US1487095A

US1487095A - Arch support

Info

Publication number: US1487095A
Application number: US582387A
Authority: US
Inventors: James A Foster
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-08-17
Filing date: 1922-08-17
Publication date: 1924-03-18
Anticipated expiration: 1941-03-18

Description

Marh 18, 1924. 1,487,095

' J. A. FOSTER I ARCH 'SUPFORT Filed Aug. 17. 1922 Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

UNiTED TATES JAMES A. FOSTER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

1.87.95 F F ic,

PTET

ARCH SUPPORT.

Application filed August 17, 1922. Serial No. 582,387.

- accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an arch support for boots and shoes and its object is to provide a simple device which is cheap to manufacture and may be readily applied to a boot or shoe to afford an efficient support for the several arches of the foot. A further object is to provide a device of this character which will retain its resiliency and will readily conform. to the requirements of the foot in use without becoming permanently distort-ed or compacted in a manner to impair its efficiency.

A further object is to provide a construction which may be cheaply manufactured from material common upon the market and of a nature to retain its resiliency in use and which is such as to be practically unaffected by moisture from the foot of the wearer.

A further object is to provide a device for the purpose which is so constructed as to afford an efficient sup-port for the several arches of the foot, the padding forming such supports being permanently secured in place within the structure and so constructed as to retain the resiliency thereof and at the same time readily conform in use, to the requirements of the foot. It is also an object of the invention to provide certain other new and useful features in the construction and arrangement of parts, all as' hereinafter, more fully described.

With the above and other ends in view the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the skeleton of the human foot showing the inner longitudinal arch thereof;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the skeleton of the foot, showing the outer longitudinal arch;

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the foot skeleton illustrating the position of the anterior metatarsal arch and transverse arch;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of' a shoe showing the human foot in place therein and also the arch support embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a shoe and the human foot in place therein with the arch support also shown in place, the section being taken substantially upon the lineof thetransverse metatarsal arch of the foot; Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the arch support embodying the invention;

Fig. 7 is'a' perspective view of the arch showing the same opened out to more clearly disclose its construction, and

Fig. '8 -is'an enlarged transverse section of the arch support substantially upon the line 8-.8 of Fig. 6.

The many forms of arch supports now upon the market embody a more or less rigid metal member enclosed within a. suitable pad orenclosed within the structure ofthe ity are extremely uncomfortable to wear,

particularly at the beginning of their use and many people find it impossible to use them on this account. The construction of applicants device is such that it may be placed within the shoe and worn without discomfiture from the beginning, due to itsresiliency and flexibility which makes it readily conformable to the requirements of the foot and yetaiford efficient support for the several foot arches. The construction of the device is such as to afford support'for the arches at the particular points requiring support and which support is just sufficient to prevent the breaking down of the arches and to. correct their deformity without causing discomfiture and having a yielding quality which will permit the device to conform to the particularrequirements of the foot to which it is applied, atjthe same time retaining its yielding quality during use by reason of such construction and also being unaffected by dampness fromthe foot which would ordinarily cause disintegration and i the compacting of the devlce n such a manner as to make it unyielding and uncomfortab-le to wear. vantages of the present construction are secured through a particular arrangement of parts and facility of manufacture and cheapness of construction are also secured.

The arch support illustrative of thepresent invention and shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 comprises a bottom ply 1 of suitable thin flexible material, such as leather, fiber Further the several ad-- board, or other fibrous composition sheet material. This bottom ply has an outline conforming substantially to the outline of the interior of the'shank portion of the shoe, extending rearwardly to substantially the rear end of the heel and forwardly to a line a short distance forward of the first metatarsoa-phalangeal joint, the outer edge 2 being curved slightly to conform to the curvature of the interior of the shoe shank and the heel end portion 3 being rounded'to fit within the heel of the shoe. is formed with a flap 5 formed integral with this edge and adapted to be folded over the lower ply to enclose between them a series of leaves 6, said leaves being of double oval shape in outline and of varying sizes to give, when in place, the desired thickness at the properpoints to properly support the several arches of the foot. These leaves 6 are secured'together in any suitable manner, as by a line of stitching 7 and'to the lower ply 1 substantially along the inner edge 4 of the ply 1 and along the folding line of the flap 5, and thus, when folded along said line, are folded upon themselves and are superposed, one upon another with the leaves of lesser dimensions arranged; midway of the length of those of greater dimensions and'midway of the length of the ply 1 which forms the bottom of the arch support when completed. The point of greatest thickness of material formed by'these several leaves is thus adjacent the edge 1 of'the device and midway of its length and gradually tapers in all directions from this point, the doubling over of said leaves increasing the thickness along said edge of the device WllGlG'SLlCh thickness is required to afford efiicient support for the inner longitudinal archof the foot and said thicken-ed edge gradually tapering out toward each end of the device, due to the variation in the sizes of the'leaves.

Increased thickness at the forward end of the device intermediate the edges 2 and 4 to support the metatarsal arch of the foot, is secured by extending or curving the forward ends of the leaves forwardly between these edges of the device thus giving forward gradually diminishing thickness which tapers forwardly from the point of greatest thickness, and by curving the leaves laterally of the device or in the direction of their width, a gradual taper in thickness is secured from the inner edge 4' or point of greatest thickness toward the edge 2, said side edges of the leaves curving into the end portions thereof so that a suitable thickness of material is provided adjacent the edge 2 intermediate the ends thereof to provide a thickness sufiicient to form an efiicient support forthe'outer lon- The inner edge 4 of this ply 1 gitudinal arch of the foot. The rear or heel ends of the leaves are also curved or rounded in a manner similar to their forward'end's and thus when in folded condition provide a thickness of material tapering from the thickest portion adjacent and intermediate the ends of the edge 4 rearwardly toward the heel portion and intermediate the edges 2 and 4: to provide a sufiicient thickness of and distribution of material to form an efficient support for the transverse arch of the foot adjacent the heel portion.

After the leaves have been folded along the line 7, as described, the flap 5 is then folded upon these leaves to afford additional thickness and is secured along its free margin to the bottom ply 1 outside the margin of the leaf of greatest area and thus the several leaves are held in folded condition upon the bottom ply but are unsecured except along the line 7, They are therefore free to move and retain their re siliency and tendency to separate, thus providing a comparatively soft compressible and resilient pad which, when the device is placed within the shoe, will retain its pliability and resiliency, but will readily conform to the foot of the wearer without giving discomfiture.

After the flap 5 has beenturned'over and secured in place upon the bottom ply 1, a thin upper ply 8 of leather or other suitable flexible material and of an outline substantially the same as that of the lower ply 1 withoutits flap 5, is secured in any suitable manner along its margin to the margin of the ply 1, thus forming a smooth continuous upper surface for the device upon which the wearers' foot rests when the device is in use, and providing a surface within the shoe which is not a plane surface but is slightly undulating and tapers laterally of the shank of the shoe to provide sufficient elevations at the proper points and over the proper areas within the shoe to afford efficient supports for the several arches of the foot. 7

By constructing the padding of the device of a series of separate leaves of a suitable materialsuch as paper or other thin fibrous sheets which may, if found desirable, be treated with a suitable moisture resisting fluid, this padding will retain its resiliency for a long period of time due to the tendency of the separate leaves to separate when not under load and when placed under the weight of the foot, they will be pressed together and readily conform to the shape of the foot, at the same time affording support for the several foot arches without discomfiture to the wearer.

The construction of the device is such that it may be cheaply manufactured from a material obtainable in the open market at a low cost and therefore the device may be sold at a price which will make it available to the public at large and may be placed in any boot or shoe to provide a seat therein for the foot of the wearer which will conform to the shape of hi foot and provide support for the arches thereof, gradually correcting any deformity in his arches as it use is continued.

Obviously any suitable material which is sufficiently soft and pliable may be used in the construction of the device and the particular form, construction and arrangement of parts of the device may obviously be varied within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of the in.- vention and I do not therefore limit myself to the particular construction shown.

What I claim is 1. An arch support for shoes and the lik comprising a top ply and a bottom ply, said plies having an outline conforming substantially to the interior shape of the shank portion of a shoe and extending into the heel portion and forwardly to a line beyond and adjacent to the metatarso-phalangeal joint of the human foot, and a padding between said plies comprising a plurality of leaves, arranged in superposed relation and of different areas and outlines, said leaves being arranged in pairs wlth one leaf of embracing inner leaves, the folded portions connecting the leaves of each pair forming a thickened edge portion for the padding to support the inner longitudinal arch of the foot, and means extending along the line of fold of the several pairs of leaves for securing the pairs of leaves together.

2. An arch support as characterized in claim 1 and wherein said means for securing the several pairs of leaves together 00mprises a line of stitching extending along the fold of the several pairs of leaves and through said leaves at the longitudinal center line of said fold.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. FOSTER.

Witnesses LEWIS E. FLANDERS, ANNA ltl. Doss.