US2275672A - Apparatus for dry disinfection of razors, surgical instruments, and the like - Google Patents

Description

` March 10, C. B BRUNI ETAL v 4 APPARATUS FOR DRY-DISINFECTION'OF RAZORS, 4

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 5, 1958A 2 Sheets-Sheet l-V ,ZW non March 10, 1942-` A c. B. BRUNI Erm. 2,275,672

APPARATUS FORA DRY-DISINFECTION OF RAZORS,

SURGICAL-INSTRUMENTS, AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 77 "mmm" skin caused by saidrazors.

Patented Mar. 10, 1942 APPARATUS FOR DRY DISINFECTION RAzoRS, SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND

THE LIKE Carina Bergamini Bruni and Pietro Bruni, Pavia., Italy Application August 3, 1938, Serial No. 222,912 In Italy August 13, 1937 3 Claims.

The object of the present invention is a drydisinfecting apparatus for razors, surgical instruments and the like. The Sterilisation of articles to be used upon or by a number of different persons, `is one of the fundamental precepts of modern hygiene: particularly important is the `disinfection of razors, as skin-diseases are read-` ily transmitted through cuts or abrasione in the Special hygiene instructions give proper rules for disinfecting razors. `Usually said disinfection is made by dipping the razor in a vessel containing a liquid disinfectant: this method requires the razor to be `wiped, and when this is done with a non-steri lized towel, it does not secure the final` steriliza tion of the razor.

The particular feature of the present invention `is `that the disinfecting apparatus includes a vessel with an opening `for introducing the article to be disinfected'or sterilizedin connection `withmea-ns so arranged as to "keep the vessel practically tight relatively to the outside air and so that the article to be disiniected can come in contact with the disinfecting gas.

The disinfecting gas or vapour can be 0b-` tained by heating a solid or liquid substance, a certain supply of the same being at hand tobe admitted into said vessel for disinfection at any propertime and in the required amount.

The invention can be used either for disinfecting razors or for sterilizing surgical instruments and the like.

The invention will be now disclosed in relation to the accompanying drawings which are given merely as examples of embodiments, limiting in no way the range of the invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of the apparatus as used in barber shops, partly shown` in section;

Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal section of the same, along line 2--2 of Fig.` 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial View at right angles to that `of Fig. 1, concerning the small cover closing the `mouth for introducing the razor;

Fig. 4 is a `longitudinal section of a modification of the apparatus adapted for surgical in- 1 struments;

lindrical or prismatic body 2. formed preferably of transparent material such as glass, mica, or uninflammable Celluloid, the body 2 being held `in place by the upper cover 3 and secured by means of the rods 4 provided with threaded nuts 5. On the cover is placed a domed lid 6 hinged on hinges 6 andicovering an opening 1, which latter is normally closed from beneath by a closing device compressing two rollers 8 and 8 revolvable about their axes and guided by their axes in two slots 8 ofthe guide I G. The rollers are kept in mutual contact by two pairs of springs IiV-Ili conveniently arranged as shown in Fig. 2 on the axes of the rollers and the guide. Said rollers are covered with an elastic covering of rubber, leather or the like and keep normally the opening l closed, being in contact with each other and with the under-side of the cover as shown in Fig. l.

On introducing any article in the vessel, said rollers are shifted rotatably away one from another, allowing a passage for said article which drops into a perforated instrument container il and slidably mounted along guides I2, so that the position thereof may be varied relative to the cover. A set of springs I2' tends to keep said container `II resiliently in the upper position.

-It is thus possible to introduce articles into the vessel, avoiding and reducing to a minimum any external emanation ofthe disinfecting gas.

The disinfectants to be used as best adapted to the invention, are such as vaporize at normal temperature or on a slight heating, namely lysoform, formalin, formaldehyde and the like.

The apparatus may nd also other uses, as for instance the disinfection of bar-spoons, with a proper disinfectant and in general can be used in all cases in which small and medium sized articles have to be disinfected without dipping them in a liquid.

On using disinfectants volatilizing at a certain temperature, it may be convenient to use indicating means signalling the end of the disinfecting operation, to which object such substances may be used as change colour with the variations of the surrounding temperature. So, for instance, red oxide of lead (a bright red powder) may be used, which,` under the effect of temperature, gradually turns to dull red, down to very dark hues. With such a revealer (or with any other having similar physical properties) it is easy to place some of it in a small transparent Window (for instance in mica) alongside a `properly coloured card (forming a ring or a segment) to check the colour assumed by the chemicals during the operation.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 4 to 6, a box-shaped body 2a is provided, in Whose bottom la is provided a cavity for the electric heating resistance Ia: said body 2a being closed by a `cover 3a provided with handles I4 and with an upper cavity I5, perforated as at I6 and closed by a screwed cap I1.

The articles to be disinfected are arranged in a basin I8 with a. perforated bottom and provided with lifting hooks I9. With reference to said embodiment of the invention, it should be notedthat, With some solid disinfectants, gasifying when heated (as for instance formalin), a more efficient disinfection is secured when the gas is slightly wetted with steam. To obtain this, near to or in the heating electric resistance Ia', a cavity 20 is arranged to be lled with water. As an alternative, the tabloid of disinfectant may be wetted before being placed inside the apparatus, whereby its gasification takes place in a Wet atmosphere.

For some special applications and particularly when operating in small closed rooms, the gases or vapours leaking out when articles are put in or taken out of the vessel, may have a disturbing effect with their disagreeable smell or with their more or less poisonous content; therefore, near to or preferably all around the mouth of the vessel, where the special closing devices are arranged, a substance capable of giving/on reacting with the disinfecting gases, an odourless compound or else producing a non-gaseous compound which cannot leak into the air out of the vessel, is placed in a small chamber with a pierced wall as in I5, provided or not, in its turn, with a closing device.

So, for instance, n the case of formalin or formaldehyde, said above, mentioned substance may be ammonia, which can also be conveniently mixed with glycerine or other substances. With such provisions, it is possible to apply the principle to apparatus as shown in Figs. 4 to 6 having large openings for introducing the articles, thus removing the roller-closure.

The applications specified above, concern mainly the disinfection of surgical instruments, or small ovens for sterilising articles of varied nature` and shape, as brushes, combs, scissors, etc.

When said articles have been placed in the box or in the small oven, the disinfecting gases developing from the tabloid placed at the bottom of the vessel, after having lled its capacity and disinfected the articles, is xed by a chemical substance placed in the neighbourhood of the opening, or openings I6, in the upper part of the apparatus.

As `soon as the cycle of operations is completed, the box cover or the door of the small oven can be opened without any danger of the disinfecting gases passing into the surrounding atmosphere.

What we claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A portable dry disinfecting apparatus for razors and surgical instruments comprising a hollow vessel provided in the bottom with a. chamber for receiving a disinfectant, a heating element in the bottom of the chamber for eiTecting vaporization of the disinfectant, a perforated instrument container mounted within the vessel, a cover for the top of the vessel provided with an aperture, a secondary domed lid. removably covering the aperture, and spring pressed rollers mounted beneath the undersurface ofthe cover for normally closing the aperture and between which instruments may be inserted into the instrument container, said rollers forming a sealable closure for the aperture to prevent the escape of gases.

2. A portable dry disinfecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the vessel includes a base, a transparent cylinder on the base, the cover being disposed on the top of the cylinder and provided with opposed slotted projections, and rods universally and resiliently connected to the base and detachably engageable with the slotted projections and having adjustable elements on the ends thereof for holding the cover,

CARINA BERGAMINI BRUNI. PIETRO BRUNI.

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