US2556639A - Dental articulator - Google Patents

Description

June 12, 1951 E. B. WIMBERLY 2,556,639

DENTAL ARTICULATOR Filed March 9, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

WW 13m E Iver B. Wimber/y Patented June 12, 951 :1

OFFICE Application March 9, 1950, Serial l \To. 1 48,590

Claims.

Thisinvention comprises novel and useful improvements in anatomical articulators. and has for its primary object to provide asingle joint for the upper and lower jaw members which will reproduce the condyloid movement of the mandiblerelative tothe maxilla and which is of simple construction, yet durable and highly eificient for the purposes intended.

An important feature of this invention resides in the provision for cooperating springs which are attached to one jaw and which engage and retain a rolled portion of the other jaw in such a manner as to permit pivotal movement in a vertical plane; lateral or sidewise. displacement of one jaw relative to the other; and relative longitudinal rectilinear motion of the jaws to simulate the centric movement of the mandible.

A further feature of this invention resides in the provision for a detachably mounted jaw spacing pin which can be selectively positioned in front of, or to the rear of the trial plates which are mounted in the jaws of the articulator so as to enhance the view thereof during the process of setting up of the teeth.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the articulator to which the trial plates are attached;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the articulator;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of the articulator;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane 44 of Figure 2.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be readily seen that the articulator consists of upper and lower jaw members [0 and I2, respectively, which members are bent as at l4 and IE to form the upper and lower hinge plates l8 and 20, respectively.

One of the hinge plates, such as the upper hinge plate I8 has attached thereto, or formed as part of the lower unsecured edge, a cylindrical sleeve 22. For reasons which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, this sleeve is preferably located centrally relative to the longitudinal axis of the upper jaw member 10.

A resilient member indicated generally by the numeral 24 is secured to the external surface of the lower hinge plate 20 as by fasteners 26 which may consist of ;.boltsor rivets or the like. The upper end of the resilient member extends transversely over the upper edge 28 0f the. lower hinge plate 2|], and terminates in an arcuatelyshaped portion 30. -A cooperating spring member 32 is similarly attached tothe external surface of the lower hinge plate 20 as by the fasteners 26, and is provided with a detent 34 which engages and retains the cylindrical sleeve 22 into engagement with the arcuate portion 30 of the resilient member 24. In order to yieldingly urge the upper jaw member l0 to its closed position, the spring member 32 may be extended beyond the detent 34 to provide a finger 36 which engages the rear portion of the upper jaw member ID. The spring is curved rearwardly as at 38 to permit pivotal movement of the upper plate l8 as the upper jaw member I0 is elevated relative to the lower jaw member l2.

Bushings 40 and 42 are secured to the lower plate 20 and are so positioned thereon as to lie loosely in endwise axial alignment with the sleeve 22 when the latter is retained by the curved extremity 30 of the resilient member 24. A hinge pin 44 having a head 46 thereon is selectively receivable in the bushings and sleeve to thereby limit relative movement of the jaw members to pivotal movement in a vertical plane.

Longitudinally extending slots 48 and 50 are formed in the forward and rear portions, re-

spectively, of the upper jaw member ID. A spacing pin 52 having a conical point 54 at its lower end and a screw threaded extremity 56 at its upper end is selectively receivable in either of said slots and is detachably locked thereto as by lock nut 58 and wing nut 60 which are positioned on opposite sides of the upper jaw member III.

In operation, the hinge pin 44 is inserted in the sleeve 22 and bushings 40 and 42 to prevent lateral or longitudinal displacement thereof, and the spacing pin is positioned in the forward slot 48, to retain the jaws in proper spaced relation. The dentures are then amxed to the upper and lower .jaw members In and I2, respectively, by means of a cementitious material. The pin 44 can then be removed and the jaw members shifted vertically, laterally and longitudinally as shown in the phantom lines in Figures 2 and 4, relative to each other inorder to reproduce the condyloid movement of the lower jaw, so that the bite may be readily corrected.

From the foregoing it i thought the operation and construction of the device will be readily understood, and further discussion is believed unnecessary. However, since. numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to that shown and described, but all suitable modifications may be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A dental articulator comprising vertically spaced upper and lower jaw supportin members having hinge plates angularly attached thereto, a cylindrical member attached to said upper hinge plate, a resilient member attached to said lower hinge plate and having an arcuately shaped extremity which partially embraces said cylindrical member, a spring member attached to said lower hinge plate and yieldingly engaging said upper hinge plate to urge said cylindrical member into engagement with said arcuately shaped extremity and slidably engaging said upper jaw supporting 25 member to retain the latter in engagement with said lower jaw supporting member.

3. The combination of claim 1, including means detachably secured to one of said jaw supporting I members to limit closing movement of said articulator.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means includes a sleeve on said lower hinge plate axially endwise aligned with and loosely engaging said cylindrical member, said cylindrical member having a bore therein, a hinge pin selectively receivable in said sleeve and said bore to prevent lost motion between said hinge plates.

5. The combination of claim 1, including longitudinally extending slots in the forward and rear portions of one of said jaw supporting members, a jaw separating pin selectively and adjustably receivable ineither of said slots.

ELVER B. WIMBERLY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Neustadt May 19, 1942 Number

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