US2397428A

US2397428A - Foot-exercising device

Info

Publication number: US2397428A
Application number: US550763A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles C Moshier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1942-12-24
Filing date: 1944-08-23
Publication date: 1946-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1963-03-26

Description

March 26, 1946. c.-c. MOSHIER FOOT-EXERCISING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 24, 1942 muwf W R 05 T 0 MM V0 m s &

A TTORNE Y5 March 26, 1946. g Q Q os 2,397,428

FOOT-EXERGISING DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 24, '1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ilium A TTORNEYS Patented Mar. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES OFFICE 2,397,428 roor-cxcaolsmo DEVICE Charles C. Mshier,'Mau'd,";0hio

Original application December '24, 1942, Serial 470,001. Divided and this application August 23, 1944, Serial No."550;7-63

'2 Claims.

subjecting thefront portion-ofthefoot to a' circular movement while holding the rear-portion of the foot in fixedposition; exercising the joints of'the feet, ligaments-muscles and fascia around the joints, assists in maintaining proper "blood circulation and helps to relieve nerve pressure.

It-- is understood that the device herein described-is to be used only" in connection with the treatment of substantially normal feet and it is not intended foruse in connection with seriously deformed feet'or feet having other serious foot ailments which surgery alone can cure.

One 'ofthe objects of myinvention is to-provide a device for holding the heel of'the foot in'fixed position and at the same time imparting acircular'motion to the frontportion of'the foot thus flexing themiddle portion of the foot.

Another object of my inventionis to provide a devicewhich will so exercise the'muscles and joints of the foot that normal circulationof blood to the foot will "be restored.

Another object of 'my'invention is to provide a device which'will so treat 'the foot that it will relievenerve'pressure caused by'the bones 'of'the foot being out of normal position andthus pinching the nerves.

Another object 'of'my' invention is'to'provide afoot-exercising device which can 'be adjusted so that ,the successive treatments -can be made more intense as the exercising program proceeds.

Another'object of my inventionis "to provide a device which when used 'to'treat the foot will strengthen the muscles and ligaments .of the foot so that the bones will not'beso apt to-pull'out of place.

Another object of my invention is to provide a foot-exercising device which requires 'no'further attention "on the part of the operator once the exerciser'has been adjusted and started.

Another object of my'invention is to provide a foot-exercising device which can be adjusted to fit any size foot.

Another object of myinvention is toprovide a foot-exerciser which is inexpensive "to construct.

Various other objects will be apparent from the drawings, the following description and the claims. a

The preferred embodiment of my invention is a foot-exercising device constructed so that the heel of the footis held in "fixed position while thetoes are manipulated in "a circular movement which will necessarily flex themid-portion of the foot. The device is operated byan electric motor -of thereversi'bletype andisadjustable so that the treatment can be intensified or lessened depending "upon 'the patient being treated. The circular movement'impartedto the "toe members i will necessarily impart a slight'longitudinal actionbetween the" toes and the metatarsal joint of the foot. A support member bears against the'middle arch and is reciprocated vertically 'by-means of the reversible electric motor. This support exertsaverticalpressure on the middle ar'ch-o'f the'foot.

"This application is a 'division of co-pen'ding application-Serial N o. 47 0,001, filedDecember' 24, 1942, which became Patent No. 2,376,000 and isuuedMayl5, 11945.

,Theypreferre'd embodiment of my invention is illustrated'in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1' is aside 'elevational view, partly broken away, showing a foot-exercising device constructed according to .my invention;

Fignre2isa top plan view, partly broken away, of the structure shown in Figure" 1.

Eigure' 3 isa detailedperspective view, partly broken away, ofithe'forward portion of thefootexercising .device.

Figure Us a vertical longitudinalsectional view shovvinga modified form of my device.

A "Figure-5 is atop plan view of the structure set out inFigure 4.

Figure'6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along lin e-$i'6 of'Figure 4.

"Figure '7, isavertical sectional view taken along line 1+1 of ,Figure 5.

"With referenceto the drawings, I provide a rectangular .housing member having albottom portion .l;.side walls '2. anda forward end wall 3. Therearlendof'the housing, is left open. The side walls 'jZ Hare inclined downwardly and rearwardly from a pointinterrnediate their ends. Thefront ends vofrthe side walls/2 are connected to .the 'forwardend wall '3. The shape of the housing is best shown in Figures l'and3.

A 'top paneLportion l .is :connected to the end wall :3 by ,meansofa hinge .5. The panel 4 is rigidly secured to vertical panel portion 6, ,An electric motor I with a gear reducing unit 8 is bolted to themember .Gbymeans of thebolts 9. As can be seen, the member 6 is not attached to the side wall 2 but merely Jfits tightly against the 'wall. The foot -exercising unit is supported atits front'end 'by'the' member 6 and at its rear end by 'the screw member H! which is carried by Vrear end of 'a floor portion l4.

universal joint 21.

injury to the toes gripped thereby.

screw, and bears against the floor portion M of the exercising unit. .Thus, it will be seen that the height of the rear end of the exercising unit can be varied by turning the hand nut 13 carried on the screw It. Since the front end of the unit I is pivotally held by the hinge member 5, when the pin is removed from the hinge, the entire exercising unit can be removed from the housing. I The exercising unit comprises three main parts,

namely, the toe-clampingunit l5, the main arch manipulating unit it and the heel-supporting unit ll. 'These units will be discussed indetail in the above-indicated order.

The electric motor 1 is of the reversible type and has a gear reduction unit 8 formed integral therewith. As indicated above, the motor and floor portion l4. On the upper end of the support is an arch support 16 which is of relatively hard material so that when the foot is positioned thereon it will manipulate the main arch of the foot in the manner to be described. On the sup-' port 44 between the bearing 43 and the arch support I6 is a vertical bearing member 46. The bearing 45 has a collar portion 41 which bears against the plate 48 carried by the floor portion l4. The plate 48 surrounds the longitudinal slot 45 formed in the floor portion, The bearing 46 and the collar 41 prevent the weight of the foot from being thrown on the threads of the bearing 43. The collar 4! rides on the plate 48 when the bearing 43 is reciprocated as will besubsequently described.

A mercury switch 49 is mounted beneath the bearing 43. Cam points 4311 carried by the bearing 43 engage the cam points 49a onthe ends of the switch 49 and serve to actuate the motor I. The switch 49 is of the conventional type and will, therefore, not be discussed indetail.

It will be seen that when switch 49 is actuated the shaft 40 is rotated in one direction and lon gear reduction unit are supported on the memher 6 by means of the bolts 9,

Extending out of the gear reduction member 9 is a driven shaft member I3 The shaft [8 has a worm l9 formed thereon adjacent member 8 and its outer end has a sleeve 29 keyed thereon by means of the screw 2|. Formed integral with the sleeve '20 is a crank arm 22 extending at right angles to shaft l8. formed in the center thereof and running longitudinally of the arm. A screw 24 is adapted to passthrough said slot 23 and is held in place by The arm 22 has a slot 23 means of a collar portion 25 and a wingnut 26. The wing nut 26 holds the screw andcollar portion in adjusted position in the slot 23. 'Formed on theother end of the collar portion 25 is a The toe-clamping unit [5 comprises a pair of

horizontal plates

28 and 29 which are carried by a pair of jaw members 30 and 3|. The jaw members 30 and 3! areicarried on the socket end of the universal joint 27, y 7 32 to allow for positioning the toes between the

lates

29 and 29. A tightening screw 33 has wing nuts 34 associated therewith. The toe plates 28 The jaws are hinged at i and 29 have sponge rubber or other suitable ma- 1 at 37]. On the lower end of the shaft is a worm 39 which cooperates with a gear39 carried by a horizontally disposed shaft 49.. The'shaft 49 is supportedby bearing 4| at the forward end of the device and by bearing 42 at the rear.

The bearing inembers'are suitably bolted to the floor portion 14. The shaft has a thre'adedportion 39 a disposed intermediate its ends. The floor portion I4 is attached at its forward end to the plate 6 and its rear end is supported by the hand nut l3'on the screw it, as was previously "described. j

A screw threaded bearing 43 is mounted on the shaft ,49 andcooperates with the threaded por-' tic'n. 43a. The bearing 43 has a vertical support member 44 formed on its upperside. Thesupport extends upwardly througha slot 45 formed in the which issuitably bolted to the electric motor 1;

itudinal movement of member IE will occur. This motion will be reversed when themercury switch 49 is actuated again since the motor! will reverse the direction of rotation of the shaft 49. Thus, member 43 is moved back and forth and at the extent of movement in each direction in the bracket member 52. 'The bearing is normally held atxthe forward end'of the rod member 5! by means of a spring 53, The heel support also straps 54 and 54a for holding the foot in position as shown in Figure 1,. It will benoted that the heel support does not have 'anypositive means for moving the heel but that it holds the heel in fixed position while the toe-clamping unit manipulates the foot in a manner to be subsequently described. H 7

It can be seen that the entire foot-exercising mechanism can be raised or lowered by means of the hand nut I3 which is carried by the screw 10. All of the parts of the deviceare either sup-.

1, 2 and 3 will now be described. The foot is placed in proper position on the foot-exerciser and secured by the toe plates .28 and29 and strap members 54a. The motor 1 is actuated,- and, through thegear reduction unit. 8, rotates the shaft member I8 and also rotates the parts. associated therewith. vThe toe-clamping unit .is revolved as a unit about the axis of shaft-.13., .During' this movement the clamping plates, by means of the universal joint 25, will swing about pivot 32 and rotate relative to member. 25, The plates 28 and 29gare heldin a horizontal plane during the rotationdue to the action of the universal joint. The motion on the toe members of the foot is circular and can bevaried in extent by adjusting the screw 24 in the slot 230:. the arm-2 2. It is preferable that when the treatments are firststarted theadjustment be very near the center of rotation andthetreatmentcanjbeivaried in intensityrby-merely adjusting the screw in the slot 'from thecenter. position. I

-At'the same time the toe clamping unitus be- -ing-;revolved, theworm-member I9:carried on the shaft T8 "also rotates the worm gear I'Swcarried by the vertical shaft-'35 The motion -is transmitted through theshait 35 to the -worm;38-and then to the gear 39. Thegear 89 rotates the horirental-shaft member. in thebearing members '4 I 'and '42 which support the shaft. The threaded bearing member 43 which engages the i threaded portion'toa of the shaft 40 and which supports the vertical support member 44 of the arch- 'niariipulating unit I s-ri'des back and rel-th n the threaded pcrticnma. The direction of the bearing'm'ember '43 is 'changedby means of the mercuryswitchfla which reverses the motor "I whenever the member '43 reaches the extent of its movement in either direction. This switch reverses the motor,"thus reversing the rotation of the shaft is and also'theh'orizontal shaft 46 as well a's'reversing'the circular 'motion of the-toe- The arch support l6 bears unit'i's takingplace, The heel support is moved forwardly and backwardly, due to the"slight longitudin'aYmove-ment of the foot caused by: the toecla'mpin-g unit'fiexing the toes downwardly during the revolving thereof.

In Figures 4.5, 6 and 7, I have illustrated a modification of my invention. Referring particularly to Figure 4, it will be seen that the means for'm'anipulatingthe toe-clamping unit la is of a different structure than shown in Figure 1. In the modification, I provide a bearing a which is splined on the shaft 180.. The bearing 28a has a crank arm 55 which supports a bushin 56, as best shown in Figure 7. A toe-clamping support 51 is provided instead of the universal joint as used in the preferred form of my invention. The support 51 has a crank pin 58 disposed on one end for engaging the bushing 56 and has a yoke member 59 formed on the other end. The member 51 has a collar portion 60 for holding the crank pin 58 in place in the bushing 56. At the other side of the bushing 56 a washer member 6| is held on a threaded reduced portion of the pin 58 by means of a nut 62. The pin 58 is loosely held in bushing 56 so that it will be free to rotate in the bushing when the crank arm 55 is rotated by the bearing 20a on the shaft [8a.

The yoke member 59 has a tongue member 64 in engagement therewith which is held in place by a pivot pin 63 which passes through a center opening formed in the yoke member. The tongue member 64 supports the toe-clamping unit [5a in the same manner as was described in connection with the preferred form of the invention.

It will be seen that when the shaft la. is rotated, the bearing 20a will rotate thus revolving the crank arm 55 in a circular path. The toeclamping unit l5a will remain in horizontal position but will be free to pivot sideways on the pivot pin 63. The crank pin 58 will rotate in the bushing 56 as the crank arm revolves. The bearing 20a is free to reciprocate on the splined shaft I80. to compensate for the flexing motion imparted to the toes.

The motion exerted on the toes will still be circular due to the motion of the bearing member 20a. The same flexing movement will be imparted to the forward end of the foot and will be fulcrumed by the arch-supporting means Mia.

1 "It will besseeni that 313118 supporting :means 16a also difiers-inwstructureufrom thezi'crmzshownain Figure *1. "Inithis form fIiprovide a m'eans for exerting =.a slight vertical ipressure against the middle. arch, bymeahs off-ai support r 16a, instead of therlongitudinal exercising r-movement provided in the preferred form of titer-invention. The support lGa is carried on a vertical-shaftmember 64 which is supported by an upstanding U-shaped bracket member '65 as bestshow-n iniFigure :4.

' openin in the #floor l 4a permits a'bearingmem- .ber' 66. formed on'lthe lower 'en'cl 30f thebrackettfi to extend throughthe floor 1 4a. The'shaft fi' l extends through the-bearing 66 and is prongshaped-at its vlOWer end. 'Aroller niembe'r 6|:is

- carried between the prong-shaped "lower end of the shaft 64-by means of a: pin 6-8. The shaft has a collar portion 69 formed thereon'to act as a stop member within the U-shaped bracket member 65. The shaft'M-is normally-held'downwardly by means ofaspring =10 disposed on :the shaft intermediate the bracket arms tandwhich holds -thexcollar 69 against the lower bracket arm 65.

Figure 1 The: shaft 4D :has, -:the :same :threaded portion 40a as shown in Figure l but the bearing member 4311 does not move the arch support l6 as in the preferred form of my invention. The mercury switch is pivotally supported below the bearing 43a in a suitable manner. A portion 43b engages the cam points carried by th mercury switch 49a. The bearing 43a is carried by means of a key member 430 which rides in a keyway 43d which is suitably bolted to the floor portion 14a. As the shaft 40 is rotated, the bearing 43a moves in one direction until the portion 431) engages one of the cam points of the mercury switch 49a. which is then actuated.

This reverses the motor thus causing the shaft 40 and the bearing 43a to move in the opposite direction.

In 'using my foot-exercising device, the forward end of the foot is subjected to a circular motion while the rear end of the foot is held relatively non-rotatable. This motion results in a flexing action from the arch of the foot to the toes. This circular motion is common to both forms of my invention. In the preferred form illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 I provide a means for simultaneously imparting longitudinal motion to the arch-engaging member so as to apply longitudinal pressure on the arch of the foot. This movement as well as the circular movement on the forward end of the foot is reversedat regular intervals by means of the reversible motor.

In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6 and '7, the same circular motion is imparted to the forward end of the foot while a vertical pressure is exerted at intervals on the arch of the foot. The rear portion of the foot is held relatively non-rotatable. This vertical pressure is slight and tends to exert a slight longitudinal motion 0n the rear portion of the foot.

Thevertical pressure is exerted on the arch once during'every complete revolution of the forward end of the foot. As in-the preferred embodiment of my invention, the circular motion is reversed at intervals. These motions are necessary to assist in'restoring the foot to the normal condition. l a

In the drawings and in particular in that part ofthe drawings which illustrates the toe-manipulating means, it has been necessary to exaggerate the dimensions ofthe parts in order to properly present the same. The proportions of the various units when compared to the foot may in somecases be exaggerated. The motion imparted to the toes can be varied from the slightest degree to a point where the force is rather extreme but this motion will not be sufiicient to injure the foot. 7

From the above description, it will be apparent that I provide a foot-exercising device having a number of advantages. One of the principal advantages of my invention is that I provide a device which will exercise and strengthen the muscles and ligaments'of the human foot in such a manner as to relieve nerve pressure, caused by the bones pinching the nerves between joints. The device imparts a circular flexing motion to the front of the foot from the metatarsal joint to 'the tip of the toes which stimulates the flow of blood to the tissues of the foot. It is possible with this device tovary the degree of treatment in accordancewith the patients needs.

i Many other advantages will be apparent from the above description, the drawings and the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 7

' 1. A foot-exercising device comprising a toecIamping unit,a crank arm for supporting'said toe-clamping unit, a pivoted yoke member disposed between said crank arm and said toeclamping unit, a longitudinal arch-supporting unit, said arch-supporting unit comprising an arch engaging member supported on a vertically movable rod, a roller member carried on the lower end of said vertical rod, a cam member rotatably mounted and adapted to bear against said 7 roller member for moving said rod vertically at intervals, a heel-supporting unit, a longitudinal rod'member adapted to carry the heel-supporting unit so as to permit longitudinal movement only thereof, and means for simultaneously rotating said crank arm and said cam member.

2. A foot-exercising device comprising a toe clamping unit, a crank arm for supporting said toe-clamping unit, means disposed between said crank arm and said toe-clamping unit, means for rotating said crank arm, a 1ongitudinal archsupporting unit, said arch-supportin unit comprising an arch-engaging member supported on a vertically movable rod, a roller member carried on the lower member of said vertical rod,