Pedomotor.

Application filed April 24,1917, Serial No. 164,285. Renewed May 6, 1919. Serial No. 295,107.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, Leslie C. Kelley, a citizen of the United States, residing at South San Francisco, in the county of San 5 Mateo and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pedomotors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pedomotors or 10 power operated running devices to be applied to the human anatomy wherein sets of artificial ligaments operate in conjunction with operating and controlling means therefor ; and the objects of my invention are— ¹⁵ First, to provide an improved pedomotor or power operated running device;

Second, to provide improved means for facilitating the operation of pedestrianism or running operation;

Third, to provide a power device adapted to relieve the muscles utilized during the running operation of the anatomy from strain and fatigue;

Fourth, to provide an improved power 25 operated device that shall be adapted to impart greater impetus and thereby increased speed to the person;

Fifth, to provide an improved device of the character described that shall be adapted . 30 to operate the principal motor muscles of the legs and to relieve them of the strain occasioned by running thereby eliminating fatigue;

Sixth, to provide an improved device 35 adapted to increase the speed of a runner wherein two sets of artificial ligaments are operated alternately by suitable motive power to produce a .running movement.

I accomplish these several objects by 40 means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and 45 m.which— . Figure 1 is a side elevation of the anatomy disclosed in a running position with my improved device applied thereto;

. Fig, 2 is a rear view of the person at rest . 50 disclosing the power or operating means ;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the motive power and controlling means therefor;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged sectional view 55 of the. controlling valves and concussion op erated control of said valves in one position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 disclosing^the opposite position of the valves;

Fig. 6 is a further enlarged section taken 60 on line 6—6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a similar section taken on line

7—7 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view of the approximate central portion of the con- 65 trolling valves disclosing the valve operating means in elevation.

For purposes of illustration, the hereinafter described device shall be designated as a pedomotor for the reason that the pedal 70 extremities are operated by an artificial motive power,_ and the various muscles of the anatomy utilized to produce a running movement of the anatomy shall be referred to as the principal motor muscles. 75

In the running movement as practised by human beings, the power is provided by various muscles which contract and relax to move the legs forward alternately and to bear the weight of the body during such 80 movements. The speed of a runner is mainly in proportion to the strength of his motor muscles.

I propose to provide sets of artificial ligaments corresponding and arranged parallel 85 with the principal motor muscles of the anatomy and motive and controlling means for said ligaments in the following manner:

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 are used to designate two artificial 90 ligaments or wires arranged at the rear of a person and on the left and right sides respectively.

These wires or ligaments 1 and 2, as they shall hereinafter be designated, are slidably 95 held in position by means of sleeves 3 and 4 upon the rear of a suitable belt 5.

The ligaments 1 and 2 are divided to run parallel to and correspond with the principal motor muscles of the anatomy as fol- 100 lows:

. The ligament 1 is divided at 6 into two ligaments 8 and 9 which slidably engage sleeves 11, secured to the trousers or other suitable holding apparatus, as disclosed in 105 Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and continue down each side of the left leg of the person and after passing through sleeves 16 arranged near the front of the knee pan of the left leg, are again passed on each side of the 110

1,308,675 two diametrically opposed longitudinal channels 57, arranged when in one position

- to connect the port 44 with the port 58 of _e a second cylinder 59, each having diametri’ cally opposed, lateral extension channels 61 70 ' to connect the port 58 with a second outlet port ^;62-'shown in Fig. 2 of the-drawings.

.The,valves 47 and 48, are arranged to be rotated through a one-quarter revolution whereby one cylinder may be alternately 75 connected with the steam boiler 36 and the outlet port 56 while the other cylinder 59 is .alternately connected with, the outlet-port 62 and the boiler. 36 respectively, by means of <a. ratchet 63 connected to . the ..approxi- so mate, center of the stem-49 ^-and engaged by a pawl 66 pivotally mounted upon, an- oscillating - lever. or arm -67 rotatably. mounted upon the stem 49. and provided with a weight 68 at the outer.end.thereof. 85

..A suitable spring 69 is. provided to normally retain the weighted arm .67 in its upper .position.

The weighted, arm' is arranged to be operated by the concussion occasioned by the 90 running operation when the runner: lights with extended foot upon the ground to .rotate the valves 47 arid 48 . through a onequarter revolution. The said concussion , will cause the weight 68 to move the,arm 67 95 , through one-quarter revolution arid thereby cause the pawl '66 to engage and turn the ratchet 63 of the. valve stem 49 a similar distance.

i Within the cylinders 53 and 59 . are slid- 100 , ably mounted pistons 71 and 72 to which _; are attached the wires or'ligaments 1 and 2 i respectively.

The upper portions of the- cylinders 53 • and 59 are closed and connected to-each 105 ! other by;means of a suitable connection 73 , whereby the upward movement of one pis• ton will operate to lower the other piston.

The valve 39 is provided with a-connecl tion or cord. 77 which hangs over the-shoul- 110 i der of the wearer whereby the steam pres- sure may be controlled.

j The operation is as follows:

> The steam control valve 39 being opened - to admit pressure to one of the cylinders, 115 j say the cylinder 53, the .piston '71 therein - is moved upward.and operates-the ligament } 1 to correspond with the principal motor L muscles of'the left leg, the wearer simul- taneously lifting and taking a step forward 120 - with the.:right leg. The power transmitted 5 to the ligaments 1, 8 and 9 of the left leg b will tend to propel the body or anatomy b. forward while 'the ligaments 21 running L through the sleeves on the right leg will 125 j normally tend to bend that leg at the knee j and bring said right'leg forward and toward . the front part of the upper portion of the body as When’triking a step forward.

i As the body of the wearer is impelled for- 130 leg and to the rear thereof to slidably engage sleeves 17 at the rear of the ankle joint on a boot or shoe 19, the ends of said ligaments 8 and 9 being filially secured to each lower * 5 forward side of the foot as at 18.

„ The ligament 2 is “similarly divided as at 7 into two ligaments -12 and 13 which -pass through .sleeves 14. and similar sleeves arranged as described for the left leg arid also 10 secured,.at, their ends; to, the. forward portion of the right foot.

. In this manner I have. provided two sets of . artificial , ligaments . arranged parallel with and corresponding^- to the principal 15 motor muscles of the anatomy.

In order, to. completer the system I have provided two other sets of artificial ligaments; arranged-to normally, bend each.knee and bring the :fo.ot forward and upward 20 toward the.front of the body as whemtaking a step forward and which may .be described as follows:

. Two sets of ligaments.21 have, their lower ends, secured , to the toe as; at .22 and .after passing through sleeves .23 at the front of theriankle joints ..pass each side of the legs arid to the rear thereof to sleeves,24 at.the rear of the knees thence.back on-each .side of the legs to common junctions ..as.,at 28, through sleeves 26. in the front, of .the belt 5 and terminate in . suitable springs .2-7 the upper , ends of which are-secured to. a harness 29.

Any suitable motive power may be . em35 ployed to alternately operate the ligaments 1 and 2,to produce a running movement. One type of motive power which I have illustrated, is controlled and operated in the following manner:..

The harness 29 has mounted on the rear thereof a suitable frame 31 carrying a .gas or other fuel container 32 provided with a burner 33 within a housing 34 on the -under side of a suitable boiler 36.

The burner 33 is utilized to transform water within the boiler 36 into steam which is carried through the steam pipe.38, controlled by a suitable valve ,39, to two pipes 41 and 42.each leading to intake ports 43 50 and 44 of a suitable control valve mechanism housing designated in general by the numeral 46. The valve mechanism comprises two cylindrical portions 47 .and 48 connected by means of a stem or reduced 55 portion 49.

The portion .47 is provided with .two diametrically opposed longitudinal channels 51 arranged, when in one position to connect the intake port 43 with the .port 52 of a 60 cylinder '53, each longitudinal channel 51 having a -lateral extension 54 to connect the port-52 with.an outlet port 56 in the valve mechanism housing 46, as disclosed in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

Similarly ‘the portion 48 -is ^provided, with

1,308,678 ward as in a. leap or running step the concussion occasioned by the impact of the left foot with the ground and the momentum of the weight 68 will cause the arm 67 and 5 pawl 66 thereon to move the ratchet 63 and valves 47 and 48 through a one-quarter revolution which will move the longitudinal channel 51 on the portion 47 away from connection with the intake port 43 and the 10 port 52 of the cylinder 53 and cause the lateral extension 54 to connect said port 52 with the outlet or exhaust port 56 of the valve housing 46. as disclosed in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Simultaneously the longitu15 dinal channel 57 of the valve 48 will be moved to connect the port 44 with the port 58 of the cylinder 59 thereby operating the piston 72 and the ligaments 2, 12 and 13 connected therewith to operate the right lee 20 of the wearer.

Two sets of channels 51 and 57 and lateral extensions 54 and 61 therefor are provided to lessen the required arc through which the weighted arm 67 and the valves 25 47 and 48 must swing in order to alternate the operation of the cylinders and ligaments attached thereto.