US1646920A - Arch support - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 25. 1927. 1,646,920

'0. LlVIGNANO ARCH SUPPORT Filed March 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheer 1 D. LIVIGNANO 1,646,920

ARCH SUPPORT Oqt. 25. 1927.

Filed March 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n5 as Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES IDANIIEIIZI LIVIGNAIN'O, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Anon SUPPORT.

Application filed March 4, 1926. Serial N0. 92,146.

One of the difiiculties encountered in the.

treatment of foot troubles, particularly those resulting from a fallen or broken arch, is that of making proper adjustment to an arch support as the patient is recovering. If rigid arch supports are used then it is necessary to replace the entire support when adjustment becomes necessary. If flexible supports which include padding are used, then it is diilicult to Jrevent the )addin from.

moving about in the shoe. Another source of difiiculty is the fact that when arch sup-- the adjustmenthas been made.

A further object of the present invention is to make an arch support, which in addition to holding the arch in the proper position will function to maintain the toes separated, or at least will prevent one toe from rising on and rubbing against an adjacent too.

I carry out my invention by making an arch support of flexible material, such as leather, and I provide a pocket within the support, in which inserts of different thickness may be placed, so as to vary the overall thickness of the support. In addition to this, I so make the pocket that the inserts may be held in proper position without necessitating the use of securing means such as cement, or tacks. Moreover I so make my arch support that pressure can be exerted upon the ball of the foot, and adjacent the center thereof. I have found that when pressure is exerted on the foot in this particular location, that the tendency of the toes is to spread, and as a result I can overcome the tendency of one toe to rise upon another.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an arch support embodying my .invention and illustrating it in connection with a shoe which in shown diagrammatically; Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of the support; Figure 3 is an upper plan view of the support; Figures 4,

5, and 6 are sections taken on planes inclicated by the correspondingly numbered lines in igure 1; Figure 7 is a vertical transverse section through an arch support embodying my invention, and showing the pocket without an insert therein, and Figure 8 is a perspective view showing inserts which may be used in connection with my invention.

The arch support which I have shown has a sole 10 and an upper 11. Preferably, the sole extends partially into the upper and is shaped to conform with the shape of the arch of the foot. Moreover, this member is made preferably of relatively hard leather which tends to hold its shape, and functions in some respects the .same as counter of a shoe. The leather being hard is at the same time flexible so that there will be a certain amount of give and will conform more readily with the arch of the foot. The upper 11 may be attached to the sole 1n any convenient manner. For example, the bottom edge may be fastened by securing members 13, while the ends and sides may be cemented together. The interior of the upper and of the sole are covered by a suitable'lining 15 which may be cemented and sewed in the usual way.

To make the arch support adjustable I provide a pocket into which pieces of mate rial of varying thickness may be inserted. In the preferred form, the pocket is made by fastening a substantially flat piece of leather 18 on three sides thereof to the sole member 10. This leaves a pocket which has an opening on the inner side of the support, and into which inserts of varying shapes and size may be inserted. An insert which is adapted for insertion into the pocket is shown, for example in Figure 8 at 20, as embodying two pieces of leather secured together and shaped to fit the pocket. Obviously, the size of the insert may be varied in accordance with the requirements of the wearer. Moreover, the insert will remain in adjusted position without the aid of cement or other securing means, yet can be readily removed for replacement purposes.

To hold the support in a shoe I have shown the upper as having eyelets which are adapted to be engaged by the lacings of the shoe. This not only tends to hold the support in proper position, but allows slight adjustment of the support with rela tion to the shoe;

To overcome the tendency of one toe to rise upon anotherfI have'found that beneficial results maybe obtained by exerting pressure upon the ball of the foot, adjacent the central portion thereof. A convenient way of accomplishing this is to provlde a small protuberance, such as that indicated;

at 30 adjacent the forward portion of the sole member 10. This may "be made by tapering off the leather to the desired shape.

The particular advantage of a support made in accordance with my invention 1s the fact that it may be readily adjusted to suit'the requirements of the wearer merely Iclaim z A removable arch'support adapted to lie within a shoe and correspond, therewith, comprising a sole member and an ankle member merging with one edge of the sole member by a gradual curve, the ankle member having adjacent its upper end a comparatively narrow upwardly extending tongue, a. comparatively small number of eyelets in said tongue adapted to register with shoe eyelets, the portion of the ankle member in front of the tongue clearing the shoe eyelets, and a pocketformed on the underside of the sole member and containing a removable filler.

In testimony. whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

DANIEL'LIVIGNANO.

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