US2405265A

US2405265A - Blood pressure testing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2405265A
Application number: US462754A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles H Mcalpine
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1942-10-20
Filing date: 1942-10-20
Publication date: 1946-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 1963-08-06

Description

\ ,wszasi Aug. 6, 1946. c. H. M ALPINE BLOOD PRESSURE TESTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. '20, 1942 Patented Aug. 6, 1946 T UNITED STATES Claims.

This invention relates to sphygmomanometers, and more particularly to the arterial constrictive mechanism thereof, especially the sustaining bands for the pneumatic pressure pads of such devices.

The sustaining bands most commonly employed in sphygmomanometers comprise relatively long strips of non-elastic fabric which are Wound, in superposed convolutions, about the arms of persons being subjected to tests for determining the pressures under which the blood courses through their respective circulatory systems. The free ends of the band-strips are tucked under, pinned, or otherwise secured in position to one or more of the underlying laps of fabric, to provide nonyielding backings for the pneumatic artery constricting pads, respectively confined between the sustaining bands and the arms of the subjects.

A considerable amount of time is required to apply and adjust the wrap-type band to the subects arm, preparatory to making the pressure test, and also in removing the band from the arm, subsequent to the making of the test; while the amount of time required to inflate, bleed, and deflate the pneumatic constrictive pad, and to take readings from-the manometer operatively connected thereto in making the actual test of the subjects blood pressure, is extremely small, amounting, in some instances, to only approximately ten percent of the time consumed by the entire procedure.

Thus, in taking the blood pressures of large numbers of persons successively, such as the personnel of large industrial plants, governmental ofiices, etc., and in examining applicants for positions, candidates for enlistment or induction into the armed forces of the nation etc., the passage of the individuals through the examining process, for determining the physical fitness of the subjects, i greatly impeded by the use of the conventional wrap-around type of sustaining band.

Primarily, the present invention relates to a sphygmomanometer employing a strap type of sustaining band as a supplantation for the wrap band, and the provision of a suitable quick-acting form of buckle, by which application, adjustment and removal of the band may be rapidly effected, and a material saving of valuable time obtained.

Strap bands with various forms of buckles 2 I V band in a constructed condition about the arm of the subject.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of quick-acting buckle which will automatically grip an intercooperating portion of the arm-encircling band, and retain the band, without accidental slippage, in the position of smallest compass to which it has been contracted in adjusting the band to the subjects arm.

Another object of the invention is to provide a quick acting release, of simple construction, for use with the buckle by which the sustaining band can be instantaneously freed within the buckle, to permit the inherently resilient band to expand automatically to its largest possible diameter, rapidly, whereby the band may be quickly slipped off the arm of one subject and onto the arm of the next subject, without loss of time usually occurring with the use of strap bands of known varieties, wherein it is necessary to feed and pull the free end of a more 'or less flaccid strap through the buckle manually in applying such bands to and removing them from the arms of the subjects.

Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the description. found in the following specification and the illustrations in the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a sphygmomanometer including a sustaining band and buckle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, and illustrated as being applied to the arm of a subject;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the band and buckle taken on the line 2-2 Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of the device.

As shown in Fig. 1, the sphygmomanometer of the present invention includes a conventional pressure gauge A, of ordinary construction; a

have been employed with sphygmomanometers heretofore, but the constructions thereof have been such that no appreciable saving of time over the use of the wrap-around type has been effected by their use.

One object of the present invention is to so construct the sustaining band of a sphygmomanometer that it will inherently release itself automatically from around a subjects arm upon release of the buckle provided for securing the pneumatic arterial-constrictive pad B, also of ordinary construction, which is connected to the gauge A by a flexible tube a; a pneumatic pump in the form of a hand bulb C connected to the inflatable pad B by a flexible tube b, said bulb being provided with a bleeding valve 0 which is common in the art; a sustaining band D, by which the constricting pad B is secured in place firmly against the subjects arm; a quick acting buckle E for ecuring the band D firmly in place on the subjects arm, with the pad B in contact with the subjects arm, and for quickly releasing the otherwise free end d of the band D, to permit said band to release itself automatically from its embrace of the subjects arm.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the constricting band D is composed of two superposed strips,

namely, an inner strip 1 and an outer strip 2 of the fabric, leather or other suitable material, said strips being arranged with their longitudinal edges flush with each other, preferably.

The strips I and 2 are secured together by outer longitudinal rows of stitches 3, 3, which giv the band D a substantially flat tubular form.

Within the tubular band D, between the inner 7 and outer plies l and 2 thereof, the band is provided with one or more strips of resilient material, preferably steel, which tend at all times to return to a flat rectilinear form, and by which the inherent tendency of the band D, as a whole, is to straighten out when one end of the band is free or to form into a ring of maximum diameter when neither end of the band is free.

In the present instance, there are two flat spring-steel strips 5, 5a, confined within the flat tubular band D, with each of the steel strips confined in place laterally of the band D, between one of the outer longitudinal rows of stitches 3 and a laterally spaced inner row 4.

As shown in Fig. 3, one end of the band D is provided with a buckl plate 6. The plate 6 is provided with a transverse slot 1 through which one end of the outer strip 2 of the band D passes and overlaps the corresponding terminal end of the inner strip I and the steel strips 5, 5a, as indicated at 8 in Fig. 2.

The inner and outer strips l and 2, and the steel strips 5, 5a, lie in contact with laterally spaced depending tongue-like extensions 9, 9a of the buckle plate 6, and terminate adjacent one side of the slot 1, said ends of said strips and said extensions being rigidly secured together by means of rivets ID, 10a.

Intermediate the depending tongues 9, 9a, the buckle plate 6 is provided with an elongated handle II, which projects through a central recess l2 formed in the bent-over end of the outer covering strip 2 of the band D, said handle being ar-.

ranged at an acute angle to the plane of the buckle plate 6, as shown in Fig. 2'.

Thebuckle plate 6 is also provided with a pair of ears [5, -l5a which project perpendicularly from the opposite side edges respectively of said plate, to afford rotary support for a pair of gripping elements IB and (1, between which the otherwise free end d of the band D passes.

The upper gripping element i6 is in the form of a nip roll concentrically mounted in the ears l5, [5a while the lower gripping element I1 is in the form of a cam eccentrically mounted in said ears, as shown in Fig. 2. The cam face of the element I! may be longitudinally fluted if desired to intensify the rigid gripping of the band D against accidental slipping thereof through the bite of said gripping elements |Bl1 when the device is in position on the arm of a subject.

To efiect rotation of the eccentric gripping cam II, to grip and to release the free end d of the band D, said element is provided with a lever 18. The cam I1 is constantly urged to rotate in the direction to grip the band D by a spring l9 having one end secured to the buckle plate 6 and its free end bearing against the under side of the lever 18, by which the cam I1 is released from the band D.

The constricting pad B is secured to the band D, adjacent the end thereof on which the buckle E is secured, said pad being secured to said band solely by the nipples and 2! to which the gauge tube a and pump tube 17 are respectively attached,

' 4 the band D to the subjects arm and which also serves to keep the free end 11 from running completely out of the bite of the gripping elements I6 and I! when the buckle E is released and the 5 spring strips 5, 5a function to return the whole of the band D to a rectilinear form. The finger grip 22 will engage the top grip roll I6 and prevent such complete freedom of the end d of the band.

In order to prevent the skin or the sleeve of a subjects clothing getting pinched in the bite of the gripping elements l6 and II, when the device is being adjusted on the subjects arm, the buckle plate 6 may be provided with a pair of 5 forwardly and laterally extending tongues 23, 23a

which function as a guide or pinch guard to divert the skin or clothing away from said grip- Ding elements.

In using the device, with the band D expanded 2Q to its maximum extent and the constricting pad completely deflated, the band D is slipped over the subjects hand and up the left arm to the desired position above the elbow, with the pad B toward the inside of the arm in position to ef- 25' feet constriction of the brachial artery.

With the handle ll grasped in the examiner's left hand, and with his thumb pressing the release lever l8, he effects adjustment of the band to the arm of the subject by pulling on the finger grip 22, which slides the free end d of the band D through the buckle E between the grippers Iii-ll. When the band is comfortably firm on the subjects arm, the examiner releases the lever 48, whereupon the spring I9 rocks the gripper cam l1 into gripping contact with the band D against the gripper roll [6.

The bulb C is then operated to pump air into the bladder B, expanding this pad until it effects complete constriction of the brachial artery,

as indicated by the arrow a of the manometer A ceasing to oscillate. Air is then bled from the pad B by operating the valve c until slight oscillation of the arrow a begins.

til oscillation of the arrow a again stops. A

reading is then taken on the dial of the manometer A at the point where the arrow a has stopped. The blood pressure of the subject is calculated from this reading.

' The examiner then grasps the handle II in his right hand and presses his thumb against the lever l8, which releases the cam I I from the strap D, whereupon the springs 5, 5a within said strap immediately cause the band D to expand to its greatest possible diameter ready to be slipped off the arm of the current subject and onto the arm of the next.

As shown in Fig. 4, the outer ends of the levers I! and 18 may be bent as indicated at Ha .;and lSa respectively, in order that the band D may be coiled about the other elements of the device to reduce the size of the device as a whole to the smallest possible dimensions for storing in a physicians satchel, etc.

7 e, Obviously the tube b may be connected to any suitable form of pressure device, such as a bellows, piston pump, rotary pump, etc., which can or to a bottle of compressed air, with any suitiable control valve included in the line between the bleeding valve 0 and the source of pressure, in place of the bulb C, if desired.

It will also be obvious to those familiar with flexible elements that natural or synthetic'whale bone or other suitable equivalent for the steel Additional air is then pumped into the pad un-' be operated by hand, foot or mechanical power,

bands 5, 5a may be employed in place thereof, within the scope of the present invention, and that a single wide band may be used in place of the two laterally spaced bands 5, 5a.

I claim:

1. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an inherently resilient arm band, a buckle secured to one end and adapted to receive the opposite free end of said band, means forming part of said buckle for gripping said band along said free end thereof, and means for releasing said gripping means to permit said free end to move through said buckle under an inherent tendency of the band to assume a rectilinear state.

2. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an inherently resilient arm band, a buckle secured to one end and adapted to receive the opposite free end of said band, means forming part of said buckle and including at least one eccentrically mounted element for gripping said band along said free end thereof, and means for releasing said gripping means to permit said free end to move through said buckle under an inherent tendency of the band to assume a rectilinear state.

3. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an inherently resilient arm band, a buckle secured to one end and adapted to receive the opposite free end of said band, means forming part of said buckle and including at least one eccentrically mounted element for gripping said band along said free end thereof, and means including a spring-biased lever adapted to efiect rocking of said element for releasing aid gripping means to permit said free end to move through said buckle under an inherent tendency of the band to assume a rectilinear state.

4. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an inherently resilient arm band, a buckle secured to one end and adapted to receive the opposite free end of said band, means forming part of said buckle including a nip roll rotatable about a fixed concentric axis, a cooperating cam adapted to be oscillated about an eccentric axis, spring-biased means tending at all times to oscillate the said cam toward said roll for gripping said band along said free end thereof, and means for releasing said gripping means to permit said free end to move through said buckle under an inherent tendency of the band to assume a rectilinear state.

5. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an inherently resilient arm band, a buckle ecured to one end and adapted to receive the opposite free end of said band, means forming part of said buckle including a nip roll rotatable about a fixed concentric axis, a cooperating cam adapted to be oscillated about an eccentric axis, spring-biased means tending at all times to oscillate said cam toward said roll for gripping said band along said free end thereof, means for releasing said gripping means to permit said free end to move through said buckle under an inherent tendency of the band to assume a rectilinear state, and means at the terminus of the free end of said band for drawing said band through the bite of said nip roll and cam in applying said band to a subjects arm.

6. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an inherently resilient arm band, a buckle secured to one end and adapted to receive the opposite free end of said band, means forming part of said buckle for gripping said band along said free end thereof, terminal means on the free end of said band for pulling said band through said gripping means, and a pinch guard carried by said buckle forwardly of said gripping means.

7. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an inherently resilient arm band, a buckle secured to one end and adapted to receive the opposite free end of said band, means forming part of said buckle for gripping said band along said free end thereof, terminal means on the free end of said band for pulling said band through said gripping means, and a handle on said buckle for holding one end of said band during said pulling thereof.

8. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an inherently resilient arm band, a buckle secured to one end and adapted to receive the opposite free end of said band, means forming part of said buckle for gripping said band along said free end thereof, terminal means on the free end of said band for pulling said band through said gripping means, a handle on said buckle for holding one end of said band during said pulling thereof, and a spring-biased lever adjacent one end of said handle for releasing said gripping means.

9. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an arm band composed of inner and outer coextensive flexible strips, a pair of inherently resilient longitudinal strips spaced apart laterally between said flexible strips, parallel laterally spaced longitudinal rows of stitches securing said flexible strips together and said resilent strips in predetermined relation therebetween, a buckle plate secured to one end of said band and including a pair of laterally spaced tongues to which corresponding ends of said resilient strips are respectively secured, means carried by said plate for gripping the opposite free end of said band, and a handle on said plate intermediate said tongues for supporting the one end of the band adjacent a subjects arm during ,pulling of said free end of the band through said gripping means during adjustment of the band on the subjects arm.

10. A sustaining device for a sphygmomanometer comprising an arm band composed of inner and outer coextensive flexible strips, a pair of inherently resilient longitudinal strips spaced apart laterally between said flexible strips, parallel laterally spaced longitudinal rows of stitches securing said flexible strips together and said resilient strips in predetermined relation therebetween, 9. buckle plate secured to one end of said band and including a pair of laterally spaced tongues to which corresponding ends of said resilent strips are respectively secured, means car ried by said plate for gripping the opposite free end of said band, a handle on" said plate intermediate said tongues for supporting the one end of the band adjacent a subjects arm during pulling of said free end of the band through said gripping means to effect adjustment of the band on the subjects arm, one of said flexible strips terminating adjacent a transverse slot in said plate through which the other of said flexible strips extends and overlaps said plate and said end of the first said strip, and means for securing the ends of said resilient and said flexible strips to said tongues at opposite sides of said handle.

CHARLES H. MCALPINE.