Foot for crutches or canes.

Application filed February 24,1899. Serial No. 706,649. (No model.) other and to other parts of the jointed foot. The socket-piece A is formed at or near its lower end with an outwardly-projecting flange or shoulder, against which the lower end of the ferrule C abuts when it is screwed down 55 into place upon said socket-piece. D is a rubber ring which is placed over the joint between the upper end of the socket-piece A and the end of the crutch or cane and serves to exclude, from said joint moisture and dirt which 60 might prevent the crutch or cane from turning freely in said socket-piece. E is a circular metallic holder recessed on the under side and internally threaded to receive and hold a rubber cushion F, which constitutes the bearing 65 of the foot. The holder is formed or provided centrally on the upper side with a ball G, which is loosely fitted in the spherical socket in the lower end of the socket-piece A. H is a rubber ring or annular cushion interposed 7° between the lower end of the socket-piece A and the upper side of the holder E around the neck of the ball G. It serves to prevent shock or jar and the grating or grinding sensation when the foot strikes the floor or ground 7 5 and one part of the ball-and-socket joint turns in the other part. The cushion F, which is preferably made of soft rubber, is recessed or concaved on the under side, so as to leave a bearing around the margin of the rubber, 80 which is thus made to act when brought squarely clown upon the floor or ground like a sucker. In this way slipping of the foot is prevented and at the same time injury to carpets and floors is avoided. To insure the foot 85 being brought squarely down upon the floor or ground, the ball G is fitted loosely in its socket, so that when the foot is raised it will naturally assume a horizontal position at whatever angle the crutch or cane may be held. 90 The upper side of the cushion F is also recessed or concaved, or a space is left between it and the top of the holder E, so that the middle of the rubber cushion can yield upwardly in the said holder. By this means if 95 • snow or mud collects in the cavity in the lower : side of the cushion when a step is taken the ! rubber will be forced upwardly into the holder • and when the foot is raised will by reason of l its elasticity tend to spring back into its norTo all whom it may concern: <

Be it known that we, John W. Morris and ' Gustave J. Luck, citizens of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county < 5 of Milwaukee and State of 'Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feet for Crutches or Canes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a io part thereof.

The main objects of our invention are to prevent slipping, to prevent injury to carpets and floors, to avoid wear and the disagreeable grating or grinding sensation produced by the 15 turning of one metal part in or upon another, and generally to improve the construction and operation of devices of the class to which my invention relates and to promote the convenience and comfort of those who are obliged to 20 use crutches and canes.

It consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter particularly described, and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical medial section on the line 1 1, Fig. 2, of a jointed foot embodying our improvement. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sec30 tion of the same on the line 2 2, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 1 of a modified form of the device.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A designates a socket-piece, which is formed in the upper 35 end with a tapering socket and in the lower end with a spherical socket. For the purpose of assembling the parts as hereinafter explained this socket-piece is made in two or more sections, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The end of the crutch or cane stick to which the foot is to be applied is tapered and fitted in the socket in the upper end of the socketpiece A, in which it swivels or turns freely, and is held by a headed pin or screw B, which 45 passes through a countersunk hole in the socket-piece A into the end of the crutch or cane stick, as seen in Fig. 1. C is a ferrule or sleeve fitted over and threaded upon the socket-piece A for holding its component sec50 tions together in their proper relation to each

765,984 mal position, and thus expel the snoxv or mud taken up by the foot. The. foot is thus made self-clearing.

In the useof a cane or crutch, particularly 5 a crutch, it is turned or txvistecl more or less in taking a step. This turning or txvisting movement is provided for in the swivel-joint betxveen the crutch or cane end and the socketpiece A, so that when the foot is brought into io contact with the floor or ground it does not turn thereon, nor does the ball G turn in the socket-piece A. Abrasion and xvear of the contact-surface on cushion F are thus greatly reduced, the tearing of carpets and marring 15 of floors are avoided, and the wear and disagreeable grating and grinding sensation produced by the ball turning in its socket are materially reduced. To prevent the grinding of the ball in its socket, a piece of rubber or 20 leather may be placed between them or a stiff or semisolid lubricant may be employed.

Referring to Fig. 3, showing a modification of the jointed foot, the socket-piece A' is made in a single piece and is provided at the 25 lower end with a ball G', xvhich forms a part of the universal joint connecting the socketpiece A' with the holder E' of the foot. The ball G' is made separate from the socket-piece and attached thereto by a screw-thread or other 3° suitable means, so as to admit of assembling the parts as hereinafter described. The end of the crutch or cane is tapered and fitted to turn in the socket-piece A', and the joint between them is protected by a rubber ring D.

A headed pin 01· screw B passing upwardly through a countersunk hole in the ball G' and its stem into the end of the crutch or cane stick holds it loosely in the socket - piece. Holder E' is formed on the upper side with a 4° part of a spherical socket to receive the ball G , which is held therein by a retaining-ring I, threaded in said holder. A rubber ring H is interposed between the lower end of the socket-piece A' and the ring I of the holder 45 and forms a cushion serving the same purpose as the like designated ring in Fig. 1. A rubber bearing-piece or cushion Fis screwed into the holder E', as in Fig. 1. The operation of this form of the device is essentially 5° like that of the form shown in Fig. 1 and will be readily understood without further explanation.

Various changes in the minor details of the device may be made xvithout affecting its op55 eration and xvithout departing from the principle and intended scope of the invention.