Datasets:

dvdmrs09

/

patents

like 0

US-3873996-A

Articulated head and neck protector apparatus

United States Patent Varteressian Apr. 1, 1975 1 1 ARTICULATED HEAD AND NECK PROTECTOR APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Levon Antoine Varteressian, 9018 Timberside Dr., Houston, Tex. 77025 [22] Filed: July 5, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 486,139 [52] US. Cl 2/3 R [51] Int. Cl A42b l/08 [58] Field of Search 2/2, 3 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,136,307 4/1915 Bourdon 2/2 3.189.917 6/1965 3.497.872 3/1970 3.591.863 7/1971 3,818,509 6/1974 Romo et a1. 2/3 R Primary E.\'aminerA1fred R. Guest Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichael P. Breston [57] ABSTRACT An articulated head and neck protector apparatus for limiting extreme movements of the head and neck of a person wearing a helmet and a jacket. A ball is rotatably mounted in a socket which is supported by the jacket. The socket defines a pair of transverse slots. A track is provided on the back of the helmet for slid-- ably supporting a tracker. One end of a control arm is attached to the tracker and the other end of the arm is attached through one of the slots to the ball. A pin extends from the ball through the other slot. The arm and the pin limit the turning and twisting of the head and neck to within safe limits. 7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures ARTICULATED HEAD AND NECK PROTECTOR APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When a person voluntarily participates in or is likely to become exposed to events which may lead to violent shocks, it is prudent or it may be required for such a person to wear a helmet and a protective jacket. Examples of such persons are race car drivers and football players. It is a main object of this invention to provide a head and neck protector apparatus which is adapted to be coupled between the back of the jacket and the back of the helmet for confining the movements of the head and neck, to within safe limits while allowing the head and neck to move within such limits with a minimum of interference by the apparatus, and within normal limits of the physiological and muscular excursions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of the protector apparatus of the invention shown coupled between a jacket and a helmet; FIG. 2 is a rear view of the protector apparatus of the invention; FIG. 3 illustrates the extreme twisting position of the head in response to a blow to the helmet from the rear; FIG. 4 illustrates the extreme twisting position of the head in response to a blow to the helmet from the front; FIG. 5 is a view partly in section, taken on line 55 in FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 in FIG. FIG. 7 is a side view of the socket taken on line 7-7 in FIG. 5; FIG. 8 is a top view of the socket taken on line 8-8 in FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a modification of the tracker track assembly shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 10 is a rear view taken on line 1010 in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 shows a modified arm arrangement; and FIG. 12 is a sectional view on line 1212 in FIG. 11. To facilitate the understanding of the protector apparatus of the present invention, the same numerals will be used throughout the different views to designate the same or similar functional parts. In FIGS. 1-4, a person 10 is shown wearing a helmet 12 and a suitable jacket 14 which may be provided with shoulder pads 16. The jacket has a heavily padded back 18 which defines an upwardly-extending stiff shoulder 19 for supporting a generally U-shaped bracket 19. The helmet is mostly of conventional design with inner straps, cushions, etc. In accordance with this invention, on the back of the helmet is provided, in a vertical plane of symmetry, a longitudinally extending track20. A socket 22 is centrally mounted on and vertically extends from the bracket 19'. The socket has a spherical chamber 23 (FIG. 5) covered with a suitable, flexible lining 24. Chamber 23 is provided with a pair of transverse slots 25 and 26 (FIGS. 7 and 8). Slot 25 is an upper, horizontal slot and slot 26 is a rear, vertical slot. Slots 25 and 26 have walls 27, 28, respectively. The contour of each wall is selected depending on the constraints desired to be imposed on the movements of the persons head. A ball 30 is rotatably mounted on the shockabsorbing lining 24 in chamber 23. To limit the twisting of the persons head in all directions from the normally erect position shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a control arm 32 whose length is sufficient to couple ball 30 to a tracker 34 positioned mid-way between the ends 35, 36 of track 20. Arm 32 preferably has a straight portion 32 attached to the ball 30 and an L-shaped portion 32" attached to tracker 34. The center 40 of ball 30 and the center 42 of the persons neck are in substantially parallel, vertical planes. Track 20 can be externally attached or welded to the back of the helmet 12, or it can be built into the wall of the helmet. To cushion the strikes of tracker 34 against the end walls 35, 36 of track 20, there are provided suitable shock absorbers 44 which can conveniently be made out of rubber. To limit the turning of ball 30 and hence of the persons head, there is provided a horizontal pin 50 which outwardly extends from the vertical slot 26. Pin 50 is perpendicular to arm 32. Pin 50 is in the center of slot 26 when arm 32 is in the center of slot 25. In operation of the relatively simple control apparatus thus far described, when a downward blow, represented by arrow 52 is directed against the rear of the helmet 12, the head will rotate in a vertical plane about pivot point 42 and arm 32 will rotate about axis 40 until it hits the forward wall portion of slot 25, as viewed in FIG. 8. Also the tracker 34 is moved into contact with the shock absorber cushion 44 at the end wall 36, therefore preventing any further downward movement of the head. When the arm 32 hits against wall portion 60 of slot 25, the rear pin 50 hits against the uppermost wall portion of rear slot 26 thereby acting as a sort of backup for arm 32. Likewise when a blow, such as that represented by arrow 52, is directed against the front of helmet 12, the head is pivoted backwardly in the same plane heretofore mentioned until the arm 32 hits against rear wall portion 60 of slot 25 and rear pin 50 hits against the lowermost portion 65 of slot 26. The tracker is also brought into contact with shock absorber cushion 44 at the end wall 35 of track 20. This coordinated movement is represented by the angles a and a in FIG. 5. The extreme left and right side tilting of the head will be limited by the abutment of arm 32 against the opposite side wall portions 61, 61' of slot 25. The contour of wall 27 of slot 25 can be shaped for each particular individual taking into consideration the position of his necks pivot point 42 relative to the protector apparatus. A simple contour for walls 27, 28 is an oval configuration having a major axis 62 and a minor axis 63. As can be seen from FIGS. 6 and 7, the persons head and hence ball 30 can turn while arm 32 is in its center position. The rotation of the ball will be restrained by the abutment of pin 50 against the right and left wall portions 64, 64, respectively, of slot 26. From the above illustrations, it will be readily apparent that the twisting and/or turning of the head in any direction will be limited by the combined restraining actions of the walls 27, 28 of slots 25, 26 against arm 32 and pin 50, respectively. Obviously, many modifications in the design of the control apparatus of this invention are possible and will readily become apparent to those skilled in the art. It may be desired, for example, to allow helmet 12 to become detachable from tracker 34. This can be readily accomplished by making track 20 open ended and by providing bores 69, 69 for accepting a coaxially aligned cross-pin 70 having an eye 72 at one end and a groove 73 at the opposite end (FIGS. 9 and 10). Groove 73 will accept a pliable locking ring 74. In this embodiment, the bottom end wall of tracker 34 is provided with a bumper 75 which essentially serves the same function as the bumper 44 in FIG. 5. By removing pin 70, the helmet can be detached from the control arm 32. Track can be provided with a plurality of longitudinally displaced bores 69 thereby allowing an adjustment in the length of track 20. An adjustment in the length of the control arm 32 may also be provided by making the arm in two sections 87, 88 (FIG. 11) and coupling them together by a sleeve 90 secured by suitable screws 91. Sections 87, 88 can be made pivotablerelative to each other if desired. Various other modifications and adjustments are possible. The protector apparatus of this invention will find a variety of applications in sports, military, industry, aviation, etc. Moreover, while the invention was illustrated for head and neck protection, it is not limited thereto. In general, it can be applied for the protection of any articulated joint with proper modifications for the geometry of the joint. Accordingly, I desire that my invention be limited only by the following claims: What I claims is: 1. A head protector apparatus for limiting extreme movements of the head of a person wearing a helmet and a jacket, said apparatus comprising: a. a socket fixedly supported by said jacket, a spheriably mounted in the track; d. a control arm, one end of the arm being attached to said ball through said first slot and the opposite end of the arm being attached to said tracker; e. a pin extending outwardly from said ball through said second slot; and f. the length of said track and the length of the wall of each slot being such that the persons head is free to move within prescribed safe limits. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first slot is horizontally disposed and the contour of the horizontal slot is generally oval shaped. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second slot is vertically disposed and the contour of the vertical slot is generally oval shaped. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track is longitudinally disposed on said helmet. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the back of said jacket is provided with a bracket for fixedly supporting said socket. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tracker has a generally rectangular configuration and said track has a pair of bumper guards at the extreme ends thereof. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track has a removably mounted cross pin for limiting the downward movement of said tracker.

US-3873997-A

Cervix guard for protective headgear

1451 Apr. 1, 1975 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,931.011 1/1970 Germany................................. 2/3 R Primary Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder Attorney, Agent, or FirmOlsen and Stephenson 57 ABSTRACT An improved cervix or nape guard for protective headgear of the hockey type and also for industrial helmets, wherein the guard is formed of a semiresilient plastic generally conforming to the inside surface of the rear of the helmet shell, depending downwardly to substantially cover a high cut opening at the back of the headgear and having means for pivoting 2/3 R .A63b 71/10 2/3 R NTS CERVIX GUARD FOR PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR Elwyn R. Gooding, 120 Darwin Rd., Pinckney, Mich. 48169 Filed: Apr. 23, 1973 Appl. No.: 353,316 Field of Search References Cited UNITED STATES PATE 9/1963 Morgan.............. 6/1967 8/1969 7/1971 10/1971 5/1973 United States Patent Gooding [76] Inventor: upward and inward with little pressure upon contact with the neck of the wearer when the head is forcibly tilted backward. 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ma "e um V11 eD. nP aa RR 014 134 Swycrs............... 763 Schneider ct al.. 863 Rickard.............. 763 744 TMENTED SHEETIUFZ PATENTEU APR 1 I975 gigs CERVIX GUARD FOR PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR There is a need for protection of the cervix or nape of wearers of protective headgear such as for hockey. This area is very vulnerable to inadvertent blows from hockey sticks and therefore must be protected. However, severe injury to the cervix can result when the head of a wearer who is wearing a helmet with a low posterior, is forcibly tilted backward so that the back of the rigid outer shell of the headgear contacts the neck. A further backward tilting of the helmet can cause a cervical dislocation. Attempts to solve this problem are as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,230,544 and 3,323,134. The modified protective headgear constructions shown in these patents generally comprise rigid shells provided with generally shape conforming panels overlying the rear portion and designed to move back and upward upon contact with the neck of the wearer. They also employ straps inside the helmets to restrain the panels in the normal down positions and require undue pressure on the neck to forcibly cause the panels to move backward and upward with an increase in pressure on the neck as the panels move further backward and upward. Since this additional pressure is applied through the neck, the neck will still be subjected to relatively large, possibly injurious forces. The primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide in a protective headgear an improved pivoting cervix guard whereby a minimal force on the neck is required for moving it from a normal protective position. This invention provides an improved cervix guard for protective headgear in which the guard is protectively padded and pivotally mounted so that only a minimal force is required to move the guard from its lower proctective position to an upper position telescoped into the headgear. The present invention is further described in detail in the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. I is a side elevation view illustrating the cervix guard of this invention in assembly relation with a protective headgear shown in position on a wearer; FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the protective headgear shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view ofa portion of the headgear showing the pivotal mounting for the guard; FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the headgear as seen from the line 44 in FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is an enlarged framentary sectional view illustrating the cervix guard in a raised position within the protective headgear; and FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified form of the cervix guard of this invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the protective headgear with cervix guard of this invention, indication generally at 10, consists of a resilient outer shell 12 and a multi-c'ellular, inflatable inner support crown 11 described in detail in may U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,763. The helmet is shown in FIG. 1 positioned on a wearers head and retained thereon by a chin cup and strap assembly 13. The cervix guard 14 comprises a panel 18 mounted on the shell 12 so that in the normal position of the panel 18 protecting the wearers cervical spine 32, the panel fills the space the lower edge 17 of the shell 12. The outer shell 12 is shaped high at the rear edge 17 so as to leave an opening below the rear edge 17 which constitutes the space filled by the panel 18. The cervix guard panel 18 in the preferred embodiment of this invention is molded of poly-carbonate commonly known as LEXAN, to conform to the contour of the inner surface of the outer shell 12. It is attached to the outer shell 10 by pivot pins 16, which also serve as the rear male snap fasteners for the chin strap assembly 13. A polyester foam plastic pad 20 is secured to the inside surface of the panel 18 with a suitable moisture proof adhesive so that a small portion 22 overlaps the bottom edge 23 of the panel 18. In the use of the headgear 10, when the head of the wearer is forcibly tilted backward so that the lower surface 24 of the cervix guard pad 20 contacts the wearers neck, the cervix guard rotates upward and forward within the outer shell 12 about the pins 16. The upper edge 40 of the panel 18 presses upward into the bottom surface of the inner support crown 11 thereby attenuating the force of the upward thrust. As shown in FIG. 5, the guard 14 telescopes into the outer shell 12 and displaces the inner crown II. A slight and downward motion on the lower overlap edge of the cervix guard 14 will return it to its protective down position. Nylon washers 15 on the pins 16 (FIG. 3) maintain the cervix guard panel 18 in a spaced relationship to the outer shell 10 to provide for free pivoting action of the cervix guard upwardly into the outer shell 12. A modified form of the cervix guard pad means is illustrated in FIG. 6 in which a partitioned chamber member 60 forms a yieldable resilient material shaped to conform to the inner surface of the panel 18. A partition 62 within the hollow section 60 forms a plurality of enclosed cells 64 and 66, arranged in side-by-side relation in a direction extending parallel with the cervix guard panel 18. The bottom surface 68 of the section 60 extends below the bottom edge 23 of cervix guard panel 18 so that when the bottom surface 68 contacts the wearers neck, it moves outwardly into protective relation with the bottom edge 23 of the cervix guard panel 18. When the wearers head tilts backward far enough for the bottom surface 68 of the section 60 to contact the wearers neck, any additional backward movement of the wearers head will cause the cervix guard to pivot upward and inward so that the upper surface 42 of the section 60 and the upper edge 40 of the cervix guard panel 18 will push upward into the bottom surface of the multi-cellular inflatable inner support crown 11. The chambers 64 and 66 are pre-inflated with air or inert gas differentially to pressures best suited for a particular application. From the above description it is seen that this invention provides protective headgear 10 in which a pivoted cervix guard 14 protects the spine of the wearer by virtue of its capability to move easily. What is claimed is: 1. A proctective headgear assembly comprising an outer shell having sides and shaped high at the rearedge thereof so as to provide an open space below said rear edge, a yieldable inner support crown arranged in a supporting relation with said outer shell and positioned within said shell as said rear edge thereof, a cervix guard comprising a panel having a normal position extending across said rear edge and occupying said space, pin means pivotally mounting opposite ends of said panel on said shell sides, pin means being located forwardly and downwardly from said rear edge so that said panel is movable upwardly from said normal position to a position extending upwardly inside said shell of said panel. 3. A protective headgear assembly according to claim 1 wherein said pad means comprises means forming a plurality of inflatable chamber members extending downwardly below the lower edge of said panel.

US-3873998-A

Body armor system

United States Patent [1 1 Norris et a1. [ Apr. 1,1975 1 1 BODY ARMOR SYSTEM [75] Inventors: Lonnie H. Norris, Milford; Philip E. Durand, Hudson, both of Mass. [73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC. 22 Filed: Mar. 26, 1974 211 Appl. No.: 454,897 [52] U.S. Cl. 1.2/2.5 [51] Int. Cl. F4lh 1/02 [58] Field of Search 1. 2/25 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,292,181 12/1966 Kennedy ct a1 2/25 3,452,362 7/1969 Korolick ct a1. 2/25 3,559,211) 2/1971 Hansen 2/25 3,634,889 1/1972 Rolstcn 2/25 3,722,355 3/1973 King 2/25 X 3,813,281 5/1974 Burgess 2/25 X 3,832,265 8/1974 Denommee 2/25 X 3,832,266 8/1974 Archibald 2/25 X Primary ExaminerAlfred R. Guest Attorney, Agent, or FirmNathan Edelberg; Robert P. Gibson; Charles C. Rainey [57] ABSTRACT A coordinated missileand fragmentationprotective body armor system comprising a ceramic type armor plate component that is provided with a spall shield made of a plurality of layers of ballistic fabric and a spacer container for the ceramic armor plate made of a foamed plastic. The spacer container, though of little value for stopping primary missiles, is very effective in combination with the spall shield in preventing the escape from the body armor system of spall from the ceramic armor plate. 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PMENIEB APR 1 I975 SHEETZBFZ FIG. 6 FIG. 8 BODY ARMOR SYSTEM The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a coordinated missileand fragmentation-protective body armor system wherein lightweight means are provided for markedly reducing or preventing the escape of spall from a ceramic type armor plate component of the body armor and thereby greatly reducing the probability of injury to others in the vicinity of the wearer of the body armor when it is impacted by high velocity projectiles, shell fragments, or other particles. In recent years body armor comprising ceramic armor plates to protect the torso of the wearer against serious or fatal injury to the vital organs has been developed to the point that good protection is obtained against low caliber missiles, such as missiles of up to .30 caliber, and effective protection is obtained against shell fragments and the like. However, this type of armor plate is prone to fragment, i.e., to produce spall, when struck by a high velocity missile or fragment. The spall thus produced as a spray of secondary particles of varying sizes and shapes may have very high velocities imparted to the particles by absorption of energy from the primary projectile or fragment. Such spall, if permitted to escape from the proximity of the ceramic armor plate and the fabric carrier therefor, is capable of causing severe injury to eyes or other portions of the bodies of other nearby persons. It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide a body armor system which is not only effective in protecting the wearer thereof. particularly in the region of the torso. against low caliber missiles, i.e., missiles of up to about .30 caliber, and against shell fragments, shrapnel and the like, but also effectively prevents the escape of spall from the system, particularly the spall produced from a ceramic armor plate element of the armor system. Another object of the invention is to provide a body armor system comprising a ceramic armor plate and having means for preventing injury to the neck. chin or face of the wearer of the body armor system in the event that the ceramic armor plate impacts those portions of the body of the wearer if the wearer is involved in a crash or other incident in which his body comes to an abrupt halt or is subjected to sudden deceleration. A further object of the invention is to provide a body/armor system comprising a ceramic armor plate and having means for preventing or minimizing breakage or cracking of the ceramic armor plate in case the body armor system is dropped upon a hard surface. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims. SUMMARY The objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a coordinated body armor system which comprises a ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate, a fabric carrier therefor comprising a plurality of plies of ballistic fabric and a foamed plastic spall protective spacer container for the armor plate. The foamed plastic spall protective spacer container spaces the armor plate from the plies of ballistic fabric in the fabric carrier a distance which has been found to greatly assist in and augment the slowing down of the spall from the point of impact of a missile or fragment on the ceramic armor plate. Additionally, the foamed plastic spacer container is provided with shock absorbent side edges which overlap the edges of the armor plate and thus provide edge protection for the armor plate against breakage or cracking if it is dropped. The shock absorbent side edges also provide protection against injury to the neck or chin or face of the wearer by the upper edge of the armor plate in case the latter shifts upwardly at a velocity which would otherwise injure the neck, chin or face of the wearer, or in case the head of the wearer is suddenly caused to pivot in the direction of the armor plate. The fabric carrier for the armor plate is provided on an outer surface thereof with means for attaching the fabric carrier to the jacket of the wearer so that the body armor system may be supported in fromt of the torso of the wearer. Thus the components of the body armor system of the invention are coordinated to perform a variety of highly useful and desirable functions in protecting the wearer, thereof as well as persons in close proximity to the wearer and in being protected from inadvertent damage in the handling of the same. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the foamed plastic spall protective spacer container viewed from the rear thereof, the spacer container having a curvature approximating the curvature of the front of the torso of a wearer of body armor, the rear of the spacer container, when being worn, being oriented toward the front of the torso of the wearer. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fabric carrier for the ceramic/ fiber glass composite armor plate. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the foamed plastic spall protective spacer container of FIG. 1 with the ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate of FIG. 2 inserted therein preparatory to the insertion of the spacer container containing the ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate in the fabric carrier of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a perspective view from the rear of the assembled armor system after insertion of the spacer container containing the ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate in the fabric carrier and closure of the fabric carrier. FIG. 6 is a perspective view from the front of the assembled armor system of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-section of the assembled armor system of FIG. 5 taken along a plane through the line 7-7 of FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a horizontal cross-section of the assembled armor system of FIG. 5 taken along a plane through the line 8-8 of FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Body armor developed in recent years for use by members of the Armed Forces for protection of their torsos and vital organs against low caliber missiles and shell fragments comprises a ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate, such as the armor system described in US. Pat. No. 3,557,384. In such body armor the facing or outward component is a onepiece aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, or boron carbide ceramic structure bonded by an adhesive to a resin-bonded ballistic fabric laminate back plate which is preferably a fiber glass fabric laminate. The fiber glass fabric laminate is a resin-impregnated, multi-layer, fiber glass ballistic fabric with the resin content being in the range of 20% to 30% by weight. The maximum areal density of this type of armor plate is less than 9 lbs. per square foot and preferably less than 7 lbs. per square foot. Because of the weight of this armor material, the body area being protected must be reduced to the absolute minimum. Therefore, the armor plates are designed to cover the more vulnerable portions of the torso. The body armor may be worn inside of a jacket or other outer garment which may or may not be constructed of or comprise ballistic materials or spall protective materials. The present invention provides a spacer container made of a light-weight material, such as foamed plastic, which has the capability of slowing down the spall produced when high velocity projectiles or shell fragments strike the ceramic outward surface of the armor plate, thus enabling a plurality of layers of a ballistic fabric, e.g., ballistic nylon woven fabric, incorporated in a carrier for the body armor outside of the spacer container to further reduce the velocity of the spall and in most instances completely prevent escape of the spall from the carrier. Thus a coordinated missileand fragmentationprotective body armor system which is of relatively light weight yet quite effective against low caliher, high velocity missiles as well as spall produced thereby is obtained. The spacer container also serves other purposes which will be more particularly described hereinafter. The spacer container 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is molded in one piece out of foamable plastic such as polyethylene, polystyrene, or other polymeric materials which are capable of being foamed in place in a mold, or may be machined from a block of foamed plastic. It is formed with a recess 13 or hollow opening corresponding very closely to the size, outline shape, and curvature of armor plate 11 shown in FIG. 2 so that the latter can be fitted snugly in recess 13, as shown in FIG. 4, with the rear face of the armor plate flush with the top of the flanged edge 14 of the spacer container. Thus the armor plate is recessed within the spacer container so that a thickness of from about Va inch to about inch of the foamed plastic of the spacer container overlies the ceramic armor plate 17 of armor plate 11. It has been found to be preferable for theportion of the spacer container overlying the ceramic armor plate to be about /2 inch thick. The top edge 15 of the spacer container flanged portion is about one inch thick from top to bottom and is approximately twice the thickness of the flanged edge 14 measured from one side edge to the other and twice the thickness of the extension thereof along the bottom edge of the spacer container in the form of flanged edge 16 so that there will be appreciable cushioning of the neck and chin or other portions of the face or head of the wearer of the body armor in the event that the wearer is involved in a crash or is abruptly decelerated while in motion. Under such circumstances the armor plate 11, which is rather heavy, would tend to continue in motion and, in the absence of the relatively thick top edge 15 of the spacer container, would impact with great force against the neck or chin of the wearer or possibly against other portions of the face or head. Thus the spacer container made of a crushable foamed plastic serves to protect the wearer against serious injury by the armor plate. As previously stated, armor plate 11 fits a recess 13 of spacer container 10, as shown in FIG. 4. The spacer container, together with the armor plate, is placed inside of fabric carrier 12, which has a body portion 19 and a closure flap 20. Along the bottom edge of the back of the body portion 19 the fabric carrier has a strip of plastic loops 21 which cooperate with a strip of plastic hooks 22 attached to the inner surface of closure flap 20 to close the opening along the bottom edge of the fabric carrier through which the armor plate is inserted into the fabric carrier. The armor plate is inserted in fabric carrier 12 so that the concavity of the composite structure will be up as seen in the drawing and will be oriented toward the torso of the wearer of the body armor when being worn. Thus the ceramic armor plate 17 will be oriented away from the torso of the wearer. As shown in FIG. 6, the front of the fabric carrier 12 has zipper stringers 23 and 24 attached thereto for the purpose of attaching the assembled armor system to the inside surface of a combat jacket or other type of garment with which the body armor is worn to protect the torso of a wearer. The jacket (not shown) has a pair of suitably spaced zipper stringers (not shown) which cooperate with Zipper stringers 23 and 24 with the combined action of slider 25 on stringer 24 and a similar slider on the stringer of the jacket which cooperates with stringer 23. Thus the assembled armor system, being supported by two spaced apart zippers joining the fabric carrier to the jacket is maintained in reasonably stable position in front of the torso of the wearer, protecting the same against low caliber missiles and shell fragments. As seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the assembled armor system comprises a spall shield 27 made of plies of ballistic fabric, ceramic armor plate 17, fiber glass laminate backup layer 18, foamed plastic spacer container 10, and fabric carrier 12. The innermost layer 26, i.e., the layer which is worn closest to the torso of the wearer, is a single thickness of ballistic fabric, preferably nylon ballistic cloth such as that described in military specification MIL-C-12369D (GL) entitled Cloth, Ballistic, Nylon. This layer of ballistic cloth is also the outermost layer of spall shield 27, which is a nine-layer composite of nylon ballistic cloth of the type described in the above-referenced military specification. The spall shield 27 extends over the top, sides, front, and bottom of fabric carrier 12, thus providing spall protection across the top, sides, front, and bottom of armor plate 11. The outermost layer of spall shield 27, which is a continuation of innermost layer 26 of fabric carrier 12 extends upwardly from the bottom of the fabric carrier to form closure flap 20. The nine layers of nylon ballistic cloth are stitched together along their peripheries, but remain as separate, unattached fabrics over most of their surfaces so that they are more or less free to move and adjust to the impact of a particle and thus to perform well as a spall shield. The plastic hooks 22 and plastic loops 21 mate to form hook and pile fastener 28 which maintains the fabric carrier closed. Next to the innermost layer 26 progressing outwardly therefrom and from the torso of the wearer is the fiber glass laminate backup layer 18, which backs up the ceramic armor plate 17 and is bonded thereto. After the ceramic armor' plate comes the spacer container made of foamed, plastic, which because of its thickness spaces the ceramic armor plate about /2 to inch from the spall shield 27 and thus contributes materially to the prevention of the escape of spall from the ceramic armor plate when the latter is impacted by a missile or shell fragment. The spacer container has relatively low stopping power for primary missiles, but is quite effective against the spall from the ceramic armor plate since the cooperation thereof with the spall shield practically prevents all escape of spall from the ceramic armor plate. The ceramic armor plate serves as the main stopping agent for the primary missiles. though the spall shield slows the primary missiles down considerably before they impact the ceramic armor plate. Spacing of the spall shield from the ceramic armor plate influences spall resistance because spall travels in a conical pattern radiating from the point of impact with the ceramic armor plate. Thus. spacing causes the spall to impact the spall shield over a broader area. producing less concentration of force per unit area. Consequently, the spall shield can better sustain the forces of the spall. In addition. spacing requires the typical spall particle traveling at oblique angles to traverse a greater distance than the thickness of the spacing and to dissipate more energy before impacting the spall shield overlying the spacing. The fiber glass laminate backup layer 18 serves to augment the stopping power of the ceramic armor plate and to complete the defeat of the primary missiles if any penetrate the ceramic armor plate. The overall result is a coordinated missileand fragmentationprotective body armor system which is relatively light in weight yet very effective in defeating primary missiles of low caliber and in preventing the escape of spall from a ceramic armor plate component of the body. armor system which serves as the main protective medium against the primary missiles. We have found it to be preferable that the foamed plastic of the spacer container have a density of from about 1 pound per cubic foot to about 10 pounds per cubic foot. Foamed polyethylene of approximately 9 pounds per cubic foot, for example Ethafoam, fabricated by United Packaging Corp., Georgetown, Mass, has been found to be particularly effective for all three of the purposes served by the spacer container, i.e., assisting in the prevention of the escape of spall derived from the ceramic armor plate, protecting the neck, chin. and other portions of the face and head of the wearer of the body armor from serious injury upon impact against the ceramic armor plate, and protecting the ceramic armor plate against cracking or shattering due to dropping thereof onto a non-resilient surface or bumping of the armor by sharp, non-resilient objects. Furthermore. the resiliency of the polyethylene foam spacer container permits repetitive use, whereas some foamed plastics. such as polystyrene, have very good shock absorbing capacities even at quite low densities, but are permanently crushed and, therefore. not effective for repetitive use. It is preferred that the nylon ballistic cloth of the spall shield and the fabric carrier be a plain weave fabric of about 7.5 ounces per square yard. However, other nylon ballistic fabrics, particularly those of from about 6 to about 9 ounces per square yard may be employed with good results as spall shield material. The coordinated missileand fragmentationprotective body armor system of the invention is very effective in an areal density of about 0.83 pounds per square foot in protecting the torso of the wearer against low caliber missiles and in preventing the escape of spall from the system. It has been found that about 1.0 pound per square foot areal density is about the upper limit for a useful body armor system. The system of the present invention falls well below this limit while accomplishing excellent spall suppression. The invention has been described in terms of a particular type of coordinated missileand fragmentationprotective body armor system. A particularly important element of this system is the foamed plastic spall protective spacer container for the ceramic armor plate. The spacer container may be constructed of a rather large number of different foamed plastic materials. These materials need to be crushable, but neither too easily crushable nor too difficult to crush, since in the coordinated armor system they need to be able to prevent injury to the neck or chin or other portions of the face or head of the wearer by absorbing energy through crushing in case the armor plate impacts portions of the head or neck; and they also need to be able to prevent damage to the armor plate in case it is dropped or struck by a sharp, non-resiliant object. Hence, the spacer container material must have the proper crushability characteristics in order to be shock-absorbent for the two purposes mentioned. Furthermore, the density and thickness of the spacer container material must be such as to cause spall from the ceramic armor plate to be slowed down by the combination of the spacer container and the ballistic fabric spall shield used in combination with the armor plate sufficiently to prevent escape of the spall and the possible inflicting of injury to persons in close proximity to the wearer of the armor system. The corrdinated system of the present invention accomplishes all of these objectives while having a tolerable weight when fabricated so as to cover and protect the more vital areas of the torso of a wearer of the body armor system. It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art, within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. We claim: 1. A coordinated protective body armor system to provide protection against low caliber missiles which will also minimize escape of spall from within said system, cushion the brittle elements of the system against breakage, and provide cushioning protection to protect the head and neck of the wearer from injury upon impact against the armor system comprising a ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate which comprises a ceramic face plate bonded to laminate back plate of resin-bonded plies of a glass fiber fabric, a foamed plastic spall protective container for said ceramic/ fiber glass composite armor plate which is disposed so as to completely cover said ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate, and a carrier for said ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate and said foamed plastic spall protective container comprising a spall shield which overlies said foamed plastic spall protective container and said ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate and which comprises a plurality of plies of a woven ballistic fabric. 2. A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said foamed plastic spall protective container is formed of polymeric foam having a density of from about 1 to about 10 pounds per cubic foot. 3. A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 2, wherein said foamed plastic spall protective container is formed of polyethylene foam having a density of about 9 pounds per cubic foot. 4. A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said foamed plastic spall protective container in the portion thereof which complctely covers said ceramic/fiber glass composite armor plate is from about V2 inch to about 4 inch thick. 5. A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said woven ballistic fabric is a plain weave nylon fabric weighing from about 6 to about 9 ounces per square yard. 6. A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said spall shield comprises nine plies of ballistic nylon fabric weighing about 7.5 ounces per square yard. 7. A coordinated protective body armor system according to claim 1, wherein said fabric carrier comprises means for detachably suspending said fabric carrier in proximity to the front of the torso of said wearer.

US-3873999-A

Undershirts and similar sleeveless garments

United States Patent [1 1 1 ,873,999 Artzt Apr. 1, 1975 UNDERSHIRTS AND SIMILAR SLEEVELESS [57] ABSTRACT GARMENTS William Walter Artzt, 333 Sunset Ave., Palm Beach, Fla. 33480 Filed: Oct. 25, 1973 Appl. No.: 409,741 Inventor: US. Cl. 2/113 Int. Cl .l A41b 9/06 Field of Search.... 2/113, 111, 243, 92, DIG. 4; References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-Richard J. Scanlan, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmAlvin Sinderbrand An undershirt or similar sleeveless garment consists of a single, substantially rectangular piece of two-way stretchable knit fabric which, at its opposite end portions, defines the front and back, respectively, of a body portion. The fabric piece has arcuate cutouts in its opposed side edges between the end portions and a neck-opening between the arcuate cutouts with the fabric therebetween defining seamless shoulder strap portions integral with the front and back body portions. Side seams of longitudinally stretchable stitching join together the respective side edges of the front and back body portions so that the cutouts define armholes above such side seams. The edge portions of the neck opening and armholes are reverted or folded back and secured to the adjacent fabric by longitudinally stretchable stitching extending along such edge portions for finishing off the neck opening and armholes and also the upper ends of the side seams without detracting from the stretchability of the garment. 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENIEB APR 1 1915 saw 2 of 3 3.873.999 Am 1 I915 v ATENIED SHEET 3 95 a UNDERSHIRTS AND SIMILAR SLEEVELESS GARMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to garments such as sleeveless undershirts and the like, and more particularly is directed to improvements in garments of the described character formed of knit fabric. 2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional sleeveless undershirts and like garments are usually formed of two pieces or blanks of knit fabric which respectively form the front and back of the garment. Such blanks have central cutouts in their upper ends to define a neck opening and cutouts in the upper portions of their side edges to define armholes, with the fabric remaining between such cutouts forming front and back shoulder strap portions. In producing a garment from the described blanks, the respective side edges of the blanks are stitched together below the armholes to form side seams, and the abutting ends of the front and back shoulder strap portions are stitched together to provide seams extending across the tops of the shoulder straps. The ends of these side seams and shoulder strap seams have to be tacked or otherwise secured to prevent the unravelling thereof. In order to finish off the neck opening and armholes, separately cut bindings or tapes are stitched along the edges of the neck opening and armholes, respectively. Since the edges and ends of the bindings or tapes are raw or cut, such edges and ends have to be folded under prior to the stitching of the bindings or tapes to the remainder of the garment. In the mass production of the above garments, the material for the bindings or tapes and the labor required for the cutting of the bindings or tapes and for the attachment thereof to the garment are significant items of cost. Further, at the top of each shoulder strap of the garment, the laterally extending seam joining the front and back shoulder strap portions, together with the multiple thicknesses of the bindings or tapes extending around the neck opening and the adjacent armhole, produce substantial, relatively hard or rigid fabric bulges, particularly at the ends of each lateral shoulder seam, and these bulges are a source of discomfort to the wearer, especially when a weight is borne by the wearers shoulder. It has been proposed, for example, in US. Pat. No. 2,707,284, issued to me on May 3, I955, to provide a garment of the described character which is devoid of seams extending across the tops of its shoulder straps. However, in this garment, as in the previously described garment with shoulder seams, the neck opening and armholes are again finished off by separately cut bindings or tapes which prevent full realization of low cost mass production. Although the absence of seams extending across the tops of the shoulder straps alleviates the discomfort to the wearer, this problem is not fully overcome as the multiple thicknesses of fabric where the bindings or tapes are folded under to hide armholes considerably restrict the stretching thereof and of the shoulder straps. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide an undershirt or similar sleeveless garment which is capable of being economically mass produced. More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a garment of the described character in which substantial economies are realized in finishing-off the neck opening and armholes and the side seams of the garment. Another object is to provide a garment, as aforesaid, which affords increased comfort to the wearer. Still another object is to provide a garment, as aforesaid, which is stretchable at its neck opening, armholes and shoulder straps, as well as at its body-covering portion, so as to accommodate a single size garment to wearers of various sizes or to the growth of an infant or child over an extended period of time. In accordance with an aspect of this invention, an undershirt or similar sleeveless garment is formed of a single, substantially rectangular piece of two-way stretchable knit fabric defining the front and back of the garment body at its opposite end portions and having arcuate cutouts in its side edges between such end portions and a neck opening centered between the edge cutouts with the fabric between the neck opening and edge cutouts defining seamless shoulder straps, the respective side edges of the front and back of the garment body are joined together by longitudinally stretchable stitching forming side seams of the garment with the arcuate cutouts forming armholes above such side seams, and the edge portions of the neck opening and armholes are folded back against the adjacent fabric and secured to the latter by longitudinally stretchable stitching extending along such edge portions, whereby the neck opening and armholes and the upper ends of the side seams are finished off without resort to tacking of the side seams and separately cut bindings or tapes for the neck opening and armholes. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom edge portion of the garment body is folded back against the adjacent fabric and secured thereto by longitudinally stretchable stitching for finishing off the bottom of the garment body and the lower ends of the side seams. Further, the knit fabric of the single substantially rectangular fabric piece constituting the garment according to this invention is preferably formed to be more stretchable in its longitudinal direction than in the direction at right angles thereto, so that the shoulder straps of the garment will be relatively extensible. The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flattened tube of knit fabric showing the lines along which the tube is cut to provide fabric blanks or pieces from which garments according to this invention are to be formed; FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the fabric pieces or blanks cut from the flattened tube of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the garmentforming blank of FIG. 2 after such blank has been folded and seamed along the sides thereof; FIG. 4 is a further enlarged front elevational view of the completed garment according to this invention shown inside-out; FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the garment in its inside-out condition showing details of the finishing of the garment according to this invention; and FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the completed garment shown right-side out. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that undershirts and similar sleeveless garments according to this invention are preferably formed from a tube 10 of circularly knitted fabric which is more stretchable or yieldable in its circumferential or lateral direction indicated by the arrows a than in the lengthwise direction indicated by the arrows b. A particularly desirable circular or tubular knit fabric for garments according to this invention is the knitted pile fabric disclosed in detail in US. Pat. No. 3,111,829 issued to me on Nov. 26, 1963, and which generally comprises a base or ground of stretch nylon or other synthetic yarns and a random arrangernent of loops of cotton or synthetic yarns extending from the base or ground and having various lengths to give the face of the fabric a shaggy appearance which is characteristic of poodle" type fabrics. After the knit fabric tube 10 has been flattened to provide superposed layers of material joined together along the opposite folded side edges 12 and 14 of the flattened tube, a series of side-by-side disposed garment forming blanks 16 are die cut or stamped therefrom. It will be seen that, in die-cutting or stamping the garment forming blanks 16 from flattened tube 10, the latter is cut along the folded side edges 12 and 14 so as to separate the superposed layers of material and along spaced apart lateral lines 18 which extend inwardly from side edges 12 and 14 to the ends of centered oval lines 20. Further, the flattened tube 10 is cut along oval lines 22, each of which is centered between adjacent oval lines 20 but preferably offset laterally to one side of the longitudinal median of the flattened tube. As a result of the foregoing cutting of the flattened tube 10, each of the knit fabric pieces or blanks 16 derived therefrom is shown on FIG. 2 to be of substantially rectangular configuration and to have opposite end portions 24 and 26 which are dimensioned to define front and back body portions, respectively, of the garment to be produced therefrom. By reason of the oval cut lines 20 between successive blanks 16, each blank 16 is shown to have arcuate cutouts 20a in its opposed relatively long or side edges, with such cutouts 20a being centered between the end portions 24 and 26, while the oval cut lines 22 provide each blank 16 with a neck opening 22a which is centered laterally between the arcuate cutouts 20a and which extends further toward end portion 24 than toward end portion 26. It will be apparent that the fabric of blank 16 between arcuate cutouts 20a and neck opening 22a defines seamless shoulder strap portions 28 which integrally connect the end portions 24 and 26. Further, in each blank 16, the direction a of maximum stretchability is shown to extend longitudinally by reason of the fact that each blank 16 extends laterally in respect to flattened tube 10 when cut from the latter. Each blank 16 is formed into an undershirt or similar sleeveless garment by folding the blank along the transverse medial line 30 so that end portion 24 forming the front 24a of the body is superposed on end portion 26 forming the back 26a of the body. Preferably, such folding is effected so that the eventual outer surfaces or faces of the knit fabric of end portion 24 and 26 will confront each other. When the blank 16 is thus folded, the front of neck opening 22a is deeper than the back of the neck opening, as shown on FIG. 3. After folding of the blank, the adjacent or respective side edges of front body 2411 and back body 26a are joined together by longitudinally stretchable stitching to form side seams 32. Such longitudinally stretchable stitching may be simply constituted by differential stitches formed with stretch polyester or nylon thread. Upon the formation of the side seams 32, the arcuate cutouts 20a of the blank 16 define armholes 20b above the side seams. In accordance with the present invention, the neck opening 22a and the armholes 20h are finished off by turning back the edge portions thereof, as at 22'a and 20'b, respectively (FIG. 4), and then securing the folded back edge portions 22'a and 20'b to the underlying adjacent fabric by means of longitudinally stretchable stitching, for example, similar to the stitching of side seams 32, which extends continuously along the folded back edge portions 22a and 20b, as at 22"a and 20"!) on FIGS. 4,5 and 6. Since the knit fabric of blank 16 has two-way stretchability, no problems are encountered in folding back the edge portions 22'a and 20'b along the closed curves of neck opening 22a and armholes 20b. Further, the edge portions 22'a and 20'b are preferably folded back onto the base or ground side of the knit fabric, that is, the surface of knit fabric which will be at the inside of the completed garment so that each folded-back edge portion 20'b and the stitching 20"b extending therealong at the bottom of the respective armhole 20b will finish-off and secure the upper end of side seam 32 at the respective side of the garment, as at 33 on FIG. 5. Further, the bottom of the body of the garment is finished off by turning back the bottom edge portion 34 (FIGS. 5 and 6) onto the base or ground side of the adjacent knit fabric, and then securing the folded or turned back edge portion 34 to the underlying adjacent fabric by means of longitudinally stretchable stitching, for example, similar to the stitching of side seams 32, which extends continuously along folded back edge portion 34, as at 35. It will be apparent that the folded back edge portion 34 and the stitching 35 extending therealong at the opposite sides of the garment body serve to finish off and secure or lock the lower ends of the side seams 32. Following the finishing off of the neck opening 22a and armholes 20b and of the bottom of the garment body, as described above, the completed garment appearing on FIGS. 4 and 5 is everted or turned insideout, as shown on FIG. 6, so that the face or pile side of the knit fabric will face outwardly and the folded back edge portions 20'b, 22'a and 34 will be at the inside of the garment. It will be appreciated that, in the completed garment, the folded back edge portions 20'b,22'a and 34 which respectively finish the armholes, neck opening and bottom of the garment areof the same two-way stretchable knit fabric as the remainder of the garment and thus do not significantly restrict the stretching of the garment. Since the oval cut lines 20 and 22 (FIG. 1) which eventually define the armholes 20b and neck opening 22a of the garment are elongated in the direction of the maximum stretchability of the knit fabric, the major portions of the peripheries of the armholes 20b and of the neck opening 22a extend generally in the direction of maximum stretchability in the completed garment to permit the maximum extension or stretching of the neck opening and armholes. Further, the shoulder straps 28 also extend generally in the direction of maximum stretchability of the knit fabric. The foregoing characteristics all contribute to the provision of a garment that is adapted to fit wearers of various sizes and also to accommodate the growth of an infant or child over an extended period of time. Since the shoulder straps 28 are devoid of seams extending thereacross at the tops of the shoulder straps, and since the neck opening and armholes are finished off merely by a single additional fabric thickness in the folded back edge portions 20'!) and 22'a, thick bulges of fabric are not present in the shoulder straps 28 so that the garment affords optimum comfort to the wearer even when a load is borne by the wearers shoulder. It will also be apparent that the described garment according to this invention makes possible very substantial economies in its mass production. In this connection, it should be noted that the folded back edge portions 20b and 22a which finish off the armholes and neck opening of the completed garment are derived from the fabric of flattened tube that would otherwise be cutaway and wasted if the oval cut lines and 22 were dimensioned to correspond to the desired sizes of the armholes and neck opening of the completed garment. Thus, no additional fabric is required for fin ishing the armholes and neck opening, and there is a further saving of the additional labor required when, as in the prior art, the neck opening and armholes are finished off by separately cut bindings or tapes. It is also to be appreciated that, in the garment according to this invention, the stretchable stitching 20"b, 22"a and 35 forms a blind seam in each case so that the cost of tacking or locking the ends of these seams, as well as the cost of tacking the ends of side seams 32 which are secured by stitching 20"b and 35, can be eliminated. Although an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. What is claimed is: 1. A sleeveless garment of the described character consisting of a single, substantially rectangular piece of two-way stretchable knit fabric which is more stretchable in the longitudinal direction of said rectangular fabric piece than in the direction at right angles thereto, with the opposite end portions of said rectangular fabric piece defining front and back body portions, respectively, of the garment, said fabric piece having arcuate elongated cutouts in its opposed side edges between said end portions and an oval neck opening centered laterally between said cutouts with the fabric of said piece between said neck opening and said cutouts defining seamless shoulder strap portions integral with said front and back body portions and extending generally in said longitudinal direction, longitudinally stretchable stitching joining together the respective side edges of said front and back body portions to form side seams at the inside of the garment with said cutouts defining armholes above said side seams, the edge portions of said neck opening and said armholes being folded back against the adjacent fabric of said piece at said inside of the garment, and longitudinally stretchable stitching extending along said folded back edge portions and securing the latter to said adjacent fabric against which said edge portions are folded back for finishing off said neck opening and armholes and the upper ends of said side seams. 2. A garment according to claim 1, in which the edge portions at the bottom of said front and back body portions are folded back at said inside of the garment against the adjacent fabric of said piece and secured thereto by longitudinally stretchable stitching extending along the bottom of the garment for finishing off said bottom of the garment and the lower ends of said side seams.

US-3874000-A

Hot water mitt

United States Patent 1 91 1 11 3,874,000 Altman Apr. 1, 1975 [54] HOT WATER MITT FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 lnvemorl Max Altman, 362 Knowlton Ave, 942,208 4/1956 Germany 2/164 ore, NY. 217 427,865 5/1935 United Kingdom 2/158 22 Filed: Jan. 21, 1974 Primary ExammerGeorge V. Larkm PP 435,256 Attorney, Agent, or FirmChristel & Bean [52] US. Cl 2/158, 2/164, 128/381 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl A4ld 19/00 A hot water mitt fol-med Of lightweight and flexible [58] of Search 2/1581 161 water-impervious material comprises inner and outer 2/164; 128/3791 381, 2581 403; walls which form liquid-receiving spaces at both faces 150/221 of the mitt with a central hand space therebetween so that a user inserting his hand into the hand space with [56] References C'ted the double wall spaces filled with hot water derives the UNITED STATES PATENTS benefit of hot water heat application to both the front 543,177 7/1895 Daly 150/24 and a ac of the hand thus inserted in the 752,5]6 2/1904 Carney ISO/2,4 X mitt. A single filling opening serves to till the two op- 2,842,77l 7/l958 Foti 2/164 X posed double wall liquid-receiving chambers of spaces 2,966,684 1/1961 Bonin 2/164 x f the device 3,259,914 7/1966 Johnson 2/161 R 3,292,628 12/1966 Maxwell et al. 2/158 X 3 Claims, 4 Drawing F igures nor WATER MITT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to hot water mitts for use by arthritis sufferers and those afflicted with other ailments of the hand which are benefited or eased by the application of heat. In the prior art there are examples of electrically heated gloves or mitts, usually intended for use outdoors to merely keep the users hands warm. In another class of patents there are therapeutic devices which consist of body encircling members or members for encircling the limbs of a patient with hot water circulating through the members to maintain a heated condition. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises generally a mittcomprising a double wall structure adapted to be filled with hot water and worn on the hand of a patient to keep the hand warm and thus ease an arthritic condition or other ailment which is ameliorated by the application of heat. No circulating water connections are employed and there is no necessity for electrical connections so that the user of the device may move about freely while wearing the device. According to the present invention the mitt has double wall structures at both sides thereof so that the heat of the liquid therein maintains a warming condition at both the front and rear of a users hand. Preferably a single filling opening is provided in communication with the interiors of the double wall structures at opposite sides of the mitt. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a general elevational view of the rear side of a left-hand mitt or the front side of a right-hand mitt; FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line IIII of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line Illlll of FIG. 1; and FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on the line lVlV of FIG. 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT In the form of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing by way of example, a mitt is formed by folding two sheets of a water-impervious and highly flexible plastic or other sheet material along a line which is coincident with the left-hand vertical margin of the mitt illustrated in FIG. 1. The remaining portions of the two sheets are cut to form a hand portion 13 and a thumb portion 14 and the right-hand edge of the mitt as viewed in FIG. 1. In the drawings the outer sheet is designated generally by the numeral 10 and the inner sheet is designated by the numeral 11. The folded portions of the sheets 10 and 11 are heat-sealed as shown at 15 in FIG. 2 and the remaining peripheries of the sheets extending around to a cuff portion 17 at the opposite side are heat-sealed as indicated at 18 in FIG. 4. The lower folded portions of the sheets 10 and 11 from the bottom of the heat-sealed portion 15 to the cuff 17 at the lower portion of FIG. 1 are separated as shown in FIG. 3 whereby a filling and emptying fitting 20 which is sealed to outer sheet 10 as shown in FIG. 1 provides a communicating passage with the interiors of the double wall formations provided by the sheets 10 and 11 at both the back and front portions of the mitt so that the entire area of the mitt as shown in FIG. 1 contains a heated liquid at both sides of a patients hand, the latter obviously being inserted through the cuff 17 and into the central space 21 between the two folded portions of inner sheet 11. A convenient plug type closure 22 is applied to the fitting 20 and may be permanently attached thereto by flexible plastic bands 23 in a well known manner. Along the lower edge of the structure shown in FIG. 1 the outer and inner sheets 10 and 11 are heat-sealed as at 17. The sheets are separately heat-sealed at the front and rear portions of the device to form an encircling cuff portion through which the hand of a user of the device may freely be inserted. It is obvious from the foregoing that the hot water mitt of the present invention is simply and effectively fabricated in an economical manner and is well adapted to home use and may of course be used in other environments as in a hospital, a clinic, or the like. A preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described herein and shown in the accompanying drawing to illustrate the underlying principles of the invention but it is to be understood that numerous modifications may be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. I claim: 1. A double wall mitt structure comprising a pair of blank sheets of flexible material juxtaposed and jointly folded along a medial line whereby the folded edge forms one marginal edge of the mitt structure, the ends of said blank sheets at one end of the structure and at the side opposite the folded edge being shaped to form hand and thumb receiving portions and secured along their edges to'form a central hand receiving space and double wall portions at opposite sides of the hand receiving space, the edges of the inner and outer blank sheets at the other end of said structure being separately attached along their edges to form a central hand receiving opening and close the double wall structures at opposite sides thereof, and means for introducing heating liquid to said double wall spaces. 2. A double wall structure according to claim 1 wherein said means for introducing liquid comprises a filling passage along said fold line in communication with both of said double wall portions, and a removable closure for said passage. 3. In a device for applying heat to a persons hand, a mitt having outer front and rear wall portions and inner front and rear wall portions, said four wall portions being jointly secured to each other along their edges throughout the marginal outline of said mitt excepting at the cuff portion thereof and a filler opening portion thereof, the front inner and outer wall portins being secured to each other along said cuff portion, and the rear inner and outer wall portions being secured to each other along said cuff portin, whereby liquidreceiving spaces between the inner and outer wall portions at the front and rear of said mitt are isolated from each other excepting at said filler opening portion, and a filler opening at said filler opening portion for introducing and removing liquid to and from both of said liquid receiving spaces, and removable closure means therefor.

US-3874001-A

Therapeutic stocking

I Un1ted States Patent 1 1 1111 3,874,001 Patience et a1. Apr. 1, 1975 [5 THERAPEUTIC STOCKING 1.644.185 10/1927 Fischer 2/240 9 9 I 1 1 9 1751 Donald Patience, Barringwn; Roger 11335223 5/1332 111121;??? "621145 3 Swallow, Crystal Lake; Edward 2.903.872 9/1959 Ledwell 112/269 G. Hartigan, Schaumburg ll of 11.; 3.362.029 1/1968 Comerma 2/240 Herbert Knohl, Seneca, S.C. 3,728.875 4/1973 Hartigan 66/172 E [73] Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company, New FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS York, N.Y. 17,180 12/1892 United Kingdom 2/240 [22] Filed: Mar. 13, 1973 Primary E.ran1uzerWerner H. Schroeder [21] Appl. No.: 340,727 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 2/240 A full length stocking comprising a circumferentially [51] Int. Cl. A6lf 13/08 elastic boot portion including clastomeric filament [58] Field of Search... 2/239. 240; 66/172 E. 172 R, containing elastic yarn; a narrow elastic band formed 66/177; 128/165 of non-slip elastomeric webbing material; and an attachment portion comprising a single-ply circumferen- [56] References Cited tial strip at the top of the boot portion. The band is at- UNITED STATES PATENTS tached to the strip by over-edge stitching. 683.902 10/1901 Blanchard 112/269 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures THERAPEUTIC STOCKING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to full length therapeutic stockings of the type which include elastomercontaining yarns which exert a compressive force on the leg portion covered by the stocking boot. Stockings of this type typically have a rather precisely defined and controlled pressure profile in order to effect a predetermined compression of the deep venous system of the leg. Often this predetermined compression profile takes the form of a degree of compression which decreases from the region of the foot to the region of the upper thigh. In certain situations it may be desirable to have a pronounced dip in the pressure profile in certain regions (e.g., around the knee) with a consequent increase in the compressive force in the region immediately above that dip, but with a resumption of the general decline in compressive force from that location above the dip to the region of the upper thigh. A problem with stockings of the foregoing type has been an undesirable reversal or inversion of this upwardly decreasing pressure profile in the region of the elastic band around the top of the stocking which is customarily provided to properly retain the stocking on the leg. Since such stockings are typically made in, at most, a few sizes, this undesirable pressure on the leg in the region of the elastic retention band is most pronounced when the stockings are used on patients having a thigh circumference near, or even over (i.e., a misfitted stocking application by the nurse), the maximum thigh circumference for which that size stocking was intended. To a large degree this problem has been eliminated by providing an interrupted elastic band with a soft fabric insert between the severed ends of the band. Such a stocking construction is disclosed in Hartigan et al. US Pat. No. 3,728,875, issued Apr. 24, I973. In stockings without such an insert and, to a much lesser degree, even in stockings with such an insert, the stocking structure in the region where the elastic band is attached to the main body of the stocking is found to often cause, especially with overlarge thighs or misfitted stockings, an actual tourniquet effect or, at least, a possible tourniquet effect indicated by a marking of the skin which is caused by a pronounced bead on the inner stocking surface in the region of attachment of the elastic band to the stocking body. This bead itself may not, for a given patient, produce an actual pressure profile inversion. (The local pressure at the bead is difficult to measure accurately.) The marking, however, is undesirable in itself as it often causes concern in the patient or the physician as to the suspected presence of a dangerous pressure inversion. In view of the foregoing, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a construction in a stocking of the type described which reduces either marking of the patients skin or an actual tourniquet effect, or both, in the upper portion of the stocking. It is a further object to provide such an improved stocking which is relatively efficient and inexpensive to manufacture while still achieving the elimination of undesirable compression levels in the upper regions of the stocking. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve these and other object as will more fully appear herein, a full length stocking according to the invention comprises a circumferentially clastic boot portion including elastomeric filament containing clastic yarn and a narrow elastic band formed of non-slip elastomeric webbing material. Also provided is an attachment portion which comprises a single-ply circumferential strip at the top of the boot portion, the band being attached to that strip by over-edge stitching. In preferred embodiments of the invention the strip is integral with the boot portion and is circumferentially elastic including elastomeric filament containing elastic yarn. It is also preferred that the over-edge stitching comprise a two thread merrow seam formed with the aid of a large stitch finger, the thread consisting of bulk yarn or stretch yarn. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of a particular preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a typical therapeutic stocking; FIG. 2 is a partially schematic, broken away. enlarged view of a portion of such a therapeutic stocking illustrating a typical prior art construction; FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a construction according to the present invention, with the stocking in a relaxed state prior to placement on a patients leg; and FIG. 4 illustrates the changes which occur in the stocking of FIG. 3 when the stocking is in a stretched condition as, for example, after placement on the patient's leg. DESCRIPTION OF A PARTICULAR PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, the therapeutic stocking 10 comprises a body or boot portion 12 which typically is circularly knit and includes circumferentially disposed elastic yarns. An elastic band 14 is attached to the upper thigh region 16 by stitching 18. Referring to the greatly enlarged views of FIGS. 2-4, the circumferentially disposed. elastic yarns in the upper thigh region 16 of the boot portion 12 are indicated schematically at 20. The elastic band 14 typically includes an elastic fabric body 22 and a non-slip, grooved elastomer 24 extruded onto the inner surface of the body 22. The stitching 18, 18a is indicated very schematically, the various typical stitches and the preferred over-edge two thread merrow seam used in the present invention being well known, per se, to those skilled in the art. A prior art construction is illustrated in FIG. 2. An attachment strip 26 comprising the extreme upper portion of the upper thigh region 16 of the stocking body 12 is disposed on the inner surface of the main body 22 of the elastic band 14 and the members 26 and 22 are sewn with stitching (as schematically illustrated in FIG. 2) which passes through the portion of strip 26 abutting the body 22 and, additionally, the portion 28 of strip 26 which curls over toward the wearers leg. As is well known by those skilled in the art, the curling over of a portion 28 in the sewing of a single-ply strip 26 to the elastic band 14 is unavoidable. The resulting structure, however, was effectively a two-ply welt formed in the strip 26 since that strip 26 was effectively sewn to itself. The result of this conventional placement of the fabric comprising the upper thigh portion 16 of the stocking inside the elastic band 14, as well as the choice of stitch which caused a double penetration of the upper strip 26 of portion 16, was a prominent bead on the inner surface of the stocking around its circumference at the juncture of the boot portion 12 and the elastic band 14. This bead, and possibly the stitching 18 itself can be the source of a tourniquet effect giving a dangerous pressure profile inversion and, at the very least, produces a marking of the patient's skin adjacent the bead which can cause anxiety in patient and physician alike as to the possible presence of a dangerous pressure inversion. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a stocking construction according to the present invention as initially sewn and as stretched under conditions of actual use, respectively. Preparatory to the actual sewing, the extreme upper portion of the strip 26 engages the outer surface of the elastic band 14, while lower regions of the strip 26 bend around to the inner surface of the band 14 so as to simplify the sewing process. As is evident from a comparison of the schematical stitching representations in FlGS. 2 and 3, according to the invention a larger stitch size 18a is employed which, along with the changed orientation of the strip 26 with respect to the elastic band 14, assures a single penetration of the thread through the strip 26 and adequate play in the stitching 18a to assure the deformation upon application of the stocking to a ptient as is shown in FIG. 4 and described below. 7 Referring to FIG. 4, it is apparent that the convoluted shape of the strip 26 as shown in FIG. 3 becomes much flatter in the stretched condition shown in FIG. 4 (but for the inevitable curled-over portion 28 which, according to the invention, bulges toward the outside of the stocking 10 so as to avoid a bead adjacent the patient's skin); In the stretched condition the stitching 18a is represented as more oval in shape and the relationship of the upper thigh portion 16 and the elastic band 14 approaches a true butt joint" so as to provide a marked improvement in the smoothness of the inner surface'of the stocking 10 in the region of the stitching 18a. While the stitching 18a is shown in a schematic form so as to avoid obscuring the changes which occur between FIGS. 3 and 4, the actual preferred stitch is stitch type 503 (a two thread merrow seam) which is defined in Federal Standard Number 751a of the Federal Standards of Seam Specifications. The actual thread is preferably either a bulky yarn or a stretch yarn, The larger stitch size which is employed according to the invention (and which is illustrated by a comparison of H68. 2 and 3) is important to provide a softer seam 12 inch band 14 to a stocking boot 12: for a typical small stitch finger as previously employed, 5 yards l 1 inches of needle thread and 3 yards 16 /2 inches of looper thread were consumed; and for large stitch fingers employed in making a stitch such as shown schematically in FIG. 3, 7 yards 8 inches of needle thread and 4 yards 33 inches of looper thread were consumed. While the accompanying drawings schematically illustrate the elastic yarns 20 as being provided in the strip 26 as well as the remainder of the stocking boot 12, it is to be understood that they may be eliminated in the strip 26 so that the stitching occurs in a relatively inelastic single-ply welt disposed around the upper circumference of the stocking boot 12. While a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, other embodiments are within the scope of the invention and the following claims. We claim: I. A full length therapeutic stocking comprising a circumferentially elastic boot portion including elastomeric filament containing elastic yarn; a narrow elastic band formed of non-slip elastomeric webbing material and having inner and outer surfaces; and an attachment portion comprising a single-ply circumferential strip at the top of said boot portion, said strip having inner andouter surfaces; said band being attached to said strip by over-edge stitching with adjacent portions of said inner surfaces substantially aligned. 2. A stocking as claimed in claim 1 wherein said strip is integral with said boot portion. 3. A stocking as claimed in claim 2 wherein said strip is circumferentially elastic and includes elastomeric filament containing elastic yarn. 4. A stocking as claimed in claim 2 wherein said strip consists of substantially non-elastic yarn. 5. A stocking as claimed in claim 1 wherein said overedge stitching comprises a two thread merrow seam. 6. A stocking as claimed in claim 5 wherein said thread is a bulk yarn. 7. A stocking as claimed in claim 5 wherein said thread is a stretch yarn. 8. A full length therapeutic stocking comprising a circumferentially elastic boot portion including elastomeric filament containing elastic yarn; a narrow elastic band formed of non-slip elastomeric webbing material; and an attachment portion comprising a single-ply circumferential strip at the top of said boot portion; said band being attached to said strip in a seam formed by loose over-edge stitching whereby a substantial flattening of said seam is produced when it is subjected to only the forces produced by ordinary use of such stockings. 9. A stocking as claimed in claim 8 wherein said overedge stitching comprises a two thread merrow seam. 10. A full length therapeutic stocking comprising a circumferentially elastic boot portion including elastomeric filament containing elastic yarn, a narrow elastic band formed of non-slip elastomeric webbing material; and an attachment portion comprising a single-ply cir-' cumferential strip at the top of said boot portion; said band being attached to said strip by over-edge stitching without overlap of said band and said strip.

US-3874002-A

Pulsatile magneto-motive artificial heart

United States Patent [191 Kurpanek [451 Apr. 1, 1975 1 PULSATILE MAGNETO-MOTIVE ARTIFICIAL HEART [76] Inventor: Waldemar Helmut Kurpanek, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: Sept. 7, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 287,062 [52] US. Cl 3/1, 3/DIG. 2, 128/1 D, 417/50, 417/412, 310/28, 251/65, 137/527 [51] Int. Cl. A6lf 1/24 [58] Field of Search.. 3/1, DIG. 2; 128/1 D, DIG. 3; 417/412, 413 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,048,165 8/1962 Norton 3/DIG. 2 3,370,305 2/1968 Goott et a1 3/1 3,568,214 3/1971 Goldschmied 3/1 3,733,616 5/1973 Willis 3]] PULMONARY VEIN Primary Examiner-Ronald L. Frinks Attorney, Agent, or FirmI-Iolman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT A permanently implantable artificial heart utilizing a pulsatile magneto-motive pump consisting of a pump chamber, which has two cobalt rare-earth permanent magnets spaced apart relative to one another so that unlike poles of each magnet face each other across a predetermined gap, one electromagnetic coil, a ferromagnetic piston and a hydraulic fluid. The complete heart consists of two separate half hearts each having one pulsatile magnetic pump, an atrium, a ventricle, respective valves and collapsible hydraulic sacs. A dc pulse applied to the coil determines the pumping stroke rate of the piston which forces hydraulic fluid in and out of the collapsible sacs causing alternating positive and negative pressure gradients in the atrium and ventricle of the heart, thus producing with the i help of one directional check valves, a one-directional pulsatile blood flow circulation. The pumping mode of the pistons is designed to act counter directional to each other whereby generated torque forces are greatly neutralized. The total heart is designed to duplicate the natural hearts pumping action by emptying both ventricles simultaneously while the atria are in the process of filling. 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures WENW 1 ms SHEET 1 OF 2 55E: Em: I! In" n h m PULSATILE MAGNETO-MOTIVE ARTIFICIAL HEART SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of this invention is to provide a totally implantable artificial heart having a long lasting, reliable, space saving multipurpose pump, that by virtue of its novel construction serves also as its own motor and valve. The reliability and life expectancy of the magnetic pump is much higher than that of a conventional motor and pump. The magnetic pump functions without reduction gear, brushes, contacts, ballbearings, separate motor, etc., to mention only a few advantages. The magnetic pump is a bistable device staying in the on or off position without a holding current or mechanical holding force thereby functioning additionally as a valve. The pump motor is the pumping piston itself and is the one and only moving part. Upon electric triggering the pump starts immediately with full power. The cobalt rare-earth magnets and the coil are fully encased so that only the piston and the pumps cylinder come in contact with the pumped medium. The magnetic pump functioning without brushes, contacts, etc., and being fully encased can be operated in an explosive or highly inflammable medium as well as in a vacuum with absolute safety. The temperature in which it can be successfully operated ranges from absolute zero 270C to 750C. The operational durability of the magneto-motive pump depends to a high degree on the magnets used. Modern magnets of the cobalt with rare-earth element type such as the cobalt Samarium magnet which has a resistance to demagnetization that is to 50 times superior to conventional magnets of the Alnico type show great advantages as the following tabulation of properties indicates: Cobalt Samarium Magnets Magnetic Properties: Coersive force 9,000 Oersted The cobalt Samarium magnet-has been shown when exposed to a demagnetizing field H of 9000 Oersted to retain its full magnetic strength. In this invention the two magnets are facing with complimentary poles, thereby creating a circular, fully closed ring flux field with a coil set between them producing a mere few hundred Oersted field strength, and opposing only one magnet at a time while at the same time increasing the field strength of the other magnet. The activation of the coil produces a magnetic flux with the highest flux density within the piston. From the poles of the piston the flux enters the opposite poles of the magnet thus continually magnetizing one pole per piston stroke thereby holding the magnets at their magnetic saturation point and preventing possible degradation. A soft iron shield placed between coil and magnets (also 12) permits a flow of magnetic flux on the outside of the coil thus preventing the flux to enter the similarly poled magnet. Theoretically, should a field H of say 1000 Oersted temporarily demagnetize some magnetic domains, then it would readily be remagnetized as the field of 9000 Oersted plus the field of 1000 Oersted with an energy product of greater than 20 X 10 Gauss-Oersted again fully closes the circular ring flux field of the two magnets. In industry the cobalt-samarium magnets are used to focus Travelling Wave Tubes where fields of 9000 Oersted are always opposing. This should prove beyond doubt that a mere 1000 Oersted field cannot produce a degradation of field strength with time in this application. In the permanently implantable total artificial heart according to the invention the pump exhibits ideal suitability to closely duplicate the pumping action of a normal heart. Although it may be theorized that a mechanical heart pump must not necessarily have to function as a duplicate of the natural heart pump it does nevertheless solve a lot of problems to adhere respectfully to the modes of the naturally created pumping system. The pulsatile magneto-motive heart pump has been designed to duplicate the natural pumping modes of an actual heart very closely. It also consists of two atria and two ventricles of which both ventricles are simultaneously emptied while the atria are in the process of filling. Moreover a simple but very reliable one-directional valve system has been designed which together produce both the high and the low pressure periods (systolic and diastolic) as found in the natural hearts pumping action, thereby eliminating negative pressure states in both atria due to the suction action of the ventricles as found in designs omitting that principle. The check-valve system is designed to give a natural onedirectional pulsatile blood flow circulation and it responds similarly as the natural valve system to an increased blood pressure gradient which overcomes the magnetic force of attraction of the valve flaps thereby opening the valve. A reduction of the blood pressure gradient causes the valve to close and remain closed against an increased blood pressure gradient force in the opposite direction. Thus permitting a onedirectional blood flow circulation only. The valve flaps and the elastic diaphragm sacs are constructed not to come in contact with either the chamber walls nor with each other thereby preventing hemolysis. The atria are designed as large elastic blood reservoirs thus providing for rapid ventricular filling. The large atria are filled by venous pressure without the necessity of applying the negative pressure gradient. The atria are designed to counter any negative pressure gradient by collapsing slightly inward thus preventing the propagation of the negative pressure gradient to the ve nous system. The complete separation of right and left heart into two independent units reduces the surgical problems considerably. Each separate heart unit is individually controlled, thus permitting a more detailed imitation of the physiologic stroke characteristics. The pumping mode of the pistons is designed to act counter-directional to each other whereby generated torque forces aregreatly neutralized. The hearts are shown with a induction coil for transmission of electric energy through the patients chest and the battery for storage. Should a superior power source be used such as possibly the plutonium-238 isotope power source then of course there is no need for the coil and batteries. The hearts are designed to give the wearer a feeling of security and confidence for should a diaphragm (sac) rupture and the hydraulic fluid used be of a nature not harmful to the wearers system then the normal function of the heart would not be interrupted. The hydraulic fluid would slowly be replaced by the blood and a gradual hemolysis would occur. By employing a different colour marking fluid in each separate heart unit, say blue in one and green in the other, this would indicate in which heart unit a diaphragm rupture occurred. For the wearer there would be ample time to seek medical aid as with additional blood transfusions many days could be bridged without harmful effects. Unlike gas-driven heart pumps, air embolism cannot occur because there is no gas present. The primary advantages between the artificial heart using the pump constructed according to this invention and other constructions known from the prior art are simplicity, reliability, compactness and functional life expectancy. When compared with a natural heart the following characteristics become evident: induction coil and hydraulic fluid) Output 5 to litres/min Each side yes Aortic arterial pressure lZU-ISO mm Hg Yes Pulmonary arterial pressure -80 mm Hg Yes Pump rate o()l 20 beats/min Yes Diastole 0.5 see Yes Systole 0.3 see Yes Ventricular volume 120 ml Yes A further embodiment of the invention envisages heart design which bears such advantages as: one heart unit, less weight, lower power consumption, smaller volume, etc. But as all things in nature it is counterbalanced with the disadvantage namely that it pumps blood alternatingly into the pulmonary circulation and with the next stroke into the main circulatory system. Should this pumping mode not prove detrimental to the human organism then it should possibly be given priority. The embodiments disclosed are limited to two for reasons of brevity, but it should be noted that a number of different heart units may be designed within the scope of the present invention. The pulsatile magnetomotive pump, motor, valve used in the heart system has been successfully tested by the inventor over a period of almost three years. The novel construction of the closed ring flux field that continually magnetizes the permanent magnets and the application of the superior cobalt rare-earth magnets allowed this invention for the first time to become functionally possible. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding will be gained of the nature of the instant invention from a study of the following detailed description thereof taken with reference to the attached drawings wherein: FIGS. A-1 and A-2 show the Pulsatile Magneto- Motive Pump in action in the left heart of a Perma- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention functions due to the use of a novel construction of a magneto-motive pump, which also functions as its own magneto-motive motor and as a magneto-motive valve all these functions being incorporated into one unit to form a permanently implantable total artificial heart. The invention as may be seen from the drawings, includes two cobalt rare-earth per manent magnets (13) set at a distance apart so that the magnetic poles of one magnet face the magnet poles of the other magnet having opposite magnetic polarity thereby forming a closed ring flux field. The two magnets are rigidly mounted into a piston chamber which also serves as a magnetic sheild (8). At the magnets midsection an electro magnetic coil (12) encircles the inside of the piston chamber. A ferro-magnetic piston (11) slides between the magnets inside the coil with two guide blocks (14) containing linear bearings on two guiding rods (15). Compression springs (10) check the sliding motion. A dc pulse is provided which energizes the coil producing magnetic lines of force which are perpendicular to the poles of the permanent magnets. The highest flux density produced by the coil is concentrated within the ferro-magnetic piston whereby the piston becomes magnetically polarized. The piston is thereupon repelled by like poles and attracted by unlike poles of the permanent magnets. This action is reversed by a dc pulse of opposite polarity thus resulting in a reciprocating motion of the piston between the magnetic poles of the magnets respective to the alternating electric pulse frequency. The reciprocating motor motion of the piston between the magnets (13) is utilized by the introduction of a piston rod thus resulting in the formation of a Reciprocating Magneto-Motive Motor. .The reciprocating motor changes its function to a pump through the introduction of a hydraulic fluid. The piston now pumps hydraulic fluid in the reciprocation mode through the pump chamber. The introduction of a magnetic one-directional check valve system further results in the development of a one-directional pulsatile pumping action. The piston after completion of a stroke remains in a holding bistable position at the face of the magnets due to the magnetic force of attraction without the necessity of mechanical means or holding current until the subsequent dc pulse is applied. Additionally the introduction of a seal piston housing, a seal piston contact surface at the magnets face and substituting the piston with a valve sealing piston the pump functions as a Bistable Pulsatile Magneto- Motive Valve. FIGS. A-1 and A-2 represent therefore a Permanently Implantable Total Artificial Heart according to the instant invention comprising as two separate units the left and the right heart. According to one embodiment of the invention each heart unit has a magneto-motive pump, two elastic diaphragm sacs (1), one atrium chamber, one ventricle chamber, three magnetic one-directional valves and the encasing for the heart units. The pump forces hydraulic fluid (4) through two perforated parts of the pump cylinder (5) alternatively against the elastic diaphragm sacs (1 into the atrium and out of the ventricle chamber. The atrium diaphragm sac forces the blood through the magnetic one-directional ventrical inlet valve (2) into the ventrical (FIG. A-2). The next stroke fills the atrium through the magnetic one-directional oxygenated blood inlet valve from the pulmonary vein and the ventricle forces the blood through the magnetic one-directional oxygenated blood outlet valve into the aorta (FIG. A-l). The stroke characteristic is controlled individually or combined by a pace sensor (6) built into the partition (3) below the ventricle inlet valve and regulated by an electronic circuit (16) at the base of each heart unit. To complete the system an induction coil (7) for the transmission of electrical current through the wearers chest wall and batteries (9) for the storage thereof are included. FIG. 01 represents in an alternative embodiment of the invention a single heart unit where each chamber functions dually as atrium and ventricle alternatively and being separated completelyby a partition, the hearts septum. Four one-directional magnetic valves direct the blood flow. The pump corresponds to that shown in the embodiment according to FIGS. A-1 and A-2. FIG. B-2 represents a magnetic one-directional blood flow valve. Two valve flaps open under an increased given blood pressure gradient and close due to magnetic attraction when the blood pressure gradient reverses. The valve flaps are plastic and contain a permanent magnet (13) or soft iron piece which is magnetically attracted by a permanent magnet mounted rigidly inside the outer wall. The valve flaps are hinged and prevented from opening in the other direction by a stopper block and concussion spring The valve flaps and the inner wall are covered by an elastic diaphragm (I) preventing the blood from entering the magnetically shielded compartment. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed but to present such modifications as reasonably and properly come -within its scope and as might be suggested by one at least one ventricle chamber means disposed in the upper part of said casing and housing a magnetic one-directional outlet valve for permitting blood to flow therefrom; a semi-rigid chamber wall separating said atrium chamber means and said ventricle chamber means, said wall having a magnetic one-directional ventricle inlet valve to allow blood to flow from said atrium chamber means to said ventricle chamber means, said magnetic one-directional ventricle inlet valve, said magnetic one-directional outlet valve and said magnetic one-directional inlet valve forming a one-directional check valve system; a first elastic diaphragm sac separating said atrium chamber means from the lower part of said casing, said first elastic sac being expandable into'said atrium chamber means to substantially fill the space therein; 1 a second elastic diaphragm sac separating said ventricle chamber means from the lower part of said casing, said second elastic sac being expandable into said ventricle chamber means to substantially fill the space therein; pump chamber means rigidly disposed in the lower part of said casing; reciproating bistable electro-magnetic pumping means for generating a reciprocating pumping motion, having an hydraulic pumping medium and rigidly disposed in said pump chamber means; means permitting said reciprocating pumping means to alternatively pump said pumping medium into said first and second elastic diaphragm sacs to fill said sacs and cause expansion thereof into respective ones of said chamber means and thereby generate pulsatable motion in said artificial heart which forces blood, under the agency of said onedirectional check valve system, in a one-directional mode around said circulatory system. 2. An artificial heart as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pumping means comprises: at least two permanent magnets rigidly mounted in said pumping chamber means so that the poles of one magnet face the poles of the other at a given distance therebetween, said facing poles having opposite polarity thus forming a closed ring flux field that cannot be magnetized under a given operating condition; ferro-magnetic piston means reciprocably slidable between the poles of said permanent magnets; electromagnetic coil means rigidly disposed between said permanent magnets and operatively surrounding said ferromagnetic piston means; means for energizing said coil with an alternating dc pulse so that said coil generates an alternating electromagnetic flux field to cause said ferro-magnetic piston means to be continuously magnetically polarized in opposite directions and thereby execute said reciprocating pumping motion between said magnetic poles by being alternately repelled and attracted therebetween. 3. An artificial heart as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means permitting said pumping means to pump said pumping fluid into said first and second diaphragm sacs comprises perforations in the wall of said chamber means adjacent the separation of said atrium chamber means and said ventricle chamber means with the lower part of said casing. type. 5. A permanently implantable artificial heart for pumping blood around a circulatory system, said heart comprising: a casing having an upper part and a lower part; first and second chamber means disposed in said upper part, each chamber means capable of functioning both as an atrium and a ventricle; a chamber wall dividing said first and second chamber means and preventing communication therebetween; a first inlet and first outlet passage of said first chamber means, said first inlet passage having a first magnetic one-directional inlet valve and said first outlet passage having a first magnetic onedirectional outlet valve, said first inlet and first outlet valves allowing blood to flow into and out of said first chamber means respectively; a second inlet and second outlet passage of said second chamber means, said second inlet passage having a second magnetic one-directional inlet valve and said second outlet passage a first magnetic onedirectional outlet valve, said second inlet and said second outlet valves allowing blood to flow into and out of said second chamber means respectively; a first elastic diaphragm sac separating said first chamber means from the lower part of said casing, said first elastic sac being expandable into said first chamber means to substantially fill the space therein; a second elastic diaphragm sac separating said second chamber means from the lower part of said casing, said first elastic sac being expandable into said second chamber means to substantially fill the space therein, said first magnetic one-directional magnetic inlet and outlet valves forming a first onedirectional check valve system, and said second magnetic one-directional magnetic inlet and outlet valves forming a second one-directional check valve system of said artificial heart; pump chamber means rigidly disposed in the lower part of said casing; reciprocating bistable electro-magnetic pumping means for generating a reciprocating pumping motion rigidly disposed in said pump chamber means and having an hydraulic pumping medium and at least two permanent magnets rigidly mounted in said pump chamber means so that the poles of one magnet face the poles of the other at a given distance therebetween, said facing poles having opposite polarity thus forming a closed ring flux field that cannot be magnetized under a given operating condition; ferromagnetic piston means reciprocably slidable between the poles of said permanent magnets; electromagnetic coil means rigidly disposed between said permanent magnets and operatively surrounding said ferromagnetic piston means; means for energizing said coil with an alternating dc pulse so that said coil generates an alternating electromagnetic flux field to cause said ferromagnetic piston means to be continuously magnetically polarized in opposite directions and thereby execute said reciprocating pumping motion between said magnetic poles by being alternately repelled and attracted therebetween; means permitting said reciprocating pumping means to alternatively pump said pumping medium into said first and second elastic diaphragm sacs to fill said sacs and cause expansion thereof into respective ones of said first and second chamber means and thereby generate pulsatable motion in said artificial heart which forces blood, under the agency of said first and second one-directional check valve systems, in a one-directional mode around said circulatory system. 6. An artificial heart as claimed in claim 5 wherein 7. An artificial heart as claimed in claim 5 wherein said permanent magnets are of the cobalt rare-earth type. 8. A permanently implantable artificial heart for pumping blood around a circulatory system said heart comprising: a casing having an upper part and a lower part; at least two chamber means disposed in said upper part and having corresponding inlet and outlet passages for transporting blood to and from each of said chambers respectively so that as blood is entering one chamber it is simultaneously leaving the other; a one-directional check valve system disposed in said inlet and outlet passages for controlling and allowing the flow of blood in one direction through said heart and into said circulatory system; a first elastic diaphragm sac separating one of said two chamber means from the lower part of said casing, said first elastic diaphragm sac being expandable into said one of said chamber means to substantially fill the space therein; a second elastic diaphragm sac separating the other of said two chamber means from the lower part of said casing said second elastic diaphragm sac being expandable into said other of said two chamber means to substantially fill the space therein; reciprocating bistable electromagnetic pumping means for generating a reciprocating pumping motion rigidly disposed in the lower part of said casing, and having an hydraulic pumping medium; at least two permanent magnets rigidly mounted in said chamber means so that the poles of one magnet face the poles of the other at a given distance therebetween, said facing poles having opposite polarity thus forming a closed ring flux field that cannot be magnetized under a given operating condition; ferromagnetic piston means reciprocably slidable between the poles of said permanent magnets; electromagnetic coil means rigidly disposed between said permanent magnets and operatively surrounding said ferro-magnetic piston means; means for energizing said coil with an alternating dc pulse so that said coil generates an alternating electromagnetic flux field to cause said ferromagnetic piston means to be continuously magnetically polarized in opposite directions and thereby execute said reciprocating pumping motion between said magnetic poles by being alternately repelled l0 9. An artificial heart as claimed in claim 8 wherein said one-directional check valve system means comprises a plurality of magnetically operable onedirectional valves. 10. An artificial heart as claimed in claim 8 wherein said permanent magnets are of the cobalt rare-earth type.

US-3874003-A

Artificial hip joint

United States Patent 1191 Moser et al. Apr. 1, 1975 1 ARTIFICIAL HIP JOINT 3,102,536 9/1963 Rose et a1. 128/92 CA 3.320.951 5/1967 Wittebol 128/92 CA [751 lnvemorsl Hem Selzach; P" Karl, 3,584,318 6/1971 Scales et a1. 128/92 c Holderbank, both Of swltzerland 3,656,184 4/1972 Chambers 128/92 c 3,685,058 8/1972 T ronzo... 128/92 C [73] Assgnee' Selzach Solothum 3,744,061 7/1973 Frost 3/1 Sw1tzerland [22] Filed: Apr. 4, 1973 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-1.1. Yasko [2]] Appl' 347621 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Imirie, Smiley & Linn [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Apr. 6, 1972 Switzerland 4854/72 An artificial hip joint, wherein an artificial femur head is fixed in the femur and a socket having two pins is [52] US. Cl. 3/1, 128/92 C, 128/92 CA secured in the pelvis. The apparatus includes special [51] Int. Cl. A61F l/00 tools for fixing the socket in the pelvis in a proper po- [58] Field of Search....3/ 1; 128/92 C, 92 CA, 92 R, sition particularly determined by bores taking up said 128/92 BA, 92 BB, 83 pins, and the ball head may be located in different positions on a pin of the femur shank and is secured [56] References Cited from unintentional twisting once it is mounted thereon UNITED STATES PATENTS final p 2,719,522 10/1955 Hudack 128/92 CA 21 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 1 I975 EHL .llllll-llll-Illllll' ll/ 2 I I ARTIFICIAL HIP JOINT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns an artificial hip joint. The purpose of artificial hip joints is the replacement of natural hip joints in order to return freedom of movement to a person with a diseased hip joint. Artificial joints for the replacement of the hip joint are known. It should be noted that at first only the ball at the top of the femur was replaced. Only later were both parts of the hip joint replaced, that is to say, the socket in the pelvis and the ball at the top of the femur. Operations which require only the replacement of the ball of the joint were and still are today carried out using an artificial femur head. This artificial femur head has a shank for insertion into the medullar cavity of the femur, the shank being provided near one end with an enlargement having a bearing surface for abutting the upper surface of the femur and adjoining this, a pin for receiving the ball of the joint. Conventional artificial femur heads have a capitulum in contact with the acetabulum and a shank portion intended for insertion into the medullar cavity of the femur; a demountable joint being provided between the capitulum and the shank part. Another known embodiment comprises a rod-like portion and an enlarged portion and a ball head which is intended to be provided on the top of the remainder femur by a supporting surface and the center of the ball head is disposed externally of the longitudinal axis of the stem. The ball head is provided on a neck part and the plane through the center of the ball head and the supporting surface, viewed in the direction of the narrow side of the artificial joint to the center plane of the flat stem, subtends an angle, and that the supporting surface on the underside of the neck member, viewed in the direction of the wide side of the artificial joint, is arranged perpendicularly to the said plane through the middle of the ball head, whilst the lower rod-like part of the shank is approximately twice as long as its enlarged part. In conventional artificial joints, the ball is mounted on a cylindrical part. If, for any reason, the ball does not run freely in the socket, attrition occurs on account of the friction of the ball on the pin of the shank and is considerable because of the relatively small diameter of the pin leading rapidly to an unsteady connection. Furthermore, in a subsequent operation for replacing the artificial joint, there are often difficulties in extracting the rooted or cemented-in artificial joint, so that the operation takes a long time, a feature which has extremely harmful consequences on the patient. In addition to these artificial femur heads, total artificial hips are also known in which both parts of the joint, that is to say, both the ball and the socket, can be replaced. However, with such artificial joints difficulties arise which should not be neglected, since, due to the strong forces arising with the loading of the joints, the originally good joint surfaces become deformed or even damaged. The resultant bad qualities or frictional characteristics of the joint make movement difficult, causing pain and the surrounding tissues may, due to the resultant products of attrition, tend to produce corresponding reactions and this may lead to the artificial joints having to be replaced in a further operation. These disadvantages were avoided by the feature that different materials were used for the socket and the ball. Plastics materials were used for the sockets and metals for the balls. The metal heads were fixed into the previously prepared medullar cavity of the femur. Either the artificial femur shank had so-called windows for this purpose, through which it was possible for the bone to grow or a plain shank was cemented into the medullar cavity. Similarly,the plastics material socket was cemented into the pelvis. The outer radius of the plastics material socket, however, depends on the structure of the skeleton, just as its wall thickness depends on the loads to be expected. The consequence of this is that the inner radius and, therefore, the radius of the ball, are small, whereby, after a certain lapse of time the socket becomes worn out from friction, since the resultant forces exceed the resistance of the surface of the plastics material socket, and this naturally necessitates the replacement of the joint. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of conventional artificial femur heads. Another object of the present invention is to provide a total artificial hip joint having none of the disadvantages of conventional joints of this kind. A further object of the present invention is to provide a hip joint which can be adjusted to the given conditions of the skeleton. Yet another object of the present invention is to construct an artificial hip joint in which all the individual parts are inserted into the body in a predetermined position. A further object to be achieved by means of the present invention is to provide an artificial hip joint which can be easily and rapidly inserted. Another object of the present invention is to indicate a method of operating for inserting the artificial hip joint. These objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention, on the one hand, by an artificial hip joint, comprising an artificial femur head with a femur body and ball head and a joint socket, in which the ball head is located on a pin of the femur shank and is secured against unintentional twisting by means of pegs which engage in depressions in the collar of the femur shank, and the joint socket has two pins which determine and secure its position in the pelvis. A preferred embodiment of the artificial hip joint of the present invention is characterised in that the ball head has a ball neck extension on which the pegs are disposed. The most important advantages of the present invention reside in the feature that it is possible to comply within very wide limits with the given conditions of the skeleton, since it is possible to copy the direction of the bones, medially, laterally, posteriorly and anteriorly, so that the ball head is mounted on the pins of the artificial femur head in the appropriate corresponding position. Furthermore, the two pins of the socket are protected from small movements which could lead to subsequent loosening. The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a section through part of a skeleton with inserted artificial joints, the right hip joint being replaced by an artificial femur head and a left hip joint by a total artificial hip according to the present invennon; FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the artificial femur head with a mounted ball head of this invention; FIG. 3 is a plan view of the artificial femur shank shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a section through a joint socket of the pres ent invention; FIG. 5 is a plan view of the socket shown in FIG. 4; FIGS. 6a,b,c,d,e and fare side views of the present ball head in the normal, lateral and medial directions and plan views in the normal, anterior and posterior directions; FIG. 7 is an alternative embodiment of the upper part of an artificial femur shank with an alternative mounting of the ball head according to the present invention; FIG. 8 shows a view of a rasp used for shaping the medullar cavity in the femur shank; FIG. 8a shows a milling cutter associated with the rasp according to FIG. 8; FIG. 9 is a section through a socket inserting device with mounted socket; FIG. 10 is a section through a drill gauge for drilling two holes in the acetabulum, in which the pins of the joint socket engage; and FIG. 10a is a plan view of the drill gauge according to FIG. 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows a pelvis l3 and two femurs 14 and 15, in which shanks 16 and 17 of artificial femur heads are inserted'in the medullar cavities 56 and 57. The artificial femur heads are positioned on the surfaces 22 and 23 of the remaining part of the femurs by bearing surfaces 18 and 19 of collars 20 and 21. The left side of FIG. 1 shows a right hip joint in which a ball head 24 extends directly into the natural socket 25 of the joint and co-operates therewith. The right side of FIG. 1 shows a left hip joint which is replaced by a total artificial hip, since the natural socket is replaced by an artificial socket 26. FIGS. 2 and 3 shows in more detail how the artificial femur head is constructed. It should be noted that the length of the shank 16 can be adapted in accordance with the dimension of the skeleton and the forces involved. In order to protect the shank 16 from unintentionally sinking into the femur 14, the bearing surface 18 has been considerably enlarged on the medial side. Similarly, the lateral reinforcement 27 on the shank minimises twisting in the femur 14. The collar 20 is provided in its rear portion with a bore 28 serving to secure the possibly separated trochanter major in position again by means of an incercling. Alternatively, in the event of infection, an extracting device can be engaged in this bore. The collar 20 is provided with four depressions 29 on its side opposite to the shank 16 and the bearing surface 18, shown in plan in FIG. 3 and in a side elevation in FIG. 2. In order to receive the ball head 36, the artificial femur shank 16 has, at the point of intersection of the depressions 29, a tapered pin 30, the axis 58 of which normally forms an angle of 126 with the axis of the shank. The surface of the shank 16 is smooth or sand-blasted. FIGS. 4 and 5 show a hip socket 26 constructed in accordance with the present invention. Its shape, which is adapted as far as possible to that of the natural socket, is clearly shown. Two pins 31 and 32 are provided which accurately secure the socket 26 in holes in the acetabulum and, may be considered as a special feature. The two pins are each provided with a groove 34 through which excess cement can flow out during the cementing-in process. Radially extending ribs 33 also serve to secure the position of the socket 26 in the pelvis 13. Due to the fact that metal, such as a Cr-Co-Mo alloy, is used as socket material, and the ball head consists of plastics material, such as, polyethylene, the inner surface 35 of the socket 26 is not damaged in'any way by the use of the hip joint. Hence any replacement of the cemented-in socket 26, with all its disadvantages is completely unnecessary, except in the case of infections. FIG. 2 shows another ball head 36 with a symmetrical neck extension 64 and a bore 65 which is slipped on the taper pin 30 of the femur shank. In contrast to this, FIG. 7 shows a ball head 37 with an asymmetrical neck extension 66 and a decentred bore 67, the axis 68 of which subtends, with the center line 69 of the ball head 37, an angle of between 5 and 15. FIGS. 6a,b,c,d,e and f show the various basic directions of the axes of the hip joint which may be considered with the same artificial femur head, and also with a single total artificial hip without replacing any cemented-in artificial part. It is sufficient if the ball head 36, shown in FIG. 2, by means of which the normal direction shown in FIGS. 6a and 6d is achieved, is replaced by the ball head 37 shown in FIG. 7, a feature which can be realised without difficulty, since both ball heads 36 and 37 are simply slipped on the taper pin 30. The lateral direction, FIG. 6b, is obtained if the ball head 37 is slipped on the pin 30 so that the centre 61 of the ball is disposed above the axis 38 of the pin. However, the medial direction, FIG. 6c, is obtained if the same ball head 37 is slipped on the pin 30 so that the centre 61 of the ball is below the axis 58 of the pin. The anterior and posterior directions, in turn, are obtained with the same ball head 37 if the latter, as shown in FIGS. 6e and 6f, are slipped on the taper pin 30 sothat the centre 61 of the ball is disposed behind or in front of the axis 58 of the pin. These five basic directions are accurately determined by the position of the pegs 38 of the ball heads 36 and 37 and the position of the corresponding depressions 29 of the collar 30, into which they fit. The artificial femur shank 16, shown in FIG. 2 is cemented-in, as is the socket 26. However, as cementingin involves undesirable side effects, heat development with the setting of the cement, monomer separation and also longterm effects which have not yet been completely explained, is is a great advantage if the use of bone cement can be abandoned. However, in order to fix the artificial shank in position, it must be formed as shown in FIG. 7. The shank 16 is initially rasped approximately to the thickness A. When the shank is subsequently introduced into the medullar cavity 56 of the femur 14 (FIG. 1), the residual bone material is rasped away by the teeth 39 of the shank 40 so that this material collects in the depressions between the teeth 39, a feature which may lead to adhesion of the artificial femur shank. During the subsequent ossification the artificial shank then becomes firmly rooted in the femur. The rest of the construction of this artificial femur shank 40 corresponds in all other requirements to that according to FIGS. 2 and 3, since otherwise the replaceability of the individual ball heads would be placed in question. It will be easily seen that the artificial hip joint of the present invention, whether as an artificial femur head or as a total artififical hip joint, represents an artificial hip on a building block system, in which only the ball heads have to be replaced in order to obtain the most natural positions of the femur possible. It is obvious that extreme conditions of the bones can be further compensated by suitably adapted artificial femur shanks and sockets. In order to insert the artificial hip of the present invention as rapidly and as easily as possible, a few special instruments or tools are necessary, as will be apparent from the following description. For example, a rasp, as shown in FIG. 8, is required, comprising a rasp member 41 and a handle slipped and fixed on a pin. The medullar cavity 56 of the femur 14 is shaped with the rasp 41. This rasp 41 should preferably have the same dimensions as the artificial femur shank 16, or thickness A of the shank 40. After the initial rasping process, the handle is removed and the rasp 60 left in the medullar cavity so that the surface B is flush with the stump of the femur neck. The pin now projects above the bone. The stump of the femur neck is milled accurately plane using a milling cutter as shown in FIG. 80 by way of this pin, and the correct anglefor the bearing surface 18 of the artificial shank is also accurately obtained thereby. FIG. shows the drill gauge of the present invention for drilling the holes in the acetabulum. It has a spherical end 49, the shape of which approximately matches the shape of the socket part 26. After the introduction of the drill gauge in the initially milled acetabulum it is brought to the correct position (45 to the axis of the body and l020 anteversion) and fixed by means of the two small pins 52 and 53 which are axially displaceable and have points 62 and 63, which are hammered into the acetabulum. The depth of penetration of the pin is accurately determined by the stops 54, 55. The two holes for receiving the pins 21 and 22 of the socket 26 are drilled in the acetabulum in this position by a special spiral drill through the holes C in the drill gauge. The spiral drill is also provided with a stop so that the necessary drilling depth can be accurately observed. The position of the socket 26 is thus accurately determined. A socket inserting device 42, as shown in FIG. 9, may also be used with advantage, this device having a spherical end 43 of the shape of the inner surface 35 of the socket 26, or, in the form of the ball head 24, on which end 43 the socket 26 can be clamped. This is effected by means of an elastic holder 44 slipped over an edge 45 of the socket 26. As soon as the socket 26, the outside of which is filled with cement between the ribs 33 before the insertion in the pelvis 13, is in its final position, determined by the two bores in the acetabulum, the handle 46 is pressed in the direction of the pelvis or towards the end 43, so that the socket 26 is pressed firmly into the acetabulum, the result of which is that the two pins 31 and 32 engage in the prepared holes in the acetabulum. A part 48 is then drawn towards the handle 46 against the bias of a spring 47. Thus the holder 44 is removed from the end 43 so that it releases the edge 45 of the socket 46. The socket 26 is thus inserted in the pelvis and the inserting device can be withdrawn. After the shank 16 or 40 of the artificial femur head is cemented in the medullar cavity 52 or pressed therein, the ball head 36 or 37, selected and positioned according to the condition of the skeleton, can be slipped on the taper pin 30. The actual insertion of the artificial hip joint is thus completed. The fact that none of the cemented-in or grown-in parts is subjected to wear, has proved to be extremely advantageous if for any reason the ball head has to be replaced, since a small operative opening is sufficient for removing the ball head from the taper pin of the artificial femur and mounting a new one. It is obvious that alterations may be made to the artificial hip itself, to the method of operation and the set of instruments used for the purpose without departing from the scope of the present invention. What we claim is: 1. An artificial hip joint, comprising an artificial femur head having a femur shank and ball head mounted thereon, and a socket, said femur shank having a support pin projecting from an upper end thereof and a collar about the base of said pin, said ball head having a bore which is disposed on said pin of the femur shank and is secured from unintentional twisting by pegs projecting axially at a face of the ball head for cooperative engagement with depressions in said collar of the femur shank, said bore of the ball head having an axis offset from a diameter line of the ball head, whereby said ball head may be disposed on said pin and fixed by said pegs and'depressions in various relative angular positions for selection of various positions of said ball head relatively to said femur shank. 2. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the ball head has a neck extension on which the pegs are disposed. 3. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the ball head has a bore, the axis of which is offset between 5 and 15 from a diameter line. 4. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the ball head has four axially projecting pegs arranged cross-wise. 5. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the artificial femur shank has at least approximately smooth surfaces. 6. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the shank has annular teeth. 7. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the collar has a bore in its rear portion. 8. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the collar has four depressions arranged crosswise at whose point of intersection said pin is disposed and is tapered. 9. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the axis of the shaft and the axis of the pin subtend an angle of 126. 10. Anartificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the neck of the ball head is symmetrical. 11. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the ball head has an asymmetrical neck. 12. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the femur shank is curved and the rear part of its upper end is provided with a reinforcement. 13. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the ball head consists of plastics material. 14. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the shank consists of Co Cr Mo alloy. 15. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the femur shank is sand-blasted. 16. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the socket has two pins. 17. An artificial hip joint as claimed in claim 1, in which the socket is provided on its outer surface with which the socket consists of a Co-Cr-Mo alloy.

US-3874004-A

Symes ankle joint

United States Patent May Apr. 1, 1975 i 1 SYMES ANKLE JOINT 975.439 11/1910 Lawrence .1 3/32 l.l02,774 7/l9l4 M t' h k 3 34 [751 Memo" 5:"? kdonald 1.323,444 12/1919 t 333 g an [73] Assignee: J. E. Hanger & Company Limited, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATONS L d E l d 325,333 9/!920 Germany 4. 3/6 455,64l 2/1928 Germany 3/6 [22] Filed; May 28, 1974 [2]] Appl. No: 474,064 Primary E.\'aminerRonald L. Frinks Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Imirie, Smiley & Linn [30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 31 @973 United Kingdom 1. 25978/73 [57} ABSTRACT [52] U5. CL I I I I H 3/33 3/7 The invention provides an artificial ankle joint partic- {511 lm. CL ularly suitable for patients who have undergone the [58] Field ofgearch 3/3045 Symes amputation. An effective ankle pivot center is provided at substantially the natural position by the use of a pair of links pivoted to points on the metal {56] References Ci'ed sole plate of an artificial foot and points. spaced UNITED STATES PATENTS nearer together, on a stump socket 487,697 l2/l892 Ehle 3/33 7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures QJEHTED APR 1 I975 SHEET 1 BF 2 PATENTEI] APR 1 i975 swear} 1 SYMES ANKLE JOINT This invention concerns improvements in artificial ankle joints. It is particularly but not exclusively directed to the provision of joints suitable for patients who have undergone the Symes amputation (disarticulation of the ankle); the joints also lend themselves to use with mono-tubular of skeletal modular legs and can accommodate appreciably longer below the knee stumps. The Syrnes amputation results in a functionally good stump because the end of the stump is capable of taking the full weight of the patient. Prosthetic replacement, however. is difficult because of the small ground clearance. This is the distance between the end of the stump and the ground when the patient is standing level, and may be as little as one inch. The patient has good control of the hip and knee, as these musculatures are not affected by this type of amputation. therefore patients are usually very active and require a robust device. Devices in accordance with the invention make provision for an ankle joint to be supplied within the space of 1 inch from the base of the stump. According to the invention we provide an artificial ankle joint comprising a metal sole plate within an artificial foot. the said sole plate carrying pivot bearings for a posterior upwardly and forwardly sloped swinging link and an anterior upwardly and rearwardly sloped swinging link. the said links being pivoted at their upper ends to posterior and and anterior lugs forming part of patient weight-bearing structure. and a pre-compressed resilient stress-relieving control block located between the sole plate and the weight-bearing structure. The weight-bearing structure may be a stump socket or a plate fitted to the lower end of a modular leg. In either case its base may have a ground clearance of less than 30mm. The swinging links may have an effective length less than 2()mm., the pivot bearings on the sole plate may have centres a little over lOOmm apart. while the lugs on the weight-bearing structure may provide pivot centres somewhat less than 80mm apart. The locus of instantaneous centres of rotation of the joint. that is the points of intersection of the extended axes of the two links. forms an inverted hyperbola which passes through the two lower pivot centres and the effective ankle pivot at zero deflection. The locus of the effective ankle pivot moves only about one-eighth inch over the range of Plant-aflexion to l2- doriflexion. This enables the effective ankle centre to be approximately I/4 inches up inside the stump (i.e. approximately at the level of the lateral maleolus. the natural ankle level). At full dorsiflexion the instantaneous centre is back at the rear lower pivot and at full plantafexion it is in front at the forward lower pivot. The effective lever distances to the control rubber are great (compared with single axis ankle joints), the rubber loadings being thus relieved and reducing the stresses in the unit. Two constructional forms of ankle joint are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which; FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a joint suitable for a disarticulated ankle, and FIG. 2 is a vertical section through a joint suitable for use with a modular leg. In FIG. 1 the metal sole plate 1 carries posterior pivot bearing 2 and an anterior pivot bearing 3 carrying swinging links 4A and 48 respectively. A stump socket 5 carries posterior and anterior lugs to which the upper ends oflinks 4A and 4B are pivoted. A rubber block 6 is bonded to the plate 1 and is precompressed to bear against the base of the socket 5. A balata toe spring assembly 7 is secured to the forward part of the plate 1 and a foamed plastic foot is moulded around the whole. The locus of the instantaneous centres of rotation is indicated by the broken line 8. In FIG. 2 like references denote like parts to those of FIG. 1. In the illustrated joint the stump socket 5 has been replaced by the modular leg fitting 10. The fitting 11, shown in broken lines, is in the position requisite for attachment to a conventional ankle joint and demonstrates that a modular leg tube more than 2 inches longer can be accommodated by use of the linkage joint of the invention. It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the details of the preferred form which has been described by way ofexample which can be modified without departure from the broad ideas underlying them. I claim: 1. An artificial ankle joint comprising a metal sole plate within an artificial foot, the said sole plate carrying pivot bearings for a posterior upwardly and forwardly sloped swinging link and an anterior upwardly and rearwardly sloped swinging link. the said links being pivoted at their upper ends to posterior and an anterior lugs forming part of patient weight-bearing structure, and a pre-compressed resilient stressrelieving control block located between the sole plate and the weight-bearing structure. 2. An artificial ankle joint according to claim 1 in which the weight-bearing structure is a stump socket. 3. An artificial ankle joint according to claim I, in which the weight-bearing structure is a plate fitted to the lower end of a modular artificial leg. 4. An artificial ankle joint according to claim 1, in which the instantaneous centres of rotation of the joint, namely the intersection points of the axes of the two links, forms an inverted hyperbola which passes through the two lower pivot centres and through the locus of the effective ankle pivot at zero deflection of the joint. 5. An artificial ankle joint according to claim 1, in which the length of each link is less than 30 mm. 6. An artificial ankle joint according to claim 1, in which the pivot bearings on the sole plate are more than 100 mm apart. 7. An artificial ankle joint according to claim I, in which the lugs on the weight-bearing structure are less than mm apart.

US-3874005-A

Child{3 s safety playpen for use in water

1 1 CHILDS SAFETY PLAYPEN FOR USE IN WATER Primary ExaminerTrygve M. Blix Assistant E.\'aminerGalen L. Barefoot [76] Inventor g fi' 23%? g ggi i Attorney, Agent, or FirnzPugh & Laiche Lake Charles, La. 70601 22 F1 d: A l 197 1 3 57 ABSTRACT [21] App]. No.: 387,969 The present invention pertains to a novel swimming [52] U S Cl 4/171 9/400 pool playpen means comprising a foraminous enclo- [511 In} .Cl Eoih 3/19 Sure adapted for Suspension in a y of water Such [58] Fie'ld 5/93 R that its bottom portion can be operably positioned a R 0 5 31 135/16 pre-determined relatively shallow depth beneath the surface of the water. One preferred embodiment in- [56] References Cited cludes adjustable support means for resting the playpen upon the water bottom and an another preferred UNITED STATES PATENTS embodiment is directed to flotation means operably 208,360 9/1878 Bamber 4/171 connected [0 the playpen for suspending it within 3 1954-505 2/1913 91 4/171 body of water and whereby it can be conveniently regg f located with very little effort. The enclosure portion of 1 1959 zt i 4 R the present swimming pool playpen is preferably con- 5 g 3/1962 Boyd 4/171 structed of a rigid tubular frame over which a forami- 3.309.7|9 3/1967 Bader ct a1 a 5/93 R x "0118 materlal 15 mounted- 3 351,323 11/1967 Spencer 256/ 5 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 6 Clam, 9 D'awmg Fgms 209,196 10/1959 Austria |9 (7| 1 1 1 1 1 I ting, ktjgli 1 1 1 t 38 if I I2 'VE/t5: 21 :1 1 -:-:"==:=E-:-:-:-'-:-: 5 5? I I :11 I I i: 1 I fl :f ,i I 31 t I: lo- 20 P ll -i 33 v .1 CI-IILDS SAFETY PLAYPEN FOR USE IN WATER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to those arts concerned with an infant's playpen. More particularly, the present invention provides a unique playpen for use in water, both for the protection of young children as well as for their amusement. In attending a small child or an infant in a swimming pool or the water. there is a constant threat of the child drowning for many different reasons. This problem magnifies itself when the attendant of the child is also engaged in swimming. Should the attendant stray into deeper water. the child may attempt to follow the attendant into the deeper water since such would be a natural act of a child. On such situations. it is convenient to be able to take the child into deeper waters whereby both the attendant and the child can simultaneously enjoy the water. There are numerous non-sinkable or buoyant devices sold today for supporting children in the water whereby they need not be constantly held in an attendants hands. Typical of such devices are those as disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. l,764.852; 2,562.080; 3,074,084; and 3,161,897. A common problem of such devices is that children quite often are able to move about too freely whereby they either crawl or fall out of the devices. In any event. since the child is not restrained therein and if the child separates himself in some manner or means. he will be exposed to drowning. The present invention overcomes these and other related prior art problems by providing a playpen adaptable for use in a swimming pool or water whereby the depth of water within the playpen can be easily regulated without very much effort. As is well known. playpen structures similar in structure to those used in the present invention are relatively light weight and portable, and can be manually moved about. Among the advantages and features of the present invention is the fact that it is virtually impossible for a child to become separated from the present playpen and be placed in the jeopardy of drowning. These and other unique advantages and features of the present invention will become evident in light of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I in the drawings is a side elevational view of one preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 in the drawings depicts a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with a partial cutaway portion showing certain details of the bottom support of the present playpen. FIG. 3 in the drawings depicts another preferred embodiment of the present invention with a partial cutaway portion showing certain details of the flotation collar which supports the playpen in a body of water. FIG. 4 of the drawings is an isolated plan view of adjustable means for varying the elevation of the playpen bottom. FIG. 5 is an isolated sectional view of the adjustable support means of FIG. 4 taken along the section line 5- 5. FIG. 6 in the drawing depicts a plan view of the floatation collar shown encircling the playpen embodiment of FIG. 3. FIG. 7 represents a side elevation view of the collar shown in plan of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 in the drawing depicts a cross-sectional elevation view taken diagonally across one corner of the floatation collar along the line 88 of FIG. 6 of the drawings. FIG. 9 in the drawing illustrates an isometric view of support means for supporting an umbrella upon the playpen bottom which is shown in a partial cut-away portion. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the present playpen l0 illustrated therein is shown as being adapted for resting upon the bottom 11 of swimming pool. For simplicity of design as well as ease of manufacture and maintenance, the structural support members which together form the basic structural skeleton or support frame of the present device are perferably tubular members constructed of a rust resistant material. such as aluminum. chromium plated steel so as to be water compatible or galvanized steel. The vertically oriented members l2, l3, l4 and 15 are spaced apart in an operable relationship so as to preferably define a square floor plan. The top ends of these members in turn are connected together by the top cross members l6, 17. I8 and 19 which are preferably rigidly affixed to their respective vertical stanchions by suitable means, such as by welding or the like. The stanchions 12, 13, 14 and 15 are also connected together along their bottom portion by the lower cross support members 20 as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The drawings illustrate only a side elevation view of the lower cross support members 20 and hence, those members connecting the stanchions l2 and l3, l3 and 14, and I4 and 15 are not illustrated. The lower cross support members 20 are also suitably affixed to their respective stanchions, such as by welding. The present playpen 10 is provided with the platform support member or means 21 for supporting an infant within the enclosure defined by the stanchions l2, l3, l4 and I5 and the top cross support members 16, 17, 18 and 19 which form playpen wall enclosure means. The platform 21 is preferably a foraminous rigid memher, being provided with the holes 37, capable of supporting an infant of average weight and age for which the present playpen would be designed as desired. As illustrated, particularly in FIG. 2, the holes 37 are located across the width and breadth of the playpen 21. Use of a foraminous platform also reduces the weight of that member which is especially designed when employing heavier materials of construction. such as galvanized steel. The platform 21 is constructed and arranged relative to its supporting superstructure whereby its elevation can be raised or lowered by variable support means. This is accomplished by provision of the adjustable toggle support pin means 22 which, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, are operably designed to bayonnet within selected ones of the series of support holes 23 provided in each of the respective stanchions 12, l3, l4 and 15 as shown in detail in FIG. 5. As can be seen in the figres, the support holes 23 extend along a substantial :ngth of the stanchions. The toggle support pin 22 further comprises the eye- -t portion 24 which is designed such that an operator 1n readily grab the pin for removal and insertion ithin the holes 23. The eyelet portion 24 is connected the elongated shank portion which is of a diame- :r such that it will fit snugly without interference ithin the holes 23. The toggle pin 22 is also provided ith the toggle retainer member 26 which is pivotably Jnnected to the shank portion 25 of the pin 22 by virre ofa connecting pin 27. The shank portion 25 is pro- ;ded with a vertical slot traversing its end wherein the )ggle retainer 26 is suspended by virtue of the pin 27. The support platform 21 is preferably provided with re groove 28 in each of its corners adapted to mate ith the outer periperal surface of a respective support anchion as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings illustrated ith regard, for instance. to the stanchion 14. Each arner of the platform 21 is also preferably provided ith the pin retaining collar 29 which is affixed to the ottom of the support 21 at each of its corners. The nllars 29 are oriented as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawlgs such that the toggle support pin 22 can be bayoneted through a hole 23 provided in the stanchion l4 well as through the collar 29 to thereby safely secure ;1Cl'l corner ofthe platform 21 to its respective support .anchion. In such an operation, the pin 22 is first armged whereby the toggle retainer 26 is positioned es- :ntially parallel to that of the shank portion 25 which accomplished by supporting the pin 22 such that the lane defined by its bottom portion 24 is essentially arallel to the ground. After insertion of the pin trough the respective hole 23 and the collar 29, it is ten twisted 90 whereby the toggle retainer member 6 pivots downwards due to gravity and assumes a posion essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of ie shank portion 25 thereby providing a means of ifety for preventing the pin 22 from vibrating or being :cidentally knocked out of the collar 29 which would llow the platform 21 to drop lower in the water endanering the life of the infant within the enclosure. The superstructure defined by the stanchion 12, 13, 4 and 15, and the connecting cross members 16, 17, 8. l9 and 20 are covered with the foraminous material 8 which is preferrably rust resistant and thereby water ompatible to thereby withstand the environment, and an be made of materials such as a nylon mesh, galvaized wiring, or the like. The material 38 is stretched ver the vertical sides of the super-structure so as to dene an enclosed column or walled enclosure wherein ie elevation ofthe foraminous platform 21 can be reglated as desired. The holes 23 are positioned between 1e top cross supports 16, 17, 18 and 19 and the lower ross supports 20 over which the mesh 38 expands so rat the child 31 is confined regardless of the elevation t which the platform 21 is set. The number of the holes 3 and the spacing of the cross support members can e varied a substantial amount as desired, primarily deending upon the depth of water in which the present laypen is to be utilized which would be generally ithin a water depth of 3 to 4 feet. In any event, taking no consideration these design parameters, the depth fthe water level 30 to which the infant 31 is immersed an be easily controlled depending upon the capabilies of the infant to handle himself in water. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the present playpen 10 is rigidly affixed to the support stand 32. The stand 32 further comprise a swivelmounted foot member 33 which in turn is operably connected to the sleeve portion 34. The sleeve member 34 is of a diameter sufficient to receive the lower portion of the respective stanchion which accordingly telescopes therein. The lower portion of each of these stanchions 12, 13, 14 and 15 are also provided with a series of holes or apertures 35, as well as the sleeve portion 34 of stantion 32, the holes in both of these members being spaced apart such that they are in alignment when the members are operably fitted together. The toggle support pins 36, similar to the toggle pins 22, are provided for attaching the stand 32 to a respective support stanchion. This is operably accomplished in a manner functionally equivalent to the manner by which the pins 22 support the platform 21 in operable position, with however, the pins 36 being of shorter length. By virtue of the fact that the foot members 33 are swivel-mounted, the present playpen 10 can be readily mounted upon the inclined surface 11, the differences in elevations between the pair of stanchion 12 and 13, and 14 and 15 being taken into consideration by adjusting the depth of penetration of the bottom portion of the respective stanchion within the sleeve member 34 of a given stand 32, for example, as illustrated in the side elevational view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 of the drawings illustrates another preferred embodiment of the present invention whereby the playpen 10 can be readily relocated and/or floated at random in a pool without the necessity of it having to be supported upon the floor of the pool. This is accomplished by a provision of the floatation collar 40 which can comprise any suitable buoyant means, such as a hollow container, expanded cellular polystyrene, or the like. As shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the floatation collar 40 is of a shape sufficient to fit around and preferably encircle the present playpen 10. As shown in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, in regard to the preferred floatation collar design depicted therein, the collar 40 is provided with the sleeve members or bushings 41 which telescopes through the collar 40 along a diagonal center line (see FIG. 6), being mounted essentially on equal distance along its height as shown in FIG. 7. The structural relationship is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 8 (which is a sectional elevation view taken from the line 8-8 of FIG. 6) which shows the sleeve support member 41 extending through the expanding cellular polystyrene floatation collar 40 by virtue of the hole 42 being provided therethrough. The preferred collar design shown in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7 of the drawings can be attached in any convenient manner to the playpen 10 such as, for example, by virtue of the toggle support pins 43 (FIG. 3). The support pins 43 are identical in structure to that of the pin 22 and 36, except, however, being of sufficient length to completely bayonnet through the aperture 44 of the collar bushing 41 and through the respective corner stanchion by virture of the holes 45 provided therein, the pins 43 being designed to accomplish the same safety aspects of the pins 22 and 36. The support stanchions 12, 13, 14 and 15 are preferably provided with a multitude of the holes 45 whereby the elevation of the collar 40 can be selected to achieve the operating conditions designed by the user. For example, the playpen can be made to sit at its maximum height out of the water by locating the platform 21 at its lowermost position and the depth of water within the playpen selected and fixed by virtue of adjusting the elevation of the floatation collar 40. Conversely. the playpen can be allowed to float at its lowest level by locating the floatation collar as its maximum height via adjustment with the pins 43, and the depth of water within the playpen can be determined by adjusting the elevation of the platform 21. This adjustable relationship between the platform 21 level and floatation collar 40 provides. among other things. a means for controlling the depth of the corner stanchions so as to prevent their contact with the floor 11 of the pool. The present swimming pool playpen means can be conveniently provided with the umbrella support stanchion 46, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings in combination with the phantom-lined umbrella 47 and in more detail in H6. 9 of the drawings. Referring to the latter figure. the umbrella stand 46 further comprises the sleeve portion 48 which is adapted to receive the support shaft 49 of the umbrella 47 which bayonnets therein. The support sleeve 48 in turn is rigidly affixed to the flange 50 which is supported upon and bolted to the support platform 21 by virtue of the bolt holes 51 provided in the flange 50, the bolts 52 then projecting therethrough and through the holes 53 provided in the platform 21, rigidly bolting the umbrella stand 46 to the platform 21 by virtue of the wingnuts 54. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various modifications and/or changes in the basic design of the present invention can be made without departing from its true scope and spirit. For example. the present playpen means need not be made of a square design. but rather can be circular. or for that matter. of any shape. Moreover. the tubular superstructure described supra need not be employed. but rather. an integral structure may be employed. that is. various members. including the foraminous sides of the present playpen can be cast in one single structure. Moreover. the expanded cellular polystyrene floatation collar need not be formed in a continuous member. but rather. can be formed in separate components and operably affixed to the playpen at any convenient point of attachment. for example. beneath the platform 21. It will also be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the materials of the construction of the present playpen as described in detail above can also be varied without departing from the basic objectives of the present invention. For example. the floatation collar need not be fabricated from expanded cellular polystyrene, but rather. could be a hollow tank or similar structure. Moreover. the structural components of the present invention can be made not only of rust resistant steel. but various plastic materials, such as polyvinyl chloride, or the like can be employed. The mesh or enclosure screen when not made integral with the present playpen. can be any suitable material other than nylon, for example a polyester. or the like. Accordingly. not wishing to be bound by the specific details of the above described structure and materials for construction. but rather. what I consider as the full scope and spirit of my present invention is that as set forth in the appended claims. I claim: l. A playpen for providing a safe play environment for a small child or infant in water of significant depth comprising: 1 a water compatible, relatively lightweight. portable playpen enclosure structure defining an enclosure of substantial size sufficient to allow a small child or infant to freely move around therein. said playpen enclosure structure beiitg provided with members having openings therein which allow water to flow into the enclosure. said playpen enclosure structure including a. a basic playpen support frame. b. playpen platform means supported on said basic support frame for supporting the small child or infant within said enclosure during play in the water. said platform means being rigid; c. playpen wall enclosure means carried by said basic support frame around said platform means for restricting the small child or infant to said platform means; d. playpen leg support means connected to said basic frame for supporting said basic frame on the water bottom. said playpen leg support means being independently adjustable in length to permit the positioning of said playpen support frame on a sloping water bottom. said playpen leg support means further comprise swivel base portions whereby said playpen leg support means are self leveling and thereby conform to an uneven water bottom; and e. variable support means connected within said plat form, said basic frame and said leg means for allowing variation of the vertical position of said platform means with respect to the bottom of said leg means by a substantial amount at least of the order of several feet; whereby. when the playpen is placed in the water so that the bottom of said leg means rests on the water bottom and the vertical level of said platform means is located by using said variable support means at least near the surface of the water and water flows into the enclosure. a small child or infant placed in the enclosure can safely play and move around in the water. 2. The playpen of claim 1 wherein said basic support frame includes a series of vertically oriented stanchions having a series of support holes placed along a substantial length thereof. and said variable support means includes a set of pin means connected to said platform means for inserting into selected ones of said support holes to support said platform means at the level determined by the selected support holes. 3. The playpen of claim 1 wherein said playpen wall enclosure means is fixed with respect to said basic support frame and projects down past the lowermost vertical position of said platform means to define an enclosure column within which the vertical position of the platform means can be varied. 4. The playpen of claim 1 wherein said playpen leg support means themselves further includes telescoping sections which permit variability of their length and hence the height of the playpen independently of any variation provided by said variable support means. 5. The playpen of claim 1 further characterized in that said playpen wall enclosure means is further defined as comprising a tubular frame assembly having a foraminous mesh material stretched over its sides. 6. The playpen of claim 1 further characterized as comprising canopy support means operably attached to said basic support frame for supporting a canopy extending over said playpen enclosure structure.

US-3874006-A

Organic compost collector for sink drain system

United States Patent Ritter [451 Apr. 1, 1975 1 ORGANIC COMPOST COLLECTOR FOR SINK DRAIN SYSTEM [76] Inventor: Ann Lance Ritter, 1001 Balmoral Dr., Nashville, Tenn. 37220 [22] Filed: Mar. 4, 1974 211 Appl. No.: 447,841 [52] US. Cl. 4/189, 4/287 [51] Int. Cl. E03c 1/18, E030 1/26, A47k 1/14 [58] Field Of Search 4/166, 167, 187 R, 189, [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.1 3,544 10/1914 Barker 4/286 2.512.867 6/1950 Marcussen 4/287 3,274,622 9/1966 Venison et a1 4/287 Primary [hummer-Leonard D. Christian .-1I!0rney, Agent, or Firm-Harrington A. Lackey i [57] 5 ABSTRACT An organic compost collector adapted to be removably installed in a sink drain system, including a housing having an inlet in fluid communication with the sink drain outlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the drain pipe. A screen member is mounted within the housing to blockthe flow of solid waste matter and to permit the flow of liquid through the outlet opening of the housing, thereby retaining and collecting within the housing the solid waste material discharged through the sink drain outlet. A feature of some of the modifications is the inclusion of a by-pass conduit between the sink drain outlet and the drain pipe, and a valve adapted to selectively divert effluent through the housing or through the by-pass conduit. Some modifications of the device are adapted to be detachably connected directly to the sink drain outlet, and others are adapted to be connected to the outlet of a food disposer mounted beneath and in fluid communication with the sink drain outlet. 13 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures AIENTEBAPR T1975v SHLU 1 UP 3 PATENTEU 1 I975 SHEET 2 BF 3 I III- PATEMEMPR 11215 3.874.006 sum 3 or 3 ORGANIC COMPOST COLLECTOR FOR SINK DRAIN SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an organic compost collector. and more particularly to an organic compost collector for a sink drain system. Heretofore. organic waste matter from foods was customarily deposited in garbage receptacles of various types and removed from both domestic and commercial establishments by means of municipal and private garbage collection trucks and delivered to incinerators, land fills, large bodies of water or pig farms. More recently. food waste matter is washed down the kitchen or utility sink where it is ground up into fine particles by an automatic waste disposer and the ground particles flushed down the drain pipe to the sewer or septic tank. In either of the above systems of disposing of food waste, the inherent value of the food waste material as an organic fertilizer is not utilized. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an organic compost collector particularly adapted for installation in a sink drain system, which will perform the double function of not only disposing of food waste matter, but also collecting the food waste matter for subsequent use as a compost or organic fertilizer. The compost collector made in accordance with this invention includes a solid-wall receptacle or housing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. Appropriate fittings or connectors are provided for detachably connecting the inlet opening in fluid communication with the drain outlet of the sink. In a similar manner, appropriate fittings or connectors are provided for detachably connecting the outlet opening of the housing in fluid communication with the drain pipe. Within the housing is a screen member which may take various forms for permitting the free passage of water and other fluids, yet blocking solid waste materials above a predetermined size from passage through the outlet opening in order to retain the solid waste matter within the housing. A preferred form of screen member is a screen basket or container mounted within the housing so that its walls are slightly spaced from the walls of the housing in order to collect the maximum amount of food waste material within the housing, yet to freely permit the water to drain from the housing. Some modifications of the collector are adapted for connection to the outlet of a food disposer. All the modifications of the collector are adapted so that they have fluid-tight connections when installed in communication with the drain pipe in the sink, yet are easily removable from the drain system for emptying their contents. Preferably, means are provided for blocking the passage of fluid through the sink drain outlet when the collector is removed from the drain system. In one form ofsuch apparatus, a fluid by-pass conduit is connected between the sink drain outlet and the drain pipe to bypass the compost collector. A manually operated valve permits selective passage of the fluid from the sink either through the by-pass conduit or through the compost collector housing. In one form of the invention, the outlet from the housing is provided with a self-closing valve when detached from the drain pipe, but which is actuated by engagement with the drain pipe when reconnected to the housing outlet to automatically open the outlet valve. In a simplified version of the collector, a biasing mechanism is provided for squeezing the collector housing between the bottom of the sink and the drain pipe so that the sink drain outlet, collector housing and drain pipe, are all in tight fluid communication, and yet the collector housing is readily removable by relieving the squeezing action of the drain pipe and the sink upon the collector housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation illustrating one form of the collector housing installed in a sink drain system; FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the collector housing illustrated in FIGS. 13; I FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the housing outlet conduit disconnected from-the drain plpe; FIG. 6 is a side elevation, with portions broken away and partially shown in section, of a first modification of the compost collectort FIG. 7 is a fragmentary end elevation of the support member for the drain pipe disclosed in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a side elevation of a second modification of the compost collector installed in a sink drain system including a food disposer; FIG. 9 is a section taken along the line 99 of FIG. 8, with portions broken away; FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation of a third modification of the compost collector installed in a drain system, including a sink drain system including a food disposer; FIG. 11 is a section taken along the line llll of FIG. 10, with portions broken away; and FIG. 12 is a fragmentary section taken along the line l2l2 of FIG. 11. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to-FIGS. l 5, the organic compost collector 10 is disclosed installed in a drain system 11 for a sink 12. The drain system 11 includes a sink drain outlet or opening 13 from which depends the drain outlet conduit 14, which is in communication with the compost collector 10. The effluent from the compost collector l0 discharges through drain discharge pipe 15 and trap 16 to the main drain pipe 17 having a vent 18. In this particular modification, the drain system 11 includes a by-pass conduit 20, the upper end of which is in fluid communication with the drain outlet conduit 14 and the lower portion of which merges into the trap 16 and is joined to the discharge drain pipe 15. The compost collector 10 includes a solid-wall housing or receptacle comprising a bottom housing section 22 and a top section or cap 23. The cap 23 is detach ably secured to the bottom housing section 22 by any convenient structure. As best disclosed in FIGS. 1-4, the cap 23 is provided with circumferentially spaced channels 24, opening radially inward, to slidably en gage slotted peripheral flanges 25. When the cap 23 is rotated to a position in which the channels 24 vertically register with the slots 26 in the circumferential flange 25, then the cap 23 may be disengaged from the housing section 22. By slight rotation of the cap 23 when the channels 24 are circumferentially aligned with the flanges 25, the channels 24 are moved out of registry with the slots 26 to slidably receive the flanges 25, thereby locking the cap 23 in firm engagement with the bottom housing section 22. A fluid-type seal between the cap 23 and the bottom wall section 22 is provided by the O-ring 27 (FIG. 2). An inlet opening or hole 30 is formed in the top wall of the cap 23 for registry with the drain outlet conduit 14. Projecting laterally from the lower portion of the bottom housing section 22 is an outlet conduit 31. Mounted on top of the cap 23 parallel to each other and on opposite sides of the inlet opening 31 are a pair of angle guide bars 33. The guide bars 33 are adapted to slide over the opposite longitudinal edges of a slide plate 34 fixed around the rim of the outlet 35 of the drain conduit 14. One end of the slide plate 34 is provided with an upstanding stop flange 36 to limit the movement of the slide bars 33 in that direction, and thereby permit the inlet opening 30 to register with the outlet opening 35 of the drain conduit 14. The fluid passage between the conduit outlet 35 and the inlet opening 30 is sealed by the O-ring 37 (FIG. 2). Mounted on spacer blocks 39 within the bottom housing section 22 is a screen member in the form of a screen basket 40 having a lower cylindrical screen receptacle 41 and a frusto-conical screen lid 42, secured to the receptacle 41 by the fastener elements or clips 43. The screen basket 40 is substantially concentric within the housing 22. The lid or cover 42 is provided with an inlet opening 44 of substantially the same size and in registry with the inlet opening 30 of the housing cap 23. Thus, when the collector is properly installed any material, liquid or solid, in the sink 12 which is flushed down through the drain outlet 13 and drain conduit 14 discharges through the housing inlet opening 30 and the screen basket inlet opening 44 directly into the screen basket 40. The screen mesh in both the receptacle 41 and the lid 42 is of such size as to permit the free flow of water or other liquids and of only the finest solid particles through the walls of the screen basket 40. Thus, practically all of the solid matter passing through the inlet opening 30 is retained within the basket 40 until the basket 40 can be removed and emptied. The outlet conduit 31 is preferably cylindrical and of a size slightly smaller than the discharge drain pipe so that the discharge drain pipe 15 may telescopingly receive the outlet conduit 31, as disclosed in FIG. 3. A fluid-type seal is effected between the conduit 31 and the drain pipe 15 by the O-ring 47. Preferably, the outlet conduit 31 is provided with a butterfly valve 48 journaled in the walls of the conduit 31 by shaft 49. The upper end of the shaft 49 is fixed to a camshaped lever 50 which is biased by spring 51 to the position disclosed in FIG. 5 so that the valve 48 closes the conduit 31, when the conduit 31 is separated or disengaged from the drain pipe 15. However, when the drain pipe 15 telescopingly receives the outlet conduit 31, the lever'50 is cammed toward the housing 22 by engagement with the end ofthe drain pipe 15, as disclosed in FIG. 2, to cause the valve 48 to move to an open position. Thus, when the housing 22 is removed from the drain system 11, the valve 48 will automatically close to retain liquids within the housing 22 and thereby prevent dripping when the housing 22 is removed for emptying the screen basket 40. By the same token, when the collector 10 is re-installed, the valve 48 is automatically opened so that fluid communication between the housing 22 and the discharge drain pipe 15 is resumed. Handle 52 may be fixed to the side wall of the housing section 22, on the side opposite she stop flange 36 and the drain pipe 15, to facilitate installation and removal of the collector 10 from the drain system 11. In order to by-pass liquid discharged through the sink drain opening 13 through the bypass conduit 20, a bypass valve 53 is mounted in the drain conduit 14. The valve 53 is fixed to a lever handle 54 rotatably journaled through the walls of the conduit 14 so that when the lever handle 54 is in its solid-line position of FIG. 1, the valve 53 closes fluid communication between the drain conduit 14 and the by-pass conduit 20, but opens communication between the drain conduit 14 and the inlet opening 30 of the housing cap 23. However, when the lever handle 54 is rotated to the phantom position 54 of FIG. 1, the valve 53 is swung down to close fluid communication between the drain conduit 14 and the collector 10, but simultaneously establishes fluid communication between the drain conduit 14 and the by-pass conduit 20. The lever handle 54 is also provided with a stop lug 56 so positioned that it is in alignment with the end of one of the slide bars 33, when the lever handle 54 is in the solid-line position of FIG. 1. Thus, the lug 56 effectively locks the housing 22 in its installed position when the valve 53 opens fluid communication between the sink 12 and the collector 10. The operation of the organic compost collector 10 is readily apparent from the above description. When the collector 10 is in its installed position disclosed in FIGS. 1-3, all liquids and solid matter deposited in the sink l2 discharge through the drain opening 13, pass through the drain conduit 14, housing inlet 30 and screen basket inlet 44 to trap all solid particles of a size greater than the mesh of the screen walls of the basket 40. All liquid and any fine particles capable of penetrating the walls of the screen basket 40, flow through the screen basket and are discharged through the conduit 31 into the drain pipe 15, trap 16 and main drain pipe 17. The housing 22, as well as the cap 23, may be made of transparent material so that the level of solid material within the screen basket 40 is always readily observable. If the walls of the housing 22 and cap 23 are opaque, then the level can be determined by looking down through the drain opening 13 and conduit 14. When the screen basket 40 is full, lever handle 54 is rotated to the position 54 in FIG. I, so that the valve 53 will automatically close passage of any more solid or liquid material through the conduit 14 and the outlet 35. Such material will now flow through the open bypass conduit 20 ultimately to the main drain pipe 17. When the lever handle 54 is raised, the locking lug 56 is removed from the path of the guide bars 33, so that by manually pulling the handle 52, the collector 10 is removed from the drain system 11. As previously mentioned, the disengagement of the outlet conduit 31 from the drain pipe 15 automatically permits the actuation of the cam lever to close the valve 48. After removal of the collector 10, the cap 23 is rotated slightly to disengage the channels 24 from the flanges 25, the cap 23 is removed, and then the screen basket 40 is removed. The clips 43 are unfastened to remove the screen lid 42, and the contents of the screen receptacle 41 are discharged either into an appropriate container for storing the organic compost 45, or discharged directly upon the soil desired to be fertilized. such as around the plants of a vegetable or flower garden. The screen lid 42 is then re-fastened to the screen receptacle 41, and the screen basket 40 placed back into the housing 22 and closed by the cap 23. The handle 52 is then grasped and the collector manipulated to cause the guide bars 33 to slide back over the slide plate 34 until the guide bars 33 engage the stop flange 36 and the outlet conduit 31 moves into the end opening of the drain pipe 15, thereby automatically reopening the valve 48. Then the handle lever 54 is returned to its solid-line position, and the collector 10 is ready for collecting additional organic compost 45. The modification disclosed in FIGS. 6 and 7 includes a collector 60 comprising a bucket-shaped, or frustoconical shaped, solid-wall receptacle or housing 61. The housing 61 is preferably made of plastic material and has a central bottom opening 62. The top of the housing 61 comprises an open-end defined by the upper peripheral, circumferential edge 63 of the wall of the housing. The upper peripheral edge 63 is preferably made of a resilient material and lies generally in the same top horizontal plane. Received within the housing 61 through the open top end of the housing 61 is a generally frusto-conical shaped screen basket 65 mounted in a basket frame 66. The basket frame 66 rests upon the bottom wall of the housing 61 to space the bottom wall of the screen basket 65, as well as the side wall of the screen basket 65, inwardly from corresponding walls of the housing 61. The top of the screen basket 65, as well as the frame 66, is below the top peripheral edge 63 when the screen basket 65 is mounted within the housing 61. The drain pipe system 11 includes a vertical drain pipe section 68 terminating at its upper end in a collar 69, the upper edge 70 of which is flanged to seat snugly against the bottom wall 71 of the housing 61, and preferably concentrically of the bottom opening 62. The upper flange 70 of the collar 69 is also spaced from the bottom of the sink 12 a distance equal approximately the height of the housing 61. Thus, by inserting the collector 60 between the collar 69 and the bottom of the sink 12, the top peripheral edge of the housing 61 will seal snugly against the bottom surface of the sink 12, preferably concentrically around the drain opening 13, while the flange 70 of the collar 69 seats firmly and concentrically about the bottom opening 62. In order to effect the seal between the housing 61, the sink 12 and the collar 69, the elbow 16 of the drain pipe system 11 is preferably biased upward, after the housing 61 is in its operative position disclosed in FIG. 6. This biasing may be effected by a jack 73 having a handle 74 and a channel-shaped recess 75 for receiving the elbow 16. An elastic button or seat 76 is formed in the bottom of the recess 75 to urge upward the elbow 16. thereby squeezing the flange 70 of the collar 69 upward into sealing engagement with the bottom wall 71 of the housing 61. The operation of the collector 60 is essentially the same as the operation ofthe collector 10, but in a much more simplified form. After the collector is assembled, and has beenused sufficiently to fill the screen basket with organic food waste, the jack 73 is moved laterally from beneath the elbow 16 by manually pulling the handle 74. The housing 61, free of squeezing pressure, is merely slipped laterally from between the collar 69 and the bottom of the sink 12. The screen basket 65 is removed and its contents emptied. The empty screen basket 65 is re-inserted into the housing 61, the entire collector 60 replaced in its operative position in FIG. 6, and the jack 73 restored to its position biasing upward the pipe 68 to re-seal the housing 61 between the sink 12 and the collar 69. In the event that the sink 12 is to be used, while the collector 60 is removed, a stopper 77 is provided for closing the sink drain opening 13. The collector 80 disclosed in FIGS. 8 and 9 is essentially of the same construction as the collector 10, with the exception of the inlet and outlet connections. The collector 80 is designed to be connected to the outlet pipe 81 of a conventional food disposer 82, which in turn is connected by the inlet pipe 83 to the drain opening of the sink 12. The outlet pipe 81 from the food disposer 82 is telescopingly received in the open end of drain pipe 85 which extends horizontally from the outlet pipe 81, then forms an elbow with a depending vertical section. Extending horizontally normal from the horizontal section of the drain pipe 81 is a conduit 86 telescopingly and sealingly received within an elbow-shaped inlet fitting 87. The bottom opening of the elbow fitting 87 is provided with a flange 88 identical in function to the flange 34 of the collector 10 for slidably receiving the guide flanges 33'. A by-pass valve 90 is mounted for rotatable movement about a vertical axis in the pipe section 85 and adapted to be rotated by the handle 91. The valve 90 may be swung between the solid-line position disclosed in FIG. 9 for closing the inlet conduit 86 to the collector 80 and for opening the by-pass passage through the drain pipe 85, and the dashed-line position of FIG. 9 closing the by-pass passage through inlet conduit 86 into the collector 80. The discharge drain pipe 15 is identical to the drain pipe 15 of the collector 10 for draining liquid from the collector 80 into the vertical section of the drain pipe 85. The valve handle 91 may be provided with a coil spring 92 to provide sufficient frictional resistance to the turning of the handle 91 in order to retain the valve 90 in the position to which it is moved by manipulation of the handle 91. Otherwise, the operation of the collector 80 is substantially the same as the operation of the collector 10. The collector disclosed in FIGS. 10-12 is also connected to the food disposer 82 in the same manner that the collector 80 is connected to the food disposer 82. However, in order to collect the food waste material, and maintain it submerged in liquid, the drain outlet conduit 101 is located in the upper portion of the receptacle 100, specifically in the top wall of the cap 102. The cap 102 of the collector 100 may be screw fitted to the bottom housing section 103 in the same manner as the cap 23 is secured to the bottom housing section 22 of the collector 10. The cap 102 has no upper securing flange, similar to the flanges 33 of the collector 10, but is provided with an elbow inlet fitting 104 identical to the elbow fitting 87 of the collector 80 for telescopingly and sealingly, receiving the inlet conduit 86. Instead of a screen basket within the housing 103, a short screen member or screen sheet 106 has one edge fixed to the side wall of the cap 102 and projects laterally, and somewhat arcuately upwardly, across and below the outlet opening 107 communicating with the outlet conduit 101. The outlet conduit 101 is fitted into an outlet branch pipe 108 which is tapped into the depending leg or section of the drain pipe 85. The outlet conduit 101 may also be provided with the same automatic closure valve 48 and cam lever 50, as the valve 48 and cam lever 50 of collector 10. The discharge fluids from the food disposer 82 are diverted by the position of the valve 90 within the drain pipe 85 and inlet conduit 86, in the same manner that they are diverted to and from the collector 80. The collector 100 may be provided with a stop lug 110 for limiting the movement of the handle 91 in its solid-line position disclosed in FIG. 11. Instead of the attachment plate 34 and guide flanges 33, of collector 10, the collector 100 may be supported upon a platform 112. Otherwise, the collector 100 functions in substantially the same manner as the collector 80. However, when the collector 100 is removed from the conduits 86 and 108, and the cap 102 is detached from the bottom housing section 103, the organic compost will be in a fluid state, because of the immersion of the solid food waste material within the water in the bottom housing section 103. What is claimed is: 1. An organic compost collector for a sink drain system including a sink, a sink drain outlet, and sink drain pipe, comprising: a. a receptacle having a solid enclosure wall defining a chamber for receiving cffluent from said sink, b. an inlet opening in said wall adapted to be detachably connected in said drain system in fluid communication with said sink drain outlet, c. an outlet opening in said wall adapted to be detachably connected in said drain system in fluid communication with said drain pipe, d. a screen member porous to liquids, said screen member being a barrier to the passage of solid waste material larger than a predetermined size, and e. means mounting said screen member within said chamber and in the path of cffluent moving toward said outlet opening, to retain said solid waste material larger than said predetermined size within said chamber. 2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said screen member comprises a screen receptacle, said mounting means comprising means for supporting said screen receptacle within said chamber, said screen receptacle being large enough to occupy substantially all the space within said chamber, said solid wall receptacle being formed in two complementary sections, and means for detachably connecting said sections for removal of said screen receptacle, said screen receptacle having an opening in fluid communication with said inlet opening. 3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said sections comprise a top section and a bottom section, said inlet opening being formed in said top section, and connector means for detachably connecting said top section to said sink drain outlet. 4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said outlet opening is in said bottom section, and second connector means detachably connecting said drain pipe to said outlet opening. 5. The invention according to claim 4 in which said outlet opening comprises an outlet conduit opening through the wall of said bottom section, said outlet conduit being adapted to telescopingly engage an open end of said drain pipe, a valve within said outlet conduit adapted to move between a closed position and an open position, actuator means operatively connected to said valve and adapted to be actuated by the movement of said drain pipe telescopingly engaging said outlet conduit to move said valve to said open position, said actuator means being actuated by the separation of said drain pipe from said outlet conduit to move said valve to a closed position. 6. The invention according to claim 5 in which said drain pipe is larger than said outlet conduit and telescopingly receives said outlet conduit, and said actuator means comprises a cam adapted to engage and disengage the telescoping end of said drain pipe. 7. The invention according to claim 3 in which said sink drain outlet includes a drain conduit, said means for detachably connecting said top section to said drain outlet comprising connector means for detachably connecting said top section to said drain conduit so that said drain conduit and said inlet opening are in fluid communication, a by-pass conduit communicating with said drain conduit, a valve in said drain conduit, and means for moving said valve between a position closing said by-pass conduit and opening said drain conduit and a position closing said drain conduit and opening said by-pass conduit. 8. The invention according to claim 7 in which said means for moving said valve comprises an exterior lever handle, said means for detachably connecting said top section to said drain conduit comprising horizontal track means fixed to said drain conduit and horizontally disposed runners on said top section for slidably engaging said track means, stop means on said lever handle adapted to block the slidable movement of said runners relative to said track means, when said valve is in said position closing said by-pass conduit. 9. The invention according to claim 2 in which said inlet opening comprises a rim adapted to press fit into sealing engagement with the bottom of said sink around said drain outlet, an open-ended fitting fixed to an open end of said drain pipe and adapted to press fit in sealing engagement around the outlet opening of said receptacle, and means for biasing said drain pipe toward said receptacle to squeeze said receptacle between said fitting and said sink. 10. The invention according to claim 1 in which a waste disposal having an inlet conduit is in fluid communication with said sink drain outlet and a disposal outlet conduit, and connector means for connecting the inlet opening of said receptacle to said disposal outlet conduit. 11. The invention according to claim 1 in which said outlet opening and said inlet opening are in the top portion of said receptacle, and said screen member is fixed to said wall in the upper portion of said receptacle and munication with said drain conduit and its opposite end in fluid communication with said drain pipe, said valve means comprising a valve member in said drain conduit, and means for moving said valve member to a first position opening fluid communication between said sink drain outlet and said inlet opening and closing said by-pass conduit, and a second position opening said bypass conduit in fluid communication with said sink drain outlet and closing said inlet opening.