Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 10th Aug., 1894
I, HARRY JONES of 94 Great George's Street in the City of Belfast, Ireland,
Cycle and Sewing Machine Mechanic 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:-
This invention relates to an improved crutch for the use of invalids and cripples
and consists of a detachable pneumatic head, a stock of metal tubing or other
suitable stuff with an adjustable handle and a self acting foot apparatus operated
by the aid of compressed air.
The drawings filed with my Provisional Specification will enable my invention
to be more fully understood the various parts thereof being separately lettered and
thereby referred to in the following description.
I construct the head of the crutch with an external wrapper or covering (A) of
velvet or other cloth enveloping a canvas pouch (B) in which I place an air-tube
of india-rubber (C) and by means of a perforated, curved and flanged head
plate (D) I fasten it to a curved and longitudinally corrugated steel frame (E)
having a perforation preferably in the centre through which the mouth of the air-
valve (G) passes and furnished near each end with a socket (F) brazed to it or
stamped out by a die. The head-plate (D) is perforated to correspond with the
mouth of the air valve (G) and the sockets (F, F,) and is secured to the steel
frame (E) by a milled nut screwed over the projecting mouth of the air valve. I
run a wire band through a hem round the mouth of the canvas pouch and pass
the steel frame into the pouch so that the wire band is held between the steel frame
and the plate.
A cork lining may be placed between the wrapper (A) and the pouch (B) to
preserve the air tube (C) from the effects of beat

page_text: The air valve (G) is fastened to the air tube (C) by means of a button at the
end of the valve within and a nut outside the tube and is of simple construction,
being perforated at the end for the through passage of air and threaded internally
to receive an externally threaded tubular plug of brass or other similar material
with a lateral perforation near the inserted end and a solid head which seals the
perforation in the air-valve when screwed home, a leather washer being placed
between such .head and the valve the better to prevent an escape of the
contained air.
The air tube (C) is inflated through the threaded tubular plug and air valve
by the aid of an air pump attached to the outer end of the plug and used in the
usual way.
The sockets (F, F,) receive the stock heads of the crutch. The stock (H) may
be made of metal tubing and is fitted with an adjustable handle (I) of india rubber
or other suitable material fastened to the stock by means of a metal clip band
which is held by a screw at any desired height.
The foot of the stock is made of two metal tubes, one of which slides within the
. other. At the top, within the outer tube, I place an india-rubber block (J) which
acts as a cushion and at its lower end I employ a screw cap or adjustable screw
cone (M) to keep in position the inner tube which I provide at its external end
with a bulbed plug or foot. pad (N) composed of india rubber and vegetable or
other fibre and fastened in the tube by rubber solution or cement. The top of the
inner tube is covered with a leather washer held to it by a flange-headed screw
and provides a compressed air chamber (K) between it and the india rubber
block (J) which is self acting and gives additional elasticity to the crutch.
The stock of my crutch may be either single or bifurcated as shewn in my
⚫ drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I would have it to
be understood that I do not claim as of my invention or the exclusive use of air
chambers or air valves, wrappers pouches curved steel frames or plates, stocks,
adjustable handles, india rubber cushions and composite foot pads except when the
same are constructed and employed according to my invention nor do I claim the
use of tubes, sockets, screw caps or cones, flange headed screws or washers or of any
of the separate mechanical parts of the apparatus employed by me but I'declare
that what I claim is
1. The manufacture and use of a detachable pneumatic crutch head constructed
and employed substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
2. The manufacture and use in pneumatic crutch heads of an air valve
constructed and employed substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-
before described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
3. The manufacture and use of an adjustable crutch handle constructed and
-employed substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described
and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed.
4. The manufacture and use in crutches of a self acting compressed-air foot
apparatus constructed and employed substantially in the manner and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and shewn in the drawings hereunto annexed, and
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting my improved crutch
constructed fitted and employed substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein before described and illustrated by the drawings on the sheet hereunto
- annexed.
Dated this 27th day of Jule 1894
HUGH
HYNDMAN,
6, Chichester Street, Belfast, Agent for Applicant.