This invention relates to a traction device adapted to be slipped onto a lower-leg end of a Thomas splint and including resilient walls to provide a sufficient friction fit with said splint that the traction device will not fall off of the splint by its own weight but which may be readily manually removed from the splint. The traction device includes a socket which receives the splint and has two cylindrical housings molded integrally with the socket. The cylindrical housings form bearings and a shaft extends between the housings and receives a belt which is coiled upon the shaft when the shaft is rotated in one direction and uncoiled when the shaft is rotated in the other direction. The shaft is movable along its longitudinal axis. It is biased in one direction by a spring, in one of the housings, into a first operating position. In that position, a set of teeth on the inner end wall of the other housing engages a similar set of teeth on the inner end wall of a knob connected to the shaft, the teeth coacting to allow the shaft to rotate in only one direction to coil the belt upon the shaft. In a second operating position, which is attained by pulling the knob outwardly against the force of the spring, the shaft may rotate in either direction.
A splint for use with a human leg has a frame including a pair of rod portions adapted to extend in one direction along a leg. At one end the frame has a pad for engagement with the ischial tuberosity. At the other end the frame carries a base block in engagement with which is a sliding block, the blocks being relatively movable in the indicated direction by a screw with an operating knob. A cable is attached to the leg in the ankle region and engages one end of a spring structure at the other end engaging the sliding block. An indicator shows the relative position of the cable and of the sliding block.
