H. WHITELAW '
`AP?“ 29» 1958
`THERAPEUTIC nzvxcm pox use IN MANIPUIATIVE
`TREATMENT OF‘ JOINTS OF THE HUMAN BODY
`2 Sheets-—Shee‘L 1
`
`Filed may 23, 1956
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`2,832,334
`
`LNVENTOR.
`_
`-STEPHEN H. WH/TELAW
`
`3}’
`
`#7 £4496
`
`'
`
`ATTOPNEYS
`
`

`
`s. H. WHITELAW
`April 29. 1953
`THERAPEUTIC DEVICE ma uszz m MANIPULATIVE
`,
`TREATMENT or JOINTS 05* THE HUMAN BODY
`.
`Filed May 23, 1955
`L2 Sheets—Shee1. 2
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`2,832,334
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`INVENTOR.
`_
`STEPHEN H.
`la/H/TELAEW
`'
`
`BY
`
`LANTZ 1009.2
`
`

`
`United States Patent Office
`23,832,334
`Fzitented Apr‘. 29, 1958
`
` 1
`
`2
`With reference to the drawings, a therapeutic device
`constructed in accordance with the invention is comprised
`of a pair -of oppositely extending lever arms 10 and 11.
`The lever arm 10 has slidably mounted thereon a pair
`of L-shaped brackets 12 and 13. The brackets may be
`secured in any adjusted position longitudinally of the
`lever arm 16 by means of the thumb screws 14..
`In the
`specific embodiment shown, a sling 17 adapted to cradle
`a forearm, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. ,1 and 3, is
`suitably attached to the brackets 12 and E3 by means
`such as the screws 15. The sling is preferably padded as
`indicated at 17’ and is provided with straps 18 and 19 to
`secure the forearm in the sling.
`-
`As shown in Figs.
`1 and 2, the lever arm 11 is pro-
`vided with a U-shaped bracket 22 slidably mounted there-
`on. The bracket 22 may be secured in any adjusted posi-
`tion longitudinally of the lever arm 11 by the thumb screw
`23, and is provided with hand grips 24 on each -of its
`legs for a purpose to be hereinafter described.
`In Fig.
`3 -a modified bracket 22a is mounted on the lever arm
`11 in the same manner as the bracket 27:, and is pro-
`vided with a cross-piece 25 having a hand grip 24a mount-
`ed thcreon. The reason for the variation in structure be-
`tween the brackets 22 and 22a will be fully apparent
`from the description of operation of the device hereinafter
`appearing.
`With particular reference to Fig. 4, the lever arm 11,
`in the embodiment shown, is connected to and is pref-
`erably’ integral with a circular plate member 28 dis-
`posed coaxially of a cup shaped casing or housing 29
`having a radially extending portion 30. The radially
`extending portion 30 of the casing has an end portion
`'51 of reduced thickness having a recess 32 in which the
`lever arm 10 is received and retained by means such as
`the screw 33. A pinion 36 is disposed within the casing
`29 and is fixed to a shaft 37 extending through and
`journaled in the casing as at 38. An operating handle
`39 is secured to the shaft 37 externally of the casing
`29 as by means of the setscrew 46. When it is desired ‘
`to lock the handle 39 and hence the shaft 37 and pinion
`36 against rotational movement,
`this is accomplished
`conveniently by the slide latch 4-1 which can he slid
`into engagement with the notch 42.
`A gear 45 engaged with the pinion 36 is disposed within
`the casing 29 and is rotatably mounted on a shaft 46
`which is journaled in a boss 44 internally of the casing
`2?. One end of the shaft 46 extends through the plate
`member 28 and is provided at said one end with a radially ;
`extending flange 47 received in a recess 48 in the plate
`member 28. The other end of the shaft 46 extends out-
`wardly of the casing 29 and is threadably engaged with an
`adjusting cap nut 49. The cap nut 49 is provided with an
`axially extending recess 50 in which is received a spiral
`spring 53 surrounding the shaft 46, the spring 53 being en-
`gaged at the other end with the casing 29. A pin 54 ex-
`tends diametrically through the shaft 46 and is received
`within a slot
`extending diametrically of the boss 44
`to prevent rotation of the shaft relative to the casing
`during adjustment and permitting movement: of the shaft
`axially of the casing.
`The boss 44 of casing 29 engages upon the upper side
`of the gear 45 while a friction member 56 is disposed be-
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`2,832,334
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`THERAPEUTIC DEVICE FOR USE IN MANliPU-
`LATIVE TREATMENT‘ OF JOINTS OF THE
`HUMAN BODY
`
`{:1
`
`Stephen H. Whiteiaw, Newington, Conn.
`
`Application May 23, 1956, Serial No. 536,766
`9 Claims.
`(Cl. 1259-25)
`
`10
`
`invention relates to -therapeutic devices
`The present
`and, more particularly, to a novel therapeutic device for
`use in the manipulative treatment of joints of the human
`
`Frequently human joints are adversely affected by ill-
`ness or accident resulting in stiffness and lack of mobility
`the joint.
`in many cases, such malfunctioning or
`disability of the joint can be alleviated by proper manipu-
`lative treatment, but relatively little use of such treat-
`ment has been made because it is difficult
`to self-ad-
`minister and usually has to be done frequently and over
`long periods of time to be effective. Even with the
`assistance of skilled personnel, such treatments are fre-
`quently painful and too irregular for maximum benefit.
`it is an aim of this invention -to provide an inexpen-
`sive light-weight portable therapeutic device which is
`suitable for use on any of the major joints of the body
`the wrist, shoulder, elbow, knee or ankle and
`which may be operated by the patient himself to im-
`part motion to the joint and also to exercise the ad-
`ductor and abductor or flexor and extensor muscles of
`the affected joint
`through the application of external
`
`it is another aim of this invention to provide a thera-
`peutic device of the type described which may be used by i
`to move the joint and exercise the muscles
`associated therewith by the use of these muscles to op-
`erate the exerciser against a preselected resistive force.
`it is still another aim of this invention to provide a
`the type described which will produce the
`desired movements of the joint in a fully controlled man-
`ner and with visible indication of the operation so as to
`,2‘-:ovide maximum therapeutic benefits, which is -‘of simple
`and economical construction and comfortable to use, and
`which is particularly adaptable for home use with a
`minimum of instruction and training.
`Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part
`pointed out more in detail hereinafter.
`The invention accordingly consists in the features of
`construction, combination of elements and arrangement
`of parts which will be exemplified in the construction
`hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of
`which will be indicated in the appended claims.
`in the drawings:
`is a perspective view of an embodiment of a
`joint manipulating device constructed in accordance with
`the invention as applied to a wrist.
`Fig. 2 is a perspccti'e view of the device of Fig.
`taken from the opposite side.
`l as
`Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device of Fig.
`applied to a wrist but turned 90° from the position shown
`.
`fmgrnentary longitudinal cross-sectional
`21
`view of the device.
`
`l,
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`toor
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`30
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`to C7!
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`40
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`50
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`(17! (‘J1
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`60
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`LANTZ 1009.3
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`

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`2,832,334
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`3
`19 is attached to the forearm through the use of the ad-
`justable sling 1'7 in such position that the shaft 46 is
`coaxial with the pivot point of the wrist. The bracket
`22.
`is then adjusted to receive the hand as shown.
`In
`order to condition the device for the application of an ex-
`ternal force,
`the cap nut 49 preferably is turned down
`sufficiently to prevent slippage of the gear 11.5 relative to
`the plate member although, if desired, the force of spring
`53 may be adjusted by backing off the cap nut 49 to per-
`mit slippage and thus limit the maximum force which can
`be applied to the joint. After the device is in place, the
`handle or knob 39 is turned by the patient to apply force
`to the hand through the gearing 36, 45 and friction mem-
`ber 56 to the lever arm 11. As will be apparent, the
`bracket 22 by engagement with the hand will pivot the
`wrist relative to the forearm in a plane normal
`to the
`general plane of the hand. Movement of the wrist can, of
`course, be accomplished in either direction from the
`median position of the wrist wherein the hand is aligned
`with the forearm.
`In order to indicate the amount of
`flexion of the wrist for use in determining improvement
`in the condition of the joint, indicia are provided on the
`casing as at 60 and a pointer 61 mounted on the lever arm
`11 as is most clearly seen in Fig. 2.
`If it is desired to have the patient manipulate the joint
`by the use of the wrist muscles themselves, the slide latch
`41 is moved to the locking position as shown in Fig. 2
`to prevent rotation of the pinion 36. Henceforth, any
`movement of the lever arm 11 relative to the lever arm
`10 will be opposed by the resistance offered by the friction
`member 56 disposed between the gear 45 and plate mem-
`ber 28. As described above this resistive force of the
`friction member may be varied by adjustment of the ad-
`justing cap 49 to -increase or decrease the force imposed
`on the friction member by the gear 45 and -plate member
`28. To provide an indication of the resistive force op-
`posing relative movement of the lever arms 10 and 11.
`and thus provide a comparative indication of the improve-
`ment in the strength of the muscles, indicia are provided
`on the casing 29 as at 62 and a pointer 63 mounted on
`the cap 49.
`In the use of the device as last described, the
`patient grasps one of the hand grips 24 and moves his
`hand in a direction to exercise the flexor and extensor
`muscles of the wrist.
`
`In Fig. 3 the device is illustrated as being used to
`pivot the wrist in the general plane of the hand. As can
`be seen in Fig. 3, to enable the patient to engage the lever
`arm 11 in a manner appropriate for this type of manipula-
`tion, a modified bracket 22a having a cross-piece, or finger
`grip 25 extending between the leg of the bracket
`is
`mounted on the lever arm 11. By positioning the finger
`grip 25 far enough out on lever arm 31,
`the patient’s
`fingers can encircle the finger grip and exert movement of
`the joint. The manner of using the device is identical with
`the manner -described above in connection with Fig.
`1
`in that the lever arm 11 may be pivoted relative to the
`lever arm 10 either by rotation of the operating handle 39
`or through the use of the muscles of the affected joint
`themselves.
`
`It should be apparent that the device is suitable for use
`on such joints as the shoulder or knee by the provision
`of appropriate means on the lever arms 10 and 11 to secure
`the lever arms relative to the limbs on either side of the
`joint. Thus, it can be seen that there has been provided
`a joint manipulator of simple, economical construction
`particularly adapted to home use by a patient and which
`requires a minimum of skill or training to operate. The
`
`4%
`tained in the above description or shown in the ac-
`companying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative
`and not in a limiting sense.
`_
`It is also to be understood that the language used in
`the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic
`and specific features of the invention herein described and
`all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a
`matter of language, might be said to fall therebctween.
`.7. claim:
`7
`'»
`'~
`ifx
`1. xx
`: device for use in the manipulative
`
`rreutmcn‘».
`X
`yoints of the human body comprising a first
`member having means for attachment
`to the body on
`one side of a joint, a lever arm pivotally connected to
`the first member and having means for engagement with
`the ‘cs-dy on the other side of the joint, a manually
`operable handle movably mounted on the first member,
`and driving means between the handle and the lever arm
`including a yieldable clutch.
`2. A therapeutic device for use in the manipulative
`treatment of joints of the human body comprising a first‘
`member having means for attachment to the body on
`one side of a joint, a lever arm pivotally connected to
`the first member and having means for engagement with
`the body on the other side of the joint, manually op-
`erable means mounted on the first member for pivoting
`the lever arm relative to the first member, a friction clutch
`between the manually operable means and the lever
`arm, and means for latching the manually operable means
`to prevent movement thereof.
`3. A therapeutic device for use in the manipulative
`treatment of joints of the human body comprising a first
`member having means for attachment to the body on
`one side of a joint, a lever arm pivotally connected to
`the first member and having means for engagement with
`the body on the other side of the joint, manually op-
`erable means mounted on the first member for pivoting
`the lever arm relative to the first member, a friction
`clutch between the manually operable means and the
`lever arm, means for varying the effective force of the
`friction clutch, and means for latching the manually
`operable means to prevent movement thereof.
`4. A therapeutic device for use in the manipulative
`treatment of joints of the human body, comprising a
`first lever arm for attachment to the body on one side
`of a joint, a second lever arm for attachment
`to the
`body on the other side of said joint, a pivotal connection
`for said lever arms, comprising gearing operatively con-
`necting said levcr arms, a friction clutch associated with
`said gearing, means for locking said gears against relative
`rotation, whereby pivotal movement of one lever arm is
`opposed by said friction clutch, and a manually operated
`handle for rotating said gears whereby one lever arm
`is caused to pivot about said pivotal connection.
`5. The combination of claim 4, further including means
`for varying the torque transmitted by said friction clutch.
`6. The combination of claim 4, further including in-
`dicia carried by said pivotal connection for indicating
`the angular displacement of said lever arms.
`7. The combination of claim 4, further including at-
`tachments for said lever arms for attachment
`to the
`limbs of the patient and means for variably positioning
`said attachments on said lever arms.
`8. The combination of claim 7, wherein one of said
`attachments is provided with a hand grip to be gripped
`by the fingers of the patient.
`9. The combination of claim 4, further including at-
`tachments variably positionable longitudinally on said
`lever arms, for attachment to the limbs of the patient,
`
`in
`
`C. on
`
`Cl El
`
`fit)
`
`(L)
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`LANTZ 1009.4