Improvements in or relating to the Straightening of Contracted Joints.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd July, 1896-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Straightening of Contracted
Joints.
I, KARL ROBERT SCHRAMM of 47 Belmont Street Chalk Farm Road, County
of Middlesex, Orthopedic Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention is designed for the purpose of straightening contracted joints and
may be applied to various joints of the human body, but I will now describe it as
applied to the toe joints of the foot.
For the foot joints ! provide a sandal of suitable size, and shape, which may be
secured upon the foot by straps or in other convenient manner, and at the joint to
be dealt with I provide an adjustable spring cup or support into which the end of
the toe may be placed so as to exert a constant pressure in a more or less upward
direction, thus tending to correct the deformity or contraction.
If desired I may in addition to what I have already described or instead of it
provide spring pressure from above on top of the joint so as to effect the same
purpose. This may be provided by means of spring clip fitting into suitable
sockets in or upon the sandal, and having a suitably shaped tongue extending on
top of the toe. This clip is removable at pleasure and its position and shape can
be varied or adjusted as required.
In a modified form of the same invention I provide a double clip or spring, one
portion containing a cup or socket to receive the downwardly projecting portion of
the toe, and the other providing a cup or socket to receive the upwardly projecting
joint. The operation would be substantially the same as before, and all the
adjustments necessary are provided.
In order to stretch the joint I may connect with the cup or equivalent supporting
the toe a strap or other suitable means by which the toe cup may be pulled
forwards, while the toe itself is held into the cup by spring, strap, or other suitable
pressure. The stretching strap may be carried around the end of the sandal and
secured by holes passed over a stud in the underside of the sandal.
As it is of importance to keep the toe supports in the proper positions I may
provide a heel socket adjustable for length upon the sandal, the adjustinent being
secured in any convenient way, say by a strap with holes and stud us before and
a strap may also pass around the ankle to assist in securing the apparatus to
the foot.
The sandal itself may be made in any desired shape, and springy or rigid
according to requirements; a convenient arrangement for a spring sandal is to
form the front part of metal say brass, and from that allow a suitable flat spring
to project to the heel upon which the heel socket can be adjusted as already
explained.
Any suitable materials may be employed for any portion of this apparatus and
the general details may be modified without departing from the spirit of the
invention,
Dated this 3rd day of March 1896
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Straightening of Contracted
Joints.
1. KARL ROBERT SCHRAMM of 47 Belmont Street, Chalk Farm Road, County
of Middlesex. Orthopaedic Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to he particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention is designed for the purpose of straightening contracted joints
and may be applied to various joints of the human body, but I will now describe
it as applied to the toe joints of the font.
For the foot joints I provide a sandal of suitable size, and shape, which may
be secured upon the foot by straps or in other convenient manner, and at the
joint to be dealt with I provide an adjustable spring cup or support into which
the end of the toe may be placed so as to exert a constant pressure in a more
or less upward direction, thus tending to correct the deformity or contraction.
If desired I may in addition to what I have already described or instead of it
provide spring pressure from above on top of the joint so as to effect the same
purpose. This may be provided by means of a spring clip fitting into suitable
sockets in or upon the sandal, and having a suitably shaped tongue extending
on top of the toe. This clip is removable at pleasure and its position and shape
can be varied or adjusted as required.
In a modified form of the same invention I provide a double clip or spring,
one portion containing a cup or socket to receive the downwardly projecting
portion of the toe, and the other providing a cup or socket to receive the
upwardly projecting joint. The operation would be substantially the same as
before, and all the adjustments necessary are provided.
In order to stretch the joint I may connect with the cup or equivalent
supporting the toe a strap or other suitable means by which the toe cup may be
pulled forwards, while the toe itself is held into the cup by spring, strap, or other
suitable pressure. The stretching strap may be carried around the end of the
sandal and secured by holes passed over a stud in the underside of the sandal.
As it is of importance to keep the toc supports in the proper positions I may
provide a heel socket adjustable for length upon the sandal, the adjustment being
secured in any convenient way, say by a strap with holes and stud as before and
a strap may also pass around the ankle to assist in securing the apparatus to the
foul.
The sandal itself may be made in any desired shape, and springy or rigid
according to requirements; a convenient arrangement for a spring sandal is to
form the front part of metal say brass, and from that allow a suitable flat spring
to project to the heel upon which the heel socket can be adjusted as already
explained.
Any suitable materials may be employed for any portion of this apparatus and
the general details may be modified without departing from: the spirit of the
invention.
In the necompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper side of one form of the sandal for
correcting deformity of the foot.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the same.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the skeleton of one form of my improved device
for straightening the joint of a single limb.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a finished modification of the latter.

page_text: Fig. 5 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of a further modification.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The sandal illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is constructed of metal preferably in two
portions, A the toe piece and B the heel piece, united by a steel spring C, which
in the form shown is rigidly attached to the toe picce A, but slides in a guide B 1
formed on the heel piece B to allow of the relative adjustment of the toe and heel
pieces. The guide B1 embraces the spring C sufficiently tightly to prevent the
latter slipping out of its own accord. The heel piece B is provided with a strap B 2
aud buckle to allow of attachment round the ankle.
The top piece A is preferably formed of a flat plate with openings of suitable
shape cut out of it as shown in Fig. 2. These openings allow of the play of spring
supports D E and .F. These supports are on the upper surface of the plate A,
and are provided with extensions D1 E1 and F1, which pass through openings in
the plate, and engage with guides A 1 on the underside of the plate which allow
the adjustment of the spring supports. Stops D2 E2 and F2 are provided to
prevent the extensions D1 E1 and F1 being drawn right out of the guides.
The opposite ends of the spring supports DE and F are made cup-shaped to
receive the ends of the toes, the central one E being preferably broader and
provided with two cups to receive two toes, while the supports D and F are only
constructed with a single cup. Straps G are attached to the plate A in such a
manner that they may pass over the toes through suitable slots G 1 in the plate,
and engage with hooks or other fastening devices G 2 on the under side of the
plate. A broad strap I carrying a suitably curved spring His attached to one
side of the plate, and so arranged as to pass right across from one side of the foot
to the other and be adjustably fastened to the plate so as to enable a varying
pressure of the spring H1 over all the toes to be obtained. If desired a strap D3
may be fastened to the cup-shaped end of the spring support D so as to enable the
support to be drawn forward and secured, the end of the strap passing to the
underside of the plate, and there engaging with a button D4 or other fastening
device. The other supports E and may be fitted with similar straps or only
with tabs E3 F3 as shown. The curvature of the spring C may be varied by
means of a strap C2, one end of which is secured to the plate A while the other
end is provided with holes to engage with a button B3 on the guide B 1.
The devices shown in Figs. 3 and 4 may be employed for the treatment of single
limbs, the shape shown being constructed with a view to the treatment of toes
These devices consist of a spring piece K to which is attached another spring piece L,
provided with a cupped end, and so arranged as to exert an upward pressure. To
obtain the necessary downward pressure the piece K may be extended, and curved
over as shown in Figure 4, or may have a separate piece K1, hinged to it as
shown in Fig. 3, the movement of this hinged piece being controlled by a worm M
carried in the end of the piece K and engaging with teeth formed on the end
of the piece K1; the worm being operated by a key R. A small projection K 2
is formed on the spring piece K to engage with holes in a strap N attached to the
spring piece L to allow of the adjustment of the upward pressure of the latter. It
is obvious that other devices than that shown in Figure 3 may be employed for the
adjustment of the hinged spring piece K 1, such as for example, a ratchet and pawl
arrangement, or a screw one end of which is carried by a lug on the end of
the piece K and engaging with a screw threaded lug formed on the adjacent
end of K 1.
The modification illustrated in Fig. 5 is adapted to be worn in a boot, though
shown as intended to operate upon only one toe, it may obviously be constructed so
as to act upon several toes. It comprises the spring piece S with cupped end SI
nttached to a piece of leather T; elastic bands U & U1 for enveloping the foot
and toe are secured as shown. The band U 1 has a tab U 2 to facilitate application.
An elastic band O is preferably attached to one end of the piece K in the manner
shown in Figure 4, of such size as to embrace the foot and hold the whole device

page_text: in position, a tab P is also provided to facilitate raising the part K1 when applying
the device.
Having how particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a device for straightening contracted joints the combination with an
adjustable spring support exerting pressure in one direction of an adjustable spring
support exerting pressure in another direction substantially as described.
2. In a device for straightening contracted joints the combination with an
adjustable spring support exerting pressure in one direction of an adjustable spring
support exerting pressure in another direction and a suitable attachment by means
of which a limb may be drawn forwards substantially as described.
3. In a device for straightening contracted foot joints the combination with a
sandal of an adjustable spring support exerting pressure in a direction tending to
correct the deformity substantially as described.
4. In a device for straightening contracted foot joints the combination with a
sandal of one or more adjustable spring supports exerting pressure in one direction
and one or more adjustable spring supports exerting pressure in another direction
substantially as described.
5. In a device for straightening contracted foot joints the combination with a
sandal of one or more adjustable spring supports exerting pressure in one direction
one or more adjustable spring supports exerting pressure in another direction and
a suitable attachment by means of which a limb may be drawn forwards substantially
as described.
6. In a device for straightening contracted foot joints the combination with a
toe plate such as A and spring C of a heel piece such as B adjustable spring
supports such as DE and F straps G and spring strap such as 1 substantially as
described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete device
for straightening contracted joints substantially as described and illustrated in
Figure 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
8. An adjustable double clip or spring device for straightening contracted foot
joints substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 3 or 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
9. A device for straightening contracted foot joints substantially as described
and illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of July 1896.
KARL ROBERT SCHRAMM.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.
KARL ROBERT SCHRAMM.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.