IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUSSES FOR CASES OF HERNIA
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Coles and William Coles, both of Wych Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Truss Makers, for the Invention of
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Common on Tan CAGES ADA"
Sealed the 12th September 1862, and dated the 15th March .1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by the said Alfred Coles and William
Coles at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 15th March 1862.
We, ALFRED COLES and WILLIAM COLES, both of Wych Street; Strand, in
the County of Middlesex, Truss Makers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUSSES FOR CASES OF
HERNIA," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of trusses
whereby the same truss can be, adapted and rendered applicable to several
distinct kinds of hernia. A piece of metal furnished with a longitudinal slot
therein is connected with the body spring of the truss by means of a set screw
which acts as a pivot, and works in a smaller slot at one end of the said piece
of metal. The front pad is connected by its back with the slotted piece of
metal by set screws passing through the longitudinal slot, so that the pad can
be shifted and fixed by means of the set screws; the result being that the
truss is lengthened or shortened as may be desired, while by reason of the

page_text: said slotted piece of metal being pivoted to the body spring, it can be placed
and fixed at any required angle thereto. By these arrangements the same
truss can be rendered applicable to cases of inguinal, femoral, scrotal, or
crural hernia, by simply adjusting, in manner before mentioned, the position of
the pad and the angle thereof with reference to the body spring. The posterior
end of the body spring is also furnished with a longitudinal slot, whereby the
position of the back pad can be altered and adjusted, set screws being employed
for fixing the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Coles and William Coles in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALFRED
COLES and WILLIAM COLES, both of Wych Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Truss Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Alfred Coles and William Coles, Her special licence that we, the said Alfred
Coles and William Coles, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Alfred Coles and William Coles, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRUSSES FOR
CASES OF HERNIA," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Alfred
*Coles and William Coles, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Alfred Coles and William Coles, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,.
and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
Our said Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
trusses, whereby the same truss can be adapted and rendered applicable to
several distinct cases of hernia.
The kind of truss to which our improvements are applicable is that for
which Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of July, One thousand eight..
hundred and twenty-one, and numbered 4567, were granted to William Coles,
since deceased, and in which the pads are constructed with spiral springs for
the purpose of adapting and equalising the pressure thereof... In the case of
these and of all other trusses hitherto made, it has been necessary to have the.
trusses expressly manufactured for each description of abdominal hernia,
inasmuch as it is requisite that the pads should be at different angles' to the:.
body spring, according to the kind of hernia under treatment. This.objection
is obviated by our said Invention in the following manner :-A piece of metal,
constructed with a longitudinal slot therein, is connected with the body spring
of the truss by means of a set screw, which acts as a pivot and works in a
smaller slot at one end of the said piece of metal. The front pad is connected
by its back with the slotted piece of metal by set screws passing through the
longitudinal slot, thus enabling the pad to be shifted and fixed by means of the
set screws, the result being that the truss can be lengthened or shortened, as
may be desired, while, by reason of the said slotted piece of metal being
pivoted to the body spring, as before mentioned, it can be placed and fixed at
any required 'angle thereto. It will be manifest that by these arrangements
the same truss can be rendered applicable to cases of inguinal, femoral, scrotal,
or crural hernia, or, in fact, any other description of abdominal hernia, by
simply adjusting, in manner before mentioned, the position of the pad and the
angle thereof with reference to the body spring. The posterior end of the
body spring is also furnished with a longitudinal slot, whereby the back pad
can be altered and adjusted, set screws being employed for fixing the same,
thus affording an additional advantage over the trusses in ordinary use.
Although in the preceding description the arrangements requisite for single
trusses are only spoken of, yet our said improvements are equally applicable
to double trusses..
Our Invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the annexed
Drawings.
Figures I, and II. in Sheet I. represent respectively a single and a double
truss. In Sheet II., Figure I. is the before-mentioned piece of metal, which is
attached to the body spring. a is the longitudinal slot, and b the slot by

page_text: which it is connected with the body spring, ċ being the set screw by which it
is pivoted thereto; d, d, are the set screws for lengthening or shortening
the pad.
Figure II. shews the pad as adjusted. for inguinal hernia, Figure III. as
placed for femoral hernia, Figure IV. for scrotal hernia, and Figure V. for
crural hernia. It may be observed, however, that the last-mentioned Figures
are not to be taken as absolutely correct with regard to the angles at which
the pads are placed, but only as being illustrative of the mode of adjustment.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention,
and the manner in which it is to be performed, we would observe, in
conclusion, that what we consider as being novel and original, and therefore
claim as pur Invention, is the construction of trusses applicable to cases of
abdominal hernia in manner herein-before substantially set forth and
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alfred Coles and William Coles, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
ALFRED COLES.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM COLES. (L.S.)
ALFRED COLES.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM COLES. (L.S.)