US2675856A

US2675856A - Balancing and walking device

Info

Publication number: US2675856A
Application number: US269784A
Authority: US
Inventors: Therese C Abdallah
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-02-04
Filing date: 1952-02-04
Publication date: 1954-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 1971-04-20

Description

April 20, 1954 T. c. ABDALLAH BALANCING AND WALKING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 4, 1952 Theresa C. Abdallah INVENTOR. Q0520. BY film April 0, 1954 T. c. ABDALLAH BALANCING AND WALKING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4, 1952 Therese C. Abdul/ah INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED STAT ES PATENT OFFICE 1 2,675,856 BALANCING AND DEVICE Therese O. Abdallah, Seattle, Wash. Application February 4, 19 52, SerialNo. 269,784

.10 Claims. (01. ism-v23) V This invention relates-to a balancing-and walk- --lng device and particularly a therapeutic device for supporting spastic childrenwhile they learn.

to. walk. Y

r In teaching spastic children to walk it. is often cipundthat they are very- :rigid and are a dead w ight to lift and so extremely hard to work --w-ith.. .Not only is it; necessary to support the spastic. child in an upright position which requires extreme strengthphut is: also frequently necessary-to have to utilize the operators hands to :move thee-feet and le s of the. patient. It is th remre frequently extremely difficult for the physical therapistto support the: patient while at thesame time moving the'legs in a more or less natural walking fashion; Avariety of hoist type devices have heretofore :been constructed for assisting a. physical therapist in supporting a patient while teaching him to walk.

' Tha=present invent-ion provides an overhead --carriage having a pendulant supporting arm en gaging the body-of the patient so that'thepatient may Inove in asubstantially straight line and willnotzhave lateralimotion so that the patient may besupportedwin a safe and careful manner "while the. therapist has his: hands. free. to operate the limbs and feet ofrthe patient.

It is accordingly an object of this invention'to provide an improved physical therapy lift.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a walking and balancingdevlce'for a spastic patient. It is: a further object of this invention to provide a supporting mechanism in which a patient may-move in a substantially straight line, but is supported in a lateral direction.

It is a further object of this invention to providera supporting mechanism which can be anchored'to the pedal extremitiesof the patientrso' that the body supporting mechanism will not be uncomfortably raised.

Other objects and many of the attendantad-l vantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in c which:

Figure l is an elevation with parts in section sh owing a balancing and walking device accordine t this invention;

Figure2 is an end view of the supporting device as shown in Figure '1;

Figure '3 is a top \plan view of the walking and balancing device showing the manner of con nectlon;

by the line 5--6 of FigureB;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the vertical swivel Joint taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 1-1 of Figure 2; and .Figure 8 is "a perspective view of the bod-y supporting jacket according to the invention.

7. In theexemplary embodiment of the invention an overhead track flland F2 is supported onsuitable legs l4 herein shown as four in number although obviously any lengthtrack can be used supported on any number of legs. An overhead carriage comprisesa pair of rail engaging members IS-"and l8 having rollers 2'! for engagement with thetracks l0 and 12. The rail engaging members I6 and 18' are connected by rigid cross members herein indicated as a pair of rodor pipe-like members rigidly secured to the rail engaging members I 6 and l 8 by any suitable means .suchaswelding. The-central portion of the cross member'ls swivelled with respect to the end members sothat the central' portion is free to move in 'an oscillatory fashion in a plane parallel to the rail members or in other words in a plane "transverse to the cross members. Preferably the "swivel joint i'sprovided with ball or roller bearing members so that theoscillat-ion will be quite free. Centrallysupported in the

cross bars

22 and 24 is -a clampplatehaving front members 30 and back members 32 through which extends a' vertically adjustable U -shapedbar as which may be adiusted to any desired posltionbetween the plates '38 and 32' and 'held in position hv means of aclamping screw 36 having a wing nut '38. A bi'nttonrr terminal fror the pendulant ill-shaped r'nernberfMcomprises a swivel having a plate All attached to the bottom ends of the U-sliaped member 3A; The plate 40 is provided with a "cup-shaped depression having an. opening 41 through which is iournaled an end piece 46 having secured thereon a bearing, plate 43 and locked "inpositiorl byzmeans. of a nut 50. The end piece 3 to the head of the patient so that the head of the patient is laterally supported. Preferably the member 52 is provided with suitable padding 54 so that the head of the patient may not be injured by accidental contact with the bifurcated member 52.

A body engaging member is provided in the form of a leather jacket 60 having a plurality of adjustable members such as buckle straps 62 in the front and a plurality of similar adjustable straps 64 in the back so that the leather jacket can be adjusted snugly to the body of the patient.

Shoulder straps

68 and 68 are also provided on the jacket and are likewise adjustable to the size of the patient by means of suitable adjustable means such as the buckles 10. The

shoulder straps

66 and 68 carry upstanding ear or U- shaped

members

12 and 14 for engagement with the bifurcated end of the pendulant support. The lower ends of the inverted U-shaped member 52 are provided with snaps-16 and 18 for engagement with the upstanding ears 12 and '14. In

this manner a jacket 50 can be adjusted to the body of the patient and the inner structure may be adjusted with respect to thehorizontal carriage by means of the pendulant member 34 and the shoulder straps BG-and 68.

In order to prevent'the jacket 60 from riding up under the arms orunder the chin of the patient suitable legging-like members 80 are applied to the lowerlimbs of the patient and have straps 82 extending under the pedal extremities or feet so that the legging-like members 80 are securely attached to the lower extremities of the patient. A plurality of

straps

86 and 88 are attached to the backs and front respectively of the legging-like members and are secured to suitable adjusting means such as

buckles

90 and 92 on the bottom of the jacket 60.

In operating the device the pendulant member will be adjusted so that the snaps l6 and 18 will properly engage the shoulder supports or

ears

12 and 14 of the jacket 60 which is firmly secured around the body of the patient and also firmly secured to the pedal extremities of the patient so that the jacket-is properly anchored on the mid-portion of the patient. The pendulant member is substantially bifurcated by means of an inverted U-;shaped member swivelly attached at a portion intermediate thependulant memher. The pendulant member is free to swing in a front or backward position substantially in a plane parallel to the planes of the tracks by means of

swivel members

26 and 28 but it is substantially rigid to any lateral motion so that the patient is unable to fall sidewise;

Hand rails

96 and 98 are preferably provided alongside the patient so that he may use his hands to assist himself in moving along the track. Preferably the

rails

96 and 98 are received in" brackets I and 32 mounted on the post l4 and the brackets I00 and 102 are provided with a plurality of openings I04 so that the

rails

96 and 98 may be inserted at any desired height to accommodate the patient. The patient while supported in this walking and balancing device may move along with the assistance of his own hands on the rails Q6 and 98 while the physical therapist may manipulate the pedal extremities of the patient. The swivel member is the pendulant element that permits the patient to turn completely around so that after he has finished the length of the bar in one direction he may turn around and go in the other direction, however, he will be at all times protected against lateral movement because of the substantially rigid mounting of the pendulant member with respect to any lateral motion.

While for purpose of illustration a specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and the same has been described according to the best of my present understanding thereof, it will be understood, that many changes and modifications can be made therein, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A walking device for training patients to walk comprising a track including a pair of spaced apart rails, track engaging means on each rail, a frame extending between said track engaging means, swivel means in said frame whereby a portion of said frame may oscillate with respect to said track engaging means, a clamp mounted on said portion, a support including a pair of parallel rodlike members, said support being adjustably secured in said clamp, aterminal rotatably mounted on said support, and means for releasably attaching said terminal to a body engaging member.

2. A walking device for training patients to walk comprising a track including a pair of spaced apart rails, track engaging means on each rail, a frame extending between said track engaging means, swivel means in said 'frame whereby a portion of said frame may oscillate with respect to saidtrack engaging means, a clamp mounted on said portion, a support including a pair of parallel rodlike' members, said support adjustably secured in said clamp, a terminal rotatably mounted on said support, and a substantially rigid inverted U-shaped connecting member mounted on said terminal.

3. A walking device for trainingpatients to walk comprising an overhead trackya carriage mounted on said track, a pendulant support adjustably secured on said carriagasaid support being journaled on said carriage for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the track while being substantially rigid in a'direction transverse to said track, and means for suspending a body embracing member from said support.

4. A walking device for training patients to walk comprising an overhead track, a carriage mounted on said track, a pendulant support adjustably secured on said carriage, said support being journaled on said carriage for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the track while being substantially rigid in a direction transverse to said track, and means on said support substantially limiting lateral movement of the head of a patient.

5. A walking machine comprising an overhead track, a carriage mountedfor movement along said track, a pendulant support secured on said carriage, a bifurcated terminal on said support, means for embracing the body of a patient, shoulder straps on said means, fastener means for connecting said bifurcated terminal to said shoulder straps, and swivel means interposed between said support and said bifurcated terminal.

6. For use in a walking machine having an overhead track, a'pendulant support mounted on the track and having a bifurcated terminal, a jacket for embracing the body of'a patient, shoulder straps on said jacket, means for connecting said bifurcated terminal to said shoulder straps, swivel means interposed between said support and said bifurcated terminal, means for securing said jacket to the lower extremities of e a atient, a side bar for cooperation with said support and means for adjusting the position of said side bar.

7. A therapy device comprising a substantially rod like track, a carriage including a substantially tubular member engaging said track, a plurality of roller means between said member and said track, a support depending from said carriage, said support including a pair of substantially parallel rodlike members, a plate rigidly secured to the end of said members, a bracket swiveled in said plate, a substantially rigid inverted U-shaped member secured on said bracket, and snaps secured adjacent the lower ends of said U-shaped member for detachably connecting said U-shaped member to a body engaging member.

8. A therapy device comprising a substantially rodlike track, a carriage including a substantially tubular member engaging said track, a plurality of roller means between said member and said track, a support depending from said carriage, said support including a pair of substantially parallel rodlike members, a plate rigid- 1y secured to the end of said members, a bracket swiveled in said plate, a substantially rigid inverted U-shaped member secured on said bracket, a body engaging jacket, a pair of shoulder straps adjustably secured to said jacket, upstanding apertured means on each of said shoulder straps, snaps secured adjacent the lower ends of said U-shaped member for detachably connecting said jacket to said U-shaped member, leg engaging means for attachment to the lower extremities of a patient and straps attaching said means to said jacket.

9. A therapy device comprising an elevated track including a pair of parallel spaced apart rodlike rails, a substantially tubular rail engaging member on each of said rails, a rigid cross member connecting said rail engaging members,

a central portion of said cross member being free to oscillate in a plane transverse to .the cross member, a pendulant U-shaped bar secured to said central portion, said U-shaped bar being vertically adjustable, a swivel plate attached to the bottom of said pendulant U-shaped member, and an inverted U-shaped support member swivelly mounted on said swivel plate.

10. A therapy device comprising an elevated track including a pair of parallel spaced apart rodlike rails, a substantially tubular rail engagingmember on each of said rails, a rigid cross member connecting said rail engaging members, a central portion of said cross member being free to oscillate in'a plane transverse to the cross member, a pendulant U-shaped bar secured to said central portion, said U-shaped bar being vertically adjustable, a swivel plate attached to the bottom of said pendulant U-shaped member, and an inverted U-shaped support member swivelly mounted on said swivel plate, detachable connectors mounted adjacent the lower ends of said U-shaped support member, said connectors being adapted to secure a body engaging means to said device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,072,959 Kincannon -1 Sept. 9, 1913 1,481,503 Carswell et a1. Jan. 22, 1924 1,577,458 Fish Mar. 23, 1926 1,611,807 Bergh Dec. 21, 1926 2,369,040 Grady Feb. 6, 1945 2,574,178 I-Ialler Nov. 6, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 129,939 Great Britain Feb. 14, 1919 536,402 France Feb. 10, 1922