US1158943A - Combination-tip for crutches and canes. - Google Patents

Description

II l/vll uv p v IIVVE/VTOR ATTORNEY S. E. LOUDEN.

COMBINATION TIP FOR CRUTCHES AND CANES.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 19. 1915.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

WITNESSES.- 7.

SAMUEL E. LOUDEN, 0F RIVERSIDE, CONNECTICUT.

COMBINATION-III roR cnuronns AND CANES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

Application filed March 19, 1915. Serial No. 15,650.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. LOUDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverside, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Combination-Tips for Crutches and Canes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to pro vide simple, durable and inexpensive means whereby an ordinary standard crutch or cane tip may be adapted to receive either a prong or a rubber pad and which shall provide a fiat bearing surface for the pad so that it will not be cut by the edge of the socket.

In the crutch and cane tips ordinarily in use, no provision is made for convenient interchange of prongs and tips, the socket being internally threaded to receive the shank of a pad. The objection to this construction is that the weight of the crutch compresses the pad upon the end of the socket and causes the socket to cut into the pad and to quickly ruin it. In order to overcome these objections I have devised the novel structure which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and using reference charactors to indicate the several parts:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section showing my novel crutch or cane tip as in use with a rubber pad; Fig. 2 a view corresponding substantially with Fig. 1, showing the tip in use with a prong; Fig. 3 a sectional view of the adapter detached, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a rubber pad detached.

10 denotes a crutch or cane and 11 a standard socket which comprises a flaring mouthpiece and an internally threaded shank into the upper end of which the crutch or cane is turned and into the lower end of which the shank of a rubber pad is turned in the crutches and canes in common use.

My present invention consists in providing an adapter, indicated as a whole by 12, which engages the socket and is adapted to be engaged by a ground-engaging member, as a rubber pad or a prong. This adapter may be made of metal or of any suitable material that will stand service, and comprises a shank 13 externally threaded to engage the thread at the lower end of the shank of the socket and a body 14 which is shaped to fit closely within the flaring mouthpiece of the socket and is provided with a flange 15 which is adapted in the assembled position to rest against the edge of the mouthpiece. The body is also provided with a threaded hole which receives the threaded shank 16 of either a prong 17 or a rubber pad 18. In the case of a prong, the shank and prong may be made integral. In the case of a rubber pad, the shank is provided with a head 19, which is molded into the block of rubber comprising the pad. Holes are preferably provided in the head through which the rub ber passes while in plastic condition, which looks the head and the shank securely in place.

In use it is simply required that the crutch or cane be provided with a standard socket. The ordinary rubber pad is removed and my novel adapter is turned to place as shown. An important feature is the flange upon the adapter which wholly covers the lower edge of the socket. It is likewise important that the adapter presents a flat face,

indicated by 20, against which the inner face of a pad bears, so that cutting of the pad by the end of the socket (as in the construction now in general use) is wholly prevented. It will be obvious that the interchange of prongs and pads may be eflected by simply turning the prongs out and the pads in, or vice versa, pads being ordinarily used except upon icy sidewalks.

Having thus described my invention I claim 1. In a crutch or cane, the combination with a socket having a flaring mouthpiece and an internal screw thread, of an adapter having a threaded shank to engage the thread of the socket, a flange covering the edge of the socket and a threaded hole, and a ground-engaging member having a shank engaging said hole.

2. In a crutch or cane, the combination with a socket having a flaring mouthpiece and an internal screw thread, of an adapter In testimony whereof I afiix my signature,

lying within the socket and having a flange in presence of tWo Witnesses. V 7

central vthreaded hole, and arubber pad covering the edge thereof, a fiat face and a A E H t 5 havin a corresponding face and a .,threade d Y Witnesses: V g s ,7 shank adapted to engage the hole in the s WILLIAM A. WILMOT,

adapter. I r v R. J. PALMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the f Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. c." r

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