Specification of Thomas Paton Hawksley : stethoscope.

  • Hawksey, Thomas Paton.
Date:
1873
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Thomas Paton Hawksley : stethoscope. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Specification. Hciwksley's Improved Construction of Stethoscope. But in order tliat my Invention may be more clearly understood I will proceed to describe tlie same by tlie aid of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Dig. 1 is a side view of my improved stethoscope, and Dig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same. a is the part termed the collector, made of thin gun metal, brass, iron, 5 or other suitable metal. This collector is made in the shape of a cone, about one inch in length, the part of an inch in thickness, and £ of an inch in diameter at its inner end, or that part next the tube, and about one inch in diameter at the part which is to be applied to the chest of the patient. The edge of the collector at its widest end 10 is smoothly curved round upwards, and then turned inwards, so as to protect the skin of the patient from abrasion during the operation. To this collector is soldered or otherwise attached the tube b also formed of thin gun metal, brass, iron, or other suitable metal of the same thick¬ ness as the collector. To the other end of the tube b is fastened a 15 flange c, by which the ear plate or vibrator d is fixed to the tube, and which ear plate is to be applied to the ear of the physician or operator during auscultation. The flange c is soldered or otherwise fastened to the tube b9 and is attached to the ear plate or vibrator d by screws, rivets, or other well known mechanical contrivance. The end of the 20 tube b passes through to the opposite side of the ear plate or vibrator d9 which is made of ebonite, vulcanite, or other analogous material ^ part of an inch in thickness, and about 2|- inches in diameter. Although I do not limit myself to the above proportions I have found from continual experience and a long series of experiments the above 25 described dimensions and principles of construction of my improved stethoscope to answer best. The advantages obtained in the construction of my improved stetho¬ scope are that from its superior acoustical qualities it will enable the physician or operator better to elucidate the diagnosis of certain diseases 30 with far more precise and certain results than have hitherto been obtained, by reason of that part of the instrument formed in the shape of a cone called the collector and the tube being made of metal polished inside, approaching most nearly to a wet surface, which I find conducts sound much better than a dry unpolished surface, and the ear plate or 35 vibrator of ebonite, vulcanite, or other similar substance, and also its extreme lightness and durability.
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