A New or Improved Table or Couch, chiefly designed for use in Surgical Operations.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Table or Couch, chiefly designed for use in
Surgical Operations.
I WILLIAM HERBERT LISTER MARRINER, of Westbourne Tower, Poole Road,
Bournemouth West, in the County of Hampshire, Surgeon, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of surgical appliance, or apparatus known as
a surgical table, or couch, on which a patient is placed for the purpose of under-
going more especially a gynaecological examination or operation.
My invention is however equally applicable for all other purposes as a surgical
table, or couch, and may also be used as an ordinary consulting room couch, or as
a writing table when it is not desirable or convenient to have other such furniture
in the surgery.
A surgical table or couch made according to my invention consists of a frame
supported on four legs, two of which-at one end of the frame-are made rather
shorter than the other two, so as to give the frame and consequently the cover
forming the top of table, an inclination towards one end.
At the higher end of the table I fit,-lengthways of same,-two overhanging
flaps used as limb rests-one flap at each corner of this end of the table-the
width of each being about equal to one third of the width of the table, and made,
preferably, in two or more lengths suitably hinged at the joints, upon which they
may be raised and lowered as required, the flaps are rounded at one end and
pivotted to the frame of table so that they can be opened out laterally as desired,
and are supported in a horizontal or inclined position by arms, made of iron, or
other suitable material, hinged at one end to the underside of the flaps, and at the
other end provided with ratchet teeth, which engage with adjustable hooks or
holders suitably secured to the adjacent legs of the table; the hooks or holders are
pivotted, so that when the flaps or limb rests, with the arms, are opened out
laterally, they (the holders) adjust themselves to the position of the arms, the
distal, or outer, parts, or lengths, of the said flaps can be turned up and fixed in any
desired position.
Between the said flaps or limb rests, I fit a central sliding piece, or board
arranged to slide in guides under the top of table, it is made in two lengths hinged
at the joint and can be drawn out from under the table top when desired, so as to
make the table or couch, when required, into its full length and width for an
operation or examination, the proximal or inner part of flaps or limb rests being
then fixed horizontally, or approximately so, and the distal, or outer part, or parts
turned up and fixed in the required position.
I also fit a smaller sliding board under the one last mentioned for the purpose of
accommodating a basin, or to serve as a tray for surgical instruments or other
purposes.
The top or cover of table is hinged or otherwise connected to the table frame on
one side so that it can be raised to, and then secured at, any desired angle, and
the table is provided with a removable mattrass to which is attached a pillow
upholstered and padded with horsehair or other suitable material.
The aforesaid flaps or limb rests are provided with stirrups to accommodate the
limbs of patient, and with suitable holes or slots to pass bandages through for the
purpose of securing the patients' limbs to the stirrups especially in cases in which
aneasthetics are administered.
Many modifications may be made in the details of the apparatus without
departing from the distinctive character of the invention, my improved table or

page_text: couch being more particularly adapted however for use in gynaecological examina-
tions and operations where the double inclination advised by Sims, and called
"Sims' position" is desirable, in which position, of my table, the flap or limb rest
to the left hand side of the operator is let down, and the top or cover of the table
raised upon its hinges and fixed at the desired angle by suitable means; my
improved table or couch is also adapted for operations requiring the lithotomy
position, for which the central sliding board is pushed out of the way under the
table and the two flaps or limb rests, when in the approximate horizontal position,
are moved outwards and the hinged distal part, or parts turned upwards so as to
support the patient's legs which are placed in the stirrups provided on the flaps or
limb rests; also by means of the arrangement of flaps I adopt, the operator has
more room to work in, as the flaps nearest to the operator may be let down if
found convenient, an evident advantage over those surgical tables made without
flaps.
The table or couch, and the mattrass for same may be made of any suitable
material and the legs of the table may be mounted on castors if desired.
Dated this 27th day of October 1892.
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Table or Couch, chiefly designed for use in
Surgical Operations.
I WILLIAM HERBERT LISTER MARRINER, of Westbourne Tower, Poole Road,
Bournemouth West, in the County of Hampshire, Surgeon, 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 relates to that class of surgical appliance, or apparatus known
as a surgical table or couch on which a patient is placed for the purpose of under-
going more especially a gynæcological examination, or operation but it is equally
applicable for all other purposes as a surgical table or couch, and may also be used
as an ordinary consulting room couch or as a writing table when it is not desirable
or convenient to have other such furniture in the surgery.
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal elevation of a table or couch constructed according to
my invention and adapted for use in surgical operations.
Fig. 2, a plan on top of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, an end view.
Fig. 4, a cross section taken on line k. k.
a. a. is a frame supported on four legs b, b, two of which, at one end of the
table, are shorter than the other two, thus giving the top of table an inclination
towards one end.
At the higher end of table lengthways of same 1 fit two overhanging
flaps c, c, used as limb rests the width of each flap being about equal to one third
of the entire width of table top a', each flap is made preferably in three lengths
suitably hinged at the joints d, and d', the flaps are rounded at the end, and
pivotted at 9, 9, to the table frame or legs-so that they can be opened out
laterally as desired-they are supported horizontally by arms h, k, hinged at one
end to the underside of the flaps, the arms may be provided with teeth on the
bottom end arranged to engage with the devices i, i, attached to the table legs,
and by changing the position of the bottom end of arms in the devices i, i,-the
flaps hinging at d-can be lowered to and fixed at, any desired angle, I do not
confine myself however to the use of teeth upon the arms for the aforesaid
purpose, but I may use other suitable devices and means to attain the like result,
in any case the part r, of the devices i, i, pivot on same so that when the flaps

page_text: are opened out laterally the former adjust themselves to the position of the arms
and flaps, the distal or other parts or lengths of the said flaps can be turned up
and fixed in any desired position by means of the devices j, j
Between the flaps or limb rests c, c, I fit a central piece or board 1, arranged to
slide in suitable guides, the said board is made in two lengths hinged at the
joint m, and it can, as required be drawn out from, or pushed in under the table
top, before pushing the board under the table top, it is necessary to open it out to
its full length as shewn by dotted lines at Figs. 1, and 2, when the distal part of
the board is folded down on to the inner part, the top of the board in that position
will be level with the top of limb rests c, c. I also fit a suitable sliding board n,
for the purpose of accommodating a basin n', or to serve as a tray for surgical
instruments or other purposes, the board can be slid under the table and pulled
out as desired.
The top or cover a¹, of table is hinged to the table frame a, on one side
at u, so that it can be raised to, and then secured at any desired angle by means of
the stays p, which engage with the toothed rack p', for the purpose (see more
especially Fig. 4). The table is further provided with a removable mattress to
which is attached a pillow or pillows suitably upholstered and padded.
The flaps c, c, are provided with stirrups 2, 9-to accommodate the limbs of
patient and with suitable holes or slots q, q, to pass bandages through for the
purpose of securing the patient's limbs to the stirrups, especially in cases in which
aneasthetics are administered.
1 can make many modifications in the details of my apparatus without departing
from the distinctive character of the invention.
My improved table or couch is more particularly adapted however for use in
gynecological examinations and operations, when the double inclination advised
by Sims, and called "Sims position" is desirable, for which the flap or limb rest
to the left hand side of the operator is let down and the top or cover a¹, raised
upon its hinges and fixed at the desired angle, by means of the stays p, p, and
rack p', hereinbefore referred to.
My improved table or couch is also adapted for operations requiring the
lithotomy position for which the sliding board 1, is pushed out of the way under
the table, the two flaps c, c, moved outwards, and the hinged distal part, or parts
of same turned upwards, so as to support the patient's legs which are placed in
the stirrups q, q; by means of the arrangement of flaps I adopt, the operator will
have more room to work in, as the one nearest to him may be let down if found in
the way, an evident advantage over those surgical tables made without such flaps.
The table or couch, and the mattress and pillows for same may be made of any
suitable material and the legs of the table may be mounted on castors if desired.
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 :-
The improved table or couch chiefly designed for use in surgical operations
comprising the frame a, the hinged top a', the hinged and pivotted parts c, c, the
hinged and sliding parts l, and the sliding part n, and other devices all constructed
and combined substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings and operating as, and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 8th day of March 1893.
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicant.