US1091115A - Artificial limb. - Google Patents

Description

' ,0. v. BLoN.`

ARTIFICIAL APPLIOATION FILED v .29, 1913.

1,091,1 1 5, Patented Mar.24,19'14. v

CHARLES V. BLO'N, OF BELLAIRE, OHIO.

ARTIFICIAL LIME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24,1914.

Application led October 29, 1913. Serial No. 798,140.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES` V. BLoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellaire, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Limbs, of which the follo-wing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

rIlhis invention relates to new and useful improvements in artificial limbs and more particularly to an ankle construction therefor and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved ankle construction for such artificial limbs which will enable the user thereof to walk as efficiently as though the limb were real.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved artificial limb, whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully dened in the appended claim.

In order that my invention may be the f betterunderstood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view through a device constructed in accordance with my invention; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section thereof.

In describing my invention, I shall refer to the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which- 1 indicates the leg portion of an artificial limb of the usual or any preferred type, the same being hollow for the greater portion of its length and having the solid portion 2 formed at the lower end thereof. This solid portion is flared outwardly somewhat toward its lower end and the lower face thereof is convened, as shown at 3. The foot portion 4 of this artificial limb is adapted to be secured to the solid portion 2 and my invention primarily contemplates the provision of an improved means for accomplishing this result.

The upper face of the foot member 4 which is adapted to contact with the lower face 3 of the member 2, is also designed conveXly as shown at 5 and said conveked faces 3 and 5 of the members 2 and 4, respectively, are provided about centrally with Ahemispherical sockets 6 which are adapted to register with one another. Metal socket portions 7 are mounted in said sockets 6 and a rubber ball or other yielding member of spherical design, indicated at 8, is adapted to be received in said registering sockets, whenthe members are applied oneupon the other.

Extending through the solid portion 2 forward and rearward respectively of the sockets 6 therein, is a pair of rods 9, the lower ends of which terminate at points just beyond the lower face 3 of said member, while the upper ends thereof extend through sockets 10 formed in the upper face of said solid portion 2. These rods 9 are inclined somewhat inwardly toward their upper ends and extend through rubber blocks or buffers 11 which are snugly mounted in said sockets 10, the extreme upper ends of said rods being provided with nuts 12 to secure the same in position. Extending through the foot portion 4, forwardly and rearwardly of the socket members therein, is a pair of additional rods 13, the upper ends thereof terminating just above the upper face 5 of said member. The lower ends of the rods 9 and the upper ends 0f the rods 13 are hinged one to the other, as shown at 14 and the lower ends of said rods 13 extend through rubber blocks or buffers 15 which are mounted in sockets formed in the under face of said foot portion 4, similar to the sockets and buffers in the member 2. The rods 13 form continuations of the rods 9, the same, together forming tie rods between the members 2 and- 4. The lower ends of said rods 13 are provided with heads 16. These rods which continue completely through the members 2 and 4, together form a securing means between said members and act in the same capacity as the main leaders in the ankle of the human body.

A device constructed as above described will admit of the proper movement of the leg with respect to the foot and will positively prevent any twisting of the foot in a horizontal plane. The construction will, however, permit the foot to accommodate itself to the various inequalities of the surface on which it is placed and will readily sov yield on a plane extending from front to rear in conformation to the movement of the wearer of the artificial limb in walking.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and efficient means for carrying out the objects of the invention and while I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having -thus described this invention, what I claim is An artificial limb comprising two members, one of which is a ieg section and the other a foot section, the opposed faces of such sections being cOnveXed, such conveXed portions being provided at their centers with sockets adapted to be in superimposed rela- Copies of this patent may be obtained for tion when the sections are assembled, a compressible spherical body positioned within such sockets and of such diameter as to maintain the sections normally separated, adjacent portions of the sections being pr vided with openings therethrough, the openings of one section being substantially in alinement with the openings of the second section, tie rods directed through each series of alined openings of the sections and being hingedly connected at a point intermediate the sections, such hinged connections being in a horizontal plane intersecting the center of the compressible body, and compressible means coacting with the free extremities of the rods.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES V. BLON. lVitnesses WILLIAM O. VVINsTEAD, J @HN W. MonsnLL.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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