US1070123A - Dental instrument. - Google Patents

Description

W. W. EVANS.

DENTAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1912.

. 1,070,123. Patented Aug. 12,1913.

WITNESSES INVENTOR I g Home COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, B. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. EVANS, OF HAMILTON, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE S. S. WI-IITE DENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DENTAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 10*, 1912. Serial No. 702,777.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. EVANS, a resident of Hamilton, in the county of Loudoun and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in dental instruments, and more particularly to registering devices for use in conjunction with dental articulators, the object of the invention being to provide simple and eflicient means adapted to be supported by the head of a patient and operable to make records of the condyle paths when the jaws of the patient are moved as in the act of mastication.

WVith this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my improvements; Fig. 2 is a partial v1ew of the yoke and attached devices; Figs. 3 and 4: are

detail sectional views showing the mounting of the marking devices; Fig. 5 is a view in section on line m-w of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of the head band and card frame; Fig. 7 is a section on line y-y of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a section on line zz of Fig. 6.

1 represents a yoke which may be conveniently made of wire and is adapted to sustain a trial plate support 2 removably and adjustably but normally rigidly secured thereto by means of a suitable clamp 3.

An adjustable head band 5 is provided and may be conveniently made of thin sheet metal comprising two sections having sliding connection with each other through the medium of a plate 6 having a guideway 7 to receive the overlapping ends of the band sections.

At each end of the band 5, a frame 8 is located, and each frame is provided with an offset arm or plate 9 lying in a plane parallel with that of the frame 8 and inwardly of the same, said frame and arm or plate being connected by a part 10 disposed at right angles to both. The frame 8 is made with an opening 11 and at the side edges, said frame is provided with guides 12 for a card 13 on which a meridian line 14: is drawn. The arm or plate 9 of each frame 8 is provided with an elongated slot 15 and the head band 5 is provided at each end with an elongated notch 16. Through these slots, the threaded shanks 17 of the knobs 18 (the latter being made preferably of glass) pass, and these shanks receive lever nuts 19. In this manner, the arms or plates 9 of the frames 8 are adj ustably attached to respective ends of the head band 5,such adjust-able connection of the frames to the head band permitting their proper disposition to enable the operator to accurately locate said frames opposite the condyles of the patient. The openings 11 in the frames 8 will permit the operator to locate, with his finger, the condyles of the patient and the knobs 18 entering the ears of the patient will also assist in properly positioning the frames 8. In order to assist the operator in disposing the frames 8 in horizontal positions, said frames may be provided with spirit levels 24:.

Blocks 20 are adjustably secured to the arms 4 of the yoke, by means of set screws. These blocks are provided with transverse threaded holes to receive threaded rods 21, each having a suitable longitudinal mark or groove 22 which acts as a guide to permit accurate adjustment of said rods. Each adjustable rod 21 is made hollow to receive a spring-pressed pencil lead or point 23.

In using the device, the operator will place the band 5, with the frames 6 attached to its ends, on the head of the patient so that the knobs 18 will enter the patients ears. The model or trial plate having been properly disposed in the mouth of the patient, the operator will insert the trial plate support 2 and after the latter shall have been properly attached to the trial plate, the operator will adjust the yoke and the frames 8 until he can accurately locate the condyles by inserting his finger through the openings 11. The blocks 19 will then be adjusted on the arms of the yoke until the pencil points in the transverse rods 21 become disposed .in the plane of the condyles of the patient and the trial plate support will be rigidly secured to the yoke, by means of the clamp 3. The distance between the plane of the condyles and the trial plate or model has now been determined, and by placing the rods 21 111 the plane of the hinge connection between the two members of an articulator,

the trial plate or model can be accurately placed in the articulator. The instrument having been applied to the patient as above described, the operator will insert the cards 13 into the frames 8 so as to cover the open ings in the latter, the meridian line on said cards being then disposed at right angles to the plane of the condyles. The patient will now move his lower jaw as in the act of n'iastication, and the pencil points will mark the cards 13, and the lines thus made by the pencil points will be atan angle to the meridian line on the cards. The operator will ascertain the degree of the angle of the lines made on the cards, by means of a protractor, and he will then adjust the hinge connections or artificial condyles of the articulator accordingly, thus causing the lower member of the articulator to be capable of move ments identical with those of the lower jaw of a particular patient.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a dental instrument, the combination with a yoke and a trial. plate support, of means independent of said yoke for supporting registering cards coincident with the condyles of a patient, and markers on said yoke to mark said register cards when the lower j aw of the patient is moved.

2. In a dental instrument, the combination with a face yoke and a trial plate support associated therewith, of frames having opei'iin'gs, means independent of said yoke for supporting said frames coincident with the condyles of a patient, transverse rods adjustable on the arms of the yoke, cards provided with meridian lines, removably mounted in said frames, and markers carried by said transverse rods.

3. In a dental instrument, the combination with a face yoke and a trial plate support associated therewith, of frames, adjustable means independent of said yoke for supporting said frames coincident with the condyles of a patient, cards having me ridian lines, supported by said frames, and markers adjustable on the arms of the yoke.

4. In a dental instrument, the combination of a head band, frames adjustably secured to the ends of said band, ear knobs adjacent to said frames, a face yoke, a trial plate support associated with said yoke, cards mounted in said frames, and adjustable rods mounted adj ustably 011 the arms of the yoke and carrying markers.

5. In a dental instrument, the combination with a yoke and a trial plate support, of frames having openings, means for supporting said. frames coincident with the condyles of a patient, record cards having meridian lines, supported by said frames, leveling means on said frames, and markers supported by the yoke for making a record on said cards.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM lV. EVANS.

l Vitnesses WILLIAM J. RUSSELL, H. A. CowAnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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