Improved Walking Apparatus for the Lame

• Main Author: JOHANNES FRANCISCUS WELTER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.09.1919
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PROSTHESES; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

132,477. Welter, J. F. May 23, 1919. Foot and leg deformity, treating; splints; limbs, artificial.-An apparatus for assisting lame and paralysed persons to walk, which can also be applied to artificial legs, comprises a padded thigh socket 1 secured in position by lacing, as shown at 2. A separate cushion may be placed between the lacing-flaps and the surface of the limb. A second open socket 5 engages the lower leg and slides axially thereon during the process of walking. A pair of antifriction rollers 9 facilitate this axial movement. The two sockets are connected by one or more bent springs positioned so that the lower leg is forced forward automatically to the angle shown in Fig. 1, when it is lifted from the ground. The appliance thus relieves the wearer automatically from the exertion of making a forward step. The illustrated construction shows two bent springs 7, 8 and one example of an additional spring 11 which can be engaged between the pins 13, 14 to strengthen the spring action when necessary.