US1557355A - Artificial hand - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13' 1925' lse:

ARTIFICIAL, HAND Filed June 9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented (Jet. 13, 1925.

UNETED HENRY F. GEISE, 015 WHITES, WASHINGTON.

ARTIFICIAL HAND.

Application filed June 9, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. GEIsE, a

\ citizen of the United States, residing at Whites, in the county of Grays Harbor and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Hands, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to artificial hands and more particularly to an improvement of the artificial hand shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 746,397, filed October 28, 1924, for artificial hands.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of an artificial hand having coacting grasping elements which may be positively and firmly moved toward one another to grasp therebetween an article to be carried by relative movements of the upper arm and forearm of the wearer, the connections being such that the grasping connection may be obtained either by moving the forearm at right angles to the upper arm or by aligning the forearm with the upper arm at the option of the wearer.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved mechanism for reversing the operation of the movable member of the hook.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which may be very cheaply produced, which will be durable and efficient in service and a general improvement in the art.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is showna preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an artificial arm constructed in accordance with my invention, the upper and forearm sections being shown in a substantially aligned position;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of an artificial arm with the upper and forearm sections in substantially right angular relation, the parts being shown in solid lines in the position which they occupy when the hooks are closes in such position, and in dotted lines in the position which they assume when the hooks are open in such position and closed as the forearm and upper arm sockets are moved into aligned relation;

Serial No. 36,024.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a perspective of the latch holding the link in opposed position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a forearm receiving socket, and the numeral 11 a socket designed to receive the upper arm adjacent the elbow thereof. The forearm socket 10, as at present illustrated, consists of an end plate 12 to which are secured brace irons 18 extending upon opposite sides of the arm of the wearer and connected at spaced points by forearm encircling bands 14. The ends of these arms have pivotally connected thereto links 15 secured to the sides of the upper arm receivingsocket 11, the socket itself being preferably in the form of a flexible band 16 adapted to be strapped about the arm as shown. The

upper ends of the links 15 are provided with 20 formed in a lug 21 outstanding from the side of the end plate 12 and providing a second hearing. The side member engaging portion 19 of the bearing 19 is provided at its inner end with a lug 22 opposing the inner end of the bearing. Directed through the bearing 19 is a shaft 23, the inner end of which has secured thereto a collar 24: disposed between the inner end of the bearing and the lug 22. The end of the shaft abuts the lug 22, while the collar 24abuts the bearing, and movement of the shaft in either direction longitudinally of the forearm is accordingly prevented while rotation of the shaft is permitted.

The outer end of the shaft is reduced to an extension semicircular in cross section, generally indicated at 25, the outer end of which is directed through the opening 20 of the lug 21 and formed beyond the end plate 12 with a hook25. Likewise directed through the opening 20 is a second semicir cular shaft section 27, the outer end of which has pivoted thereto a hook 28 which, when in engagement; with the hook 25, combines therewith to form a single hook. The shaft sections 25 and 27, when combined, lit the opening 20 and are held in combined rela tion by means of a sleeve 29 surrounding the shaft sections and held against move ment with relation to the shaft section 27 adjacent the inner end thereof by means of st7op pins 50 mounted in the shaft section 2 Secured to the outer end of the reduced extension 25, as at 29, is a sleeve 30, the inner end of whichabuts the outer face of the lug 21, this sleeve having an ear 31 aligning with the hook 29 and connected therewith by a link 32 pivotally engaged with both the ear and link. This ear has further pivoted thereto a latch member 33 swingable to selectively engage in notches 34 formed in the lug 21, tomaintain the shafts 25, 27 against rotation. It will be obvious that if the shaft section 27 be shifted longitudinally, this longitudinal shifting will cause a swinging movement of the hook 28 either moving the hook into engagement with the hook 25 or out of engagement therewith depending on the direction of movement of the shaft. Since the hook 28 is pivoted to the shaft por tion, the portion of thehook adjacent the pivot must move in approximately the plane of movement of the shaft 27 and the re straining influence of the link 32 will cause the hook to be shifted into and out of en gagement with the hook 25 relativelyrapidly so that the hook in, its inoperativeposi tion is thrown completely out of line with the hook 25 and will not in any way iuterfere with anything which is supported from such hook.

Pivoted to the side member 13 to, which the bearing 19 is attached a lever 3 5, the upper end of which is connected with the upper end of the associated link by a link 86'pivoted to each thereof. The lower end of this lever extends below the lower end of the associated link 15 and is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 37, the upper end of which is extended beyond the pivot connecting the lever with the side member 13. Upon the sleeve 29 is formed a pivot 39 with which is engaged one end of a link 40, the opposite end of which has a headed elemental directed through the slot S7 and rotatable and slidable therein. Upon this headed element is rotatablymountedalatching plate 42 which inone position permits shifting of the link upon the lever from one end of the slot 37 to the other end thereof. At either end of the slot, this latching lever may be swung into substantial alignment with the slot at which time it engages the lever with stops 48 and will prevent movement of the link toward the opposite end of the slot.

The slot 3'? is so formed that when the link 15, when the forearm section is substantially horizontally disposed, it follows that as the forearm section is moved from horizontal; to vertical position with the headed element 4E1 atone end of the slot the inner end of the link will constantly approach the pivot 43 and will accordingly draw the shaft section 27 inwardly, causing the hook to close while a similar operation with theheaded element 41 at the opposite end of the slot will cause the outer end of the link to recede from the pivot 43 and accordingly the shaft 27 to move outwardly and the hook to open. The wearer of the arm is thus enabled to employ the device for grasping either with the arm horizontally or vertically disposed At the same time, a mechanism isproduced which is so simple that it is readily manipulated even by a person having only one hand to make any necessarv adjustments thereon. V

Since the structure hereinbefore set forth is obviously capable of a certain range of change and modification without materiah ly departing from the spirit of my invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. In a device the character described, a socket adapted to receive a handless arm, a bearing carried by' said socket, a pair of members rotatable. within the bearing. one ofsaid members being longitudinally shiftable upon the other thereof through the bearing, the other of said members being fixed against longitudinal movement, an upper arm socket, andconnections between the npper'arm socket and the'first named member whereby the first named .member can be shifted longitudinally of the second namedmember, said connections being adjustable to determine thedirection of motionrof the first named member as the first named socket is moved into or out of alignment with the upper arm socket. V

2. In a deviceof the character described, a socket adapted to receive a handless arm. a bearing carried bysaid socket, a pair of members rotatable within the bearing, one of said members being longitudinally shiftab'le upon the v other thereof through the bearing, the other of said members being; fixed against longitudinal movement, an upper .arm socket, connections bet veen the upper arm socket and the first named member wherebythe first named member can be shifted longitudinally of the second named member, sa d m m er ha ing fl tte ed 0pposed faces preventing relative rotation thereof and being provided upon their ends with aligned hooks, the hook of the first named member being pivoted thereto and a .link connecting the hook of the first named member and the second named member whereby the hook of the first named member is moved into engagement with the hook of the second named member during longitudinal shifting of the first named member in one direction.

3. In a device of the character described, a socket adapted to receive a handless arm, a bearing carried by said socket, a pair of members rotatable Within the bearing, one of said members being longitudinally shiftable upon the other thereof through the bearing, the other of said members being fixed against longitudinal movement, an upper arm socket, connections between the upper arm socket and the first named member whereby the first named member can be shifted longitudinally of the second named member, said members having fiattened opposed faces preventing relative rotation thereof and being provided upon their ends with aligned hooks, a, sleeve secured to the Second named member adjacent the hook thereof, the hook of the first named member being pivoted to the outer end of the first named member, the sleeve having an ear and a link connecting said ear and hook of the first named member.

"J;. In a device of the character described, a socket adapted to receive a handless arm, a bearing carried by said socket, a pair of members rotatable Within the bearing, one of said members being longitudinally shiftable upon the other thereof through the bearing, the other of said members being fixed against longitudinal movement, an upper arm socket, connections between the upper arm socket and the first named member whereby the first named member can be shifted longitudinally of the second named member, including a lever pivoted to the forearm socket and having the upper end thereof connected to the upper arm socket, said lever having its lower end extended below the point of connection to the forearm socket and having a slot extending to 0pposite sides of the point of connection and transversely of the forearm socket when th forearm socket is at right angles to the upper arm socket, a link connected to the first named member and having a pin engageable in said slot and shiftable therein and means for locking the link in adjusted positions.

5. In a device of the character described, a socket adapted to receive a handless arm, a bearing carried by said socket, a pair of members rotatable within the bearing, one of said members being longitudinally shiftable upon the other thereof through the bearing, the other of said members being fixed against longitudinal movement, an upper arm socket, connection between the upper arm socket and the first named member w iereby the first named member can be shifted longitudinally of the second named member, said members having flattened opposed faces preventing relative rotation thereof and being provided upon their ends with aligned hooks, including a lever pivoted to the forearm socket and having the upper end thereof connected to the upper arm socket, said lever having its lower end extended below the point of connection to the forearm socket and having a slot extending to opposite sides of the point of connection and transversely of the forearm socket when the forearm socket is at right angles to the upper arm socket, a link connected to the first named member and having a pin engageable in said slot and shiftable therein and means for locking the link in adjusted positions.

6. In a device of the character described, a socket adapted to recelve a handless arm, a bearing carried by said socket, a pair of members rotatable within the bearing, one of said members being longitudinally shiftable upon the other thereof through the bearing, the other of said members being fixed against longitudinal movement, an upper arm socket, and connections between the upper arm socket and the first named member whereby the first named member can be shifted longitudinally of the second named member, a link pivoted upon the forearm socket and having connection with the upper arm socket whereby a portion of said links approaches the outer end of the forearm socket as the forearm socket is moved from a position at right angles to a position where it aligns with the upper arm socket and the second portion moving reversely from the first named portion and a second link connectible with the first named link at either of said portions and having engagement with the first named member adjacent the outer end of the upper arm socket.

7. In a device of the character described, a socket adapted to receive a handless arm, a bearing carried by said socket, a pair of members rotatable Within the bearing, one of said members being longitudinally shiftable upon the other thereof through the bearing, the other of said members being fixed against longitudinal movement, an upper arm socket, connections between the upper arm socket and the first named member whereby the first named member can be shifted longitudinally of the second named member, said members having flattened opposed faces preventing relative rotation thereof and being provided upon their ends with aligned hooks, a-sleeve secured to the forearm sockethavingrabearjng the outer econd named me nbe adjacent the hook surface 0f WhiCh is plOXidBd With thereof, the hook of the vfirst named member notches, the sleeve having pivroted t ereto a 10 v beingpi-voted'to the outer end of the first latch 01,e g gementin aid,.nOt0.heS- 5 named member; the sleeve having an ear and v In testlmony whereof ,I hereunto affix my a link connectingsaid ear and hook of the slgnatul'efirst named member, the outer end of the HENRY F. GEISE.

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