US2208195A - Aid to standing and walking - Google Patents

Description

y 1940- 1 w. PAUL 2,208,195

AID T0 STANDING AND WALKING Filed Feb. 27, 1940 Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improvement in the art of crutches in which braces or struts are used to help retain the user in a vertical position while standing or moving for- 5 ward, and the object of the improvement is, first, to provide an aid that not only can be used in sick rooms, hospitals, or home, but will take the user out of the building and upon surfaces of uneveness, not only through the convalescent period, but in addition, to those who have an ailment that may be of long duration, the aids are for their permanent use. Thus the aids not only serve through the first trying period of convalescence but carry on through the balance of the life of the user. In convalescence it is an aid to get out of bed and secondly to move about the room unassisted, and as the patient grows stronger, to aid them to walk outside of building upon the uneven surface of highways and this without the aid of others. One of the main features of the aids is its formation whereby the center of gravity and load are upon a perpendicularly down thrust and the load is not placed on a curved strut but the diagonally down- 5 ward braces are in such form that the aid may be set sufiiciently beneath the bed, or close to any form of chair, as to allow the patient to rise perpendicularly upward and rest upon the aids.

The aids, being constructed of seasoned split maple and rounded oak, are light of weight, much more so than if of metal construction and has also the tendency to reflex action that under stress of load bend and return to their normal position as the load lightens, not remaining in a 35 bent position.

The foregoing and other features of advantage over the known form of crutch will be shown as the description proceeds.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a view of the side and front of the aid, as seen by one approaching as if to use said aid;

Fig. 2 is a view of the hinged head of upright crutch and diagonally downward brace of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a closer view of the method of bracing and the coil spring that aids in the flexibility of Fig. 1 as a unit.

The device to be known as an aid, generally denoted by Fig. l, is used either single or in pairs, like crutches and comprise a four point foot portion consisting of the base or foot of the upright crutch, the base or foot of the diagonally downward brace and the two bases or feet of the inverted V braces 1, l, i, I and all made of wood, maple and oak, for lightness and strength and making a four point contact with the surface instead of a one piece construction at the base. The diagonally downward brace foot 3 at i and the two inverted V brace feet :3, i at i, l, are thirty inches apart at l, l, I which forms a 5 triangle brace that joins to the upright crutch l at 2 by a hinge. See Fig. 2 This gives to the upright crutch i, l a complete brace in three directions; to the side, fore and aft of the user of the aid. To hold the completed brace l, I, 10 I in its 30 triangle there are three strands of #9 wire of weather resisting metal connectors l I,

H, I! with turn buckles in their center l3, l3, l3. This type of brace clings to any surface as a downward-thrust-load has a tendency to cling in 15 proportion to the load and as the braces 1, i, I, I are all rubber tipped, on a wet surface prevents slipping of the whole.

The position of the head of the inverted V brace has two uses, first, as its head 8 rests go against the two sides of the diagonally downward brace 3 at 8, Fig. 3, and is held in said position by being bored through and a bolt 8 running through it and the sides of the brace 3 and there tightened, forms a unit head at 8, 5 second, this described head at 3 is a few inches 1 below the handhold of the diagonally downward brace which allows of a flexible movement above 8 to the head i, 2, 3, in Fig. 1.

To further aid the whole appliance in its car- 30 rying of load, upon uneven surfaces, there is attached to the bolt 8 one end of a coil spring of suflicient diameter and length to bear any stress caused from a human load; the other end of said spring is set into a groove of a wood connecting rod and there bolted, said connecting rod 5 extends to, and is there bolted, to the upright crutch at I2, completing the attachment. This form of brace is so constructed that if either the foot of the upright crutch l, l at l orthe three feet of the braces 3 and 4, 4 at 1, l, 1 rest upon an uneven surface the spring 9 and the hinge 2, Fig. 1, will give to the unevenness and not permit the load that is resting upon the upright crutch l, i to be thrown to side, forward or aft. This construction as stated above, though pliant, is sufficiently strong to care for the maximum of both horizontally downward thrust load and diagonally downward thrust load on either smooth or an uneven surface, wet or dry surface.

The form of the head of the diagonally'downward brace 3 at 2", Figs. 1 and 2, is the same as the upright crutch l, i at its head or arm rest with the exception that it is shortened at its ends Fig. 2 at 3 to prevent its interference with the arm of the user of the "aid. The inverted V braces are made of a 1 to 1%" diameter straight grain seasoned oak; the upright crutch I, I and the diagonally downward brace 3, 3 are made of straight grained seasoned maple of 1" to 1%" x 1" to 1%" stock.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. An aid to standing and walking having a four point constructed base resting evenly upon the surface in the form of a combination of an upright crutch to carry the load in a direct downward thrust; a form of braces attached thereto comprising a diagonally downward brace attached to the head of the upright crutch by a hinge size 3" x3" and extending downward at an angle of sufiicient degree to permit of its foot to rest upon the surface at not less than 30" from the foot of the upright crutch and braced near its center by an inverted V brace that extends to fore and aft a distance of 30" which gives to the total braces a 30" x30" x30 footing at surface.

2. An aid to standing and walking as set forth in claim 1, in which there are three #9 gauge wire connecting rods l3, l3, l3made of a rust resisting metal-that form a triangle for the purpose of holding the adjustment of the braces in a permanent position at the three brace ends at the surface.

3. An aid to standing and walking as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said diagonal brace and attached to said upright crutch that is bearing the load upon a direct down thrust, not on a curved strut; this making for stable equilibrium of upright crutch at all times.

FRANCIS WAYNE PAUL.

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