US3047950A

US3047950A - Nipple piercing tool

Info

Publication number: US3047950A
Application number: US102410A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mitchell D Stasiuk
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-04-12
Filing date: 1961-04-12
Publication date: 1962-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 1979-08-07

Description

Aug. 7, 1962 IIIlIl/III M. D. STASIUK NIPPLE PIERCING TOOL Filed April 12, 1961 III INVENTOR M/ TCHELLQSTA 5/ UK M WW ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofilice 3,947,959 Patented Aug. 7, 1952 3,647,956) NllPLl-E PEERCENG TUQL Mitchell D. Stasiult, 1649 hello Ava, Lakewood, @hio Filed Apr. 12, 1961, Sen No. 1%,410 1 (Ilaim. (Cl. se -ass This invention relates to a tool for piercing or puncturing nursing bottle nipples to provide openings or apertures of a proper size to allow a correct amount of liquid to be dispensed therethrough.

The size of the opening or openings in a nipple must vary depending upon the strength or weakness of the infant by whom the nipple will be used. Conventional practice is to a needle over a flame and then puncture the nipple with the heated needle. However, this operation usually has to be repeated two or three times and it is diiiicult to produce openings in the nipple in this manner which will be of a desired size to provide a correct flow for the infant. I the openings are not sulficiently large, the puncturins operation has to be repeated to enlarge the openings. If the openings are initially made too large, the nipple must be discarded.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a tool which can be utilized for simultaneously puncturing a desired number of holes in a nipple, and which holes will be of the same size and of a proper size to suit the requirements of the infant by whom the nipple is to be used.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the'drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the tool;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view thereof taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and showing a fragment of a nipple, partly in elevation and partly in section, about to be pierced by the tool;

EZUURE 3 is an enlarged end elevational view looking toward the lower end of the tool, as seen in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the nipple after formation of the dispensing openings therein.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the nipple piercing tool in its entirety is designated generally 53 and includes a rigid thick walled tubular member 6 having a bore 7 of uniform size extending therethrough. A spiral female thread 8 is cut into the wall of the bore '7 and extends from end-to-end thereof.

An elongated stem 9 of a length somewhat greater than that of the tubular member 6 is provided with a spiral male thread lb on an end portion 11 thereof. The stem 9 is of circular cross section like the bore 7 and is sized to be received in said bore and the male thread It) thereof engages the female thread '3.

The end portion 11 of the stem has a substantially flat end face 12 from which projects one or more needles or tines 13. As shown, three equally spaced needles or tines 13 are provided and which may be formed integral with Y or suitably secured to the stem end 12 and which are preferably spaced equal distances apart, as seen in FIG- URE 3. The needles l3 terminate in sharp points 1.4 at their outer ends, and said needles are of the same length and taper uniformly from the stem end 12 to said points 14.

The tubular member 6 has a flat end 15 from which the needles 13 project and which is disposed crosswise of the axes of said needles. The other end 16 of the stem 11 forms a handle which is normally disposed beyond the opposite end 17 of the tubular member 6 and by means of which the stem can be turned in the tubular member for advancing the needles 1.3 outwardly from the end 15 or for retracting the needles into the bore 7.

The needles 13 are preferably formed to a good grade of steel and the tubular member 6 and stem 9 are preferably formed of a material or materials which is fireproof and a good heat insulator. With the needles exended as seen in FIGURES l and 2, the tool 5 can be held by the handle 16 while the exposed ends of the needles 13 are held over a flame for sterilizing and heating the needles, after which the three needles may be utilized simultaneously for puncturing the substantially hemispherical end 18 of a conventional nursing bottle nipple 19 to form three holes Ztl therein of uniform size and of a correct size to permit a proper flow through the nipple. After the needles 13 have been heated over a flame, the tool 5 is displaced downwardly as seen in FEGURE 2, so that the needles 13 will puncture and burn the holes 2b in the nipple portion 18. The tool is pressed downwardly until the end 1% comes to rest against the nipple end 18 so that the holes 2% will be of a diameter corresponding to the diameters of the portions of the needles 13 which are disposed coplanar with the surface 15.

When the tool 5 is not in use, the stem 9 can be rotated to retract the needles 13 into the bore '7. By turning the stem 9 in the opposite direction the needles 13 will again be extended from the end surface 15, and the distance between the needle points 14 and surface 15 can be measured to reset the tool 5 with the needles properly extended for puncturing apertures of a proper size.

If desired, a cap or knob 21 can be frictionally mounted detachably on the exposed handle portion 16, after the tool 5 has been adjusted for use. The cap or knob 21 can be formed of a good heat insulating material to insure that no heat can be transmitted to the fingers holding the tool while the needles are being heated.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A nipple piercing tool consisting of an elongated stem having a forward end, a plurality of steel needles fixed to said stem in equally spaced apart relation to one another and to the axis of the stem and projecting longitudinally rom said forward end, a tubular member detachably supported on the stem and in which the forward end of the stem is disposed, said tubular member having'a forward end from which portions of the needles project, said needles having pointed outer ends and being tapered uniformly from the forward end of the stem to said pointed ends thereof, said tubular member being longer than the needles and shorter than the stem and having a threaded bore of uniform diameter extending from endto-end thereof, and said stem including a threaded forward portion threadedly engaging in said bore for adjustably mounting the tubular member on the stem to vary the distance that the forward end of the tubular member is located beyond the forward end of the stem to vary the lengths and diameters of the portions of the needles which are disposed beyond the forward end of the tubular member or for positioning the needles in a sheathed position within the tubular member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 983,763 Potter et a1. Feb. 7, 1911 2,382,032 Stone et a1 Aug. 14, 1945 2,441,763 Hertz May 18, 1948 EOREIGN PATENTS 12,475 Great Britain June 2, 1903