US2484401A - Crutch - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 1l, 1949. w, R Coli 2,484,401

- CRUTCH Filed Marsh 5, 1946 3, Inventor By A WW *YM-m Patented Oct. l1, 1949 'CRUTCH 'William ik. ',Cuie, Des Moines, Iowa Application March 5, 194`6,`Serial`No 6521029 i This invention relates to new .and useful improvements .and structural ,refinements in crutches, more specifically, 'to an `adjustable and collapsible crutch, and the rprinciple object loithe invention 4is to .provide -a device of the .character hereinwdescribed, .which isfcomposed of a Iplurality of sections such .as may -be detach-ably land :adjustably connected together by a novel connecting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crutch which, by virtue of the construction above outlined, may be adjusted both as to the arm length and the overall length thereof, to conform With the physical requirements of the person lusing the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crutch which may be readily disassembled into its major component parts, in order that the same may be easily and conveniently transported when the crutch is not being used.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a crutch in which such adjustment or disassembly may be speedily and conveniently undertaken without the use of any tools whatever and with the expenditure of the minimum of effort on the part of the individual performing the same.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a crutch which is simple in construction, light in weight, attractive in appearance, and which will not easily become damaged.

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of the same;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View, taken in the plane of the line 3 3' in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 3J Figure 5 is a further cross sectional View similar to that shown in Figure 4, and illustrating the manner in which the crutch may be disassembled.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view showing the attachment of the resilient tip to the crutch body. i

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specicatitcn and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of an upper tubular section I0 and the lower tubular section II 2 Ithefsame being formed i om any lightweight mal"terial Asuitable lfor the Lpurpose intended.

xarm rest assembly designated generally 'by the reference `vcharacter -I'2 `is 'positioned at .the upper end of section I1), the vassembly I2 consisting yof a U-shaped 'yoke 13, provided iin the mid-portion thereof with a tubular adapter *'l`4, whereby it may be secured to the section I0 by the rivets I5. The arms of the yoke I3 are formed with out-turned end-pieces I6, to which the arm rest body I'I may be secured by means of suitable screws I8.

The lower end of the section II carries a resilient tip assembly designated generally by the character I9, the same comprising an adapter 20 formed at its lower edge With a thickened flange 20 and mounted upon the section II by means of suitable screws 2|. A substantially semi-spherical shoe 22, formed from resilient material and intended to engage the ground, is provided with an integral stem 23 which extends into the crutch section II and is secured therein by the aforementioned screws 2 I.

A substantially rectangular frame 24 is provided in the opposite sides thereof with a pair of tubular adapters 25 hereinafter to be more lparticularly described, and a cylindrical hand grip 2.6 is suitably mounted between the remaining two sides of the frame, as will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings.

A tubular extension 2'I is secured at one end in each of the adapters '25 by suitable rivets 28, the remaining end of the extension being slidably telescoped into the aforementioned sections I0 and II.

The adjacent ends of the sections are each formed with a pair of transversely aligned apertures 29 and the extensions 21 are provided with further pairs of vertically aligned apertures 3U.

The means for detachably and adjustably connecting the extensions to thesections are designated generally -by the reference character 3| and comprise strips of resilient material deiining the clamps 32, the same being adapted for removable positioning on the sections I0 and Il, as is best illustrated in the accompanying Figure 4.

The clamp 32 is secured medially of its length to a pin 3-3, the latter extending diametrically with respect to the clamp, as will be clearly apparent from the accompanying drawings.

The pin 33 normally passes through the apertures 29 and is removably, that is, selectively receivable in any transversely aligned pair of the apertures 30, and as will be understood with reference to the accompanying Figure 5. By

removing the clamp 32 from the sections, the pin 33 will be withdrawn from the aforementioned apertures and the relative sliding movement of the extensions 21 and the sections I0 or Il will thus be facilitated.

When the invention is placed in use, the adjustment for arm length may be quickly and conveniently made by inserting the pin 33, in the manner already described, in a suitable pair of apertures in the upper of the extensions 21 associated With the section I0. The overall lengthn of the crutch as a whole may be further Varied by making a similar adjustment of the remaining of the extensions 2'! with respect to the section Il.

It will be apparent that in` this manner the longitudinal adjustment of the crutch may be simply and speedily undertaken and by removing the hand grip portion-ftogether with the exten- 'sions 2 from the associated sections IUI and Il,

the entire crutch may be disassembled into three .major components, as has already been set forth in the opening paragraphs of this specification.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it isto be understood that minor vprovided integrally on said shoe and extending into said body portion, and fastening elements extending through said adapter and through said bodyY portion into said stem.

l WILLIAM R. COIE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this '.patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number -Name Date 1,049,398 Rice Jan. 7, 1913 2,241,481 Schroeder May 13, 1941 2,373,045

Osborn Apr. 3, 1945

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