US2364910A - Dressings sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 12, 1944. G. H. MYRICK DRESSINGS STERILIZ ER Filed Oct. 25, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 12, 1944. G. H. MYRICK DRESSINGS STERILIZER Filed Oct. 25, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mmssmos s'rmumzsa George H. Myrick, Rochester, Minn. Application October 25, 1939, Serial No. 301,110

9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in dressings sterilizers of the general type in which hot, damp surgical dressings are prepared for use as fomentations.

i It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel dressings sterilizer that eifectively sterilizes and dampens surgical dress- .ings and enables excess moisture to be easily and safely removed therefrom, without danger of contaminating the dressings.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an; improved substantially closed sterilizer which accomplishes boiling or steaming of the dressings, together with the removal ofexcess moisture therefrom, before the sterilizer is opened for their removal.

A further object is to provide a novel sterilizer which accomplishes the above and enables squeezing of excess moisture from the dressings withcut necessitating removal of the hot water from v the sterilizer.

An additional object is to provide a sterilizer with eflectivemeans for accomplishing the foregoing objects, without recourse 'toelements of construction that might contaminate the dressings by allowing moisture condensed outside the sterilizer to drip upon the dressings or into the interior of the sterilizer.

' It is a further object to provide a sterilizer having the advantages indicated above that, in addition, has provision for sterilizing a pair of dressings handling forceps alongwith the dressings.

Other objects and advantages of my invention the arrows substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 5, with a portion of the cover broken away to show the structure therebeneath;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar vertical sectional views taken in the direction of the arrows along the lines 4-4 and 5-4 of Fig. 3. In these views. E 8. 4 illustrates the parts in the positions they assume when the dressings are being sterilized. while Fig. 5 shows the same parts in the position assumed when squeezing excess moisture from the dressings;

Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views similar several views.

) In general, the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings comprises a base It of truncated pyramidal form, containing a downwardly opening recess l2 having an electrical heating unit ll therein. This, heating unit is connected at one side of the base to an electrical plug I6 and cord l8, through which the heat-' ing unit is energized. After installation of the heating unit I4 within the recess l2, the recess [2 is closed by a rectangular base pIate not shown, secured in place by four screws, which extend into the base through apertures in the corners of the base plate. These screws also serve as feet to support the sterilizerand are, therefore, provided with large heads 20, preferably composed of a plastic substance such as hard rubber, Bakelite, or the like.

A rectangular tank 22 surmounts the base l0 and is preferably formed as a unitary casting therewith.

A cover 24 is attached at one edge to the top of the tank by hinges 26, which permit opening and closing of the receptacle formed by the side walls 28 and bottom 30 of the tank 22. A stop member 32 secured to the cover adjacent the hinges 26 abuts against the rear wall of the tank when the cover is raised and tilted backwardly somewhat beyond the vertical. This stop memier 32 serves to support the cover in opened )OSitlOll until it is desired that it be closed. l'he edge of the cover opposite the hinge 28 has the upper end of a depending bayonet latching member 34 pivoted thereto. This latching memher 34 cooperates in a well-known manner with in conjunctionwith the tracks, prevent lateral or tilting movements of the basket, but permit free vertical movement thereof, except that the lower ends 44 of the tracks 38 limit the downward movement of the basket to a position about one and one-half inches from the bottom of the tank.

Two balls 46 serve as handles to carry the sterilizer and also have the more .important function of providing a means for extracting excess moisture from the steamed dressings. Thes bails have their ends 48 connected to horizontal stub shafts 50 which are Journaled through bosses 52, cast integrally with the front and backwails, and extend into the interior 'of the tank. As best illustrated in Fig. 8, the outward ends of the stub shafts 58 are squared, as at 54, and fit into complementary squared openings in the ends 48 of the bails 46. Thus, when the bails 48 are moved apart and pressed downwardly, the stub shafts will be rotated through approximately a quarter of a revolution.

The inner ends of these stub shafts 50 are secured to leaf cams or levers 56, which project downwardly when the balls are together, but which, when the bails are moved apart and pressed downwardly, are rotated into contact with the lower of the pins 42 and lift the basket upwardly. Stops 58, projecting inwardly from the front and back walls of the tank, are engaged by the cams or levers 56 when the basket 40 is raised to a position such that its top edgeis flush with the top of the tank. These stops are pro-- vided to prevent too energetic movement of the bails from lifting the basket completely out of t e tank.

The inside surface of the cover 24 carries a rectangular presser plate 60 spaced therefrom by The dressings to be treated are placed within the basket and the basket lowered by raising the bails somewhat. After the cover 24 is closed and the bayonet catch 34 is secured, the heating element is energized through the cord i8 to boil the water in the tank and thus treat and sterilize the dressings.

After the elapse of a sufficient treating period,

In the embodiment.

the bails are pulled apart and pushed downwardly. This operation raises the basket, as previously described, and squeezes the dressings between the bottom of the basket and the presser plate 60. Excess moisture is thereby pressed from the dressingsand flows back into the tank through the perforations in the basket 40. The

bayonet catch may then be unlatched, the cover swung back, and the dressings removed and applied to the patient.

For the purpose of lifting the dressings from the sterilizer, I prefer to use a pairof forceps, not shown, which are intended to extend into the sterilizer along the side of the basket 48 through a cutaway corner 84 of the cover 24. The lower portions of the forceps, being in the sterilizer, are thus sterilized simultaneously with the dressings. This expedient conveniently insures the dressings applied to the patient arriving in sterile condition.

With my sterilizer, as described above, it is optional with the user whether enough water is placed in the tank to immerse the dressings being sterilized, or whether less water is used and the dressings treated only with steam from the boiling water. -In either case, perfect sterilization is effected andexcess moisture removed from the dressings in the mannerpreviously described.

Since the stub shafts 50 are above the water level, no packing is necessary to prevent leakins. It should also be noted that since these shafts are horizontal, steam will not condense upon them outside the sterilizer and then run back into the sterilizer to contaminate the dressings in the manner that might result were an arrangement used in which vertical shafts were passed through openings in the cover. v

When cleaning of the sterilizer becomes desirable, it will be seen that the covermay be swung back and the basket lifted out of the tank to give free access to the interior thereof. I

Although, in the interest of brevity, no detailed description of the heating unit M has been given, it will be appreciated that this heating unit may be constructed in any suitable well-known manher and is preferably provided with a control means to open the heater circuit, if the water level in the sterilizer becomes low enough to endanger overheating. One suitable heating unit adaptable for use with this sterilizer is fully described in my Patent No. 2,184,679, granted December 26, 1939.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted to contain liquids therein, a cover for sand tank, a basket movably supported in said tank for reciprocation vertically therein independently of and relative to the cover, a presser plate' positioned below said cover and secured thereto, said plate being of a size to enter said basket, lifting means movably secured to said tank for lifting said basket to squeeze the contents therein against said presser plate when said cover is closed, and manually operable means outside of said tank to actuate said lifting means, said last mentioned means constituting balls for carrying the tank.

2. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted to contain liquids therein, a cover for said tank hinged along one edse thereof and provided with latching means to hold said cover closed, a basket movably supported in said tank for reciprocation vertically therein independently of and relative to said cover, guide means supported by said tank coacting with said basket for maintaining the latter horizontal dur. ing'vertical movements thereof, a presser plate of asize to enter the basket and positioned below said cover a distance substantially equal to the depth of said basket, said presser plate being fixed rigid with'said cover, lifting means movably secured to the tank for lifting said basket to squeeze 'the contents therein against said presser plate when said cover is latched closed, and manually operable means outside of said tank to actuate said lifting means. r

3. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted to contain liquids therein, a cover for said tank hinged along one edge thereof and provided with latching means to hold said cover closed, a basket movably supported in said tank for reciprocation vertically therein independently of and relative to said cover, guide means in said'tank coacting with said basket to guide the vertical movement thereof, a presser plate of a size to enter the basket and positioned below said cover a distance substantially equal to the depth of said basket, said presser plate being fixed rigid, with said cover, liftin means 'movably secured to the tank for lifting said basket to squeeze the contents therein against said presser plate when said cover is latched closed, manually operable means outside of said tank to actuate said lifting means, and stop means to prevent the lifting means from raising the top, edge of said basket substantially above the top edge of said tank.

4. A dressings sterilizer comprising: an open 1 top tank adapted to contain liquids therein, a basket positioned within said tank, vertical guideways in said tank to guide said basket for vertical reciprocation, lifting mechanism in said tank to lift said basket, manually operatable means outside said tank to actuate said lifting mechanism, a horizontal shaft extendink through a side wall. of said tank above the liquid level therein and connecting said manually operatable means to said lifting mechaand a presser plate of a size to enter the basket positioned below said cover and secured thereto,

whereby hot soaked dressingsin said basket may be raised above the liquid in said tank and pressed against the presser plate to remove excess moisture from said dressings without raising said cover or endangering contamination of said dressings by allowing moisture condensed outside said tank to flow back thereinto.

5. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted .to contain liquids therein,

a cover for said tank, a basket positioned in said tank and having guiding members projecting from two opposite side walls. thereof, vertical tracks on the inside of said tank co-operating with said guide members, a presser plate of a size to enter the basket positioned within said tank and above said basket, mechanism adaptedto lift'said basket to squeeze the contents therein against said presser plate, said mechanism comprising a pair of balls for carrying saidsterilizer. horizontal stub shafts journaled in the side walls of said tank above the liquid level therein and having their outward ends connected to said balls, and earns connected to the inner ends of said stub shafts and adapted when rotated to contact said guide members and lift said basket, whereby said basket is lifted. and excess moisture squeezed from said dressings when said bails are pulled apart and pressed downwardly. Y 6. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a. tank adapted to contain liquids therein, a.

cover for said tank, a basket movably supported nism, a cover to close the open top of said tank,

in said tank for reciprocation vertically therein independently of and relative to the cover, a

presser plate of a size to enter the basket and ing a tank adapted to contain liquids therein, a.

cover for said tank, a support for materials to be sterilized positioned in said tank and adapted to reciprocate vertically therein, said material support being of a size to leave a space therebetween and the tank, a presser plate of a size to leave a space therebetween and a tank in alignment with the first mentioned space and adapted to be lo cated within said tank in a position above saidmaterialsupport, lifting means adapted to lift said material support to squeeze the dressings thereon against said presser plate, manually operable means outside of said tank to actuate said lifting means, and an opening in said cover over said space between the tank and material support through which a pair of dressings handling forceps can extend to be sterilized simultaneously with said dressings.

8. ;A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted to contain liquids therein, a cover for said tank, a support for material to be sterilized positioned in said tank and adapted to reciprocate vertically therein, a presser plate adapted to be located within said tank in a position above said material support, mechanism adapted to lift said material support to squeeze the contents therein against said presser plate, said mechanism comprising a pair of bails for carrying said sterilizer, horizontal stub shafts journaled in the side walls of said tank above the liquid level therein and having their outward ends connected to said bails, cams connected to the inner ends-of said stub shafts and adapted when rotated to lift said material support, whereby the latter is lifted and excess moisture squeezed from the material when said balls are pulled apart and pressed downwardly.

9. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted to contain liquids therein, a

cover for said tank, a basket movably supported in said tank for reciprocation vertically therein independently of and relative to the cover, a

. presser plate of a size to enter the basket and located within said tank in a position above said basket when said cover is closed, lifting means movably secured to said tank for lifting said basket to squeeze the contents thereinagainst said presser plate when said cover is closed, manually operable means outside of said tank to actuate said lifting means, and stop means associated with saidlifting means to limitthe movement of the basket to prevent the basket from being raised above the top edge of said tank.

GEORGE H. MYRICK.

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