US474378A - Hannah f - Google Patents

Description

(ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. F. FERGUSON. GATAMENIAL SACK.

No. 474,378. Patented May 10, 1892.

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HANNAH F. FERGUSON, OF FORT ERIE, CANADA.

CATAM EN IAL SAC K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,378, dated May 10, 1892.

Application filed Augn'st 3,1891. Serial No. 401,569- (MocleL) Patentedin Canada March 20, 1890, No. 33,968.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, HANNAH FVFERGUSON, a citizen of Canada, residing at Fort Erie, in the county of IVelland and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catamenial Sacks, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Canada, dated March 20,1890, No. 33,968;) and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in catamenial sacks, designed more especially to be worn by women during the period of menstruation; and the novelty will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a womans body, showing the application thereto of my improved device. Fig.2 isaperspective view of the sack removed from the body, showing the relative positions which the parts assume when applied. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, which is given to represent the shape of the sack and the manner and arrangement of the supporting-straps; and Fig. 4 is a crosssectional view of the sack, taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line m w on Fig. 3.

A desideratum in this class of devices has been to provide a sack which will have a tendency to remain inan open position while in use, as it is well known by those who use such devices that the limbs have a natural tendency to close the sack and consequently impair its usefulness in holding a pledget or absorbent in proper position with respect to the cavity or vagina and receive the menstrual fluid as discharged. Heretofore several attempts have been made to accomplish this object; but such devices as constructed have been rendered complicated by the employment of side loops to pass around the thighs or trunk, as well as clumsy harness for holding the sack suspended, and such devices are, furthermore, objectionable, inasmuch as the sack, in order to be frequently washed or cleansed, must be readily detachable from the supporting parts. B y the construction which I have illustrated and which I shall presently describe in detail I have an article which ,when in use will allow perfect freedom of the body without any discomfort or unpleasant feeling, such as experienced when limb-straps are employed. The sack,being of rubber or elastic material, will give to the movements of the limbs, and it is detachably connected to the supporting parts, so that it may be readily removed and after washing quickly attached to the supporting-straps.

In carrying out my invention I take two approximately gore-shaped pieces cl, of soft thin rubber or other suitably-impervious ma terial, and secure them together at their longitudinal curved edges by a row of stitches e or otherwise, so as to firmly unite the same. I then bind the longitudinal, straight, or upper edges with protecting-strips a, of similar material, although thin oil-cloth or other yielding and washable material might be used. I then bind the transverse edges of the sack with strips of chamois-skin B, after which I provide each corner or end of the strips B with short strips of webbing or elastic material C, carrying buckles b at their upper or outer ends. By this construction I have a sack which while in use will remain open at its central portion, and bybeing elastic will give an upward pressure to the parts, thereby affording a feeling of support and comfort.

E indicates the waistband, which is provided with the usual buckle, as shown.

D indicates the supporting-straps, there being four employed and connected, respectively, at their lower ends to the four short straps O, which latter are preferably elastic. These straps are secured to the waistband at a point to come just over the hips on opposite sides of the body, so as to form two front and two rear supporting-straps.

As better shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the front straps D pass down from a point above the hips in an oblique or diagonal manner across the abdomen, so as to keep the front strip B of the sack in a stretched or extended manner, and consequently the adjacent end of the sack as well open as the po sition of the limbs will allow. The rear straps, which are also secured to the waistband at a point above the hips, pass down in the rear of the body and, connecting with the strip B, hold the opposite end of the sack open as much as the limbs will allow. I attach importance to this arrangement of the supporting-straps and the fact that thigh or limb straps are dispensed with, as such straps have been found both uncomfortable and objectionable for many reasons.

In use the waistband is first buckled around the body, bringing the buckle directly in front. The sack should then be attached to either the front or back straps, and after placing a sponge or other absorbent in the sack the remaining straps should be buckled so as to fit closely to the body.

When the sack has become soiled, it may be disconnected from the supporting-straps and washed the same as a piece of rubber or the like.

\Vhile I have described the sack as being composed of two gore-shaped pieces of rubber, yet I do not wish to confine myself to making it in this manner, as the sack may, if found desirable, be made from a single piece of material.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a catamenial sack comprising a waistband, the sack or bag of rubber or yielding material, the non-elastic strips secured to the opposite ends of the sack, the short straps secured to said strips and carrying buckles, and the supporting-straps secured at their upper ends to the Waistband at a point above the hips and their opposite ends secured to said buckle-straps, substantially as specified.

2. The sack composed of two approximately gore-shaped pieces, thin rubber united together at their curvededges, the strips B, secured to the opposite transverse ends of the sack, and the binding a on the upper longitudinal edges, in combination with a waistband and straps for adjustably connecting said sack to the band, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HANNAH F. FERGUSON.

Witnesses.- I

OTTELIA DOSSENBOCH, JOHN W. INGRAM.

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