Shackles
Ankle cuffs , also called ankle cuffs or leg irons , are used to tie the feet with the aim of restricting movement. In terms of form and function, ankle cuffs are often very similar to handcuffs , but differ from them in that they have a larger opening and usually also have a longer connecting chain between the two lockable rings.
nomenclature
The plural term shackles (in analogy to hand ring ) for enlarged handcuffs with a long chain is most common. The term ankle cuff is mainly used by manufacturers and dealers; in common parlance it also includes all possible other devices for shackling one or both feet and not just metal shackles, as can be seen in the term " electronic ankle cuffs ". Leg irons , if not used synonymously with leg cuffs, characterize an old metal shackle or one with a different locking system than that of standard hand and leg cuffs. The ankle cuff (singular) describes a single ring or the concrete half of a pair of ankle cuffs.
history
The earliest archaeological finds of shackles date from the Bronze and Iron Ages ; the main locking mechanism is a puzzle mechanism. A number of other forms of fetters are known from Roman times; There are clamps with leaf spring locks, clamps to be riveted and also early forms of capsule clamps, which were used up to modern times. Simple designs without a built-in lock were more widespread in the Middle Ages, before mass production of industrialization made the installation of locks in shackles affordable.
Simple shackles were still used, such as puzzle shackles as the typical slave shackles in the southern states of America or riveted shackles when transporting prisoners to prison camps overseas.
The Bilboes type (also called Grillo or traps called) is used as a simple and easy to manufacture ankle bracelet in many countries to modern times. Here, bent brackets are placed around the ankles in a "U" shape, which are secured on the open sides by an iron rod that is pushed through two eyelets provided on the brackets. This rod is often permanently mounted on a device or closed on a wall or column, so that although a certain amount of freedom of movement remains, the target person's freedom of movement is suspended.
The development of modern restraints with screw caps went like handcuffs to spring-loaded screw threads (“Darby-type restraints”), which were used by the police in Europe until the middle of the 20th century. In the United States from the end of the 19th century there were a multitude of new mechanisms and types of construction, often built as handcuffs and ankle cuffs at the same time, until the peerless type with swinging shackles and lock mechanism established itself as today's standard design.
A development in the last few decades are so-called high security restraints, in which a lock cylinder is installed instead of a normal tumbler lock.
In 2005, the British Customs seized some models of ankle cuffs with a Hiatts 104 chain as torture instruments. The reasoning stated that “leg irons with chains” are banned by the UN as “torture devices” . They should therefore only be sold in the respective country of manufacture. Any cross-border delivery was prohibited.
Executions
Ankle cuffs are made of different materials, depending on the area of application. So-called "suspenders" ( cable ties ) are used for quick and short-term fixation . For longer fixations they usually consist of two metal rings that are connected with a chain. In the medical field, cuffs for fixation of the limbs are mainly made of leather or solid fabric. The Hamburger Fessel is a combination of hand and ankle cuffs that can be worn under clothing by the person who is tied up and enables normal gait. It is mainly used for bringing offenders to court .
As far as the shape of the bells is concerned, one can essentially distinguish between two groups. Individual manufacturers such as Peerless or CTS Thompson use a round shape that differs from handcuffs only in its slightly larger diameter. The shackles from other manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson in particular, but also Yuil and Alfa Proj, have a rather oval shape. This has the advantage that the shape adapts better to the ankle and the ankle cuffs press less on the Achilles heel than with round cuffs.
The chain between the leg cuffs is approx. 35 cm long in the standard models of the popular American manufacturers Smith & Wesson, Peerless or CTS Thompson. This allows the handcuffed person to walk reasonably normally, but prevents the person from walking or running. At approx. 28 cm, the chain on model 8 from the German manufacturer Clejuso is a little shorter; but the handcuffed person can still walk independently (albeit with short steps). The chain on the Ralkem 9925 model from the Czech manufacturer Alfa Proj is even shorter (approx. 14 cm), which considerably restricts the person being tied up when walking. Individual models such as Smith & Wesson M-110 only have a connection of two chain links between the two cuffs, as is usually the case with handcuffs . These models can either be used as oversized handcuffs for people with exceptionally strong wrists or as particularly restrictive ankle cuffs (e.g. for a hogtie ).
Compared to handcuffs, footcuffs typically achieve less restriction of movement, which is limited to a reduction in the stride length and only allows a lower walking and running pace, and also creates the risk of stumbling in the event of rapid movements of the handcuffed person. In the penal system of some countries, ankle cuffs are therefore considered suitable for longer wearing times. In order not to encourage this controversial practice, there has been an export ban on shackles from the European Union for some time . Ankle cuffs for intended long-term use are therefore now largely manufactured and sold locally by the relevant countries. One example are the Chinese ankle cuffs (see illustration), which are designed for longer wearing times. Here, after closing, a metal plate is screwed onto the closure opening in order to e.g. B. to prevent the ingress of dirt into the mechanism as part of forced labor outdoors.
If ankle cuffs are combined with handcuffs , a very far-reaching restriction of movement is achieved, depending on the construction and application. Combined handcuffs and ankle cuffs, in which a pair of handcuffs are connected to ankle cuffs by a more or less long chain, are common. Such combinations are particularly widespread in the USA, where they are primarily used for transporting prisoners; a well-known model is the Smith & Wesson m-1850 transport restraint . In Europe, too, some manufacturers have such restraint combinations in their range, for example the German company Clejuso with the model 128m or the Czech company Alfa Proj with the model Ralkem 9930 . In these models, the extended restriction of movement is due to the fact that the connecting chain makes it difficult to raise the hands above hip height. Furthermore, the connecting chain prevents the chain of the ankle cuffs from dragging on the floor or the ankle cuffs from slipping while walking, which would cause unnecessary pain for the prisoner. These restraint combinations allow the prisoner to move slowly, albeit with small steps, and only prevent faster walking or running with larger steps. The so-called auto restraints are an exception to this . These are primarily intended for the transport of prisoners in the car and consist of ankle cuffs with a chain that is shorter than standard ankle cuffs, which in turn are connected to a pair of handcuffs via a short chain. The prisoner is forced into a sitting position and can only bend over and walk with extremely short steps. A further restriction of movement can be achieved by fixing the handcuffs to the prisoner's waist with a belly chain .
application
Ankle cuffs should not be placed too tightly, as they can cause pain to the handcuffed person while walking. As a rule of thumb, two fingers should fit between the handcuffed person's foot and the shackle bar. If possible, ankle cuffs should not be placed on bare skin, but over socks, even better over the trouser legs.
The safest way to put shackles on a person is to have the person being handcuffed e.g. B. kneel on a chair or bench and then attach the shackles while kneeling. Since the Achilles heel is relaxed when kneeling, particular care must be taken to ensure that the clamps are loose, as otherwise the clamps could cause considerable pain to the handcuffed person while walking. If kneeling is not possible, they should not be put on a standing person from behind, but rather from the side, so that the person to be tied up cannot defend himself by kicking backwards. Another method is to place the person to be handcuffed up against a wall and order them to lift one foot alternately, to which the cuff is then attached. Care must be taken that the person to be tied up does not lose their balance and fall. People who are already handcuffed should therefore be held by the upper arms by two other people when using this method.
The keyholes in the leg cuffs should always point upwards (i.e. away from the floor). The lock should be activated immediately after putting on to prevent the ankle cuffs from becoming too tight.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Guenter K .: leg irons from the rest of the world. In: www.atame.info. Retrieved December 4, 2016 .
- ↑ Guenter K .: handcuffs from the USA after 1950. In: www.atame.info. Retrieved December 4, 2016 .
- ^ New Page 1. In: www.alexhandcuffs.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016 .
- ↑ a b c Alex R Nichols: A Guidebook to Handcuffs and other Restraints of the World . Kingscourt Publications, ISBN 0-9531338-1-8 , pp. 298 .