US2271796A

US2271796A - Adjustable attachment for bridgework

Info

Publication number: US2271796A
Application number: US343630A
Authority: US
Inventors: Pauline S Eckman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-07-02
Filing date: 1940-07-02
Publication date: 1942-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 1959-02-03

Description

Feb. 3, 1942. P. s. ECKMAN 2,271,796 ADJUSTABLE ATTACHMENT FOR BRIDGEWORK I Filed July 2, 1940 t INVENTOR. PAUL/NE 31 Ec/(MAN l ATTORNEY m Hln Patented Feb. 3, 1942 ADJUSTABLE ATTACHMENT FOR- BRIDGEWORK Pauline S. Eckman, San Francisco, Calif.

Application July 2, 1940, Serial No. 343,630

1 Claim.

This invention relates to attachments for use in connecting or anchoring bridge work to an adjacent natural tooth.

It is the principal object of my present invention to provide an improved and efiicient attachment for use in connecting bridge work to a nat- Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device or attach- I ment.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the anchoring member forming one of the complemental parts of the attachment;

Fig. 5 is a similar View of the anchor housing or socket member forming the other complemental part of the attachment.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, I there illustrate a device for attaching or connecting together two contiguous teeth. That is to say, its usual use is to attach a dummy tooth to a natural tooth, and, consequently, will have its-principal use in anchoring bridge work to an adjacent natural tooth.

The attachment comprises an anchor housing or socket element l which is embedded and secured in the natural tooth in the manner and by the means well known to the dental profession. This socket element ID has a cylindrical bore H extending downwardly from its upper end to a point just short of the bottom thereof, as illustrated. This forms a bottom bearing plate Ila in the anchor housing In.

At one side the anchor housing or socket element Ill is vertically slotted as at 12 co-extensive- 1y with the bore H and radially with relation to that bore. The width of the slot I2 is somewhat less than the diameter of the bore II.

For cooperation with the anchor housing H1 is an anchor member M, which has a head portion I complemental in external contour and dimen sions to the bore II and slot 12. This being so, the head IE will snugly fit and nest within the bore 1 l and slot l2 and bear on the bearing plate The anchor member l4 also has lateral extensions l6 forming shoulders ll bearing against the exterior of the housing H1 at opposite sides of the slot l2. The anchor member M has a projecting attachment arm Ila by means of which it may be securely attached to the dummy tooth or bridge work in any well known manner. Any other form of attachment can be substituted for the attachment arm Ila without departing from my invention.

For the purpose of maintaining a proper fit between the head member l5 and the bore H in the housing I!) and also to compensate for any looseness therebetween occasioned by Wear or otherwise, the head member !5 is formed with a threaded tapered bore l8 extending coaxially of the cylindrical portion of the head member, as illustrated, thus forming a hollow cylindrical portion on the head member l5. At one side of this hollow cylindrical portion the same is longitudinally slotted as at 19 so that the head member will be expansible. Fitting the tapered threaded bore I8 is a tapered threaded set screw 20. It is obvious that as this set screw is threaded downwardly into the bore, it will expand the head member to a desired fit with the bore II, and by this means any looseness occasioned by wear or otherwise may be compensated for. It is also obvious that adjustment may be expeditiously made at any time that it is found necessary.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided an improved and efficient connection for use in connecting bridge work to natural teeth, and while I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

- Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

A device of the character described comprising an anchor housing adapted to be secured to one. of two adjacent teeth, said anchor housing having a cylindrical bore extending downwardly from its upper end but extending short of its lower end, said anchor housing having a slot between said bore and one side of the housing slightly less in width than the diameter of the bore, an anchor member adapted to be fixed to the other of said teeth and having a head portion complemental to said bore and slot, said head portion having a tapered bore coaxially with respect to the bore in the housing, said head por-.