SHOP WORK with a CARNES ARTIFICIAL ARM (Jun, 1924)
SHOP WORK with a CARNES ARTIFICIAL ARM
FOR nearly ten years a Carnes Artificial Arm has kept Mr. Pahhe Yazze of Lawrence, Kan., on the payroll as a draftsman and machinist at a good salary. Thousands of other mechanics, artisans, office workers, farmers and laborers owe their independence to this improved arm.
Life-Like in Action and AppearanceThe Carnes Arm cannot be detected from the natural except by close inspection. Its user can dress himself, use knife, fork, pen, pencil and keys; pick up large or small objects, carry grips—in fact, do virtually everything that was possible before. He can bend the elbow of the Carnes Arm, bend and turn the wrist and open and close the fingers at will, even if the amputation is at the shoulder.
A book of 192 pages, profusely illustrated with photographs showing what can be done with this remarkable invention, will be sent free to any person interested Send for it now.
CARNES ARTIFICIAL LIMB CO..
208 Carnes Bldg., Kansas City, Mo.
I’d like to know how this worked. Or was supposed to work. As far as I know, artificial limbs now days can’t do all that.
Comment by Anne — April 8, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
This was an invention by my grandfather, William T. Carnes, Sr. He had lost his right arm at the shoulder in a machine shop accident and he was an inventor so he made himself an arm. The arm was fully functional and had movable fingers and thumb. It functioned much like a real arm but with limitations of mechanics in those days. The product sold very well with the U.S. military buying many of them for soldiers who had lost limbs (yes, they made legs too). The company folded during the Great Depression. The Smithsonian has an arm and it is in a rotating display of artificial limbs. Our family has lots of information on the arm and the company.
Comment by John Carnes — December 1, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
And here’s another little reference:
http://www.christies.com/LotFi.....ID=3758676
Christie’s Auction house sold an arm in 1994. Interesting, but the picture isn’t there.
Comment by John Carnes — December 1, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
I WAS A WEARER OF CARNES ARMS AT THE AGE OF 13 IN 1940 FITTED WITH ONE ABOVE ELBOW AND ONE BELOW ELBOW AT THE KANSAS CITY FACILITY. I MET WILLIAM T CARNES AND MY PHOTOS WERE
DEPICTED ON THEIR BROCHURES……..THESE ARMS WERE A GREAT PIECE OF ENGINEERING.
Comment by JERRY LEAVY — March 28, 2009 @ 10:56 am
I have seen one of these wow way ahead of its time .would like to build modern version .I too am a amputee and have a modern machine shop in Tasmania Australia .Can anybody help? email mark@dynamicwelding.com
Comment by mark lesek — July 19, 2009 @ 7:50 am
Here
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.u.....px?id=5783
http://www.ingenious.org.uk/si.....D=1999-528
http://www.google.com/patents?.....038;zoom=4
http://www.google.com/patents?.....038;zoom=4
http://www.google.com/patents?.....#038;cad=1
Comment by Firebrand38 — July 19, 2009 @ 10:40 am
Good find Firebrand38! Our family still has all the original patent drawings and information. It’s quite interesting to see that Google has all that indexed now.
Mark Lesek: Let me know if I can help with your project. Exciting!
Comment by John Carnes — July 19, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
john carnes please email me regards mark lesek
Comment by mark lesek — July 20, 2009 @ 12:34 am
has anybody a carnes arm I can borrow to replicate a modern version? please email mark@dynamicwelding.com
Comment by mark lesek — July 21, 2009 @ 7:06 am
Mark, you have an e-mail.
Comment by John Carnes — July 23, 2009 @ 10:12 am
Dear John,
I left the email on number 9 but here it is again. Mark at Dynamic
Comment by Mark Lesek — July 23, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
Mark: Actually I meant to say that I sent you an e-mail. You should have gotten it by now.
Comment by John Carnes — July 23, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
Hello John
I haven’t yet received your email, please try again, you should get through by clicking on the email link. If you wish to leave your email address I shall contact you
Thanks, Mark
Comment by Mark Lesek — July 26, 2009 @ 7:30 pm
e-mail enroute again.
Comment by John Carnes — July 26, 2009 @ 8:18 pm
I hope to remake these arms in Tasmania Australia with the encourgement of the inventors grandson John Carnes and family.I have a original 1912 and will build a modern replica with modern materials in my modern machine shop.I too am a right hand above elbow amputee who has the determination need and resorces to make this a reality.These arms have some features that even modern arms lack.They have been forgotten abour for seventy years.Please email me if you have a need or support this exciting project. mark@dynamicwelding.com My website is http://www.dynamicwelding.com or google my name in mark lesek and see what comes up.I need your support.
Comment by mark lesek — October 16, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
Hello John!
My Mother was your Grandfather’s niece [or Great Niece?] through my Grandmother Elsie Carnes.
Mom had told me as a child of her Uncle who had ‘invented a new type of artificial arm’and manufactured them
in Kansas City Missouri. I remember her showing me a brochure from the Company and telling
me that her Uncle had lost his arm in a factory accident and I believe my brother David may still have
it. So I googled Carnes Artificial Limbs tonight and eventually found your link here!
My family is quite interested in our geaneology and history and my brother David is working on it more in detail.
I’m not sure if he has this link or not. Would you be interested in forwarding your email address to me about
sharing more specifics of this familial historical connection? I would appreciate it if this isn’t posted as it’s personal, but this is so interesting! Thank you! Kind Regards, C. Henderson
Comment by C. Henderson — December 27, 2009 @ 4:34 am
Hello C. Henderson! Could be a small world. You can reach me at John@(full name with no spaces)com. Hopefully this will keep the spambots from harvesting my e-mail.
Comment by John Carnes — December 27, 2009 @ 11:16 am
There has been a lot of research done by Swisswuff, an amputee friend and medical doctor in Switzerland. There is a German connection as between the two world wars the Germans paid a lot of money to buy the patents and also did their own improvements. Very interesting story, that one day hopefully someone will make a movie about. In the meantime the vision with rebuild project is taking shape. http://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=243 (For Details)
Mark Lesek ~ Tasmania, Australia
Comment by Mark — January 3, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
“Artificial Abm” …. so Carnes did hide the really sophisticated tricks he sold to the Germans and only published the US Patent in 1942 under US Patent 2287781 (http://www.freepatentsonline.com/2287781.html) and no wonder you cannot find it unless you know it’s there and you dig harder. At any rate this is an English translation that I provided to the Carnes hand as sold to the Germans for a really large sum of money – http://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=268
Comment by Wolf Schweitzer — January 31, 2010 @ 5:39 pm
I’d like to speak with Jerry Leavy about the Carnes arm and about prosthetics in general. Please contact me at jon-at-openprosthetics.org.
Thanks,
Jon Kuniholm
Comment by Jonathan Kuniholm — February 19, 2010 @ 4:58 pm
Hi Folks, This is the latest on the Replica Carnes Hand project. I hope this explains and answers a few questions. All for suggestions, please contact me on mark@dynamicwelding.com Please use this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDWiN_7EGRM to see my video. This will be debuted in the USA in September 2010. Regards Mark
Comment by Mark Lesek — July 14, 2010 @ 12:20 am
Mark, I’m very impressed with the outstanding progress you’ve made on this and I’m looking forward to your U.S. visit so we can meet.
Comment by John Carnes — July 14, 2010 @ 6:38 am
For viewing of the original patents in date order follow these links:
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT760102 1904 Solo effort in Pennsylvannia
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT999484 1911 Pop out attachments/coin pocket
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT1046966 1912 Below elbow left hand view
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT1046967 1912 Above elbow left hand view
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT1056499 1913 Improved harness right hand view
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT1402476 1922 Unsuccessful, too heavy, complex
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT2287781 1942 More simple,Vol. open, ltd no made
Comment by Mark Lesek — August 16, 2010 @ 7:26 pm
To view a compilation of advertisements and newspaper articles relating to the Carnes Arm follow this link and if 75% of the claims and guarantees are correct then it would be a wonderful result by todays standards.
http://openprosthetics.ning.com/group/carnesarm
Comment by Mark Lesek — August 16, 2010 @ 10:21 pm
Thanks, Mark. This is fascinating stuff.
Comment by Toronto — August 17, 2010 @ 12:48 pm
Hi All see the rebirth of this arm on youtube type in inventor ofthe week or markmonty54 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxA0ZCQdoKQ please contact me if you have an interest Cheers Mark
Comment by Mark Lesek — December 22, 2010 @ 3:02 am
Revision: For viewing of the original patents in date order follow these links:
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT760102 1904 Solo effort in Pennsylvannia
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT999484 1911 Pop out attachments/coin pocket
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT1046966 1912 Below elbow left hand view
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT1046967 1912 Above elbow left hand view
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT1056499 1913 Improved harness right hand view
http://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=268#more-268 1918 Sold to Germans for $15M Mod Equiv
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT1402476 1922 Unsuccessful, too heavy, complex
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT2287781 1942 More simple,Vol. open, ltd no made
Comment by Mark Lesek — June 26, 2011 @ 10:38 pm
I have taken a look at the patents and come up with a modern design. Well actually a whole new design with help of the patents. I’m trying to change the shoulder/elbow/wrist with a ball and socket design. I’m not quiet sure that it will work, but what’s there to lose. I’m coming up with a… Combat style prosthetic. I’m using the ball and socket design to match the human shoulder. Plus it will use magnets, maybe. Now I’m only 15 and I’m using my father’s workshop to build this. If wouldn’t mind telling me if this might work. My father thinks it’s possible, but I would like some professional help. My email is Ragedancer00@gmail.com. Email me to give me some help.
Comment by Sam Groom — December 24, 2011 @ 12:06 pm
Please follow the link to see our latest update on the Carnes Hand Project
Comment by Mark Lesek — January 19, 2012 @ 7:55 pm