US478356A

US478356A - Finger-tapering device

Info

Publication number: US478356A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1892-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 1909-07-05

Description

(No Model!) Y E. R. PAIGE.

FINGER TAPERIN'G DEVICE. I No. 478,356. Patented JuIy 5, 18912.

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ELAM R. PAIGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FING ER-TAPERI NG DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,356, dated July 5, 1892.

Application filed February 6, 1892. Serial No. 420,549- (No model.)

zen of the United States, residing at Chicago,

in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Finger-Tapering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to surgical devices known in the art as finger-tapering devices, arid it has for its object the shaping and rectifying the malformations of human fingers. I attain these objects by the devices herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the drawings accompanying this specification,in which like letters of referencedesignate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Figure 1 represents a human hand with two varieties of finger-tapering devices upon the fingers thereof. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of my tapering device upon the lines a: 00, Fig. 3, with a finger placed therein. Fig. 3 represents a vertical sectional view of my device upon the lines y y, Fig. 1, with a finger placed therein.

There are numerous avocations in life,pro-

fessions, or occupati0nssuch, for instance,-

as piano-playing, type-writing, &c.in the exercise of which the fingers become more or less blunted and out of shape. Many persons have these malformations naturally. In order to preserve the rounded and tapering contour of the fingers and reform those which by nature or employment are out of proper shape, I have devised and invented a device which I willproceed to describe.

I have found that a finger-tapering device which is purelyconical or tapers upon all sides equally toward a common point or apex will not produce successful results, and, besides, tends to produce inflammation about the sides and roots of the nail, and also to bend or change the proper shape and configuration of the nail. To avoid this, I have invented a finger-tapering device which in its general shape is tapering, but wherein the upper portion or side which passesover the nail and upper part of the finger is straight,or nearly so, while it tapers upon the remaining sides gradually, the greatest tapering being on the under side of the device, so as to accommodate itself to the ball of the finger. I

Letter A represents the general form of my device, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

B represents a space in the device cut outv of the upper and front part of the device immediately over and above the location of the nail of the finger when the finger is inserted. (See tne thumb-letter A, Fig. 1, and letter B, Fig. 3.

0 represents the under side of the device, where the tapering angle is greatest, and D represents the rear part of the device, where it may be made to assume a cylindrical form for a very short distance; but this is not essential to my invention, though it may be somewhat useful in holding the device in place upon the finger.

It is well known that in the use of cotts and finger-tapering devices which are elastic or in figure and conformation are not properlyadjusted to the normal and proper shape of the finger the nail of the finger is bent and inflammation at its side and root superinduced.

To avoid this,I prefer to cut out of the top or upper portion of the front end of my device a part thereof, leaving an opening immediately over and above the position occupied by the nail of the finger when inserted in said device, whereby the form and direction of the nail is left in normal position and air may find its way into the front of said device, tending to prevent inflammation.

It is well'known that the treatment forreforming the shape of the fingers, limbs, 850., must be gradual and the confining instrumentalities must be inelastic, or nearly so, in order that the reforming maybe made step by step without unnecessary pressure, producing pain and inflammation. In actual op- 0 eration my finger-tapering devices are first placed upon the fingers, which are pressed therein only far enough to produce a slight pressure upon the parts of the fingert-o be affected. Gradually as the reduction or change in form results the device is pressed farther and farther upon the finger until the change in form is complete. Of course such treatment will naturally be adopted and applied during the night, when the individual is most I00 quiet and has no occasion to use his or her hands.

It is evident that there may be some slight change from the form and arrangement of my device without departing from the spirit of my invention. Thus I have shown and described the upper portion of my device,which is intended to pass upon and over the upper part of the finger and the nail as being practically straight, as shown in Fig. 3. Evidently this portion might curve upwardly slightly or vary from a straight line Without changing the function or operation. .So, also, itmight vary somewhat in other directions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A finger-tapering device made of rigid material, constructed of an open sheath to be fitted upon the finger, the section thereof at the open end cylindrical and thence tapering opening in such upper side or portion near the end thereof and the greatest tapering being on the under or lower side or portion of said device, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ELAM R. PAIGE. Witnesses:

J. LAWRENCE GERRY, lVIARY R. CLARKE.