Leg Extension and Support for the Lame and Frame for Artificial Legs.
Year: 1896

page_text: Leg Extension and Support for the Lame and Frame for
Artificial Legs.
I, THOMAS FRASER BARBOUR, of 37 Berkeley Terrace in the County of the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows.
The apparatus consists of
(1) Leg support with rod bearing and attachment for adjusting the sole plate.
(2) A sole plate with heel and ankle grip.
(3) A heel spring with mechanism attached.
(4) A. knee plate with attachment.
(5) Thigh and body straps.
(1) The leg support consists of two rigid straps, reaching from the knee joint down
each side of the leg to the sole of the heel plus the length of the necessary extension,
and joined together at the bottom by a heel plate. The whole forms one solid piece and
may be made of metal, cast or forged, or any other material having sufficient rigidity.
The rod bearing is inserted between the two side straps at a height above the heel
plate equal to or a little less than the length of the extension. The insertion of the
rod may be made by riveting or screwing or it may be attached by means of screws,
but it must be so fixed that it will not shift its position. The attachment for
adjusting the sole plate is fixed to the upper surface of the heel plate on the fore part
near the edge. Various devices are used but the simplest is a little iron rod fixed to
the heel plate and its upper ends screwed sufficiently long. On to this is fitted a
screwed tube or cylinder which may be screwed to the required position and fixed
with a jam nut.
(2) The sole plate is shaped approximately to the sole of the foot; the shape and
size of the plate being determined by the requirements of the individual. The plate
is bent in such a way that when the back or heel part is resting horizontally on the.
rod bearing the fore part shall appear horizontal at a level below that of the heel plate
of the leg support, and it is curved upwards at the toe. The plate is made of a
material which is absolutely rigid or having a slight springy yield to suit the
requirements of the case. The sole plate is so adjusted that the heel part shall bear
transversely on the rod bearing and enable the plate to work with a lever motion
For this purpose the plate may be bent or grooved at the bearing part with the
hollow of the groove on the upper surface; or on the under surface a small plate bent
in the shape of a gutter may be riveted or brazed on in such a way that when the rod
bearing is passed through, the gutter shall bear on the rod; or snugs may be riveted
or brazed to the under surface of the plate and have holes bored in them through
which the rod bearing shall pass. The heel and ankle grip consists of two pieces of
thin sheet metal brazed or otherwise attached to the edge of the sole plate one on
each side at the heel. They are shaped and extend upwards a few inches as the case
requires. Instead of two plates one may be used extending round the back of the
heel of the sole plate from side to side. Each plate has an attachment at the front

page_text: and back to which straps are fixed or one strap may be used to pass through all the
attachments. The sole plate is covered with leather and padded with hair or cotton
wool.
(3) The heel spring is fixed to the back part of the upper surface of the heel plate
of leg support and it presses upon the under surface of the sole plate behind the rod
bearing. If the sole plate has a spring in it the heel spring may be a rigid rod. It
may also be a flexible rod or a spiral spring. In the case of a flexible spring it is
advisable to have some means of adjusting the tension on the spring. Several devices
are used but the following is the best especially for spiral springs. It consists of an
ordinary metal coupling, nipple, and jam nut. The bottom end of the coupling has
two tennons attached and which are fitted to enter two sockets bored in the heel
plate of the leg support. The bottom end of the nipple has a disc brazed on to it
and into the nipple the spring is inserted. The mechanism being put into its place,
the nipple is unscrewed from the coupling until the desired tension is on the spring
and it is then fixed with the jam nut.
(4) The knee plate is a band of thin sheet metal, or other material having the
necessary firmness to fit on the front of the leg above the knee. At each end strips
of the material are attached by movable joints and these again are attached to the
two rigid straps of leg support at the top. The knee plate is covered with leather
and suitably padded.
(5) The thigh and body straps may be made of leather, textile material and gum
elastic, or other suitable material. A belt fits round the body. To this are attached
at the back two straps. One strap passes round the thigh of the sound limb
and is fixed with a buckle. The other, consisting of textile material interwoven with
gum elastic and carrying a stiff shape for the hip, passes down behind the thigh of
the limb, carrying the extension, bifurcates and after crossing round the front of the
thigh the two ends are each attached to the knee plate.
In case of artificial limbs the frame may be covered and stuffed with suitable
material.
°
1 1000
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Leg Extension and Support for the Lame and Frame for
Artificial Legs.
I, THOMAS FRASER BARBOUR, late of 37 Berkeley Terrace but now of the Glasgow
and West of Scotland School of Pharmacy, 157 St. Vincent Street, in the County of
the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Chemist, 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 :-
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of artificial legs and to
a new form of apparatus to assist the lame in walking.
The annexature consists of
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Leg Extension and Support for the Lame and Frame for
Artificial Legs.
I, THOMAS FRASER BARBOUR, late of 37 Berkeley Terrace but now of the Glasgow
and West of Scotland School of Pharmacy, 157 St. Vincent Street, in the County of
the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Chemist, 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 :-
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of artificial legs and to
a new form of apparatus to assist the lame in walking.
The apparatus consists of
1. A leg support with rod bearing,
2. A sole plate,
3. A spring or springs.
4. A socket for foot or stump.
In order that my Invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
offent I have baraunto annendad en explanatory sheet of Drawings of which

page_text: Figure 3 is a front elevation of another form of support for leg extension, wine
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same with sole plate in position.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of a further form of support for leg extension,
hile
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the same also with sole plate in position.
Figure 7 is a plan of the sole plate.
Figure 8, a side elevation, and
Figure 9, is a transverse section taken through the lines C. D. in Figure 8.
Figure 10, is a view of a socket for the foot.
I shall now describe the several parts of the apparatus according to the order above
mentioned.
1. The leg support consists of two rigid straps reaching as far up the leg as may be
required, and, in the case of leg extensions, they are lengthened to an extent equal to
the length of the necessary extension. They are joined at the bottom by means of a
heel plate B. The whole forms one rigid piece and may be made of metal, cast or
forged, or any other material having sufficient rigidity; or it may be built, in which
case the parts must be fitted together in such a way that the whole is absolutely
rigid. The side straps may be constructed of tubing semicircular or crescent shape
in section. The bearing rod A¹ is inserted between the two straps A, in the case of
artificial legs, at about where the ankle-joint should be, and, in the case of extensions,
at a height above the heel plate B somewhat less than the length of the required
extension. When the extension required is great, the rod A¹ need not be inserted at
a height any greater than the height of a natural ankle-joint. The rod A¹ is keyed
in so that it cannot revolve.
2. The sole plate, as will be seen more particularly in Figures 7, 8, and 9, is
constructed as follows:-The surface of the plate G may be plain or corrugated.
R. R represent two strengthening ribs which gradually taper away towards the front.
E. E. represent holes in the ribs to fit the bearing rod A¹. The leg support carries an
attachment with an adjustable arrangement to prevent the sole plate G drooping
beyond a predetermined limit.
3. The apparatus is or may be fitted with a compression spring M at the heel as
shown in Figure 2 or with an extension spring N in front as shown in Figures 4 and 6,
or with both. The compression spring M is kept in its place by means of little paps
fitted to the heel plate B and the sole plate G. The extension spring N is fixed, one
end to the heel plate B or to a snug with which the heel plate B or that part of the
support below the bearing rod A¹, may be provided, and the other end to the sole
Instead of
plate G by means of a rod fixed between the two ribs or by other means.
one, two or more extension springs may be fitted in.
4. In a case of amputation, the socket is made in accordance with the usual and
It is then fixed rigidly to the straps of the leg
well-known principles of the art.
support. A material, such as poro-plastic felt, is moulded to the shape of the heel
and ankle and bound with strips of sheel metal and a plate shaped to the sole of the
foot. The socket K is provided on each side with a stud S to hang on the notched
lobes with which the leg support is provided. T Figure 2, represents an attachment
between the under surface of the socket K and the sole plate G. It may consist of
tape, cord, strong elastic, or a series of thin spiral springs.
The whole apparatus may be cased in leather or other material, but, as a general
rule, I do not approve of this proceeding. I prefer to have the whole apparatus open
O to inspection. In some cases, however, it may be advantageous to encase certain
parts of the apparatus.
In putting on the apparatus, the foot or stump as the case may be is simply placed
In the case
into the socket, and the leg supports are strapped to the leg at the top.
of an extension or of an amputation below the knee-joint, the attachment to the leg
5 should, as a rule, be inade to fit immediately above the knee joint.
In cases where the knee joint and lower part of the leg are sufficiently strong, a
plate of sheet metal, poro-plastic felt or other firm material may be made to fit

page_text: closely to the front of the lower part of the leg, and attached to the side straps of the
leg support.
In cases of amputation, suspensory bandages are required.
From the foregoing it will be obvious that the whole apparatus will weigh very
considerably less than the artificial legs they are intended to displace, the life of the
apparatus will be much longer than that of the usual artificial leg, from the simplicity
of construction any part which may happen to give way will be easily and quickly
replaced. The apparatus gives the wearer a natural step when walking and throws
no undue strain on any part of the body, it supports the body in a natural manner
from the moment the heel touches the ground until the toe is lifted. As an
illustration of this, the wearer may stand with the toe of the apparatus only on the
ground, the heel of the apparatus and the foot of the sound leg being off the ground.
This severe test cannot be applied to any other form of apparatus or artificial leg, at
least not without considerable injury to it.
The apparatus may be put on and taken off with less trouble than the putting on
and taking off of an ordinary boot.
An ordinary boot or shoe may also be worn with the apparatus, and thus give the
foot a natural appearance.
. The apparatus it will also be observed is applicable not only to the lame, but to
those afflicted with weak ankle and weak knee joints.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The various leg supports, constructed substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying sheet of Drawings.
2. The sole plate, constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of Drawings.
3. The arrangement of springs, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of Drawings.
4. The construction of socket for foot or stump, substantially as described and
illustrated on the accompanying sheet of Drawings.
5. The general arrangement and construction of apparatus for assisting the lame
in walking, substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of
Drawings.
Dated this 13th day of April. 1897.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Patent Agents.