Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 18:6-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
We, THOMAS CHATFIELD, and FREDERICK DUROSE, both of 34 Warser Gate,
in the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Watchmakers; do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in crutches, and comprises a pneumatic
or air-cushion for the crutch head, and also means for preventing slipping.
According to our invention we arrange, in a suitably shaped groove or recess,
in the crutch head, a cylindrical bag or cushion of india-rubber, or other appropriate
material, which, by means of a suitably arranged valve, may be inflated with air to
any desired degree of hardness, in any well known manner. We are thus enabled
to dispense with the padding or spring devices now used for obtaining elasticity or
softness, and which are liable to become hot and cause arm sores, and the like.
The cylindrical bag or pneumatic cushion is preferably made deeper in the
middle than at the ends, and slightly tapering and rounded at the ends, so that
when the crutch head is completed by a covering of leather, or the like, it shall
present nearly the same appearance as an ordinary crutch head.
At the bottom of the crutch, we arrange a scored or roughened ferrule which
may be advantageously formed of a block of vulcanized india rubber, or other
hard resilient material such as leather, in which ridges or projections are formed in
any suitable manner so as to prevent the slipping of the crutch.
The india rubber or leather ferrule may be so arranged that an air space or
cushion is formed between the end of the crutch stick and the bottom of the
ferrule, by which arrangement the wear of the ferrule is considerably lessened.
A further advantage of our crutch is that there is less jar or vibration,
particularly in ascending or descending steps, or stairs, than with crutches as
hitherto constructed.
Daind this 27th don of Novemba 1805
We, THOMAS CHATFIELD and FREDERICK DUROSE, both of 34 Warser Gate,
in the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Watchmakers, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters
and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in crutches, and comprises a pneumatic
or air cushion for the crutch head, and also means for preventing slipping.

page_text: appropriate material, which by means of a suitable valve, may be inflated with air
to any desired degree of hardness, in any well known manner.
The crutch head is rounded at the ends, in consequence of the ends of the
cylindrical air cushion being rounded, and is hollowed out, or has a depression in
the middle, to fit the arm and prevent the crutch slipping backwards, or forwards;
padding and like devices being thus dispensed with.
At the bottom of the crutch, we arrange a scored or roughened ferrule, which
may be advantageously formed of a block of vulcanized india rubber, or other
hard resilient material, such as leather, in which an air space or cushion is formed
between the end of the crutch stick and the bottom of the ferrule, to lessen the
wear of the ferrule.
Our invention will be readily understood by reference to the annexed drawings
in which: :-
Fig. 1 is a side view of a crutch constructed according to our invention.
Fig. 2 is a top view or plan of same, to a larger scale.
Fig. 3 is a section of the crutch head.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the cylindrical air cushion, before being placed in the
wooden top and inflated.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the crutch head; and
Fig. 6 is a section of the ferrule.
a is the wooden head or top which is hollowed out on its upper edge to receive
the cylindrical air cushion b, and maintain it in position so that it cannot roll
end ways or laterally, and also to compel the said air cushion, when inflated, to be
curved to the desired extent to prevent the arm slipping backwards or forwards.
When the cushion is placed in the groove of the wooden top, its valve nipple c is
passed through a short flanged tube d, screwed to the wooden top, and is secured
therein by suitable means, such as a set screw e. The inflating valve f is inserted
from below, and may be of the same construction and operated in the same way
as are the valves for inflating pneumatic tyres of cycles.
The head or top a, and the cylindrical air cushion b, are both enclosed by a
covering g of leather, which is stitched, cemented, or tacked to the said head or
top, and is made in halves suitably fastened together, preferably by stitching
longitudinally as indicated by the dotted line h (Fig. 2). Cloth, indiarubber,
prepared canvas, or other suitable material may, however, be employed for the
covering g, instead of leather.
The ends of the wooden head or top are rounded, so as not to injure the air
cushion, or leather covering, and it will be seen from the drawing that they are so
shaped that the inflated cylindrical air cushion completely covers then and
prevents the possibility of their chafing the arms, or the weight of the body falling
upon them.
Secured to the end of the crutch stick, is a stop or flanged ring j, against which
the upper edge of the ferrule k abuts. An air space is left between the end of
the crutch stick m and the bottom of the ferrule, and causes the pressure put upon the
crutch stick to be distributed over the side walls of the ferrule instead of directly
on the bottom, as in ferrules heretofore constructed.
The bottom of the ferrule is scored, as at n, to prevent slipping or skidding.
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. In a crutch having a pneumatic cushion, a hollowed out wooden head or top
to cause the cushion (provided with rounded ends) to present a depression in the
middle to fit the arm and prevent slipping of the crutch, substantially as
described.
2. In a crutch, the employment of an elastic ferrule at the end of the crutch

page_text: stick, said ferrule abutting against a stop fixed at or near the end of the crutch
stick, so as to maintain an air space between the end of the crutch stick and the
bottom of the ferrule, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a crutch, the combination of a hollowed out head or top, an air cushion
fitted in such head, and an elastic ferrule at the lower end of the crutch stick,
inside of which ferrule is an air space, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
4. Our improvements in crutches substantially as herein before described and as
shown by the annexed drawings.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 54, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.