IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPORTS FOR OBSTETRIC OR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM POWELL of Merthyr Tydvil in the County of Glamorgan Saddler do
bereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPORTS
FOR OBSTETRIC OR OTHER PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
Whereas obstetric supports as hitherto constructed have been found defective in
not affording to the patient the help that is required at the time when the pains
of labour come on, owing to the difficulty ordinarily experienced in adjusting the
parts of the instrument or apparatus and applying them to the body, by reason of
such parts of the apparatus being liable to become displaced and entangled.
Now my invention consists in combining with the apparatus as hitherto
constructed such parts.as will enable the patient readily to put on the apparatus
herself, or to have it put on, as soon as it is required, in such a manner as to give
to the limbs that power of action whereby the outer muscles of the body are
caused to support the internal muscles thereof which have become enfeebled by the
special weakness of condition of the patient.
The parts of apparatus above referred to especially consist in the use of a slipper
applied to the ordinary strap or sling for the foot, in which slipper the fore part of
the foot can be inserted as well as the knee band in order to secure the lever action
of the legs and feet, also in a jacket or means of suspending the apparatus from
the shoulders of the wearer, and also in providing the means of placing the handles
of the apparatus in their proper position for use as required by hooking them on,
or otherwise connecting them to, the said jacket or suspender.
"
The above mentioned jacket or suspender is provided with suitable buttons or
other fastenings over the shoulders so as to allow the apparatus to be taken off
without exertion on the part of the patient.
In addition to this an abdominal pad of soft leather or other suitable material
(which is made preferably eliptical in form) is attached, being fastened to the back
pressure pad of the apparatus by means of elastic straps on either side of such pad,
these elastic straps being provided with rings through which the straps of the pad
are passed, and are then brought forward through suitable guides arranged for the
purpose on the front of the pad, and tension applied to such straps in order to
produce the required continual pressure.
This abdominal pad is used in combination with the jacket or suspender, and
the apparatus forming part of the same, during labour, and may be used or applied
separately after labour by the medical man or the patient herself.

page_text: The local pressure upon the navel region of the abdomen is further increased by
means of flaps brought together by lacing, and further stiffened if desired by the
insertion of a small separate leather pad between the flaps above referred to.
Adjusting straps and buckles may also be employed at the two sides of the
abdominal pad.
The apparatus with the additional parts combined therewith is rendered available
for practical application in the manner above described.
.100...ג..
I WILLIAM POWELL of Merthyr Tydvil in the County of Glamorgan Saddler 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:
Whereas obstetric supports as hitherto constructed have been found defective in
not affording to the patient the help that is required at the time when the pains
of labour come on, owing to the difficulty ordinarily experienced in adjusting the
parts of the instrument or apparatus and applying them to the body, by reason of
such parts of the apparatus being liable to become displaced and entangled.
Now my invention consists in combining with the apparatus as hitherto
constructed such parts as will enable the patient readily to put on the apparatus
herself, or to have it put on, as soon as it is required, in such a manner as to give
to the limbs that power of action whereby. the outer muscles of the body are caused
to support the internal muscles thereof which have become enfeebled by the
special weakness of condition of the patient.
The parts of apparatus above referred to especially consist in the use of a slipper
applied to the ordinary strap or sling for the foot, in which slipper the fore part of
the foot can be inserted as well as the knee band in order to secure the lever
action of the legs and feet, also in a jacket or means of suspending the apparatus
from the shoulders of the wearer and also in providing the means of placing the
handles of the apparatus in their proper position for use as required by hooking
them on, or otherwise connecting them to, the said jacket or suspender.
The above mentioned jacket or suspender is provided with suitable buttons or
other fastenings over the shoulders so as to allow the apparatus to be taken off
without exertion on the part of the patient.

page_text: In addition to this an abdominal pad of soft leather or other suitable material
(which is made preferably elliptical in form) is attached, being fastened to the back
pressure pad of the apparatus by means of elastic straps on either side of such pad,
these elastic straps being provided with rings through which the straps of the pad
are passed, and are then brought forward through suitable guides arranged for the
purpose on the front of the pad, and tension applied to such straps in order to
produce the required continual pressure.
This abdominal pad is used in combination with the jacket or suspender, and the
apparatus forming part of the same, during labour, and may be used or applied
separately after labour by the medical man or the patient herself.
The local pressure upon the navel region of the abdomen is further increased by
means of flaps brought together by lacing, and further stiffened if desired by the
insertion of a small separate leather pad between the flaps above referred to.
Adjusting straps and buckles may also be employed at the two sides of the
abdominal pad.
The apparatus with the additional parts combined there with is rendered available
for practical application in the manner above described.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will describe it more
particularly by the aid of the accompanying drawings in which are represented
|the parts of apparatus above referred to.
Fig. 1. Is a view of the jacket or suspender portion of the apparatus.
Fig. 2. Is a modification of the jacket or suspender with one handle slipper and
knee band attached, and shown as hooked on to the said jacket or suspender when
not in use.
Fig. 3. Is the same jacket or suspender and attachments as shown in Fig. 2 but
showing both handles slippers and knee bands in the positions they would take
when in use.
In Figs. 4, 6 and 8, are shown modifications of the abdominal pad which is capable
of either being used with the jacket or suspender and attachments being fastened
to the back pressure pad or separately as required.
Fig. 5 Is the small separate leather pad for further stiffening the abdominal pad.
Fig. 7 Is a modification of the jacket or suspender shown with the abdominal
pad attached and also a mode of connecting the front of the said jacket or suspender
and abdominal pad when required.
In the several figures represented the same letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
A is the jacket or suspender, B the handles C the knee band and D the slipper of
the attachments to the same.
E is the hook for keeping the handles of the apparatus in position so as to be
ready for use as required.
F are the suitable buttons or other fastenings over the shoulders of the jacket
or suspender for the ready removal of the same from the patient.
G and G¹ show a method of lacing up the jacket or suspender so as to suit the
form or figure of the patient.
In fig. 6 H are the straps crossing behind the back pad of the jacket or
suspender A and passing in front of the abdominal pad can be tightened up as
required.
The local pressure upon the navel region of the abdomen is further increased by
means of the flaps II (fig. 4,) which are brought together either by simply lacing
or by passing the laces through the eyelets J of the separate pad, shown in fig. 5,
when this has been inserted between the said flaps I I.
The abdominal pads represented in figs. 7 and 8 are caused to press upon the
abdomen by tightening or lacing together the flaps K, K.

page_text: The cords or straps L L in figs. 7 and 8 are for the purposes of altering the
direction of the pressure of the abdominal pad by fastening the said cords or
-straps L L to suitable buttons provided for the purpose upon the jacket or
suspender A.
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
First. The combination of a jacket or suspender together with handles, knee-
bands and slippers and hooks arranged so as to keep the apparatus readily
available for use as required, also an abdominal pad to be used either in combination
with the rest of the apparatus or separate therefrom after labour all substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
And Secondly. The methods of adjusting or tightening the abdominal belts and
jackets or suspenders as required and the cords or straps L for distributing the
pressure substantially as herein before described.
Deted this cawanteenth day of Sentember 1885