Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1887
Complete Left, 6th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 16th Mar., 1888
RESERV
I, CHANCY ADELMER FREES, of 766 Broadway, in the City of New York, County
and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an artificial leg and more particularly to the ankle and
knee joints. It also relates to the diaphragm that supports the stump.
A jointed pin or a cord is secured to the leg and passes through a perforation of the
foot, to which it is held by a nut, or otherwise. This pin or cord serves to connect
the parts. The joint proper upon which the leg may rock backward or forward and
also laterally consists of a cross shaped plate, which is perforated centrally to permit
the passage of a pin. By passing a pin directly through a perforation in such plate
the construction of the parts is greatly simplified and their working is improved. The
two shorter or transverse arms of the plate are bulged on top resting within sockets
of the leg, and constituting a fulcrum upon which the leg may rock backward and
forward. The two longitudinal arms are bulged at the bottom, resting within sockets
of the foot and constituting a fulcrum upon which the leg or foot may work laterally.
The forward arm is preferably more or less ball shaped and may be connected by an
elastic string to a hook to which there is also connected the heel tendon]
In order to properly limit the movement of the leg upon the foot beneath the plate,
I employ bulged cushions attached respectively to the leg and foot and fitting into the
concavities of the arms.
The side rod projecting from the upper end of the leg, is provided with a conical
head which is made with a screw threaded central perforation. This head is embraced
by a tapering ring attached to the thigh bar. A headed screw entering the head will
secure the parts to each other, and by adjusting the screw the joint may be tightened
or loosened. The advantage of this construction and particularly of the perforated
conical head, is, that the screw has a large surface with which to engage, and thus the
joint is not apt to wear out.

page_text: A ring is fitted into the upper part of the leg and made of concave form in cross
section. The ring is entirely enclosed within the leg. Upon this ring and around its
circumference there is placed the buckskin diaphragm which bears the end of the
stump. Strings surrounding the rings and the edge of the diaphragm hold the latter
in place. These strings are placed in the annular space between leg and ring. It
will be seen that by making the ring of concave form I obtain room for the string.
The ring may be secured to the leg by screws or otherwise and it may be attached
higher or lower to conform to the length of the stump.
Dated this 7th day of November 1887

page_text: Fig. 2 is a top view of the foot.
Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the leg.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively top, edge and bottom views of the plate c.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detail views of the several parts of the knee joint.
Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a modification.
The letter A represents the artificial leg made of the usual form and entering a.
socket in the foot B.
a is a jointed pin or cord secured to the leg and passing through a perforation of
the foot, to which it is held by nut b, or otherwise. This pin or cord serves to connect
the parts. The joint proper upon which the leg may rock backward and forward and
also laterally consists of a cross shaped plate c, which is perforated centrally to permit
the passage of a pin a. By passing the pin directly through a perforation in such
plate the construction of the parts is greatly simplified and their working is improved.
The two shorter or transverse arms d of the plate c are bulged on top, resting
within sockets of the leg, and constituting a fulcrum upon which the leg may rock
backward and forward. The two longitudinal arms e, e', are bulged at their bottom
resting within sockets of the foot and constituting a fulcrum upon which the leg or
foot may work laterally. The forward arm el, is preferably more or less ball shaped as
shown, and may be connected by an elastic string to a hook g, to which there is also
connected the heel tendon h.
In order to properly limit the movement of the leg upon, and the foot beneath, the
plate c, I employ bulged cushions i, j, attached respectively to the leg and foot and
fitting into the concavities of the arnis
d.
kis the side rod projecting from the upper end of the leg and provided with a
conical head, which is made with a screw-threaded central perforation. This head is
embraced by a tapering ring m² attached to the thigh bar m. A headed screw n
entering head will secure the parts to each other and by adjusting the screw, the
joint may be tightened or loosened. The advantage of this construction and particularly

page_text: of the perforated conical head, is, that the screw has a large surface with which to
engage, and thus the joint is not apt to wear out.
o is a ring fitted into the upper part of the leg and made of concave form in cross
section. This ring is entirely inclosed within the leg as shown. Upon this ring and
around its circumference there is placed the buckskin diaphragm p, which bears the
end of the stump. Strings 7 surround the ring o and the edge of the diaphragm and
hold the latter in place. These strings are placed in the annular space between leg
and ring. It will be seen that by making the ring of concave form I obtain room for
the string. The ring may be secured to the leg by screws or otherwise and it may be
attached higher or lower to conform to the length of the stump.
In figs. 10-11 the cross shaped plate c is replaced by an ankle piece c¹ free to
rock laterally upon the foot. The joint in this modification is formed of a staple c²
embracing a bolt 3 to which the leg A is secured by the rods . The staple is by a
pin e pivotally connected to the screw c carrying nut b, by means of which the
joint is connected to the foot B. The pin c³ permits the lateral motion of the foot,
while the to and fro motion takes place around the bolt c³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination of leg A and foot B, with connecting pin a and cross shaped
bearing plate c substantially as specified.
2. The combination of log A and foot B, with connecting pin a, and cross-shaped
bearing plate perforated for the passage of pin a substantially as specified.
3. The combination of leg A and foot B, with connecting pin & and with boaring
plate the longitudinal and transverse arms of which are bulged in opposite directions
substantially as specified.
4. The combination of leg A with side rod k, having perforated conical head t, and
with thigh bar m, having conical ring m³, and with the screw n, fitted into perforated
head substantially as specified.
5. The combination of leg A with the concave ring o, diaphragm p and string q
substantially as specified.
6. The combination of leg A foot B, and ankle piece c¹, with the staple c, bolt c³,
pine and screw co substantially as specified.
Dated this 27th day of December 1887.
CHANCY ADELMER FREES.