Baker Perkins Historical Society - Virtual Books

HELPING TO DEVELOP HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT

1. Ankle Rotating Machine – constructed by Baker Perkins apprentices, one of these machines was delivered to Peterborough United football team and was developed and used by the club’s physiotherapist to keep its players in peak condition. In 1983 the Duke of Gloucester tried out an Ankle Rotator at the “Careers in Engineering” Exhibition, held at the East of England Showground. This was an annual event at which local engineering companies, local branches of professional engineering institutions, Peterborough Technical College, the EITB and DTI came together in response to a growing concern about the apparent lack of interest being shown by school leavers in engineering as a career.
   
   Henry Kafeman, a student apprentice from 1978 to 1982, writes:
   
   "Ankle Rotator and Arm Exerciser machines had been developed some time beforehand in the apprentice school. These were used to twist wire to make brushes, etc. to act as occupational therapy. An earlier student apprentice project took the Ankle Rotator machine as a basis and developed it to switch on power to a mains socket whilst exercise was being undertaken.
   
   This was used to power anything from a jig saw to a radio to act as an incentive for the patient.
   
   I undertook as my student apprentice project, similar development of the Arm Exerciser coining the "HDK Arm Excerciser". A few were made and were tested and used successfully in the local hospital's Occupational
   Therapy Department.
   
   I think Peter Glensmark and another Student Apprentice developed the Ankle Rotator, a year or two before my project, if I remember right?"
   
   
   
   
2. Baker Perkins had a long association with the Manor House Hospital in London and helped to develop Myles Traction Units for hospital use. These were made with various attachments to treat injuries to arms, legs, backs, necks etc.

All content © the Website Authors unless stated otherwise.