US2137578A

US2137578A - Truss

Info

Publication number: US2137578A
Application number: US139570A
Authority: US
Inventors: George W Lowe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-04-28
Filing date: 1937-04-28
Publication date: 1938-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 1955-11-22

Description

(5. W. LOWE Nova 22, 1938.

TRUS S Filed April 28, 1937 ,//l V5/I 7"0// gzio/ea' 77 Z 0 W5. 67% I frrx Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES sATENT oFFicE TRUSS George W. Lowe, Los Angeles, Calif. Application April 28, 1937, Serial No. 139,570

Claims.

This invention relates to a truss and has for its principal object the provision of a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive truss and trusspad that may be conveniently fitted to the body 5 and worn without undue discomfort, and the pad that is carried by the frame of the truss being constructed so that it will materially assist in retaining the truss in proper position upon the wearer and at the same time to hold the hernia without undue pressure on the body.

A further object of my invention is to provide a truss having a band formed of metal that may be easily and conveniently bent so that it will fit with comfort upon the wearers body and, further, to provide a pad formed in a single piece, preferably from sponge rubber, and which is provided with a circular channel which, when the pad is positioned on the body, functions as a vacuum suction cup to cooperate with the metal frame and strap in holding the pad in proper position upon the hernia.

A further object of my invention is to provide a truss wherein the metal band or strap that passes partially around the wearers body is provided at its rear end with a depending plate, and the latter being covered and cushioned to form a back pad that is highly effective in supporting the rear portion of the truss upon the body. 30 With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a truss constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rear end of the metal strap or band that forms a part of the truss frame.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a front. elevational view of the elastic front pad.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention, designates a strip or band of 5 metal, having a certain degree of pliability in order that it may be readily bent to fit the contour of the side of the body, and I prefer to form this strip or band from duralumin, inasmuch as this particular metal is comparatively light in weight and repeated tests and experiments, as

well as continued use, have proven that this metal has the requisite degree of strength and pliability.

This metal band is bent into substantially semicircular form. so as to fit around the side of the body, and formed integral with the rear end of the band is a depending plate I I, which forms the base of a back pad.

Applied to the rear surface of the plate H is a covering member l2, preferably of leather, and overlying the front face of said plate is a front covering member I3 of leather or other soft flexible material.

Interposed between the front covering member I3- and the plate H is a filling 14, of soft fibrous material, which provides a cushion immediately in front of the plate if, and the entire structure comprising said plate II, the covering members [2 and I3, and the filling l4 constitute a pad that depends from the rear end of the band It, and which bears on the back of the wearers body.

The edges of the covering members l2 and I3 are secured to each other by a row, or rows, of stitching.

Secured to the upper outer corner of the back pad is one end of a flexible strap l5, preferably formed of woven fabric, and the lower end of this strap is permanently secured to the lower portion of the back pad.

Mounted to slide freely upon its flexible member I5, is a buckle IE, to which is adjustably secured one end of a strap ll, of flexible material, preferably woven fabric, and which is adapted to pass around the side of the wearers body opposite from the side upon which the metal band l-Ois positioned.

The free end of strap l1 carries a section l8 of leather or analogous material, and formed therein is an aperture I9, similar to a buttonhole.

Detachably and adjustably mounted on the front endof the metal band I0 is the front pad of the truss, and which: pad is adapted to exert pressure on the body directly over the hernia.

The body 20 of this pad is formed in a single piece from sponge rubber or analogous material, and. its-rear face is suitably secured, preferably by cement, to a substantially oval or disk-shaped member 2|, preferably formed of leather. The entire face of the elastic body 20 is provided with a thin skin or covering 22 of rubber, having a smooth velvet-like surface, so that it will make comfortable contact with the skin.

The face of the elastic body of the pad is formed so as to provide a marginal rib 23, having a rounded cross sectional contour, and centrally arranged within this rib is a rounded protuberance 2 3 that extends above or beyond the highest portion of rib 23. This protuberance 24 is concentric with, and spaced apart, from the marginal rib 23, thereby providing between said rib and protuberance a substantially annular groove or channel 25.

The end portion of the metal band III that receives the front pad 20 is provided with a short longitudinally disposed slot 26, and to secure the pad to the band H] a screw 2! passes through the center of the disk 2| and engages a nut 28 that is positioned within the body of the immediately adjacent inner face of the member 2|.

The outer end of screw 2'! carries a conventional slotted head 29, and formed on said screw a short distance from said head, is a disk 39, which, when the screw is tightened, clamps the metal band ID to the back member 2| of the pad.

The construction just described provides simple and efficient means for detachably and adjustably securing the front pad to the metal band it, and, after the pad has been adjusted to the proper position, it may be further clamped in such position by a screw 3| that passes through slot 26 and into or through the back member 2| of the pad.

The screw head 29 and that portion of the body of the screw between said head and the disk 38, functions as a stud to engage through button-hole 9, thus securing the free end of strap I! to the end of the metal band that carries the front pad.

When applied to the body, the metal band may be conveniently bent so as to fit snugly and conveniently upon the side of the body, and the end of the band that carries the front pad may be bent upwardly, downwardly, inwardly or outwardly so as to locate the front pad against the body directly over the hernia. The free end of the strap I1 is now connected to the stud on the outer end of screw 21, and the strap may be adjusted around the side of the wearers body by moving the rear end of said strap through the buckle IS.

The back pad provides a bearing of substantial area for the truss on the rear portion of the wearers body, preferably at a point directly opposite the hernia that is engaged by the front pad, and the latter bears, with a certain degree of pressure, on the body directly over the hernia.

The central protuberance on the front pad presses against the inguinal canal to close the same in the same manner that a rubber hose may be closed by exerting pressure against said hose from opposite points thereon, and thus the hernia is held without any undue or severe pressure on the body.

When properly applied to the body, the annular channel or groove 25 functions as a vacuum suction cup in retaining the front pad in proper position upon the body, and as said front pad is formed in a single piece from soft elastic material, such as sponge rubber, it will yield readily to all movements of the body with which it is engaged, and its tendency to slip on the surface of the body is minimized.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a truss that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

The truss is universally adjustable, affords relief and comfort to the wearer, and the construction of the one-piece elastic front pad is such that it acts automatically to retain its adjusted position upon the wearer and to hold the hernia perfectly without undue pressure upon the body.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved truss may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a truss, a substantially semicircular band of metal having a certain degree of pliability, a substantially V-shaped plate formed integral with and depending from the rear end of said band, a pad secured to and covering the entire front face of said plate, a one-piece front pad of elastic material adjustably positioned on the front end of said band, a strap adjustably and detachably connected to said back pad, and means for detachably connecting the front end of said strap to the front end of said metal band.

2. In a truss, a substantially semicircular band of metal having a certain degree of pliability, a substantially V-shaped plate formed integral with and depending from the rear end of said band, a pad secured to and covering the front face of said plate, the front end of said band having a longitudinally disposed slot, a one-piece front pad of elastic material overlying the slotted front end of said band, a pair of spaced screws passing through the slot in said metal band and seated in said front pad, and flexible means for holding said band and pads in position on the body.

3. In a truss, a substantially semi-circular band of pliable metal, a substantially V-shaped plate formed integral with and depending from the rear end of said band, a covering for said plate,

cushioning material between the front wall of' said covering member and said plate, and a one piece pad of elastic material detachably and adjustably mounted on the forward end of said band.

4. In a truss, a substantially semi-circular band of pliable metal, a substantially V-shaped plate formed integral with and depending from the rear end of said band, a covering for said plate, cushioning material between the front wall of said covering member and said plate, a onepiece pad of elastic material detachably and adjustably mounted on the forward end of said band, and adjustable means for holding said metal band and pads in position upon the body.

5. In a truss, a substantially semi-circular band of metal having a certain degree of pliability, a plate formed integral with and depending from the rear end of said band, a pad carried by said plate, a one-piece pad of elastic material carried by the forward end of said metal band, a flexible loop secured to the pad on the rear end of the metal band, a flexible member adjustably connected to said loop, and means for detachably connecting the forward end of said flexible member to the end of the metal band carrying the elastic pad.

GEORGE W. LOWE.