US3705581A

US3705581A - Cast spreading device

Info

Publication number: US3705581A
Application number: US98980A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leon A Drake
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-12-17
Filing date: 1970-12-17
Publication date: 1972-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-12

Abstract

A cast spreading device for spreading the severed wall of a cast comprising a handle having a finger pivoted lever which actuates a longitudinally movable shaft through a barrel. The distal end of the barrel has fixed thereon a bit. The distal end of the shaft passing through the barrel carries a second bit which operates to move away from the bit on the barrel as the shaft is advanced through the barrel. This operation functions to spread the cast apart when the bits are embedded in the cut of the cast.

Description

O United States Patent [151 3,705,58 1 Drake 1 Dec. 12, 1972 [54] CAST SPREADING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Leon A. Drake, 3220 Old Hobart Examiner-Lawrence Trap! Road, Lake County, Ind. 46405 Atmmey-walter Leuca [211 App]' N05 98980 A cast spreading device for spreading the severed wall of a cast comprising a handle having a finger pivoted [52] US. Cl ..l28/83, 29/239 lever which actuates a longitudinally movable shaft [51] Int. Cl. ..A6lf 5/04 through a barrel. The distal end of the barrel has fixed Field of Search 3/ 2, 811; 54/ thereon a bit. The distal end of the shaft passing 254/108, 71; 2 through the barrel carries a second bit which operates to move away from the bit on the barrel as the shaft is [56] References cued advanced through the barrel. This operation functions UNITED STATES PATENTS to spread the cast apart when the bits are embedded in t the cut of the cast. 3,426,752 2/1969 Laico ..l28/83 1,571,376 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 2/1926 Rogers ..254/7l X WWW 3705.581

T 24- y lo 28 I m 4-8 m [AW/'EYTOR, LEON A DRAKE BY Lama ATTORNEY CAST SPREADING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The problem that this invention is directed is that connected with the removal of a cast which is formed on a limb to hold it rigid in order to promote the healing of a broken or fractured bone. Such casts are ordinarily formed by wrapping the limb with a gauze material and covering the same with a plastic or wet cementious material which hardens into a plaster-like shell rigidly encompassing the limb. After the healing is completed, the cast is destroyed and removed from the limb. The thickness of the cast is sufficient to provide a rigid covering for the limb and accordingly, the destruction thereof for removal is generally accomplished by cutting the wall of the cast longitudinally by means of a saw blade and then the severed sides are spread apart to remove the cast from the limb. Removing the cast in this fashion requires the cast to be cut all the way through risking injury to the skin of the limb which is in close proximity with the cast material, and

then cutting the gauze material with scissors. This method hazards the risk of injury to the skin and is slow and laborious if done carefully.

I am aware that spreader devices are employed which forceably spreads a severed cast which is cut through and the force applied by the spreader device ruptures or spreads open the cast to liberate the limb therefrom. The spreader devices that I am aware of are primitive in structure in that they employ scissor-like handles and the spread of the bits is very restrictive. Also, some cast spreader devices require the use of both hands to operate the scissor-like spreader handles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I have invented a cast spreader device which spreads the severed wall of a cast easily and quickly with the use of one hand by providing a pistol-grip handle having a finger pivoted lever which actuates a longitudinally movable shaft through a barrel. The distal end of the barrel has fixed thereon a bit. The distal end of the shaft passing through the barrel carries a second bit which operates to move away from the bit on the barrel as the shaft is advanced through the barrel. This opera tion functions to spread the cast apart when the bits are embedded in the cut of the cast.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a more detailed study of the following specification which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the principles of my invention is illustrated. With reference thereto:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top view of the cast spreader device of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of my invention with the movable bit in section;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the movable bit;

FIG. 4 is the face view of the stationary bit as viewed from lines 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the bits of my invention shown embedded in the cut of a cast encircling a limb, the cast and limb is cross-sectioned; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the bits in spaced apart relation to demonstrate the spreading action of this invention on the cast.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRE EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein like numerals designate like parts of the several views, the cast spreader of the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 10. It comprises a hand grip member 12 which pivotally supports at 14 a lever 16 and is adapted for finger movement. The interior end of lever 16 carries a pawl element 18. Made integral with handle member 12 is tubular member 20 to which is fixed at the distal end thereof a pair of laterally spaced

rectangular bars

22 and 24 which serve as bits. Shaft 26 is longitudinally movable intube member 20. Rectangular bar 28 which also serves as a bit is rotatably mounted on the end of shaft 26 and is formed to fit in the space between spaced

blade members

22 and 24 on tube member 20 to form a unitary bit edge 30. I provide on bit 28 a cross bar 32 on the outside face thereof at right angles thereto to increase the strength of the single bit member 28 and to serve as a stop against spaced

bit members

22 and 24 so that

bit members

22, 24 and 28 may be laterally aligned to form a rectilinear bit edge. It also may be formed to serve as a depth gauge stop when the bits are embedded in the cut of the cast and also as a slide guide when moved across the cast as the spreader tool is used over the cast. The other end of shaft 26 extends beyond handle member 12 and is provided with a shaft rotating means such as knob 34. Serrated detents or notches 36 are formed in one side of shaft 26 which are engageable by pawl element 18 of lever 16 to move shaft 26 forward with each reciprocating movement of lever 16. Pawl element 18 is spring biased to engage notches 36 when lever 16 is moved in one direction and to slip thereover when the lever is pivoted in the other direction. A second pawl element 38 is pivotally mounted in handle member 12 as at 40 and is biased to normally engage notches 36 so as to prevent back sliding of shaft 26 after being forwardly moved by pawl element 18 on lever member 16. Bit member 28 is rotatably connected to shaft 26 by providing the distal end of shaft 26 with a reduced diameter to provide a shoulder 42. Bit 28 is provided with a hole 44 through which is fitted the reduced diameter of the distal end of shaft 26, the end of which is radially enlarged as at 46 to axially retain bit member 28 and cross bar 32 between end 46 flared against washer 48 formed integral with cross bar 32, and shouldered portion 42 of shaft 26, but rotatable thereon. FIG. 3 does not show the connection of the flared end 46 of shaft 26 and washer 48 since the metal parts are ground to form an integral surface.

In the operation of my invention, shaft 26 is retracted to its rearward position by rotating knob 34 to disengage

pawl elements

18 and 38 from notches 36. Bit 28 on end of shaft 26 is fitted in position between spaced

bits

22 and 24 of tubular member .20. As stated above, bit 28 is rotatably mounted on the end of shaft 26 so that when shaft 26 is rotated to disengage notches 36 thereof from

pawl elements

18 and 38, bit 28 may be held in parallel alignment with fixed

bit members

22 and 24 of tubular member 20. With bit member 28 in lateral alignment between spaced

bit members

22 and 24, the collective edges 30 thereof are inserted in a longitudinal cut 50 provided in cast 52 as more clearly shown in FIG. 5. Knob 34 is rotated so that notches 36 of shaft 26 and

pawl elements

18 and 38 are placed in engagement. By holding handle 12 and manually pivoting lever 16, pawl element 18 is reciprocated thereby engaging notches 36 to advance shaft 26 forward through tubular member 20. The backward movement of pawl element 18 releases one of notches 36 to regrip a more rearwardly placed notch during which time pawl element 38 being biased against shaft 26 engages one of notches 36 to prevent shaft 26 from moving backward while not engaged by pawl element 18. The forward shifting of shaft 26 spaces bit 28 forward of

bits

22 and 24 with sufficient force to rupture cast 52 along the longitudinal cut 50 in which the bits are inserted and force the severed sides of the cast apart sufficiently to allow removal of the mended limb therefrom.

lclaim: l. A cast spreading device comprising: a tubular member; means connected to one end of said tubular member for insertion in a fissure provided in said cast; a shaft in said tubular member; means connected to one end of said shaft for insertion in said fissure provided in said cast; said shaft being longitudinally movable in said tubular member to laterally align said means thereon with said means on said tubular member; and

lever means on said tubular member to longitudinally move said shaft to space said means thereon from said means on said tubular member. 2. The cast spreading device of claim 1 wherein said means connected to the end of said tubular member and said means connected to the end of said shaft are further characterized as extending radially from said tubular member and said shaft respectively. 1

3. The cast spreading device of claim 1 wherein said shaft is further characterized as having spaced detents, and said lever means on said tubular member is further characterized as engaging said spaced detents to longitudinally move said shaft through said tubular member.

4. A cast spreading device comprising: a tubular member, a hand grip provided on said tubular member adjacent one end thereof, bit means connected to the other end of said tubular member for embedment in a fissure provided in said cast; a shaft longitudinally movable through said tubular member, means provided on one end of said shaft for manually rotating said shaft, bit means connected to the other end of said shaft for embedment in said fissure provided in said cast, spaced detcnts formed in said shaft; and a hand actuated lever member engaging said detents to longitudinally advance said shaft. 5. The cast spreading device of claim 4 wherein said means connected to the other end of said tubular member is further characterizedas being a pair of spaced apart b1t members, and said means connected to the other end of said shaft is further characterized as being a bit member receivable in said space between said pair of spaced apart bit members on said tubular member.

6. The cast spreading device of claim 5 wherein said bit member connected to the other end of said shaft is further characterized as being rotatably movable thereon.

Claims

1. A cast spreading device comprising: a tubular member; means connected to one end of said tubular member for insertion in a fissure provided in said cast; a shaft in said tubular member; means connected to one end of said shaft for insertion in said fissure provided in said cast; said shaft being longitudinally movable in said tubular member to laterally align said means thereon with said means on said tubular member; and lever means on said tubular member to longitudinally move said shaft to space said means thereon from said means on said tubular member.

2. The cast spreading device of claim 1 wherein said means connected to the end of said tubular member and said means connected to the end of said shaft are further characterized as extending radially from said tubular member and said shaft respectively.

4. A cast spreading device comprising: a tubular member, a hand grip provided on said tubular member adjacent one end thereof, bit means connected to the other end of said tubular member for embedment in a fissure provided in said cast; a shaft longitudinally movable through said tubular member, means provided on one end of said shaft for manually rotating said shaft, bit means connected to the other end of said shaft for embedment in said fissure provided in said cast, spaced detents formed in said shaft; and a hand actuated lever member engaging said detents to longitudinally advance said shaft.

5. The cast spreading device of claim 4 wherein said means connected to the other end of said tubular member is further characterized as being a pair of spaced apart bit members, and said means connected to the other end of said shaft is further characterized as being a bit member receivable in said space between said pair of spaced apart bit members on said tubular member.