US433226A - Thirds to charles ii - Google Patents

Description

G. BEAGOGK.

IN@ Model.)

ARIFIGIAL LEG.

No. 433,226. Patented July'zQ, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.A

GEORGE BEACOCK, OF BROCKVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF T`WO- THlRDS T O CHARLES Il. MCCREADY, OE SAME PLACE, AND T. JAMES CLAXTON, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed February ll, 1890.

Patent N0. 433,226, dated July 29, 1890.

Serial No. 339,963. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE BEAcocK, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Brockville, in the Province of Ontario,

Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Limbs, of which the followin gis a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

, This invention has relation to artificial limbs, and more particularly to that class which are made of rawhide, and the objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lisa side elevation, partly in section, of an artiiicial limb constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the kneejoint. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation and partial section of a modified form of the ankle-joint. Fig. 4 is a section on the line a: a; of Fig. l, and Fig. is a detached view of the pivot-bolt and its wrench.

Likeletters referto like parts in all the figurcs.

A represents the socket or thigh portion, and it is provided at its upper edge with a rubber pipe, tube, or cord A', having canvas or other material AZlapped around the same, with its free edges inserted in a slit A, extending around the upper edge of the thigh, and the whole is then covered with rubber, leather, cloth, or other suitable facing A", the free edges of which are cemented or otherwise secured to the interior or exterior faces of the thigh. This construction produces a cushion or marginal iinish of the upper end 4o of the thigh and prevents abrasion or irritation of the stump of the wearer.

B represents one of a pair of arms, which are members of the hinge-connection of the thigh with the leg-piece of the limb. rlhe remaining member B of the hinge comprises two arms connected by a semicircular band B2. These members are inserted within the hollow rawhide thigh and leg pieces and secured thereto by rivets, as clearly shown.

C represents a bolt forming the pivot-bear- 5o ing of the hinge-joint. This bolt consists of two sections C', having a threaded dowel C2 cent-rally and longitudinally arranged therein, while each end of the bolt is provided with a tapering recess C and a iiange C4, which extends completely around and projects from the body of the bolt. \Vrenehes D are provided, the operative portions of which are simply cylindrical and tapered, so that by foreing them into the recesses Cl the frictional 6o contact of the wrench with the walls of the recess is rendered sutiicient to turn the sections C in opposite directions, and thus to separa-te the same and permit of the removal of the pivot from the joint.

E is a pivot-bridge, consisting' of one or, if desired, more plies of rawhide extending diametrically from front to rear, across and, within the hollow leg portion of the limb at the knee-joint. The lower end of the thigh 7o portion is a hollow sphere, and is slotted or recessed, as at EX, to bestride the bridge E, and it is transversely bored for the reception of the bolt C. By this construction the entire weight at the joint is supported by the bridge and the bolt, while the bridge strengthens the knee-joint against displacement by torsional strain. In other. words, the joint is kept in alignment by the bridge, while the upper edge of the bridge serves as a stop to 8o the backward movement ot' the joint by coming in contact with the bottom of the recess FX. The stoppage of the forward Inovement of the joint is effected by the contact of the upper edge of the leg portion with the rear surface of the thigh portion along the line, where the same merges into the spherical termination thereof.

F is a tendon or thong of rubber secured at one end to a hook E fastened upon the 9o interior of the thigh portion. The tendon is extended into the recess F* of the knee-joint and passes from thence through a box F2 formed through the bridge and from thence to a point below and within the leg portion, as at F3. rl`he passage of the tendon or thong through the box F2 is an advantage in that it brings the pull of the spring in such a line as to give it the greatest effort in drawing the leg and foot portions forwardY in the act of Walking. Itrcan readily be seen tliat this pulling action would be less if the tendon Were extended freely and directly from the point F to the point F2, as it would pass in close proximity to the center of pivotal motion. In Fig. 4c the boX F2 is formed by dividing the plies of the bridge and forming them, as shown, and securing each ply to the leg portion at opposite sides of the central vertical line. Vhen made of a single piece of material, the boxing may be made by boring through the bridge.

At the lower end of the leg portion G of the limb there is inserted a hollow extension G', which is slitted at its upper edge, so as to form tongues G2, which are riveted or otherwise secured to the interior of the leg. The lower end G3 of the extension G is somewhat cylindrical and is transversely apertured for the passage of the pivot-bolt C,

which also passes through the sides of the foot portion H. Said extension G3 is provided with an, inwardly-projecting hollow horn G4, which is adapted to strike against the inner surface of the bottom of the foot. A vspring H projects from the horn and bears on the inner surface of the top of the foot, and has a tendency to elevate the toe thereof.

The upper edgesof the foot portion at the ankle are cut in at each side of the foot on inclined lines H2, converging toward the center of the bolt C, but terminating at a distance therefrom, Where the edge of each opening is on a curved line concentric with said bolt. which may be concave in outline, as shown in Fig. l, or convex, as shown in Fig. 3, and conform to the curvature of the lines H3, on which the sides of the foot are formed. Said extension alsohas a shoulder G at the rear, against which the upper edge of the back'of the foot abuts. The shell or outer portion of the leg extends below the upper edges `of the foot portion, so that said edges at each side of the ankle are arranged between the leg and its interior extension G', thereby preventing lateral displacement of the parts where they bear upon each other. This gives great strength to the anklejoint. It will of course be understood that the same effect would be produced by a reversal of the parts-that is, if the shoulders G5 were convex, as shown in Fig. 3, and the lines H3 correspondingly formed. j

By the construction of the ankle-joint just described it Will be seen that substantially the entire weight and pressure is removed from the bolt sovthat in both joints of the limb creaking at thepivot is prevented. This advantage is contributed to from the fact that the bolt is of such a construction that it can The extension G has shoulders G5,

turn in its bearings, while its dow elbeing preferably made of brass and the body of the bolt of steel or any other contrasting metal, oxidation or rusting of the sections, so as to prevent an easy separation of the same, is avoided.

XV hat I claim is,-

l. In an artificiallimb, a cushion for the socket, comprising a rubber filling, a flexible covering having its free edges inserted in the material of the socket, and a facing having its free edges secured to the surfaces of the socket, substantially as specified.

2. A joint for an artificial limb, comprising a spherical termination of a thigh having a slot or recess therein, a bridge arranged in the slot or recess and secured within the leg portion, and a thong or tendon secured to the thigh and leg and passing through the bridge, substantially as specified.

3. A knee-joint for an artificial limb, comprising a perforated bridge, a slotted or recessed thigh, a thong connecting the leg and thigh and passing through the bridge, and a bolt passing through the leg, the bridge, and the thigh, substantially as specified.

4. A bolt for artificial limbs formed in sections and having a screw-threaded dowel of metal for connecting the sections, substantially as specified.

5. A bolt for artificial limbs, constructed in sections, each having a flange at its outer end and recessed for t-he reception of a section rotating tool, substantially as specified.

6. In an artificial limb, a bridge having a box for a tendon made of plies of material separated to form the box, substantially as specified. f

7. An ankle-joint for artificial limbs, comprising an extension having lateral concave shoulders, in combination with avhollow foot portion having convex side edges, substantially as specified.

8. In an lartificial limb, a leg portion terminating in an extension having concave lat-v eral shoulders and a projecting horn, in combination with a foot portion having convex bearing-edges and a spring for lifting the toe -of-the foot, substantially as specified.

9. In an artificial limb, the combination of a thigh having a slotted extension, a leg having a bridge adapted to the slot of the thigh, a pivot-bolt passing through the leg, the thigh, and bridge, a leg-extension having concave lateral bearing-shoulders, and a foot portion having convex bearing-edges, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'GEORGE BEACOCK. lVitnesses:

H. SUTIIERLAND, L. C. HILLS.

ICO

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