US439255A

US439255A - John e

Info

Publication number: US439255A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 1907-10-28

Description

(N0 Model.)

J. E. RUEBSAM. 1 APPARATUS FR IRBATMENT OF ANKYLOSIS,

N0. 439,255. Patented0ot. 28, 1890.

T all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. RUEBSAM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OB COLUMBIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ANKYLOSIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 439,255, da.ted 001701081 28, 1890.

Application filed February 11 1390. Serial N0. 338,918. (N0 model.)

Be it known that I, J OHN E. RUEBSAM, 0f the city of Washington, in the District of C0- lumbia, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for the Treatment 0f Ankylosis of the J oints of the Lege and for other Purposes, of which the following is a specifieation In the treatment of anchylosis and neurosis 0f the joints 0f the legs it is necessary that the patient shoulcl exercise bis legs in order t0 give motion to the joints. This exereise must be taken whi1e the patient is in bed 0r in an equivalent position. In many cases also it is extremely necessary the1: only a limited. m0- ti0n shoulcl be perfnitted, in order that the treament znay be most effectual. Sometimes it is necessary that lhe motion should be limited in one direction and sometimesin the op posite direction.

Now, the primary objee 0f tl1e present invention is to provlde an appar'at-us which shall enable the patient 130 exercise the hip, knee, and ankle joints while in a recumbentposition, and, when necessary or desirable, to enable the extent 0f movement, either up 01 cl0wn, 110 be limitecl in accordance with the ext geneies of the case or the discretion of the physician.

Secondarily, the apparatus is designecl to be used in the extension of the leg in ease of a fracture of the same and as a, leg-res'o for holding the leg in a more 01' lass elevate d position, either temporarily during an examination 01' operation upon the same 01 for an extended period, as is freQuently desireble in the treatment 0f elephantiasis 01 hydrophic afieetions.

The improved apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whieh- I igure 1 is a perspective view 0f the apparatus, showing the manner 0f use when the leg is being exercised with a limited downward movement. Fig. 2 is a side view 0f the same'showing the parts in a difierent position from Fig. l, a part of the supporting frame or box being broken away to show the foottrolley more clearly, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section of 1;he apparatus.

The various movable parts of the apparatus are supported upon a base, consisting, prefe ably, of a trough=shaped box Athe bottom of which is adapted co be placed directly upon the bed 01 couch 0n whieh the patientls lying. This box may be 0f any suitable length t0 offen the neeessary or desired eXtent 0f movement, and may be of 2 my desired width consistent with its Stability when in use. The bottom a 0f the box is p1ovided on its upper .surface with suitable longitudinally-extencling parallel ways O1 traeks 17 b, in 01' 011 which th'e foot carria-ge 01 trolley B travels. This foot-trolley is composed 01: asuitable frame c, having a proper number of wheels d d, Whieh run in the ways b b.

011 the trolley-frame c is pivotally mountecl the foot-support C, the axis e 0f whieh extends horizontally and ab right angles t0 alle path 0f the trolley, so that when the foot of the patient is bandagecl 130 the support C the ankle may be moved and the ankle-joint exercised. The pivooal mounting of the footsupport also permits tl1e trolley t0 run easily at all times on the track during the exercise 0f the kuee 01 hip joints.

The fooo;support O is furnished with a rigid sole-pla-te f, against Whi0h the sole 0f the f000 rests.

The trolley is properly connected 130 the f0ot 0f the patient by bandaging, the bandages being maintained in position by fixed projeotions g 011 the support C anti sole-pla'ue The foot 0f the patient having been bandage(l to tlie foot-trolley, the patien bends the leg-joints and Ehe trolley travels back and forth 011 ics ways, supporting the weight of the leg, aml thus rendering ehe exercise easy for the patient. 4

In some instances i1q is clesirable tl1at t-he patient should be given additional exercise, and for such cases the foovtrolley is provided with a bail G, to which may be att-aehed a cord h,whieh extencls over a pulley i, mounoecl 011 any convenient fixed supportj, seid cord supporting a weight k, as shown in Fig. 2. 111 exereising uncler these cireumstances the patient has t0 1aise bis leg in opposition to the weight k. If desired for 9xercising-the ankl6 alone, the cord h 1nay be attached to an eye l on the sole=platef. The foot-sup port O is properly recessed, as shown inFigs. 1 ancl 3, 130 reeeive and support the heel of the patient.

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In orcle1 t limit the movement 0f ehe leg in one direetion 01' ehe ot-her, as may be desirable 0r neeessary, a movable and adjustable sl1ield D is providecl. This shield is adjustably supportecl 011 ancl between two vertieal posts E E, secured 0n opposite sicles 015 the base A. This shielcl is providecl with exteriorly-projeeting serewthreadecl pintles m m 011 opposit-e sides, whieh are adapted 110 be passed through any pair of a series of Vertieally-arrangecl adjusting-apertures 0 0 in the vertical p0sts E E, whereby the shielcl may be vertieally aclj usted.

The shield is held in any desired posi1iion by means 0f thumb-nuts s, which screw 0n 'the pintles m, and which enable (when clesired) th e shielcl 130 be clampecl tightly and immovably in an given position. The shielcl is properly curved 01' arehecl between it's supporting-posts so as t0 be aclapted t0 the leg.

- W'l1en it; is desire cl t0 limit tl1e downwarcl movement of the leg, t-he shield is placecl, zus shown in Fig. l, With its eurve or auch ex tencling downwarclly, so that when the leg reaches its downward limit 0f motion it rests in the shielcl. VVhen, however, the s-hielcl is t0 be used to limit the upwarcl movement 0f the leg, in is turnecl around, as sh0wn in Figs. 2 and 3, so that i arehes upwarclly. If oben the leg is moved up, the knee strikes the shield, and thus the upwarcl movement 0f the leg is limited.

When the shield occupies it-s position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it is necessary Chat it should be clamped tightly by the thumb-nuts t0 the supporting-posts E E in oraler that 113 may maintain its position. \Vhen however, it 00- cupies the position shown in Fig. 1, tl1e thumbnuts may be lefb loose, so that the shield n1ay swing 011 the pin'tles m,which constitute pivots therefor.

T0 aceommodate the shielcl t0 different persons ancl t0 enable it 130 be placecl under he calf or thigh, over the knee, or otherwise, as desired, rhe posts E E are acljustably secured to the sides of the box A, so that they may occupy dlfferent positions along the sides 0f tl1e b0x. T0 this end, eaeh side of the b0x (01 rather the metal strap t, which is preferably secured t0 eaeh sicle) is providecl with a series 0f properly-distaneecl female-threadecl apertures w, in which enters a thumb-serew x, which passes through apertures in the lower ends 0f each post E. Each post is also properly bracecl by a brace-bar F, which is secured t0 the stmp 25 by a thumb-screw -c ilfl3 its lower end, ancl is also permanenuly attached at its upper end 130 its p0st.

The shield 02m be used as a leg-rest t0 hold the leg a any desired height, the shield then oecupying a position similar to tl1at sh0wn in Fig. l, and being preferably suspenclecl freely on its pintles, so as to swing there0n, if desired. When the shield is thus in use as a leg-rest, the trolley may be entirely removecl.

'lhe apparatus is used f01 the extension 0f the leg in the ease 0f a fracture by bandaging ehe foot t0 the foot-t-rolley ancl then attaehing t0 the trolley any desired weight by means 0f the corcl h. When thus used, the shield ancl its supports may be entirely removed.

I clain1 as my invention l. The base having suitable parallel ways 01 tracks, in combination witl1 the wheeled fobttrolley adaptecl t0 tra-vel back and forth thereon when the f00t of a patientis secured thereto, substantially as Set; f01th.

2. The base having suitable ways 0r' fi'raeks, in eombination witl1 the foot-trolley traveling there0n, ancl tl1e foot-support pivotally couneeted 110 saicl trolley, substantially as set forth.

3. The base having suitable Ways 01 tracks and the foot-trolleytravelin'g thereon, in combination wi th the shield mounted abovesaid ways or tracks, substantially as set fort-h.

4. The base having suitable ways 01 traeks und the foot-trolley tmveling thereon, in combination with the shield mounted ab0ve seid ways 01 tracks ancl vertieally adj ustable, substantially as sei: forth.

5. The supportingposts, in combination With the shield pivotally mounted thereon, substant-ially as sei; forth.

6. The base and the support ing-posts 0ne 011 eaeh side 0f seid base and longitudinally adjustable thereon, in combinationwith the shield mounted between such posts, substantially as Set forth.

7. The base and the foot-trolley traveling thereon, in combiuation With the weighta cord eonnecting said weight ancl trolley, and an intermecliate pnlley over which said cord passes, substantially as sei; forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signecl my nenne in the presence 0f two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. RUEBSAM.

\Vionessesz ARTHUR S. BROVVNE, JOSE M. YZNAGA.

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