US940735A - Apparatus for developing the lungs. - Google Patents

Description

V. J. SGHAEFPER & J. M. DEMPSEY.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING THBLUNGS. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 8.

94:0,??35. Patented N0v.23,1909.

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WITNESSES: INVENTORS Arron/var UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR J. SCI-IAEFFER AND JAMES M. DEIVIPSEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING THE ing of the Lungs, of which the following is:

a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved, simple and inexpensive device for exercising and developing the lungs, whereby the prevention and cure of tuberculosis may be accomplished or facilitated, and to provide an instrument of this kind whereby the air may be continuously exhaled by the patient against a pressure which produces a corresponding air pressure on the. diseased and undeveloped cells of the lungs and thereby exercises them and aids their growth and development.

A specific embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a lung exerciser constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail of the retaining disk or plate. Fig. 3 isa detail of the valve disk. Fig. 4 is an exterior view of the casing.

In the construction shown in the drawing, the body or casing l is tubular and has a ball-shaped enlargement at each end, the ball at the inlet end being considerably smaller in diameter than the other and serving as a mouthpiece. The air passage through the casing comprises achamber 2 adjacent to the large end of the casing and a contractedpassage 3 which extends longitudinally through the casing in alinement with thechamber 2. Thepassage 3 is preferably a straight cylindrical bore, and thechamber 2 is an enlargement thereof or counterbore. In thechamber 2 is seated thevalve disk 4 which normally closes the inner end of thepassage 3. Thedisk 4 is yieldingly held against its seat by the spring 5 which bears against the retaining disk orplate 6 secured in the outer end of thechamber 2. Thevalve 4 has a plurality of apertures 7 around its periphery, and theretaining disk 6 has a contractedcentral aperture 8, so that when the'valve is away from its seat air may flow continuously through the passage in the casing.

In the operation of the device, the user Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 11, 1908.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 467,122.

places the smaller end in his mouth and closes his teeth and lips upon the contracted middle part. Air is then inhaled into the lungs through the nose, and exhaled by way of the mouth through the instriunent. The spring 5 exerts a pressure on the valve4 sufiicient to cause a back pressure upon the air in the lungs. This back pressure forces the 'air into the diseased or undeveloped cells of When the pressure of the air overcomes the tension of the spring 5, the

the lungs.

valve 4 yields and permits the escape of the air through theapertures 7 and 8. The contractedaperture 8 restricts the escape of air and, together with the valve spring, main tains a steady back pressure on the exhaled air. In order to exhale against this back pressure, it is necessary for the user to contract his abdominal muscles in a natural manner. This causes his diaphragm to rise, exerting pressure upon the lung tissues and forcing the air contained therein to enter lung cells not ordinarily used. As is Well known, the oxygen in fresh air has a curative eifect upon the diseased air cells and serves to enlarge, multiply, and render more healthy those air cells which are not diseased.

We claim 1. A device for exercising the lungs, comprising a body having a mouthpiece at one end, a contracted air passage extending into the body from said mouthpiece, an enlarged chamber at the inner end of said passage, a valve movably mounted in said chamber and adapted to control communication between said passage and chamber, a spring normally urging said valve toward its seat so as to resist the inward fiow of air through said passage, and an air outlet from said chamber beyond said valve, said valve and chamber being arranged to permit the flow of air around said valve when it is clear of its seat.

2. A device for exercising the lungs, comprising a body'shaped to form a mouthpiece at one end, a contracted bore extending inward of the body through said mouthpiece, an enlarged bore extending into the body from the opposite end and communicating with said first bore, a valve disk slidablv mounted in said enlarged bore and adapted to close the inner end of said contracted bore, a closure for the outer end of said enlarged'bore and having a contracted outlet opening therethrough, and a spring bearing opening therethrough, and a spring bearing between said closure and valve disk and adapted to normally urge said valve disk to its closed position, said valve disk being shaped so as to permit air to flow from said mouthpiece to said outlet when said valve is moved against the pressure of said spring.

3. A device for exercising the lungs, comprising a body shaped to form a mouthpiece at one end, a contracted bore extending inward of the body through said mouthpiece, an enlarged bore extending into the body from the opposite end and communicating with said first bore, a valve disk slidably mounted in said enlarged bore and adapted to close the inner end of said contracted bore, a closure for the outer end of said enlarged bore and having a contracted outlet between said closure and valve disk and adapted to normally urge said valve disk to its closed position, said valve disk having notches in its periphery adapted to permit the air to flow past said disk when moved against the pressure of said spring.

at. A device of the class described, comprising a body having an air passage extending through it from-end to end and comprising contracted inlet and outlet apertures at opposite ends and an enlarged chamber between said apertures, a mouthpiece on said body at the inlet end, a valve seat at the inlet side of said chamber, a valve slidably mounted in said chamber at the outlet side of said seat, and a spring normally urging said valve toward said seat, said valve being adapted to permit air to flow from said inlet to said outlet when said valve is away from its seat.

VICTOR J. SGHAEFFER. JAMES M. DEMPSEY.-

\Vitnesses l/VILLIAM HoTH, MATTHEW W. SEIMETZ.

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