IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL LEGS AND FEET, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR MOVING VEHICLES, VESSELS, TURNING WHEELS, AND THE LIKE USES
Year: 1878

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LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent
Solicitors, at Frankfort-on-the-Maine,. in the Empire of Germany, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL LEGS AND FEET, WHICH CAN
BE USED FOR MOVING VEHICLES, VESSELS, TURNING WHEELS, AND THE
LIKE USES." A communication from Friedrich.Baumann, of Frankfort-on-the-
Maine. in the Empire of Germany.
Sealed the 14th February 1879, and dated the 26th August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th August 1878.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at Frank-
fort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL
LEGS AND FEET, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR MOVING VEHICLES, VESSELS, TURNING
WHEELS, AND THE LIKE USES." [A communication from Friedrich Baumann, of
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany.]
.
This Invention relates to improvements in mechanical legs and feet designed to
be used for moving vehicles and vessels,, turning wheels, and for similar purposes.
The said Invention consists in an improved method of combining levers so as to
produce an imitation of the movements of the legs of men, animals, birds, and the
like, and which can be adapted to move all kinds of vehicles and vessels, and for
turning wheels and the like.
In carrying the said Invention into practice for moving vehicles, I make use of a
mechanical leg and foot, which are worked by a lever from the top, and this lever
can be worked by hand or power.
For propelling vessels I use floating boxes or air cases attached to the lower ends
of the levers, which thus serve to move the vessel forward.
In the construction of mechanical legs according to this Invention I make three
chief divisions, as follows, namely,-
First. Legs which are moved by one front lever, mostly vertical, and have only

page_text: three or four chief parts below the weight, as the legs of men, apes, and the
like.
Secondly. Legs which are moved by a horizontal lever in front, and which have
more parts than those in the first class, and in which the weight is placed somewhat
to the front, as in horses, stags, birds, and the like.
Thirdly. Legs moved by a horizontal lever behind, much longer in proportion
than those in the second class; the weight in these is placed quite in front of the
legs, as with grasshoppers, fleas, and the like.
Each of these classes I subdivide into positive and negative legs.
The positive legs are those that push, being mostly hind legs; the negative legs
are the front ones, and serve more to carry or support than otherwise.
A creature having a weight to carry, pull, or otherwise move, can turn its nega-
tive legs partly into positive legs; this also occurs when moving over uneven
ground.
Adopting these principles, I have constructed the mechanical legs which form the
subject of this Invention, the same being moved at different speeds by one lever.
In a positive mechanical leg constructed according to my said Invention I provide
a three-cornered piece of metal or wood, resting with its lower point on a foot to
which it is attached by a joint. To the front part of the three-cornered piece is
attached a lever by a joint, which lever is continued up to a movement lever above,
to which it is connected by a hinge. The joint of the driving lever is placed at
the end of the same nearest to the last-named hinge. To the upper corner of the
rear side of the aforesaid three-cornered piece is attached a lever by means of a
joint, the said lever being connected to the driving lever by another joint. On the
rear hinge rests a short change lever, provided with a joint in front and one behind.
From the front joint a vertical connecting lever is carried up to the driving lever,
to which, it is attached by a joint. If the driving lever is now pressed down the
foot is lifted, turns, and swings forwards. A toe lever is carried on a joint at the
front of the foot, and is moved by front levers working on three joints. These feet
may be made flat or rounded in form.
In some cases I construct a positive-leg whose working lever is behind the leg,
and the other levers are somewhat modified.
A positive leg may be made negative by moving a regulating weight provided
with set screws and placed on a lever arm which is firmly attached to a rod
extending downward. This weight keeps the leg somewhat out of the perpendicular.
If the leg has to be made positive all that has to be done is to place the weight at
the opposite end of the said arm.
In a leg constructed according to my Invention, working in the same manner as
that of a horse or stag, the general working lever may be in the form of a shoulder
from which the differential lever motion is carried. The carrying line is drawn
tight by the others on which the hoof is binged. A regulating weight is firmly
attached in a suitable position: From what has been herein-before described the
movement of this leg will be readily understood.
1
In a negative leg constructed.according to.my said Invention somewhat after the
shape of a gnat's leg, the working lever has a pivot which can either be supported
on wheels or on small positive legs. Levers of different lengths lift and cause the
foot to go forward.
"
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Two positive legs may be worked by one double-armed lever. The san
tive leg described as somewhat like a gnat's leg is turned into a positive: front leg,
and the hind leg is constructed according to the shape of a grasshopper's leg; the
pivot can either be supported by wheels or by a wedge.
In mechanical legs constructed according to this Invention for various purposes,
the levers and other parts may be somewhat varied in form, and their position
changed as required, the same principles being adopted in their construction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th February
1879.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at Frank-
fort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany. * IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL
LEGS AND FEET, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR MOVING VEHICLES, VESSELS, TURNING
WHEELS, AND THE LIKE USES." A communication from Friedrich Baumann, of
Frankfort-on-the-Maine, in the Empire of Germany.
This Invention relates to improvements in mechanical legs and feet designed to
be used for moving vehicles and vessels, turning wheels, and for similar purposes.
The said Invention consists in an improved method of combining levers so as to
produce an imitation of the movements of the legs of men, animals, birds, and the
like, and which can be adapted to move all kinds of vehicles and vessels, for turning
wheels and the like..
In carrying the said Invention into practice for moving vehicles, I make use of
a mechanical leg and foot, which are worked by a lever from the top, and this lever
can be worked by hand or power.
1
For propelling vessels I use floating boxes or air cases attached to the lower ends
of the levers, which thus serve to move the vessel forwards.
In the construction of mechanical legs according to this Invention I make thrée
chief divisions, as follows, namely,-
First. Legs which are moved by one front lever, mostly vertical, and have only
three or four chief parts below the weight, as the legs of men, apes, and the.
like.
Secondly. Legs which are moved by a horizontal lever in front, and which have
more parts than those in the first class, and in which the weight is placed some-
what to the front, as in horses, stags, birds, and the like.
Thirdly. Legs moved by a horizontal lever behind, much longer in proportion
than those in the second class; the weight in these is placed quite in front of the.
legs, as with grasshoppers, fleas, and the like.
Each of these classes I subdivide into positive and negative legs.
The positive legs are those that push, being mostly hind legs; the negative legs
are the front ones, and serve more to carry or support than otherwise.
A creature having a weight to carry, pull, or otherwise move can turn its nega-
tive legs partly into positive legs; this also occurs when moving over uneven
ground.
Adopting these principles I have constructed the following mechanical legs, which
form the subject of this Invention, the same being moved at different speeds by one.
lever.
Figure 1 is a left side elevation, and represents the position of the legs according
to my theory; for instance, the front leg is in a negative and the hind leg in a
positive position, and on these legs rests the weight to be carried or held up.
Figure 2 is a left side elevation of a positive mechanical leg constructed according
to my Invention.
A is a three-cornered piece of metal or wood resting with its lower point on the-
foot a, to which it is attached by the joint b. To the front part c of the said three-
cornered piece is attached the lever d by a joint e; the said lever is continued up to.
the driving or movement lever B, to which it is connected by the hinge f. The
hinge point g of the driving lever is placed at the end of the same nearest to the .
hinge or joint f. To the upper, corner of the rear side h of the aforesaid three-
cornered piece A is attached the lever j by means of the joint i, the said lever j
being connected to the driving lever B by another joint k. On the rear hinge i.
rests the short change lever C, provided with a hinge or joint in front and a hinge
or joint m at the rear. From the front joint the vertical connecting lever pis.
carried up to the driving lever, to which it is attached by the joint q. If the

page_text: driving lever B is now pressed down, the foot a is lifted by the levers C and n, and
the lever turns on the joint and swings forwards. The toe lever p¹ is carried
on the joints at the front of the foot a, and is moved by the levers p and p*,
working on the three joints u, l, q. These feet are not of necessity built flat, but
may be rounded in form...
as
Figure 3 is a left side elevation of a positive leg of the same construction as
that shewn in Figure 2, shewing the same when at work..
Ji
Figure 4 is a left side elevation of the same positive leg construction as that
shewn in Figures 2 and 3, without the toe lever apparatus.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same leg as that illustrated in Figure 4,
shewing it when at work.
Figure 6 is a left side elevation of a positive leg without a foot and toe, the dotted
lines shewing the same in its working position.
Figure 7 is a left side elevation of a positive leg whose working lever is behind
the leg. The line b, c, indicates the strain line. The levers h', g'; f¹, serve to work
the foot piece a; g is the pivot or point of leverage for the lever B.-
Figure 8 is a left-side elevation of the leg shewn in Figure 7, but in an undis-
tended position,
Figure 9 is a left side elevation of a similar leg to that shewn in Figures 7 or 8,
but not provided with a foot:
스
Figure 10 is a left side elevation of two positive legs-similar to those shewn in'
Figures 4 and 7; attached to a single lever-arm B, provided with a lever point g.
The front leg is in a working position, the hind one having just ceased to operate. >
Figure 11'is a left side elevation of a leg similar to that shewn in Figure 4,
shewing the same in a negative position, but which however becomes positive upon
commencing to work. The said leg becomes negative by moving the regulating"
weight, which is provided with a set screw and placed on the lever arm.w, firmly
attached to a continuation of the rod or lever d. This weight keeps the leg some-
what out of the perpendicular. If it is desired, to render the said leg positive, it is
--simply necessary to place the weight at the opposite end of the said arm, as shewn
in dotted lines....
Figure 12 is a left side elevation of a leg constructed according to my Invention
working in the same inanner as that of a horse or stag; the said leg is represented
as negative and not stretched but in a position to work. The general working
lever B, as represented, is in the form of a shoulder A*, from which the differential:
lever motion is carried. The carrying line, which is drawn tight by the others, is
represented by the letters f*, ed, c, b* (Figures 12 and 13), on which the hoof g*
is hinged as shewn. The regulating weight is firmly attached at i*. From what
has been herein before described the movement of this leg will be readily under-
stood.
Figure 13 is a left side elevation of the leg represented in Figure 12, shewing the
same in an upright position, that is to say, at the end of a step.
Figure 14 is a left side elevation of a positive leg suited to work-in contradistinc-
tion to those represented in Figures 12 and 13.
B represents, the general working, lever, provided with differential levers attached
to it at a³, b², c²; the carrying line is represented by the letters d³, e², f³, g², and
the jointed hoof by the letter h².
Figure 15 is a left side elevation of the leg represented in Figure 14, in an
unstretched position.
Figure 16 represents another modification of my improved lever leg
as it appears when commencing a step.
mechanism
a is the foot, D is the weight to be moved, and. B. the lever arm to which power
is applied in the direction of the arrow. When the step is accomplished the leg is
in the position shewn in Figure 17, the weight having been moved forwards.
Having thus fully described the said Invention; and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it: understood that I claim, the improved lever mechanism, con-

page_text: structed as shewn in the accompanying Drawings, and operating as above set forth,
for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
FRANK WIRTH. (L.S.)