US436861A

US436861A - Uterine supporter

Info

Publication number: US436861A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1907-09-23

Description

(No Model.)

A. T. SHERWOOD. UTERINE SUPPORTER.

Patented gept. 23, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEG ANDREIV T. SHERWOOD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

UTERINE SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,861, dated September 23, 1890.

Application filed February 23, 1888- Serial No. 265,036. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW T. Snnnwoon, of the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Uterine Supporters; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.-

My invention relates to certain improvements in uterine supporters; and it consists of a two-part instrument with an intermediate spring to allow the automatic adjustment of the supporter, a rotary movement and adjustment of the cup upon the stem, a central duct through the stem for drainage, and a means for applying an electrical current through the instrument and directly to the parts, all of which will be more fully explained by referencetothe accompanyingdrawings,inwhich Figure 1 is an exterior view of my device. Fig. 2 is a section taken through the axis of the stem.

A is the cup of the supporter, which is made semi-globular, or it may have one side a little higher than the other, this portion of the instrument not differing from the ordinary construction. The stem B may be straight or suitably curved and is made hollow. Its lower end is countersunk and screw-threaded on the inside, so as to screw upon the short hollow extension 0, being also enlarged, so as to fit over this extension and form a shoulder and a tight joint with it. The lower end of the extension has an enlargement or button I), and the lower part of the stem is loosely inclosed in a hollow conical casing E, the button D lying outside of the base E of the casing. It will be noticed that this base is screw-threaded to register with the threads of the lower portion of the conical casing, whereby said base may be readily detached when necessary to obtain access to the inte rior of the casing. Within this casing is a spiral or other spring F, which surrounds the extension 0, and its lower end presses against the base E, while its upper end abuts against the shoulder formed by the enlargement of the stem B, thus holding the button D in contact with the base of the casing and keeping the stem and cup up with an elastic pressure.

The supports for the instrument are hollow tubes or elastic cords H, and these in the ordinary instrument pass through an enlarged disk or base formed upon the lower end of the stem. These cords or tubes soon lose their elasticity, and my invention is designed to overcome this diiiiculty by the use of the spiral spring within the body of the instrument.

In my device the elastic supports II pass through the casing E, and the stem passes loosely through the casing, so that it may be turned within it, thus allowing of the adj ustment of the cup to any desired position without moving or disturbing the casing or the supporting straps orcords. By this construction and the use of the spiral spring the stem and cup are allowed to turn freely in the easing with every movement of the body, and all friction or rubbing of the cup upon the parts with which it is in contact is prevented. The spring yields to any pressure or moveineut which affects the stem in the direction of its axis, and thus holds the cup against the parts with a continuous but yielding pressure independent of the supporting cords or straps H. The central passage is supplemental to the drainage-holes I, ordinarily made in the sides of the cup, and it allows the acrid secretions of the parts to be carried out without contact with any part of the body. By reason of the screw joint between the parts B and O the chamber containing the spring is protected and kept dry.

J is a flat or other suitably-shaped metallic plate which fits in the bottom of the cup A, and an insulated wire or cord K connects with it and extends out of the instrument through the central passage. This conductor may be connected with one of the poles of a voltaic belt which is worn about the body of the patient, and the other pole is applied to the back or other part by means of a plate, orin any other desired manner. The application of such belts being well known, I have not described them in detail.

I am aware that uterine supports have been employed in which the pessary is supported upon a spring or elastic stem, and I do not therefore claim this construction broadly; but

WVhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a uterine supporter, the combination of a cup, a tubular stem depending therefrom and provided on its lower end with an enlargement having interior threads,v a separable hollow extension provided at its upper end with exterior threads registering with the threads of the lower enlarged end of the stem and atits lower end with a button or head, a loosely-fitting conical casing surrounding the lower enlarged end of the stem, a removable base for said casing, supportingcords or straps secured to said casing, and a spring contained within the casing, said spring surrounding the separable hollow extension, having its lower end bearing against the base of the casing and its upper end bearing against the enlarged end of the stem, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ANDREW T. SHERWOOD.

Witnesses:

S. H. NOURSE, H. 0. LEE.