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Advanced Design IOBILE DENTAL CLIN ICS

25th March 1949, Page 10
25th March 1949
Page 10
Page 11
Page 10, 25th March 1949 — Advanced Design IOBILE DENTAL CLIN ICS
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W1-111.ST there is .nothing new in the idea of a mobile dental clinic, it cannot be said that finality in design and interior appointment has yet been established. There is far more in such an outfit than in a mobile shop, for instance. Mobility in a clinic is no excuse for lack of facilities, and to incorporate all the amenities of a dental surgery within the limitations of length and width of a vehicle calls for the closest collaboration .between the maker of the dental

equipment and the bodybuilder. • A representative of "The Commercial Motor" recently inspected the prototype of what may well become the standard by which mobile dental clinics will be judged. The design of the body and the general appointment have been based on expert knowledge of dental-surgery requirements, which have been met to an extent not even approached in many normal surgeries.

The interior dimensions of the Tasker semi-trailer employed are 25 ft. 6 ins. by 7 ft., with maximum headroom of 9 ft. 6 ins. The fore. part of the body forms the waiting room, in which there is seating accommodation for six people, the seats being arranged in semi-circular form. Access to the waiting room is gained from the front, through a door on the near side, the portable steps and handrails taking only a few seconds to place in position.

82 The waiting room is divided off from the surgery by a frosted-glass partition, a door on the off side giving access to the surgery.

The surgery is fitted with the most modern type of dental equipment, even to the extent of X-ray apparatus. The clinic is wired for 230-volt a.c. supply, with 12-volt d.c, lines for emergency lighting.

The control panel, which is fitted to the rear of the waiting-room partition, is formidable in appearance, as there is a large number of circuits, 'each having its own fuse. Apart 'froth the :chair, drill. and X-ray apparatus the sdrgery appointment includes a wash.basin with hot and cold water, sterilizer, with special ventilating fan to prevent On densation, roof ventilEitorsrEWatt Water

heater with Calor gas supply, and a nurse's desk.

The Calor gas which heats this and a similar' Ewart, .appliance in the dark room at the rear cart also .be used for interior, heating purposes: but in normal circumstance electric heaters are employed.

Beneath' the built-in handbasin structure.on the near side is ad electrically. driven compressor, which maintains: a reservoir pressure of about 40 lb. per sq. 'in. This cornpressed-air' supply is employed to raise the water, which is carried in three tanks slung between the semi-trailer. frame members. The total capacity of the tanks is 150 gallons.

The rear of the body, which is partitioned off from the surgery, serves a triple purpose, in that it can be used as a recovery room for gas patients, as a dental mechanic's workshop, or as a dark room for film development. A coveredin wash basin with Ewart water heater, and a miniature lathe, form part of the equipment in this section. The bed Ii as Dunlop illo cushions trimmed with hide, and when not required, a .hinged cover can be brought down over it to form a substantial workbench.

Accommodation for black-out fittings, X-ray negatives, and so on, is provided by full-length partitioned cupboards built in beneath the bed-cornworkbench.

A let-down step at the rear, and a two-piece door, give access to the recovery room and surgery: Fluorescent lighting is installed in each department, and. the floors are covered with Sorbo rubber. In addition to full-drop :wiridOws on each Side of the body' and .oPti-curve windows in the whiting room. a section of the roof in the fore part is

covered in With Perspex. " An ash_ frame forms the basis of the body structure 'Which. is -panelled 'ht tiwht.-!nietal on Aire dutside,'

plastic panels on the interior, The • iloor, sides and roof are insulated with . I s011ex. : The total weight of the coMplete outfit ,is 7 tons 2i1 Cwt., which inelndeS approximately a ton of water. Includ-. ing.the tractive unit, which is an Austin 5-toriner, the total length is 33 ft, Lark's Spraying Process; Ltd., Halfway Green, Walton-on-Thames, was the bodybuilder: Renfrew Education Committee has recently taken delivery of a Karrier CK3 dental unit which is to be used to give dental treatment to pupils in schools. It is a oue-cornp-artment unit • in which the utmost use-has been made of natural lighting by introducing a • large area of glass in alb roof structure, in addition to large lights on each side.

The vehicle is wired to take: current from the mains for' heating and .Power.' Mounted aboVe: the cab is a '60-gallon water tank, and' means for obtaining a quick supply of hot water is available.

Included in ..the general appointment of the vehicle are a stainless-steel loilet,

mearis for sterilizing the dental . . ments, a wash basin, and ample desk and cupboard space.. Access to the surgery it. gained from the rear through a wide sliding door and portable steps. The outfit was supplied by T. M. Erskine and Co.. Inchinnan Road, Renfrew.

Designed for use in New. Zealand, a Mobile clinic built by Messrs. Richard Mead, Poplar Road, Dorridge, Warwickslitire, provides full dental-surgery facilities, together with living and sleeping accommodation. A central partition with sliding door divides the fore part into living and sleeping quarters; and the rear section into a surgery.

Surgery equipment includes a dental chair, dental engine, a cabinet with glaSs top and fitted trays and drawers, hand basin With hot and cold running water, and a wardrobe. A knee-hole in the forward part of the cabinet enables " it to be used as a desk. Two dental gas and two oxygen cylinders are carried at the rear of the chassis in channel-steel supports.

The removal of a detachable lid on the off side of the body, enables the cylinders to be slid into position, after which they are securely clamped.

In the living compartment there, are two settees, one on each side, for four . people. The Seatex rubber cushions are 7 ins: deep, and when required for sleeping purposes they can be extended across the compartment; the top face of each locker lid is folded outwards to fill the centre gap. A lavatory, sink and draining board. with Barrelet heater, and a Calor-gas stove are fitted. There are also a cupboard and a container for a semi-rotary /Minn. The pump atewater from tanks mounted underneath the body to 100-gallon tank on the cab roof.

When mains current is not available, lighting is provided by two 12-volt batteries, which are charged by a portable petrol-driven unit. ,

Four Calor gas cylinders are carried, the gas being fed direct to the cooking stove and the water heaters, titittich are thermostatically controlled.

The hardwood body frame carries steel arid aluminium panels, the whole 'of, the panelled interior above floor -level being packed with it-mutating board. The basis of this outfit i5 tin Austin 5-ion chassis, the wheelbase of which has been extended bY 4 ft.

Tags

People: Richard Mead
Locations: Austin

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