GB931433A - Improvements in or relating to artificial legs - Google Patents

Abstract

931,433. Artificial limbs. J. E. HANGER & CO. Ltd., and A. J. S. DADSON. May 9, 1962 [April 25, 1961], No. 14979/61. Class 81 (2). A pelvic socket, for use when the hip joint has been completely removed, is connected to a thigh member by a main pivot and a pivoted strut extends from the rear of the thigh member to the base of the socket. The thigh member 2 is connected to the pelvic socket 1 by a main pivot 3 and the strut 5 extends from a pivot 8, located within the bottom wall of the socket, to a pivot 12 in the thigh. The strut comprises a rod 5, articulated at 30, sliding telescopically within a cylinder 4 so that as the leg is moved from the fully extended position I to the fully flexed position III the rod is drawn out of the cylinder and bends, at the pivot 30 and thus, in the sitting position, the strut mechanism does not protrude beyond the boundaries of the thigh and socket. An apertured, spring-loaded catch 18 is positioned around the rod 5 between a collar 16 and an adjustable stop member 9 and normally limits the relative movement between the rod 5 and cylinder 6 to the distance between these two stops. This allows sufficient angular movement of the thigh for normal walking, but, when the catch plate 18 is disengaged by an externally actuated lever 42, the rod may be completely retracted to allow the user to sit. Thereafter the catch is automatically re-engaged when the user again stands. Adjustment of the free movement for walking is obtained by manually screwing the stop 9 up or down the rod 5 while the setting for the final, extended position of the leg is determined by a stop member 13 screwed on the cylinder 6 and carrying a resilient abutment 15.