US1262874A - Inhaler. - Google Patents

Description

IVI. L. TOWNSEND.

INHALER,

APPLICATION FILED APR.26, |911.

1,262,874. l Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

v g4/we 444201 Slm/imm@ lNHALER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.26.19|7.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Nl. L. TOWNSEND.

SLW/Wm MAURICE L. TOWNSEND, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

INI-IALER.

specication of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Application filed April 26, 1917. Serial No. 164,686.

To all' whom z't may concern Beit known that I, MAURICE L. TOWN- SEND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inhalers; and I do 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.

My invention relates to that class of devices intended principally for administering anesthetics such as ether and chloroform, although it will be understood that the device may be used for all other purposes necessitating inhalation of fumes.

I am aware that numerous devices have heretofore been employed for the purposes above defined, but my invention aims primarily to provide a novel type of inhaler in which the receptacle for the anesthetic or the like is carried within a mask, when the device is not in use, said mask serving to confine the fumes around the patients nose and mouth. l

A further object is to provide a detachabl connection between the mask and receptacle operable upon relative turning thereof, and to provide a valve operated by additional turningr of said mask and receptacle for controlling the strength of the fumes drawn from the latter by breathing of the patient.

In carrying out the last named object, a number of air passages having partitions therein are provided, said partitions being covered with absorbent material to be saturated with thev liquid from which fumes are to be inhaled, a further object of the invention being to provide novel means for holding the coverings of said partitions in place and for spacing said partitions apart.

Iith the foregoing general objects in View, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this application and in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of the improved inhaler .indicated by the line 4 4: of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view thereof on the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

F io. 4 is a transverse section on the g plane Fig. 5 is a perspective view of receptacle for the anesthetic or the like;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the mask; y

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the two annular frames and the valve between said frames for controlling the currents of air between the passages thereof; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section,

showing the receptacle nested in the mask for carrying from piace to place.

In the drawings above briefly described, the numeral l has reference to a preferably cylindrical receptacle closed at both of its ends, whereas the numeral 2 designates a mask preferably constructed of metal and shaped to fit over the patients nose and mouth, said mask being of cylindrical outline and of a size to receive therein the receptacle l when the device is not in use, whereby the entire inhaler may be carried in a physicians Satchel or in any other compact space. One end of the receptacle l is provided with a hollow plug 3 threaded eX- ternally for reception in a socket 4l carried by the closed end ofthe mask 2, the wall ofv By reference to the drawings, it will bev observed that the plug 3 is positioned at the center of the receptacle l. This is a highly important feature, since said plug is thus receivable in an internally 'threaded socket 7 at the closed end of the mask 2.

The mask and receptacle may thus be rigidly connected when the latter is inserted in the former.

By inserting` the plug 3 and` turning the receptacle and mask relatively, the two will be rigidlyconnected, and additional .turning of these parts to a in the socket number of predetermined positions, will vary thestrength of thefumes lentering the mask, this result being obtained bythe construction now robe described.

frames consisting 'of a ring 10 vat its periph? as required.

-munication ery, a split ring 11 at its center, a radial partition 12 oining one end of the split ring With the ring 10, and a radial arm 13 connecting the other end of said split ring with the other ring. By this construction, each of the frames 8 and 9 is. formed with an arcuatelyextending blind passage 14C, the closed ends of these passages being formed'by the partitions 12. Arcuate partitions 15 are disposed in the passages 14 and' said partitions as Well as the other parts of the frames 8 and 9 are provided With coverings 16 of absorbent material. To hold the coverings of interior of a hollow valve stem 19 by Way f of perforations 2O formed in said stem. Stem 19 is positioned at the axis of the receptacle 1 and has its outer end disposed in the hollow plug 3 for telescopic engagement With a.4 tube section 21 secured centrally Within the socket i and communicating with the interior of the mask. Suitable means, such asa groove 22 and-rib 23, are provided for soconnecting-the tube section 21 and the tubular stem 19, as to cause the latter to be turned from thefformer to set the valve 2i The valve 24C is inthe form of a disk interposed between thetivo frames 8 and 9 and having perforations 25 for placing` different points of the two passages 14 in conit will thus be obvious that the=l`ength of Contact of the air current with the saturated material in the passages may be readily controlled. YWheny the perfora tions 25 are in registration with the gaps v26 between the partitions 12 and the arms 13, the air taken into 'the device, Willpass from the gap-2G of frame 8 through the perforations 25 and/into the corresponding gap of frame 9. From the latter it will enter the tubular valve stem 19tlirough the perforations 20 and by Way of said stem and tube section 21, will be drawn into the mask 2 to beinhaled'by the patient. ln takingk this course, the airA comes yiniconta'ct With practically none of the saturated material and is rthus impregnated only to aslight extent with fumes therefrom. By turning tne mask and receptacle relatively, however,rthe valve 24 is set so that the perforations- 25 may Vestablish communication between-'different points of the tivo passages 14. By so doing, the Yair currents may be receptacle 1, and thus the strength of said fumes may be accurately controlled-by simply turnine` the mask and receptacle in respect to each other. Said receptacle: is pro vided with suitable indicating characters sucli as numbers for coaction with the valve G in determining the several positions of the valve 2i. Other suitable indicating means, however, could Well be employed.

From they foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, thevconstruction, nianner of operation and advantages of my improved inhaling device willA be readily understood and it Will be obvious that although the invention is simple and inexpensive, it will be highly efficient and durable. Probably the best results arev 0btained by the specific construction shown and described, and infact 1 have` successfully used the device manufactured in'` this Way. riliis construction, therefore, constitutes the preferred form ofthe inha'ler. ll Wish it understood, however, that Within the scopeof the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may be made Without sacrilicing the principal advantages.

l claim: 1. in inhaler comprising. a receptacle having at one end'a coupling member, said receptacle being adapted to contain a substance fioin which fumesare to. be'inlialed, a mask of a size toireceive said receptacleY therein when the device is. not in use, said mask having a substantially closed end, a coupling member carried by said end of the mask for coaction with said rst named'cou-y pliiig member to operatively connect said mask and receptacle, andavthirdrcoupling member on the interior. of said substantially closed end of the mask for cooperation with said first named .coupling member to secure the mask and receptacle together When theV latter is positioned in tlieformer..

2. An inhaler comprising contain aV substance from which fumesare to be inhaled, a mask for application to the patients face, a coupling connectingv said mask andreceptacle for relative movement,` and means in said receptacle for@ controlling."V the strength of the fumes'dischargedthere from, said funielcontro'lling. meansfha'ving an operating member positioned'in said coupling yand opera-tively connected With said mask for actuating-saidmeansfuponv relative movement of said mask and receptacle.

receptacle to tacle when the latter is inserted in theV former.

4. An inhaler comprising a receptacle to contain the substance from which fumes are to be inhaled, a mask for application to the patients face, means operable by relative movement of the mask and receptacle for connecting the two, and means in said receptacle operated by such relative movement of said mask and receptacle for controlling the strength of the fumes entering the former.

An inhaler comprising a receptacle to contain the substance from which fumes are to be inhaled, a mask for application to the paticnts face, a valve for controlling the strength of the fumes drawn from `the receptacle into the mask, said valve having a hollow operating stem acting as the fume outlet from said receptacle, and means carried by the mask and cooperating with said stem to cause relative movement of said receptacle and mask to operate said valve.

6. An inhaler comprising a receptacle to contain the substance from which fumes are to be inhaled, a mask for application to the patients face, a rotatable valve for controlling the strength of the fumes drawn from said receptacle into the mask, said valve having a hollow operating stem acting as the fume outlet from said receptacle, and means carried by the mask and coperating with said stem to cause relative turning of the receptacle and mask to operate said valve.

7. An inhaler comprising a receptacle to contain the substance from which fumes are to be inhaled, a mask for application to the patients face, a plug and socket connection between said mask and receptacle and for admitting fresh air into the latter, a rotatable valve for controlling the strength of the fumes drawn from the receptacle, said valve having a hollow operating stem acting as the outlet from said receptacle, said stem having its outer end positioned in said connection, and means coacting with said stem for turning the same upon relative rotation of the mask and receptacle.

8. An inhaler comprising a receptacle to contain the substance from which fumes are to be inhaled, a mask for application to the patients face, a plug and socket; connection between said mask and receptacle and for admitting fresh air into the latter, a rotatable valve for controlling the strength of the fumes drawn from the receptacle, said valve having a hollow operating stern acting as the outlet from said receptacle, said stem having its outer end positioned in said connection, a short tube section extending into said connection from the mask and telescoping with said stem, and means for preventing relative rotation of said tube section and stem, whereby relative rotation oflthe mask and receptacle lwill operate the va ve.

9. An inhaler comprising a receptacle provided with a pair of air passages having means for impregnatmg the air with fumes,

one of said passages being open to the fresh air and the other communicating with an air outlet from the receptacle, and means for placing different points of the two passages 1n communication.

l0. An inhaler comprising a receptacle provided with a pairof air passages having means for impregnating the air with fumes, said passages extending arcuately and being located in parallel planes with their adjacent sides open, one passage being open to the fresh air and the other communicating with an air outlet from the receptacle, and a rotary disk valve between said passages for placing different points of the two 1n communciation, said valve closing said open sides of the passages with the exception of a restricted area.

l1. An inhaler having an air passage, a partition in said passage having a covering of absorbent material to be saturated with the liquid from which fumes are to be inhaled, and spacing coils extending along the sides of said' partition.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAURICE L. TOWNSEND.

Vitnesses:

JOHN Q. MYERS, H. A. l/VAKEFIELD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patenti,

Washington, D. C.

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