US1985199A - Shoe fitting device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 18, 1934. E. J. BLISS SHOE FITTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 26, 1933 jz'iverzfor 15.}.1ZMM b3 mwe,

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Patented Dec. 18, 1934 v vsno i-Frrrimreruzvrcii Elmer J. Bliss; Boston, Mass; ag ignorte'j-negall 'ShoeCompany Whitman; Masa a corporation of Massachusetts 3 j ApplieationDecember 26 I v I 5'Clainis.

. "This invention:relatestothe measurement of feet for the purpose of fitting-rshoes and is'in-r tended to provide a" simple, compact and convenient device of inexpensive construction which isca-pable of useful, quickly and accuratelyascertaini'ng both thelength and the width "Size measurementsof-feetwwhen in; the expanded or extended position such as 'the feet assume when carrying the weight of the person in walkin vGenerally speaking, the present improvemen embraces an approximately sector-shaped length gauging plate orzmembenprovided at its arcuate :edge with a; series of upturned toe gauging members arranged atdifierent distances from acom mon center in correspondencewith a progressive series of length size measurements, according 'to a basic. or standard" scale, combined with afoot supporting, plate or member pivotally mounted toswing about said-centerand having oppositely flared-width size gauging members so-correlated with the length'ofithe foot that an, accurate indication o'fboth length andiwidth measurementsis obtained by direct reading of the size indicating in" the accompanying drawing. is illustrated a simpleand effective embodiment of the principles of this invention,- in which I --Fig. 1 is a plan view showing theg footfsupportivided with upturnedctoe gauging members intended to secure the same results that are efiected by the present device,- but thatparticularform of construction disclosed in my said earlier application involved the use ofa considerably greater amount, of metal and was very much less compact than is the present form which embodies a similar principle.. I 1 .v 4

In the practice of the invention according to theform herein illustrated, provide an approximately sector-shaped 'pa'nl which is provided near its apex with 'afulcral guiding member 2, in this case, comprisinga cylindrical cuplike member 'suitablysecured, as-by rivets, the apical portionof the pan; At intervals along'the arcuate or peripheral edge opposite the centralizing guide 2 a series of radially'ofiset toe gauging lips 3 is formed by upturning relatively narrow portions'o'f the metallic pan. These upturned lips 1933;stalwarts-tat or gauge members may of course beformed in any appropriate manner so long as theycform' anupward projection adapted to'abutzagainst the, toe of a foot being measuredi' vA full size device will have-these toe gauging members arrangedin a progressively offset series, v eachone being inch farther-,fromthe radial; center than the one to the left of it,-sin ce in'f'oot-measuring the dinerence' between one lengthzisize and-the next full length size amounts to A; inch. The number of tee gauginglips '3 that will beprovidedon "any plate or pan depends upon the range v of foot measurements for whichxthe pan-is intended. I

Coordinated with this-length gauging pan-is a foot-receiving or.foot.,-supporting,plate or member! 4 pref'erablyuhaving ant-elevated or raised heel? portion 4 so that the raisingaof the-heel tends to throw the weightpof .the,.pe n a din on the 1 measuring device slightly forward forthe purpose of; causing expansion or extension of providedwith an upstandingheel gauge ,5 against whichith'e' heel of the foot should always contact when the foot-is being measured, i

, 'I'he forepartof thefoot-receivingand width- 1 gauging member is provided with upstanding,

forwardly flared flanges =6 constituting widthv:

gauging c members which diverge according to a denniteratio.' Asaiswellknown to those skilled in the 'art,-while length sizes in foo measuring step upeby increments of 1 inch FfOl the overall length 'measurement,the *ball;length,jthat is,

the length, from the heel tothe ball joint, isv en- 'erally-assumed to be equal :to ogf the over-all length, hence thelength increments of. ball length measurement of a No. 8 foot is 2/9 inch, instead oi -y, :inch. :.'.-;As:is also.,well "known; width size measurements increase by; successive stages or increments: equal .to inch. Width size-increments'arekdesignat'ed eitherby letters,;A,-B, C etc. ior-by'numerals, '1, 2, 3, 4; etc., but these width size symbols, unlike a the 1 length size symhols," are variable since'a No. 8-C foot has 'a 'width'measurement 'in'ch greater-than a foot designated as NOMIs-Cia'nd filinch less width measurement than afoot designated as No.'9-C.

Consequently; :in'alayingvout the "divergent side gauges 6, the divergence for ea'ch279 inch from theheelrgauge would increasew inch, so that aNo. 8 foot,=let us say, ofcE'width would form gauging contact across;the ball thereof with the flanges v6, while a No. 7 -.E foot would likewise a series of gauging strips 7 pivotally connected at their forward ends to the side gauges or flanges 6 by means of transverse rivets 6*. There are four such width-gauging members shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. When they are all raised or thrown forward, so that there is gauging contact between the flanges 6 and the opposite sides of the ball portion of the foot, theywill 'signify,-'

in this case, that the interposedv foot gauging against the heel gauge 5 hasan E width, while its length is determined by the engagement of the tip of the toe with the appropriate length size gauging lip.

If the foot does not form gauging contact'with the flanges 6, then one or more of the widthgauging members roan be shifted into gauging position until gauging contact is established against opposite sides of the. foot. As these gauging strips or members are made flinch in thickness, it will be seen that when all four 'of them are in gauging position, as shown in Fig. 1, the width gauge indication then will. signify an A width; with three of them in gauging position the indication or reading will indicate a B width, and so on. v

To facilitate the slidingof the width-gauging and foot-receiving member 4, I prefertoprovide ball domes 8 riveted to the underside of the forepartof the width-gauging member 4.

In practice, the foot to be measured is placed upon the width-gauging member 4-with the heel resting in contact with the heel gauge 5 and the foot is turned until the forwardly projecting'tip of the great toe grazes the appropriate lengthgauging lip 3. The width-gauging strips are then manipulated'to give a proper gauging contact with the opposite sides of the ball portion of the foot and the reading is then taken from the. toe gauge scale and according to the number of width-gauging strips .in gauging position. Numerals are frequently used now aswidth indicating symbols and in that case when all the width gauges are in gauging or active position according to the present illustration that would indicate a No. 1 width and the inside widthgauge on the leftside is provided with a single mark. If, in order to-properly gauge the width, this No. 1 gauge is moved to inactive position, the size then indicated would be No. 2 markedon the inside gauge at the right. If it be required to move'this gauge to inactive position to secure correct width-gauging, then the lowest number of'the remaining gauges is 3, equivalent to a width.

Of course it is i portant that the two cd-acting members be accurately positioned with reference to each other so that they will always have a common pivotal center. This fulcral joint may be constructed in any desired manner, but in. the present case I have shown a cup 9 with a cylindrical flange snugly fitting around the cylindrical flange of the pivot member 2 and riveted to the bottom of'the heel portion of the widthgauging member, so as'to have a telescopic engagement with the fulcral member. 2. This permits quick detachment of the two members and equally quick assemblage. The device is compact and requires considerably less material in its construction than does the earlier form of the invention disclosed in my aforesaid pending application.

'What I claim is:

1. A foot measuringdevice embracing in its construction an approximately sector-shaped length-gauging member having arranged along its peripheral edge an arcuate series of radially offset toe-gauging members and a foot-receiving and positioning plate pivotally: connected at its heel supporting portion with the apical portion of said sector, and being provided with divergent width-gauging members arranged to form gauging contact with opposite sides of the ball portion "of an inserted foot to indicate in conjunction approximately sector-shape provided along its arcuate edge with a series of upturned toe-gauging lips arranged, respectively, at progressively greater radialdistances" from' a common center, and a foot-receiving, width-gauging element whose rear portion is provided'with a heel stop and is'pivotally connected with said sector element at the heel portion, said foot-receiving element being provided at its opposite sides with upstanding width gauges for ascertaining in conjunction with the appropriate toe-gauging lip the width size measurement of an inserted foot. 3. A foot measuring device embracing in combination a sector-shaped plate having an arcuate series of upwardly projecting fixed toe-gauging members arranged at progressively increased radial distances from a common center located in the apical portion of the plate and a foot-receiving element having pivotal connection with said plate to permit its pivotal movement, about the heel portion of said plate, said foot-receiving element being provided at its opposite sides with adjustable width-gauging members for indicating in conjunction with the appropriate toe-gauging lip the length and width measurements of an inserted foot. 7

4. A foot measuring device embracing in combination an approximately sector-shaped sheet 'metal'plate provided with an arcuate series of ing a raised heel portion having pivotal connection with said guide member and having at its rear edge an upturned heel stop, the forward portion o'isaid foot positioning member being provided with divergent upturned width calipering flangesand a'series of cooperating gauges pivotally connected with said flanges to be folded inside the flanges and removed away from said flanges, thereby providing means for accurately gauging the ball width of an inserted foot in conjunction with the appropriate toe-gauging lip and thus indicate the length and width size measurements of the foot; i

, 5. 'A foot measuring device embracing a plate prov'ided'with an arcuate series of upstanding toe gauges arranged at progressively increased distances. from a common center, and a foot-positioning width measuring element having swivelled connection with said plate and having at its rear end a heel gauging stop forming in conjunction with the appropriate toe-gauging lip a size length caliper and adjustable width-gauging members arranged on opposite sides of the forepart of said foot-positioning member to indicate the width size measurement of an inserted foot, said forepart being provided with underneath castor domes for slidingly supporting the forepart upon said plate. z

' ELMER J. BLISS.

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