US431797A - Surgical brace - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

L. BLATTMAGHR.

SURGICAL BEACH. No. 431,797. Patented July 8. 1890.

w/r/vmm IWE 10/? $1, kwm/M. 42; $7254 I W ATTORNEYS.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEOPOLD BLATTMAOHR, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SURGICAL BRACE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 431,797, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed April 2, 1890. Serial No- 346,351. (No model.)

To all whom it 71mg concern:

Be itknown that I, LEOPOLD BLATTMACHR, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved surgical brace of that 'class which is used for strengthening the muscles of the leg, so as to facilitate the walking of persons afllicted with lame or weak limbs, the improvements being specially designed with a view to facilitate the detaching of the shoe from the brace and of adjusting the brace into proper position relatively to the ankle.

The invention consists of a surgical brace for strengthening the muscles of the leg, said brace being applied in the usual manner to the leg and provided below the knee-joint with straps that extend from theknee-joint at both sides of the. leg to the ankle-joint, said straps being provided with a recess at the lower ends and with a spring-clasp that serves to engage in a detachable manner the forked ends of a yoke-shaped strap attached to the sole of the shoe, said forked ends being provided with fixed pins for engagement, respectively, with the recessed and perforated ends of the side straps and spring-clasps.

The invention consists, secondly, of a curved rear brace that connects the side straps of the leg, said brace being riveted to one strap and adjusted at its opposite end by a slotted extension, and a clamping-screw on the other strap, as will be fully described hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved surgical brace for legs. Figs. 2 and 3 are a detail side view and vertical transverse section of one of the side straps of the brace, showing the connection of the side strap with the strap applied to the shoe; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show details of the curved rear brace, by which the side straps of the legs are connected.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents a surgical brace of that class which is applied to the leg of the leg, as shown in Fig. 1.

l) b of the thigh and calf are connected by for strengthening the muscles of the same and facilitating the walking of persons having weak or lame legs. The brace is applied by leather straps a a to the leg in the usual manner, the strap a being applied, respectively, to the thigh, and the strap a to the calf The side straps knee-joints d, which are located at both sides of the knee. at both sides of the calf are connected near the ankle by pivot-joints e witha yoke-shaped strap f, which is attached transversely to the sole of the shoe. Heretofore the ankle-joint e was made in the nature of a permanent pivot-connection, which prevented the detaching of the shoe from the side straps b b, so

that when the muscles of the foot were strained and tired considerable pain was caused owing to the inability of removing the shoe and giving relief to the strained muscles of the foot and leg. For the purpose of overcoming this defect the ankle-joint is made in the nature of a detachable joint, and constructed in the following manner: The lower ends of the side straps b are recessed at 11 so as to engage pins e, which are attached to the upper ends of the yoke-shaped strap f, attached to the shoe, said recessed ends 19 being inserted between the upper ends of the strap f, and a keeper f, attachedto each end of the same. To each side strap 1) is riveted a spring-clasp g, the lower enlarged end of which is provided in front of the recessed end of the strap 1) with a slotted opening or-eye g, as shown in Fig. 2, that passes over the end of the locking-pin e of the strap f, so as toengage said pin in connection with the recessed end of the strap b. By moving then a metallic sleeve or loop 9 in downward direction over the spring-clasp 9 until it abuts against the enlarged edge of the same, the parts of the ankle-joint e are firmly held in position, so as not to get accidentally detached from each other, as shown in Fig. 3.

Whenever it is desired to give relief to the foot without taking off the entire braceas, for instance, after a long walk or when the party wearing the brace has to sit for some time, the sliding loop 9 is moved upward away from the ankle-joint e, and the locking- The lower ends of the straps b spring 9 released from the pin, so that first the side strap b at one side is detached from the shoe-strap f. This is repeated at the opposite side of the brace, so that both side straps b are disconnected from the shoe-strap f and thereby the required relief given to the muscles of the leg. This detachable joint renders the leg-brace more comfortable to the wearer, as he can always, by an easy manipu lation, detach the shoe from the brace when resting, so as to enable him to give relief to the strained and fatigued muscles of the leg.

The second part of my improvement consists of a semicircular rear brace h, which is applied to the middle part of the side straps b of the calf, by which brace said straps are rigidly connected after the brace is applied to the leg. For this purpose one end of the semicircular brace h is permanently riveted to one of the side straps I), while the opposite end of said brace is provided with a slotted extension h that is arranged at right angles to the semicircular portion that extends around the back of the calf and attached by a clamping-screw h2 to the opposite side strap 1). The clamping-screw 7L2 passes through one of several holes of the side strap 1). Byclamping the rearbrace hin higher or lower position to the side strap, the ankle-joint e and shoestrap f are raised or lowered at one side and set to the required position on the foot and ankle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the side straps, of a surgical leg-brace, said straps being recessed at the lower ends, spring-clasps applied to said straps and having enlarged and slotted ends in front of the recessed ends of the straps, and a yoke-shaped strap attached to the shoe and provided with keepers at the ends, and with fixed transverse pins passing through said keepers, said pins and keepers interlockingwith th e recessed and slotted ends of the side straps and spring-clasps, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the side straps, of a surgical leg-brace, said side straps being recessed at the lower ends and provided with spring-clasps having slots in front of said recessed ends, a yoke-shaped strap applied to the shoe and having keepers at the upper ends and fixed transverse pins passing through said keepers, and a sliding sleeve or loop for retaining the interlocking parts of the side straps and shoe-straps in position, so as to produce a detachable ankle-joint, substantiallyas set forth.

3. The combination, with the side straps, of a surgical brace applied to the .leg, of a semicircular rear brace extending around the calf, said brace being rigidly attached to one of the side straps and provided with a slotted extension at the other end, and a clampingscrew for attaching said brace at a higher or lower point to the opposite side strap, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEOPOLD BLATTMAOHR.

WVitnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, HENRY HUBER.

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