US21291A - Obstetrical chair - Google Patents

Description

OFFICE.

G. C. WINGO, OF NEWPORT, VIRGINIA.

OBSTETRICAL CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 21,291, dated August 24, 1858.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, C. C. WINGO, of Newport, Giles county, Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Constructing Obstetric Chairs, which are designed to support and relieve a woman during parturition and to render delivery easier, more speedy, and safer by giving support and comfort to the back and preventing those distressing pains of the thighs which frequently occur in delivery under ordinary treatment; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in combining with a portable chair of a peculiar construction, a set of pads, straps and handles, so that the patient, without aid or assistance, can readily apply them to her person, and obtain that support to the back, and relief from the distressing` pains in the thighs, in the hours of parturition, which are so much desired in such cases.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

I make two half boxes about five inches wide, two inches deep, and eighteen inches long; which, when secured together by the hooks, forms the portable case for the chair and all its fixtures. These boxes, when placed upside down, and bound together, by two pieces of wood and a screw, in the rear, form the seat. The seat is then supported by four posts, one of which is placed in each outer corner of the boxes, and is bound and made fast by two screws, one of which passes only through the walls of the box into the leg, or post; while the other, in the case of the fore-leg, passes through the upright which supports the arm; and, in the case of the hind leg, passes through the braces of the arms, and then through the lower end of the back, and then through the walls of the box and into the legs. The back of the chair is made of two pieces of wood I inch by 12, inches at the inferior end, and one inch by -35 inch at the superior end, with a piece of canvas stretched from o-ne to the other, and covered with some finish to suit; they are then braced by two slats across the back, and, in the middle, are cut in two and hinged together, so that they will fold, and may be packed readily.

The back is made so as to vary its angle with the seat, by means of two quarter circles attached to the posterior ends of the arms. The arms are composed of a straight piece of wood l inch by 9 the front end of which, rests Von two metallic uprights, and secured there, by screws. In thel upper part of the uprights, and just beneath the arms are two slats of wood passing through the uprights, and made to slide back and forward, so as tobe adjusted, to suit different patients. Through the lower ends of the front legs of the chair, also, are two slats, made adjustable in like manner; and to the front end ofeach `is hinged a footpiece.

A pad of leather or some other suitable material is suspended in front of. the back j of the chair, by two pieces of tape; one piece being attached to each end of thel pad, while the opposite ends of each piece are secured to the back of the chair, so as to suifer the pad to hang low enough to reach the small of the back of the patient; From each end of this pad a cord passes through a hole in the upright just `under the hand slat (C), and is then passed down and attached to the front end of the foot board (I). From the handles of two spring pads (G, G,) a cord is passed around a pulley (c) in the lower end of the upright of the back of the chair and a little above the seat, then through a hole in the front upright of the arm of the chair, and just under the hand slat; and again, around a pulley .in the front end of the hand slat, to the upper side of the same; where they are attached to a handle, which is held by the hand of the patient.

Figure (l) is a view, in perspective, of the chair with all its appurtenances; in

which A, A, are the half boxes which form the seat, B, B, the arms with the metallic arc (E) attached; O, C, are the hand slats; D, D, the back of the chair; F, F, are the braces of the arms of the chair; G, Gr, are the pads for the knees; I-I, I-I, are the front uprights of the arms of the chair; I, I, are the foot pieces hinged at the front extremity of the adjustable slats M, M; K, K, are the fore legs; and L, L, are the hind legs; O is the back pad, suspended from the point (el) by two pieces` of tape 5,); and cords passing from the extremities of the pad, through the uprights I-I, H, and passing down to the front ends of the foot-pieces are there attached: The chord (a) passes from the knee pad varound `the pulley (C), then up through the upright (H), and around a pulley (f), it is then secured to the handles.

Fig. (2) is a profile view of the patient sitting in the chair, showing the mode of using the same. It will be observed that the cords, from the knee pad to the pulley (0), are kept in a parallel direction, or nearly so, with a line from the knee joint to the pelvis; and that the cords (Z9, b) from the back pad (O) to the point where it passes through the uprights (H, H,) are nearly at right angles with the spinal column, at that part supported by the pad.

Fig. (3) is a perspective view of the two half boXes (A, A,) when hooked together, and forming the portable case, for the chair and Xtures.

Fig. (4C) is a plan of one half box.

The operation is as follows: When the pains of labor seize the patient she at once seats herself in the chair, adjusts the pads, as shown in Fig. (2), places her feet on the foot pieces (I, I,) and her hands on the handles of the cords (a, a,). Then, as she presses her feet against the foot pieces, the pad (O) is' drawn up firmly against the back, giving support to the same; and as she pulls the cords (a, a,) with her hands, a counter pressure is exerted on the thigh bones, by

` the knee pads (G, Gr,) being drawn in the direction of the pulleys (0, 0,) thus holding them in proper position, and relieving the patient from the pain in these parts; which usually attends the patient in the ordinary modes of delivery.

Having thus described my improved chair and the operation of the same, I will state that I am aware that obstetrical supporters have been used with ads on the back and in front of the knee ofp the patient, and have been operated by means of straps and handles, so as to produce results somewhat analogous to those produced by my arrangement. I, therefore, do not claim as new, any and every arrangement of the pads and straps, which would produce like results; but,

I claiml. Passing the strap or cord through the standard of the portable chair, at a point on a level, or nearly so, with the pad (0); and the cord (a) around a pulley (c), in the back of the chair and a little above the seat of the same (substantially as described) so that the operation of the straps or cords will be in the direction in which support is most needed, and the counter pressure produced by the action of the two pads (O, and Gr,) may have the fullest effect.

2. I also claim the adjustable hand slats (c, c) and the foot pieces (I, I,)when arranged and combined with a portable chair,

substantially as described, for the purpose of adapting the chair to different persons. C. C. IVINGO.

Witnesses:

K A. I-IEBRERT,

EDW. F. BROWN.

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