US1464363A - Shank support for shoes - Google Patents

Description

W. H. HORNE SHANK SUPPORT FOR SHOES Aug. 7, 1923. 1,464,363

Filed Dec. 7, 1921 III-122T I I 61m. "up

Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

NITED STATES WILLIAM H. HORNE, OF PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SHANK SUPPORT FOR srrons.

Application filed December 7, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that WILLIAM H. HORNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Bockingham lowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in arch supports for shoes of that particular variety in which the support is ex terior of the shoe and the invention has for an object to provide an adequate support for the arch of the foot without adding materially to the weight of the shoe or detracting from its appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved external arch support for shoes in which simplicity of construction and economy are characteristic features, and wherein the supporting medium will be firmly attached to the shank of the shoe in such position as to remain substantially hidden from view at all times.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an arch support constituting a small article of manufacture capable of being shipped and applied to the shoe at small cost and in a manner which will be obvious to the ordinary shoemaker.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Fig, 1 is a side view of a shoe shown with the improved arch support constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the shoe and support;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the frame of the support; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken at a slightly different angle with the block in-the frame.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, l designates generally a shoe of any conventional type in which 2 is the sole, 3 the shank extending beneath the arch of the foot, and 4 the heel.

According to the preferred form of the invention, a block 5 of a suitable material is used to sustain the arch of the foot and is placed on the outside of the shoe in which Serial No. 520,526.

position it is found not inconvenient to the wearers foot nor a source of discomfort as are those arch supports placed within the shoe and coming directly in contact with the foot. The positioning of the support 011 the exterior of the shoe leaves the interior entirely free and allows that conformation of the shoe interior, which the manufacturer designed to take into the curvature of the foot, to lie in contact with all parts of he 7 same and thus serve to secure that measure of comfort and convenience which a particular style of shoe may by experience be found to have by the wearer; yet in addi-' tion to this comfort and convenience, the wearer may at the same time with the external arch support find the additional relief and comfort furnished only where the arch of the foot is directly sustained.

The block 5 is preferably of rubber, for instance of that character of which rubber soles are made, whereby a good tread -wearing surface is provided and at the same time a suitable degree of resiliency is obtained such as is particularly desirable at the arch. The shoe itself is generally made more or less flexible at this point and the use of a rubber block 5 as a support will not defeat the purposes of this flexibility of the shoe, but will form a support of a flexible nature adapted to yield therewith.

According to one form of the invention, the block 5 is supported in a frame of a rectangular construction having horizontal flanges 6 extending about'an opening in which the upper portion ofthe block 5 is fitted. The flanges 6 are perforated as indicated at 7 for receiving nails or other fastenings 8 by which the device as a whole is secured to the shank 3. Tongues 9 extend down from the flanges 6 and are adapted to embrace the sides of the rubber block 5. The flanges 6 and tongues 9 are preferably stamped from a single piece of material for instance sheet metal, and the flanges 9 may be severed or not at their meeting edges, but I prefer that the block 5 be of a tapering construction or a truncated pyramid with its wider basal part lying uppermost and next the shoe.

The tongues 9 are in this case caused to taper to agree with the inclination given the walls of the truncated block. The tongues 9 therefore embrace the walls snugly and the block is wedged tightly therein so that its wide upper portion will prevent the block from seeking its way downwardly out of the lIOlding frame, It is noted thatthe block 5 will be protected forwardly by the sole 2 and at its rear by the heel 4, and'that it will therefore not be aptto receive strains that would tend to twist it laterally out of q the frame, but any strains that'areencountered will be absorbed in the rubber block and Will not be apt to wrench the block out of the frame.

It will also be appreciated from this con struction that, by the removal of the frame from the shoe by withdrawing the fastenings 8, a fresh rubber block may be substituted for a worn one and the device replaced Without a great deal of labor and with only inconsiderable expense. e

The device is preferably narrower than the shank of the shoe as clearly appears in Fig- 3 to sustain the arch where needed and at the same time to economize on material and to permit of a lateralflexibility of the shoe when walking. The arch support will al a tend to make the Wearing of the heel more even and will sustain the shank 3 and assist to preserve the original shape of the shoe.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifil cally described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claim.

hat is claimed is:

A shank support for application exteriorly to a shoe comprising an attaching plate having a central opening and separated tongues at the marginal edges of the opening, said tongues being turned down wardly from the plate and normally converging toward their free ends, and a block of resilient material larger at its upper end fittedin the opening of the plate and re" siliently held by the tongues, said block be ing constructed and arranged to slip into place through the top of the plate.

WILLIAM H. HORNE.

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