Specification of Alfred Vincent Newton : artificial legs.

  • Alfred Vincent Newton
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Alfred Vincent Newton : artificial legs. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Newton’s Improvements in Artificial Legs. forms the knee joint; from the middle of this axle m an arm nl extends down, and its extreme end is attached to or makes part of a segment n, the upper ends of which are secured to a hoop o, through the diameter of which the axle m extends, and to which it is secured, so that this hoop is between the two branches l9 l7 of the upper part of the leg. The upper end of the tube h 5 is slotted, and within this slot is mounted a friction roller p7 which rolls against the periphery of the segment n, the extent of which below the hoop 0 is a semicircle ; this segment is formed with a shoulder q on each side, and a little forward of the middle to act as stops to the upper part of the leg to prevent it from moving forward of a vertical or nearly vertical line when the person 10 is standing up; in this way the leg can move on the axle m} as a knee joint, to the extent of about a quarter of a circle, and there are two springs r, r, attached to the axle m, and to the upper part k of the leg, the tension of which will bring back the leg in line with the thigh whenever it is liberated, either when walking or when rising from a seat. The lower ends of four metal straps 15 s, 5, s, s, are secured to the hoop 0, and each of these straps is made of two parts lapped and slotted longitudinally to receive flat-headed screw bolts t, by which the two parts are held together, but by means of which the length can be increased or decreased to suit the length of thighs to which they are to be applied. There are three other flat hoops u, u} w, secured to the straps s by 20 means of flat-headed screw bolts v\ and the said hoops are formed with lap joints slotted and secured by flat-headed bolts v, so that their circumference can be varied to suit the person to which an artificial leg is to be applied, felt or other suitable material being interposed between to form a socket to receive and protect the stump. 25 The modification of the Invention to suit an amputation of the leg below the knee is represented in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings; in this modification the mechanism, above described, to form the knee joint is not required, and hoops, such as u} u, in Fig. 1, are required to be applied to the stump of the leg, and connected with four longitudinal straps like the 30 thigh straps s, s, in Fig. 1 ; but the lower ends of these straps are to be curved in under the stump, and secured by suitable rivets, as at y> to the upper end of the tube h of the leg, which in such case is shorter than in Fig. 1; the two partsg and h of the leg are, however, to be connected and made adjustable in the same manner as in Fig. 1, except that the parts are to be made shorter. 35 The front and back longitudinal straps s, s, do not extend above the hoop u next below the knee, but the two side ones extend up to the knee joint, and are there to be connected by rule joints, as at w, to the side thigh straps x; the thigh straps are to be secured to the thigh by adjustable hoops, as in Fig. 1.