A New or Improved Hand Extender.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
A New or Improved Hand Extender.
I, FREDERICK LINCOLN CRANE, of "The Evelyn," in the Town of Malden, County
of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman,
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 follow-
ing statement:-
The invention relates to a device for extending hands.
It is well known that there are certain parts in the hand which so confine its
movements, that in some cases a person playing the piano cannot stretch sufficiently
to play an octave, and the object of the present invention is to provide a device
adapted for the use of such persons, and it has been found by experience that
in many such cases these parts can by proper exercise, be elongated or extended,
so as to increase the player's stretch very considerably.
The invention consists in a hand extender provided with two finger rests,
adapted to be adjustably separated from each other to extend the hand.
The invention further consists in the construction and novel combination and
arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.
In the drawings:-
Figure 1 is an elevation showing the device applied to a hand.
Figure 2 is a plan view.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation.
Like letters of reference designate. corresponding parts in all the figures of
the drawings.
A designates a threaded rod having one end reduced to form a shoulder a, and
provided with a handle A¹, located at the other end of the rod. A swiveled block
Bis riveted against the shoulder a, so as to turn freely on the end of the rod A,
and to this block is attached a finger rest C. A second block D is arranged on
the rod between the ends thereof and is provided with a threaded opening engaged
by the threads of the rod, whereby the block is adapted to be adjusted by rotating
the rod. To this block D, is also attached a finger rest E, similar in construction
to the finger rest C.
Each finger rest is preferably constructed of a piece of heavy braid,
or similar material, one end of which is attached directly to the block, and
the other end being folded around the inner side of the loop and
Interposed between the same and the block. The ends of the material are adjust-
ably secured to the block B by means of screws c', passing through the said ends
and engaging threaded perforations or sockets of the block B, and by overlapping
the material to a greater or less extent, the size of the loop may be varied to suit
the size of the fingers of the hand to which the device is to be applied. The finger
rest E, which is constructed similar to the finger rest C is secured to the block D,
by means of screws e¹ engaging threaded sockets of the said block.

page_text: Other methods, however, of construction, by means of which the loops C and E
may be made adjustable in size, will readily occur to one skilled in the art, and
each block may, if desired, be constructed to form a loop or hook for the reception
of the fingers.
To use the device, the finger rest is placed over the little finger of the hand,
as shown in Figure 1, preferably so as to pass around the block B, thus shortening
the loop and binding the finger somewhat in the rest, so that it will not slip out
of the same. The other finger rest is placed over the thumb, and by turning the
rod A, by means of the handle A', the block 1) will be separated from the block B,
thereby straining the thumb and little finger apart.
The device having been applied in the manner just described and left on the
hand in that position for some little time, it will be found that the parts connect-
ing or confining the thumb and little finger, will be stretched or lengthened
slightly. The screw may then be turned to separate the blocks B and D still
further, and again stretch these parts of the hand. Thus, it will be lengthened
little by little and the application of the device from day to day, for only a short
time each day, will produce a marked effect on the reach of the hand in playing.
In the accompanying drawings, the finger rests are shown in the form of loops
of braid, as it is believed that this is the best and simplest form of finger rests,
for the braid will cling to the fingers and will not tend to slide off; but the rests
may be constructed in other ways, the essential feature of the device being a hand
extender carrying finger rests and means for adjustably separating the same,
whereby the necessary stretching of the hand is accomplished.
It is evident that a hand extender of the kind described, may be
used for the purpose of extending other portions of the hand than
those described, for example it is very desirable that the ligaments which connect
the digital extremities of the metacarpal bones should, in some cases, be extended in
order to facilitate the playing of extended cords, which can be accomplished by
attaching the rests to the little finger and index finger and adjusting the rests, as
above described. In a short time, the results of its use will be very marked. It
will be noticed that the finger rests are entirely independent of each other and are
not connected by hinges or analogous connections which would limit their adjust-
ment, and they may be separated to an extent depending solely upon the length of
the adjusting device.
Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction,
within the scope of the appended claims, may be resorted to without departing
from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.
What I claim is:-
1. A hand extender comprising two adjustable finger rests adapted to be
separated, substantially as described.
"

page_text: to be drawn over two of the other sides thereof, whereby the finger will be bound
firmly against the block, substantially as described.
S. A hand extender comprising two blocks, means for adjustably connecting
the same, and flexible loops secured to the blocks and forming finger rests, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of Apr
For the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.
3.
or the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., MI. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.