US569839A - John t - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Modei.)

J. T. R. ROELOPFS.

RETRAGTOR.

No. 569,839,- Patented Oct. 20, 1896.

JOHN T. R. ROELOFFS,

FFICE.

PATENT OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

'RETRACTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 569,839, dated October 20, 1896.

Application filed December 11, 1895. Serial No. 571,738. (No model.)

To ttZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN '1. R. ROELOFFS, a citizen of the Empire of Germany, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Retractors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to an improved retractor or instrument which is used by surgeons for dilating the borders of a wound that has to be treated, the tension of the instrument being capable of adjustment so that the wound is held automatically in open position for operating without requiring an assistant for this purpose; and the invention consists of a surgical instrument or retractor composed of a V-shaped spring-holder, a screw for ad justing the tension of said holder, sockets at the ends of the legs of the holder, and dilators which are arranged at right angles to the legs and connected with the sockets in such a manner as to turn freely therein, so as to adapt themselves to the direction of the borders of the wound and be readily detached and inserted into said sockets.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective View of niyimproved retractor. Figs. 2, 3, and d are side views, Fig. 4c partly in section, of different shapes of dilators and of various connections of the same with the sockets of the spring-holder; and Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on line 5 5, Fig. 1, drawn on a larger scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a V-shaped holder,whicl1 is made of good springsteel and the legs a of which are connected by a rounded-off portion a. To one leg of the sprin g-holder A is riveted a recessed lug b, to which is detachably pivoted the inner end of a curved screw B, that passes through a slotted opening b in the other leg of the springholder A and carries a screw-nut B, by which the distance between the legs of the springholder is adjusted. The sides of the curved screw B are preferably flattened, so as to pass freely through the opening I), while the outer end of the screw is provided with a small head 12*, that is riveted or otherwise fastened thereto, so as to prevent the playing off and detaching of the adjusting screw-nut B.

The pivot b of the curved screw B is threaded at one end and provided with a nicked head at the other end, so that the screw B can be readily disconnected from the spring-holder for cleaning and sterilizing purposes.

The legs a of the spring-holder A are provided at their outer ends with sockets d d, which are preferably bent up integrally from the legs, said sockets serving for receiving the shanks (Z' of detachable and interchangeable dilators D D, which are secured to said sockets by means of a suitable bayonet-joint, in which case the shank is provided with a stud (P, that passes through a straight offset slot d in the socket until it arrives above the socket, so that the dilating-hook can freely turn in either direction in the socket and adapt itself automatically to the direction of the borders of the wound. In place of the connection shown a screw (Z may be used, which engages an annular groove (1 in the shank of the hook, or any other construction may be employed by which the connection of the detachable dilators with the sockets and the axial rotation of the same in the sockets is obtained.

-The dilators D may either be made in the form of forks having two or more tines, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or in the shape of blunt-edged blades, as shown, respectively, in Figs. 3 and 4, either one of which can be readily used in connection with the springholder A, according to the character of the wound and the tissues to be dilated. Each instrument is preferably furnished with four pairs of dilators, namely, two pairs of forked dilators of diflt'erent sizes and two pairs of blade or scoop-shaped dilators, also of difierent sizes, but also other attachments may be used with the instrument, such as speculum branches, d c.

Then the instrument is to be used, the legs are adjusted by the screw B and screw-nut B to about the width to which the wound or other body is to be dilated. The required size of dilating-hooks are then placed in the sockets of the legs in such a position that they extend in opposite directions to each other. The legs of the instrument are then compressed and the dilators inserted into the wound or other object, after which the legs are slowly released until the tissues are dilated and held in position so that the wound can be readily treated or operated on without requiring a special assistant to hold the same in distended position.

My improved retractor forms a useful instrument in surgical operations and in the treatment of wounds, and has the advantage that it can be readily carried along in a suitable case, quickly applied for use, and easily cleaned and sterilized, as the different component parts can be readily taken apart for this purpose.

Theinstrument is finished in suitable manner, care being taken that the adjustingscrew is unscrewed, so that the spring-holder can expand fully when replaced in its case, so that its proper spring-tension is retained.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and. desire to secure by Letters Patent- A retractor or surgical instrument for dilating a Wound or other object, which consists of a spring-holder having legs provided at their outer ends with sockets, arranged at approximate right angles to said legs, means for adjusting the distance between the legs of the spring-holder, detachable dilators provided with shanks, and means for retaining the shanks of said dilators in said sockets, where by the dilators are arranged at approximate right angles to the legs and may turn freely in the sockets, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. R. ROELOFFS.

Witnesses; l

PAUL GOEPEL, GEO. W. JAEKEL.

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