US2767709A

US2767709A - Adjustable anti thumb sucking device

Info

Publication number: US2767709A
Application number: US474950A
Authority: US
Inventors: Holland Richard William
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-12-13
Filing date: 1954-12-13
Publication date: 1956-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 1973-10-23

Description

Oct. 23, 1956 R. w. HOLLAND 2,767,709

ADJUSTABLE ANTI THUMB Sucxmc DEVICE Filed Dec. 13, 1954 1214 HQ/laz'icl, INVENTOR ATTORNEY United The hereinafter described device relates generally to habit correcting devices and more particularly to a device adapted to be fitted over the thumb of an infant so that it will be uncomfortable in most cases and impossible in others for the infant to place the thumb in its mouth.

The habit of thumb sucking is prevalent among young children and in some cases is carried through into the initial school year of the childs life. In addition to the habit being unsightly there is a possibility of the child transmitting infection to its system through the mouth and in some cases it is possible for the mouth of the infant to become deformed.

Numerous devices have in the past been advanced to prevent this habit. Among these have been cloth or metal guards that fit over the thumb or over the entire hand and liquid preparations that may be purchased and applied to the thumb to create a bitter taste Whenever the thumb is placed in the mouth. Of these, the metal guards have been the most satisfactory but these have been generally all of one size and it has been very difficult to compress or enlarge the device to fit properly over various sized thumbs.

The principal object of the present device is therefore to provide an anti thumb sucking device that may be adjusted quickly and easily to a variety of thumb sizes and once adjusted will remain at the correct size.

A second object is to provide a device that may be manufactured easily from readily obtainable low cost materials.

Additional objects and advantages of my device will become obvious from a reading of the attached specification in the light of the attached drawings. It must be understood that the information disclosed therein is by way of example and illustration only and is not to be construed as a limitation. Obviously the invention is to be limited only by the appended claim and by the prior art.

In the drawings illustrating one preferred embodiment of my idea:

Figure 1 is a projected View of my complete device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged broken away detailed view of the thumb engaging band.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of Figure 2.

Paten With reference now to the drawings, my device comprises the annular thumb engaging band 1 which is split apart at 2 and is provided with the fastening mechanism referred to generally by the numeral 3. Fastened rigidly to the band 1 at 4, 4 and 5, 5 are the U-shaped members 6 and 7 respectively. The members 6 and 7 are in turn fastened securely together at 8.

The fastening mechanism referred to generally by the numeral 3 will be described specifically with reference to the enlarged broken away view illustrated in Figure 3 in the drawings. Here it will be seen that the ends of the thumb engaging band 1 are provided with

collars

9 and 10. Fitted in the collar 9 is the locking bar 11 which, it will be noted, is U-shaped in construction having one of the arms of the U formed downwardly into the hook 12. The collar 10 is provided with the plurality of slots 13 which are adapted to receive the hook portion 12 of the locking bar 11 when the bar 11 is inserted thereinto.

It will now be obvious immediately that the diameter of the annular thumb engaging band 1 may be enlarged or compressed throughout the limits of the plurality of slots 13 by the simple expedient of disengaging the hook 12 from the slots and then sliding the arms of the engaging bar 11 out of the collar 10 as illustrated in Figure l in the drawings or further into the collar 10 as indicated in Figure 2 in the drawings. Once the band has been enlarged or compressed to its correct size the bar 11 is released and the hook 12 Will thereupon engage with one of the slots 13.

In operation the device would be fitted over the thumb so that the band 1 would be positioned behind the first joint thereof or thumb knuckle. The band 1 would then be adjusted so the device could not be pulled or accidentally knocked off unless the fastening mechanism 3 were released.

What I claim as my invention is:

In an anti-thumb sucking device, an adjustable annular thumb engaging band adapted to encircle the thumb below the first joint thereof, a plurality of U-shaped members fixed at their ends to the thumb engaging band and adapted to inclose a portion of the thumb forward of the thumb engaging band, the said adjustable annular thumb engaging band being split and provided at its ends with collars with a locking bar fixed to one of the ends of the split thumb engaging bands to project therefrom and having its forward end formed into a hook, a plurality of openings in the other end of the said thumb engaging band, such openings being adapted to receive the said hook on the locking bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,229,633 Manning June 12, 1917