US1822567A - Medicament applicator - Google Patents

Description

se tls, 1931.

J. B. DAVIES MEDICAMENT APPLI CA'IOB Filed July 23 INVENTOR wn-uzssss WM 5 0 M Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. DAVIES, OF GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MINE SAFETY AP- PLIANCES COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVAN IA MEDICAMENT APPLICATOR Application filed July 23, 1929. Serial No. 380,437.

This invention relates to medicament applicators. I

Although in first aid treatments it is often desirable to use a liquid application, for example in treating burns, the prevailing field and emergency practice has been to use ointments, salves and like semisolid medicaments. Such materials, being stiff, must be rubbed over the injured surfaces, causing increased pain as well as irritation of the already inflamed tissues, and increasing the danger of infection. Also, in subsequent inspection and treatment, these materials are less readily removed than are liquid medicaments.

The object of this invention is to provide a medicament applicator which is particularly adapted for use with fluent medicaments, is simple and sturdy, may be easily and cheaply produced, which is quickly and readily'prepared for use, whose use requires no skill, and which keeps the medicament sterile until needed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a central sectional View of the preferred form of applicator; Figs. 2 and 3 similar views showing a manner in which the applicator of Fig. 1 may be made; Fig. 4 a similar view showing the applicator of Fig. 1 being prepared for use; and Fig. 5 a perspective view showing the manner of using the applicator of Fig. 1.

In accordance with this invention there is provided an applicator comprising a casing which is impervious to liquid, and a container disposed in the casing supplied with and permeable by a medicament in fluent form. The container is adapted to retain its content of fluent medicament until it is desired to apply it to a body surface to be treated, but to gradually release themedicament upon mere contact of the container with that surface. In this manner, the body surface maybe treated without rubbing or friction.

As shown in the drawings, the applicator comprises a container 1 supplied with medicament and disposed within a casing 2 which is impervious to liquid and which in the form shown consists of a jar. open at one end. The container is formed from a material, such as textile fabric, permeable by medicaments in fluent form. That is, the applicator is of such nature that the medicament will not run, or flow, through the material, but may seep or ooze. through, as when placed in contact with a body surface. In this embodiment the container is removed from the casing for application of its contents to the surface to be treated.

The medicaments particularly contemplatedby the invention are liquids of such viscosity that they will not flow through the container by gravity, but will ooze or run onto the surface to be treated. Although medicaments possessing this property are known,

others which it may be desirable to use, but which are normally solids or liquids having a viscosity comparable to that, of water, may be prepared for use by compounding them with suitable bases in accordance with standard pharmaceutical practice. For example, emulsions or oleaginous preparations may be used. In the preferred embodiment, however, water soluble jellies prepared by addition of medicament to aqueous solutions of may, for ease of description and reference in gums are used. Jellies of this nature are the claims, be termed fluent. When using such materials, the container is preferably formed from hospital gauze, although by suitable selection of weave and texture, the fabric may be adapted to suit the properties of more or less liquid medicaments.

In the construction of this embodiment it is preferred to shape the container into a saclclike member 3, Fig. 2, which is positioned in casing 1 with its bottom resting 011 the container bottom. As thus positioned, a supply of medicament 4 is introduced into the sack through its open projecting mouth, and the mouth is then gathered and closed, for example by a draw string, or by a cord 5, Fig. 3. All of these materials are, of course, sterilized before use.

As thus assembled, the applicator is sealed to maintain its contents sterile, and this may be accomplished by a closure cap 6 applied to the open end of the casing, or the casing may be scaled by pouring a normally solid sealing medium onto the surface of the container adjacent the open end of the casing. For example, molten parafline may be poured in an amount sufficient to form a moderately thick layer 7 in the top of the casing. In the form shown, both means are preferably used. The use of a sealing medium also reinforces the upper portion of the container, rendering easier its subsequent removal and use.

In the use of this form of applicator, closure cap 6 is removed, and cord 5, which projects above the sealing medium is grasped in the fingers. Upon applying slight tension, the applicator with its adherent layer of sealing medium are withdrawn bodily from the con tainer, and the upper, reinforced end of the applicator may then be grasped for application to a body surface in the manner shown in Fig. 5.

The invention also provides means for easy withdrawal of the container from the casing. To this end, cord 5 is made of substantial length, several inches for example, and the free ends are connected to the cap. This may be accomplished in the manner shown in Fig. l, in which the end of the cord is shown attached to a flexible disc 8 of paper or other material engaged by cap 6. In assembling the applicator, the cord is coiled in the top of the container and the disc is forced into the closure cap. As shown in Fig. 4, the subsequent removal of the cap automatically draws out the cord, and the disc may then be detached from the cap, and the container withdrawn as before. By using a paraffined. disc, the use of a sealing gasket in the closure cap may be dispensed with.

The applicators provided by this invention are peculiarly adapted for use in burn treatment, because they are suited for frictionless and substantially pressureless application of fluent medicaments, providing more satisfactory emergency treatment than has prevailed. Nevertheless, the invention is in its broader aspects capable of use with other forms of medicaments. For example, salves, greases and the like which can be applied readily or which melt and flow at body temper-ature may be used in the container, such compositions being well known.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention, and have illustra-ted and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A first aid medicament applicator comprising a casing open at one end and impervious to liquid, a fabric sack supplied with and permeable by afluent medicament removably disposed in the casing, a draw member closing the mouth of said sack, a cap removably closing the open end of said casing, and a disc in said cap connected to said draw member, removal. of said cap extending the draw member for withdrawal of said sack, application of the medicament to a body surface being effected by mere contact of said sack with said surface.

2. A first aid medicament applicator comprising a casing open at one end and imper- "ious to liquid, a closure cap therefor, a fabric sack supplied with and permeable by a fluent medicament removably disposed in said casing with the mouth of the sack ad jacent the open end of the casing, the mouth of said sack being gathered and tied by a cord, a normally solid sealing medium c0vering the exposed end of said sack, and a disc connected to said cord removably carried by said closure, said cord being with drawn from the casing upon removal of said cap and serving for removal of said sack, and application of the medicament to a body surface being effected by mere contact. of the sack with said surface.

3. A first aid medicament applicator comprising a liquid-impervious casing open at one end, a sack-like container supplied with and permeable by a fluent medicament re m'ovably disposed in said casing, a removable closure associated with the open end of the casing and connected to said container, said container being wholly removable from the casing by removal of said closure for application of its contained medicament to a body surface, and said application being effected by mere contact of the container with said surface.

4. In a first aid medicament applicator, the combination of a fluent medicament in the form of a water jelly, a sack-like container enclosing and permeable by said medica ment, a protective casing open at one end Hill enclosing said container, a rigid member removably closing the open end of said container, and a cord closing the open end of said sack-like container and connecting it with said member, said member serving to withdraw the container from the casing and to act as a handle for the applicator when withdrawn, application of the medicament to a body surface being effected by mere contact of the container therewith.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name. JOHN B. DAVIES.

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