US555695A - Pessary - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

' G. J. GLADMAN.

PESSARY.

Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

WITNESSS ATT0RNEY3,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. GLADIVIAN, OF SYRACUSE, NEIV YORK.

PESSARY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,695, dated March 3, 1896.

Applicatio fil d December 31, 1894- Serial No. 533,436. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. GLADMAN, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pessaries, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in pessaries, and has for its object the produc tion of a device for holding the uterus in its normal position, which is readily inserted, adjustable to any size of neck, simple in construction, and economically manufactured; and to this end it consists essentially in the construction and arrangement of the parts of the pessary, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an enlarged elevation of the pessary, its lateral wings being folded downwardly for facilitating passage through the vagina. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, of the detached lower extremity of my pessary, the movable lateral wings thereof be ing shown in substantially a horizontal plane; and Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts as seen at Fig. 2.

It is well known that the uterus is subjected to various displacements and that different forms of pessaries have been devised for causing the uterus to assume its normal position. These devices are so constructed as to embrace the neck of the uterus and depend for their support upon the walls of the vagina or out side supporting devices, which are inconvenient and annoying in use. Moreover, the necks of uteri vary considerably and often are more or less enlarged, and great difficulty is experienced in selecting or making a pessary of the proper size to closely fit the neck, which it is designed to embrace. It is also very diffir cult to place pessaries of the ordinary construction in their designed position, as, if provided with a cup-shaped body for engaging the neck of the uterus, more or less difficulty is experienced in the passage of said body.

By my present invention the desired rigidity is imparted to the uterus for preventing its flexions and versions by a longitudinal stem which enters its cavity, and the support of the stem is facilitated by two independent solid lateral wings, each having a concave upper face, which wings engage the neck of j the uterus and are movable upwardly or downwardly for adjusting the pessary to any size of neck or facilitating its passage through the vagina. These wings are held close to the neck and in their proper position by the intrapelvic pressure, and this action is greatly facilitated by the curvature of the arms.

At Fig. 1 my improved pessary A is shown as consisting of the stem 00 and movable wings a 0, The stem a is shown as of considerable length, but may obviously be somewhat shorter, if desired. Its lower extremity is formed of substantially the same diameter throughout above its projecting base, presently described, and its upper extremity preferably gradually increases in diameter from the central portion of the stem to the upper rounded end of said extremity. A stem of this construction readily enters the uterine cavity and closely fits the inner os, in order that the pessary may give the desired rigidity to the uterus.

The wings a a which are each formed respectively with concave and convex upper and lower faces, a a are preferably substantially circular in plan, and their adjacent edges are provided with projecting ends hinged by pivots a to a transversely-projecting base a at the lower extremity of the stem a. The base a is of greater width than the diameter of the adjacent extremity of the stem a, and the adjacent ends of the wings a a are preferably of substantially the same width as said base, as clearly seen at Fig. 3. Opposite edges of the base a are formed with fixed lateral arms (0 which are arranged with their upper faces in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper face of the base a. The arms a enter cut-outs or grooves a in the adjacent ends of the wings a a and receive the pivots a the opposite ends of which are passed through inwardly-projecting cars a on the wings arranged at opposite sides of the arms a Said pivot-pins are of resilient material, so that their spring action presses the ears a against the sides of the base with a yielding pressure sufficient to hold the wings normally in horizontal position. The base a is formed with bearing-faces (t at opposite sides of its arms a, arranged adjacent to the cars a, and inclining downwardly toward each other, and the lower edges of the adjacent faces of said ears are preferably formed rounding and their upper edges more or less sharp for forming cam-faces adapted to engage the faces a and retard somewhat, yet permit the upward movement of the wings a a The latter are normally arranged in planes eX- tending upwardly from said base with the adjacent ends of their upper faces in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper faces of the base and the fixed lateral arms.

As clearly seen in the drawings, the wings a a are of unequal length, and when my improved pessary is inserted through the vagina into operative position said wings are folded downwardly, as clearly seen at Fig. 1, and the lower endof the wing o of greatest length projects beyond the corresponding end of the wing a. \Vhen the stem (1. is inserted within the czwity of the uterus the wings a a are moved upwardly until their concave faces engage the neck of the uterus, the longer wing, a supporting the posterior portion thereof and the other wing, a, supporting the anterior portion. The upward movement of the wings a a? is greatly facilitated, owing to their unequal length, as the lower end of the wing of greatest length may be first engaged and afterward the corresponding end of the opposite wing. Moreover, the vagina extends upwardly a greater distance at one side of the uterus than at the other, and by forming the wings a a of unequal length the pessary is enabled to fit the neck of the uterus more closely than would otherwise be possible.

My improved pessary may be readily inserted to operative position with the exercise of a minimum degree of skill, and maybe worn continuously until the uterus assumes its normal position, when it may be withdrawn at will.

\Vhen my pessary is in use its stem enterin g the uterine cavity is engaged by the walls of the inner 0s and its movable lateral wings engage the neck of the uterus. Therefore the pessary is firmly secured to the uterus, and there is no liability of independent movement of the uterus and consequent chafing thereof. In removing my pessary it is first withdrawn a sufiieient distance to permit the lateral wings to be folded upwardly opposite to the position shown in Fig. 1 in full lines, and it is then removed with great case.

If worn continuously the device is readily cleansed without removal by subjecting the vagina to a hot-water douche, or the pessary may be withdrawn at will for suitable cleansing. The escape of the secretions from the uterus is greatly facilitated by the peculiar construction of the hinged lateral wings of the pessary, and liability of the lodgment of secretions between said wings and the neck of the uterus is reduced to a minimum.

The operation of my invention will be read ily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the aeeompanyin drawings, and it will be particularly noted that I do not restrict myself to the exact size or shape of the stem or the hinged lateral wings.

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

1. As a new article of manufacture, the herein-described pessary, the same consisting of a longitudinal stem for entering the uterine cavity, a transversely-projectingbase secured to the lower end of the stem, a pair of solid movable lateral wings of unequal length formed with concave upper faces for engaging the neck of the uterus, said wings being substantiallycircular in plan with their inner ends of the same width as that of said base, and pins pivotally connecting the inner ends of said wings with opposite sides of the base and by their spring action holding the wings in normal position, substai'itially as and for the purpose described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, the herein-described pessary, the same consisting of a longitudinal stem a for entering the uterine cavity, a transversely-projecting base a having fixed lateral arms a extending from opposite edges thereof, with their upper faces arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper face of said base, said edges having bearing-faces a at opposite sides of the arms, solid lateral wings a a each having a cut'out at its inner end between two ears a, the cut-out receiving an arm and the bearing-faces contacting with the cars so as to permit the downward folding of the wings and retard but permit their upward folding, said wings being formed with a concave upper face a for engaging the neck of the uterus and normally arranged in planes curving upward from said base with the adjacent ends of their upper faces in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper faces of the base and its fixed lateral arms, and a pivot-pin a through each pair of: cars and the interposed arm, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attest ing witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 26th day of December, 1894.

G EORGE .l'. GllAl )M AN.

Witnesses:

E. A. Wmsnuno, K. H. THEOBALD.

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