US1346059A - Foot-arch support - Google Patents

Description

w. H. ROBSON AND A. POWELL.

JFOOT ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29. 19l9.

Patented July 6, 1920.

2 SHEEISSHEEI l.

.W. H. ROBSON AND A. POWELL.

FOOT ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29.1919.

1,346,059. Pat nt d J ulyfi, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET WILLIAM HENRY ROBSON AND ALFRED POWELL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

FOOT-ARCH SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application filed December 29, 1919. Serial No. 348,121.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VVILLIAM HENRY RonsoN and ALFRED POWELL, residing at 7 New Oxford street, London, (1, surgical-instrument makers, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Foot-Arch Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the foot-arch supports, that is to say, to devices for supporting a weak instep or restoring the natural arch in the case of a flat foot.

In the improved form of adjustable support according to this invention we provide a resilient support consisting of a number of comparatively light springs of metal, rubber or other suitable material in place of the usual substantially solid plate, and we further preferably provide means whereby the springs may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with requirements.

e preferably use a number of spiral metal springs having their ends secured to one side edge of the supporting frame or plate, and their other ends to the upturned edge of the other side of the frame so that they form a springy incline adapted to lie under the arch of the foot.

Instead of securing the ends of the springs to the upturned edge directly, we prefer to secure them to a plate lying and adjustable upon the upturned side of the supporting frame, so that by raising or lowering the plate the springs can be correspondingly raised or lowered. I

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view Fig. 2 side view and Fig. 3 an end or rear view Fig. 4- is a section on the line 4'fic of Fig. 9., and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, while Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the sliding blocks.

Figs. 7 and 8 are side views, showing different means for raising and lowering the springs,

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate constructions wherein the tension of the springs can be modified, and

Fig. 11 shows a modified means for securing the upper ends of the springs.

The main plate A, which rests on the in sole of the boot, and is preferably, for lightness, cut awav at the center to form a frame, 1s substantially flat, as indicated in Fig. 3, with one side A bent upward at an angle, the top of this side being arc-shaped as shown at a in Fig. 1, and dotted lines in Fig. 2.

An adjustable plate 13, correspondingly arched at the top is applied against the back of the part A and is partly held in position by means of the sides of a slot Z) engaging under the head of a screw (4 or rivet secured to the part A. This plate E has a series of lugs or pins 6 upon its arched upper edge, for the purpose of receiving the ends 0 of a series of springs C, the other ends of which are secured to the opposite side of the base A. In the example illustrated the edge of the base A is slotted at a and the ends 0 of the springs are passed through the slots and bent over.

The springs are thus stretched on anincline between the top of the plate 13 and the edge of the frame A.

rovision is made for simultaneously stretching the springs C and raising their upper ends, so as to raise the arch of the foot. This is effected in the following way.

At each side of the frame A, at the bend, are provided blocks (Z through which pins (Z' screw-threaded at their inner ends, extend, collars (Z (Z being provided on the pins, so that while they can be rotated, they cannot move longitudinally.

These pins lie in slots or openings (0' in the bent-up portion of the plate A.

On each side the lower edge of the movable plate B is cut away on an incline rising from the outer edge toward the middle, to form two upwardly inclined edges 72 Grooved blocks 6 are threaded on the pins (Z', the lower groove 6' on each block engaging the lower edge a of the slots a (Fig. 2) while the upper groove 6 c (Fig. 6) which is double the width of the lower groove 6', engages the edge 6 and the upper edge a of the slot at. This upper groove consists of a groove 0 which is a horizontal groove, and a groove 6 which is inclined to correspond to the inclination b of the plate B. It will be seen that each block is engaged at three places, i. 6., centrally by the screw pin cl, at its base by the edge a and at its top by the edges a and 6 For use the plate is secured, say by rivets F to the underside of a leather or other sole,

and to enable one size support to be used for a number of sizes in boots, we may provide curved lines on the heel end of the sole so that by cutting along one or other of these lines the position of the supporting springs is varied in relation to the heel.

If it is desired to raise or lower, and thereby simultaneously extend or slacken the springs, the screw rods CZ are turned, in the desired direction, byv means of their handle ends d (Fig. 1 thereby raisingior lowering the plate B andwith it the springs C. Should one or more of the springs become broken or deformed or slack it can be easily removed and replaced by another.

The springs need not necessarily extend from one-side of the plate or support to the other. .For example, short springs may be secured to one or'other edge ofthe plate, their other ends being attached to one edge of apiece of canvas, leather or other material, the other edge of the latter being se" cured to the other edge of the plate orto,

similar springs secured theretoa It is notnecessary to describe in detail the manymodified forms in which our invention can be embodied in order to effect either simply raising or lowering the springs at one end, simply varying the tension of the springs, or the combined raising or lowering and tension adjustment of the springs, as these operations-can be effected in various ways as by means of cams, eccentrics, rollers, hinges, telescopic parts or lever devices,

and the adjustable form of the invention is not limited to any particular method of ac complishing the adjustments referred to.

A few examples of these modifications i may, however, be indicated. If the side A is substantially at a right angle to the main or base plate, when the part B is raised, theftension of the springs will remain substantially unaltered, while, conversely, by

arranging the movable part of the device'on the end of the base part A, the tension of the springs can be varied. without altering the height of the springs at the other end. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 9 wherein the movable plate B, corresponding to B in Fig. 3, can be adjusted to and fro on the plate A, bymeans of a screwa engaging in a small bracket a secured to the'plate A, the screw also engaging in the upturned end of a sliding plate B, provided with a longitudinal slot to receive the stemsofheaded guide and clamping screws a similar-tothose shown-in Fig. 2. By turning the screw 0 after loosening the screws a the plate B can be moved outward or'inward on theplate A.

= 'Fig. 7. illustrates a construction, similar to'Figp2, wherein the parts A and B are substantially at a right angle to the main plate, the movable member B being operated 'byfa rightiand left handed screw cl,

having a central milled head (Z by which the blocks 0 are simultaneously moved outward or inward to lower or raise the member B, as required.

N Fig. 8 shows a similar view in which cams f are employed to raise and lower the member B.

Fig. 10 illustrates a modified construction wherein the parts A and A are hinged together, the ends of the springs being, attacheddirectly to the upper end of A, and a screw 9 being employed to regulate the angle formed by A withA.

Fig- 11' indicates a modified means for securing the ends of the springs, the ends of the springs being hooked over the bars 6 formed between adjacent perforations b '6 Y "What we claim and desire Letters Patent is 1. A foot-arch support comprising a base member having one side higher than the other, and a support comprising a member of readily and individually removable spring members extending between and se cured to the two sides of the base member.

2. A foot-arch support comprising a base member having one sideqhigher-than the other, a support comprising a number of springs extending between the two, sides of the base member, and means for varying the tension of the springs.

to secure by 3. A foot-arch support comprising a base member having one side higher than the other, a support comprising a number-of springs extending between'the two sides of the base member, and means for varying the inclination of the springs.

4. A foot-arch support comprising a base member having" an upwardly extending side, means for adjusting the position of said sidesrelatively to the remainder of the base member, 'and a support-comprising a number of springs extending from the top of the incline side to the other side of the base member.

5. A foot-arch support comprising a base member having one side higher than the other and a support comprising a number of spirally wound metal'springs extending between the two sides of'the base member.

6. A foot-arch support comprising a'base member having an upwardly extending side and a series of spiral metal springsyeach spring having one of its ends secured to one side of thebase member and its other end secured to the upwardly inclined side, substantially as set forth.

7. A foot-arch support comprising a'base member having an upwardly extending flat side portion, an adjustable plate having a curved upper surface lying against the flat side and adjustable thereon, and a series of spring members secured on the one side tothe adjustableplate and at their other ends to the other side of the base member substantially as set forth.

8. A foot-arch support comprising a base member having an upwardly extending side a plate lying against the side, a screw adjustment for raising or lowering the plate relatively to the side, and a series of spring members secured on the one side to the plate and at their other ends to the other side of the base member substantially as set forth.

9. A foot-arch support comprising a base member having an upwardy extending side, a plate adj ustably mounted against said side,

inclined guides on said plate, nuts adapted to travel on the base member and engaging 15 said inclined guide, screw adjustment for said nuts on a series of springs extending from the adjustable plate to the other side of the base member.

in testimony whereof We aflix our signa- 20 tures in presence of two witnesses.

"WILLIAM HENRY ROBSON. ALFRED POWELL. Witnesses SAMUEL WILLIAM RANDALL, ALFRED Gnonen NAYLOR.

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