AN IMPROVED MECHANICAL APPARATUS, INSTRUMENT, OR MACHINE; INTENDED. BY ME TO BE CALLED AN AID-FORM, FOR THE PREVENTION AND REMEDY OF DEFORMITY
Year: 1819

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WILLIAM FEUILLADE AUBUSSON, heretofore known by the name of Charles
William Feuillade, late of Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square, in the Parish
of Saint Marylebone; in the County of Middlesex, but now of George Street,
Hanover Square, in the Parish of Saint George, in the said County of Middle-
sex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His late Majesty King George the Third, in and by His.
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West:
minster, the Fourth day of December last; for Himself, His heirs, and suc-:
cessors, did give and grant unto me, the said Charles William Feuillade:
Aubusson (by my then name of Charles William Feuillade), my executors;..
administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Charles William Feuillade Aubusson (by my then:
name of Charles William Feuillade), my executors, administrators, and assigns,.
and every of them, by myself or themselves, or by my and their deputy or
leputies, servants or agents, or such others as I, the said Charles William
Feuillade Aubusson (by my then name of Charles William Feuillade), my
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and noi
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter, during the term of years.
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend; :
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention.
of "AN IMPROVED MECHANICAL APPARATUS, INSTRUMENT, OR MACHINE; INTENDED.
BY ME TO BE CALLED AN AID-FORM, FOR THE PREVENTION AND REMEDY OF DEFORMITY

page_text: AND ILL SHAPE IN THE TRUNK OR BODY PARTS OF HUMAN BEINGS;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Charles
William Feuillade Aubusson (by my then name of Charles William Feuillade),
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,- reference
being thereto had, will more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles William Feuillade Aubusson, do hereby declare that the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
particularly described and ascertained in and by the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and the following description thereof (that is to say):-
=
Fig. 1 is a back view of the aid-form, with part of the strap omitted.
Fig. 2, a side view of the same. Fig. 3, a top view thereof. Fig. 4, an
inside view of part of Fig. 1. Fig. 5, the main adjusting joints, and separate
parts thereof in detail. Fig. 6, another construction of some of its parts.
Fig. 7, a front and edge view of one of the two spring blades which unite
the treble-flap hinges to the main adjusting joints, and part of the covering
thereof. Fig. 8, the left treble-flap hinge and the separate parts thereof in
detail. Fig. 9, the right treble-flap hinge. Fig. 10, the metal part of the
left shoulder ring. Fig. 11, the metal part of the right shoulder ring. Fig. 12,
the stuffed elastic pad of the right shoulder ring, Fig. 13, the stuffed elastic
understrap of the right shoulder ring. Fig. 14, the key or compound turn-
screw. The same letters and figures refer to the same parts in all the Figures.
A, A, the belt and buckle to be fastened round the waist of the wearer of the
aid-form. B, the foundation plate of the main adjusting joints. C, C, &c., the
screws which secure it to the belt. D, D, &c., holes in the plate B for the
screws C, C, &c. to pass through. E, the slip or staple which keeps the right
and left threaded screw in its place, and is itself affixed to the plate B by the
two screws F, F, entering into screwed holes 7, 7, in that plate. G, G, the
right and left threaded screw. H, the groove between the collars.in which
the clip E lies. I, I, the collars, having holes in them to turn the screws
G, G, round either way as may be required. J, J, the screwed nuts or
sockets in which the screws G, G, act so as to cause them to approach towards
or to recede from each other uniformly. Their under sides are made flat, as
shewn in the end view, and lie upon the plate B, which prevents them from
being turned round, and their outward ends are rounded off. K,. K, the

page_text: wings or carriers of the main adjusting joints which turn upon the screws L, L,
as centres, and which screws are screwed firmly into the plate B at M, M.
N, N, countersunk holes in the thick hooked ends of the wings K, K, for the
heads of the screws L, L, to act in as studs or pivots. O, O, the hooked
recesses or cavities which rest or abut against the rounded ends of the screwed
nuts J, J. P, P, pairs of screwed holes for the screws Q, Q, to enter, which
unite the spring blades with the main adjusting joints. R, R, a cap or cover
which is fixed over the screws G, G, the nuts J, J, and the hooked ends of the
wings O, O, by means of the small screws S, S, which pass through holes T, T..
in the cap R, R, and screw into holes U, U, made in the heads of the
screws L, L, to receive them. In Fig. 6 is shewn another method of applying
the screwed nuts or sockets J, J, upon the plate B, in which studs V, V, made.
on the under sides of the nuts, slide in grooves W, W, made in the plate B to
receive them, and thus prevent those nuts from being disengaged from the
screws G, G. In Fig. 7, X, X, are the holes in the spring blade Y through
which the screws Q; Q, pass to unite it with one of the carriers K of the main
adjusting joints B. Z is an adjusting plate, rivetted or otherwise fixed upon
the spring blade Y. In this plate are three series of holes a, a, a, arranged in
receive into
a circle around a central hole b. Three of these holes a, a, a,.
them three projecting steady pins or studs c, c, c, which are fixed into the flap
or plate d of one of the treble-flap hinges shewn in Fig. 8, and which is secured
to the spring blade Y by a screw e passing through the hole b in the plate Z,
and screwed into the plate d. f is one of the knuckles which is received
between the two others g, g, of the flap or plate h, and united therewith by the
pin i passing through the holes made in the knuckles, and thus forming one
of the two hinges. j is an abutment or stop in the knuckle f to limit the.
motion of the hinge. k is another knuckle formed upon the plate or flap h,
and which is received between two others 1, 1, on the plate or flap m, and
connected therewith by the pin n passing through the holes in the knuckles,
and thus forming another of the two hinges which unite the three plates or
flaps d, h, and m together. o is one of the two abutments or stops in the
knuckles I, I, to limit the motion of the latter hinge. p is a screw, the head.
of which is firmly rivetted into the plate or flap d, and making an angle there-
with. This screw is entered a convenient space into the female screw or nut q
(the conical stem of which is loosely rivetted in the conical hole in the plate h
so as to turn and play freely therein) previous to uniting the joint or hinge.
r is another screw firmly rivetted into the plate or flap m, and also making an
angle therewith. This screw r is also to be entered into the female screw or
nut s, which is also loosely rivetted into the flap or plate h, before uniting the

page_text: joint or hinge connecting them together, and the whole will appear as shewn
in Fig. 8. t, Fig. 10, is the metal part of the left shoulder ring, and is
attached to the plate m of the treble-flap hinge by two screws with conical
heads (one of which is shewn at u, in Fig. 8) which pass through holes v; v,
in the plate or flap m, and screw into two other holes w, w, made in the end
of the metal piece t to receive them. x, x, &c., are notches made at each end
of the metal piece t for the purpose of securely attaching a stuffed elastic
understrap to it (which is formed of calico stuffed with wool, similar to that
shewn at Fig. 13,) by wrapping strong threads around them, which lodge in the
notches, and are properly fastened. A stuffed elastic pad, similar to that shewn
for the right shoulder ring in Fig. 12, and which is formed of two pieces of
calico stitched together and filled with wool, is also to be placed underneath
the metal piece t, and the extended calico border around the pad is to be
wrapped over the top of the metal piece previous to covering the pad inside of
the ring with soft leather, and the outside of it with silk ribband, and which
being stitched together, complete it as shewn at 2 in Figs, 1, 2, and 3. The
spring blades (one of which is shewn at Y in Fig. 7) are to be enclosed in
cases, likewise composed of soft leather and silk ribband stitched together, and
in the leather are to be cut circular openings similar to those shewn at y, y, y,
to permit the studs c, c, c, of the treble-flap hinges to enter the adjusting holes
a, a, a, made in the plate Z to receive them. The Drawings in outline over
Figs. 10 and 11 shew the developements or forms of the metal pieces t, t,
previously to their being bent into the shapes shewn by the coloured Drawings
in Figs. 10 and 11.
I shall now proceed to describe the applicability of the various parts consti-
tuting the aid-form to their particular uses; and first, that I can vary the angles
of inclination of the spring blades Y, Y, at pleasure by merely turning the
right and left-threaded screw G, G, either way as required, by putting the
single point of the key, Fig. 14, into one of the holes made in the collars I, I,
Fig. 5, for that purpose. The adjustments of these spring blades Y, Y, and
the shoulder rings affixed to them, can also be varied in two several ways, for
instance, by placing the three studs c, c, c, of the plate or flap d of the treble-
flap hinge into either of the holes of the three series of seven holes each a, a a,
in the plate Z of the spring blades Y, Y, and also by turning the square-
headed nuts s, s, of the screws p and r of the treble-flap hinges, by applying
the gap or square opening 3 in the key, Fig. 14, upon them, and turning them
either way, as required. 4, 4, are two studs made on one of the extremities of
the key, Fig. 14, to enter into the holes made in the heads of the screws Q, Q,
&c. to turn them by; and 5 is an ordinary turnscrew added to the key, Fig. 14,

page_text: to turn the screws e, e, with, or holes may be provided in the heads of those
screws for the other studs 6, 6, to enter, whereby to turn them.
The spring
blades Y, Y, and wings K, K, with the shoulder rings, may also be fixed to the
plate B either by a single rule joint, the centre pin of which has a head to it,
and is either rivetted at its other end into the plate B, or screwed to it by a
screw and nut at the back or inside of it. They may also be affixed to that
plate by two separate screws, with shoulders on their cylindrical stems, passed
through holes in the wings K, K, and screwed into holes made in the plate
B to receive them; in either of these latter cases, however, it will be necessary
to limit the extent of the opening between the upper parts of the spring
blades by a ligature of some kind, as, for instance, by two straps and a buckle,
one end of each strap being secured to each spring blade by the screw e passing
through it, and its broad head pressing upon it. I, however, prefer the first-
described method of connecting those parts to either of the last-mentioned
ones.
I shall proceed to describe generally the manner of applying my aid-form
in use, as it will require a particular adaptation of its several parts to each
particular case. The arms of the wearer being passed through the shoulder
rings, and those rings slipped up to the shoulders, the belt is to be buckled
around the waist. The angle or distance between the tops of the spring blades
must be regulated by turning the right and left-threaded screw either way, as
before described, and the situation of the shoulder rings be adjusted as cir-
cumstances may require by the means already mentioned. These situations
should however be previously found as nearly as may be by comparing the
positions of the various parts of the aid-form, and their sizes with the person
who is to wear it. It will however be better that the space between the
spring blades be made rather wide than is proper before the aid-form is put on,
and that it be regulated correctly afterwards. It will generally be required that
the shoulder rings should remain nearly in a vertical position in use, with their
metal parts lying upon the shoulders of the wearer, and the spring blades
passing immediately across the shoulder blades, so as to keep those parts of
the trunk or body in a proper and natural position, and thereby conduce to
remedy any deformity and ill shape which may have taken pláce, or act so as
to prevent the tendency thereto. The metal pieces which form parts of the
shoulder rings are employed in order to keep the rings in certain fixed posi-
tions round the shoulders, so as not to hinder or obstruct the circulation by
their tightness, as is the case where straps are employed; and as tightness
is not necessary they are thereby prevented from cutting or galling the
shoulders or armpits, which unpleasant effect is also further hindered by the

page_text: softness and elasticity of the parts which pass over and under the shoulders.
The freedom of motion allowed to the wearer in every proper position is com-
pletely afforded by the variable motions of which the aid-form is susceptible,
and unnecessary constraint is thereby obviated.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third
day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
twenty.
Temple.
AND BE. IT REMEMBERED, that on the Third day of June, in the
first year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Fourth, the said
Charles William Feuillade Aubusson came before our said Lord the King
in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and
every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written. And
also the Instrument aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute made in the fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King
George the Third.
Inrolled the Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and twenty.