Anesthetic apparatus

Dec. 29, 1953

2,664,084

H. HAMMERMANN

ANESTHETIC APPARATUS

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Dec. 29, 1953

Filed Jan. 26, 1951

H. HAMMERMANN 2,664,084

ANESTHETIC APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Dec. 29, 1953

2,664,084

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,664,084 ANESTHETIC APPARATUS Herbert Hammermahn, Berlin, Germany Application January 26,1951, Serial No. 214,277 (Cl. 128—188) inch of ethylene trichloride, the vial being inserted in the container of the novel anaesthetic apparatus in inverted position with a small aperture at its top facing downwardly. In this A manner, the narcotic liquid may be readily in' troduced into the anaesthetic apparatus, no necessity existing of cleaning the vial on its outside since most of the narcotic liquids, particularly ethylene trichloride, have a powerful germJ.9 killing effect. The container is preferably closed by an easily removable plug constituting a rotatable valve adapted to adjust the air-current circulating through the container. Therefore, the operator need only insert the vial and then ¹³ close the container by means of the plug turning the latter to closing position until the anaesthetic vapours are to be administered to the patient, whereupon the plug is turned to a position ensuring the proper concentration of ²⁰ the vapours which may be controlled from zero to the highest admissible degree.

For the purpose of easy evaporation of the liquid, a piece of an absorbing fibrous material, such as blotting paper, may be used which in25 volves the advantage of being inexpensive, clean, ^:: and easily exchangeable. From the container in which the liquid is vaporized and in which the vapours are mixed with air, the mixture is conducted to an inhalation mask covering the 30 nose of the patient.

• - Preferably from 0.3 to 0.5 gram of ethylene trichloride in vaporized condition is mixed with one liter of air and this mixture is to be administered to the patient within one minute in 35 order to attain the desired anaesthetic effect, ί- A treatment lasting ten minutes as involved in dental work per average, requires a vial containing about five grams of ethylene trichloride having a volume of three cubic centimeters, i. e.

about one-fifth of a cubic inch. The use of a T vial of that volume approximately, to wit of a volume of less than one-half of a cubic inch, effectively eliminates the risk that any substantial remainders might be left which would spoil 45 and jeopardize the next patient to be treated.

The container adapted to accommodate the vial and to provide the vaporizing space, will have correspondingly small dimensions, having a volume of less than one cubic inch, thus being of a 5θ modest weight permitting the container to be arranged above the inhalation mask in front of and above the patient’s nose, no difficulties being involved in arranging the anaesthetic apparatus in a proper position interfering as little as 55 possible with the dental work, the container

Claims.

My invention relates to an anaesthetic apparatus, particularly for dental work.

It is an object of my invention to provide a novel apparatus of that kind particularly adapted for administering vaporized narcotic liquids having a comparatively high boiling temperature and liable under the influence of light radiation and atmosphere to deteriorate and to form toxic products.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an. anaesthetic apparatus which can be readily attached to the patient’s head upon and above his or her nose and which may be easily controlled; to provide an anaesthetic apparatus for the vaporization of ethylene trichloride in which the latter will be protected from deteriorating factors; to provide a novel anaesthetic apparatus which is of a simple and rugged structure, may be produced at low cost and is reliable in operation and easy to manipulate, and to provide an improved narcotic liquid of an agreeable scent.

I have found that a deterioration of ethylene trichloride under the influence of the atmosphere may best be avoided by restricting the quantity thereof to a limit which will ensure the complete evaporation in a single treatment of a. patient, so that no remainder will be left over which is liable to spoil and to form toxic gases jeopardizing the .next patient to be treated with the same anaesthetic apparatus.

I have found that the use of so small a container as required to store the quantity needed for a single treatment of a patient may be readily combined with an inhalation mask to form a handy apparatus of small dimensions and little iveight lending itself to direct attachment to the patient’s head upon and above the nose thereof. Hence, according to one of the features of the present invention the narcotic liquid is accommodated within a container preferably of bottle-shape which has a volume of less than one cubic inch. In a container of that size even such narcotics as are liable to deteriorate under atmospheric influences, such as ethylene trichloride for instance, can be kept in a pure condition for a sufficient period of time. When the apparatus is used in the treatment of a patient, all of the narcotic contained in the container will vaporize because of the limited quantity thereof, leaving no remainders which are liable under the influence of radiation and air to form, toxic gases that might jeopardize the health of the next patient to be treated........

Preferably I employ a glass vial containing a small quantity such as one-eighth pf a cubic

2,864,084 rim of the tube 1, the wall of the container 20 being slightly spaced from the wall of tube I so as to leave a space therebetween for the passage of the vapour mixture to be administered 5 to the patient. The bottle-shaped container 20 is closed by a hollow plug 19 constituting a rotary valve. A cover plate 21 is rigidly connected with the hollow plug 19, being preferably soldered thereto, such cover plate having a knurled 10 rim indicated at 2 and serving as a handle permitting the operator to turn the plug 19 to any desired angular position. In order to protect the outer lace of the plug 19 from damage, the cover plate'21 is provided with a depending tu15 bular -skirt 22 engaging over the upper end of tube I. As shown in Fig. 7 the skirt 22 is provided with an angular recess 23 having an axial section and an upper peripheral section. The bottle neck 18 is provided with two opposite up·· 20 per ports 43 and 47 shown in Fig. 2 and with a lower port 44 beneath port 43 as illustrated in Fig. 3. A radial pipe 24 is connected with the bottle neck 18 so as to communicate with the port 47 extending through a suitable opening25 provided in the wall of pipe 1. The end of pipe 24 is provided with holes 48 and with a plug having a small vent 56. When the plug !3 and its cover plate 21 is turned into the position shown in Fig. 7 in which the pipe 24 registers ³⁰ with the axial section of recess 23, it may be easily lifted and removed from the container 28, 18 so as to permit the introduction of a volatile narcotic liquid into the container. Thereafter the plug may be inserted in the bottle neck 18 ³⁵ again and may be so turned as to cause the peripheral section of recess 23 to engage over the pipe 24 whereby the plug 19 will be firmly held in engagement with the bottle neck 18 and secured against accidental removal therefrom 4θ without interfering with rotary adjustment cf the plug 19.

A tubular member 25 projects into the hollow plug 19 and is rigidly connected therewith, preferably soldered thereto, and extends downwardly 45 into the container 20 terminating a slight distance above the bottom thereof. The diameter of the tubular member 25 is so chosen that the latter is spaced from the inside of the container 20 and of the neck portion of the latter.

I have found that the volatile liquid narcotic may be conveniently introduced into the container 20 by the use of a glass vial of the shape shown in Fig. 6, such glass vial comprising a main body 54 and a neck portion 55 with a re55 stricted communication 53 therebetween.

Preferably such glass vial has a volume of less than one half of a cubic inch, more particularly a volume of from one tenth to one third of a cubic inch. When ethylene trichloride is used 60 as a narcotic, I have found that a volume of about one eighth of a cubic inch is best adapted for dental work. When the neck portion 55 of the vial is broken off from the body portion 54 a small aperture 29 Will be left open at the top 65 of the body portion 54, such aperture having an area of about five square millimeters.

Upon removal of the plug 19 a helical spring 26 is placed thereinto so as to engage the cover 21 and then the body portion 54 of the vial, filled 70 with ethylene trichloride, is slipped into the tubular member 25, whereupon a strip 31 of blotting paper or any such suitable absorbent fibrous material is slipped over the vial and with its ends 30 into the tubular member 25 75 so as to contact the vial in front of the aperture extending substantially in an oblique position from the nose upwardly across the forehead. The container and the inhalation mask may be rigidly connected to form a structure adapted to be attached to the patient’s head as distinguished from prior anaesthetic apparatus involving holding-means attached to or positioned beside the patient’s chair. The means for attaching my novel apparatus to the patient’s head may comprise a rubber loop placed around the patient’s head.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings jn which

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of my novel anaesthetic apparatus taken .along line I—I of Fig. 2 and Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken along line 2—2 of Fig. 1 with the plug being in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken along line 3—3 of Fig. 1 with the plug in .its . closed position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to that of. Fig. 2 with the plug in operative position, the section being taken along line .2—2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 3 with the plug being in operative position, the section being taken along line 3—3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a glass vial of the kind shown in Fig. 1 but on a smaller scale and in intact condition;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of my novel anaesthetic apparatus applied to a patient’s head.

The anaesthetic apparatus comprises an inhalation mask 3 and a container for the. liquid narcotic rigidly connected thereto, said mask fitting the nose of the bearer and shaped to leave her mouth unobstructed as will appear from Fig. 7. The mask is formed by a sheet-metal cap 3 and by a flanged annular pad 5 of sponge-rubber provided with an impervious skin 6, the flange 7 of such pad being slipped ovei· and glued to the margin 4 of the cap 3. The lower portion of the pad has reduced radial dimensions as indicated at 8 in order not to interfere with the dental work, particularly with the treatment of the upper front teeth. Rubber bands 9, shown in Fig. 7, have re-inforced ends 10 engaged by clamps I f attached to either side of the cap 3. The free end ί 0α of one of the rubber bands is fitted with a sliding clamp 12 through which the end I Ob of the other rubber band is slipped and firmly held in position, whereby the two rubber bands form a loop of adjustable width adapted to be placed over the patient’s head as shown in Fig. 7. Moreover a slidable clamp 12α is placed on each of the two rubber bands 9 to be ad’ustable thereon. A. narrow rubber band 13 has its ends attached to the clamps ί 2α and is passed through an eye 14 fixed to the front of a tube I attached to the inhalation mask 3 in upright position. A bracket 15 lined with sponge-rubber and adapted to bear against the patient’s forehead has a conical stud 16 engaging a conical bore of an eye 17 attached to the side of the tube I. Owing to this arrangement the forehead-bracket 15 may be released from the tube I by slightly lifting its stud in the eye 17 and may be then properly adjusted and fixed in position by pressing its stud into the eye 17. The tube I is thus held in position in front of and above the patient’s nose extending in front of the patient’s forehead.

In the tube I a bottle-shaped container 20 is inserted having a flanged neck-portion 18, the flange of the latter being soldered to the upper

2,664,084 thereof. Then the plug is inserted into the tube I so that the parts assume the position shown in Fig. 1. The spring 23 will then firmly press the inverted vial with its aperture 28 out of the lower end of the tubular member 25 against the strip 3t of blotting paper holding the same firmly against the bottom 29 of the container 20.

The wall of the hollow plug i 9 is provided with opposite ports 40 and 41 which co-operate with the ports 43 and 47 of the bottle neck in a manner to be described later. Moreover the wall of the hollow plug 19 is provided with a depending extension 42, co-operating with the port 44 of the bottle neck 18. The upper section of the latter shown at 45 has an eccentric circumference as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 providing for the space 48 between the bottle neck and the wall of tube i.

The cap 3 of the inhalation mask is provided with an inhalation valve controlling the communication between the mask 3 and the tube I. The inhalation valve comprises a box-shaped valve chamber 32 inserted in a suitable opening of the cap 3 so as to project into the tube I, the interior of said box-shaped valve chamber 32 communicating with the interior of cap 3 as shown in Fig. 1. The lower wall of the valve chamber 32 has an opening 38 adapted to be closed by a super-imposed thin leaf 37 of sheetsilver resiliently held in position by a superimposed leaf spring 39, held in position within the chamber 32 by a bracket 33. When the patient inhales, the vacuum thus produced within the mask 3 will cause the valve members 38 and 39 to be lifted so as to permit the vapour mixture to flow through the valve chamber 32 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1.

Similarly the inhalation mask 3, 5 communicates with the atmosphere through an opening controlled by an exhalation valve. For this purpose the cap 3 is formed with a forwardly and upwardly extending shaft 34 open at its top. A horizontal pivot 35 extends through the shaft being journalled in the side walls at the lower end thereof. On this pivot 35 a box-shaped valve chamber 33 is pivotally mounted, such valve chamber extending upwardly within the shaft 34 projecting therefrom. The upper end of the chamber 33 projects from the shaft 34, is open, and freely communicates with the atmosphere. The lower wall of the chamber 33 is provided with an opening 38' controlled by inner valve leaves 37' and 39', which are similar to the valve leaves 37 and 39 and are held in position by a bracket 36'. Suitable means, not shown, are provided to hold the valve chamber 33 in any angular position to which it has been set by the operator. This angular position may be so chosen as to more or less obstruct the shaft 34. In this manner, the patient may be permitted to inhale more or less air through the shaft 34 depending on the adjustment of the valve chamber 33, while the patient mu°t inhale the balance of the air through the inhalation valve chamber 32.

The operation of my novel anaesthetic apparatus is as follows: When the plug 19 assumes the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the container 20 is sealed. When the plug !S is turned by means of the knurled cover plate 2,2! towards the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a communication will first be established between the ports 47 and 4! and between the ports 40 and 43. As a result, atmospheric air may circulate through the holes 48, the pipe 24, the port 47 of the bottle neck, the port 41 of the plug, the port 40 of the β

plug, the port 43 of the bottle neck, the space 46, the tube I, the valve chamber 32 to the inhalation mask 3, 5. When the plug 19 arrives in the position shown in Figs. 4.and 5, however, the ports 40 and 43 will no longer register and, therefore, the air entering through the pipe 24, the port 47, and the port 41 will flow downwardly within the tubular member 25 as indicated by the arrows 49 in Fig. 1 to be saturated with the volatile narcotic absorbed by the blotting paper strip 31 supplied with the liquid through the aperture 28. Thence the air mixed with vapours will pass upwardly within the space between the tubular member 25 and the wall of the container 20 as indicated by the arrows 51 leaving through the port 44 now uncovered by the projection 42 of the plug and entering the space between the container 20 and the tube I flowing downwardly through the inhalation valve chamber 32 into the inhalation mask 3,5. In the mask fresh air entering through the shaft 34 may be admixed provided valve chamber 33 has been set accordingly. When the patient exhales the inhalation valve opening 38 is automatically closed and the air is exhaled through the shaft 34 and the exhalation valve chamber 33.

When the valve chamber 32 has been set to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 in which the shaft 34 freely communicates with the atmosphere, the vacuum produced within the inhalation mask 3, 5 is so small when the patient inhales that the inhalation valve 32 will hardly open; thus free air will be inhaled even when the rotary valve formed by plug 19 is open.

When the valve chamber 33 is so set, however, as to more or less obstruct shaft 34, the patient will inhale the air through the valve chamber 32. In this event, the narcotic vapours are administered to the patient, the quantity thereof depending on the size of the blotting paper strip 31 and on the rotary adjustment of the plug !9. Therefore, by electing a strip 31 of proper size and by suitably turning the plug 19 with the cover 2, 21, my novel anaesthetic apparatus may be rendered effective to produce a deep anaesthesia without rendering the patient entirely unconscious, even upon an extended administration of the narcotic vapours.

I have found that with an aperture 28 of the glass vial having a cross-section of about five square millimeters, the vial will hot run empty even upon strong vibrations, but will gradually discharge to the extent required to keep the absorbent fibrous strip 31 moisty. In this manner, the narcotic liquid is not unnecessarily exposed to air and thus protected from undesirable deterioration. Morever, no liquid particles will be carried along by the air-current into the inhalation mask 3, 5 and into the patient’s nose.

In exceptional cases in which no sealed fit can be attained by means of the pad 5 on the patient’s face, a flexible hose may be fitted over the pipe 24 and connected to an air-pump of the customary type. Such hose will close the openings 48 and permit the air fed by the pump to be supplied to the container 25 through the vent 56 which is so small as to preclude the administration of an excessive quantity of narcotic vapours.

While my novel anaesthetic apparatus is primarily applicable to dental work it may be equally used in the obstetric practice to relieve pains. In this event a larger quantity of the narcotic is required. In order to supply such larger quantity with the use of vials of the standard size for which the tubular member 25 has been designed

2,664,084

I have found it convenient to proceed as follows: With a first vial two additional strips of blotting paper are inserted extending between the wall of the bottle 20 and the tubular member 25. These strips will immediately suck the vial empty absorbing its content. The empty vial is then replaced by a second vial fitted with a third strip of blotting paper. This second vial will not be discharged until the two strips of blotting paper soaked from the first vial and still enclosed in the container 20 have been dried up by the breathing air.

Some people dislike the odour of ethylene trichloride reminiscent of chloroform. I have found that by admixing about 0.1 percent of cumaric acid (CsHsOa) ethylene trichloride can be given a very agreeable fragrance. For cumaric acid other aromatics solved in alcohol may be substituted.

While I have described my invention with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, my invention is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.