US1465316A - Combination inhaler - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 21, 1923.

R. A. RICE COMBINATION INHALER Filed Dec. 17. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gnuzntoz Patented Aug. 21, 1923..

UNHTEB STATES RAY A. RICE, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO. I

coranm'a'rrort mnntnn.

Application filed December 17, 1919. Serial No. aaaeoe.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that RAY A. RICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklinand State of Ohio, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Inhalers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved inhaler or mask adapted for the purpose of facilitating the administering of an anesthetic, said inhaler being so constructed as to embody features whichwill serve to render the same adaptable to the various ap proved methods of imparting an anesthetic.

Among other features, the invention consists of an inhaler which is formed to embody a two-part casing whose sections are capable of being assembled or separated by a medial joint, the lower of said sections being constructed to receive a foramina-ted vaporizing body upon which an anesthetic may be suitably deposited and vaporized for inhalation by a patient, and to provide means in conjunction with said lower section whereby graduated quantities of oxygen may be introduced into vaporizing relationship with the anesthetizing base which is employed and also to control the breath ing supply of air to be used by the patient.

Another object of the invention resides in so constructing the inhaler as to permit the same to be used in effecting the administrations incidental to the so called semi-open drop method, and to provide an improved I holder for the ether in conjunction with the upper section of said casing, said holder embodying a valve structure which may be operated to readily control the amount of ether, or other agent, delivered into the casin and further, to swivelly mount said contalner so that the latter may be adjusted angularly with respect to the plane of operation of the casing so that a complete flow of ether through the container will be insured ir'res ective of the positions of operation which the casing may occupy, and also to provide for the dropping of ether upon such portions of the foraminated body as to insure the complete vaporizin ofsuch ether. A further object of the invention rests in the provision of an air regulating device upon the upper section of the casing, which. device may be so actuated as to perm1t of a flow or circulation of air through the interior of the casing, and which when openv may be also usefully employed in administering ethyl chloride in a manner independent of the ether container.

Other objects of the invention reside in providing means in conjunction with the lower section of the casing for permitting of the employment of the so called closed rebreathing method of administering anesthetics, in a valve structure for controlling the administering of stored oxygen into the container, and in surrounding the lower marginal edges of the latter section with an improved pneumatic cushion which is adapted to rest upon the face of a patient and is of such construction as to enable the weight of the inhaler to be easily carried.

With these and other objects in View, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention accordingly consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts, hereinafter to be fully described and to have the scope thereof pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which similar characters of. reference denote like and corresponding parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the anesthetic administering inhaler comprising the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the inhaler.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the plane disclosed by the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken through the ether container and showing more particularly its adjustable mounting on the casing.

Fi ure 8 is a detailed view showing the inhal er asemployed in connection with the closed re-breathing method, and,

Figure 9 is a detailed view showing the adjustment for the expiratory valves.

Referring more particularly to the structural details of the inhaler comprising what is now believed-to be the preferred form of the present invention, use is made of a casing or housin 1, which is preferably of metallic construction and is substantially open in cross sectional formation. This casing has been exemplified as consisting of a plurality of separable sections, the upper of which being designated by the numeral 2, while the lower section has been indicated by the character 3. The lower end of the casing is open, as shown in Figure 5 while the top-thereof is formed with a wall 4. The casing itself is 'of such form as to be capableof surrounding the respiratory organs of the human face, and to prevent the casing from causing discomfort to the patient, when in actual use, the lower marginal portion of the section 3 is provided with an offset flange 5. To this flange there is detachably connected a pneumatic cushion 6, which is preferably formed from soft pliable rubber and is capable of being inflated by means of the tubular extension 7 in order that the weight of the casing may be cushioned to the greatest possible ex tent. The cushion itself is provided with an offset portion 8 which may be so stretched as to engage with the flange 5 and in this man ner will serve to prevent accidental displacement of the cushion. The upper marginal portion of the lower section 3 is inwardly bent as at 9 to produce a shoulder 10, upon which rests the lower edge of the upper section 2. It has been found that under ordinary conditions, the natural friction between the walls of said sections is suflicient to retain the sections in assembled relation without the emplo ment of additional fastening means, and urthermore, the construction shown permits of the convenient separation of the sections. This factor of separation on the part of the sections of the casing is of considerable importance in carrying out the features of the present invention, in that by so constructing the parts, the inhaler is adapted to the different approved methods now in vogue for administering an anesthetic.

Secured to the flange 5 is an inwardly extending bafile plate 11, which is positioned within the section 3 in spaced relationship from the internal wall of the latter. Secured to the plate 11, or any other convenient part, is a crown shaped foraminated member 12, which is-preferably formed of fine strands of woven wire, the lower edge portion of the member 12 being situated between the plate 11 and the internal wall of the section 3. The member 12 is adapted to support several thicknesses of a fabric material 13 such for example as gauze, and it is upon this gauze that the ether or chloride is dropped and vaporized. It will be seen that through the provision of the oraminated member 12, a positive and substantial sup' ort will be pro vided for the gauze 13, an that the latter will be situated within the lower section of the casing in such a well distributed manner as to permit of complete vaporization on the part of the anesthetic. Many ways of course, may be provided for depositing the anesthetic upon the gauze 13. This may be accomplished by means of the so called open drop method, which may be effected by simply removing the upper section 2 and employing only the lower section of the casing. After the gauze has been situated in'its proper position, the ethyl chloride or other may be suitably dropped thereon and vaporized. In view of the fact that the cushion member will prevent extraneous air from entering the section 3, it follows that the patient will be obliged to secure his supply of oxygen by inhaling the etheric fumes which will arise by reason of the vaporization of the anesthetic upon the gauze. Obviously, the foraminated member 12 permits of the free circulation of such fumes within the lower section. Further, by the provision of the baflie plate, the ether in-the liquid state will be prevented from contacting with the patients face, inasmuch as the plate 11 is of such form as to provide a collecting medium for such non-vaporized ether. Also. by the provision of the member 12, the gauze 13 may be renewed from time totime with ease and convenience, thus tending to enhance the sanitary condition of the inhaler.

When the so called semi-open drop method is to be used, the upper section of the casing is again assembled in the secured manner above recited upon the lower section so that the interior of the inhaler will be substantially closed instead of being left open as is the case when the open drop method is used. The top wall 4 of the upper section is provided with a pivoted valve plate 14 whose rotation is governable by means of an offset handle 15. This valve plate is provided with a pair of air ports 16 therein. which may be brought into or out of registration with similar ports provided in said top wall. Thus it will be manifest that by rotating the plate 14, the degree of opening on the part of the ports 16 may be readily governed so as to control the entrance of air into the inhaler. When the ports 16 are open, a tube of ethyl chloride may be so positioned as to discharge its contents upon the gauze 13, without using, in the beginning of the process any degree-of other. In other words. it has been found that the use of ethyl chloride will facilitate the statejof coma on the part of the patient and will reduce to a marked extent the smothering sensation frequently experienced by providing the upper section with an" ether container 17, which greatly facilitates the graduated dispensing of the ether and renders the operation more susceptible to neeasie adjustment. This container is formed to comprise a ball shaped base member 18 which is adapted to occupy an opening 19 formed in the top wall 4. The base memher is swivelly supported in conjunction with the wall 4 by providing the latter with flange strips 20, which are of such form as to embrace the ball shaped periphery of the base member so that the latter may be rocked in any desired direction yet without being permitted to become disengaged from its connection with the wall t The base member 18 is preferably of hollow construction and is suitably connected at its up er end with a sleeve 21 in which is mounted a glass tube 22, said tube being normally disposed so as to cover sight openings 23 provided in the sleeve 21. Threadedly connected as at 24 with the upper end of the sleeve 21 is an ether cup 25, which is formed to include a central hollow stem 26 which terminates in a restricted discharge nozzle 27, the latter being directed downwardly and projects into the glass tube 22. A threaded needle valve 28 is carried by the stem 26 and is adapted to project into the nozzle 27, so as to control the passage of fluid therethrough. The top 29 of the cup 25 is rovided with a filling opening. 30 throng which ether may be poured into said cup, and the level of the liquid may be determined by means of the glass wall 31 of the cup. Openings 32 are provided transversely in the stem 26 and are so lo cated as to permit the contents of the cup to be drained. Obviously, by raising and lowering the needle valve the flow of the ether from the interior of the cu 25 and through the nozzle 27 may be care lly controlled and graduated, and the dropsmay be retained,,counted and measured by observing the same through the sight openings 23 which are formed in the sleeve 21. The container 17 is of very simple construction and yet completely obviates the prior cumbersome method of dropping the'ether directly upon the gauze from a can or other receptacle, and naturally means of the valve adjustment 28 the flow of the ether may be more readily controlled than can be obtained by use of the old hand method.

It frequently happens that a patient during the course of an operation will be inclined with respect to the horizontal to as some the so called trinchlinberg position, and when this occurs, the casing 1 will assume a position parallel with that of the patient. In order to prevent such angularity on the part of the casing from interfering with the flow of ether, the container 17' is rendered adjustable by means of the ball and socket construction of its base member 18, which may be so adjusted as ,to-cause the container 17'to always maintain a true vertical position irrespective of the positions which'the inhaler itself may occu y. It is of importancealso that when the inhaler is inclined, the ether deposited upon the gauze 13 should'be at the up er-most position of the latter, so that the ct er will have an opportunity to flow downwardly through the gauze for purposes of complete vaporization. To accomplish this, the base member 18 has its lower end equipped with a curved spout 33, which may be so adjusted that its discharge end may be properly ositioned with respect to the gauze deposite upon the member 12, so that the ether will be suitably directed in such manner upon the gauze that its complete vaporization will be insured.

The lower section 3 is equipped at one s1de with a pet cock 34:, to which a flexible tube may be connected which leads to a sultable oxygen tank. Thus when the ports 16 are completely closed the supply of oxygen which a patient will obtain will be delivered completely by way of the pet cock 34. Also when this arrangement is utilized, the operation of the ether container 17 may be digpensed with, and the oxygen may be cause to pass throu h a receptacle containing a suitable quantity so that the resultant etherized oxygen may be delivered to the patient. When the tank system is employed, the ports 16 are of course closed to prevent the entrance of air therethrough. Expiratory valves 35 are mounted in the upper section 2, and these valves simply consist of disks 36, which are confined within perforated housings 37 located on opposite sides of the casin The disks are disposed so as to cover out at vents 38 in the casin and are normally maintained in such relation by means of plungers 39, which are slidably mounted in the housings 37 and are normally urged against the'disks 36, so as to cause the latter to close the vents 38, by means of coil springs 40. The exteiit of opening on the part of the disks 36 may be controlled by providing the outer ends of the plung'ers with cross ins 41, which, as shown in Figure 9, may e received within deep sockets 42 formed in the outer ends-of the housings 37. When in-this osition, the sprin arepermitted to press t e plunge'rs to sue extent that the disks will be kept in contact with the outer ends of the vents 38. A further adjustment is provided b forming the sockets 42 with more shal ow depressions 43, which when the cross pins 41 are deposited therein will hold the plungers in slightly spaced relation from the disks 36 so that a slight escape of air from the interior of the housing may be edected. And further, bydrawing the plungers outwardly their extreme distance, the pins ma be caused to engage with the outer perip eral edge portions of said housings, so that still further movement on thepart of the disks may be provided. The lower section is pro- Hit vided with one or more short pipe members 44, which under normal conditmns are closed by means of metallic caps 45, however, when the 'closed re-breathing method is employed, a rubber tube is connected with one of said pipe members after its ca has been removed,

and this tube leads to t e ordinary rubber inflatable bag into which the breath of the patient is discharged. Thus through the grovision of the valve 34, oxygen may be elivered to the patient and this etherized oxy en may be re-breathed by the patient by t e provision of the inflatable bag. Also, through the provision of the expiratory valves, the breath of the patient may be finally discharged.

From the foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawin s, it will be apparent that there is rovi ed an inhaler particularly adapte to permit of the administration of an anesthetic in many of the approved methods. The inhaler in itself is of such construction as to be quickly assembled or dis-assembled to ermit the particular method to be used to be readily efi'ected by the use of the inhaler. The structure is composed of but few .and simple parts and the element of disorder in its operation has been reduced to a minimum. Convenient control may be had on the art of any of its elements, and likewise mmute adjustments may be properly effected. Also, the device may be kept in a thoroughly sanitary'condition, and by the provision of the cushioning means, the same ma be comfortably worn by a patient.

claim: a

An inhaler comprising a casing formed to embody upper and lower sections, a crown of forammated material rigidly positioned within said lower section and capable of receiving an anesthetic absorbing fabric, valve means connected with said lower section andcapable of supplying the latter with a suitable quantity of etherized oxygen, a connection cooperative with said lower section to'receive an inflatable re-breathing receptacle, and a plurality of expiratory valves carried 1n the up er section of said casing.

In testimony w ereof I afiix my signature.

RAY A. RICE.

Images