GB326970A - Improvements in artificial hands - Google Patents

Abstract

326,970. Levasseur, J. W. Feb. 26, 1929. Limbs, artificial.-An artificial hand is characterized by fixed fingers and a pivoted thumb, the latter being normally held in the closed position by means of elastic bands which also serve as flexible gripping surfaces between 1st finger and thumb. The base of the thumb is connected by a strip of leather or like material to the smaller rim of a double-diameter pulley situated transversely within the hand-frame, and a further leather strip, operating on the rim of the larger pulley is attached to the opposite arm of the wearer. Elastic bands are stretched along the inner side of each finger and the thumb in order that a better grip may be obtained on hard objects. Referring to Fig. 6, 45 is the pulley, 47 and 49 the leather operating strip, and 39 the elastic band which normally urges the thumb 33 to the closed gripping position. Another elastic band 40 is stretched between the tip of the first finger 26, over a pin in the bearing-frame 30, and back to the thumb at 34. A block 42 holds the inner elastic surfaces of the first finger and the thumb in contact so that small articles such as writing implements and the like may be held. The hand is rigidly attached to an arm-engaging section 16 which embraces the forearm as is shown in Fig. 5. The lower extremity of an upper-arm socket 15 is connected by means of the flexible strips 24 to the wrist end of the forearm socket 16. The whole is supported by a strap 53 which passes round the opposite shoulder of the wearer and is secured to the upper-arm section 15 by means of a clip 54.