Mechanical tongue depressor

Claim 2

Tongue depressor apparatus in which the improvement comprises: a tongue depressor blade, a blade mounting means provided only on one side of said blade and including a lateral offset portion extending laterally from said one side of said blade; and clamp means including a clamping portion, for clamping said offset portion to only one jaw spreader post of a mouth speculum so that said offset portion extends laterally to said post and said blade is supported solely on said one post; said clamping portion releasably engaging said offset portion to enable blade replacement and being movable longitudinally for adjusting the position of said blade along said post.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 including interlocking means for removably attaching said blade to said clamping portion.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said interlocking means comprises cooperating locking pin and slot means on said clamping and offset portions.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said interlocking means includes a pivot pin on one of said two aforementioned portions and a pin-receiving opening on the other said portion, a locking pin with an enlarged head on one of said portions and a locking pin-receiving slot on the other said portion, said pins and their respective opening and slot being arranged to lock said blade to said clamping portion with the aid of normal tongue pressure applied against the underside of said blade.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said clamping portion defines a slot open at one end for receiving said post, said clamping means including gate means pivoted to said clamping portion for pivoting movement from an open position permitting said post to enter said slot to a closed position across the open end of said slot to retain said post within said slot.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said slot is defined by at least one resilient sidewall portion and said gate means includes screw takeup means operable to force said resilient sidewall portion against said post when said gate means is closed.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said blade includes a central groove extending throughout the length of a tongue-engaging surface portion thereof for receiving an endotracheal tube.

Claim 9

A tongue depressor in combination with a mouth speculum of the type having a spreader post extending alongside the mouth cavity between upper and lower jaws, said depressor comprising: a tongue blade, said tongue blade including a narrow, elongated blade portion and a lateral offset portion projecting laterally therefore, said lateral offset portion being angular and including a first leg portion extending laterally from said blade portion in approximately the plane thereof and a second leg portion opposite the blade portion and extending from the end of said first leg portion generally normal thereto, said second leg being connected to a clamping portion of a clamping means and said clamping means being adapted to be selectively clamped to Said spreader post.

Claim 10

A tongue depressor in combination with a mouth speculum of the type having a spreader post extending alongside the mouth cavity between upper and lower jaws, said depressor comprising: a tongue blade, said tongue blade including a narrow, elongated blade portion and a lateral offset portion projecting laterally therefore, said lateral offset portion being angular and including a first leg portion extending laterally from said blade portion in approximately the plane thereof and a second leg portion opposite the blade portion and extending from the end of said first leg portion generally normal thereto, said second leg being connected to a clamping portion of a clamping means and said clamping means being adapted to be selectively clamped to Said spreader post.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said second leg portion includes interlocking means for removably securing said blade to said clamping portion.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said clamping portion includes a generally rectangular clamping block defining an open-ended slot for receiving said spreader post, said slot being bounded by a laterally resilient wall and an opposite rigid wall, said rigid wall terminating at a notched end adjacent the open end of said slot, said notched end mounting a pivot block for pivotal movement within said notched end, said thin wall also including a notched distal end opposite the notched end of said rigid wall, said pivot block including a threaded opening receiving a threaded end portion of said clamping means, said clamping means comprising a gate member adapted to swing on said pivot block from an open position to a closed position across the open end of said slot and within the notch of said resilient wall, said gate being operable when closed to clamp said resilient wall against the spreader post.