Improvements in Crutches.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd July, 1891-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Crutches.
We JAMES WALKER Surgeon 9 Albion Street Hull & GEORGE JOHN
SIMMONITE Engineer West's House Hull do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
The crutch head to be attached to leg of crutch by a moveable joint or its
equivalent, to allow the leg of the crutch, to move backwards and forwards, without
disturbing the position of the head of the crutch in the armpit, during use.
Also instead of the usual padding of the head-a strap of leather or similar
material to be stretched from the two ends of the upper concave surface of crutch
head the weight of the body being thus carried in a sling giving ventilation, comfort
and freedom from friction.
Dated this 21st day of October 1890.
JAMES WALKER.
GEORGE JOHN SIMMONITE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Crutches.
We, JAMES WALKER 9 Albion Street Hull Surgeon & GEORGE JOHN
SIMMONITE West's House Sculcoates Station Hull Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to crutches for lame people which may be for convenience
of description described as usually consisting of two parts. The head and the leg
shown in accompanying drawing Fig. 2. The head as a." The leg as "b."
The cross part at the top going under the arm pit we will call the head and the
lower or upright part we will call the leg.
These two parts in ordinary crutches have up to now always been made joined
together so as to move as one piece when in use.
Our invention is to attach the leg to the head movably, so that the leg may
swing freely backwards & forwards without displacing or disturbing the position
of the head when fixed under the arm Fig. 1.
This we do by connecting the leg with the head either by a pivot joint or by a
ball and socket joint or preferably by making what may be described as a circular
traversing joint which is shown in accompanying drawings the top end of the leg
travelling in the head on a convex surface with or without rollers or balls shown in
section in Fig. 3 & 4 of drawings (or what comes to the same thing a concave
surface attached to the top end of the leg moving inside the head against rollers or
balls, or in any other similar way). The object being to keep the crutch head,
when in use, always level or horizontal as shown in Fig. of accompanying
drawings so that the head bears equally and continuously on the front and back of
the armpit and also to allow the leg of the crutch to swing backwards and forwards
as shown in Fig. 1 by dotted lines when in use in part of a circle whose centre is in
the shoulder joint.
It is applicable to all kinds of crutches either single sticked or forked crutches
as shown in drawings and the solid portions may be made either in wood or metal.
Also instead of the usual solid padding of the head we make the upper surface of
the solid portion of the head concave from before backwards marked B in all figs.
of drawings and stretch a strap of leather shown in drawings marked A in all 4 figs.
Laine 1

page_text: (or similar material) tightly across from end to end leaving a space when in use
between the slightly yielding leather and the solid portion of the head giving
comfortable pressure and ventilation to the patient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is―
1. To attach the leg of crutches to the head of same by a movable joint or its
equivalent substantially as described.
2. Instead of the ordinary padding for the head of crutches we use what may be
described as a suspension strap stretched from front to back of head of crutch,
substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of July 1801
JAMES WALKER and
GEO. JOHN SIMMONITE.