwed piece F on which works
the nut G, having a milled edge, the piece F is flattened to prevent turning and
passes through the two metal loops I and I¹ which are fixed to the pad plate E,
which pad plate is fixed to the mainspring A either by screws or rivets, between
the loop 1' and the nut G is placed a strong spiral or flat spring J which prevents the
pressure from being too rigid.
In the drawing the inner side of the pad plate E is shown, and the milled edge of
the nut G passes through the slot H, to the front of the pad plate E and on turning
this nut, the ribbon, wire, or band B can be either tightened or loosened and thereby
the pressure on the pad plate E altered as required.
The arrangement would be substantially the same for double trusses, the parts
being duplicated to make each side adjustable as described and illustrated, or the
ribbon, wire, or band B may be made continuous from pad plate to pad plate.
The whole truss would be padded and covered with leather or any other material as
required.
As regards trusses or other surgical appliances hitherto constructed the springs
have not been adjustable save by cumbrous arrangements, but have had to be made
of a suitable strength for each case so that this invention offers great advantage for
the proper adjustment of such hernial trusses or other surgical appliances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A surgical truss or the like in which the pressure of the mainspring is adjustable
as described
a T
AL 1:1 che
mant he which the precaure is altered.

page_text: by the combination of the mainspring A and the adjustable ribbon wire, or band B,
substantially as described.
3. In a surgical truss or the like the arrangement by which the tightening or
loosening of the ribbon wire, or band B is effected substantially as described and
illustrated.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting a surgical truss giving
adjustable pressure substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
March 1897.
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WILLIAM FRANK WOODLAND,