Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1887
Complete Left, 27th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 27th Sept., 1887.
I ISAAC ARROWSMITH BEST, of Summer Lane, Birmingham, in the county of
Warwick Surgical Mechanist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
E
This invention relates to improvements in surgical appliances for the treatment of
fractured limbs, and the object of my improvements are primarily to provide certain
adjustments in order for the better securing of similarity in length in the injured and
uninjured limb, and to afford as a whole, a very simple, quick handy, and efficient
arrangement for such surgical use.
In cases where limbs have been broken, and particularly in the case where leg bones
have been broken, it is observable, when the patient has recovered the use of such limb,
that in most cases, there is a limping in the walk, this arises from the fact that the
broken limb is found to be shorter than the unbroken one, and to remedy this defect,
I have invented these my improvements.
I will first describe my arrangement, showing its application to the leg. I take a
piece of wire or rod metal, and bend or form it into a framework, which framework
fits close up against the pelvis, and runs along the sides of the leg, and extends some-
what beyond the foot.
Suspended or carried from this framework by thin strips of metal, are splints which
may be made of wood, bark, leather, pasteboard or perforated metal &c., the bottoms
of which are secured to the said strips, by means of soldering or otherwise.
These strips (when metal is used) to which the splints are attached, may be moved
along the framework to any desired part of the limb, and may easily be varied in
depth from the framework, if desired, by first straightening the parts which are bent
over the framework, and then again rebending them over the framework at such a
point in their length, as will secure the desired depth.
Upon the two ends of the wire forming the framework, I provide a screw thread,
each end is further provided with a screw running nut. I next provide a foot piece,
having two eye brackets secured thereto, which is capable of sliding along the screwed
ends of the framework, and which can be adjusted in position by means of the screw
running nuts.

page_text: The application and use of this arrangement, will be readily seen. The framework
is placed underneath the limb, with the one end close up against the pelvis, the splints
carrying the limb, are placed at any desired position along its length, when the foot
piece is adjusted to its position, by means of the screw running nuts.
In the case where only one leg is broken, the foot piece may be first adjusted to the
exact length of the unbroken limb, and then transferred to the broken one, thus
maintaining similarity in length; the screw running nuts preventing any pressure
towards the limb. The limb may then be bandaged to the appliance as desired.
A modification of this arrangement may be made to suit the leg when in a bent
position, the said framework being bent at the knee joint.
Again in some instances I provide further means of adjustment by making the
framework in three parts, one of such parts being tubular, and bent to form the rear
end of the framework to rest against the pelvis, the other two parts forming the sides
of the framework, being screwed at both their leg and also their thigh ends, and
further provided with adjusting running screw nuts to each end, the said screwed
thigh ends, being passed into the tubular part, when they are adjusted to any required
length by the said nuts.
The adjusting arrangement may also be adopted to the treatment of a broken arm.
In this case only one adjusting screw rod is required, the lower end of which is bent
at right angles forming a crank. I further provide a tubular piece of metal which
fits telescopically on to the adjusting screw rod, having at its upper end a crutch made
to fit under the arm pit, and being adjusted to any desired position by means of the
running screw nut at its lower end, upon the screwed rod.
I further provide a splint, somewhat bent to suit the shape of the forearm and hand,
which said splint has formed at its one (elbow) end, a hinge, or joint, which is capable
of readily passing on and off the crank part of the adjusting screwed rod.
Its application will be readily seen. The splint is bandaged to the forearm and the
crutch part passed up under the armpit, the length from the crutch to the elbow being
readily adjusted by means of the screw nut. With the adjusting screw in this form,
having one crank part formed upon it, the appliance may easily be adjusted to its
proper length, by first applying it to the uninjured arm, and obtaining its proper
length then removing the splint from the crank part, and reversing the crutch and
crank, and again, while thus reversed, passing the crank part into the hinge upon the
splint, it will be suited to the opposite arm, ready for application.
In some cases however I may modify the shape of the crank part of the adjusting
screw, by making.an extra curve or crank, so that the tubular piece may assume a
more vertical line corresponding with the axis of the humerus, instead of an angular
one.
The simplicity and handiness of this my invention makes it particularly applicable
for use as an ambulance appliance, when instead of the splints &c. a canvas rest is
slipped along the framework, with a strap at the rear end to secure it to the pelvis,
and another strap to the foot piece, to fix the foot. Such an application of its use
would minimize the mischief done to the injured limb during the interval between the
accident, and its treatment by a medical man.
a
003
CHARLES T. POWELL,
4, Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: I, ISAAC ARROWSMITH BEST of Summer Lane, Birmingham in the county of
Warwick Surgical Mechanist do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
n and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in surgical appliances for the treatment of
fractured limbs, and the objects of my improvements are primarily to provide certain
adjustments in order for the better securing simarility of length in the injured and
uninjured limb, and to afford as a whole, a very simple, quick, handy, and efficient
arrangement for such surgical use.
1 attain these objects by the mechanism or parts illustrated in the accompanying
drawing, in which Fig. 1, is a plan of the appliance as modified to suit the leg. Fig. 2
is an elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view section of Fig. 1, upon line A-B, in
the direction shewn by the arrows. Fig. 4, is an end sectional view of Fig. 1, upon
line CD. Fig. 5, is an end sectional view of Fig. 1, upon line E-F, shewing
adjusted foot piece. Fig. 6, shews a modification of Fig. 1, to suit the altered
position of the limb, and provided with double adjustment to suit the thigh, and also
the lower part of the leg independently of each other.
Fig. 7, is an elevation of the appliance as suited to the arm. Figs. 8, 9, 10 & 11,
being details of the parts. Fig. 12, is a part elevation of the appliance (Fig. 7) reversed
(to suit right and left). Fig. 13 shews the method of its application with the leg
extended. Fig. 14, with the leg bent, and Fig. 15, shews how it may be applied to
the arm.
Similar letters of reference, throughout the several views, refer to the same thing
or part.
In cases where limbs have been broken, and particularly in the case where leg bones
have been broken, it is observable when the patient has recovered the use of such
limb, that in most cases there is a limping in the walk, this arises from the fact that
the broken limb is found to be shorter than the unbroken one, and to remedy this
defect, I have invented these my improvements.
I will first describe the arrangement and its modification illustrated to show its
application to the leg.
a, is a piece of wire or rod metal, bent and formed into a framework as shewn.
b, is a piece of metal secured (by soldering or otherwise) to bent or crutch part c.
d, d, are supports, generally made of wood, bark, leather, pasteboard, or perforated
metal &c., such supports being carried from the framework by strips or bands which
in their simplest form (as shewn) consist of thin metal strips, which are soldered or
rivetted to the supports d, d², at f.
These supports it will be seen may be moved along the framework, to any desired
part of the limb, and may easily be varied in depth from the framework, if desired,

page_text: by first straightening the bent parts at of the metallic strips e, and then rebending
them over the framework at such a point in their length, as will secure the desired
depth of the supports.
It will be seen that upon the ends h, h¹, is cut a screw thread, each end being
further provided with a screw nut i, i!. I next provide a foot piece ;, having two eye
brackets, secured thereto, capable of sliding along the ends h, as shewn, and
adjusted in position by screw nuts i & i.
The application and use of this arrangement, will be readily seen upon referring to
Fig. 13. The framework is placed underneath the limb, with the one end close up
against the pelvis, the supports d, d' carrying the limb at desired positions along its
length, when the foot piece j, is adjusted to its position by means of the nuts i, .
In the case where only one leg is broken, the foot piece may be first adjusted to the
exact length of the unbroken limb, and then transferred to the broken one, thus
maintaining similarity in length, the screw nuts i, i¹, preventing any pressure towards
the limb. The limb may then be bandaged to the appliance as may be desired, such
bandages not being shewn, as they do not form any part of my improvements.
A modification of this arrangement to suit the limb when in a bent position is shewn
at Fig. 14, the said framework a, being bent at the knee joint.
Again, in some instances I provide further means of adjustment, by making the
framework in three parts, one of such parts being tubular, and bent to form the rear
end of the framework, as shewn in Fig. 6 at 1, and the parts a¹ screwed at their both
ends &², and provided with adjusting nuts i & 2, the screwed ends /³ passing into
the tubular parts telescopically to allow of adjustment.
In Fig. 7, the adjusting arrangement is shewn as adopted to the treatment of a
broken arm.
In this case only one adjusting screw m, is required with running nut i,
but further provided with splint n, somewhat bent to suit the shape of the forearm
and hand, which said splint has formed at its one (elbow) end, an hinge, which is
capable of readily passing on and off the crank part o, of the adjusting screw m.
pis a crutch formed to fit under the shoulder between the arm and body, having
a nipple g to fit into the upper end of the tubular piece, or, if preferred, this tubular
part, may be rigidly attached to the crutch p. This tubular piece receives the upper
end of the screw m in a telescopic manner for adjustment.
Upon referring to the illustration Fig. 15, its application will be easily seen, the
forearm being bandaged, (bandages not shown) to the splint n, and the crutch part
passing up into the arm pit, the length from the crutch to the elbow being readily
adjusted by means of the nut i.
With the adjusting screw m, in this form having the one crank o, formed upon it,
the appliance may easily be adjusted to its proper length by first applying it to the
uninjured arm, and obtaining its proper length, then removing the splint n from the
crank 0, and reversing the crutch and crank, and again, while thus reversed, passing
the crank, o into the hinge upon the splint, it will be suited to the opposite arm, ready
for application as seen in Fig. 11.
In some cases however I may modify the shape of the crank part of the adjusting
screw m, by making an extra curve or crank s, see Fig. 12, so that the tubular
piece may assume a more vertical line corresponding with the axis of the humerus,
instead of an angular one as seen in Fig. 15.
The simplicity and handiness of this my invention makes it particularly appli-
cable for use as an ambulance appliance, when in the case of Fig. 2 when instead
of carrying the supports d d¹, a canvas rest is slipped along the frame a, with a strap
at the rear end to secure it to the pelvis, and another strap to the foot piece, to fix the
foot. Such an application of its use would minimize the imischief done to the injured
limb, during the interval between the accident and its treatment by a medical man.
I am aware that prior to my invention splints have been made, the framework of
which have been constructed of wire, or rod metal, and also that splints have been
made having an adjustable foot piece, and therefore I do not claim broadly such a
combination, but having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my

page_text: said invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
1st. The combination in a splint for fractured limbs, of the screwed ends hand h¹,
and the running nuts i and i¹, Figs. 1, 2, 6, 13, & 14, formed upon and in conjunction
with the frame a, and operating upon the foot piece j, substantially as herein shewn
and set forth.
2nd. The combination in a splint for fractured limbs, of the screwed ends h and h³,
and the running nuts i and, operating in conjunction with a tubular rear piece 1,
Fig. 6, and upon a foot piece j, substantially as herein shewn and set forth.
3rd. The combination in a splint for fractured limbs, of the screwed rod m, and
the running nut i, operating upon and in conjunction with the tubular piece r, and
crutch piece p, and the splint n, Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 15, substantially as set
forth and shewn.
DLL
CL 1
1007
CHARLES T. POWELL,
4, Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Applicant's Agent.