HI all, I am writing a piece about a hardcore, you know the score, the score is my fist in your face, kind of a guy, He is so hardcore he makes Tom Cruise look like a 5'6" 55 year old. Hard Core, with the emphasis on hard, and core, because he is both. He breaks his leg via a machine gun. When he get's to hospital, the following exchange happens: - Doctor: "We're gonna need to pin it." Frank Handle: "Just take it off!" Doctor: "What?" Frank Handle: "Just take the dam thing off!" he eats his cigar at this point. "I don't need anaesthetic." Doctor: "I don't understand, why would we do that?" Frank Handle: "Take the fucking leg off and give me a wheel!" My question is, how would this wheel operate? Any help is welcome.
As an engineer I could imagine a trillion different ways it might work. You have to answer a different question first - What must the wheel be able to do?
The wheel needs to turn as his other leg propels him over the ground, maybe he can use it like a unicycle when he is in a rush.
So it looks like you have already done the basic design work. Take a uni-cycle, remove the pedals, replace the seat post with a harness to attach to his knee. Job done. Maybe a brake based on knee angle and away you zippety well go!
Thanks, my problem is that it will be longer than his other leg, so he'll have to learn to live on an angle. Also, what happens when he goes downhill? Perhaps a face operated braking mechanism?
What a delightfully odd little thread. Matwoolf, I would love to read anything you've ever written. I enjoy your posts here immensely. Regarding the OP, just make it the same size--use a smaller wheel. I'm assuming this is at least tangentially comedic, as nothing like this would ever fly in real life. If you are going for any semblance of realism, you're gonna have to come up with a really good reason why a surgeon would risk losing his lisence, not to mention a multi-million dollar lawsuit, by amputating a leg that simply needs internal fixation (pinning). That's not going to happen in the litigation-riddled United States (and rightly so).
I don't understand why it has to be longer than the other leg. Don't forget skateboarders brake using their shoes sometimes. Why not cut off both legs and give him rollerskate feet?
Just had a thought, why not leave one pedal on so he can actually pedal up hills and stuff. A one legged tough guy pedalling a prosthetic limb uni-cycle up a hill whilst in pursuit of heavily armed baddies on high power Segways.....Now that is a Youtube moment I want to experience!
Use a Biomechanical leg. http://www.spectrum-scientifics.com/Biomechanical-Leg-Kit-p/4684.htm You can't walk with one wheel, or take a shower standing up, or chase someone or, ect.
I've changed my mind (what mind) if you use a sprag clutch (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprag_clutch) so the wheel only rotates, forward then you could push off on it. It would be cool to have an in-bone through skin implant to mount the prosthesis, instead of the socket on stump. Of course you would have to define it as trans-tibial or trans-femoral.
The point at which we are giving prosthetic wheels to hitmen is probably the wrong place for this, but, just in case it is needed - An in bone, through skin mount would be prone to infection and very problematic. If you're writing a farce, then no problem. If you're trying to be taken seriously, it could be a problem.
All I am imagining right now is Tiny Tom on knee stubs trying to ride a unicycle while chasing some one down. And it is endlessly hilarious. How ever I have a few real questions. 1. How the hell do you break your leg with a machine gun? 2. Why are we cutting off his leg and replacing it with a unicycle? Also for realistic purposes, the dude would probably pass out from having his leg cut off without anesthesia. Then comes the slow healing process, and infection risk during this period is high. And why does he want to be handicapped in such a bizarre way? Might as well just have himself surgically melded with a Segway, though that would be even more hilarious to see, but if is balance is good, he could get around a bit more efficiently. Though his worst nemesis would be stairs and really rough terrain. But you have to take the good with the bad, I suppose.
