Specification of William Edward Newton : artificial legs.

  • Newton, William Edward.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of William Edward Newton : artificial legs. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Newtons Improvements in Artificial Legs. portion L of the leg is fitted to the socket, as shewn at q, q, in Fig. 4*, and secured by gluing or otherwise. A socket M (see Fig. 3) made of two thick¬ nesses of leather is fitted to lace on the patient’s thigh, and the socket K is connected with the socket M by rule joints r, s, one on each side, the upper 5 portion r of each joint being fitted and riveted between the two thicknesses of leather of the socket M, and the lower portion s of each joint being riveted to the socket K. These joints correspond with the position of the natural knee joint. A stop piece G of leather is applied between the sockets M and K behind the knee joint to assist in stopping the limb when straightened at 10 the knee joint. The two elastic cords E* and F*, connecting the thigh with the foot, are attached to the thigh socket M, and pass downward through oblique slots t, t, made through the leg at or near the junction q, q, of the socket K, and lower part L of the leg. The connection of the elastic cords E* and F* with the foot is effected in the same manner as that of the cords 15 E and F, as herein-before described, a similar arc-formed piece II being attached to the foot. The upper parts of these cords are made of india-rubber webbing, and stitched at the top to the socket M, and the lower parts are made of raw hide, the twro parts being united at uf u, just outside of the slots t, t, by metallic links or by sewing. If the limb is amputated so closely below 20 the knee that there is no stump on which to fit the leg with a socket, the leg may be made all in one piece, and the cords E, F, may pass over the top into the interior of the leg. The sack may, if desired, be employed to support the stump in cases of amputation below as well as above the knee. The operation of the elastic cords is substantially the same, whether applied 25 in the manner represented in Figures 1 and 2, or in that represented in Fig. 3. When the knee is bent in walking, the forward cord E or E* is strained over the pulley I, or over the knee, and by that means when the foot is lifted from the ground, the leg and foot are caused to be thrown forward by the elasticity of the said spring as the forward movement of the natural thigh 30 takes place, and at the same time the point of the foot is caused to be raised relatively to the leg so as to prevent it from dragging on the ground. The bending of the knee, at the same time that it strains the cord E or E*, slackens the cord F or F*, but before the foot comes forward to the farthest position, the cord F or F* is stretched, and as it is stronger than E or Ev, it gradually 35 checks and finally stops the motion of the leg without any sudden jerk, and at the same time it raises the heel so that the foot will come down flat on the ground wdien the surface thereof is of an ordinary level character. The spring g prevents too much motion of the foot under the influence of the elastic cords, and when the leg comes on it, as shewn in Fig. 2, in stepping