US727383A - Joint for artificial limbs. - Google Patents

Description

Nq. 727,383.` PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

' E. KOEBEB..Y

JOINT FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS..

AP PLIOATION FILED FEB. 26, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 727,383. PATENTBD MAY 5, 190.3..

E. KOBBBII. JOINT PORv ARTIFICIAL -LIMBS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1902, N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

O will Patented May 5, 1903.

ATENT OFFICE.

EDNARD KOEBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

JOINT FOR ARTIFICIAL LIIVI BS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,383, dated May 5, 1903.

Application filed February 26, 1902. Serial No, 95,734. (No model) I To all whom, it may concern: Y block F. Extending through the supporting- Be it known that I, EDWARD KOEBER, a citiblock F, rocker E, and core O is a bolt G,

zen of the United States, residing at Chicago, which at its lower end engages a soft-rubber 55 in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, washer H, which is seated within a recess in 5 have invented certain new and useful Imthe under side ofthe core O. Screwed upon provements in .Joints for Artificial Limbs, of the upper end of the bolt G is a nut Lwhich which the following is a specification. engages a soft-rubber washer J, which rests My invention relates to improvements in upon the supporting-block F, the bolt G eX- 6o joints for artificial limbs, and especially to tending also through the washer J. The bolt ankle-joints.

The object of my invention is to provide a joint which shall be sufficiently flexible when G passes freely through the block F, rocker E, and core O, so as to have some degree of lateral play therein.

in use to approximate the flexibility of natui In the modified form of my invention shown 65 ral joint, and yet shall have sufficient rigidin Fig. 3 the lower end of the bolt G is fitted l5 ity to afford the desired degree of support. with a cross-bar g, which has a rocking en- Another object of my deviceis to provide gagement with the under side of the core C. such a joint, which may be adjusted so as to This construction hasthe double advantage have more or less rigidity at the option of the of furnishing such rocking engagement and 7o user. of avoiding all danger ofthe bolt being pulled 2o These and such other objects as may hereupward through the core O. In this modied inafter appear are attained by the devices form I dispense with the compressible washer shown in the accompanying drawings, in H, seated in the under side of the core C, and whichuse a similar washer 0r sleeve H', surround,- 75

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View ing the bolt G and seated within the rocker z5 through an artificial foot and ankle fitted E. This compressible Washer or sleeve not with my improvements, and Fig. 2 is a vertionly lends desired iiexibility to the joint, but cal sectional View on the line 2 2 of Fig. l prevents the clicking which might otherwise looking in the direction indicated by theararise from the bolt Gstriking against the ad 8o rows. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal sectional view jacent surfaces of the rocker E during the 3o through an artificial foot and ankle fitted operation of the joint. Of course, if desired, with a modified form of my invention,"and the sleeve H may be used in connection with Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View on the line the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and,

4 4of Fig. Slookingin the direction indicated vice versa, the equivalent of the Washer H 85 by the arrows. Y maybe used in the structure shown in Figs.

55 Like letters of reference indicate the same 3 and 4.

parts in the several figures of the drawings. As shown in Fig. :2, the block F is sup- Referring by letter to the accompanying ported Within the ankle portion D by having drawings,Aindicates an artificial foot formed, a cone engagement with the inner surface of go preferably, of spongy rubber and covered by such ankle portion. As the block F there- 40 a flexible covering B. Embedded Within the fore constitutes a wedge Within the ankle spongy-rubber body A is a core C, which is portion D in the modified form illustrated in preferably formed of wood. Figs. 3 and 4, I have shown this block as ad- D is the ankle piece, usually of a light ditionally supported within the ankle by 95 wood, such as red willow, which is held or means of dowel-pinsf, which are used to over- 45 otherwise securely attached to a rocker E. come any possible danger of splitting the an- The rocker E, as shown, is located above the kle portion when the nut I is tightened on core C, with a slight layer of spongy rubber the bolt G. between the opposing faces of the rocker E In the use of a foot fitted with myimproveme and core C. l/Vhen in use, the weight of the ments as the body swings forward and the 5o body rests upon the rocker E, which has a ankle-joint is iiexed the rubber washers II J slight rocking motion upon the core C. are compressed, and thereby give a yielding Within the ankle-piece D is a supportingiiexible movement at the ankle-joint, while ers H .I returns the parts to their normal p0- sition. If the joint is too flexible, the nut G may be tightened any desired degree, thereby compressing the washers H J, thereby reducing the flexibility of the joint, whereas if the joint is not iiexible enough it may be rendered more exible by loosening the nut Gr.

Although I have shown in the drawings my preferred construction, it is evident that the advantages attendant on my invention will be attained to a considerable degree if either the washer H or the washer .I be dispensed with, the construction of the parts being otherwise substantially the same. I therefore do not confine myself to a structure embodying the use of both of said washers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an ankle-joint, the combination with a hollow leg-section and an elastic foot-section, of a supporting-block secured transversely within the leg-section, a core embedded within the foot-section, a bolt extending through said supporting-block and said core, and having a rocking bearing Within said foot-section, a nut arranged to fit one end of said bolt, and means arranged to be compressed bythe tightening of said nut, substantially as described.

2. In an ankle-joint, the combination with a leg-section and an elastic foot-section, of a core embedded in said foot-section, a connecting-bolt supported at one end within said legsection and having a rocking bearing against said core, and a compressible washer seated within the lower end of said leg-section and surrounding said bolt, substantially as described.

3. In an ankle-joint, the combination with a leg-section and an elastic foot-section, of a rocker upon the lower end of the leg-section andarranged to rest upon the foot-section, a core embedded within the foot-section, a connecting-bolt supported at one end within the leg-section, and having a rocking bearing at its opposite end against said core, and a com-- a foot portion and an ankle portion, of a core embedded in the foot portion, a supportingblock in the ankle portion, a bolt engaging said core and extending freely therethrough and freely through said supporting-block, an adjusting-nut fitted to said bolt, and a cornpressible washer interposed between said nut and said supporting-block, substantially as described. I

6. In an ankle-joint, the combination with a hollow leg-section and a spongy-rnbber footsection, of asupporting-block arranged transversely within said leg-section, a core embedded within the spongy-rubber foot-section, a rocker at the lower end of the leg-section arranged to rest upon the foot-section, a connecting-bolt provided at one end with a crossbar having a rocking bearing against said core, said bolt extending freely through said core, said rocker and said block, and being provided at its opposite end with a nut, a compressible washer, surrounding said bolt and interposed between said nut and said block, and a second compressible washer seated within said rocker, projecting below the under side thereof and surrounding said bolt, substantially as described. f

EDWARD KOEBER. Witnesses:

O. R. BARNETT, M. E. SHIELDS.

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