US2109134A

US2109134A - Surgical appliance

Info

Publication number: US2109134A
Application number: US108437A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur B Kendrick
Original assignee: JAMES R KENDRICK CO Inc
Current assignee: JAMES R KENDRICK CO Inc
Priority date: 1936-10-30
Filing date: 1936-10-30
Publication date: 1938-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 1955-02-22

Description

Feb. 22, 1938. A. B. KENDRICK SURGICAL APPLIANCE Filed Oct 30, 1936 1711/622601: Kendrick Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SURGICAL APPLIANCE Application October 30,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in surgical appliances known as elastic stockings and elastic anklets constructed to be worn upon the leg and foot of a person suffering with varicose veins and other infirmities requiring surgical treatment.

Such appliances include in the construction thereof a tubular leg section and a tubular foot section formed of knit fabric having stretchable elastic strands inlaid in the body thereof, the sections being united in part and separated in part by a heel opening, and each section having a part which terminates in a heel edge at said opening.

In some instances the heel opening is not closed in the finished appliance, and in other instances, the heel opening is closed by a heel piece attached to the leg and foot sections and formed. of fashioned knit fabric having no elastic strands inlaid therein and being much thinner than the fabric forming the said sections.

The present invention has particular relation to the form of the heel piece and to the relation of the parts thereof to the adjacent parts of the foot and leg sections and to the manner of attaching the heel piece thereto.

An object of the invention is to so construct and relate a part of the heel piece to an adjoining part of one of the said sections that the wall formed by the fabric of the appliance will gradually expand in thickness from the thin fabric of the heel piece to the thicker fabric of the section to which it is attached, for smoothness of appearance and for ease and comfort in wearmg.

Another object is to improve the connection of the heel piece with the leg section whereby the heel piece is extended to reinforce the leg section in the region above its heel edge, and whereby the freedom of the heel piece and the adjacent portion of the leg section to adjust themselves to one another and to the wearer of the appliance is increased.

Another object is to improve the construction and relation of the parts of the appliance whereby various advantages are gained in wearing qualities and comfort for the user.

The invention resides in the novel construction, combination and relation of the parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating the invention,

Figure 1 is a side view of an elastic stocking embodying the invention, showing the free end 1936, Serial No. 108,437

portions of the leg and foot sections turned slightly to illustrate the tubular formation thereof.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the heel piece and leg section of the stocking, on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the heel piece and foot section of the stocking, on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a side View, similar to Fig. 1, of the leg and foot sections of the stocking before the application of the heel piece thereto.

Referring to the drawing, the stocking comprises a tubular leg section 4, a tubular foot section 5, and a separately formed heel piece 6.

The leg section 4 and foot section 5 are united, at l, in the forward portion of the stocking, and they are separated by a heel opening 8, in the rearward portion of the stocking, at which the fabric of the leg section terminates in a heel edge 9, and the fabric of the foot section terminates, in a heel edge I9 which faces the edge 9.

The leg and

foot sections

4 and 5 are formed of suitable knit fabric having stretchable elastic strands inlaid in the body thereof such, for example, as the fabric shown and described in my 7 previous Patent No. 1,853,903, dated April 12,' 1932; and, conveniently, the leg and

foot sections

4 and 5 may be constructed like the leg and foot sections of the appliance illustrated and described in the said patent, the heel edges 9 and ill of the present invention corresponding with the edges Ill and I I, respectively, of the appliance of the patent.

The heel piece 6 is formed of a single piece of suitable, plain knit fabric, having no elastic strands inlaid in the body thereof. The heel piece may be produced on the well known circular knitting machine for producing stockings, and it comprises a heel portion l l, fashioned to fit the heel of the wearer of the appliance and to close the heel opening 8, and an extension portion 12, fashioned to fit the adjacent part of the leg section 4 rising from its heel edge 9, and to occupy a position in close proximity thereto.

The extension portion l2 of the heel piece 6 is preferably of gradually narrowing formation as it rises from the heel fitting portion ll thereof, and the upper edge portion 13 of the heel piece 6 or its extension I2 is inturned and sewed to the fabric of the leg section 4 by a line of stitches 14 of zig-zag formation located a substantial distance above the heel edge 9 in spaced relation thereto, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The lower edge portion l5 of the heel piece 6 is a continuation of the upper edge portion I3 thereof, and it corresponds in length with and is fitted to the heel edge I!) of the foot section 5. The edge portion I5 is turned and sewed to the body of the heel piece 6 by a line of zig-zag stitches [6 in a manner to form a hem l1 which abuts against the heel edge I of the foot section and is sewed thereto by a line of zig-zag stitches l8 forming a continuation of the line ofstitches M. The fabric of the heel piece 6 is much thinner than the fabric of the foot and leg sections] and 5, and the thickness of the combined layers of the fabric forming the hem I1 is less than the thickness of the fabric of the adjacent foot section 5 to which it is attached, and, as the said hem is thicker than the fabricof the main body of the heel piece, a union between the heel piece and the foot section is provided in which the fabric of the appliance -g'ra,du'ally expands in thickness from the thin fabric of the main body of the heel piece to the thicker fabric of "the fOOt Se CtiOn.

The'eiitension portion 12 of the heel-piece '6 *reinfor'cesthe fabric of the legsectlon '4 in the region thereof, directly above the heel edge "9, which is subjected to considerable wearbet'ween the leg and shoe of the wearer of the appliahce; and, 'as' the'fabric' of the heel piece is muchthinner than the fabric of the leg section,'the fabric of theap'pliance is not-obj'ectionably increased in "thickness in the reinforced area 'thereof, and such area has no obj ectinable "fabric edge coupled with a line'of stitches-alongthebottom of "the reinforced area-as is'the case inprior constructions wherein a reinforcing patch, in addition to theleg section and'heel piece, has'been sewed thereto. w

The central part o'f'the heeledg'eil' of the leg semen is tackedor sewed to the fabric of the heel piece by several stitches 'l'9 in spaced'relation to the ends of the edge 9 to prevent accidental upward folding or'rolling of the "fabric of the leg section "directly over the edge 9 when theapplianceisin service, and such tacking 'l'eaves the inaj'orporti'on of edge 'Qfree fronrthe fabric of the heel piece "'6 to perl'nit free "play between the heel piece 6 and the heeled'ge ll and the fab'iic of the leg' seenona directly above the edge 9, and thereby them to adjust themselves to -dne another-arid'tothe"wearer of the appliance when itis in'se rvice.

Byfektending; theheel], piece 6 well above the heel edge9 of the leg section fandattaching the 7 heel piece to, the leg section-b'y the line of stitches f4 which are located a substantialdistance above 'the'heel edge 'S,-instead or terminating theh'el piece at the'heel edge 9* and attaching it to" said "edge, the leg "section '4 'at and in the region of "said edge is left f'reeto expand and 'eentr'acn "without interference from the fnea-ns' "which at- -tae'hes' the 'heel piece to the leg slect'i'on, thiisfgiv- 'ing free ac't'ion to the "fabric of the leg section 'at and in the region -'above the heel edge Q'Where it is most needed.

I claim as'rny invention:

11A surgical appliance comprising a tubular leg section, a tubular foot section, and a separately formed heel piece, each of said sections being formed of knit fabric having stretchable elastion and having the lower edge of the leg section unattached to the heel piece throughout a portion cfthelower edge of the leg section, means for'attaching the upper edge portion of the heel piece to the leg section in spaced relation to the heeledge thereof, and means for attaching the lower edge portion of the heel piece to the foot seetion.

2. A 's'urgiclatl appliance comprising a" tubular leg section, a tubular foot section, and "a separately-fo-rm'ed heel piece, each of said-sections being formed of knit fabric having stretchable elastic strands inlaidin the body-thereof, the forward portions of said sections being united and the rearward portions thereof being separated by a-heel'opening'at which a portion of the fabric of'each section terminates inaheel edge facing the heel edge-of the other section, and said heel piece closing said opening and being formed of fabric which is thinnerthanthe fabric of said'sections and-extending above the heel edge of the leg section and having the-lower edge'of the-leg-section unattached to the heel piece throughout a portion of the lower edge of theleg section, means for attaching the central portion of the-heel edge of theleg-section to the heel piece, means for attaching the upper edge portion of the heel piece to the leg section'in spaced relation to the 'heel edge thereof, and

means forattaching the lower edge "portion of the heel piece tothe 'foot section.

3. A surgical appliance comprising a tubular leg section, a'tubularfoot'section, and aseparately formed heel piece, each of said sections being formed of knit fabric'h'avin'g stretchable elastic strands inlaid 'in the body 'thereoffthe "forward portions of said sections being limited and the rearward'portions thereof "being separated by a heel opening at'whi'ch a portionof thefabr'ic of eachsection"terminates'in aheel edge'facing the'heel edge'ofthe'other section, and said 'heel piece closing 'said opening "and being formed of fabric which is thinnerthan the fabric of said sections and which has 2!.

turned edge portion sewed to the body thereof "and forming a'her'n having an'edge'whichabuts the jheel'edge of one of said sections and is sewe'd thereto, and means for attachingthe heel piece to the other of'said sections, thethickness or the combined layers of the fabric forming said hem'bein'g less'than the thickness of the fabric to which it is sewed. H v

ARTHUR B. KENDRICK.