Fracture nail plate assembly

Claim 1

A fracture nail plate assembly for connecting shaft and other portions of a broken bone together comprising an elongated nail having a splined end for implantation into a portion of the broken bone and a substantially smooth end for engagement in the assembly, a bushing for connecting the smooth end of the nail to the assembly, an elongated retaining plate, the bushing having a slanted end for engaging the retaining plate at an obtuse angle in accordance with the angle of engagement of the nail and retaining plate with different portions of the broken bone connected thereby, the retaining plate having convex outer and concave inner cross sections disposed perpendicularly to its length for engaging about the shaft of the bone, the retaining plate having inwardly directed flanges extending within its concave cross sections for connecting it to the slanted end of the bushing, the flanges having inwardly directed triangular cross sections and the outer surface of the slanted end of the bushing having corresponding grooves disposed parallel to its slanted end whereby the retaining plate is slidably engaged with the slanted end of the bushing for connecting them together, the retaining plate having a row of apertures for connecting it to the outside of the shaft of the bone, the smooth end of the nail being inserted within the bushing in telescopic relationship, a connection in the end of the smooth end of the nail to permit it to be manipulated by an elongated tool connected thereto, an aperture in the retaining plate in line with the connected bushing to permit access by the tool to the connection in the nail, a C-shaped spring having a gap disposed between the outer wall of the smooth end of the nail and inner portions of the bushing, a circumferential groove in a portion of the outer wall of the nail inserted within the bushing within which the C-shaped spring is engaged, a pair of longitudinal slots in the outer smooth wall of the nail on opposite sides of the circumferential groove, the slots being angularly displaced from each other to prevent a straight through passage through them and the gap in the C-shaped spring, a pin in the unconnected end of the bushing and extending therewithin, the pin being slightly narrower than the width of the slots whereby the nail and spring may be assembled into and rotatably locked within the bushing and the nail is angularly locked within the bushing.