U.S. patent number 3,731,682 [Application Number 05/170,218] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-08 for vaginal treatment assembly.
Invention is credited to Sol B. Fielding.
United States Patent |
3,731,682 |
Fielding |
May 8, 1973 |
VAGINAL TREATMENT ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A vaginal treatment assembly including an outer cushion body
dimensioned for reception within the human vaginal cavity, and
containing an essentially tubular liner which projects into a
passage in the cushion body and is withdrawable therefrom, together
with an elongated member which projects into one end of the liner
and extends through the interior of the liner and then through an
opening at its opposite end, to engage an end wall of the cushion
body in a relation retaining the latter against unwanted removal
from the vaginal cavity while the liner is being withdrawn.
Inventors: |
Fielding; Sol B. (Los Angeles,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
22619033 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/170,218 |
Filed: |
August 9, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/2;
604/275 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M
3/0279 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61M
3/02 (20060101); A61M 3/00 (20060101); A61b
019/00 (); A61m 003/00 (); A61m 007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/227,239,247,251,269 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Medbery; Aldrich F.
Claims
I claim:
1. A vaginal treatment assembly comprising an elongated cushion
body formed of deformable material dimensioned to be inserted into
the vaginal tract and having a passage extending thereinto from its
outer end and an end wall at the inner end of said passage, an
essentially tubular liner formed of a material stiffer than said
cushion body and projecting into and lining said passage for
insertion into the vaginal tract therewith, said liner being free
for withdrawal from said passage to enable removal of the liner
from the vaginal tract separately from said cushion body, said
liner having an outer end portion which is accessible to a user and
having an opening at the inner end of the liner opposite said end
wall of the cushion body, and an elongated member having a portion
sized to project into said outer end of the liner and through the
interior thereof to its inner end and then through said opening
into engagement with said end wall of the cushion body and adapted
to be held against said end wall by a user as said liner is
withdrawn along said member and from said cushion body to retain
the latter in the vaginal tract.
2. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said outer end portion of the liner projects outwardly beyond said
cushion body to form a handle portion by which the liner and
cushion body are inserted and by which the liner is withdrawn.
3. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said elongated member is of a length substantially greater than the
length of said liner.
4. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said elongated member has a length greater than the combined length
of said liner and said passage in the cushion body.
5. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said elongated member is formed of two sections connected together
in generally end to end relation giving the member a length greater
than that of either of its sections, said sections being relatively
movable to a reduced overall length condition.
6. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said elongated member is formed of two sections connected together
in generally end to end relation giving the member a length greater
than that of either of its sections, and a connection between said
two sections interconnecting adjacent ends thereof for relative
folding movement to positions adjacent one another in which the
member has a reduced overall length.
7. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said elongated member includes two essentially telescopically
interfitting sections relatively movable between extended length
and reduced length conditions, and a connection between said
sections for releasably retaining them in said extended length
condition.
8. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said elongated member includes two essentially telescopically
interfitting sections relatively movable between extended length
and reduced length conditions, and connector means for releasably
retaining said sections selectively in either said extended length
condition or said reduced length condition.
9. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said elongated member includes two essentially telescopically
interfitting sections relatively movable between extended length
and reduced length conditions, and interfitting threads on said
sections for releasably securing the sections in their extended
length condition.
10. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said elongated member includes two essentially telescopically
interfitting sections relatively movable between extended length
and reduced length conditions, external threads formed on one of
said sections at a location within the other section, and two sets
of threads formed internally within said other section and
selectively engageable with said first mentioned threads in a
relation releasably retaining said sections selectively in either
said extended length condition or said reduced length
condition.
11. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said elongated member includes two essentially telescopically
interfitting sections relatively movable between extended length
and reduced length conditions, a snap detent head formed on one of
said sections at a location within the other section, and two snap
detent shoulders formed in said other section near opposite ends
thereof and releasably engageable in detenting relation with said
head on said one section in a relation selectively retaining said
sections in either said extended length condition or said reduced
length condition.
12. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said cushion body is formed of a liquid permeable material through
which fluids may pass from the interior of said liner to the
outside of the cushion body.
13. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said cushion body is formed of a liquid permeable sponge material
through which fluids may pass from the interior of said liner to
the outside of the cushion body.
14. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said liner has apertures in its side wall.
15. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, including a
pull tab extending outwardly from the outer end of said cushion
body and accessible for pulling the cushion body from the vaginal
tract.
16. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said liner is adapted to removably receive a douche nozzle and is
constructed to pass fluid from the nozzle through the liner to said
cushion body, said cushion body being porous and adapted to pass
said fluid outwardly therethrough to the exterior of the cushion
body.
17. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said liner is adapted to removably receive a douche nozzle and is
constructed to pass fluid from the nozzle through the liner to said
cushion body, said cushion body being liquid permeable and adapted
to pass said fluid outwardly therethrough to the exterior of the
cushion body, said liner having shoulder means engageable with a
douche nozzle to releasably retain it in fixed position on the
nozzle.
18. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 1, in which
said liner is adapted to removably receive a douche nozzle and is
constructed to pass fluid from the nozzle through the liner to said
cushion body, said cushion body being liquid permeable and adapted
to pass said fluid outwardly therethrough to the exterior of the
cushion body, said liner being formed of a deformable resinous
plastic material having a side wall which is apertured to pass said
fluid, said side wall having a reduced dimension shoulder portion
engageable with an enlarged end of the nozzle to retain the nozzle
releasably within the liner.
19. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 18, in which
said outer end portion of the liner projects beyond the outer end
of said cushion body to provide a handle and has a reduced diameter
resilient shoulder at its outer end engageable with the nozzle.
20. A vaginal treatment assembly as recited in claim 19, including
a pull string connected to said cushion body and extending
outwardly therefrom adjacent said outer end portion of the liner.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
Certain features of the assembly disclosed in the present
application have been shown and claimed in my U.S. Pat. No.
3,512,526 issued May 5, 1970 and in my copending application Ser.
No. 35,682 filed May 8, 1970 on "Sheath Assembly for Douche
Nozzle."
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improved devices for treating the vaginal
tract, as for instance for applying medication to or cleaning the
vaginal tissues.
In my above identified patent and application, I have disclosed a
unique type of vaginal treating device which includes a cushion
body or sheath adapted to be received about a douche nozzle in a
relation preventing direct contact of that nozzle with the vaginal
tissues. The cushion body is liquid permeable and adapted to pass
fluids outwardly therethrough from the nozzle for treating the
vaginal tissues, and is soft enough to be rubbed against the
tissues without damaging them. The assembly also includes an
essentially tubular liner which extends into the interior of the
cushion body, and is received about the douche nozzle, and is
apertured to pass the fluids outwardly from the nozzle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a treating assembly having an outer
cushion body and tubular liner of the above discussed general type,
and which is especially constructed to facilitate withdrawal of the
liner from within the cushion body or outer sheath while the latter
is contained within the vaginal tract, so that the cushion body may
be left within the tract for medication or other purposes
separately from the liner. For this purpose, I provide in
conjunction with the cushion body and liner an elongated element
which extends into the liner and through its interior to an inner
end of the assembly, and which at that inner end passes through an
opening in the end of the liner to a position of engagement with an
end wall of the cushion body, so that the elongated member can be
utilized to exert force against and hold the cushion body within
the tract during withdrawal of the liner. Preferably, the liner
even when inserted into the cushion body as far as possible has an
outer end portion projecting beyond the corresponding extremity of
the cushion body to allow grasping of that end portion as a handle
for manipulating the assembly. The elongated removal element is
desirably long enough to project substantially beyond even this end
portion of the liner, so that the ends of the removal element and
the liner can be grasped by different hands and moved in opposite
directions during withdrawal of the liner. For best results, the
portion of the elongated member which is small enough to move into
the liner should be of a length at least as great as or preferably
greater than the combined length of the liner and the passage
within which it is contained in the cushion body.
Certain particular features of the invention relate to various ways
in which the elongated removal element can be constructed in a
manner enabling its reduction in length when not in use. More
particularly, this element may be formed of two or more sections
which are connectible together in an essentially end to end
elongated relation, but are relatively movable, telescopically or
otherwise, to an overall reduced length condition when not in
use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The above and other features and objects of the invention will be
better understood from the following detailed description of the
typical embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in
which:
FIG. 1 is primarily an axial section through a first form of
vaginal treatment assembly constructed in accordance with the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a reduced scale showing of the manner in which the liner
of the FIG. 1 assembly is withdrawn from the outer cushion or
sheath body;
FIG. 3 shows the liner and cushion body with a douche nozzle
received therein;
FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 show three variational types of liner removal
elements; and
FIG. 7 shows the element of FIG. 6 in its reduced length
condition.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference first to FIG. 1, I have illustrated at 10 an
assembly embodying the invention, and including an outer cushion or
sheath body 11, a liner 12, and an elongated liner removal element
13. The cushion body 11 is formed of a material which is very soft
and pliable, at least when wet, to avoid damage to the vaginal
tissues when contacted by this body. The cushion body has an
essentially tubular side wall portion 14, centered about a main
axis 15 of the device, and which is open at its lower end for
reception of liner 12, removal element 13, and a douche nozzle 16
(see FIG. 3). At its upper end, the cushion or sheath body 11 is
closed by an upper or axially inner end wall 17. Internally, the
tubular side wall 14 of body 11 may have a normally straight
cylindrical internal surface 18, extending upwardly from bottom end
19 to a location 20 at which the inner surface may curve inwardly
and hemispherically at 21 across the inner end of liner 12.
Externally, the body 11 preferably has an outer surface 22 which
tapers gradually and progressively and desirably frustoconically
from lower end surface 19 to a location 23 at which the outer
surface curves or is rounded inwardly and essentially
hemispherically as shown to provide a narrowed and rounded leading
end of the cushion body.
The material forming cushion or sheath body 11 is of a type
containing a large number of passages or pores which communicate
with one another through the entire radial thickness of the side
wall of the body, between surfaces 18 and 22, and also through the
entire thickness of end wall 17, in a manner enabling water or
another fluid from nozzle 16 to pass freely and rapidly through the
material to the outside of body 11. As an example, body 11 may be
formed of an appropriate resiliently deformable open pored sponge
material, such as polyurethane sponge (which is soft both when wet
and dry), any other suitable synthetic sponge material, rubber
sponge, regenerated cellulose sponge material (soft only when wet),
or the like. Alternatively, body 11 may be formed of any other soft
fluid permeable cushioning substance, such as for example cotton or
other massed natural or synthetic fibers, an appropriate knitted or
woven cushioning material formed of a suitable yarn or threads of
cotton or other material, a mass or series of layers of paper or
paper-like material, et cetera. The cushioning substance may also
be of a type adapted to expand to an increased thickness or
external size when wet. One desirable expansible substance of this
type is a highly compressed cotton-like mass of natural and/or
synthetic fibers, typically including for example mixed cellulose,
rayon and polyurethane fibers, with the fibers being adapted to be
automatically released from their compressed condition when they
become wet.
The tubular liner 12 within outer body 11 is formed of a material
which is substantially stiffer, harder and more rigid than the very
soft porous body 11, but which itself preferably has substantial
resilient deformability, and is desirably more flexible than nozzle
16. For best results, liner 12 is formed of a resiliently
deformable or flexible resinous plastic material which is
substantially impermeable to water, other douche liquids, medicinal
substances, et cetera. As an example, the liner may be formed of
polyvinylchloride, or any other appropriate substance which can be
safely received within the body cavity. The liner 12 has a tubular
side wall 24, which projects axially outwardly or downwardly beyond
the lower extremity of porous cushion body 11 to a location 25, to
provide a handle portion of liner 12 beyond body 11 by which a user
may hold and manipulate the device without grasping the sponge
body. The tubular side wall 24 extends upwardly into the interior
of body 11 to the upper end of the passage formed by inner surface
18 of body 11. At its upper end, liner 12 curves gradually and
annularly inwardly toward axis 15, in correspondence with the
curvature of the inner surface of body 11 and to the location of a
circular edge 27 defining an opening centered about axis 15 at the
upper end of the liner. The liner thus has a wall extending
partially across its upper end and defining an annular shoulder 27'
against which nozzle 16 is engageable upwardly as will appear at a
later point, but containing the mentioned opening 27. Near its
upper end, the tubular side wall 24 of liner 12 contains a number
of apertures 28, through which liquids from the nozzle 16 may flow
laterally into the porous material of cushion body 11, for
discharge therefrom, when the nozzle is in the FIG. 3 position of
insertion within the liner.
The tubular side wall 24 of liner 12 may have an outer surface 29
which may be of straight cylindrical configuration along the entire
axial distance from a location 30 to a location 31, except as the
diameter is reduced at a location 32 just beneath apertures 28. At
the region 32, the entire thickness of the side wall is deformed
radially inwardly, and annularly about axis 15, to provide an
annular inner shoulder 33 of a diameter slightly less than the
diameter of the internal surface 34 above and beneath that
location. Both the upper and lower sides of this annular reduced
diameter shoulder 33 may curve gradually radially inwardly to
provide tapering upper and lower surfaces 35 and 36 on the
shoulder. The internal and external straight cylindrical surfaces
of tubular side wall 24 continue downwardly to the location of a
bottom downwardly tapering shoulder or flange 37 formed by
providing an inturned reduced diameter annular portion of the
material of liner 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The two annular shoulders
33 and 37 may extend inwardly to approximately the same diameter,
and are both resiliently deformable and resiliently expansible by
virtue of the resilient characteristics of the material of which
liner 12 is formed, to engage nozzle 16 in fluid sealing fashion
when in the FIG. 3 position.
The diameter of external surface 29 of liner 12 may be very
slightly greater than the normal internal diameter of outer porous
body 11, to be a sufficiently tight frictional fit within body 11
to retain the two elements 11 and 12 in assembled positions as
shown in FIG. 1 during handling. However, this light friction fit
enables easy withdrawal of liner 12 from within body 11 when
desired.
For assisting in withdrawing cushion body 11 from the vaginal
tract, this body 11 may carry one of more pull tabs 38, extending
downwardly beyond the lower end 19 of body 11 to a location at
which they may be grasped by a user. In FIG. 1, two such tabs are
formed at diametrically opposite locations as opposite ends of an
elongated narrow flexible ribbon or tape 39, which extends upwardly
along internal surface 18 of body 11 at one side of the body, then
curves along the underside of the rounded top wall of body 11, and
extends downwardly again adjacent a diametrically opposite portion
of wall 18. This ribbon may be suitably secured permanently to body
11, as by an appropriate cement or adhesive, stitching, clipping,
or by otherwise attaching it to any convenient portion of the body.
The currently preferred attachment is by cementing at the upper end
40 of the ribbon. In lieu of a ribbon, an appropriate string or
cord may be employed for forming the pull tabs, or if the body 10
is formed of a knitted or woven material the pull tabs may be
formed merely as extended ends of the yarn, thread, string or cord
of which the material is formed.
Element 13 has a lower handle portion 41, and extends upwardly from
that handle portion into and through liner 12 to a position of
engagement with the underside of top wall 17 of body 11. The upper
end surface 42 of element 13 may be rounded hemispherically in
correspondence with the curvature of the under or inner surface of
top wall 17 of body 11, to exert upward force against body 11 over
a substantial area. Between the location of its lower handle 41 and
its upper end surface 42, element 13 may be of straight cylindrical
external configuration, and of a diameter just slightly less than
the internal diameters of shoulders 33 and 37, and the internal
diameter of opening 27 at the top of the liner.
As seen in FIG. 2, the overall length l of element 13 should be
greater than the total of length t of liner 12 and length s of the
liner receiving passage within body 11, so that the handle portion
41 of element 13 can project downwardly beyond liner 12 and at the
same time engage the upper end of body 11 during the entire
downward removal of liner 12 from body 11. It may also be noted
that the length l' of the portion of element 13 which can be
received within liner 12 and body 11 should be at least as great as
the total of the dimensions s and t, again to assure effective
removal of the liner from body 11.
The douche nozzle 16 may be of completely conventional
construction, and when in use may be connected to the usual
flexible hose 43 which receives water or douche fluid from an
elevated gravity bag 44 or other fluid source capable of producing
a flow of liquid from that source through hose 43 and into nozzle
16. Alternatively the nozzle may be of the type carried by a
hand-held syringe bulb. The nozzle is essentially rigid or stiff,
and may typically be formed of an appropriate resinous plastic
material of suitable rigidity. The nozzle is illustrated in FIG. 3
as it appears when inserted within liner 12 and sheath body 11, and
in that position is centered about the previously mentioned axis 15
and elongated in the direction of that axis. The nozzle contains a
passage 45 whose lower end receives fluid from hose 43, and whose
upper end communicates with a number of apertures 46 in the side
wall 47 of the nozzle for passing fluid outwardly to the exterior
of the nozzle. Externally, the nozzle has an outer surface 48 which
along most of its length is essentially cylindrical, and which
beneath the location 39 flares gradually and essentially conically
to a location 51 beyond which the nozzle may have an externally
hexagonal portion 52 for engagement with a tool if necessary in
screwing the nozzle into a hose fitting 53. At its upper end,
upwardly beyond the location 50, the outer surface of the nozzle
may flare gradually and essentially conically at 54, to form an
enlarged head 55 containing the side wall apertures 46. At the
upper extremity of enlarged head 55, the nozzle may have a closed
generally transverse end wall 56. If desired, the nozzle may have a
slight longitudinal curvature, in a manner well known in the art,
instead of extending straight along the axis 15 in the manner
illustrated, and the external configuration of the nozzle may of
course vary in different respects in accordance with known prior
teachings.
The shoulder 33 of liner 12 is dimensioned to annularly engage the
outer surface 54 of the nozzle in its installed FIG. 3 position,
beneath apertures 46, to form an annular seal at that location
preventing flow of water downwardly beyond that point within the
liner. Shoulder 37 at the bottom of the liner similarly engages the
tapered outer surface 51' of the nozzle annularly near its lower or
axially outer end, to form another annular seal against fluid
leakage or loss downwardly between the nozzle and liner, and past
the two shoulders.
To now describe the manner of use of the device, assume first of
all that the assembly is to be employed in the manner illustrated
in FIG. 1, say for example to apply medication to the inner wall
surfaces of the vaginal tract. The medication may be appropriately
applied to cushion body 11, as by dipping that body into the
desired medicating liquid and causing it to be absorbed into the
pores of body 11. A user may then grasp the lower handle portion of
liner 12, and insert and manipulate the liner and body into the
vaginal tract while holding the liner at its lower end. The soft
cushion body can be rubbed against the tissues without danger of
harm to apply the medication in a very thorough manner. If it is
desired to leave the medicating element within the tract, the user
merely inserts element 13 upwardly through liner 12 and to the FIG.
1 position of engagement with the underside of the top wall of body
11, and holds element 13 in that position while pulling downwardly
on the lower handle end of liner 12. The medicated cushion body 11
may thus be left precisely in any predetermined position in the
vaginal tract, and the entire liner can be completely withdrawn
from the body 11 while still exerting upward holding force on body
11 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2. When it is finally desired
to remove the body 11 itself, this may be done by pulling
downwardly on tabs 38 which are secured to the body.
When it is desired to utilize the device for douche purposes, the
douche nozzle 16 is inserted into liner 12 to the position
illustrated in FIG. 3, and is yieldingly held in that position by
confinement of the upper enlarged head 55 of the nozzle between the
upper end of the liner and shoulder 33. Water or another douche
fluid may then be forced through the nozzle and from its upper
apertures, to discharge through apertures 28 of the liner into
porous body 11, and to flow outwardly through the pores of that
body to the vaginal tissues. If, after the douche procedure is
completed, it is desired to leave sheath body 11 within the vaginal
tract, the user may first hold liner 12 and body 11 in the tract
while pulling nozzle 16 downwardly out of the liner, and then may
insert element 13 into the liner for use in the manner discussed in
connection with FIG. 1 in removing the liner while leaving body 11
in position. If it is preferred to remove outer body 11 along with
liner 12, this may be accomplished by merely grasping the lower end
of liner 12 with the two pull tabs held between the fingers and the
user's liner, so that the tabs cause body 11 to move downwardly
with the liner.
FIG. 4 shows at 13a a variational form of removal element which may
be utilized in lieu of the element 13 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 4, the
element 13a is formed of two rigid sections 113 and 213, which are
connected together in an essentially end to end relation to form an
assembly having a total length corresponding to the length of
element 13 in FIG. 1, and having a small enough transverse
dimension to be insertible upwardly into the liner and utilized in
the manner illustrated in FIG. 2. The sections 113 and 213 may be
pivotally hinged together at 313, so that section 213 may swing
relative to section 113 to the broken line position 213' of FIG. 4,
in which the two sections are received in adjacent side by side
parallel relation and the overall length of the assembly is thus
reduced. In the extended full line position of FIG. 4, the section
213 may be engaged by a pair of detent lugs or shoulders 413 at its
opposite sides, acting to yieldingly hold the two sections in their
extended position of use. As in the first form of the invention, a
handle 41a may be provided at one end of the unit, and a rounded
surface 40a curving in correspondence with the inner surface of the
end wall of body 11 may be provided at the opposite end for
exerting the holding force against body 11. The capacity of the
holding element 13a of FIG. 4 for such reduction in length
facilitates its handling when not in use and during shipping.
FIG. 5 shows another removal or holding element 13b which may be
utilized in lieu of the element 13 in FIG. 1, and which is formed
of two sections 113b and 213b. The latter section contains an
elongated passage 313b which telescopically receives section 113b.
Section 113b has detent shoulders 413b projecting laterally
therefrom and which are receivable in engagement with detenting
notches 513b at one end of body 213b and 613 b at the opposite end
of element 213b. When the sections are in the position illustrated
in FIG. 5, engagement of detent lugs or shoulders 413b with the
left end shoulders 513b on section 213b yieldingly retains the two
sections in their relatively extended maximum overall length
positions, in which the overall length of the assembly 13b is great
enough to enable it to function in the manner of element 13 in FIG.
2. When not in use, section 113b is forced rightwardly within and
relative to section 213b to a position in which shoulders 413b
engage the second set of notches or shoulders 613b at the right end
of section 213b, to yieldingly retain the sections in a minimum
overall length telescopically collapsed condition. The section 113b
(or the corresponding part of any of the other forms of pusher) may
typically have a ball tip 123b for pushing against the end of the
cushion body without damage thereto, but with the tip having a
transverse dimension small enough to pass entirely through liner 12
and its end opening 27.
FIGS. 6 and 7 show still another two section device 13c capable of
being utilized in place of the element 13 of FIG. 1, and in this
instance including a section 113c which is telescopically
receivable within a tubular section 213c and has threads 313c
engageable with either of two sets of threads 413c or 513 c formed
internally within opposite ends of element 213c. When threads 313c
and 413c are in engagement as illustrated in FIG. 6, the two
sections are in their extended full length positions in which they
can be utilized in a manner illustrated in connection with element
13 in FIG. 2. To shorten the overall length of the assembly 13c,
part 113c is merely turned relative to section 213c far enough to
move the threads 313c and 413c out of engagement, to thus enable
axial sliding movement of section 113c farther into section 213c in
telescoping relation until threads 313c can engage and are screwed
into the second set of threads 513c at the right end of section
213c, to retain the assembly 13c in the reduced length condition of
FIG. 7 for ease in handling and shipping.
While certain specific embodiments of the present invention have
been disclosed as typical, the invention is of course not limited
to these particular forms, but rather is applicable broadly to all
such variations as fall within the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *