Aspirating handpiece with controls for vacuum, air, and water

Claim 1

WATER-AIR-VACUUM DENTAL APPARATUS TO BE HELD IN ONE HAND AND OPERATED COMPLETELY WITH THE THUMB OF SAID HAND COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A HOUSING FORMED TO BE GRIPPED IN THE FINGERS OF THE HAND OF AN OPERATOR, MEANS INCLUDING SEPARATE CONDUITS IN SAID HOUSING INDIVIDUALLY AND SEPARATELY AFFORDING WATER, AIR AND VACUUM THERETHROUGH, A PAIR OF NORMALLY CLOSED VALVES IN SPACED RELATION IN SAID WATER AND AIR CONDUITS TO INDIVIDUALLY AND SEPARATELY CONTROL THE FLOW OF WATER AND AIR THROUGH SAID HOUSING, A CONTROL MEMBER FOR SAID VALVES INCLUDING A PIVOT PIN IN SAID HOUSING FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID CONTROL MEMBER ON SAID HOUSING INTERMEDIATE SAID VALVES TO BE PIVOTED AS DESIRED WITH THE THUMB OF SAID OPERATOR TO SELECTIVELY ENGAGE SAID VALVES AND PERMIT AND PREVENT THE FLOW OF WATER AND AIR THROUGH SAID HOUSING, AND FLOW CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID VACUUM COMPRISING A ROTATABLE MEMBER SUBSTANTIALLY ADJACENT SAID CONTROL MEMBER AND ORIENTED WITH RESPECT THERETO TO ROTATE ABOUT AN AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE PIVOT AXIS OF SAID CONTROL MEMBER, WHEREBY AN OPERATOR CAN HOLD SAID APPARATUS IN ONE HAND AND WITH THE THUMB OF SAID HAND CONTROL THE WATER, AIR AND VACUUM SEPARATELY OR SIMULTANEOUSLY AS DESIRED.