Body-brace.

(Application filed Oct. 12, 1898.¹

Patented Sept. 26, 1899 (No Model.)

Sheets—Sheet I.

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THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

No. 633,596.

(No Model.)

J. H. KELLOGG. ^Pa,e^{,sd S}⁹'· ²⁶' ^l899· BODY BRACE.

(Application filed Oct. 12, 1898.)

Sheets—Sheet 2.

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attorney.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHO ED-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. O. C.

United States Patent Office.

JOHN H. KELLOGG, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE MODERN MEDICINE PUBLISHING COMPANY, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

BODY-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,596, dated September 26,1899.

Application filed Octoter 12,1898. Serial No. 693,283. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, John Harvey Kellogg, a citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and 5 State of Michigan, have invented certain new aud useful Improvements in Body-Trainers and Abdominal Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in certain new and io useful improvements in body - trainers or shoulder-braces and abdominal supporters; and the invention consists of a combined device of this character possessing all the merits of the shoulder-brace and also those of 15 the abdominal supporter and at the same time giving to the patient the advantages and benefits resulting from the combined use of a shoulder-brace and abdominal supporter, results which actual practice in the treatment 20 of.numerous cases has shown to be of inestimable value and results that, as far as known, have not heretofore been accomplished.

Generally the purpose of this invention is to correct an exceedingly common deformity 25 variously known as “round shoulders,” “hollow or flat chest,” &amp;c., a deformity which is uniformly associated with an abnormallystraightened or curved condition of the spine and a prolapsed state of the stomach, bowels, 30 and often the kidneys and the liver and other internal organs. Various devices have heretofore been made for the purpose of overcoming these difficulties; but they have usually consisted either of shoulder-braces or an ab35 dominal supporter; but, as far as known, no attempt has ever been made to treat these troubles with a single device and one which serves to correct the deformity and at the same time give relief to the prolapsed organs 40 of the lower trunk, the value of the device being increased by the assistance and cooperation one portion lends to the other in attaining the results desired.

In the present invention I have devised an 45 abdominal supporter so constructed as to lift the lower portion of the abdomen in essentially the same manner as the parts may be lifted by the hands and a shoulder brace or trainer consisting of a set of straps arranged 50 after the general and well-known method for drawing the shoulders backward.

For a better understanding of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im- 55 proved body-trainer and abdominal supporter, showing its application to the body of a person to be treated, the figure being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the rear portion of the body- 60 trainer and abdominal supporter. Figs. 3, 4, 5, C, 7, and 8 are detail views showing the construction of the abdominal supporter and the method of adj listing the back pads so as to conform with the peculiar shape of any 65 particular body to which the device is to be fitted.

The shoulder-brace consists of the usual set of shoulder-straps 1, which pass over the shoulders and around the arms, connecting with 70 the back piece 2 and having the usual connecting or brace portion 3. Suitable buckles 4 are provided for adj listing the shoulderstraps. The depending straps at the front 5 and 6 and those at the rear 7 and 8, which usu- 7 5 ally serve the purposes of suspenders, are secured by buckles to the abdominal supporter, the construction of which will now be explained.

The supporter 9 consists of a thin metallic 80 plate eight or nine inches in length and about one and one-quarter inches in width. This plate is provided with a series of vertical slots 11 near either end, and into these slots fit staples 12 of the circular back pads 13. When 85 these staples are fitted into the slots of the plate, slotted oblong plates 14 are fitted over the staples and carry buckles 15, to which the back straps of the shoulder-brace are secured. This plate 14 fits flat against the back plate 9c 9, and through the projecting staples of the back pads are passed the ends of right and left supporting spring-arms 15, such ends having a series of apertures which are adapted to register with a single aperture in the 95 . ' center of the plate 9, and when the springarms have received the proper adjustment a small set-screw is passed through the registering apertures of the spring-arms and into a screw-threaded hub formed on the inner 100 side of the back-plate 9, such hub being of sufficient size to secure and hold the spring9

683,596 arms in the desired position. These registering apertures in the ends of the spring-supporting arms 15 permit of an adjustment of such arms to accommodate bodies of varying 5 size, and the series of vertical slots in the back plate 9, through which the staples of the back pads pass, allow the adjustment of these back pads as regards the distance between them, so that they can be readily adapted io to the varying shapes presented by different patients. The importance of such construction can be appreciated when it is known that seldom, if ever, in practice has it been found that any two persons are alike in the shape 15 of this portion of the back. These springarms 15 have a strong natural curve—that is to say, normally the front ends press strongly toward the rear plate. These arms are suitably padded to protect the wearer, and near 20 the ends are provided with eyelets adapted to engage and lock with headed studs or pins on the abdominal-supporter pads 16. The pressure of the spring-arms 15 upon the abdominal pads is upward and inward, and in 25 this way the deleterious influence of constricting-bands is avoided, a fault which is presented by nearly all other abdominal supporters. Bj⁷ the application of pressure from springs there is no constriction whatever, the 30 springs acting only at the two extremities, the fixed point being the back pad and the movable point the front pads, which are lifted by the tensile strength of the spring-arm.

Besides attaching buckles to plates 14 for 35 construction with the back straps of the shoulder-brace, other buckles are attached to these plates, and to these depending buckles are secured perineal bands, which pass under the legs of the patient and attach to the abdomi40 nal pad 16 by slotted ears or plates fitting over studs or pins on the abdominal pads. The purpose of these perineal bands is to hold the abdominal supporter from slipping up when it is connected with the shoulder-brace.

In order to avoid the objections of a rigid support or brace and to insure the elasticity of the support, a small piece of elastic webbing is introduced in the back straps of the shoulder-braces, extending from the brace 50 portion 2, which carries the buckles, downward for about two inches, from which point the elastic webbing is continued. This construction avoids the danger of retiring from activity the muscles which naturally support 55 the trunk of the body.

When used alone, shoulder braces or straps are seldom of any practical benefit; but by connecting these straps in a proper manner with the abdominal supporter the shoulders 60 may be held back to any required degree.

By simply shortening the back straps connecting the shoulder-braces with the abdominal supporter the shoulders are approximated, thus producing a strong anterior 65 spinal curve, which is the most effective means of correcting a round-shouldered or flat-chested condition. At the same time that the shoulders are brought back the chest is lifted forward, and the abdominal organs by this combined action of the shoulder-brace 70 and abdominal supporter are quickly lifted into place. The back straps of the shoulderbrace are connected with the back piece of the abdominal supporter, so as to give the supporter a tendency to tilt downward, whereby 75 by the aid of the perineal bands and the spring side pieces the front piece of the abdominal supporter is prevented from slipping up.

The effect of the combined action of the shoulder-brace and the abdominal supporter 80 is to give to the front a strong upward curve, to lift the chest forward while holding the hips backward. and to correct the posterior curvatures of the spine and prolapse of the internal viscera. By adjustment of theshoul- 85 der-brace it is also possible to correct reducible lateral curvatures of moderate degree.

The body-trainer and abdominal supporter are not intended to be a rigid support or brace, but to furnish elastic support. This 90 characteristic is secured by means of the elasticity of the springs of the abdominal supporter aud by the introduction of the elastic webbing of the back straps of the shoulderbraces which connect with the back piece of 95 the abdominal supporter. The advantages of this elastic support are that the muscles which naturally support the trunk are not retired from activity, as would be the case with a rigid support of any sort, but are sim- 100 ply aided to such an extent as may be necessary to enable them to correct existing deformities. The body-trainer and abdominal supporter are used in connection with gymnastic exercises, massage, and application of electricity, whereby the weak muscles are strengthened, so that in time the bodytrainer and abdominal supporter can be dispensed with.

The apparatus has to be worn only until the muscles are sufficiently strengthened to perform the work of supporting the body in a correct position without it. Other devices intended to accomplish the same thing have failed usually for two reasons: First, theygenerally fail to correct the existing deformities, and, second, if the deformities are corrected the muscles are not strengthened, but, rather, weakened by their use, so that the difficulties in the end are aggravated rather than cured.

The side straps 5 and 6 of the shoulderbrace are attached adjustably to the right and left spring supporting-arms in order to assist in sustaining the abdominal supporter in position.