US597465A - Artificial leg - Google Patents

Description

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M. E. HAGEN.

ARTIFICIAL LEG No. 597,465. Patented Jan. 18,1898.

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MICHAEL EUGEN HAGEN, OF FRANKFORT, NEIV YORK.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,465, dated January 18, 1898.

Application filed April 24, 1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL Evens HAGEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Frankfort, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Legs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

The object of this invention is to provide an artificial limb which will give ease and graceful movements at both the knee-joint and ankle (the connections and springs being so disposed as to prevent any jar or sudden rebound) to imitate as near as possible the movements of the natural limb.

To this end the invention provides a 'construction in which the thigh and calf of the limb are connected by a toggle-joint and provided with a knee-cap held in place by a spring, the joint at the ankle or foot section forming one in which the foot is not only given the usual tilting movement, but made also for a lateral or side movement, which will permit it to conform to any depressions or unset forth in the claims.

In the drawings forminga part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an artificial limb constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the limb. Fig. 3 is a'transverse sectional view on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a detailed view of the spring which is used at the ankle-joint. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the ferrules at the meeting ends of the thigh and calf sections. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showing the connection of the foot-section with the calf-section.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the thigh portion of the artificial limb, which is provided with a socket therein, as shown in the sectional view, and in the Serial No. 633,689. on model.)

upper part of this socket are located flexible pieces or strips 2, forming air-tight compartments, in which air is compressed to provide pneumatic bearings which bear against the stub and reduces the friction at this point, besides making a tighter fit. The thigh portion I is connected to the calf Shy ferrules 4 and 5, which are rigidly connected to the legsections and are pivoted to each other, presenting an ordinary joint. In order to prop erly bring thesesections of the leg normally on a line with each other, the adjoining parts are covered at their forward ends bya cap 6, which is held tightly against the leg-sections by means of a spring 7, connected thereto by the rod 8. The ferrules or thimbles of the upper and lower parts of the leg are cut away in the rear of the pivot at the knee, and the spring 7 is provided with a loop 9, that extends inward between the inclined edges, as shown. By this manner of connecting the thigh and calf a knee-joint is formed which nearly conforms with the natural joint at this point, for when the lower part of the leg is swung backward with respect to the thigh the spring will exert a tension upon the cap and the latter will press against the adjoining ends of the leg-sections to assist in bringing them on a line with each other and provides a movement that is comparatively slow and more nearly resembles the natu ral movements of the leg.

The foot-section of the leg consists of the ball 10 and heel 11, which are integral with each other and are connected to the instepsection 12 by rubber blocks 13 and by screweyes, which are looped through each 0ther,'as shown, the said instep-section having an upwardly-projecting portion 14:, by which the foot-section is connected to the calf 3, a pivot pin being employed for the purpose. The upper ends of the portion I L are rounded, as shown, to practically form a curved bearingsurface, and in order to return the said foot to its normal position with respect to the calf spring-actuated blocks 16 16 are located beneath the end of the calf-section in front and rear of the projection 14:. These blocks 16 are supported by springs 17, having coiled portions 18, the upper members of the springs terminating in fiat portions or eyes 19, by which they are connected. to the aforesaid blocks. By this manner of connecting the foot-section to the calf the said section is allowed to have a rocking movement from heel to toe and the spring tendency of the blocks is equalized to properly position the said foot section with respect to the leg. In order to provide for a movement at the toe, a section 20 is formed and hinged to the ball 10 of the foot, a spring 21 being interposed to bring the said toe-section on a proper line with the foot.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I provide an artificial leg in which the joints at both the knee and ankle are constructed and arranged to permit of the proper movements at these points and at the same time the springs so act upon the movable parts as to return them to normal position easily and positively, imitating as near as possible the corresponding movements of the natural limb. It will be also observed that by connecting the lower section of the foot to the instep with the interposed rubber blocks the said lower section will be allowed a rocking movement transversely or opposite to the movement afforded by the link connection and spring-actuated blocks, the said lateral movement of the lower section of the foot permitting said foot to accommodate itself to any unevenness of the ground or to the surface upon which it may rest. Attention is also called to the particular arrangement of the socket in the upper part or thigh which receives the stub of the natural leg, in which the pneumatic cushions are positioned to form a comfortable bearing of the artificial legwith the natural stub at this point.

The artificial leg is connected to the body of the wearer in the usual manner.

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

1. In a knee-joint for artificial legs, the combination with the thigh and calf sections pivoted to each other, of a knee-cap placed over the forward portions of the joint, and a spring comprising a wire strip which is looped inwardly at the joint, and has an extension extending to the knee-cap to which it is attached, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with a leg-section, of a foot connected thereto by links the upper part of the foot being rounded, and springactuated blocks'located at each end of the rounded portion, substantially as shown and described.

In an artificial leg, the combination with the calf-section, of afoot connected thereto by links and presenting a round upper end at the pivot, blocks located at opposite ends of the rounded portion, and springs consisting of wires coiled upon themselves centrally and having their free ends formed into eyes by which they are secured to the blocks, substantially as shown and described.

4. In an artificial leg, the combination of the foot-section, consisting of the instep portion connected to the heel or lower section by rubber blocks, the instep portion having centrally an upward projection which is rounded, links connecting the calf with the upward extensions of the instep portions,and spring-actuated blocks located at opposite ends of the rounded projection, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

5. A foot for artificial legs, consisting of a lower section having a toe portion hinged thereto and provided with interposed springs, an instep-section connected to the lower section by rubber blocks, said instep-section having an upward projection which is rounded, blocks located at each end of the upward extension, and springs interposed between said blocks and the instep-section, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth. In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL EUGEN HAGEN.

Witnesses:

WM. WAYNE, H. H. INGHAM.

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