US1284473A - Artificial leg. - Google Patents

Description

W. JJSCHONECK. ARnFlclAL lLEG. APLICATION FILED JUNE 25,1918.

Patented Nov. 12,1918.

UNITED sTATEs ii ATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAMJ. scHoNEcK, or BEooKLYN, NEW YORK.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

Specication of Letters Patent. "Patented NOV. 12, 1918.

Application med :une 25, 191s. sei-iai Nu. 241,768.

This invention relates to an artificial leg of novel construction, and more particularly to novel means for permitting the flexible band or slirinker to be readily tightened up on' the stump to compensate for the shrinkage of' the latter. i

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an artificial leg embodying my invention;

Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectionthereof;

Fig. 3, an enlarged cross section on line Fig. 4, an enlarged section online 4--4 Fig. 3, and I i lFig. 5 a section through a leg adapted for knee amputations.V

The artificial leg comprises a lower leg section 1, a thigh vsection 2, and a foot 3. The foot is provided with an upwardly extending tenori 4:, engaging a centrally di'sf posed mortise 5, formed in the bottom of section 1 and openingr into the upper socketed vportion 6 thereof. The width of section l is of substantially uniform diameter `.for some distance up, while the height of the mortise should exceed that of the tenon. In order to reduce the height of the leg at the ankle acoresponding piece is-sawed oli' the lower .end of section 1 and then tenon 4 is inserted into mortise 5 and is 'glued thereto. Owing to the fact that mortise 5 opens into socket 6, tenon 4 is free to project intoy the latter, when the length of .the leg is reduced to a considerable extent,vthus obviating the necessity of cutting -oi' the tenon.

The thigh section' 2 is connected to the leg section 1, by an additional knee section 7 which is pivoted to the latter at 8. A rod 9 pivoted to the knee section at 10- extends Vinto the hollow of section 1, and there engages a rubber stirrup' 11, suspended within section 1 by a strap 12, so as to-impart to the leg while walking the necessary muscle action. Knee section 7 is provided at its upper end with an annular flange or projectio'n -13, engaging a lower mortise 14, of'

upper endfintothe upper socket-15 of said' e thigh section. If the leg is to be shortened at Vthe thigh, the lower end of the thigh section 2 is cut oil to the extent desired, and flange 13 is glued into mortise 14. A reinforcing Vplate v 16 maybe sunk across the joint and screwed* to the knee and thighy sections, while an additional dowel pin 17 may be passed through the thigh section 2 and flange 13.

Within Athe upper-socket 15 of thigh section y2 is itted a tubular band or f shinker 18, the upright edges or flanges 19 of which overla to a considerable extent.l At a distance ack of each of such edges there are connected to the band, aA plurality ofr straps 20, arranged one below the other and adapted to be passed through two upright rows of correspondingly arranged openings l 21 formed in thigh section 2. Opposite Vstraps 20 the lband is provided with a pair of additional -straps 22 passingthrough lop'eiiir/igs 23 of thigh section 2, and consti- A tutiiig an anchorage for the band. Directly after amputation, the stumpis swollen to a -are drawn Iout, so as to tighten the band upon the stump to the extent desired,'by increasing the overlapping tportions of the -maximum width and is fitted `into vits socket l 15 withoutv the use of any band.' After the' band, and thenv each, pair of horizontally alinedstraps is tied' together, so as to retain the band in itsvadjusted position. In this way, the diameter of the band ina-y be regulated in a simple and effective manner, while the band will be securelyy held in position after being adjusted.

It will be seen that by the ponstructior de-v A scribed, the band in all of its adjustments' will completely encompass the stump, without leaving an objectionable gap. Its protruding straps 20 permit'it to be readily set,

and when set, the straps not only serve tov hold the band in' its selected position, but

also to securely hold it to the thigh section 2. Finally, the anchoring straps 23 secure.

the band to the thigh section at a point opposite to'thetying straps, prevent shifting, may be more or less slackened to effect a centering of the band, and permit its removal whenever necessary.

In caseof knee amputations, the band, constructed as described,- is fitted into the socket 6 of the lower leg section l as illustrated in Fig. 5.

5 I claim:

A11 artificial leg comprising a socketed member having two upright rows of aper tures and a palr of additional apertures, a

band' having overlapping edges, straps secured to said band at a distance back of said l0 edges and adapted to be passed crosswse through said rows of apertures, and additional anchoring straps secured to the baud, s and adapted to be passed through said additionall apertures.

WILLAM` J. SCHONECK.,

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