US1700844A

US1700844A - Method of and means for making casts of feet

Info

Publication number: US1700844A
Application number: US169985A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hess Ezra
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-02-21
Filing date: 1927-02-21
Publication date: 1929-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 1946-02-05

Description

Feb. 5, 1929.

E. HESS METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MAKING CASTS OF FEET Filed Feb. 21, 1927 Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES EZRA HESS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

.METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MAKING CASTS OF FEET.

Application filed February 21. 1927. Serial No. 189,985.

In order to make a boot or shoe which will fit the foot for which it is intended, it is necessary or desirable to have a last made to simulate such foot. Such a last can be best made from a cast formed of the foot, such east being preferably made of plaster. In order to make such cast, it is necessary to first make a mould or negative of the foot in which the cast may be formed.

The present invention relates to a method of making such moulds or negative forms and the completion of the casts therein and also to suitable means for making such moulds or negatives and carrying out such method or process.

One of the particularly desirable features of the present invention is the provision of means whereby any ordinary person may make moulds or negatives of his feet in a simple and convenient manner and without expert assistance. By means of this arrangement, my improved mould forms or devices may be sent out to persons desiring to secure individual lasts, and after they have made the mould or negative thereon may be returned for the purpose of making the casts and subsequently the lasts. The objects of the present invention are to provide an improved method of making moulds and casts of the feet or the like to provide a simple and convenient support or base on which the negative or mould of the foot may be readily formed; to provide means whereby a person may make moulds of his feet, which moulds may be readily removed; to provide a split or hinged base upon which a negative or mould of a foot may be formed and may then be opened to release the foot; and to provide such other novel features and improvements aswilLbe described more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention;

Figure 1 is a plan View of the plate or board on which the negative or mould is formed;

Figure 2 is a side View with parts broken away showing the foot in position and indicating the plaster or mould material which is applied thereto;

Figure 3 is an end View showing the mould opened to release the foot; and

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the board or plate with the negative or mould shown thereon in dotted lines.

As shown in these drawings, the plate or board 5 is made in two sections or split as shown at 6. These sections are adapted to be movably connected as by means of strap hinges 7 which may be formed of leather or fabric and nailed to the bottom of the sections. The board or plate has a raised rear portion 8 and a lower front portion 9, as shown particularly in Figures 2 and 4. The raised portion is preferably slightly grooved or cut away, as shown at 10, where it isengaged by the'arch of the foot. A thin blade or separator 11 is secured to one of the sections and projects upwardly into the space between the raised and lower sections, and its upper edge is curved as shown at 12 for engagement with the lower portion of the foot. This blade may be made of metal or any suitable material and serves to assist in separating the two halves of the mould, as will presently appear. A thread or string 13 is secured to the front part of the plate or board,

as by means of a staple 14 and a second thread or cord 15 is secured to the rear portion of the plate by means of a staple or fastener 16.

When the mould or negative is to be formed, the foot is placed with the heel on the raised portion 8 and the ball or front of the foot on the lower portion 9, as shown in Figure 2, and the

threads

13 and 15 are drawn up and held by a band or cord 17 around the ankle. The plastic material or plaster is then applied to the foot and upper surface of the mould board or plate 5 and around the foot,

as indicated at 18, and may also be worked in under the foot against the sides of the blade 11 in order to give a substantially complete negative or mould of the foot. In order to do this the plaster must be of such consistency that it will adhere to the board and will retain its shape when formed around the foot without the necessity of lateral or side supporting members. Before the plaster has hardened, the threads or

cords

13 and 15 are pulled outwardly away from the foot so as to divide the mould or negative in substau-nfl tially two halves as indicated in Figure 4. The material is then allowed to further set or harden until it is sufiiciently rigid so that it will retain its shape, and the sections of the board are swung apart or moved so as to open the mould, as shown in Figure 3, to permit the removal of the foot. Theinould is then closed and the cast may be made in the usual manner and is then properly fashioned so that a suitable last may be made therefrom. The plates or boards 5 and other parts may be made of comparatively cheap or inexpensive material so that they will ordinarily only be used once and will be made in various sizes for different feet. From this description it will be seen that I provide means wereby the mould or base members may be sent out from a central ofiice or factory to people throughout the country who may complete the moulds and return them for the purpose of having individual lasts made and thereby secure shoes which will fit their feet.

Having thus described my invention, which, however, may be modified without departing from the scope thereof, in so far as expressed in the following claims, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

a 1. The method of making a cast of a foot or the like which consists in placing the foot on a separable base having no side members, then applying plaster or the like of suitable consistency to retain its form around the foot and on the base and dividing the plaster above the base before it has hardened, then permitting the plaster to harden and opening the mould thus formed to remove the foot, and finally filling the mould with suitable material to make the cast.

2. The herein described method of forming a mould or negative for making a cast, which consists in placing the foot on a base formed of two relatively flat movable parts having no side members, then applying plaster or the like of suitable consistency to retain its form without lateral support'on the base and around the foot, then dividing the plaster above the base in alignment with the line of division between the two parts before the plaster has setor hardened, then allowing the plaster to harden and finally separating the two parts of the plate and the plaster applied thereto to permit the removal of the foot.

3. The method of forming a mould or negative of. an irregular body which consists in placing the body on plate which is formed of two substantially flat parts which are hinged together, said plate also having two threads secured thereto adjacent to the line of division, the free portions of said threads being arranged adjacent to the body, then putting a cementitious material around the body and on the plate, said material being of proper consistency to retain its form without lateral v support, then pulling the threads away from the body to divide the cementitious material before it has hardened, then permitting the cementitious material to harden, and finally swinging the mould thus formed into open position to remove the body.

4. A device for forming moulds or negatives of a foot or the like, comprising a substantially flat plate which is divided longitudinally with the two parts hinged together and having no side members, and means for dividing lastie material which may be applied to tie plate.

5. A device for forming a mould of a foot, comprising two boards hinged together and having a raised portion at one end for supporting the heel, a blade arranged between the two portions and adapted to project upwardly under the adjacent portion of the foot, and strings secured to the boards adjacent to the ends thereof, said strings being adapted to be arranged at the back and front of the foot before the plaster is applied and serving to separate the plaster longitudinally of the boards.

6. A mould forming device of the character set forth, comprising two boards hinged together on the lower side and having a raised portion at one end, and a separator adjacent to the raised portion which extends longitudinally between the boards, and threads secured to the boards adjacent to either end thereof, said mould having no lateral or side supports for the moulding material.

' EZRA HESS.