US3277895A

US3277895A - Clamp-type surgical instrument

Info

Publication number: US3277895A
Application number: US310262A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles A Johnson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-09-20
Filing date: 1963-09-20
Publication date: 1966-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 1983-10-11

Description

Oct. 11, 1966 A. JOHNSON 3,277,895

CLAMP-TYPE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 20, 1963 will/[i0 luv/1711111,

INVENTOR Charles (Zn/5571 5070,

United States Patent O 3,277,sas CLAMP-TYPE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Charles A. Johnson, Box 179, Lemmon, S. Dak. Filed Sept. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 310,262 3 Claims. (Cl. 128325) This invention relates to surgical instruments and more particularly to an end lock for a clamp-type surgical instrument.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved scissors or clamp-type surgical instrument having means thereon for urging the jaws thereof tightly together.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved surgical instrument wherein there is provided means for urging the gripping jaws thereof tightly together so that tissue held therebetween is squeezed in sealing relation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a locking means for surgical instruments so that skin tissue held between the gripping jaws may be urged tightly together by the jaws to prevent leakage or bleeding.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a positive end lock for a clamp-type surgical instrument for urging the gripping jaws tightly together so that skin tissue held therebetween may be squeezed together in sealing relation to prevent fluid leakage or bleeding and wherein said end lock is provided with a positive locking means for maintaining said end lock in its operable position constantly urging the gripping jaws tightly together to continually maintain tissue held therebetween in sealing relation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a clamp-type surgical instrument of the hemostat variety with the locking means of this invention mounted thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the instrument shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the instrument shown in FIGURE 1 illustrating the position of the locking means of this invention prior to engagement with the gripping jaws of the surgical instrument;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the gripping jaws of the surgical instrument opened;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view similar to FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a section view taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 7 is an end view taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 there is shown a surgical instrument 10 which is basically a hemostat-type instrument having a pair of

handles

12 and 14 pivotally secured together as at 16 in scissor-like fashion. The instrument 10 is shown clamping tissue indicated in dotted outline at 17. The handles are provided with gripping or clamping

jaws

18 and 20, respectively, which have opposed inwardly facing mating serrated surfaces 180 and 20a, respectively, for positively clamping tissue therebetween when the jaws are brought together in clamping engagement. At the terminal end of one of the clamping jaws, such as 20, there is a generally perpendicularly extending pin 22 adapted to register in a mating slot 24 in the opposite jaw to aid in the precise registry of the serrated surfaces when the jaws are brought together in clamping engagement.

The opposite ends of the handles .12 and 14 are provided with well known

finger loops

26 and 28, respectively, for aiding in manipulation of the instrument. Each handle "ice '12 and 14 is further provided with inwardly facing

projections

30 and 32, respectively, near the finger loops. These projections are offset in a plane relative to the handles and have inwardly facing ratchets 34 and 36, respectively, in the form of oppositely inclined teeth so that they engage in locking relation when the handles are brought together to clamp tissue between the clamping aws.

The embodiment illustrated is provided with a well known circumcision shield 38 which underlies the clamping jaws of the instrument and has a substantially longitudinally extending slot 38a therein permitting skin tissue to pass therebetween and be clamped by the clamping jaws. It has been found that the instrument of this invention is particularly useful in preventing bleeding in circumcision operations but it is to be understood that the invention has many other applications with clamp-type surgical instruments used in human and animal surgery where it is desirable to clamp tissue and prevent bleeding or fluid leakage.

The surgical instrument of this invention is provided with first means for urging the jaws together in tightly clamped engagement to effectuate a sealing relation when tissue is held therebetween, and a second means for looking said first means in its urging position to maintain the jaws in tightly clamped engagement to hold tissue therebetween in sealing relation.

The first or urging means includes a generally U-shaped locking jaw 40 which is pivoted at 41 to the free end of an auxiliary or locking handle 42. The locking handle 42 is, in turn, pivotally mounted at 43 to the instrument 10, which mounting, in the embodiment illustrated, attaches the handle 42 to the shield 38. The locking jaw 40 is provided with a serrated surface 44 on the interior of one leg 40a thereof. The serrated surface 44 is adapted to engage the outside surface, such as 20', of the terminal end of the opposite clamping jaw, such as 20, when the clamping jaws are brought together with the

handles

12 and 14 locked by the ratches 34 and 36, the locking jaw is pivoted about its mounting to envelope the terminal ends of the clamping jaws therebetween and the handle 42 is drawn toward the handle 14.

The second or locking means includes the auxiliary or locking handle which is pivoted at 43 to the surgical instrument. The pivot 43 is offset from the pivotal mounting 41 of the jaw 40 to the handle so that as the handle 42 is drawn toward handle 14, the jaw 40 will be drawn against the outside of the jaw 20. The locking handle is also provided with a well known finger loop 48 for facilitating the manipulation thereof. Aligned

projections

50 and 52 are provided on the auxiliary handle 42 and on the handle \12, respectively. These projections are also offset relative to the plane of the instrument similar to the projections 30* and 32 and are also provided with ratchets such as 54 and 56, respectively, having oppositely inclined teeth adapted to engage and lock when the auxiliary handle 42 is brought toward the handle 12.

In operation, to release the locking means from the posi tion shown in FIGURE 1, the handle 42 is unlocked from the handle 14 by slightly urging the two handles together to permit the ratchet means to unlock in a well known manner. The handle 42 is then swung outward away from the handle 14, releasing the pressure of the jaw 40 against the jaw 20. This permits the jaw 40 to be grasped, such as at the projection 40b, and swung about its pivotal mounting 41 free and clear of the

jaws

18 and 20 as shown in FIGURE 3.

Conversely, to grasp tissue in sealing relation with the instrument, the

jaws

18 and 20 are first opened as shown in FIGURE 4 to permit the reception of tissue 17 therebetween. The

jaws

18 and 20 are then brought together by swinging the

handles

12 and 14 together so that they are in a position as shown in FIGURE 3. The jaw 40 is then pivoted about the mounting 41 on the handle 42 to a position shown in dotted outline in FIGURE 3 where it envelopes the

jaws

18 and 20 therebetween. The handle '42 is then pivoted about its mounting 41 and brought toward the handle 14. Since the pivotal mounting of the jaw 40 on the handle 42 is beyond the pivotal mounting 43 of the handle, this offset relation causes the jaw 40 to be drawn toward the side of the jaw 20. As the handle 42 nears a position where the

ratches

54 and 56 may be brought together in locking engagement, the serrated surface 44 contacts the side 20 of the jaw 20 causing it to be urged more tightly against the jaw .18. Finally, as the handle 42 is locked to the handle 14, the instrument is in the position shown in FIGURE 1 with the tissue 17 tightly clamped between the

jaws

18 and 20 and the jaw 40 urging the jaw 20 against the jaw .18 with a sufficient force such that the tissue 17 is held therebetween in sealing relation so that fluid, such as blood, is prevented from escaping. Upon cutting the protruding portion of the tissue 17, which is above the

jaws

18 and 20, there will be no bleeding or fluid leakage due to the sealing effect of the uniform crush of the tissue. The surgical instrument may be removed and the crushed tissue may be separated from the healing portion without the loss of blood.

It is to be understood that the locking means of this invention may have numerous other applications for use with various clamp-type surgical instruments in human or animal surgery in addition to the hemostat with a circumcision shield illustrated herein. In general, this locking means has application wherever the locking jaw may be pivoted to the free end of an auxiliary handle which, in turn, is pivoted near the free end of a scissors or clamptype instrument, providing means for urging the gripping jaws of the instrument tightly together so that tissue held therebetween is uniformly crushed to prevent the leakage of blood or other fluids.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a surgical instrument having a pair of intersecting pivotally connected cross handles with clamping jaws at the ends thereof, locking means for locking the jaws in sealing relation comprising: a locking handle pivoted to said instrument near the free ends of said jaws, means for securing said locking handle to said instrument when said handle is swung about its pivotal mounting and drawn toward said cross handles; and a locking jaw pivotally mounted on said locking handle in a position to embrace the free ends of said clamping jaws, said locking jaw pivotal mounting being offset relative to the pivotal mounting of said locking handle so that said locking jaw is urged against one of said clamping jaws to force the clamping jaws together in sealing relation as said locking handle is drawn toward said cross handles to be secured thereto.

2. In a surgical instrument having a pair of intersecting pivotally connected cross handles with clamping jaws at the ends thereof and shield means secured to the underside of one of said jaws and extending radially outwardly therefrom, locking means for locking the jaws in sealing relation comprising: a locking handle pivotally mounted on said shield at a point laterally spaced from the side of one of said jaws and near the free end thereof, means for securing said locking handle to said instrument when said locking handle is swung about its pivotal mounting and drawn toward said cross handles; and a generally U-shaped locking jaw .pivotally mounted on the terminal end of said locking handle and inwardly facing in a position to embrace the free ends of said clamping jaws, said locking jaw pivotal mounting being offset relative to the pivotal mounting of the locking handle to permit said locking jaw to be swung about its mounting to substantially embrace the ends of the gripping jaws within the U-shaped opening thereof so that as said locking handle is drawn toward said cross handles to be secured thereto said locking jaw will be moved transversely relative to the length of said gripping jaws to a position where one side of the interior of said U-shaped locking jaw will be urged against the outside of one of said clamping jaws to force the clamping jaws together in sealing relation.

3. In a surgical instrument having a pair of intersecting pivotally connected cross handles with clamping jaws at the ends thereof, locking means for locking the jaws in sealing relation, comprising: a locking handle pivoted in said instrument near the free ends of said jaws for movement between a first and second position; means for securing said locking handle to the instrument when said locking handle is in said second position; a locking jaw having a clamping jaw engaging portion constructed and arranged to urge the clamping jaws together, said locking jaw mounted on the instrument and connected to the locking handle for movement relative to the clamping jaws and to the locking handle, and for movement with the locking handle responsive to movement of the locking handle, said connection being such that when said locking jaw is positioned with its clamping jaw engaging portion adjacent one of the clamping jaws, movement of said locking handle to said locking position causes said locking jaw to tightly urge said clamping jaws together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 385,076 6/1888 Stohlmann 128321 FOREIGN PATENTS 869,388 5/1953 Germany.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

G. MCNEILL, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A PAIR OF INTERSECTING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED CROSS HANDLES WITH CLAMPING JAWS AT THE ENDS THEREOF, LOCKING MEANS FOR LOCKING THE JAWS IN SEALING RELATION COMPRISING: A LOCKING HANDLE PIVOTED TO SAID INSTRUMENT NEAR THE FREE ENDS OF SAID JAWS, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID LOCKING HANDLE TO SAID INSTRUMENT WHEN SAID HANDLE IS SWUNG ABOUT IT PIVOTAL MOUNTING AND DRAWN TOWARD SAID CROSS HANDLES; AND A LOCKING JAW PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID LOCKING HANDLE IN A POSITION TO EMBRACE THE FREE ENDS OF SAID CLAMPING JAWS, SAID LOCKING JAW PIVOTAL MOUNTING BEING OFFSET RELATIVE TO THE PIVOTAL MOUNTING OF SAID LOCKING HANDLE SO THAT SAID LOCKING JAW IS URGED AGAINST ONE OF SAID CLAMPING JAWS TO FORCE THE CLAMPING JAWS TOGETHER IN SEALING RELATION AS SAID LOCKING HANDLE IS DRAWN TOWARD SAID CROSS HANDLES TO BE SECURED THERETO.