US2560243A - Shoulder rest double-arm sling - Google Patents

Description

July 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 2e, 195o Fig. 2.

Mary Cole/fa Peterson INVENTOR.

July l0, 1951 M. c. PETERSON 295699243 SHOULDER REST DOUBLE-ARM SL'INGA 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 26, 1950 INVENTOR.

vsling for supporting one :fortable and Patented July 10, 1951 'Mary ColettaPeterson,^-Nampa, Idaho Application January 26, 1950,l Serial No. 140,617

1 Claim. l Y`"This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a shoulder rest doublearm sling and-more speciiically pertains to an improvedl arm or both oi the arms of the wearer from the shoulder and back andfor 'relieving the neck from the `strain of supporting the sling.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved arm sling for supporting one or l both of the arms ofithe-wearerin a more com- .in fan y improvedmanner wherein -the neck of the user will be relieved of thestrain-of supporting the sling; wherein the sling may be readily adjustedv to support-the arms or arm at adjustable heights or elevations; whereinI the .sling may be conveniently and securely and easily attached to and removed from the person of the wearer; and wherein the sling may be readily adaptable for engagement about the waist of different sized persons.

A iinal important object and feature of the invention to be specifically enumerated herein resides in the provision of an improved, adjustable sling for supporting one or both arms of the wearer in an improved manner from the shoulders of the person and which shall be of a very light-weight, comfortable and inexpensive construction readily adjustable to fit and accommodate different persons and easily applied or removed as desired.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing the invention applied to the person of a wearer, the device being illustrated as supporting both arms in slings;

Fiugre 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the device utilized for supporting but one arm of the wearer;

Figure 3 is a plan or development View of the improved sling in its unfolded position;

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the application of the invention of Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the improved sling of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar reference characters throughoutthe various views, attention is directed rst to Figure y3, wherein it will be seen that the improved sling consists of a sheet of-any suitable light-weight,

sturdy and washable material preferably of a fabric nature, the sheet being T-shaped in formation and havingan upper, laterally extending arm vconsisting .of the arm portions li and l2 which are integrally attached to the top part of a stem portion lli, the arms and stem forming the T-shaped sheet of .material The outerv edges of the arm portions iii and l2 are preferably provided with suitable fasteners i6 and. I8, which may conveniently constitute various. conventional forms of slide fasteners or the like, by means of which the arms may be caused to embrace the vwaist'of the wearer, as shown inFigures 1 and 2,

and secured thereto in the form lof a belt or girdle. Preferably, as shown in Figure 4 and indicated in Figure 3, the mid-portion of the arm of the T is provided with one or more darts which thus enable the beit portion of the device formed by the arm portions I and l2 of the T to be circumferentially extensible to accommodate diiierent sizes of waists.

The stem portion lll of the T-shaped sheet of material is provided with a longitudinal and medial slot E22 which extends from the lower end of the T into the upper portion of the same, terminating at its upper end in an elongated oval shaped opening 24, which opening is adapted to loosely encircle and accommodate the neck of the wearer, the arcuate upper extremity of this opening 25 being normally positioned in the manner shown in Figure 4. The material of the stem of the T-shaped member, on opposite sides of the slot 22, comprises a pair of iurcations 28 and 3S which are substantially parallel and are spaced from each other. These furcations comprise upper portions 32, mid-portions 34, and lower portions 36. The upper portions 32 are adapted to be disposed over the shoulders of the wearer and to rest thereon for supporting the weight of the sling as set forth hereinafter. The lower portions 38 constitute the sling proper carried by each of the iurcations '23 and Sil. Preferably, the sling portions are adjustable, being provided with cooperating fasteners on the lower and mid-portions, these fasteners conveniently comprising straps or ribbons 38 disposed on the opposite lower corners of the lower portion 35i, and cooperating buckles lill carried by tabs 42 secured to the mid-portions 34.

As will now be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the lower portions may be folded upwardly and adjusted with respect to the mid-portions by means of the straps 38 and buckles MJ, whereby the elevation and position of each of the slings carried by the furcations 28 and 30 can be easily adjusted.

From the foregoing, the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be readily apparent. It should be particularly noted that the sling may be conveniently formed from a single piece of material, thereby contributing to its ease of manufacture, its lightness of weight, and facilitating the application of the sling to the wearer. Further, the device may be xedly secured to the person of the wearer by the integral girdle portion formed by the cross-arm portions l and l'2, whereby the device may be firmly but quickly secured to the person of the wearer. When the device has been installed or appliedto the wearer, it will be seen that each of the furcations of material comprises a separate sling and support therefor in which one or both arms mayv be adjustably and comfortably secured and carried, and wherein the entire weight of the arm or arms is directly carried by the shoulders of the wearer and by his waist, completely eliminating any strain upon the neck of the user. Moreover, it will be seen that the sling portions are completely unconnected in the front of the user, whereby complete freedom of movement is available, as necessary, for the arm or arms supported by the sling.

It will thus be evident that the device is particularly useful for supporting fractured or otherwise injured arms or hands of the user, thus greatly contributing to the comfort of injured persons and rendering it easier to minister to them and enable them to be moved as desired.

Since numerous modications and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and annexed drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.v

Having disclosed and described the invention, what is claimed as new is as follows:

A shoulder rest double arm sling comprising a T-shaped sheet of flexible material, the laterally extending arms of said T-shaped sheet being vadapted to embrace the waist ofthe wearer, fastening means on-the outer end portions of said arms for securing said arms together, the stem portion of said T-shaped sheet being slotted centrally and vertically terminating in an elongated oval-shaped opening below the plane of said arms, which opening is adapted to accommodate the neck of the wearer, the material of the stem portion at opposite sides of said slotted opening comprising a pair of furcations which are substantially parallel and are spaced from each other, the upper portions of said furcations being adapted to rest on the shoulders of the wearer,

.and the lower portions of each of said furcations :MARY COLETTA PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Kassner May 2l, 1918 Number

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