IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENEMAS AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Burbridge, Manager at Messrs. W. Warne & Co.'s
India Rubber Works, Tottenham, Middlesex, Robert Cureton Thorpe, Chemist,
Tottenham, Middlesex, and Thomas Oakley, Engineer, Tottenham, Middlesex,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENEMAS AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Burbridge, Robert
Cureton Thorpe, & Thomas Oakley, at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 5th May 1880.
JAMES BURBRIDGE, Manager at Messrs. W. Warne & Co.'s India Rubber Works,
Tottenham, Middlesex, ROBERT CURETON THORPE, Chemist, Tottenham, Middlesex,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
and THOMAS OAKLEY, Engineer, Tottenham, Middlesex.
MANUFACTURE OF ENEMAS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
The object of this Invention is to dispense with the metal or other valves and
mounts now used with indiarubber eneinas and similar articles for surgical use, and
in lieu thereof to form the enema or similar article with mounts and valves of
indiarubber, the whole article being thus made entirely of vulcanized india rubber,
and at one operation.
The parts of the tubes and pump are first cut out in the desired form from the
sheet of rubber compound in the ordinary way, and are joined together by some
suitable solution. Before the article is placed in the mould for vulcanizing, and
while it is still in an adhesive state, the mount is placed in position and the suction
and delivery valves are formed. The article is then placed in the mould and is
subjected to the vulcanizing process, by which the various parts will become firmly
joined together and fixed in shape.
The suction valve is formed by turning in the end of the suction tube and
inserting a plug (forming part of the mould) of a conical shape with a flattened
apex. During vulcanization the turned in end of the tube will take a similar form,
and will present a very simple and effective suction valve. The mount we form of
rubber, with which an extra amount of curative is mixed to ensure its vulcanizing
to the required hardness.
The delivery valve is formed by compressing the end of the delivery tube while
it is in the adhesive state and before placing it in the mould, which is formed to
correspond to the compressed part of the tube. After vulcanization the tube will
retain this form, and a simple and effective valve will thereby be produced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Burbridge, Robert Cureton Thorpe, & Thomas Oakley in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th November 1880.
JAMES BURBRIDGE, Manager at Messrs. W. Warne & Co.'s India Rubber Works,
Tottenham, Middlesex, ROBERT CURETON THORPE, Chemist, Tottenham, Middlesex,
and THOMAS OAKLEY, Engineer, Tottenham, Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF ENEMAS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
The object of this Invention is to dispense with the metal, bone, ivory, or other
valves now used with india rubber eneinas and similar articles for surgical use, and
in lieu thereof to form the enema or similar article with valves of india rubber; by
which means the cost of the manufacture will be materially reduced.
In carrying out our Invention we provide two metal half moulds which will
together form a counterpart externally of the article to be produced, and from a
sheet of plastic india rubber compound we cut out two lengths of material that will
fit into the hollows of these two half moulds. These lengths we join together at
their edges, and having shaped out of the plastic material the suction and delivery
valves, as hereafter explained, we submit the article in its crude form to the
vulcanizing process in the metal mould, and by the aid of internal pressure, produced
by the vaporization of water or other fluid inserted in the article, the plastic
material is forced against and held in contact with the face of the mould, whereby
the plastic material is caused to take and retain the counterpart form of the
mould.
In the accompanying Drawings we have shewn at Fig. 1, partly in section, an
enema as constructed according to our Invention with the suction and delivery
valves formed in one piece with their respective tubes, and with a nozzle in place;
Fig. 2 is a section of the end of the suction tube, shewing the valve also in section
as taken at the line 1, 2, Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a plan or external view of the delivery
valve; a is the suction pipe, in the end of which at a¹ the suction valve is placed;
b is the pump or ball; c is the delivery pipe, the delivery valve being formed therein
at c¹, and d is a vulcanite nozzle or mount.
The suction valve is formed by turning in the end of the suction tube as shewn
at as, Fig. 2, and inserting a flat wedge shaped core therein similar to that shewn
at Fig. 2. The insertion of this core tends to elongate the turned in end of the
tube, and thus reduce the thickness of plastic material at that part, bringing it to
the form of a flat lipped tube. The valve will thus take somewhat the shape of
what is known by anatomists as a "mitral" valve. Where this valve occurs the
cross section of the outer tube is enlarged to provide lateral space for the free working
of the valve.
The delivery valve c¹ is formed by simply compressing or flattening the delivery
tube while in the plastic state and before placing it in the mould. The form of
this valve is shewn in plan view at Fig. 3, and in cross section at Fig. 1. As the
half moulds are made shallow at the part where this valve occurs, there will be no
space for the flattened portion of the tube to expand under the internal pressure to
which the article is subjected.
The nozzle or mount d we make of hard rubber compound, and by preference
attach it to the tube while soft in order that it may unite therewith and harden
under the vulcanizing process. The stem of the nozzle will in this case be
coated with a solution of india rubber before insertion into the end of the delivery
tube.
The article thus framed we submit to the action of heat in the ordinary way,
taking care to secure the parts of the mould firmly together. When the article has
been submitted to the required degree of heat, it will be found to have taken a
permanent set, and will then virtually consist of one piece.

page_text: If desired, the tubes which carry the valves a and c may be detachable from the
elastic ball, and connected therewith by fittings of hard rubber or similar compound,
which are placed in position before the vulcanization, and are cured with the parts
of the article with which they are connected.
Fig. 4 illustrates this mode of connecting the parts together, as it offers facility
for cleaning the instrument; its adoption may be convenient under certain well
recognized circumstances.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Enemas and similar Articles," and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent we claim,-
In the manufacture of enemas and similar articles, the use of elastic valves
made in one piece with the tubes they are intended to close, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Burbridge, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
JAS. BURBRIDGE. (L.S.)