US1412149A

US1412149A - Artificial limb

Info

Publication number: US1412149A
Application number: US464397A
Authority: US
Inventors: Trautman Ray
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1921-04-25
Filing date: 1921-04-25
Publication date: 1922-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 1939-04-11

Description

R. TRAUTIVIAN.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

APPLICATION HLED APR.25. 1921.

1 ,41 1 49, Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

v ZNVE/vTo/: RAY TRAUTMAN.

BYMMWMMM A T T0 RNEYS.

UNITED STATES,

PATs'r ries.

RAY TRAUTMAN, or MINNEAroLIs, MiNNEsorA.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB. Y

Specification oflietters Patent. Pajiqeitefdi 171, 1922.

, Application filed April 25,1921. Serial No. 464,397.

invention is to provide artificial members which will function inamannersimilar to the corresponding human members. An'- other object is to providefor an ankle action -by means embodied ina simple, strong, du-v rable and eficient construction which is not lliable to get out oforder.

The full objects and advantages ofiny in- .l

' vention, will be obvious fromthe foregoing desription, and the novel features embodied in myV inventive idea will be particularly pointed out. v Y

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an applica-tion of my invention, Fig. 1 is aside view partly in section showing my improved features in connection with an artificial limb. Fig. 2 is a part sectional view showing the ankle joint operated into a, different position from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4V is a view in section onthe line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view in secn tion on the line 5 5 of F ig.V 1.

VThe drawings illustrate an artificial limb comprising a. thigh member A10, a shank, vmember 12, and a. foo-t member 14. The

shank member consists of a hollow shell Y preferably of fiber and the foot member 14 which is preferably solid, is connected thereto so as to have a rocking movement the following manner. A metal strip'l is secured insideof the shank member at its lower portion at each side thereof by rivets and a cylindrical member 18 is secured to the lower ends of the two strips; A ll-bolt has a flat intermediate portion 20 which rests vupon the cylindrical member 18 as a bearingand the two arms 22 of this bolt extend through the foot member into a recess 23 in the lower portion thereof where the ends of the arms:-

of the U-bolt are` provided with nuts 24. Above the ankle joint thus formed are a pair of parallel rods 26 slightly spaced from each other and secured to the front and back of,

the shank member. A heel bolt 27 has aiiattened upper portion which `extends'between the rods 26, and this bolt is provided with aV head 28 which rests slidably upon the upperl Vsurfaces of t-he rods. Mounted upon the bolt s o as to slidably engage the lower surfaces Y of the rods is a .block 30 which is preferably of fiber, and mounted on the bolt so as to be yinterposed between this bolt and the upper surface-of Ythe 'foot member is a resilient Vbumper 32 preferably of rubber. The heel `bolt extends. down into. .the recess 23 where'- i it is provided with an adjustable thumb-nut 34. In the embodiment illustrated whichis for use in cases ofja'mputation above the knee, the thigh member '10 is attached to the A l I shank member by' a knee-bolt 36 `lwhich. passesthrough a knee-block 38, t-he knee-bolt being secured at each Vside to the'top of the shank member.` `Theknee-block is provided with an arcuate slot 40 concentric'wi-th thei knee-bolt and formedso asjto extend for 'approximately the lower rear quadrant of the '-knee block. Astop' bolt `V42 extends throughthe slot 40 and is secured to the shank member preferably passing through knee-joint straps 44 which are. provided for l attachment of knee bolt 36.

The operation'fand advantages of my contherresult that there are fewer parts to get out of order' and a stronger construction is produced. When the wearer stepson the heel, the upper portion' of the sliding heelbolt is forced toward-the front of the shank memberinto the position shown in F ig. 2, this slidingv movementI being controlled by the parallel rods 26' and att-he Sametime the l resllient bumper is compressed. When .the weight is removed from the-heel, the bumper expands and forces the heel downward and the toe upward to their natural positions, as

shown in Fig. 1. When the wearer steps on A the toe portion, movementof t-he foot member is restrained bythe rigid heel bolt inV place of being restrained by means of the Y customary heelcord previously used.- There is no liability of the heel-bolt becoming'bent l or twisted duringV walking because it slides back and forth, thus doing away with twisting or pulling action on this bolt at an angle. r

Adjustment of the ankle motion can be rea-dily made by loosening or tightening the thumb nut 34, and by lengthening the heel bolt more ankle motion is permitted, and by shortening the heel bolt there is less ankle motion. 0n account of the stop bolt 44C fitting slidably in the slot Ll() an effective knee motion is provided which permits the shank member to bend backwardly with relation to the thigh member. lhen the sha-nk member is straightened out the bolt l2 slides in t-he slot toward the front of the knee member', and when this bolt reaches-the front end of the slot forward movement of the shank member is positively stopped so that proper alinement is obtained. This construction is practically noiseless and is of little weight ywith no parts liable to stretch or` order.

I claim:

1. An artificial limb comprising a shank member and a foot member pivoted together get out of Yto form an ankle joint, a heel-bolt extending through said foot member, means in the lower portion of said shank member for supporting the upper end of said heel-bolt for sliding movement between the front and rear of said shank member, and resilient means tending` to move said bolt into its rearward position.

2. An artificial limb comprising a shank member and a foot member pivoted together to form an ankle joint, a heel-bolt extending through said foot member and into a` recess in the underside thereof, adjustable means for holding the lower end of said bolt in said recess, a pair of rods connecting the front and rear of said shank member at its lower portion, the upper end of said bolt passing between said rods, a head on the upper end of said bolt slidable' upon the upper surfaces of said rods, and a resilient bumper interposed between said rods and the upper rearward surface of said foot member. f

3. n artificial limb comprising a shank member and a. foot member pivoted together to form an ankle joint, a heel ,bolt extending through said foot member and intoY a recess in the under side thereof, a thumb nut adjustably mountedy on the lower end of said boltand lying in said recess, 'a pair of rods connecting the front and rear of said shank member at its lower portion, the upper portion of said bolt passing between said rods,

a head on the `upper end of said bolt slidable` Yon the upper surfaces of saidrOdS, anl enlargement on said bolt slidable on the lower surfaces of said rods, and a resilient bumper surrounding said boltbetweensaid enlargementand the rupper rearward surface of saidfoot member.

In testimony whereof l lhereunto affix Vmy signature.Y Y v RAY TRAUTMAN.