US1401190A

US1401190A - Mouth-prop

Info

Publication number: US1401190A
Application number: US360036A
Authority: US
Inventors: Risley Sheridan
Original assignee: CLEVELAND DENTAL Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: CLEVELAND DENTAL MANUFACTURING Co
Priority date: 1920-02-20
Filing date: 1920-02-20
Publication date: 1921-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 1938-12-27

Description

s. R I SLEY. MOUTH PROP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1920.

1 401,190, Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

Aid 5- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

SHERIDAN RISLEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND DENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MOUTH-PROP.

' S- ecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it 'known that I, SHERIDAN RISLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland in the count of Ou' aho 'a and t t r be 1 y L c i i 1 L. S a. e o 10, rue my ented certain new and useful Improvements in lllouth-Prop's,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mouth props or gags, such as are used by dentists or surgeons for propping open a patients jaws while working or operating in the mouth.

Prior instruments for this purpose have usually been adjustable to vary the distance between the jaws, and have been so con structed as to prevent the patient from closing his jaws together beyond the position to which the instrument is adjusted, and to yield and to open out to follow the jaws if the patient opens his mouth more widely. Such instruments are objectionable because when the patient separates his jaws the following movement of the instrument prevents him from thereafter closing his jaws to the original position. As a consequence the patient either opens his mouth so widely as to cause him to swallow considerable blood with bad effects upon the digestive tract, or the jaws may even become dislocated by continued stretching. These results will occur unless the dentist or surgeon stops his operating work and readjusts the prop or The resent inventionhas for its object to provide an improved mouth prop or gag which can be readily adjusted to any desired size, which will prevent the patient from closing his jaws beyond the point to which the instrument isset, and which will also allow the patient to open his jaws wider and then return them to their original positions without attention by the operating dentist or surgeon.

Further objects of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

The invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter clescribed and claimed.

In the drawings, which represent one suitable embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2 is a: rear elevation; Fig. 3 is an end view; and Fig. e is a etail sectional. elevation on the line k4,

The instrument shown in the drawings comprises a pair of arms 1, 2 provided with like opposed jaw portions 3 shaped to form pockets or seats at to receive the paticnts teeth and suitably connected for relative adj ustment and movement as will appear. ()ne of said arms, such as arm 1, may be 'considered to be fixed and the other arm 2to be movable, although of course relative motion between said arms is the essential thing. The fixed arm is rigidly connected to a base in the form of a post 5 while the other arm has a sleeve-portion 6 slidable on said post to provide the relative jaw movement'before referred to. Arm 2 is prevented from escaping from the post by a cap screw 7, while the sleeve 6 may be locked in any position along the post 5 by the set screw 8. The arms are held in parallel relation with the sockets 4 opposite each other by making the post of noncircular cross section such as square with a corresponding opening in the sleeve 6, and thereby preventing rotation of the sleeve on the post. Said arms are normally separated by a compression spring 9 and are usually provided with large open cars 10 to receive the thumb and a finger for adjusting the arms toward each other.

The instrument is used by inserting the thumb and a finger into the ears 10 and moving the two arms toward each other until their jaw portions are separated the proper amount and are properly adjusted between the patients jaws. hen in this position the movable arm 2 is locked by screwing up set screw 8, to prevent the patient from closing his jaws beyond the position to which the instrument is set. In setting the instrument and adjusting it to position between the patients jaws the two arms are readily adjusted with the thumb and finger, but the adjustment prevents the patient, either consciously or unconsciously from closing his jaws more than the amount de sired by the operating surgeon. The pressure of the patients jaws on the arms is applied a considerable distance from the post 5, and consequently with a tendency to tilt or cook the relatively long sleeve 6 on the post 5, and this long sleeve therefore grips the post and is held from sliding movement thereon, except by pressure applied fairly close to the post and in the direction of its length. When the arms are properly set. the set screw 8 is adjusted, after which no sliding movement of the sleeve on the post can occur,

To enable the jaw portions of the instrument to readily separate and follow the opening movement of the patients jaws, in case'he opens them,.the arm 2 is movably connected to a base portion 11, a part of which base portion forms the sleeve 6. As illustrated, the arm 2 is pivoted at 12 to said base on an axis transverse to the length of said arm and to the post 5. A projecting ear portion 13 or" arm 2 lies between side plates 14 of the base, and in a cavity 15 between said side plates is located, a light leaf. spring 16 suitably secured in place, such as by the rivet 17, and having a curved lower portion, the free end of which enters a socket 17 in the arm. This spring is so arranged as to constantly exert a tendency to turn arm 2 to the position indicated in dotted lines Fig. 1. The movement of said arm in the opening direction is preferably limited in any suitable manner, such as by a shoulder 18 on the arm which engages a projection 19 from the back wall of the recess or cavity 15.

With the arrangement described the in strument is inserted in the patients jaws and adjusted in the manner before described. If the patient is under the influence of anesthetics and involuntarily opens his jaws, arm 2 will move toward the dotted line position, Fig. l, and follow the .pa'tients jaws, thereby preventing the instrument from becoming disengaged from the jaws. However, when the patient next closes his jaws, arm 2 re turns to its original position where it continues to form a positive gag, preventing the patient from closing his aws beyond the amount for which the instrument is set.

What I claim is:

1. A mouthprop or gag, comprising a pair of cooperating aw receiving members, and relatively adjustable slidably connected base members supporting the same, one of said jaw receiving members being pivotally connected to its base member.

2. A mouth prop or gag, comprising a pair of cooperating jaw receiving members, relatlvely ad ustable slidably connected base members supporting the same, one of said 7 jaw receiving members being pivotally connected to its base member, and yielding means between said movable jaw receiving member and its base member tending to eparate said jaw receiving members.

8. A mouth prop or gag, comprising a relatively stationary jaw receiving member, a post connected thereto, a base member slidable on said post, and a jawreceiving member movably mounted on said base member.

i. A mouth prop or gag, comprising a relatively stationary jaw receiving member, a post connected thereto, a base member slidable on said post and having a sleeve portion surrounding the same, a spring on said post tending to move said base member along the same, and a yielding jaw receiving member movably connected to said sleeve portion.

5. A mouth prop or gag, comprising a relatively stationary jaw receiving member, a post connected thereto, a base member slidable on said post and having a sleeveportion surrounding the same, a spring on said post tending to move said base member along the same, a yielding aw receiving member pivotally connected to said sleeve portion, and yielding means between said pivoted jaw receiving member and said sleeve portion tending to separate said jaw receiving members.

6. A month prop or gag, comprising two relatively adjustable base members, one of which immovably supports a jaw receiving member, a rigid jaw receiving member pivoted to the other base member, and a spring tending to swing said rigid jaw receiving member away from the other jaw receiving member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

SHERIDAN RISLEY,