US2543908A - Artificial leg - Google Patents

Description

G. GUZEY ARTIFICIAL LEG March 6, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1946 iii! I 6 35 X8 5/ gwwmm.

March 6, 1951 r GUZEY v 2,543,908

ARTIFICIAL LEG Filed Sept. 24. 1946 -s Sheets-Sheet 2 LIQUID [7. 5. E: 0555mm; l

gwuam fm @e 0 rye gaze Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES ?ATENT F F ICE ARTIFICIAL LEG Georg e Guzey, Valdosta, Ga.

Application September 24, 1946, Serial No. 3'98386 4 Claims.

This invention relates to artificial legs.

object of this invention .is to provide an improved artificial leg whereby the wearer can readily regulate the swinging movement =of the leg members so that these members can either swing relatively slow or can swing relatively fast.

Another object of this invention is to provide an artificial leg embodying fluid check :means for checking the movement of the limbs.

A further object of this invention is to provide an artificial leg wherein the rocking of the "foot member will effect a bending of the calf portion relative to the upper thigh portion.

A further object or this invention is to provide an artificial leg'con'struction wherein the movements of the limbs will simulate the'natural movements of a natural leg.

A further object of this invention "is to provide an artificial leg of this kind-which is of "simple construction and can be made of relatively light weight material.

'With the above and other objects in view my invention consists in the arrangement, combina- 'tion and details or construction disclosed in the drawings and. specification, and then more particularly pointed 'out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figures 1 and 1a show inside elevation, partly "broken away'and in vertical section, an artificial leg constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure? is a vertical'sectional view of the fluid retarding means within the leg.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 Figure 4 is a 'fra'gmentaryse'ctional view taken on the line 4- 5, of Figure '2.

Figure 5 is'an enlarged fragmentary "vertical section of the slide within the fluid cylinder.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the check valves.

'Figure is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 1- 1 of Figure "la.

"Referring to the drawing, the numeral In designates the upper or thigh portion of the leg within which the stump is adapted to "be positioned. The calf or lower leg member generally designated as H is hingedlv secured to the thigh portion ill by means of a pivot 52.

The lower portion of the thigh member in is adapted to telescope into the upper reversely curved portion l3 of the calf member or lower leg H, as shown in Figural.

A foot member M is 'swingably secured as -lndicated at Hi to the lower end of the calf member H and telesoopesover'the lower end of the calf member H. An elongated cylinder it is secured within the calf member H, being disposed in substantially vertical positionand supported in such position by means of upper and lower bracket members I! and I8. The cylinder 2 fl fi has a closed :lower end is and :a screw -cap 2]] is mounted in the upper end of the cylinder lfi. vA plug or slide member Zl .slidably mounted in "the cylinderkl'fi and a pair of elong'ated tubes :22 :and .23 are extended vertically through the slide member 2t, being disposed in spaced parallel relation.

'The tube 2 2hasnxed on the upper end thereof a piston or washer 2'4 and a spring-pressed check valve 25 is carried by the upper end of the tube 22 and is adapted to normally dose the upper fend of the tube. The .lower end of the tube 2 2 is open into the lower portion of the cylinder it. The tube 23 is 'reve'rsely "disposed w ith respedt to the tube-22, having a piston 25 at its lower end and a spring-pressed check valve 121 normally closes the lower end of the tribe-2'3. The upper end of the tube 23 is open into the upper portion of the "cylinder lit.

The cylinder T6 is formed with a pair of diametrically disposed elongated slots or openings 28 and 29, the purpose for which will be hereinafter described. 'A valve plug 30 is extended into the slide member "21 "and intersects the "tube 22 within the slide member 2! The plug 36 is formed with a relatively small fluid passage 31 which "may be'moved into or out of re'gistry'with the tube 22. The plug 30 extends through a threaded sleeve 32 which is threaded into the slide member 2!, and a sealing means 33 is "adapted to be compressed by threading of the sleeve 32 so as to seal the plug 30 in the bore or plugopening "34 which isformed in the slide member "21 A second valve plug 35 is disposed in a plug opening 36 formed 'in the 'slide'member 2| and "intersects the tube '32 in the slide member '21. The plug 35 is formed with a relatively large port-oropening 31 whiehwill be selectively'moved into registry or out of registry with respect to the tube 23. A threaded sleeve 38 is disposed about the plug 35 and a sealing packing '39 is adapted to be compressed by the sleeve '38 'for sealing the plug 35311 the opening 135. A shaft 30 is j'ou'rn'a'l'edin an opening ll extending diametrically through the slide member 2! and extends at-one end into the slot or elongated open ing 29.

Asbur gearM is ii'x'edonthe ead of the shai't in, projecting into "the opening 291w means or 44 fixed thereto by fastening means 45 which meshes with the gear 42, the latter' being 'a'valve regulating gear, and "valve plug '35 "has a spur gear 45 fixed thereto by fastening means 41, 'whihalso meshes'with gear 42.

A lever or "valve regulating arm 48 is secured to -the shaft 4!! and the lever 48 has 'secur'ed' to the 'outer en'd thereof one end of a .Bowden wire lBQbyzfa'stenin'g means 5n. :CheBowden-wire 49 extends through a iflexible tube '15 s'which dis-- posed interiorly of the calf member II, and as shown in Figure 1, is extended through an opening 52 in the thigh member It so that the stump of the leg will not contact the valve regulating means.

The upper end of the Bowden wire 49 is secured to an adjusting lever 53 and preferably the lever 53 is adapted to ride over notches or detents 54 formed in the upper portion of the thigh member l so that the regulating lever 53 will be normally maintained in its adjusted position. I

In order to provide a means whereby the slide member 2! and the pistons 24 and 26 may be moved lengthwise of the cylinder I 6 when the foot member M is rocked relative to the calf member H, I have provided a curved arm 55 which is fixed to the shaft 69 oppositely from the gear 42, being secured thereto by a nut 56. The arm 55 has secured thereto an elongated rod 5'! which is formed at its lower end with a head 58. The head 58 is slidable in a cylinder 59 and a spring 59 is disposed in the cylinder 59 and constantly urges the head 53 downwardly to engage the lower end iii of the cylinder 59.

An elongated rod 62 is secured to the lower end 6! of the cylinder 59 and extends downwardly into the foot member i l and is connected at its lower end to a link 53 by means of a pivot joint 94. The link 63 is rockably mounted as at 65, on the bottom of the foot member I l. The arm 55 also has secured thereto an upwardly extending rod 66 which is pivotally secured to a bracket or inwardly projecting mounting 9! which is carried by the lower portion of the thigh member (0 in the region of the knee portion of this thigh member.

The pivot 68 which connects the rod 65 with the mounting 6? is offset forwardly from the pivot 59 of rod 66 on the arm 55 so that upward pressure on rod 52, causing slide 2| and arm 55 to move upwardly will cause upward pressure to be exerted on rod 66 as this pressure will efiect a swinging of the calf member H relative to the thigh E9. The calf member I! is adapted to be returned to normal straight position by means of an elongated flexible member 79 which is extended upwardly through the thigh member Ill and is adapted to be connected to a belt or the like which is worn by the wearer. The lower end of the flexible member IQ is connected to an elastic strap H which is secured as at E2 to the forward portion of the calf member I I,

In the use of this invention, the opposite end portions of the cylinder I 5 are adapted to be filled with a fluid and the regulating valves 30 and 35 are adjusted to the desired degree by means of the adjusting lever 53.

In the drawings, the ports 3i and 3'! are both shown in open position, to provide for a faster down stroke of the pistons for faster walking or bending the thigh member when assuming a seated position.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An artificial leg comprising an upper thigh member, a calf member, a foot member, means hingedly connecting said members together, link means connecting said foot member with said thigh members, and fluid means in said calf member connected to said link means whereby rocking of said foot member will effect rocking of said calf member, said fluid means including an elongated hingedly connecting said members together, link means connecting said foot member with said thigh members, and fluid means in said calf member connected to said link means whereby rocking of said foot member will effect rocking of said calf member, said fluid means including an elongated cylinder formed with a pair of elongated slots, a slide in said cylinder, a'pair of tubes extending through said slide, oppositely disposed pistons carried by said tubes, oppositely closing check valves carried by said tubes, means connecting said slide to said link means, valve means carried by said slide, and adjusting means for said valve means.

3. An artificial leg comprising an upper thigh member, a calf member, a foot member, means hingedly connecting said members together, link means connecting said foot member with said thigh members, and fluid means in said calf member connected to said link means whereby rocking of said foot member will eifect rocking of said calf member, said fluid means including an elongated cylinder formed with a pair of elongated slots, a slide in said cylinder, a pair of tubes extending through said slide, oppositely disposed pistons carried by said tubes, oppositely closing check valves carried by said tubes, means connecting said slide to said link means, valve means carried by said slide, gear means for adjusting said valve means, and means for adjusting said gear means.

4. An artificial leg comprising an upper thigh member, a calf member, a foot member, means hingedly connecting said members together, link means connecting said foot member with said thigh members, and fluid means in said calf member connected to said link means whereby rocking of said foot member will effect rocking of said calf member, said fluid means including an elongated cylindcr formed with a pair of elongated slots, a slide in said cylinder, a pair of tubes extending through said slide, oppositely disposed pistons carried by said tubes, oppositely closing check valves carried by said tubes, means connecting said slide to said link means, valve means for said tubes carried by said slide, gear means for actuating said valve means, and means carried by said thigh member connected to said gear means for adjusting said gear means and hence said valve means.

GEORGE GUZEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Oct. 12, 1921

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