US2804969A - Fitted pocket medical kit - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 3, 1957 H. E. BARNETT FITTED POCKET MEDICAL KIT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 28, 1955 Sept. 3, 1957 H. E. BARNETT FITTED POCKET MEDICAL KIT 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed April 28, 1955 wbwm mmf A FITTED POCKET MEDICAL KIT Harry E. Barnett, Chicago, Ill. Application April 28, 1955, Serial No. 594,421

1 Claim. (Cl. 206-16) This invention relates to physicians and surgeons medical kits and more particularly to improvements in such kits comprising a pocket-size container fitted with a careful selection of diagnostic instruments, therapeutic equipment and medications.

It is well known that physicians and surgeons, while they are making house calls or are away from their ofiices, hospitals and the like, carry with them a large selection of diagnostic instruments, therapeutic equipment, medications and tools designed for temporary or emergency uses. Such equipment occupies considerable space and requires a container of fairly large proportion. Customarily this is in the form of a small suitcase, usually fitted with a handle and commonly known as a doctors bag. The size and weight of such a bag is not conducive to convenience, and for this reason doctors are not wont to carry their bags with them, at least when they are not directly engaged in the practice of their profession as, for example, when they are attending social or sporting events or during vacation periods. Notwithstanding this, emergencies do occur during such times requiring the services of a physician or surgeon. Obviously without the necessary equipment and medication during such times, the doctor often is unable to practice proficiently. Occasionally this may prove fatal to the patient.

Heretofore individual doctors have attempted to remedy the situation by carrying with them in their pockets, in a more or less haphazard fashion, a few instruments and medications which they anticipated might be most critically needed in the event of an emergency. However, they have been limited in this regard primarily by the fact that the avilable instruments were not designed especially for compactness and minimum weight. Hence at best only a limited number of instruments and medications could be accommodated in this fashion.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide means for overcoming all of the disadvantages mentioned hereinabove.

An important object of this invention is to provide a pocket-size medical kit capable of comfortably fitting into the pockets of a suit coat or trouser without undue bulging or discomfort to the wearer by reason of excessive size or weight. So also the kit is designed for fitting into even a ladys small purse or in a leather portfolio or the like.

A related object is to afford a kit of the character described, the dimensions of which are less than the dimensions of the average rear pocket of a male trouser so that the same may be readily inserted therein and removed therefrom. Such dimensions are not in excess of five inches in length, four and one-half inches in width and three-quarters of an inch in thickness. Another related object is to provide a fully fitted kit, the overall weight of which is less than one pound.

A further object is to afford a plurality of specially designed instruments which are light in weight, compact and capable of fitting into a small kit of the type denited States Patent scribed without, however, sacrificing any of their functional properties.

A related object is to provide a monaural stethoscope especially designed so that it will fit compactly into a minimum space provided in the kit.

A further related object is to so design some of the instruments and fittings that they may serve double or triple functions.

Yet another object is to afford a two-sided kit of substantially rectangular shape with a peripheral zipper closure member completely encircling the same on at least three sides thereof so that the kit may be opened and laid flat with both inner sides fully exposed. The contents of the kit are arranged, positioned and retained against the exposed sides of the kits by ingeniously designed fittings.

An object relating thereto is to so arrange the contents of the kit and the fittings that one side complements the other, i. e., bulky instruments are positioned opposite blank spaces or thin instruments on the other side, thereby permitting a case of minimum thickness.

Yet a further object is to provide a kit containing a wide selection of essential instruments, medications and equipment necessary for general practitioners of medicine but also designed to accommodate some of the special instruments and the like commonly used by specialists such as orthopedic surgeons and the like.

Finally a further object is to afford a fitted physicians and surgeons kit of the character described which is simply designed, inexpensive, compact, light-weight and attractive.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings: P

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a closed kit embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the opened kit showing the interior and contents in full detail;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of line 3-3 in Fig. 1 of the drawings and viewed in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the diagnostic instruments, namely the monaural stethoscope;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged partially sectional view showing the details of construction which permit the compact storing of the instrument illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of another instrument, namely the penicillin syringe;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of another instrument, namely a thermometer positioned in its protective tubular case;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the syringe instrument illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings with the cover removed to reveal the needle, with a portion of a penicillin container wall broken away and showing the thermometer case being inserted into position to operate the syringe;

Fig. 9 is a plan view ofone of the kit components comprising a sealedpacket'containing suture thread and a suture needle; and

Fig. 10 is "a fragmentary sectional view' takenon the plane of line 1-ti10 in Fig. 2 of the drawings'andviewed in the direction indicated.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the dr numeral 12 indicates generally my pocket which in the embodiment chosen for illustration, comprises a case which may be-made of any suitable material such as leather, plastic or the like. The case may be of the wallet type, i. e. made froma single length'of'material and folded along a median line or hinge member sucl which divides the same into two sides 13 and member such as zipper 22 completely encircles three sides of the case as shown in Figs. 1 the drawings. It further provides, in addition to the closure, a wall which together with the sides 18 and 2 and the hinge 16 affords a complete housing within which may be positioned the various instruments, medications and equipment which will subsequently be described.

T. e inner walls 24 and 26 of sides 1?; and respectively may be provided with a plurality of fittings which are carefully positioned and dimensioned to afford a plurality of compartments or retaining members within which may be positioned the various equipments and instruments of the kit. Thefittings may comprise a plurality of strips of flexible material sewn or otherwise at ted to tr e kit walls 24 and 26 in spaced relationship to provide loops for retaining the instruments and the like in proper position. Thus'referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 10 of the drawings, it will be noted that the side 13 of the kit has a strip of leather 28 alfixed transversely across the wall 24 and stitched to said wall at a plurality of spaced positions such as 36 to provide a plurality of loops such as 32.. The size and shape of these loops vary in accordance with the size and shape of the instruments or medication containers which are intended to be positioned therein.

Thus referring first to Fig. 2 of the drawings, as viewed from left to right, the first loop 32 is designed to retain therein an instrument 34 which comprises a combination rule and goniometer. This instrument is positioned at gs, reference the bottom of the loop directly against the wall 24. Re-

movabiy positioned thereover is a unique instrument which comprises a pocket knife 36 formed with a hookengaging member 37 at one end to which may be attached various tool attachments. When so attached the knife then serves as a handle for the assembled tool. One of such tools comprises a combination file and screw driver 38 which may be removably positioned over the knife 36 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. A hook device 4%, formed on one end of the file 38, cooperates with the hook-engaging member 37 of the knife 36.

Within the next loop 32 may be removably positioned a tubular member 42 which may be made of any hard durable material, such as metal, plastic and the like. This tubular member may protectively house a conventional syringe 44 complete with an attached needle The the body of a patient. If desired the syringe may be sterilized, inserted into the tube 42 and then covered with a close-fitting rubber cap.

Referring now to Fig. 10 of the drawings, will be noted that an auxiliary fitting is superimposed over the next loop formed by the strip 28. Thus a short strio as is aflixed to the strip 28 to form a pair of loops and 59 which in turn are positioned over a shallow loop 52. Within the loop 52 may be positioned a diagnostic instrument comprising a refi'exharnmer 54. The 'reicx hammer in turn comprises'a'hammer head '56 mount-ed on a stub shaft-58,.the end of which is formed with'a hook member 69 which is similar to the file hook 4i) and is adapted for associating thehammer withhthe knife 36 so that the knife then serves as the handle for the hammer. The hammer head 56 is formed with a resilient rubber tip 62 useful in testing muscular reflex, and the other end may be provided with a removable pin 64 which may be used for te ting sensations.

Within the auxiliary loops 48 and 50 positioned above the hammer-containing loop 52, may be positioned sealed vials of medication such as 66 and 68. These medications may be provided for hypodermic injections and may, of course, be selected from a large number of such medications. I have found that ampules of morphine sulphate and ephedrine sulphate are most useful.

The next loop 32 is spaced from the auxiliary loop 48 to afford a gap 79. The function of this gap 7-0 will beapparent as the description proceeds.

Zvithin the loop 32 may be positioned a small battery flashlight 72. The utility of such a flashlight as a tool and diagnostic instrumentis'believed:tobe obvious and well known.

Completing the fittings on the wall 24 oil-Lit side 13 are a pair of loops 74 and 76, Within the'loop 74 may be positioned a case 73 containing therein a spring-wound measuring tape St. The loop '76 retains in removable position a stethoscope diaphragm 82, the function of which will become apparent as the description proceeds. It should be noted that the loops 7% and 76 are positioned in the free space remaining on the kit wall 24 and are again attached as by stitches 84 to the kit side iii.

The other side 2i) of the kit as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings is'likewise fitted with a transverse strip 86 sewn to the wall 2d by means of rows of stitches such as 33 to afford a plurality of loops such as 98 within which may be positioned additional instruments and medications. Again reading from left to right in Pig. 2 of the drawings, within the first loop 90 may be positioned a combination penicillin container and hypodermic needle 91 which will be more fully described as the description proceeds.

Within the next loop may be positioned a pair of stoppered plastic vials 92 and 93 containing oral or hypo dermic medications such, as for example, tablets of codeine sulphate and morphine sulphate. Within the next loop may be positioned a package 9% which is more clearly shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. Within this package, which may be made of cellophane, there may be a small bolt of suture material 5 5 and a straight-cutting suture needle 96. Removably positioned on top of the package 94 may be a tissue forceps 97.

Within the next loop may be removably positioned a scissors 8 for use in removing bandages, sutures and the like. The next loop may contain a small ball point pen 9? which may be used both for writing and as a skin marking device. Next to this is formed a wider loop within which may be removably-retained a length of rubber tubing me having an earpiece Till fitted at one end thereof with a diaphragm adaptor 102 at the other end thereof. The function of this device will also become apparent as the escription proceeds.

Within the last loop of the strip 86 may be 'removably positioned a hollow tubular case 163 within which may be removably positioned a clinical thermometer 104. A separate loop fitting 165 aligned with the'loop containing the vials 92 and 93 may retain an aromatic ammonia pearl 106 of the type which may be used to revive patients.

In Figs. 2, 3 and 10 of the drawings it will be noted that the fittings of one side of the kit are so designed and positioned that the bulkier instruments, tools and containers retained respectively therein are positioned opposite fittings on the opposite side of the kit in which are.

When the kitis closed, all-ofthe instruments, medications and tools are properly contained and positioned therein without causing any excessive bulging of the kit. Moreover as was mentioned hereinabove, a number of instruments are especially designed so that they occupy the least possible space. Furthermore, some of them are designed so that they have more than one function.

Directing attention then to Figs. 4-8 of the drawings, some of these instruments will now be described in greater detail. In Fig. 4 of the drawings it will be noted that a stethoscope has been assembled by fitting the diaphragm 82 to the hollow rubber hose 100. This is accomplished by providing the diaphragm with an adaptor fitting 107 which cooperates with the adaptor 102 to operationally join the diaphragm to the rubber tube. Within the opposite end of the rubber tube 100 is positioned the earpiece 101 which is formed with an enlarged central opening 108. This opening is adapted to loosely fit over a projecting tubular member 109 on the diaphragm adaptor 102. This structure is particularly useful in joining together the ends of the rubber tube to permit positioning of the same within the kit so that the same will occupy the least possible space. This is aptly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It should further be noted that the stethoscope is monaural rather than binaural. Obviously such an instrument is most compact.

Attention is now directed to Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawings. Here there is illustrated the combination penicillin container and hypodermic needle 91 which comprises a disposable tube 110 containing some six hundred thousand units of penicillin in aqueous suspension and designated generally by reference numeral 111. The open end of the tube is closed by a gasket plunger 112 and the opposite end is fitted with a hypodermic needle 113. A rubber tube such as 114, one end of which is closed, is adapted to fit over the needle and seal the same in sterile condition.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings it will be noted that there is illustrated the thermometer 104 projecting from a protective tubular case 103. The tubular case may also be used to actuate the plunger 112 as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. It will further be noted that the rubber tubing 100 which is used in the stethoscope may also be used separately as a tourniquet.

From the foregoing description and drawings it should be apparent that I have provided a unique and most useful pocket size medical kit fitted with a useful selection of diagnostic instruments, therapeutic equipment and medication suffieient to enable the use of the same as an emergency kit by physicians and surgeons. Some of the instruments are especially designed from the standpoint of compactness and ingenious dual-functioning without however sacrificing any of their primary functional utility. The fittings are further designed so that the instruments may be positioned in such a manner that they complement each other within the kit. Thus bulky instruments are positioned opposite either smaller instruments or empty spaces thereby achieving minimum thickness in the kit without subjecting the instruments to accidental crushing or the like. To further safeguard against accidental crushing it should be noted that the larger rigid instruments are so positioned along the sides of the case as to impart additional rigidity to said sides. This is of a special importance where the case is carried in the hip pocket. In order to insure proper positioning of the various instruments, the inside walls 24 and 26 may be stamped with the outlines of the articles so that the same may be readily returned to their proper compartments by merely matching the shape of the article itself with the outlines stamped on the walls.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A physicians and surgeons wallet comprising a pocketsize flexible case foldable along a median portion to afford a case having two sides, a zipper closure member encircling and joining together the adjacent free edges of said sides, a flexible strip affixed one to each of the inner surfaces of said sides and extending transversely thereacross, a plurality of longitudinal rows of stitching spaced one from the other to afiix each of said strips to said sides and thereby afford a plurality of loops of varying size, a short auxiliary strip stitched on one of said first-mentioned strips to afiord a pair of additional loops, a plurality of additional single loops aflixed to at least one side of said case in preselected positions, a plurality of small compact diagnostic instruments, therapeutic equipment and medication-filled containers removably positioned in said loops, the loops and contents thereof of one side positioned to at least partially overlap the loops and the contents of the other side, whereby at least some of the outermost protruding portions of the loops and contents of one side may be positioned in the crevices between the loops and contents of the other side whereby to utilize the inner space of said case with maximum efficiency, at least some of said diagnostic instruments being made of rigid material and so positioned as to impart sufiicient rigidity to the sides of said case so as to prevent deformation of the other instruments, equipment and containers, when the sides of the same are subjected to the usual compressive forces encountered during such times as the case is positioned in a hip-pocket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 391,540 Leonard Oct. 23, 1888 1,722,507 Stanley July 30, 1929 2,062,237 Schwartz Nov. 24, 1936 2,158,764 Silka May 16, 1939 2,167,926 Glasker Aug. 1, 1939 2,477,388 Moore July 26, 1949 2,648,366 Higbee et al. Aug. 11, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 136,995 Great Britain Dec. 31, 1919 480,309 Great Britain Feb. 21, 1938

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