Device For Applying And Releasing Pressure

Abstract

A pressure applying and pressure releasing device consisting of a spring pressed rod in connection with a gauge to apply a measured degree of pressure by means of said rod against a given area and said rod has in connection therewith a stop member to hold said rod in its pressure applying position and means to actuate said stop member to release said rod from its pressure applying position.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The device herein is used to apply a measured degree of linear pressure to a given area and embodies a gauge for a ready determination of the pressure applied. The device is manually operated. The essential novelty of the device comprises structure therein providing for a quick release of pressure being applied.

A particular application for the device herein is present in the practice of chiropractic wherein in the treatment of a patient, the chiropractor applies pressure to a given specific area of the spinal column for adjustment of vertebrae thereof to relieve a condition causing pressure, as upon a nerve. It is within the practice to apply the pressure for a given period of time and thereafter it is desirable to have the pressure withdrawn from area of its application as quickly as possible. In applying pressure by hand such as finger pressure, it takes on the order of one-tenth of a second for the operator or chiropractor to remove his finger from the body of the patient for a complete release of the pressure applied. The effectiveness of the adjustment made by the chiropractor has been found to have specific correlation to the speed with which the applied pressure can be withdrawn. The body responds to treatment of pressure by a reflex action of muscles, ligaments and surrounding connective tissue upon withdrawal of the pressure. The faster the body is permitted to respond the more effective is its action in returning vertebrae to a corrective position to relieve nerve pressure.

It is a principal object of the invention herein to provide for the removal of the applied pressure in a much faster interval of time than is possible for a manual removal thereof such as by a chiropractor removing his hand from the body of a patient or such as by a chiropractor manually withdrawing a pressure applying device from the body of a patient.

It is another object of the invention herein to provide a device by means of which a measured amount of pressure may be applied to a desired or specific area of a patient and have that pressure removed on the order of one one-hundredth of a second as compared to one-tenth of a second which is approximately the time required for the chiropractor to fully withdraw his hand from the body of the patient.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a device embodying a pressure gauge and a spring loaded pressure applying rod with a stop member in connection therewith whereby said rod may be held in a pressure applying position and said stop member may be very quickly disengaged therefrom for a quick withdrawal of said rod from its pressure applying position.

More generally the invention herein relates to a device comprising a substantially cylindrical housing having a spring loaded pressure applying rod disposed therein and moving axially thereof, means carried by said housing to determine the degree of pressure being applied by said rod, means within said housing holding said rod in a pressure applying position and means in connection with said rod holding means for a quick release of the same from its pressure applying position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation showing the device herein in a pressure applying position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in longitudinal vertical section on a somewhat large scale with a portion broken away;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with a portion thereof broken away and showing the device herein in a pressure released position; and

FIg. 4 is a view in vertical cross section on an en-larged scale taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 1 as indicated.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, the device comprising the invention herein is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. Specific details of the device may take on various configurations.

Said device comprises a generally cylindrical housing 12 which is presumably formed as a unitary member of suitable molded plastic material. Said housing is shown having a handle portion 14 of somewhat larger diameter than the remaining barrel portion 16 thereof. Said housing has a central longitudinal passage 18 therethrough of uniform diameter. Said passage 18 is reduced in diameter at its forward end portion 18a in passing through the forward end 16a of said barrel. At the rearward end of said handle portion 14a is an end cap or plug 20 having a small projecting portion of reduced diameter 21 extending into the said passage 18 to pressfit therein or as may be desired said plug may be fused into said handle portion 14 for a permanent connection therewith.

A pair of elongated somewhat narrow slots 23 and 24 extend through said barrel 16 as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 4. Indicia 25 will be provided along said slots to indicate various degrees of pressure readings.

Disposed within said passage 18 is a pressure applying member 27 here shown as a cylindrical rod having sufficient length to be disposed the full length of passage 18 and to extend outwardly and forwardly thereof as indicated in FIG. 3. Carried on a portion of said rod within said housing is a compression means 28 shown here as a compression coil spring and which functions in connection with said pressure applying member.

Disposed about said barrel portion 16 is an annular ring or collar 30. Carried on said rod is a small annular hub portion 32 in diametrical alignment with said ring 30. Extending diametrically through said collar 30 and said hub is a pin 35. Said hub forms a shoulder acting as a stop member for one end of said spring 28.

Carried within said passage 18 is a retaining means 37 shown here as having a bore 38 of just sufficient size to accommodate said rod 27 and having a counter-bore 39 forwardly thereof a size to receive and retain an end portion of spring 28. Formed between said bore 38 and said counter-bore 39 is a shoulder 40 forming a stop for the adjacent end portion of said spring 28. Said sleeve is freely slidable within said passage 18. Said rod 27 is freely slidable through said sleeve 37. Secured to the inner end of said rod 27 as by a pin is a collar 27a larger in diameter than said bore 38.

Provided in said handle portion 14 is a narrow elongated slot 45. In connection with said slot and pivotal therethrough is a quick releasing stop member 48. Said stop or trigger member comprises a flat head portion 49 disposed in said slot and is pivotally held therein by a pin 50. Extending outwardly of said portion 49 is a finger engaging means or handle portion 52 shown here in the form of a flat finger engaging plate member disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the portion 49. Within said handle 14 is a small recess 55 in alignment with said handle portion 52 and the same has disposed therein a portion of a coil spring 56 which bears against the underside of said handle 52 to urge the same into an extended position as shown.

With reference to said stop portion 49, an inner corner portion 58 thereof is shown cut away forming an annular shoulder or detent adapted to engage and releasably hold the rearward end portion of the sleeve 37.

OPERATION

The device herein as described is held in operating position as indicated by the phantom view of a hand A in FIG. 1 which is shown grasping the handle portion 14 and having the thumb B overlying the handle 52 of the stop member 48. At this time there is no thumb pressure being applied to said handle portion 52. Said stop member 48 and said slots 23 and 24 are disposed circumferentially of the housing 12 relative to each other so that with the stop member portion 52 being positioned at the bottom of the device, as shown, the indicia 25 giving pressure readings is readily seen by the operator.

Next the rod 27 is extended forwardly or outwardly of the barrel 16 to the point where the collar 27a moves the sleeve 37 forwardly sufficiently for said sleeve to become engaged by the shoulder 58. Said spring 56 normally urges said handle portion 52 outwardly sufficiently to have its portion 49 inwardly of said passage 45 whereby said sleeve 37 automatically becomes engaged by said shoulder upon being pulled forwardly thereof. The collar 30 in connection with the hub portion 32 is positioned on said rod 27 with respect to said sleeve 37 and with respect to the compression of the spring 28 so that when said rod 27 is urged inwardly of said passage 18 against the pressure of said spring 28, as indicated in FIG. 2, the annular ring 30 will indicate a reading of said indicia 25 which will give a true reading of the pressure which is exerted by said spring and which is being applied against a body C by the rod 27.

With the device herein used to provide a chiropractic adjustment by the application of pressure to a specific area of a body C, as illustrated, the operator will merely position the tip of the rod 27 at a desired point and with the rod first having been extended into a locked or latched position as described, the operator merely moves the housing forwardly of the rod compressing the spring 28 until the ring 30 indicates the degree of pressure which the operator wishes to apply. The indicia will indicate pressure as in terms of ounces of pressure for purposes herein. No numerical readings with respect to said indicia are here indicated.

The operator holds the device in a steady position for the length of time he desires to apply pressure. When it is desired to release the pressure, it is most beneficial for effective chiropractic adjustment of the patient to have the pressure released instantaneously. With pressure being applied by the hand of the operator and with the release of pressure being dependent upon the backward movement of the operator's hand in withdrawing the instrument, it is estimated that there is required about one-tenth second interval of time for a complete withdrawal of pressure. Here with a mechanical release of pressure by the disengagement of shoulder 58 from the sleeve 37, regardless of the time interval required for the pressure of the thumb B against the handle 52, there is no release of pressure until the shoulder 58 is clear of said sleeve and then the spring 28 is being released snaps the rod away from the body C for an instantaneous removal of pressure which is indicated as being on the order of one one-hundredth of a second as compared to a hand withdrawal of the device 10 which would be on the order of one-tenth of a second.

The device herein has proved to be highly satisfactory in use in making a significant contribution to an improvement in the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustment.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in form, details arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention herein which, generally stated, consists in an apparatus capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A device for applying and releasing pressure, having in combination

a housing including a handle portion,

a rod-like pressure applying member extending partially outwardly of said housing and being movable axially thereof,

a coil spring disposed about said pressure applying member,

said pressure applying member carrying a stop means for said spring at one end of said spring,

a stop means for said spring at the other end thereof comprising an elongated member pivotally secured in said housing on an axis disposed in a direction transversely of the axis of said housing and having a finger engaging portion extending outwardly of said housing and having a spring stopping portion extending inwardly of said housing,

said spring stopping portion being engaged upon said spring being compressed by movement of said pressure applying member inwardly of said housing, and

said outwardly extending portion being engaged for operation by a finger of the hand holding said handle portion for a quick release of said spring.