US860591A - Uterine supporter. - Google Patents

Description

, PATENTED JULY 16, 1907.

W. T. BAIRD UTERINE SUPPORTER.

APPLIOA'I'ION FILED HA3. 2. 1907.

'ms'mm'ms PETERS cm, wAsmrvawm WILLIAM T. BAIRD,.-OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

UTERINE SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1907.

Application filed March 2, I907. Serial No. 360,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. BAIRD, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Uterine Supporters; and I do hereby 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of uterine supporters wherein a flexible bulb is employed as the primary supporting member for the uterus.

The object of my invention is to improve upon the devices heretofore known by providing a special form of bulb having a top portion that will present to the mouth of the uterus an extremely soft and elastic cushion and a lower portion or base which while being pliable has sufficient rigidity to serve as a medium for forcing the uterus in place and maintaining the bladder and the rectum in their normal position. This lower or base portion is also constructed with a view of providing an efficient coupling by which it is secured to a rigid supporting member from which it may be detached without danger of injuring the bulb.

The invention further consists in the details of constructionand combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1, shows in section, those organs, of the female to be supported, held in their normal position by means of a supporter constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the several parts assembled the bulb being shown inflated.

The supporter comprises a bulb, substantially ovoidal in form, having an upper self collapsible portion or segment a made of extremely thin and elastic material such as rubber and a lower normally non-collapsible but flexible cup-shaped portion or segment a which gradually increases in thickness towards its base and terminates with a reinforcing thimble a extending below it said thimble having a smooth bore of equal diameter throughout.

B, designates a rigid hollow stem, preferably made of hard rubber, the circumference of which is the same as that of the thimble whereby a smooth substantially unbroken surface is obtained between the parts. One end of this stem has a reduced portion forming a tubular neck I), of substantially the same length and diameter as the bore of the thimble and a shoulder 6 serving as a seat for the base of the thimble. On the end of the neck b is formed an ovoid nipple]; having an air passage communicating with the stem, and of larger diameter than the bore of the thimble, so that it will engage the inner end of the latter and hold the lower end against the shoulder b forming a perfectly airtight joint that will permit an easy separation of the parts for the purpose of cleaning or for the substitution of a new bulb. The other end of the stem is provided with a screw-threaded reduced portion b which fits into the threaded end of a second tube C, also preferably made of hard rubber. This latter section carries a puppet-valve c which opens towards the bulb and is guided in its movements by its stem 0, which insures an accurate seating of the valve. The valve will be held on its seat by the pressure of the air in the bulb and it may readily be unseated, to permit the air to escape from the bulb when it is desired to remove the supporter from the body, by pressure on the lower end of the stem to which access is easilyhad through the lower end of the stem. The lower end of the stem 0 is also reduced to receive one end of a flexible pipe D by means of which latter the bulb is inflated, said pipe being of sufficient length to extend to the mouth of the wearer and preferably provided on its free end with a mouthpiece d.

The device is inserted into the vagina before inflation of the bulb. In this condition the upper segment a is contained Within the cup portion a which receives -the fallen uterus and directs the mouth thereof onto the center of the segment a where it will remain, as the air which is afterwards forced into the bulb will cause the segment a to first expand around the center forming a central pocket, as shown in Fig. 1. This prevents lateral displacement and insures a gradual and gentle raising of the organ which may be forced further and into normal position after inflation by means of the rigid supporting tubes whereby the segments a and a are moved as a unit.

After the uterus has been forced into normal position by aid of the tubes, the uterus E will rest on the top portion of the bulb while the rectum F and bladder G will lie against the sides of the lower portion a as clearly shown in Fig. 1. In order to maintain the bulb in this position it is essential that the tubes be properly supported and I provide an elastic strap H having a central perforation through which the reduced lower end of the tube 0 projects, the shoulder of the reduced portion resting on the strap. Each end of the strap H is secured to a waist-band not shown by any suitable means. The strap being elastic a constant and even pressure on the tube is insured in any position the patient may assume.

A soft rubber cap I is placed over the lower end of the tube 0 to hold the strap in position and further guard against leakage of air from the bulb.

I claim In a supporter of the character described, a flexible cupsliaped non-collapsing segment, normally adapted to re ceive the displaced organ, gradually increasing in thickness from its upper edge towards its base and terminating in a thimblehavinga smooth bore of equal diameter throughout and a thin self-collapsible inflatable top segment forming a continuation of the cup-segment adapted when collapsed to be contained in the latter, incombination with a rigid supporting tube, of the same circumference as the thimble, having a straight tubular neck portion terminating in an ovoid nipple of larger diameter than the bore of said thimble, a valved extension tube having a reduced [0 portion forming a supporting shoulder and means for sespecified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention,

I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing 15 witnesses.

WILLIAM T. BAIRD.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HARPER, 'l. E. SHELTON.

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