GB469666A - Improvements in foot exercising and arch correcting devices - Google Patents

Abstract

469,666. Foot - massage appliances. BOLTZ, F. S., and ESTEY, G. W. Jan. 29, 1936, No. 2729. [Class 81 (ii)] Apparatus for foot-exercising and massage comprises a foot holder, a roller, and means for causing the roller to travel over the underneath central portion of the foot, the surface of the roller being so constructed that it will apply an intensified pressure to certain parts of the foot when the roller is forced along the underneath of the foot, the roller being counterweighted so that when removed from and reapplied to the foot, its surface will always contact with the foot at a specified point of the roller. The device shown consists of a box 12 having an inclined hinged cover 14 formed with an opening 15 which is covered by plate 32 having openings 32a which in use are bridged by the arches of the feet. The openings 32a are covered with cloth 8 clamped between the plate 32 and cover 14 and plate 7, Fig. 3. Heel plates 30 are connected by a bar which may be clamped in different positions on plate 32. Toe-caps 38 of flexible material are clamped to a rim base 45, and are connected by a bar which also may be clamped in different positions on plate 32. Massage rollers 20, 21 are freely mounted on rods 21a rigidly secured to arms 22, 23 carried by shaft 24 which is rotated either by motor 9 through reduction gearing 24a, or by hand. The rollers may be cylindrical, but are preferably in the form of truncated cones and are provided with protuberances positioned to engage with the arches of the foot. In the development of one of the rollers shown in Fig. 4, the protuberances 25, 26, 27 and 28 operate on the posterior, anterior, inner and outer arches respectively. Each roller is provided with a counterweight 29, so that after each roller has been rolled along the foot, it always returns to the position in which the protuberance 25 will contact with the posterior arch. The cloth 8, which is positioned between the rollers and the feet, is sufficiently full to allow it to be flexed by the upward pressure of the rollers. The degree of pressure by the rollers on the feet is varied by adjustment of the inclination of the cover 14 through adjusting screw 48 passing through fixed bracket 49. A weight 50 is attached to the cover 14 to help the feet to have pressure on the rollers.