US1718078A - Container for surgeons' ligatures - Google Patents

Description

; J n 2 G. B. RITCHIE 1,7 7

CONTAINER FOR SURGEONS LIGATURES Filed Sepg. 20, 1927 lll Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1 1,718,078 PATENT OFFICE.

' (.TEORGE 'BALIFOUR RITCHIE, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

11 'CONTAINER FOR SURGEONS LIGATURES.

Application filed. September 20, 1927, Serial No. 220,739, and in Great Britain October 7, 1926.

This invention has reference to containers for surgeons ligatures. Such ligatures are usually supplied in bundles, each ligature being about 12 to 15 inches long.

My invention has for its object to provide a container whereby ligatures can be conveniently carried and from which single ligatures can be readily withdrawn as required.

Towards this end the improved container comprises a cylindrical box wherein a bundle of ligatures can be housed, the cylindrical wall of said box having an opening therein,

7 a resilient tongue located opposite said opening over which the bundle of ligatures are passed and by which the ligatures are se curely held in position with a portion thereof projecting through or adjacent said opening, in combination with a cover which normally covers said opening and protects the ligatures and which can be moved to un cover the opening so that ligatures-can be withdrawn as required.

A preferred construction of the improved container comprises a cylindrical box, the cylindrical wall of which is cut tov form a tongue or tongues and which tongue or tongues is, or are, further provided with a hole punched or otherwise formed therein.

A lid provided with a cylindrical wall enclosesthe box, the wall of the lid being provided with an opening therein.

In use the ligatures lie in a coil within the box and are threaded through the hole or holes in the tongue or tongues so that a portion thereof is exposed or exterior thereto.

The lid is then fitted over the box, the wall of the lid normally covering the exposed portion of the ligatures.

When it is desired to withdraw a ligature the lid is given a partial rotary movement to bring the opening in the wall thereof into register with the portion of the ligatures'exterior of the tongue or tongues. A ligature can then be withdrawn from the container after which thelid is again given a partial rotary movement to againcover the exposed portion of the ligatures.

The tongue or tongues is, or are, slightly turned inwardly so that the portion of the ligatures lying on the outer face thereof does not prevent the lid being placed over the cylindrical box. The tongue or tongues being slightly resilient also serves or serve to prevent too free a movement of the lid.

In order that my invention will be properly understood I have hereunto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings illustrating' byway of example, a preferred embodiment ofgny invention and whereon Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved container showing the parts in their 'normal position.

Figure 2 is a similar view but showing the parts forming the container in their relative positions when it is desired to withdraw a ligature.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view on the lines 3-3 Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view on the lines H Figure 2. r I

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 Figure sand, i

Figure 6 is a section on theline 6-6 Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the container the covering cap thereof being removed. 7

Referring to the drawings p The receptacle comprises essentially a box like cylindrical receptacle a and a lid or cover I). The wall of the receptacle is cut vertically at a see Fig. 2, and horizontally at d to form two tongues e and 7 having holes c and f respectively punched therein. Said tongues are turned slightlyinwardly. The cylindrical wall of the lid is provided with a hole or slot 9.-

The top of the lid portion is recessed as at h to form a receptacle for needles or other instruments, the bottom of the recess being provided with a number of perforations p. A cap 2' is removably fitted on the lid, being conveniently secured thereto by a bayonet'joint. For this purpose the lid is provided with two projections j and the cap is cut away as at is to permit it being slipped over said projec- .tions.

The ligatures are enclosed within the receptacle a, being threaded through the hole 0 over the ends of the two tongues and through the hole 7. A coil of ligatures m is indicated in dotted lines Figures 3 and 4, and a portion of the coil is shown in Figure 7.

The lid when in its normal position, covers and protects the portion of the ligatures exterior to the said tongues.

Should it be found necessary to withdraw a ligature it is simply necessary to partly rotate the lid portion Z) relative to the box portion a so that the opening 9 registers with the portion of the ligatures exterior to the tongues as indicated in Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 7. A

ligature can then be easily withdrawn and the lid again partly rotated with respect to the box portion so that the ligatures are again completely covered.

The tongues serve to maintain the ligatures in position and, as they are slightly resilient, the ligatures are normally pressed against the wall of the lid thereby holding the latter in position.

The ligatures can thereby be carried in a compact and clean manner and withdrawn as required without being lingered or allowed to come in contact with foreign matter, and Without danger of a number of ligatures being unintentionally withdrawn at once and thereby probably rendered useless.

The needles and other articles carried in the recess provided in the lid portion may be sterilized in the usual manner, by subjecting same to the action of steam, the steam entering the recessed portions through holes provided at the bottom of the recess.

If desired the container may be provided with means for holding needles comprising a helical spring between the coils of Which needles can be inserted as indicated in dotted lines Figure 7 whereon n indicates the spring and 0 the needles.

It will be understood that by ligatures I mean all forms of threads used by surgeons and doctors for binding and sewing.

l/Vhat I claim is I 1. A container comprising a cylindrical box wherein a bundle of ligatures can be housed, two adjacent tongues formed by cutting the cylindrical wall of said box, a hole provided in each of said tongues so that the ligatures can be threaded through said holes and over the ends of the tongues, and a cylindrical casing enclosing said wall of the box, the casing having an opening therein, which can be brought into register with said tongues.

2. A container comprising a cylindrical box wherein a bundle of ligatures can be housed, a resilient tongue formed by cutting the cylindrical wall of said box, said tongue having a hole therein, a cavity formed in the end of said box, a removable lid for said cavity, a base for said container and a cylindrical casing carried by said base and enclosingthe cylindrical wall of the box, said casing'having an opening which can be brought into register with the said resilient tongue.

3. A container comprising a cylindrical box, wherein a bundle, of ligatures can be housed, two adjacent resilient tongues formed by cutting the cylindrical wall circumferen;

tially and at right angles thereto, said tongues each having a hole therein, a base and a cylindrical casing carried by said base, saidfcasing being rotatable with respect to and enclosing the cylindrical wall of box, and having an opening therein which can be brought into register with said tongues. I I I 4. A container comprising a cylindrical box wherein a bundle of. ligatures can be housed, a tongue formed by cutting the cylindrical wall of said box, a hole being provided in said tongueso that the ligatures can be threaded throughsaid hole and over the end of thetongue, and a cylindrical casing enclosing said wall of the box, the casing having an opening therein which can be brought into.

register with said tongue. 7

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