US3107667A - Mouthpiece formed to the arch of the user's mouth - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 22, 1963 E. R. MOORE 3,107,667"

MOUTHPIECE FORMED TO THE ARCH OF THE USER'S MOUTH Filed May 21, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ERNEST R. MOORE ATTORNEY} Oct. 22, 1963 E. R. MOORE 3,107,667

MOUTHPIECE FORMED TO THE ARCH OF THE USER'S MOUTH Filed May 21, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F 9.

I IMPRESSIONS OF ARCH OF MOUTH TAKEN I TEETH (0R c-IuMs) BITE RECORDINGS (As IN WAX) TAKEN IN CENTRAL occLusIoN UPPER AND LOWER MODELS PROVIDED AS ABOVE,

. MOUNTED ON ARTICULATOR I TUBING INSERTED BETWEEN MODELS I DENTAL WAX LAYER (OR LAYERS) SPREAD OVER UPPER AND LOWER MODELS MAX SPRUES ADDED TO WAX MOUTHPIECE MODEL 1 I MOUTHPIECE MODEL INSERTED IN LOWER PORTION OF FLASK AND INVESTED WITH DENTAL PLASTER UPPER HALF OF MODEL INVESTED IN TOP PORTION OF FLAsU l WAX MODEL SOFTENED IN FLASK AND RECORDING MATERIAL FLUSHED FROM FLASK(AS WITH BOILING WATER) I INJECTOR, LOADED WITH HOT RUBBER COMPOSITION, CONNECTED TO LARGE SPRUE HOLE IN TOP OF F LASK l I FLASK AND LOADED INJECTOR GUN INTRODUCED TO BOILING WATERW l RUBBER COMPOSITION IN GUN PRESSURED UNTIL RUBBER COMES OUT SMALL SPRUE HOLE IN TOP OF FLASK SMALL SPRUE HOLE PLUGGED AND FLASK RE-INTRODUCED TO BOILING WATER l FLASK REMOVED FROM WATER, GUN DISCONNECTED AND LARGE SPRUE HOLE PLUGIGIED IiUBBER COMPOSITION IN FLASK VULCANIZEDj I l VULCANIZED RUBBER cooLED AND DEFLAsKED I I I SPRUES REMOVED INVENTOR ERNEST R MOORE ATTORNEY 3 E- R. MOORE Oct. 22, 1963 MOUTHPIECE FORMED TO' THE ARCH OF THE USER'S MOUTH 9 0 7 2 m 8 7. 3 a a m U i t w m S t 3 .7 7M 2 2 FSEVK, m w \n \mmwm H Ema u u n 9 2 m w M d .m .H.

2:7: 13. I" lu l I82 ml.- lli 82841472 R H mm Wm M 7 w I f United States Patent 3,107,667 MOUTI-IPIECE FORMED T0 TIE ARCH OF THE USERS MOUTH Ernest R. Moore, Middletown, Ohio Brelsford Ave., Trenton, Ohio) Filed May 21, 1962, Ser. No. 196,084 6 Clm ms. (131. 128-136) This invention relates to mouthpieces for use by divers, such as scuba divers for example, which mouthpieces are connected to air tubes of diving apparatus. The invention also relates to methods for the manufacture of such mouthpieces. The present invention is an improvement, in some respects, over the mouthpiece and method of manufacture disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 115,744, filed June 8, 1961, for Mouthpieces Formed to the Arch of the Users Mouth, now abandoned.

Scuba divers, for example, have frequently complained of fatigue induced by the necessity of gripping, with their teeth, the mouthpieces they use. This gripping imposes a more or less protracted strain upon the muscles of the: lower jaw of the user. An important object of this invention is to provide a mouthpiece which may be worn in comfort for few or many minutes or even hours on end, without tiring or straining the muscles of the jaw of the wearer.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a tailored-to-fit mouthpiece which requires no biting into the material of the mouthpiece in order to retain it securely held by the teeth and/ or gums of the wearer.

Still another important object is to provide a mouthpiece which may be worn satisfactorily by a user with anterior teeth missing but who would have a difificult time retaining a conventional mouthpiece in proper position in the mouth.

Such users, with anterior teeth missing, have a problem due to leakage around a conventional mouthpiece, whereas the mouthpiece of this invention eliminates such leakage.

In fact, a user with all his teeth missing or with his dentures removed, can hold the mouthpiece of this invention in the mouth without any leakage hazards or any feeling of discomfort.

In my application referred to above, I provided detachable connection means between the body of the mouthpiece and the free end portion of the air tube connected with the diving apparatus. This means was an integral collar continuation of the body of the mouthpiece of rubber, for example, and the free end portion of the air tube slid into the collar continuation and was gripped thereby. In the improvement herein disclosed, the connection means is a collar but not an integral continuation of the mouthpiece body and is preferably of rigid metal instead of rubber, and the connection means has another function in association with the mouthpiece, as will be subsequently explained.

An additional important object of the present invention is to provide a more secure connection means between the mouthpiece and the air tube and one which is adapted to accommodate rubber free end portions of air tubes, or rubber couplings for connection of the free end portions of air tubes to the connection means of this present invention.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a method for the manufacture of mouthpieces, the bodies of which are provided with rigid metallic connection means for the purpose described above.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the 3,107,667 Patented Oct. 22, 1963 "Ice 2 accompanying drawings, forming portions of this disclosure, and in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one form of mouthpiece, shown by way of illustration, of this invention, with a portion of the mouthpiece body broken away in order to disclose imbedded means for fixedly attaching aportion of connection means thereto. 7

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the mouthpiece of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the mouthpiece of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the imbedded means of FIG. 1 shown in dashes.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the connection means of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the mouthpiece of FIGS. 1-3, in use.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a modified form of the mouthpiece, more particularly as to the connection means thereof.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the connection means of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic showing of preferred steps in the manufacture of mouthpieces, such as those of FIGS. 1 to 3 and 6.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of joined-together replicas of the maxillary and mandibular impressions of the arch of the mouth of a prospective user of the mouthpiece, with the portions of connection means of FIGS. 1 to 5, and certain sprues carried thereby.

FIG. 10 is a rear elevational view of the showing in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a view like that of FIG. 10 but illustrating the position of the same within a flask which is shown in vertical section.

FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view of the flask of FIG. 11 turned from that in FIG. 10, and the mouthpiece body being formed within a matrix within the joined together replicas of FIGS. 9-11.

FIG. 13 is a view, somewhat along the lines of FIG. 12- but showing the connection means of FIG. 7 being employed.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown two embodiments of the mouthpiece invention and various showings in connection with the steps in the manufacture of mouthpieces, the letter A may generally designate a diving apparatus; B, a user or wearer. of the mouthpieces of this present invention; C and D the two forms of mouthpieces of the invention herein illusrated; E and F dental models which form a composite model G; H, a flask; K, an ejector gun; and L a rubber composition.

The scuba diving apparatus A may be of any approved kind and includes a tube 10 extending from a reservoir (not shown) of confined air, or other suitable fluid, with the outlet end portion 11 of the tube being of resilient material and retained by the mouthpieces C or D as may be appreciated from FIG. 5.

A user or wearer B is shown in FIG. 5 in a stylized manner with head 15 and as holding the mouthpiece C in his mouth, with his lips 16 and 17 and upper and lower teeth such as the teeth 18 and 19 and tongue 20 in contact with the mouthpiece.

Since the bodies of the mouthpieces C and D are illustrated as substantially alike, the same reference numerals will be applied to both forms, but an exponent will be used in connection with the parts of the mouthpiece D which are like those of the mouthpiece C. Both bodies 25 and 25' are preferably of a resilient grade of rubber so as to provide a snap-on fit with the teeth and/or gums of the user. That is, the teeth and/or gums of the user will be gripped by the mouthpiece body but the answer as U user does not grip the mouthpiece, nor does his teeth and/ or gums sink into nor indent the rubber.

A preferred vulcanizable rubber composition for use in forming the bodies of the mouthpiece C or D is as follows:

Avoirdupois pounds Rubber 10.00 Sulphur .44 Zinc oxide .50 Stearic acid .30 Paraifln .13 Calcium carbonate 10.00 Titanium dioxide 10.00 Conventional rubber accelerator .12 Process oil .12 Oil of Wintergreen To suit Of course, reasonable variations in the weights of the ingredients are contemplated.

Broadly, the body 25 of the mouthpiece C comprises somewhat the structural equivalents of dental mandibular and modified maxillary impressions, integrally united. Normally, the fovea palatina eminences are omitted from the equivalents of the maxillary impressions. The mouthpiece includes two first flanges, consisting of an upwardlyextending outermost flange 26 which preferably include notch 27, substantially like the labial notch of a maxillary impression, and the flange 26 is somewhat like the anterior arches and buccal flanges of maxillary impressions, and an innermost upwardly-extending flange 28 spaced rearwardly of and'facing the flange 2.6-. This flange 28 and the absence (in many cases) of the equivalent of the palatina eminence, represent the modifications of a conventional maxillary impression as applied to the body 25.

The body 25 also includes two second flanges, one consisting of a downwardly-extending outermost flange 29 and the other of a downwardly-extending innenmost flange 30, the first being provided with a notch 31, some what like the labial notch of a mandibular impression, and flange portions somewhat like the anterior arches and buccal flanges of a mandibular impression. Facing and spaced from the flange 29 is a downwardly-extending innermost flange 30 somewhat like the retromylonyoid emlinences and lingual and sublingu al flanges of a mandibular impression.

At the base of the upwardly-opening recess 32 between the flanges 26 and 28 and the recess 33 between the flanges 29 and 30 are a plurality of impressions 34 of the biting or occlusal crown surface areas and impressions 35 of the cutting or incisal crown surface areas of the teeth of the wearer. Of course, in the absence of one or more teeth, there will be corresponding absence of impressions. While, obviously, the depth and width of the impressions will vary due, for example'to the shape of the molars, bicuspids and incisors and the differences incident to wear, the general maximum depth for the posterior teeth may be around inch while that of the anterior teeth may be slightly more. However, these measurements are given merely by way of example and may vary. What I desire to convey is the fact that there are well-defined impressions of the crown surface areas of the teeth in the users head. Because the mouthpiece is tailored to the users mouth, the flanges may be said to exactly define the sides of the gums of the user. As a consequence, the mouthpiece cannot move about and rub against the gums and there is none of the feeling, sometimes experienced by scuba divers that their mouthpieces are insecure and must be bitten into in order to retain them.

As will be seen, particularly in FIG. 3 there are two relatively wide outermost areas 36 extending between the edges of the flanges 26 and 29 which areas are adapted to engage the inner surfaces of the cheeks of the wearer, and connecting the two areas 36, are two areas 37 and 38 adapted to engage the inner surfaces of the lips 16 and 17 respectively of the wearer. The mid portion 39 of the flange 30 is adapted to be engaged by the tip portion of the tongue 20 as may be seen in FIG. 5.

In the case of the connection means between the mouth piece body of my application referred to above and a diving apparatus air tube, the material of the connection means was, of necessity, somewhat resilient and stretchable since it was adapted to engage a substantially rigid air tube end portion, but the connection means 40 comprises a collar @1, a tube 45 and clamp means 48.

The collar 41 is preferably a short tubular projection extending outwardly from the two areas 36 and the two areas 37 and 38 of the body 25 and are preferably integral therewith. The preferred shape of the collar 41 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. from the front edge or face 43 of the collar 41 continues entirely through the body 25, with its mouth at the inner flanges 28 and 30 as may be seen in FIG. 5.

The tube i5 of the connection means 40 is best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and is preferably rigid and of metal, as stainless steel for example. :It is shaped to be tightly engaged by the wall surface of the forward portion of the passageway 42. and is of a length to project outwardly of the collar 41, whereby it provides a surface to be tightly engaged by the outlet end portion 11 of the air tube 10, and this surface and the outer face or edge 43 of the collar 41 provides a shoulder, whereby the,

outer edge of the portion 11 may abut thereagainst.

The tube 45 is provided with a preferably outwardlyextending annual projection which is shown as a flange 46, spaced from the forward or outer end of the tube and imbedded in the material of the body 25. In fact, it is important that this flange 46 be imbedded in the material forming flanges of the body 25, such as the flanges 26 and 29 for example, as shown in FIG. 5. The flange 46 reinforces the flanges in which it is imbedded.

Preferably, the flange 46 is provided with a plurality of teeth 47, and the flange prevents the tube 45 from being dislodged. It will be noted, as in FIG. 1, that the flange 46 follows the curves of the flanges of the body 25 in which it is imbedded.

The clamp means 43 of the connection means 40 may be a resilient endless band of rubber or a spring steel 7 split ring for example which is adapted to tightly clamp the outlet end portion 11 of the tube It to the outwardly projecting end portion of the tube 46, substantially as positioned in FIG. 5, with the outer end face of the portion 11 in face contact with the face 43 of the col lar 41.

As has been stated, the body 25 of the mouthpiece D is substantially like the body 25 since it, too, is tailored-to-fit the users mouth, 'but the connection means 59 of the mouthpiece D is somewhat different.

The connection means 50 comprises a collar 5-1, tube 55 and clamp means 58.

The collar 51 may be like the collar 41, as may be seen by comparing FIGS. 5 and 6, and has a passageshown in FIG. 7 as a bead 56, which is imbedded in the material of the body 25 at two of the flanges thereof, such as the flanges 26' and 29', with the head 56 curved substantially as is the flange 46.

The clamp means 58 may he like the clamp means 48 and is adapted for the same use but may be positioned as in FIG. 6 where it overlaps the juncture of the face 53 and abutting portion of the outlet end portion 11 of the air tube 10.

In the case of mouthpiece C or D for wearers who have, for example, all or most of their teeth missing, I prefer to widen, without invention, the upwardly-extend- The air passageway 42.

ing innermost flanges 28 or 28 to provide substantially the equivalents of palatina eminences to engage the wearers hard palate.

In using either the mouthpiece C or D, after the outlet end portion 11 of the air tube has been connected with the tube 45 or 55, as the case may be, the user or wearer B need only insert the body 25 or 25' into the mouth, with the outer portions of the crowns of the teeth within the teeth impressions 34 and 25 or 34' and 25' and the recesses extending along the remainders of the adjacent crowns of the teeth and along the adjacent gums, since the body 25 or 25 has been tailored-tofit the mouth of the wearer without any distortion of the mouthpieces while being used, as will be next de scribed in connection with the steps in the manufacture of the mouthpieces.

FIGS. 8 to 13 inclusive relate to the steps in the method of making tailored-to-measure mouthpieces for the arch of the users or wearers mouth, wherein the mouthpieces are integrally united structural equivalents of dental mandibular and modified dental maxillary impressions of this arch, with the teeth and/or gums of the user or wearer of the mouthpiece taken in central occlusion, and the mouthpiece body supporting a connection means, including a substantially rigid metallic tube, for connection with an air tube of a diving apparatus, which metallic tube is partly imbedded in the mouthpiece body of resilient rubber.

The steps are as follows:

(1) Dental impressions of the arch of the prospective user or wearer of the mouthpiece are taken and the teeth and/or gum bit recordings (as in wax) taken in central occlusion, all to provide models E and F.

(2) Models E and F are conventionally mounted on a conventional dental articulator (not shown).

(3) The selected metallic tube 45 or 55 is then positioned with reference to the future positions of the flanges, such as the flanges 26 and 29. Special attention is given to the irnbedding of the flange 46 or bead 56, as the case may be, in the wax.

(4) The models E and F are now united by partial surface coatings or carvings of thermoplastic wax 65, which is also employed to form what will be the collar 41 or 51 surrounding a portion of the selected metallic tube 45 or 55 as the case may be, and the upstanding sprues 66 and 67 are carved in thermoplastic wax with the sprue 66 being provided with the two laterals 68 shown in FIG. 10. This step may entail the removal of small portions of the models E and/or F in order to provide space for the sprues but this will not adversely affect the mouthpiece C or D as the case may be. This step will complete the now joined models E and F with their appendages, all as shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, providing a composite model G, carrying the selected metallic tube 45 or 55, all of which, except a small portion of the protruding metallic tube will next be invested with dental plaster in a portion of a flask H.

The flask H is particularly adapted to contain the composite model G of FIGS. 9 and 10, and the flask is shown in vertical sections in FIGS. 11 and 12 and preferably includes a lower or bottom section 70 with bottom wall 71 and a side wall 72 extending upwardly therefrom and having an upper edge 73, defining an open-mouthed compartment 74. The flask H also preferably includes an upper or top section 75, having a side wall 76 with a lower or bottom edge 77 to rest upon the edge 73, and a removable lid or closure 78 resting upon the upper edge 79 of the side wall 76. The side wall 76 is preferably provided with a suitable opening 81 extending to the lower edge 77 to receive the outermost portion of the tube 45 or 55, as the case may be. The side wall 76, edge 77 and closure 78 define a downwardly-opening compartment 86. Any suitable means may be provided to detachably secure the upper section 75 upon the lower section 70 and the closure 78 upon the upper section,

such as bolt and nut means 82 with the bolt shanks ex tending through suitable spaced-apart openings in the bottom wall 71 and closure 78 and through the compartments 74 and 80, being located to clear the composite model. The screw-threaded protruding ends of the shanks are adapted to receive nuts as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. This arrangement permits separation of the upper section 75 from the lower section 70 or the closure 78 from the upper section 75. The removable closure or lid 78 is preferably provided with openings 83 and 84, which may be screw-threaded with this opening 83 axially aligning with the sprue 66 and the opening 84 axially aligning with the sprue 67 when the composite model H is properly placed within the flask. I prefer to provide conventional closures (not shown) for the openings 83 and 84. These closures may be screw threaded. The first step in the use of the flask H concerns the lower section 7 0 thereof disposed upon a substantially horizontal supporting surface (not shown).

(5) Into the lower section 70 of the flask H is introduced the composite model G referred to above, posi tioned substantially as shown in FIG. 11. It may be manually retained in this position and invested with dental plaster to the horizontal plane of the edge 73 of the section 70. This will imbed somewhat less than onehalf of the composite model G with the upper portions thereof above this plane. The plaster hardens quickly and manual release of the composite model G will harden within a few seconds. The upper surface of the plaster may be soaped in order to permit subsequent separation from the dental plaster investure step next to be described.

(6) The lower edge 77 of the wall 76 of the upper section 75 is now placed upon the upper edge 73 of the wall 72 of the lower section 70 (with the closure 78 removed). The opening 81, of course, receives the protruding outer end portion of the metallic tube 45 or 55, as the case may be, and putty or like means employed to build up dams (not shown) at any small opening or openings left around the periphery of this protruding outer end portion. A dental plaster plug 85 may be inserted through the passageway through the tube 45, if this tube is employed, this plug extending rearwardly to provide for the continuation of this opening completely through the mouthpiece C. No such inserted plug is required when the tube 55 is used.

(7) The protruding upper portion of the composite model G is now invested with dental plaster to the horizontal plane of the upper edge 79 of the upper section 75. All that will show of the composite model G will now be very short portions of the upper ends of the sprues 66 and 67 and the protruding end portion of the metallic tube 45 or 55, as the case may be, and the closure or lid 7 8 is then disposed upon the upper edge 79 of the upper section 75 of the flask and the nuts tightened upon the protruding bolt shanks. I

(8) The Wax portions of the composite model G are now softened by the employment of heat, as is well known in the art and the softened wax flushed out of the flask, as with, for example, boiling water. This water may be run into the opening 83 and, together with the melted wax, out of theopening 84, or vice versa. A cross section of the flask H and its contents will then appear substantially as in FIGS. 12 or 13, minus the ejector gun K next to be employed. Of course, this step will provide the cavities such as the cavities 86 and 87 or 88 and 8% as the case may be, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively.

(9) The ejector gun K is coupled to the flask, as in FIG. 12 and having been loaded with a hot rubber composition L, such as that detailed above by way of example, and the opening 84 plugged, are introduced to a bath (not shown) of preferably boiling water, by way of example, for substantially 15 minutes.

(10) The bath-treated flask H, gun K and rubber composition L are then removed from the bath, the plug in the opening 84 removed and the ejector gun K operated (under a sixty-pound air pressure, for example) until the hot rubber composition L starts to emerge from the opening 84, which functions as a sprue hole. This emergence of the rubber composition is a good indicator that the cavities 86 and 87 or 88 and 89, as the case may be, are filled with the rubber composition L which will, of course, flow around the flange 46 or bead 56 and imbed the same in the rubber composition.

(11) After removing the melted rubber composition from the opening 84 the hole is again plugged and the flask H and gun K reintroduced into the boiling water bath for a period of about ten minutes to settle the rubber composition and insure non-porosity of the rubber composition within the cavities.

(12) The flask H and gun K are then removed from the bath, the gun uncoupled from the flask and the opening 83 plugged, whereupon the flask is inserted into a conventional dental rubber vulcanizer (not shown) and the rubber composition within the flask vulcanized during a suitable period and at a suitable temperature. I have discovered that about one hour of vulcanizing at a temperature of about 300 F., is desirable.

(13) After removing the flask H from the vulcanizer and opening the former, the contents is deflasked, the plaster and vulcanized rubber sprues removed to provide either the mouthpiece C or D, as the case may be, after the mouthpiece has been ground down to remove undesired bits of rubber and after subsequent conventional polishing, as with pumice, tripoli or the like.

Broadly, the invention contemplates a tailored mouthpiece, which includes a replica of each of the maxillary impressions and mandibular impression of the arch of the mouth of the user of the mouthpiece, with the replicas integrally joined together from front to back, with the replica of the maxillary impression directly above that of the mandibular impression, and with an air passageway shared by each replica and communicating with an air passageway is the air outside the mouth of the user. This mouthpiece may be made by the method detailed above and diagrammed in FIG. 8.

What is claimed is:

l. A mouthpiece comprising a body for insertion into the mouth of a user, said body having a front portion, a rear portion, an air passageway extending through said body from the front portion to the rear portion, two first spacedapar-t flanges extending upwardly from said body and two second spaced-apart flanges extending downwardly from said body, a side of one of said first flanges facing a side of the other of said first flanges and a side of one of said second flanges facing a side of the other of said second flanges, said one of said first flanges having contours substantially similar to the contours of the anterior arches and buccal flanges of a maxillary impression of the mouth of said user, and said second flanges having contours respectively, substantially similar to the contours of the anterior arches and bucoal flanges, and of the lingual and sublingual flanges of a mandibular impression of the mouth of said user, and means carried by said body for connecting said passageway with a source of confined air exterior of the mouth of said user, said means including a tubular insert having a flange imbedded in the material of said body and provided with a plurality of spaced-apart teeth, and said tubular insert extending into said passageway and exteriorly of one end thereof.

2. .A mouthpiece for coupling to the air tube of diving apparatus, said mouthpiece including a body comprising substantially structural equivalents of a dental mandibular impression and a maxillary impression of the arch of a prospective wearer of said mouthpiece, said structural equivalents each having a front portion, a rear pontion and two side portions with said front, rear and side portions being integrally united with the structural equivalent of said dental mandibular impression uppermost, said body having an air passageway opening at said front portions and extending through said body to open at said rear portions, a collar of resilient material carried by said front portions and extending outwardly thereof with the opening through said collar in communication with said passageway, connection means to detachably couple a portion of said air tube to said mouthpiece, said conneotion means including a tubular insert having a projection imbedded in the material of said body, and said tubular insert extending through said opening and exteriorly or the outer end thereof for receiving a portion of said air tube thereon, and clamp means for extending about said portion of said air tube for clamping said portion of said air tube to the exteriorly projecting end of said tubular insert.

3. A mouthpiece according to claim 2 characterized in that said projection is a flange.

4. A mouthpiece according to claim 2 characterized in that said projection is an annular bead.

5. A mouthpiece according to claim 2 characterized in that said projection is a flange provided with a plurality of spaced-apart teeth.

6. Steps in the method of making a tailored-to-measure mouthpiece for the arch of the mouth of a user thereof, said steps comprising making wax replicas of the maxillary impression and mandibular impression of said arch of said mouth; mounting said replicas in the relative positions of the partly open m-axillae and mandible of said user; providing for an air passageway between said replicas and outwardly thereof by inserting an outwardlyfianged tube between said replicas and outwardly thereof; enclosing the outwardly-extending portion of said passageway in wax and carving and uniting said replicas with wax to provide an integral wax carving and imbedding the inwardly-extending portion of the exterior surface of said tube and the flange thereof in said wax; surrounding the wax of the last-above step in plaster; hardening said plaster; flushing said wax from said hardened plaster to disclose a mold; introducing a vulcanizable rubber composition into said mold; vulcanizing said introduced rubber composition to provide said mouthpiece; and separating said plaster from the vulcanized rubber mouthpiece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 316,636 Miles Apr. 28, 1885 1,202,971 Daiber Oct. 31, 1916 2,590,118 Oddo Mar. 25, 1962 2,669,988 Carpenter Feb. 23, 1954 2,839,053 Lorenz June 17, 1958

Claims (1)

1. 2. A MOUTHPIECE FOR COUPLING TO THE AIR TUBE OF DIVING APPARATUS, SAID MOUTHPIECE INCLUDING A BODY COMPRISING SUBSTANTIALLY STRUCTURAL EQUIVALENTS OF A DENTAL MANDIBULAR IMPRESSION AND A MAXILLARY IMPRESSION OF THE ARCH OF A PROSPECTIVE WEARER OF SAID MOUTHPIECE, SAID STRUCTURAL EQUIVALENTS EACH HAVING A FRONT PORTION, A REAR PORTION AND TWO SIDE PORTIONS WITH SAID FRONT, REAR AND SIDE PORTIONS BEING INTEGRALLY UNITED WITH THE STRUCTURAL EQUIVALENT OF SAID DENTAL MANDIBULAR IMPRESSION UPPERMOST, SAID BODY HAVING AN AIR PASSAGEWAY OPENING AT SAID FRONT PORTIONS AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BODY TO OPEN AT SAID REAR PORTIONS, A COLLAR OF RESILIENT MATERIAL CARRIED BY SAID FRONT PORTIONS AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREOF WITH THE OPENING THROUGH SAID COLLAR IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PASSAGEWAY, CONNECTION MEANS TO DETACHABLY COUPLE A PORTION OF SAID AIR TUBE TO SAID MOUTHPIECE, SAID CONNECTION MEANS INCLUDING A TUBULAR INSERT HAVING A PROJEC-

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