US2224354A - Method of and apparatus for opening ampoules - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 10, 1940.

R. E. MAXWELL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING AMPOULES Filed Jan. 31, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 10, 1940. R. E. MAXWELL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING AMPOULES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1939 ATTORN EY Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ralph E. Maxwell, Modesto, Calif.

Application January 31, 1939, Serial No. 253,856

Claims.

This invention relates to medical equipment and more particularly refers to improvements in devices for cutting glass ampoules of the type widely used as containers for medical prepara-\ tions.

An ampoule is a cylindrical glass container, having a sealed elongated neck which is broken off when the preparation within the ampoule is to be transferred to a syringe by means of a hypodermic needle inserted within the resulting opening.

This type of container is, of course, widely used for medical preparations because of the absolute protection against oxidation and deterioration thereby afforded to its contents under strictly sterile conditions free from contact with air. An ampoule will also insure accuracy of dosage and supply the physician with a very definite amount of the particular drug therein contained.

However, the necessity of breaking oil the tip of the neck of the ampoule, in order to remove the liquid contents, is seriously objectionable on several grounds as it gives rise to diiiiculties and 25 occurrences which interfere with the work of the physician and which frequently present dangerous possibilities.

Ordinarily the ampoule is opened by producing an annular groove around the neck of the 30 ampoule by means of an ordinary triangular or knife edged file and then snapping off by hand the portion of the neck beyond the point weakened by the groove. The glass from which these ampoules are made varies materially in hardness, strength and thickness. Some amopules are so thin-walled as to make filing very dimcult. Frequently, the pressure exerted by the file against the neck of the ampoule will cause it to shatter into numerous small glass frag- 40 ments which may penetrate the fingers or fly into the operators eyes. Finger lacerations are frequent and are a serious menace to the surgeon, scientist or nurse who so often come in contact with serious types of infectious germs. 45 Frequently when the neck of the ampoule is shattered or when the edge of the file bites too deep, the contents of the ampoule comes in contact with the file. The file is never sterile; therefore, the contents of the ampoule may become contaminated with organisms which may prove a fatal issue. used for filing all kinds of ampoules, containing all types of chemicals and drugs and this practice may result in the contamination of one preparation by another, giving occurrence to Usually the same file is chemical reactions radically altering the properties of a drug.

Let us suppose. for instance, that a file be used in opening an ampoule of sodium iodide solution. The file may come in contact with this 5 solution and a small quantity of it may stick and dry upon the surface of the file. If an ampoule containing Salvarsan is opened later with the same file and a small amount of sodium iodide sticking to the surface of the file should find its way into the Salvarsan ampoule, the Salvarsan would be dangerously affected because only an infinitesimal amount of sodium iodide is suificient to decompose the complex arsenical formula which may thereby become 6 highly taxis and poisonous. I believe this admixture of chemicals occurs much more frequently than would be supposed and supplies a plausible explanation for many unexplained toxic reactions accompanying intravenous therapy where the drug is injected directly into the blood stream.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved method of producing an annular groove about a tubular glass body, such as the neck of an ampoule, whereby an even indentation may be produced by the application of only a light and uniform pressure against the ampoule, without danger Qfshattering the glass and without danger of the cutting implement breaking through the glass.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved device for opening ampoules, making it possible to cut an accurate annular groove around the neck of the ampoule, producing a 85 clean-cut breakage point, which when the tip is broken ofi leaves a smooth even edged surface in the edge of the remaining ampoule neck with no jagged or sharp points.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved device of the character specified, comprising an operating member having a cutting or abrasive edge and means for supporting an ampoule, adjustable with respect to said member, in order to enable the device to handle with equal ease-ampoules of different diameters and lengths.

A still further object is to provide a device of i the character specified, built in very compact form, and adapted to be easily secured onto a table or wall.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear as the description proceeds and will be set forth and claimed in the appended claims.

Fig. 5 is .a vertical longitudinal section of a 10 device, embodying my invention, in an alternative form.

The method forming one of the objects of my invention essentially consists in cutting an annular groove ata desired point-along the neck of 16 an ampoule by lightly p'ressing the ampoule against a moving implement having a cutting or abrasive edge, while supporting the body of theampouleinamannerpermittingofitsbeing rotated by hand. while the cutting operation 20 takes place. The ampoule is preferably supported'only at ornear the rear end. so that its front or neck extension will rest upon the abrasive edge by virtue of its own weight, the pressure applied against the ampoule by the finger as in order to rotate the ampoule being suflicient to cause the abrasive edge to biteinto the neck of the ampoule without cutting through it.

In order to cut the groove at the exact point desired. the bottom of the ampoule is made to 80 rest against an adjustable abutment which may form an integral part of the rear end support, if desired.

The cutting implement is preferably in the form of a rapidly rotating thin disk of abrasive 5 material, of the type widely used, for instance,

in dental surgery. After a groove of the proper depth has been cut around the neck of the ampoule, the tip end thereof can be inserted through an opening of suitable size, and force may be applied against the body of the ampoule tending to deflect it from the direction ofthe opening, thereby causing a clean-cut break to occurat the grooved point.

Since the ampoule is filled with liquid, the 5 opening through which the tip end of its neck is inserted should be directed upwardly, so that when the tip of the neck is snapped off the body of the ampoule, no part of the liquid contents will be spilled. so The reason why it is preferable to allow the neck of the ampoule to lightly rest against the cutting edge of the disk or other implement is that the neck of the ampoule is generally not exactly circular in shape or exactly coaxial with 55 the body of the ampoule, so that if the ampoule were so supported that a deflnite distance were left between its axis and the edge of the cutting implement an uneven cutting might result; the cutting edge might not even touch the surface 60 of the neck of the ampoule at certain points and at certain other points it might out too deeplyinto the glass, enough to cut right through it, an occurrence which must'be strictly prevented in order to prevent contamination of the When the ampoule is supported only at the rear end its front end can easily move up and down soas to constantly maintain the surface of the neck in contact with the cutting edge in .70 spite of the irregularity or eccentricity of said surface.

My invention can be embodied in a relatively simple and compact device, a form of which, adgpzed for manual operation, is shown in F18 The device therein illustrated comprises a hollow frame |l, forming a chamber closed at the rear by means of a closure member l2, said frame having a downward and inward gooseneck extension lI. forming with the lower surface It 5 of the frame a recess ll, adapted to. receive the edge of a table top, shown in dot and dash lines at ll. .7

The lower end of gooseneck extension I! is provided with a clamping screw H, which makes 10 it possible to firmly clamp the device in posi-' tion in a well known manner.

=Closure member is equipped with a rearwardly extending bracket ll, having a substantially horizontal top section I! along which is slidably mounted a v-shaped member 2|, adapted to provide a support for the rear end of the ampoule, such as shown in dot and dash lines at 2|. Said member 2| is preferably made integral with a wall 22, vertically extending from the rear thereof, providing an abutment for the. bottom of the ampoule.

The forward end-of the upper part of the bracket forms with the rear surface of closure member |2 a pocket or depression 22, providing. as

a clearance space within which is housed an abrasive disk 24, carried by a shaft 25.

Said shaft is rotatably supported by the front wall of frame I! and closure member l2, which, as stated, forms the rear wall of chamber so The shaft extends across-said chamber I and projects at the rear beyond closure member l2, the rear end of said shaft being provided with a clamping nut 28, retaining the abrasive disk in position.

The part of said shaft extending within chamber carries, or is formed integral with, a pinion portion 21, and also carries a flywheel 2|.

Pinion 21 is driven by means ofa driving gearwheel 22, meshing therewith, said gearwheel havj 0 ing a diameter considerably greater thanthat of pinion 21. Gearwheel 29 is carried by a driving shaft ll, rotatably mounted across chamber II, the front end of said shaft 20 projecting through the front wall of frame II and carrying or being formed integral with a crank handle 3|, adapted for manual operation. It is obvious that when shaft it is rotated, its movement will be transmitted to the abrasive disk at a much greater speed, such as will make it possible for said disk to operate under the best conditions.

As stated, the supporting member 20 is adjustable along the bracket to and from the abrasive disk, according to the length of the ampoule to be cut. For instance, at 22, I show in dot and dash lines, an ampoule which ismuch shorter than ampoule 2|. and which calls for a forward displacement of supporting member 20 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to the position shown in dot and dash lines at 20'. w

Ampoules do not vary only in length but also in diameter, as shown in said Fig. 2, where ampoule 22 has a diameter much smaller than that of ampoule 2|. In all cases the neck of the ampoule should rest upon the abrasive disk, as 5 shown, while the ampoule lies in a substantially horizontal position. This calls for a vertical adjustment of the ampoule support, suflicient to coimterbalance the difference in diameter be-' tween the smallest and largest ampoule that the device will be called upon to handle.

A vertical adjustment of the ampoule support is obtained by providing the front end of bracket It with a vertically elongated opening 33,

through which is inserted the stem portion of a clamping screw 84, permitting vertical adjustment of the bracket within the limit permitted by the length of said opening 33.

The central line of the bracket coincides with the plane of the axis of shaft 25 and its proper alignment in all positions is assured by mounting said bracket between two guiding ribs 85, 36, projecting from the rear surface of closure member 12, as Fig. 3 clearly shows. A groove can be cut at the desired point around the neck 31 of the ampoule by lightly pressing the body of the ampoule downwardly with the tip of the finger, at the same time causing said ampoule to rotate about its own axis. The flnger will be applied to the body of the ampoule at the rear directly above the supporting member 28, so that the front end of the ampoule will be urged against the cutting edge of the disk with a force which is very light and easily controllable, just suflicient to cause the abrasive disk to gradually cut into the glass in a uniform manner without breaking through it.

The rotation of the disk naturally tends to laterally displace the neck of the ampoule contacting therewith, therefore, it is necessary to restrain the ampoule against such movement by maintaining it with its axis in a common plane with the axis of shaft 25. To this end, I provide the part of closure member l2 immediately above shaft 25 with two laterally spaced walls 38, 39, defining a central clearance space 48, within which the tip end of the ampoule projects when the ampoule is in the proper groove cutting position, as shown in Fig. 2.

In view of the fact that not only the bodies of the ampoules but also their neck portions are of different diameters, I prefer to make the clearance space 48 between walls 38, 39, adjustable to suit ampoule necks of various diameters, and to this end, I make each of said walls 38,

39, integral with a base flange, such as shown at H. 42, in Fig. 3, provided with a horizontal slot 43, through which is inserted the stem of a clamping screw 44, cooperating with said slot in permitting lateral adjustment of said walls 38, 39.

After the groove has been cut in the neck of the ampoule to the proper depth it is desirable to quickly stop the movement of the abrasive disk and to this end I provide the device with a push button brake, such as shown at 45, adapted to press against the surface of flywheel 28, said brake being normally held out of contact with said flywheel by a spring 46.

After the groove has been cut the tip of the ampoule can be snapped off by hand, but preferably I provide the rear end of bracket l8 with a series of openings 41, of various diameters, adapted to receive and retain the tip end of an ampoule, while the ampoule is deflected downwardly to cause the tip end of its neck to snap oil, as shown in dot and dash lines at 2| in Fig. 2

An abrasive disk made of any suitable abrasive material will last a very long time, and by providing the frame with an enclosure, such as shown at 48, normally sealed by a cover 43, I make it possible to store within the device enough abrasive wheels for replacement purposes to insure several years of uninterrupted service.

Although the device is shown as being provided with means for clamping it onto a table top, it is obvious that by suitably modifying the The supporting member 28 is preferably mounted in a manner enabling it to be quickly shifted along bracket member l8 and to be automatically retained against displacement from any position in which it may be set. A simple and suitable arrangement is shown in Fig. 4,

where it is seen that the supporting member 20 is frictionally held in position along member IQ of bracket l8 by a deformable spring 50, urging said member 28 downwardly against the surface of member l3 while permitting sliding move ment of said member 28 along member l8.

If desired, the mechanism can be electrically instead of manually operated. For instance, in Fig. 5 I show a similar device in which the shaft 5|, carrying the abrasive disk 52, and formed with a pinion section 53, is driven by the pinion 54 of an electric motor 55, through the intermediary of an idler wheel 56. The electric motor can be connected to any wall socket by means of a plug 81, attached to the end of a flexible connection 58 in the usual manner.

The device shown in Fig. 5 exemplifies the previously mentioned possibility of attaching it to a wall the frame 59 of the device being formed, as shown, with a vertical base flange 68, provided with screw holes 8|.

If desired, the electrically operated device shown in Fig. 5 also can'be equipped with braktages which make'it an important addition to the equipment of a physician's oflice. The device makes it possible to quickly. open ampoules of all sizes, saving considerable time. This is important not only because the machine can accomplish in a few seconds a result which generally requires a few minutes by present methods, but also because at times the saving of minutes may be a matter of life or death. The device provides a clean-cut line of breakage and eliminates the possibility of crushing the ampoule and scattering flying glass fragments. It eliminates the loss of costly ampoules due to frequent breakage while opening. Some ampoules cost as much as flve dollars each.

In addition, the use of the device insures the contents of the ampoule against contamination by infectious germs and also against the possibility of harmful chemical reactions taking place.

The device is professional in appearance and enhances the prestige of the physician and of his oiflce equipment.

It is also possible to make the device so that it can be used for not only cutting glass ampoules but also glass tubing. For instance, in Fig. 5 the top of the frame 59 is shown at a level lower than that of the upper part of the abrasive disk, so that there are no obstructions in the path of a length of tubing projecting beyond the abrasive disk to a material extent.

Many constructional details of my device may vary from those shown without departing from the inventive idea. The drawings should, therefore, be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes onlyand not in a limiting sense.

I, accordingly, reserve the right to carry my invention into practice in all those ways and manaxis.

ners which may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of cutting an annular groove about the neck of an ampoule serving as a container for a chemical P tion tor the purpose of opening said ampoule, which consists in placingtheampouleinahorisontal positionwhile supporting the rear end only of the body of the ampoule, resting the neck'portion against a rotating continuous abrasive edge, confining the ampoule against bodily movement in a direction laterally thereof while permitting movement in avertical direction, exerting a light pressure on the supported end of the ampoule body and simultaneously rotating said ampoule about its own 2. The method of cutting an annular groove about the neck of an ampoule serving as a container for a chemical preparation for the purpose of opening said ampoule, which consists in placing the ampoule in a, i ntal position while supporting the rear end yet the body of the ampoule, resting the neck portion against s. rotating continuous abrasive edge, confining the ampoule against bodily movement in a direction laterally thereof while permitting movement in a vertical direction, exerting a light pressure on the supported end of the ampoule body while rotating said ampoule about its own axis, at the same time maintaining the ampoule with its axis in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of said edge.

3. An ampoule cutting device comprising a frame, a. disk having an abrasive edge revolubly mounted on said frame, a bracket carried by said frame adjustable to and from the axis of said disk, an ampoule body support adjustable upon said bracket to and from the plane of said disk in a direction at right angles to said plane and so positionable with relation to said disk that an ampoule with the rear end of its body portion placed on said support would have its neck extended in contact with said disk and projecting amass beyondsaiddishsaidsnpportbeingsoconstructed ssto prevent substantial lateral movement in a directiontsngential'totheedgeofthediskofan ampoulemmmtedthereonandpermittingmoveaegtofsaidampouielnadirctiontoandfrom -'4.Anampm1l ecuttingdevicecomprisinga i'ramem disk having an abrasive edge revolubly mountedonsaidfrsme,abracketcarrledbyssid frame adiustable to and from the axis of said disk. an ampoule body support adjustable upon saidbrackettoandfromtheplaneofsaiddisk inadirectionatrishtangiestossidplaneandso positionablewithrelationtosaiddiskthatan ampoule with the rear end of its body portion placed on said support would have its neck extendedincontactwlthsaiddiskandproiecting beyond said disk, said support being so constructed as to prevent substantial lateral movement in a directiontangentiaitotheedgeofthediskofan ampoule mounted thereon and permitting movement of said ampoule in a direction to and from said disk, and additional means for limiting the lateral movement of the tip of said ampoule, said means positioned adjacent the side of the disk 25 opposite to that of the support.

. 5. An ampoule cutting device comprising a frame, a disk having an abrasive edge revolubly mounted on said frame, a bracket carried by said frame adiustable to and from the axis of said disk, a V-shaped ampoule body support diustable upon said bracket to and from the plane of said disk in a direction at right angles to said plane and so positionable with relation to said disk that an ampoule with the rear end of its body portion placed on said support would have its neck extended in contact with said disk and projecting beyond said disk, said V-shaped supfromsaid disk.

RALPH E. MAXWELL.

Images