US316584A

US316584A - william a

Info

Publication number: US316584A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1885-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1902-04-28

Description

(No Model.)

W; A. TURNER.

BREAST PUMP. No. 316,584.

. fa f Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

'lTES WILLIAM A. TURNER, OF BROOKLYN,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM G. WOOD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

BREAST-PU IVI P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,58, dated April 28, 1885.

Application tiled November 28, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. TURNER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breast-Pumps; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, and complete description ofmy IO lnvention.

The object sought by me is to produce, at comparatively low cost, a compact, simple, durable, and effective breast-pump which can be promptly and conveniently released from I 5 adhesion to the breast.

It is well known that when breast-pumps are used upon sore and delicate breasts the pain is sometimes so intense that instant relief should be afforded, and for accomplishing that purpose breast-pumps have been heretofore provided with elastic vacuum-bulbs of peculiar shape, which were detachable from the pump. Others have had a slitted flexible pipe between the vacuum-bulb and the mouthpiece of the pump, so that when said slitted pipe is bent in a certain direction the slit will be open and air admitted, and therefore when the pump is in use said slitted pipe must be held in a particular position in order that the slit referred to can be maintained in a closed condition, and the elastic vacuum-bulbs of such pumps are of necessity provided with two opening-sone for receiving an eductionvalve, and the other for connecting with the 3 5 slitted tube.

Abreast-pump embodying my invention has a glass mouth-piece of common form, and also a Vacuum-bulb having a single opening therein,

' and an externally-accessible releasing-valve.

40 In its best form my releasing-valve also operates as an exit-valve, through which air is forced from the bulb; but separate valves may be employed without departure from certain portions of my invention.

5 The releasing-valve is located upon a rigid coupling-piece provided with internal air-passages, and located between the bulb and mouthpiece, and although such a construction constitutes one portion of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the mere matter of the location of said releasing-valve.

To more particularly describe my invention I will refer to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of one of my pumps in its best form. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal longitudinal sectional View of the rigid coupling-piece. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of said coupling-piece on line 50, Fig. 1. Fig. 6

4. is a longitudinal section of a coupling piece differently constructed and provided with a cheaper variety of releasing-valve.

The glass mouth-piece A, its milk-reservoir B, and bulbous end 0 are all as heretofore. 5

The rubber vacuum-bulb D is provided with a neck, a, but has no other aperture.

The coupling-piece E (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3) may be composed of any sufficientlyrigid material, such as wood or hard rubber; 7 but white metal is deemed preferable. At its rear end it has' a bulbous neck of common form, for enabling a firm interionengagement with the neck a of the vacuum-bulb in a manner well known, and at its front end it is simi larly formed for like engagement with the short flexible and elastic rubber tube 5, by means of which the coupling-piece and the glassmp thpiece are united. This coupling piece has a central longitudinal air-passage, 0; but at its front end it is chambered or recessed for the reception of a disk, cl, which is centrally perforated, and between said disk and the bottom of the chamber a small flat thin piece of vulcanized rubber, e, is secured 8 at one side, so that when said disk is fastened in by burnishing the end of the couplingpiece it cannot be displaced, but will be free to operate as a hinged valve for guarding the aperture in the disk as against the forcible o passage of air from the bulb toward the mouthpiece. About midway of its length this coupling-piece is also provided with a lateral airpassage, f, which communicates with the central passage, 0, and has its entrance guarded 9 5 by a releasing-valve, g. As shown-in Figs.

1 to 3, inclusive, this valve is located upon one side of the coupling-piece, and has a ver tically-projectingthumb-piece, g, and is socured to the coupling-piece by means of a loose pivot, which enables the lower or operative end of the valve to vibrate freely toward and from its seat.

For securing an air-tight closure of the passage f, the valve has a thin film of rubber on its face, and said face is also provided with a central pin, which holds the rubber, and also enters the air-passage f, and to that extent serves to close the aperture; but these details of construction may be varied without departure from this portion of my invention, the gist of which is a coupling-piece provided with a readily-accessible and easily-manipulated releasing-valve, by which air can be promptly admitted for relieving the suction upon a breast. v I or All breast-pumps having a bulb capable of progressively inducing a vacuum must of necessity have an exit-valve, which, like valve 9, enables the discharge of air from the bulb, and I have for the first time organized an exitvalve so that it performs the additional function of a releasing-valve; and this feature constitutes another portion of my invention.

In Fig. 4 I show a coupling-piece which is suited for use only upon the cheapest lines of goods. In this construction the two air-passages are wholly distinct from each other. The air-passage extends from end to end, as before described; but the valve 6 is located at the rear end of the coupling, and is a simple flap of thin rnbber,which can be held in place by bending inwardly thereon a portion Of One side of the coupling. The air-passage f extends longitudinally from the rear end Of h coupling-piece for a short distance,and thence extends laterally through the side there0f,and adjacent to its entrance the outside of the coupling-piece is flattened to form a seat for the valve 9 which, as here shown,is a thin flap of flexible rubber, secured at one side by being clinched within aslitted opening formed in the annular rim h. This releasing-valve g has no thumb-piece; but it is nevertheless accessible and easily manipulated, it being obvious that said valve may be readily manipulated for lifting it.

In operation the mouth-piece is appliedsto a breast and the vacuum-bulb compressed, thus forcing the air therefrom through the air-passage f,and on releasing the bulb from pressure the valve 9 or 9 will prevent the induction of air to the bulb, except such as will be drawn from the interior of the mouth-piece through the air-passage c, the valve 0 preventing the passage of air from the bulb to the mouth piece when the bulb is next compressed. By thus working the vacuum-bulb a few times a desirable vacuum is induced within the mouthpiece for effecting the draft of milk from a nipple, and at any time a prompt relief will be afforded by manipulating the releasingvalve, which admits external air to the bulb. Although the air thus admitted to the bulb does not at once enter the mouth -piece, a speedy release is afforded, and, when the cost of an extra valve need not be considered, the releasing-valve may open into a passage communicating directly with the mouth-piece, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a breast-pump,the combination of the mouth-piece,the Vacuum-bulb having a single opening therein, and the intermediate rigid coupling-piece provided with internal air-passages and the externally-accessible releasingvalve, substantially as described.

2. In a breast-pump, the combination of the mouth-piece, the vacuumbulb having asingle opening therein, the intermediate couplingpiece provided with air-passages, and the re- 1easing-valve having a thumb-piece for conveniently controlling the entrance of air to the bulb, substantially as described.

3. In a breast-pump, a valve operating as an exit-valve for the passage of air forced from the vacuum-bulb, and provided with a thumb-piece, by which it is made to operate also as an externally accessible releasingvalve, substantially as described.

WILLIAM A. TURNER. [L. s]

Witnesses:

MURDOOH W. MOKENZIE, JOHN R. SUTER.