US314726A - Artificial leg - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

JAMES F. B-OWLEY, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 314,726, dated March 3l, 1885.

` Application filed January 10, 1885. (No model.)

` To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Vshown in Fig. l.

Be it known that I, JAMEs F. RowLEY, a citizen of the United States of America,and a resident ofthe city of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Artificial Leg, of which the following is a specilication.

My objectis, first, to provide alateral motion for the foot at the ankle-joint as well as forward and backward motions; second, to make the leg extensible and adjustable to correspond with the growth of a natural leg that may be developing on a growing person at the side of an artificial leg 5 third, to produce astrong and elastic joint in the front of the foot that will be self-adjusting under pressure.

I accomplish the results contemplated, as hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichn Figure l is a vertical and longitudinal section of my invention, Fig. 2, a view of the top portion of the leg, taken at right angles relative to Fig.l ,to show my device for lengthening the leg. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the top section and extensible devices, and Fig. 4 a bottom View of the foot.

A represents the bulk of the foot, made of wood.

B is a recess formed iu the central portion of its under side.

G is a concavo-convex solid plate, made of hard rubber or metal,titted in a concave formed in the top of the foot and firmly secured thereto by means of screws.

Dis the lower portion and shank of the leg, made of wood and cut off square at both ends and connected with the foot by means of a balland-socket joint. j A vertical bore is provided in the center of its lower end to form a socket for a ball. Y f is a ball on the end of a screw-bolt secured in the socket by means of a solid rubber or metal base-piece, g, that is xed against the square bottom ofthe shank and that has a boss, g', on its upper side and center extending into the socket and against the ball f, as clearly The under side of the basepiece g is convex, `and fits in the concave top of the plate C, that is xed to the foot.

h is a tubular elastic rubber block itted in abore or chamber formed in the under side and center of the base-piece g.

t' is a clamping-bolt formed integral with or fixed to the ball f and extending through the base-piece g, the boss g', the elastic block h, and thence through a bore into the recess B in the bottom ofthe foot. By simply drawing a nut on the screw-threaded end of the clamping-bolt the leg and the foot are iirmly joined together in such a manner as to produce an ankle-joint that will allow flexion in every direction.

7c represents an elastic tendon fixed to the front portion and lower end of the leg D, and its lower portion divided and extended on the opposite sides of the foot into the recess B, and Vthere fastened to restrict the rearward iiexion of the leg relative to the foot and to aid in keeping the foot in a natural position.

L represents a tubular top end ot' the leg, extending from the wooden shank D to the kneejoint.

m m represent the lower ends of metal bars that are provided with joints in their centers to produce a knee-joint in a common way. Their top ends are rigidly fixed to a socket adapted to receive the stump of a natural leg, and their lower ends are xed to a collar, n,

that forms part of the lower end of the tubulary top L.

r r represent metal bearings xed in the opposite sides of the wooden shank D. They correspond in shape with the lower ends of the bars m, that are designed to slide up and down in the bearings and to be fastened at any point desired by means of set-screws passed through peri'orations in the collar a, bars m, and bearings r. By forming a series of perforations or screw-seats in each bearing r the set-screws can be readily changed from one point to another,.as required, to adj ust the tubular top L relative to the solid shank D for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the complete leg.

s represents the front end or toes of the foot. Its rear convex end is fitted to the front end of the foot and hinged thereto by means of a metal rod, s', that has an eye at one end and a screw on the opposite end, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

ICO

s" represents an elastic pad xed iiat against the bottom'of the foot and toes to restrict the ilexion of the hinged toes, to perform the function of the natural ball of a foot, and to retain 5 the toe in straight and normal position relative t0 the foot; also, to draw it down when the pressure is relaxed that has inclined it upward.

From the foregoing description of the construction and function ofeach element and sub- 1o combination, the unitary1 offices of all the parts and the practical operation and utility of my complete invention will be obvious to persons familiar with artificial limbs.

I am aware that the upper portion of the leg 15 has been adj ustably connected with the foot, so that the leg could be lengthened below the knee-joint by means of a screw-threaded rod in the center; but my manner of combining the tubular top portion with a. solid shank by 2o means of bars fixed to the opposite sides of the t'ubnlarpart and bearings iixed to the solid Sha-nk is newand greatly advantageous.

I am also aware that ankle-joints have been made to allow lateral motion; but my manner 2'5 of shaping and connecting an elastic block and lelast-ic tendons with the wooden and metallic parts, to vprovide flexion in every direction without relaxing the tension ofthejoint,is novel and greatly advantageous.

3o I,` claim as my invention- 1. In an artificial leg, the combination of a wooden foot having a recess in its bottom and a solid rigid plate having a concave top surface fixed on the top of the foot, a wooden leg or shank having a central vertical bore in its bottom, a s'olid rigid base-piece having a convex surface on its under side and a. boss on itsA fixed rod or bolt, i, as and for the purposes stated.

8. An elastictendon, k, split at its lower end, in combination with the shank of a leg and a foot hinged to the shank, as'and for the purl poses specified. 4. The combination of the tubular top end of an artificial leg having fixed jointed bars m with the shank of a leg having fixed bearings r, to operate in the manner set forth, for the. purposes stated.

Witnesses: v

THoMAs G. Onwrc, J. M. Sr. JOHN.

JAMES F. Rowtnv.v

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