Crutch gauge measuring device

A crutch gauge has an adjustable extension leg movable vertically in either direction relative to a pair of side members, which are the same length as the side members of a standard crutch, to enable determination of the length of an adjustable extension leg that is to extend beyond the side members of the crutch for a person being fitted. The crutch gauge includes a locking arrangement that enables the person, who is being fitted, to be supported by the crutch gauge while walking. The movement of the adjustable extension leg of the crutch gauge in either direction is accomplished without a person, who is fitting the person, having to bend over. The crutch gauge includes an adjustably positioned handle, which is disposed in one of five positions in accordance with the person being fitted.

One type of crutch for supporting a person is formed of metallic tubular 
elements. The crutch includes a pair of side members secured to each other 
at a plurality of spaced longitudinal portions including the upper and 
lower ends of the side members. At their lower ends, the two side members 
are secured to each other by bolts and nuts with an adjustable extension 
leg, which supports the crutch, extending from the lower ends of the two 
side members for a selected length and being joined together with the two 
side members at a specific location by two bolts and nuts. 
If a therapist, for example, seeks to fit a person with this type of 
crutch, it is necessary to determine how far that the extension leg must 
extend beyond the lower ends of the side members to provide a comfortable 
fit for the user. The therapist attempts to estimate the length of the 
extension leg that should extend beyond the lower ends of the side 
members. To determine if this estimated length produces a comfortable fit, 
it is necessary for the therapist to lock the extension leg in this 
position to the lower ends of the two side members by the two bolts and 
nuts. This is a time consuming task. However, it is necessary in order for 
the crutch to be capable of properly supporting the user. 
It is necessary for the person, who is being fitted, to walk and be 
supported by the crutch for several minutes to ascertain if the crutch is 
comfortable at its overall length as determined by the length of the 
extension leg extending beyond the lower ends of the side members. If the 
therapist has not correctly estimated the length of the extension leg 
extending beyond the side members, it is necessary to remove the two bolts 
and nuts and change the length of the extension leg extending beyond the 
lower ends of the side members of the crutch. Then, the extension leg is 
again locked to the lower ends of the side members by the two bolts and 
nuts and the person, who is being fitted, again uses the crutch to 
ascertain if the new position of the extension leg produces the correct 
overall length of the crutch for comfortable use. 
There is a plurality of aligned holes in the extension leg to receive the 
two bolts, which join the extension leg to the two side members at the 
lower ends of the side members. Therefore, the therapist can know, during 
the second attempt, where the extension leg was previously located. 
However, even the second position of the extension leg may not be 
satisfactory so that a third effort must be made. This again requires the 
removal of the extension leg from the lower ends of the side members of 
the crutch by disconnecting the two bolts and nuts and then shifting the 
position of the extension leg relative to the side members to again enable 
securing of the extension leg to the side members by the two bolts and 
nuts. Thus, this can become a relatively time consuming task for the 
therapist. 
At the same time that the length of the crutch must be determined through 
changing the portion of the extension leg extending beyond the lower ends 
of the side members, it also is necessary to ascertain the location of the 
handle, which is gripped by the hand of the person using the crutch, on 
the side members. Since the handle is secured to the crutch by a bolt and 
nut with the bolt passing through one of the side members, a longitudinal 
passage in the handle, and the other side member prior to receiving the 
nut, this also is a time consuming task. In some instances, the shifting 
of the position of the extension leg requires changing of the position of 
the handle. That is, there is a different feel to the person, who is being 
fitted with the crutch, when the overall length of the crutch is changed. 
One previous type of crutch gauge is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,332 to 
Zadrozny. The crutch gauge of the aforesaid Zadrozny patent has an 
arrangement for obtaining the overall length of a crutch and the location 
of the crutch handle. 
The crutch gauge of the aforesaid Zadrozny patent has the disadvantage of 
requiring the therapist, who is doing the fitting, to bend over to release 
and tighten various screws. This also has the disadvantage of the screws 
possibly failing to provide a positive locking relation in all situations. 
Thus, if a screw should not be completely tightened and the person 
attempted to walk on the crutch gauge of the aforesaid Zadrozny patent, 
there is the possibility that the person could be injured because of 
shifting of the parts causing the crutch gauge to not support the person 
using it. 
Furthermore, the crutch gauge of the aforesaid Zadrozny patent does not 
provide support between the elements which are movable relative to each 
other in the direction in which force is exerted by the user. That is, the 
connection of one of the movable elements to the other is through a slot 
receiving a clamping screw with no support surface for the clamping screw 
in the direction in which the force is exerted. Therefore, while the 
crutch gauge of the aforesaid Zadrozny patent is indicated as being 
capable of use as a regular crutch with certain minor changes, the crutch 
gauge of the aforesaid Zadrozny patent has the problem of the parts 
possibly moving relative to each other because of the failure to provide 
suitable support surfaces for the elements required to carry the load 
produced by the person using the crutch gauge when the person is supported 
by the crutch gauge. 
Another form of a crutch measuring device is described in an article by 
Sidney M. Dawe on pages 94 and 95 of the March 1951 issue of The Physical 
Therapy Review. This device utilized an extension leg of wood with a 
ratchet arrangement to enable movement of the side members of wood 
relative to the extension leg only in an upward direction to increase the 
overall length. Thus, with this crutch measuring device, any downward 
motion of the side members relative to the extension leg to decrease the 
overall length could not be accomplished without releasing the ratchet. 
Therefore, to decrease the overall length, the therapist had to bend over 
to release the ratchet and push down to move the side members downwardly 
relative to the extension leg, even one notch. At this time, the person, 
who was being fitted, could not be supported by the therapist. 
Furthermore, this prior crutch measuring device also required the ratchet 
to provide the sole locking arrangement when the crutch measuring device 
is used by the person being fitted. This is a relatively heavy load to be 
carried by a ratchet. 
In this previous crutch measuring device, the handle could be adjustably 
disposed at various locations through a pin on a spring snapping into 
drilled holes in the side members. However, this handle can twist since it 
is supported solely by the pins extending into the drilled holes. Thus, it 
may not always provide the necessary handle support to the person being 
fitted. 
Another type of crutch measuring device is described in an article by Jay 
Davenport on page 591 of the August 1960 issue of The Physical Therapy 
Review. This device has an extending leg of wood formed with a 
longitudinal slot to receive two bolts, which extend through holes in the 
side members of wood. This provided no bearing support for the bolts in 
the slot of the extending leg. It also required the therapist to bend over 
to tighten the nuts on the bolts. According to the aforesaid Davenport 
article, this particular device should not be used for actual weight 
bearing. Thus, the person, who is being fitted, cannot determine how the 
crutch, which will be selected by matching against the crutch measuring 
device, will feel when the selected crutch is supporting the person. 
Another crutch measuring device is described in an article by Theodore T. 
Tagawa on pages 113 and 114 of the February 1963 issue of the Journal of 
American Physical Therapy Association. This crutch measuring device has an 
extension leg formed with a longitudinal slot to receive two bolts and 
nuts for securing to two side members. This crutch measuring device is not 
recommended to be used for walking. 
Still another crutch measuring device is described on pages 123 and 124 of 
the February 1967 issue of the Journal of American Physical Therapy 
Association in an article by James J. Bosanny et al. This device uses a 
handle similar to that described in the aforesaid Dawe article. The device 
uses bolts and nuts to secure a length insert to the crutch. 
Another type of axillary measuring crutch is described on page 1107 of the 
October 1975 issue of The Physical Therapy Review in an article by Meryle 
Herbst et al. This crutch is described as not being sufficiently stable 
for sustained ambulation so that it has the same problem as the other 
crutch measuring devices in providing necessary support to enable the 
person, who is being fitted, to get the feel of the crutch at the selected 
overall length. 
The crutch gauge of the present invention satisfactorily solves the 
foregoing problems through providing an adjustable extension leg that may 
have the side members, which are the same length as the side members of a 
standard crutch, easily moved upwardly or downwardly relative to the 
adjustable extension leg with the therapist standing in a vertical 
position. Thus, there is no necessity for the therapist to bend over so 
that the therapist can always support the person, who is being fitted. 
Furthermore, the adjustable extension leg is locked in any position at the 
lower ends of the side members of the crutch gauge by a locking mechanism 
that allows the person, who is being fitted, to be supported by the crutch 
gauge when the person walks. The enables the person to get the feel of the 
specific selected length of the crutch to ascertain if it is comfortable. 
During this entire time, the therapist is standing and is ready to aid the 
person, who is being fitted, and can quickly increase or decrease the 
length of the adjustable extension leg extending beyond the lower ends of 
the side members. Therefore, determination of the overall length of a 
crutch is quickly and safely obtained when using the crutch gauge of the 
present invention through ascertaining the length of the adjustable 
extension leg extending beyond the lower ends of the side members of the 
crutch gauge. 
The crutch gauge of the present invention also enables quick determination 
of the location of the handle. The crutch gauge of the present invention 
utilizes a telescoping handle in which there can be no rotational movement 
of the handle after it is disposed in any of the vertical positions in 
which it may be disposed between the side members. Thus, positive support 
is provided to the person, who is being fitted, when the handle is grasped 
since it cannot twist or turn. 
An object of this invention is to provide a unique crutch gauge. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a crutch gauge capable of 
supporting a person, who is being fitted, during walking with the crutch 
gauge. 
Other objects of this invention will be readily perceived from the 
following description, claims, and drawings. 
This invention relates to a crutch gauge for determining the length of a 
crutch for a person. The crutch gauge includes a pair of side members 
secured to each other at spaced longitudinal portions by a plurality of 
securing means. An adjustable extension leg extends between the side 
members at their lower ends to engage a floor or the like to support the 
side members. The crutch gauge has means to releasably lock the adjustable 
extension leg to the side members and means to render the releasable 
locking means ineffective while each of the securing means remains 
effective to enable relative movement between the side members and the 
adjustable extension leg so that the overall length of a crutch may be 
determined.

Referring to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, there is shown a crutch 
gauge 10 for use in determining the length of a crutch to be used by a 
person being fitted. The crutch gauge 10 includes a pair of side members 
11 and 12, which are metal tubes and have the same length as the side 
members of a standard crutch, secured to each other at a plurality of 
spaced longitudinal portions. 
The upper ends of the side members 11 and 12 are secured to each other by a 
shoulder saddle 14 of metal. The shoulder saddle 14 has a pair of holes 15 
in its lower surface to receive the upper ends of the side members 11 and 
12. Each of the side members 11 and 12 is secured to the shoulder saddle 
15 by any suitable means. One suitable securing means is for each of the 
side members 11 and 12 to have a plunger 15A (see FIG. 11) urged outwardly 
through a hole 15B in the side member 11 or 12 by a resilient element 15C, 
which is integral with the plunger 15A, so that the plunger 15A bears 
against the lower surface of the shoulder saddle 14. The shoulder saddle 
14 fits underneath the arm pit of the person, who is being fitted, to 
support the shoulder. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the side members 11 and 12 also are secured to each 
other at a spaced longitudinal distance from their upper ends by a 
horizontally disposed, threaded steel rod 16, which extends through a pair 
of aligned holes 17 in the side member 11 and a pair of aligned holes 18 
in the side member 12. A reinforcing cap 19, which is preferably a short 
length of split tubing, is disposed on the exterior of each of the side 
members 11 and 12 to prevent collapse of the side members 11 and 12 in the 
area having the holes 17 and 18, respectively. Each of the reinforcing 
caps 19 has an opening 20 therein through which the ends of the rod 16 
extend. An acorn nut 21 is attached to each end of the rod 16 to enable 
the side members 11 and 12 to be held at a substantially constant distance 
from each other along the rod 16. 
A protective tube 22 surrounds the rod 16 between the side members 11 and 
12. The tube 22 is formed of any suitable soft material such as vinyl or 
rubber, for example, to prevent snagging of the skin or clothing of the 
person being fitted or the therapist. 
The side members 11 and 12 also are joined to each other by a horizontally 
disposed, threaded steel rod 23 (see FIG. 4). One end of the rod 23 
extends into a hole 24 in the inner surface of the side member 11 while 
the other end of the rod 23 extends into a hole 25 in the inner surface of 
the side member 12. Each end of the rod 23 passes through an opening 26 in 
a reinforcing cap 27 prior to entering the holes 24 and 25. The 
reinforcing caps 27, which are similar to the reinforcing caps 19, 
reinforce the side members 11 and 12 to prevent collapsing of the side 
members 11 and 12 in the area of the holes 24 and 25, respectively. 
An acorn nut 28 is threaded on the steel rod 23 inside of each of the 
reinforcing caps 27. The acorn nuts 28 are loosened and/or tightened to 
adjust and maintain the proper distance between the side members 11 and 
12. 
Between the holes 17 (see FIG. 2) and 24 (see FIG. 4), the inner surface of 
the side member 11 has five vertically spaced holes 30 (see FIG. 1). 
Between the holes 18 (see FIG. 2) and 25 (see FIG. 4), the inner surface 
of the side member 12 has five holes 31 (see FIG. 1) with each of the 
holes 31 being horizontally aligned with one of the holes 30 in the side 
member 11. The holes 30 and 31 cooperate to enable a horizontally 
disposed, telescoping handle 32 to be supported by any two of the aligned 
holes 30 and 31. It should be understood that the number of the holes 30 
and 31 may be lesser or greater than five as desired. 
The telescoping handle 32 includes a metal tube 33 (see FIG. 3) having one 
end closed by a plug 34, which is formed of a suitable material such as 
wood, for example. The plug 34 has a pin 35 fixed therein and extending 
therefrom for disposition within one of the holes 30 (see FIG. 1) in the 
side member 11. The metal tube 33 has its end, which receives the plug 34 
(see FIG. 3), formed with a pair of diametrically disposed curved grooves 
or recesses 36 to enable the end of the tube 33 to fit around the curved 
inner surface of the side member 11 to prevent axial twisting of the 
telescoping handle 32 by the user. 
The tube 33 has a liner 37, which is formed of a suitable low coefficient 
of friction material such as nylon or vinyl, for example, secured by a 
suitable adhesive to its inner surface in the portion of the tube 33 not 
having the plug 34. The liner 37 enables a metal tube 38 to slidably move 
in and out of the tube 33. 
The tube 38 is completely filled by a plug 39, which may be formed of any 
suitable material such as wood, for example. A spring 40, which is 
disposed within the tube 33, has one end acting against one end of the 
plug 34 and its other end acting against the plug 39 in the tube 38 to 
urge the tube 38 outwardly from the tube 33. The plug 39 has a pin 41 
fixed therein and extending therefrom for disposition within one of the 
holes 31 in the side member 12. Accordingly, the telescoping handle 32 may 
be easily shifted to any of the five vertical positions, as defined by the 
five holes 30 (see FIG. 1) in the side member 11 and the five holes 31 in 
the side member 12, in accordance with the most comfortable position for 
the user. 
The tube 33 of the telescoping handle 32 has indicia marks 42 on opposite 
sides of its end having the grooves or recesses 36 for cooperation with 
vertically spaced indicia marks 43 on the side member 11. Since the 
telescoping handle 32 can have the pin 35 (see FIG. 3) disposed in one of 
the holes 31 in the side member 12 and the pin 41 disposed in one of the 
holes 30 in the side member 11, there also are vertically spaced indicia 
marks 44 (see FIG. 1) on the side member 12 for cooperating with the marks 
42 on the tube 33. Both sides of the side member 11 have the indicia marks 
43, and both sides of the side member 12 have the indicia marks 44. 
The lower ends of the side members 11 and 12 are secured to each other by 
securing means including a metal tube 45 disposed between the lower ends 
of the side members 11 and 12. The tube 45 has a liner 46 (see FIG. 6), 
which is formed of a suitable low coefficient of friction material such as 
nylon or vinyl, for example, disposed therein to enable an adjustable 
extension leg 47, which is a metal tube, to slide vertically therethrough 
in either direction. 
The upper end of the liner 46 has a pair of diametrically disposed ears 48 
extending over the outer surface of the upper end of the tube 45 and 
bearing against the inner surfaces of the side members 11 and 12. Each of 
the two ears 48 has a hole 49 therein to enable one of a pair of bolts 50 
to extend therethrough after passing through one of a pair of 
diametrically disposed holes 51 in the tube 45. Each of the bolts 50 then 
extends through a pair of aligned holes 52 in the side member 11 or a pair 
of aligned holes 53 in the side member 12. Each of the bolts 50 is secured 
in position by an acorn nut 54. 
Each of the holes 51 in the tube 45 is countersunk from the inner surface 
of the tube 45 to its outer surface to accommodate the flat head of the 
bolt 50 disposed therein. Thus, the heads of the bolts 50 do not project 
into the interior of the tube 45 to interfere with the liner 46 or the 
adjustable extension leg 47. 
The tube 45 has a second set of aligned and diametrically disposed holes 55 
with each of the holes 55 receiving a bolt 56. One of the bolts 56 passes 
through one of the holes 55 into a pair of aligned holes 57 in the side 
member 11 while the other of the bolts 56 passes through a pair of aligned 
holes 58 in the side member 12. Each of the bolts 56 is retained in 
position by an acorn nut 59. Each of the holes 55 is countersunk in the 
same manner as the holes 51 and for the same purpose. 
The adjustable extension leg 47 is slidably mounted on a flat bar 60, which 
extends into the upper end of the adjustable extension leg 47. The flat 
bar 60 has its upper end terminate in a slot 61 (see FIG. 4) to fit around 
the threaded rod 23. 
The flat bar 60 is held in a desired position on the rod 23 so that it is 
vertically disposed by a pair of lock washers 62, which are mounted on the 
rod 23 and bear against opposite sides of the slotted upper end of the 
flat bar 60. Acorn nuts 63, which also are mounted on the threaded steel 
rod 23, act through flat washers 64 to hold the flat bar 60 in the desired 
position on the threaded steel rod 23. 
The portions of the threaded steel rod 23 between each of the acorn nuts 28 
and the adjacent acorn nut 63 are covered with protective tubes 65. Each 
of the protective tubes 65 is formed of a suitable soft material such as 
vinyl or rubber, for example, to prevent snagging of skin or clothing of 
the user or the therapist. 
The closed upper end of the adjustable extension leg 47 (see FIG. 7) has a 
slot 66 to receive the flat bar 60. The structural relationship of the 
slot 66 in the adjustable extension leg 47 and the flat bar 60, which has 
a width substantially the same as the diameter of the inner surface of the 
tube forming the adjustable extension leg 47 but with a slight clearance, 
prevents twisting or rotary motion of the adjustable extension leg 47 to 
insure that the relative motion between the flat bar 60 and the adjustable 
extension leg 47 is vertical. 
The lower portion of the flat bar 60 has an upper latch bolt barrel 67 (see 
FIG. 6) supported thereby and extending substantially between 
diametrically disposed portions of the inner surface of the adjustable 
extension leg 47 but slightly spaced therefrom to not interfere with 
relative movement between the adjustable extension leg 47 and the flat bar 
60. The barrel 47, which is a cylindrical shaped tube, slidably receives 
an upper latch bolt 68 therein. 
The upper latch bolt 68 is movable into and out of one of a plurality of 
pairs of aligned holes 69 in the adjustable extension leg 47, a hole 69A 
in the liner 46, a hole 69B in the tube 45, and a hole 69C in the inner 
surface of the side member 12. The pairs of aligned holes 69 are spaced 
vertically from each other the same constant distance as the pairs of 
aligned holes in the adjustable extension leg of a crutch, which may be 
metal or wood. 
The lower portion of the flat bar 60 has a lower latch bolt barrel 70 
supported thereby and extending substantially between diametrically 
disposed portions of the inner surface of the adjustable extension leg 47 
but slightly spaced therefrom to not interfere with relative movement 
between the adjustable extension leg 47 and the flat bar 60. The lower 
latch bolt barrel 70, which is a cylindrical shaped tube, slidably 
supports a lower latch bolt 71 for movement into and out of one of the 
plurality of pairs of aligned holes 69 in the adjustable extension leg 47 
and on the opposite side of the adjustable extension leg 47 from the hole 
69 receiving the upper latch bolt 68. After passing through one of the 
holes 69 in the adjustable extension leg 47, the lower latch bolt 71 
passes through a hole 71A in the liner 46 and a hole 71B in the tube 45. 
The lower latch bolt 71 rests in a semicircular cutout 71C at the bottom 
of the side member 11. 
To insure that the adjustable extension leg 47 remains in its locked 
position when the crutch gauge 10 is used for walking by the person being 
fitted, the lower latch bolt 71 extends into one of the plurality of pairs 
of holes 69 that is not in the same plane as that into which the upper 
latch bolt 68 extends. While a locking mechanism could be devised in which 
the upper latch bolt 68 and the lower latch bolt 71 could be in the same 
plane, this is not believed to provide the same strength and support as is 
obtained by the vertical spacing of the latch bolts 68 and 71. 
The upper latch bolt barrel 67 has a longitudinal slot 72 at its lowermost 
portion for the entire length of the upper latch bolt barrel 67 while the 
lower latch bolt barrel 70 has a longitudinal slot 73 in its uppermost 
portion for the entire length of the lower latch bolt barrel 70. The slot 
72 enables one end of a latch bolt actuator 74, which is a spring steel 
wire, to pass therethrough into a hole 75 in the upper latch bolt 68. The 
hole 75 is only slightly larger than the actuator 74 at the entry of the 
actuator 74 into the hole 75. However, the remainder of the hole 75 is 
larger to accommodate the sweep of the end of the actuator 74 as it moves 
with the upper latch bolt 68 with the actuator 74 pivoting relative to the 
latch bolt 68. 
The latch bolt actuator 74 extends through a passage 76 in the flat bar 60 
and has its other end pass through the slot 73 in the lower latch bolt 
barrel 70 to enable the other end of the latch bolt actuator 74 to enter a 
hole 77 in the lower latch bolt 71. The hole 77 has the same configuration 
as the hole 75 and for the same purpose. 
The latch bolt actuator 74 has a loop 79 (see FIG. 5) connected to a lower 
end loop 80 of a Bowden cable 81. The lower end loop 80 of the Bowden 
cable 81 is formed by having its free end attached to a portion of the 
Bowden cable 81 by a wire keeper 81'. 
The Bowden cable 81 is enclosed in a sheath 82 with the sheath 82 extending 
upwardly inside the adjustable extension leg 47 and exiting through the 
closed upper end of the adjustable extension leg 47 as shown in FIG. 7. 
The sheath 82 is secured to the upper end of the flat bar 60 by a wire 
keeper 83. 
The sheath 82 extends through a hole 84 in the inner surface of the side 
member 12 so as to extend upwardly through the side member 12, which is a 
metal tube, and exit through a hole 85 (see FIG. 1) above the threaded 
steel rod 16. The sheath 82 with the Bowden cable 81 extends into a hollow 
projection 86 of a housing 87, which is secured to the side member 12 by a 
self-tapping sheet metal screw 88 (FIG. 8). 
The housing 87 has a lever 89 pivotally mounted thereon by a pivot pin 90. 
The lever 89 includes a handle 91 at its upper end and an arm 92 for 
attachment to the Bowden cable 81. Accordingly, when the lever 89 is 
pivoted clockwise about the pivot pin 90, the Bowden cable 81 is pulled 
upwardly to pull the lower end loop 80 (see FIG. 5) upwardly therewith. 
This retracts the upper latch bolt 68 into the upper latch bolt barrel 67 
and the lower latch bolt 71 into the lower latch bolt barrel 70 as shown 
in FIG. 9. As a result, the adjustable extension leg 47 (see FIG. 6) is no 
longer locked to the side members 11 and 12 through the latch bolts 68 and 
71 being disposed in two of the vertically spaced holes 69 in the 
adjustable extension leg 47, the holes 69A and 71A, respectively, in the 
liner 46, and the holes 69B and 71B, respectively, in the tube 45. 
Thus, when the lever 89 (see FIG. 8) is pivoted clockwise, the side members 
11 (see FIG. 6) and 12 may be moved up or down relative to the adjustable 
extension leg 47 to change the overall length of the crutch gauge 10. This 
overall length is utilized through the position of the adjustable 
extension leg 47 to determine the length of the crutch for the person, who 
is being fitted. 
The lower end loop 80 (see FIG. 5) of the Bowden cable 81 has both ends of 
a spring 95 attached thereto with the spring 95 being passed around the 
outer surface of the lower latch bolt barrel 70. Therefore, the spring 95 
continuously urges the Bowden cable 81 downwardly so that the latch bolt 
actuator 74 moves the upper latch bolt 68 out of the upper latch bolt 
barrel 67 and the lower latch bolt 71 out of the lower latch bolt barrel 
70, as shown in FIG. 10, whereby the vertically spaced latch bolts 68 and 
71 extend into two of the holes 69 (see FIG. 6) in the adjustable 
extension leg 47, the holes 69A and 71A, respectively, in the liner 46, 
and the holes 69B and 71B, respectively, in the tube 45 to lock the 
adjustable extension leg 47 to the side members 11 and 12. Thus, whenever 
the handle 91 (see FIG. 8) of the lever 89 is released, the spring 95 (see 
FIG. 5) causes the adjustable extension leg 47 (see FIG. 6) to be locked 
to the side members 11 and 12. 
The sheath 82 (see FIG. 5) of the Bowden cable 81 also is secured near its 
bottom end to the flat bar 60 by a wire keeper 96. This position is above 
the upper latch bolt barrel 67. 
The bottom end of the adjustable extension leg 47 (see FIG. 1) has a crutch 
tip 98 mounted thereon. The crutch tip 98 is formed of a suitable material 
such as rubber, for example, for cushioning purposes and skid resistance 
during ambulation. 
The crutch tip 98 retains a toe chain 99 on the adjustable extension leg 
47. The free end of the toe chain 99 has a rubber tube 100 slipped 
thereover. Thus, the adjustable extension leg 47 is held against the floor 
by the therapist stepping on the rubber tube 100 while lifting the side 
members 11 and 12 upwardly through release of the latch bolts 68 and 71 by 
clockwise pivoting of the lever 89 so that the shoulder saddle 14 can be 
positioned beneath the arm pit of the person being fitted. 
The lower portion of the tube 45 has a circular opening 101 to enable 
viewing of raised indicia 102 on the adjustable extension leg 47. One of 
the indicia 102 is disposed in the same horizontal plane as each pair of 
the holes 69 except for the lowermost pair of the holes 69 in the 
adjustable extension leg 47 and the three uppermost pairs of the holes 69 
in the adjustable extension leg 47. The indicia 102 have numbers from one 
to fifteen, for example, in ascending order. It should be understood that 
the numbers may be from one to a lesser or greater number than fifteen. 
The liner 46 has a longitudinal slot 103 formed therein for the entire 
length of the liner 46. This prevents removal of the raised indicia 102 
during relative vertical movement between the adjustable extension leg 47 
and the liner 46 and the tube 45. The slot 103 also enables viewing of the 
indicia 102 on the adjustable extension leg 47. 
Considering the operation of the present invention, the therapist supports 
the patient while holding the crutch gauge 10. The crutch gauge 10 is 
positioned with the shoulder saddle 14 beneath the arm pit of the person, 
who is being fitted, with the therapist standing on the rubber tube 100 on 
the toe chain 99. Then, the therapist pivots the lever 89 clockwise about 
the pivot pin 90 to release the latch bolts 68 (see FIG. 6) and 71 from 
their locking positions so that there can be relative movement of the side 
members 11 and 12 with respect to the adjustable extension leg 47. 
In order to be able to move the shoulder saddle 14 (see FIG. 1) upwardly 
and position it beneath the arm pit of the person, who is being fitted, 
the adjustable extension leg 47 is initially positioned relative to the 
side members 11 and 12 so that this can occur. Then, with the lever 89 
pivoted clockwise and held in this position by the therapist, the side 
members 11 and 12 are raised upwardly until the shoulder saddle 14 is 
beneath the arm pit of the person, who is being fitted. At this time, the 
lever 89 is released so that the latch bolts 68 (see FIG. 6) and 71 are 
returned to their locking positions by the spring 95. 
If the adjustable extension leg 47 is at the desired length, the person, 
who is being fitted, can use the crutch gauge 10 for a few minutes to see 
if it feels comfortable. Of course, at this time, the telescoping handle 
32 (see FIG. 1) can be adjusted, as desired, for a comfortable fit. All of 
this occurs with the therapist in an upright position beside the person, 
who is being fitted, so that the therapist can provide any necessary 
assistance. 
If the person, who is being fitted, decides that the overall length of the 
crutch gauge 10 is too short or too long, it is only necessary for the 
therapist to pivot the lever 89 clockwise to release the latch bolts 68 
(see FIG. 6) and 71 from their locking positions and move the side members 
11 and 12 upwardly or downwardly depending upon whether a greater or 
lesser overall length is desired. Then, the lever 89 (see FIG. 1) is 
released so that the spring 95 (see FIG. 6) returns the latch bolts 68 and 
71 to their locking positions. Again, the person, who is being fitted, can 
use the crutch gauge 10 for support while walking to determine if the new 
length is comfortable. 
Thus, this fitting occurs in a very short period of time. It does not 
require the therapist to ever bend over so that the therapist does not 
have to worry about proper support for the person, who is being fitted, 
during this time. 
With the crutch gauge 10 being comfortable for the person, who is being 
fitted, the therapist now views the indicia 102 (see FIG. 1) through the 
circular opening 101 in the tube 45 to determine the hole in the extension 
leg of the crutch in which the lowermost of the two bolts and nuts, which 
are used to join the lower ends of the two side members to the extension 
leg in the standard crutch of metal or wood, are to be disposed. For 
example, if the number seven of the indicia 102 appears through the 
opening 101 in the tube 45, then the seventh pair of aligned holes from 
the bottom of the extension leg of the metal or wood crutch is utilized to 
receive the lowermost of the two bolts employed to join the extension leg 
to the two side members in the standard metal or wood crutch having the 
adjustable extension leg between two side members. 
An advantage of this invention is that the crutch gauge can support the 
person, who is being fitted, so that the person can determine if the 
overall length of the crutch gauge is comfortable. Another advantage of 
this invention is that it does not require the person, who is measuring 
the person to be fitted with the crutch, to bend over to make any 
adjustment. A further advantage of this invention is that the crutch gauge 
can be easily adjusted in either direction. 
For purposes of exemplification, a particular embodiment of the invention 
has been shown and described according to the best present understanding 
thereof. However, it will be apparent that changes and modifications in 
the arrangement and construction of the parts thereof may be resorted to 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.