IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL LEGS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL LEGS."-A
communication from abroad by Alexander Tough Watson, of the City
and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 19th March 1867, and dated the 9th January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th January 1867.
J, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL LEGS," to be
as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce an artificial leg approximating
to the skeleton of the human leg, but capable of being lengthened or shortened
and expanded or contracted in the direction of the circumference at pleasure
so as to suit any ordinary sized person, and which may be applied to any
amputation of the thigh, leg, or foot, and may be used for right or left as
required.
The artificial foot is made by preference of wood, in the form of a last cut
in two in a longitudinal vertical plane, and hollowed out to receive the

page_text: attaching mechanism. The toe part is made separate and connected by a
hinge joint so that it may yield in walking. The foot is connected with a
curved leg piece by a fulcrum bolt, which passes horizontally through the foot
to which it is firmly secured, and through a metallic segment to which the leg
piece is clamped. The lower part of the periphery of the segment is fitted to turn
in a socket formed in the inside of the foot, so that the fulcrum bolt need not
sustain the whole weight. The hole in this metal segment is slightly enlarged
towards each end to enable the fulcrum bolt to vibrate in it laterally that the
foot may turn slightly. A spring which extends from the heel to the toe is
secured to the upper part of the segment by the clamping screw that connects
the segment and leg piece together. When therefore the foot in walking is
thrown forward and the heel first strikes the ground the spring will permit it
to yield upward, and as the foot falls back by the forward motion of the body
the frout part of the spring will yield and allow the front part of the foot to
yield upwards, and finally the toe piece will yield upwards, thus causing the
foot to yield and return to the original position as the natural foot does in
walking. To give greater power of resistance to the heel the spring may be
doubled at the rear end. The leg is formed in two parts and of a tubular
form fitted to slide the one within the other, like the tubes of a telescope;
in this way the requisite strength with very little weight is obtained. The
lower end of the lower tubular part is fitted to slide on the leg piece, which
connects with the foot, as before described, and a coiled spring is inserted in
the tube and above the leg piece to yield slightly when the foot is brought to
the ground, and thus to avoid any disagreeable concussion on the stump of the
limb. There is a right and left screw within the tubular leg pieces, and parts
of each tube piece are threaded to fit the threads of the screw. At about the
middle of its length the screw shaft carries a square to enable it to be turned
to increase or shorten the length of the leg. Binding nuts are fitted to both
ends of the screw to hold the parts firmly together when the required length
has been obtained. The tubes are slotted to give access to the screw and to
the binding nuts so as to admit of turning them. The top of the upper tube
is solid and bifurcated; the two branches forming about a semicircle, and their
upper ends form bearings for an axle which constitutes the knee joint; keyed
to the middle of this axle is an arm which extends down and is attached to
or makes part of a segment, the upper ends of which are secured to a hoop
through the diameter of which the axle extends, and to which it is secured
so that this hoop is between the two branches of the upper part of the leg.
The segment bears upon a friction roller mounted on the upper end of the
bifurcated tube. The segment is formed with a shoulder on each side and a

page_text: little forward of the middle to act as stops to the upper part of the leg to
prevent it from moving forward of a vertical or nearly vertical line when the
person is standing up. In this way the leg can move on the axle as a kueo
joint to the extent of about a quarter of a circle, and two springs attached to
the axle and to the upper part of the leg serve to bring back the leg in line
with the thigh whenever it is liberated. The lower ends of four metal straps
secured to the hoop form or embrace the thigh; these straps are each made
of two parts lapped and slotted longitudinally to receive flat headed screw
bolts, by which the two parts are held together, but by means of which the
length can be increased or decreased to suit the length of thighs to which.
they are to be applied. And there are three other flat hoops secured to these
straps by flat headed screw bolts; these hoops are formed with lap joints
slotted and secured by flat headed bolts, so that their circumference can be
varied to suit the person to which an artificial leg is to be applied, felt or.
other suitable material being interposed between to form a socket to receive
and protect the stump.
To suit an amputation of the leg below the knee the mechanism above.
described to form the knee joint is not required, and hoops are required to be
applied to the stump of the leg and connected with four longitudinal straps,.
like the thigh straps, but the lower ends of these straps are to be curved in
under the stump and secured by suitable rivets to the top of the upper tube of
the leg, which in such case is shortened..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th July 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFREI.
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence that. I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such. others as
I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all

page_text: times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL LEGS," being a communication to me from abroad,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
:-
The object of this Invention is to produce an artificial leg approximating to
the skeleton of the human leg, but capable of being lengthened or shortened, and
expanded or contracted in the direction of the circumference, at pleasure, so as
to suit any ordinary sized person, and which may be applied to any amputation
of the thigh, leg, or foot, and may be used for right or left, as required.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents the artificial leg, partly
in section, and suitable for an amputation at or above the knee; Fig. 2 is a
front view of the knee joint and leg tube detached; Fig. 3 is a view of the
artificial leg, partly in section, as adapted to an amputation below the knee;
and Fig. 4 is a partial front view of the same. The same letters indicate like
parts in all the Figures.
a represents the artificial foot, which is made, by preference, of wood in the
form of a last cut in two in a longitudinal vertical plane, and hollowed out to
receive the attaching mechanism, care being taken to leave sufficient thickness
of wood for ensuring the required strength. The toe part 6 is made separate
and connected by a hinge joint c, so that the toe end 6 may yield in walking,
whilst at the same time a spring, to be presently described, tends to carry it
back to a natural position. The foot formed, as above described, or in any
analogous manner, is connected with the leg piece g¹ by a fulcrum bolt d,
which passes horizontally through the foot to which it is firmly secured, and
through a metallic segment e, the lower part of the periphery of which is fitted
to turn in a socket formed in the inside of the foot, so that the fulcrum bolt
need not sustain the whole weight. The hole in this metal segment e is

page_text: slightly enlarged towards each end to enable the fulcrum bolt to vibrate in it
laterally that the foot may turn slightly. A spring f is fitted and secured to
the upper part of the segment e, and the front end of it curves down to rest
on the bottom of the inside of the foot and extends into the cavity of the
hinged toe piece b, and the rear end of the said spring curves down into
the cavity of the heel and rests on the bottom thereof, so that when the
foot in walking is thrown forward and the heel first strikes the ground
the spring will permit it to yield upward, and as the foot falls back by
the forward motion of the body the front part of the spring will yield and
allow the front part of the foot to yield upwards, and finally the toe
piece will yield upwards, thus causing the foot to yield and return to the
original position as the natural foot does in walking. To give greater power of
resistance to the heel it is preferred to make the spring f double at the rear
end, as represented, the upper leaf being at some distance above the lower
leaf, so as to be brought into action in case considerable pressure is made on
the heel. The parts of the foot on which the spring bears are lined with
leather or other substance more yielding than wood. The leg is formed in two
parts g and h, and of a tubular form fitted to slide the one within the other,
like the tubes of a telescope; in this way the requisite strength with very
little weight is obtained. The lower end of the lower tubular part g is fitted
to slide on the leg piece g', which connects with the foot, as before described,
and a coiled spring a¹ is inserted in the tube and above the leg piece g¹ to
yield slightly when the foot is brought to the ground, and thus to avoid any
disagreeable concussion on the stump of the amputated limb. The lower end
of the leg piece g' is so formed, as represented, that it can be firmly secured
to the upper part of the segment e by a screw i, which at the same time
secures the spring f which is interposed, as represented, between the lower end
of the leg and the segment e. There is a right and left handed screw within
the tubular leg pieces, and parts of each tube piece are threaded to fit the
threads of the screw; at about the middle of its length the screw shaft is
suitably formed as at k, so that it can be turned to increase or shorten the
length of the leg. Binding nuts are fitted to both ends of the screw to hold
the parts firmly together when the required length has been obtained. The
tubes g and h are slotted to give access to the screw and to the binding nuts
so as to admit of turning them; other and equivalent means may be 'sub-
stituted for adjusting the length, and for holding the parts firmly when set,
and to prevent the one part from turning on the other. The upper end of the
tube his solid and bifurcated, the two branches 1, 1, forming about a semi-
circle, and their upper ends are fitted to turn on the ends of an axle m, which

page_text: forms the knee joint; from the middle of this axle m an arm n¹ extends down,
and its extreme end is attached to or makes part of a segment n, the upper
ends of which are secured to a hoop o, through the diameter of which the
axle m extends, and to which it is secured, so that this hoop is between the
two branches 1, 1, of the upper part of the leg. The upper end of the tube h
is slotted, and within this slot is mounted a friction roller p, which rolls against
the periphery of the segment n, the extent of which below the hoop o is a
semicircle; this segment is formed with a shoulder 2 on each side, and a little
forward of the middle to act as stops to the upper part of the leg to prevent
it from moving forward of a vertical or nearly vertical line when the person
is standing up; in this way the leg can move on the axle m, as a knee joint,
to the extent of about a quarter of a circle, and there are two springs r, r,
attached to the axle m, and to the upper part of the leg, the tension of which
will bring back the leg in line with the thigh whenever it is liberated, either
when walking or when rising from a seat. The lower ends of four metal straps
5, 3, 8, s, are secured to the hoop o, and each of these straps is made of two
parts lapped and slotted longitudinally to receive flat-headed screw bolts t, by
which the two parts are held together, but by means of which the length can
be increased or decreased to suit the length of thighs to which they are to be
applied. There are three other flat hoops u, u, u, secured to the straps s by
means of flat-headed screw bolts v³, and the said hoops are formed with lap
joints slotted and secured by flat-headed bolts v, so that their circumference
can be varied to suit the person to which an artificial leg is to be applied, felt
or other suitable material being interposed between to form a socket to receive
and protect the stump.
The modification of the Invention to suit an amputation of the leg below
the knee is represented in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings;
in this modification the mechanism, above described, to form the knee joint is
not required, and hoops, such as u, u, in Fig. 1, are required to be applied to
the stump of the leg, and connected with four longitudinal straps like the
thigh straps s, s, in Fig. 1; but the lower ends of these straps are to be curved
in under the stump, and secured by suitable rivets, as at y, to the upper end
of the tube h of the leg, which in such case, is shorter than in Fig. 1; the
two parts g and h of the leg are, however, to be connected and made adjustable
in the same manner as in Fig. 1, except that the parts are to be made shorter.
The front and back longitudinal straps s, s, do not extend above the hoop u
next below the knee, but the two side ones extend up to the knee joint, and are
there to be connected by rule joints, as at w, to the side thigh straps x; the
thigh straps are to be secured to the thigh by adjustable hoops, as in Fig. 1.

page_text: It will be obvious from the foregoing that some of the improvements may
be used without others by substituting other means, and therefore I do not
wish to be understood as limiting by claim of Invention to the use of all the
said improvements in connection.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in
Artificial Legs," as communicated to me from abroad, and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the connection of the foot
with the leg by means of the joint, substantially as described, in combination
with the spring extended both ways for action at the heel and at the toes,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
I also claim the toe piece binged to the front part of the foot, substantially
as described, in combination with the spring which controls the movements,
substantially as described.
I also claim the leg made in two parts and adjustable in length, substantially
as described.
I also claim making the leg of two tubes fitted to slide the one within
the other in combination with the means or the equivalent thereof for
adjusting the length of the leg.
I also claim the adjustment longitudinal straps, and the adjustable hoops in
combination, substantially as described, as a means of fastening the artificial
leg to the thigh or to the stump of the leg, as described.
I also claim the knee joint, substantially as described, in combination with
the leg and foot, or their equivalents.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)