US2146916A

US2146916A - Plaster-cast cutter

Info

Publication number: US2146916A
Application number: US132390A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richards Estelle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-03-22
Filing date: 1937-03-22
Publication date: 1939-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1956-02-14

Description

Feb. 14, 1939. E. RICHARDS 2,146,916

PLASTER CAST CUTTER Filed March 22, 1937 Patented Feb. 14, 1939 Application March 22,

Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for aiding in the removal of plaster casts, as applied to surgical operations.

The principal object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide a practical and economical means whereby the plaster cast encasing a limb or other member of the body may be readily out without injury to the person.

The mechanical devices now generally used are of the electrically operated rotating saw type, or manually operated shears. The saw type in the first place is relatively high priced and in the second place it is difiicult to keep the saw free from clogging particularly caused by the bandage beneath the cast and also if the cast becomes softened by leakage from the wound or other moisture, the saw will become gummed and difficult to operate. In using the shear type the casts are usually removed in small sections, which in most cases is very discomforting to the patient and in some instances injurious. The result is, the average surgeon will resort to the use of the ordinary straight knife, which if not used by an expert is very dangerous for slotting the cast, after which the cast can be broken off. It is the aim of the present device to provide a more eflicient means whereby the cast can be slotted prior to its removal without injury or cutting the patient.

With the above and other novel objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent the several novel features of the invention in its preferred form will be more fully described in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the invention, showing the knife in cutting position and in dotted lines in a lifted position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, with the knife and the knife assembly removed.

Fig. 3a is a side and Fig. 3 an end view of the bracket member 2.

Fig. 4 is a side and top View of the knife, or blade carrying handle 3.

Fig. 5a is a side and Fig. 5 an end view of the 5 knife or blade 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A of Fig. l.

The invention therefore consists of upper and lower plate members 8 and ii] running substantially parallel to each other. These members are secured at one end to a relatively narrow perpendicular member I2, the other end being open for admitting the cast. Secured to the device and adjacent the closed end is a handle [4 for 1937, Serial No. 132,390

ETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

member 8 is adapted to receive a slidable bracket 2 upon which is mounted the knife carrying handle 3. The upper member 8 is also preferably provided with a centrally located longitudinal slotted opening l6 extending from a point near the handle i i to a point near the opposite or open end, for allowing the operation of the knife therethrough, as shown best in Figs. 1 and 2. The lower member H3 is provided with a groove l8, which extends partly through the lower plate for receiving the point of the knife 4, the bottom portion of the groove preventing the knife from extending beyond the lower member.

The knife 4 is mounted upon the knife carrying handle 3 by suitable screws 20 and the knife carrying handle is in turn mounted upon the bracket 2 by the screws 22, thus making up the knife assembly. The bracket 2 is adapted to slide easily over, and along the upper member 8. The lower end portions 24 and 25 of the bracket 2 are bent inwardly to slide along the under surface of the upper member to prevent the bracket from raising upwardly off the member 8 when pressure is applied to the handle 3 when the knife point is in contact with the upper surface of the lower member I II.

The bracket has extending upwardly therefrom a bifurcated portion 28 and a hole 39 extending therethrough for receiving the screw 22 upon which the knife carrying handle is pivoted.

The knife carrying handle 3 is bent to form two

portions

3 and 3". The portion 3" when carrying the knife is shown inclined about 50 degrees, (see Fig. 1) but the cutting angle of the knife may be varied somewhat without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The obtuse angle formed by the two bent portions is positioned toward the rear, or supporting handle l4. Therefore the portion 3 of the knife carrying handle extends upwardly nearer a perpendicular line'to the members 8 and I0 than does the portion 3".

This is to afford a better position in grippingthe handle when the device is being operated.

minimum loss of time.

In operation the device is held in one hand by the supporting handle l4 and the lower member I0 is inserted under the cast C while the other hand operates the knife.

While the member [0;

is being inserted the knife is withdrawn to a position similar to that shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The assembly is then moved forward until the knife comes in contact with the outer end l6 of the slot I6. The handle 3 is then moved upward until the lower point of the knife cuts through the cast and in contact with the bottom of the groove I 8. The knife is then drawn rearwardly toward the member l2, pressing upwardly on the knife handle as it is moved along the member 8, to insure that the point of the knife is within the groove. If the cast is longer than the first out, which is usually the case, the device is moved forward. The narrow member I2 is moved within the cut made in the cast by the knife and the operation is repeated until the entire cast has been cut, after which it can be broken off with comparative ease. It is to be understood that the hand operated knife may be replaced with a power knife if desirable.

It is obvious the device is simple in construction and economical in its operation. The principal parts may be cast from some suitable material, such as an alloy of aluminum for lightness and strength and then polished and machined. Or it may be made in any other manner that is more suitable to its manufacture. Because of the hardness and character of the plaster casts the knife should be made of a very hard steel and well sharpened, or material that will not easily dull. Its operation is such that it not only simplifies the surgeons task, but the average nurse or orderly can be entrusted to use it in confidence of not cutting or injuring the patient should the occasion arise for them to perform this duty.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention it will be understood that I have done so merely for clarification and that my invention is best defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A portable cutting tool for cutting plaster casts having upper and lower relatively narrow plate members extending substantially parallel to each other, one end of said members being open, means at the other end for rigidly supporting said members apart in said relationship, a knife assembly slidable longitudinally upon the upper member, the said knife adapted to contact the said lower member as the said knife assembly is moved along the upper member.

2. A portable cutting tool for cutting plaster casts having upper and lower relatively narrow plate members extending substantially parallel to each other one end of said members being open, means at the other end for rigidly supporting said members apart in said relationship, a, knife assembly slidable longitudinally upon the upper member, the said knife adapted to contact the said lower member as the said knife assembly is moved along the upper member, handle means associated with the said parallel members adjacent the supporting end for manually supporting said cutting tool.

3. A portable cutting tool for cutting plaster casts having upper and lower relatively narrow plate members extending substantially parallel to each other, means at one end for rigidly supporting said members apart in said relationship, the opposite end of said plate members being open, a knife assembly slidable longitudinally upon the upper member, means for operating the said knife assembly, means for limiting the movement of said knife assembly along said upper plate, the movement of said knife assembly being such that the lower end portion of the knife will not move beyond the open end of the lower plate and means associated with the said parallel members for manually supporting said cutting tool.

' 4. A portable cutting tool for cutting plaster casts having upper and lower relatively narrow plate members extending substantially parallel to each other, one end of said members being open, means at the other end for rigidly supporting said members apart in said relationship, a knife, guiding means associated with the upper plate member for slidably guiding the knife longitudinally along said upper member, the said knife adapted to contact the said lower member as the knife is moved along the upper member.

5. A portable cutting tool for cutting plaster casts having upper and lower relatively narrow plate members extending substantially parallel to each other, one end of said members being open, means at the other end for rigidly supporting said members apart in said relationship, a knife, guiding means for guiding said knife longitudinally along said upper member, the said knife adapted to extend between the said members and contact the said lower member as it is moved along the upper member.

ESTELLE RICHARDS.