US1240286A - Orthopedic appliance for foot treatment. - Google Patents

Description

W. H. WOOD.

' URTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE FOB FOOT TREATMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. I6. 1916.

1,240,286. PatentedSept; 18, 1917..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'wInLIAMHLWoon, 0E CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 STANLEY w. cooK,

I TRUSTEE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ORTHQPEDIC APPLIANCE FORFOOT TREATMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WOOD, acitizenof the United States, residing at Cleveland, inthe county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Orthopedic Appliances for Foot Treatment, of which the following is a specification.

'My" invention relates to improvements in appliances for foot treatment, and has for itsgeneral' object to provide an appliance forremedying both a bunion or outward displacein entof the first metatarso-phalangeal articulation and a falling of the transverse archof the foot due to downward displacement ofthe heads of one or more of the middle metatarsal bones.

A'particularobject of my invention-is to provide a neat, effective and comfortable means for attachingthe'- article to the foot and insuring thepositioning of its principal members in accurately-adjusted positions.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an appliance showing its position in use.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 22.of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In'the practice of my invention I combine with a toe splint arranged to extend along the outside of the foot from a point in rear of, to a point in front of, the first metatarsal phalangeal articulation; anchorage means comprising a stall for the great toe and a foot-encircling band or belt, respectively connected with the front and rear end of the splint; and a hump-element adapted to exert a restorative upward pressure upon the under side of the foot adjacent the heads of certain metatarsal bones, said hump-element associated with the belt in advantageous relation.

In the specific construction shown the toe splint structure '10 comprises .a metallic spring body 11 having-a conveXo-concave bunion-receiving pocket 12, preferably apertured ovally at its crest, as shown at 13, and integrallyconnected with front and rear extensions or arms let and 15. To the inner I side of this splint is connected a felt padding Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

Application filed December 16, 1916." Serial No. 137,322.

structure for spanning the first matatarsophalangeal joint will serve. A toe encircling band 17, preferably adapted to belaced, as at 18, is connected to the front arm of the splint to form a stall for the great toe by which the front arm of the appliance may be securely anchored. Specifically the band is stitched at 19 to the felt pad.

20 indicates a hump element, associated with, and having its position generally controlled by adjustment of a belt 21 that encircles the foot just back of the ball thereof. This hump is preferably integral with an under-foot spring-22 shaped to follow the transverse curvature of the foot and run up the side thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, for pivotal connection, at 23, to the splint arm 15. The hump proper 24: is of con-vexo-concave section and of circular or other appropriate plan contour, so that when forced against the under side of the foot just in rear of the heads of the metatarsal bones, it will exert a restorative upward pressure upon said bones if the latter be misplaced or dropped. The foot encircling belt or strap 21 is adapted to be buckled snugly around the foot and is arranged to have its buckle ensconced within the underside concave of the hump plate. Specifically belt 21 has an anchored tab portion 26, secured to the splint arm 15 structure, preferably by anchorage of one ex- *nity of said belt-tab to the pivoting rivet 28, the opposite extremity of said section passing through one of two diametrically opposed slots 25 and 25" in the hump plate 24 and carrying a buckle 9.7 within the confines of the under side of the hump plate. The other or adjustable section 28, of the belt, is adapted to have its loose end passed through the other hump plate slot and engaged with the buckle '27, and its other end is adjustably engageable with the splint. Thus the fast end of this belt-section is attached to a wire loop 30 having a hook 31 that may engage any one of notches 32 made in the splint-arm 15. By moving the belthook 31 fore or aft relatively to the splint arm, thereby directing the belt in different lines of traverse of the foot, the fore-andaft position of the hump may be varied, the pivotal connection 23 of the underfoot spring permitting this hump-movement.v

cover-piece 33 slotted as at 35, 35 in register with hump- plate slots 25, 25", so as to be held in place by thebelt.

\Vhile I have herein described in some detail a particular embodiment of my invention for purposes of full disclosure of one Operative form thereof, it Will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes may be madein the structure Without departure from the spirit of vmy invention Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, What I claim is:- M v 1 1. The combination of a relatively rigid structure adapted to extend along a side por tion of the foot, means to attach one end 'thereofto the foot, a belt to attach the other end thereof to the foot With the belt passing in rear of the metatarsal heads, said belt having one end fast to the rigid structure and its other end; adjustably connectible With said rigid structure at different longitudinal points to throw the course of the belt that passes beneath the foot into different lines. of traverse,,and a hump elev ment coacting With the belt to be positioned With respect to the length of the foot by the stated adjustment of the belt.

[2. The combination of a toe-splint, a belt connected. at one end to the rear end of the splintand at its other end adjustably con- Qopies of this patent may be obtained for nectible to different points near the rear end of the splint, and a hump member engaged by the under-foot course of said belt.

3. The combination of a toe-splint, a belt connected to the rear end of said toe-splint, said belt having a fastening device located in its under-foot course, and a convexo-concave hump element engaging said belt and enveloping the fastening in its concave.

4. The combination of a toesplint, a belt having its one end fixed thereto and its other end adjustable lengthwise thereof, and a doWn-and-undercurved under-foot plate pivoted to said splint, having a metatarsal hump portion slotted to receive the belt, said belt having a fastening means within th concaveunderside of said hump.

5. The combination of a belt; a fastening devicefor the ends of the belt; a hump plate carried by said belt, and overlying the -fastening device and a cover for said hump plate; r

-6. The combination of a belt; a hump plate carried by said belt, and a cover for said hump-plate, said hump-plate and cover having registering openings through which the belt is threaded.

In testimony whereof I hereunto setmy h -n five cents each, by addressin g-the Commissioner of Patents, WashingtomLG.

WILLIAM H. Wooi).

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