A New or Improved Instrument or Means to be Employed in and for Sutural and like Medical Operations.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 15th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Instrument or Means to be Employed in and for
Sutural and like Medical Operations.
I, ALFRED SYKES, of Spring Place Mill, Springwood Street, Huddersfield,
Yorkshire, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a new or improved instrument for use in opera-
tions for the sewing together of wounds, said instrument being provided with
means for clamping the parts to stitch same such clamp answering, for instance,
as a hemorrhoidal clamp for clamping piles in removing them or as a hysterec-
tomy clamp for clamping the broad ligament of uterine in operations upon that
organ, and in other ways as the same may be found to answer.
In carrying out my invention I pivot or hinge together two blades, forks or
levers which may be adapted to be actuated by the hand in the same manner as
a pair of scissors, or snuffers, the front ends of the blades or levers being bent down
a little and then continued forward on a lower plane to form a pair of jaws or a
clamp above which is a tubular or other suitable recess or groove. Under the
rear end of the instrument is a bracket or arm in or to which is secured a barrel
or spindle extending nearly to the jaws or clamp and lineable with the groove
or recess in same. Said barrel or spindle is provided on its periphery with a spiral or
helical groove or thread somewhat after the manner of a screw, or it may be
a screw, and adapted to work endwise thereon are a milled disc or wheel and a
spiral wire which latter fits in the spiral groove in the barrel and is preferably
attached to the disc. The free end of the spiral wire or needle is provided with
a sharp point, and an eyelet to receive the thread with which the wound is to
be stitched up.
On its outer surface the needle is grooved in the centre from end
to end and when applying the thread thereto it is first passed through the eyelet
and inserted in a guide which, as the needle is moved forward by the rotation of
the disc into the recess in the clamp, guides the thread into the groove in the needle
which thus becomes charged from end to end, the needle being subsequently
brought back to its normal position. The edges of the wound to be stitched are
closed up and inserted in the clamp before named so as to project a little above
the gripping surfaces into the groove or recess, the clamp being then made secure
by means of a wing nut working on a screw secured to or integral with one of
the blades, or by a ratchet, spring catch, or other equivalent arrangement.
For stitching the wound the operator simply rotates the milled disc which like-
wise rotates the needle and causes it to travel forward off the end of the spindle
into and through the groove or recess of the clamp, the point of the needle at every
revolution piercing through the edges of the wound and thus inserting the neces-
sary stitches from one end of the wound to the other whereby a continued suture
is made while the part concerned is held in the clamp. A knife on the milled

page_text: disc cuts the thread when the needle has reached the limit of its outward move-
ment, or the thread may be cut by hand. In some cases the instrument may be
male without the clamp.
By means of an instrument such as above described piles can be clamped, re-
moved, and the wound stitched with ease and expedition and all necessity for
cauterising avoided, the instrument being applicable for any description of wound
which can be sutured.
7
A New or Improved Instrument or Means to be Employed in and for
Sutural and like Medical Operations.
I, ALFRED SYKES, of Spring Place Mill, Springwood Street, Huddersfield,
Yorkshire, Electrical Engineer, 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:-
The invention has reference to a new or improved instrument for use in opera-
tions for the stitching up of wounds, said instrument being provided with means
for clamping the parts to be operated upon or stitched, such clamp answering,
for instance, as a hæmorrhoidal clamp for clamping piles in removing them, or as
a hysterectomy clamp for clamping the broad ligament of uterine in operations
upon that organ, and in other ways as the same may be found to answer.
In carrying out my invention I pivot or hinge together two blades, forks or
levers, which may be adapted to be actuated by the hand in the same manner as
a pair of scissors, or snuffers, the front ends of the blades or levers being bent
down at right angles and then continued forward on a lower level to form a pair
of jaws or a clamp into or between which is capable of entering a spiral or heli-
cally coiled needle suitably supported on the instrument, said needle in rotating,
forcing its way through the organ or edges of the wound which is held in the
clamp and inserting the necessary stitches as it progresses to the end of the clamp.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood reference is hereafter
had to the annexed sheet of drawings forming a part of this specification, in
which:-
Fig. 1, is side elevation of my improved instrument for clamping the organ
or part to be operated upon and giving a continued suture;
Fig. 2 is end elevation of same looking in the direction of arrow r;
Fig. 3 is plan view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is transverse section taken on line y, y, of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is side elevation of my improved sutural instrument shewing a modifi-
cation;
Fig. 6 is an exaggerated cross section of the needle.
Referring to the drawings, letters a and b represent two blades pivoted to-
gether at c and provided at one end with openings a¹, b¹, to receive the thumb
and forefinger, respectively, by which to open and close the blades after the manner
of a pair of scissors or snuffers, while the opposite or forward ends of said blades
are turned down at right angles and then bent to the horizontal or parallel with
the hinged blades but on a lower level to form a clamp or pair of jaws d. One
of said jaws, in this case the one on the end of blade a, is provided with a groove e
in which dovetails one edge of a sheath or cap f which is capable of being slided

page_text: in and out of said jaw and, when in position, forms a covering over the needle
when stitching a wound. Attached to the underside of blade a is a bracket g
to which is secured a spindle h of a length suited to the length of the needle to
be used and having its free end enlarged and provided with a spiral or helical
groove. The said spindle is supported in alignment with the centre of the clamp
or jaws when closed and always maintains the same relative position with respect
to the jaw or blade a whether the clamp is open or closed.
Surrounding the spindle h is a spiral or helically coiled needle i having its
forward end pointed and an eyelet j made therein while the opposite end is
secured to a bevil wheel k mounted loosely on the spindle h and free to slide
thereon. Gearing with the bevil wheel k is another bevil 7 fast on a short shaft l
journalled in a bracket placed loosely on the spindle h and connected by a
finger to the bevil wheel k so as to be movable therewith endwise. On the
shaft is secured a button or milled disc or other suitable device for affording
to the fingers sufficient grip or purchase to rotate the said shaft and bevil gear.
The front end of the needle registers in the groove on the end of the spindle,
both of which are of the same pitch, the said grooved end of the spindle forming
a nut which, when the needle is rotated, causes such needle to work forward off
the end of the spindle and through the clamp to the full extent thereof, the bevil
gear being drawn along by and with the needle while being rotated to give it
movement. On the periphery of the needle and from end to end thereof is
formed a groove 2¹ (see Fig. 6) for receiving therein the charge of thread for
stitching the wound, such thread being first threaded through the eyelet ; of the
needle and then forced over a spring m into a guide n at the side of the instru-
ment which guides the thread to, and lays it in the groove i¹ in the needle as the
latter travels forward into the clamp. The end of the thread can then be severed
by a knife or cutter o, secured to the bevil wheel k, which also serves to hold the
thread, if required.
The edges of the wound to be stitched are closed up and placed between the
jaws of the clamp which are then pressed together to hold the parts firmly in
position and secured by a nut p working on a screw p¹ secured to the blade a
and extending through an opening in the blade b; or a ratchet, spring catch or
other equivalent device can be adopted for adjusting and holding the jaws firmly
against the wound or organ inserted between same.
For stitching the wound, the operator simply rotates the shaft which through
the medium of the bevil wheels and k, drives the needle whose rotation causes
it to work forward along the groove on the end of spindle h into and through
the clamp d, the point of the needle at every revolution piercing the edges of the
wound, or the organ concerned, and thus inserting the necessary stitches therein
from one end to the other. After securing the thread, the motion of the needle
is reversed and it is thus withdrawn from the clamp to the normal position shewn
at Figs. 1 and 3, leaving the stitches in the wound.
Any organ can be removed while held in the clamp, the cap or sheath f being
slided out of the clamp to allow of this being done, or to give access to the clamp
for any other purpose. Openings or slots q are formed in the edges of the clamp
as shewn to afford a clear passage for the needle.
In Fig. 5 I shew a modification of the means for rotating the needle i to propel
it backward and forward, the same consisting of a milled disc k in lieu of the bevil
gear.
The spindle h is provided with a spiral groove or screw thread extending from
end to end in which the needle i works when rotated by the milled dise. I may
however, observe that, as the disc is at the same level as the clamp, it is not so
easy or convenient to manipulate as the shaft 71 which is further removed from the
body being operated upon.
By the means herein before described pilēs or other growths or organs of the
body can be clamped, removed and the wound stitched with ease and expedition
and all necessity for cauterising avoided, the instrument being applicable for any

page_text: description of wound which can be clamped therein, and giving a continued
suture.
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:
Firstly. An instrument for clamping and giving a continued suture in medi-
cal operations, constructed and operating substantially as herein shewn and
described.
Secondly. The combination, with a hand clamp such as set forth, of a spiral
or helically coiled needle adapted to work in a correspondingly grooved or screw
threaded spindle and means for actuating same all arranged and acting in the
manner and for the purposes substantially as herein shewn and described.
Thirdly. In instruments for sutural or like medical operations, the employ-
ment of a needle such as i having a groove on its surface to receive a charge
of thread substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 14th day of December 1897.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Huddersfield, Patent Agents.