US2116445A - Article of footwear - Google Patents

Description

May 3, 1938. v. L. MOORE 2,116,445

ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR Filed Dec. 18, 1937 INYENTOR y/da L Moore Patented May 3, 1938 ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR Vida L. Moore, New York, N. Y.

Application December 18, 1937, Serial No. 180,518

r In Great Britain April 29, 1937 3 Claims.

This invention relates to articles of foot wear, such as boots, shoes and sandals.

Many of the articles of foot wear now available have bad effects on the wearers feet due to the particular last upon which the shoes are built, or to faulty design, and also due to defects in the wearers feet, such as displaced bones, joints or muscles.

Furthermore, the modern tendency for outdoor sports such as golf, tends to cause various foot troubles due to the strain placed upon the muscles, ligaments and joints of the feet and ankles. Also, as is well known, the high heels used in womens shoes tend to strain the muscles and joints of the feet.

More specifically, one of the most serious defects is due to the displacement of the metatarsal and cuneiform bones of the foot causing what is generally known as fallen arch. This may be due to various reasons, including those given above and in order to overcome this trouble the cuneiform and metatarsal bones must be raised and retained in raised position, especially at those times when the wearer of the foot wear is exercising strenuously, or the weight of the wearer is borne on the foot. In some cases it is necessary for the wearer to constantly use means for supporting and raising the arch or cuneiform and metatarsal bones.

As is well known, if the cuneiform and metatarsal bones which form the connection and arch between the heel and the toes are raised and supported the strain on the foot and the consequential metatarsal displacement will be avoided and defects in the foot will be compensated for.

Various devices have been proposed for accomplishing the desired purpose of raising and supporting the cuneiform bones, such for instance, as arch supporters which are inserted in the shoe or boot and are of rigid material and so shaped as to force the cuneiform bones upwardly and retain them in this position. However, such devices have certain distinct disadvantages. For instance, they tend to slip and chafe when strenuous exercise is undertaken and they are un- Such ad- Furthermore, in many cases the metatarsals which are replaced in their natural positions by raising the cuneiform, tend to become stronger during the continued use of the device and thus it is desirable that the pressure on the cuneiform be somewhat lessened with a view to ultimately dispensing entirely with the support.

This invention has for one of its objects to provide an article of foot wear having means constructed and arranged to support the cuneiform and to relieve the pressure on the metatarsals and to prevent displacement thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide foot wear with adjustable means for supporting the cuneiform, so arranged that it can be adjust-ed to meet the conditions encountered.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of foot wear having means for supporting the metatarsal arch and cuneiform. so constructed and arranged as to provide for pro- 20 gressive adjustment to gradually correct defects and bring the cuneiform and metatarsals back to. the correct position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of foot wear with means so designed and so secured in the foot wear as to exert an upward and rearward lift on the cuneiform, thus not only supporting the arch, but returning the deformed or displaced cuneiform and metatarsal bones to their correct positions.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawing which forms a part of this application, and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe having connected thereto and embodied therein means constructed in accordance with the invention for correcting and supporting the cuneiform and metatarsal bones of the foot;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the shoe illustrated in Fig. 1, Figs. 1 and 2 showing an Oxford or low shoe;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation through the heel of the shoe shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a high shoe having incorporated therein means constructed in accordance with the invention for correcting and supporting the cuneiform or metatarsal arch; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lifting and supporting strap.

The invention briefly described consists of an article of footwear having a strap or sling attached to the inside thereof over the heel and of the heel portion and is so shaped as to support the heel portion of the root without cutting into the heel and, as will be hereinafter described, the sling or support exerts an upward and rearward pressure, thus afiecting a rolling action on the foot to bring the cuneiform bones and the metatarsals connected thereto back to their normal or correct position and to exert a rearward pull on the metatarsals which have fallen due to the incorrect adjustment of the cuneiform bones.

Further details of the invention will appear from the following description.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown an Oxford or low shoe comprising a heel ID, a shank II, a sole i2 and an upper IS. The upper I3 is split or divided, as shown at ll, the divided portions being laced together by a lace II. A tongue I6 is disposed within the split portion II.

The foot correcting and supporting means consists of a strap, band or sling which has one end 21 secured above the heel and folded under the portion oi the insole 22 which extends over the heel l0. The strap 20 then extends across the upper portion of the heel end of the insole, as shown at 2!, and then upwardly along the inner surface oi the outer portion of the counter, as shown at 24, and over the instep, as shown at 25.

The outer rear portion of the upper is slotted, as shown at 26, and the free end of the strap 2| extends through the slot, as shown in the drawing. This end of the strap is adjustably secured to a strap 30 which is fixed between the upper and the heel and is provided with a buckle ll of any suitable construction. The end of the strap 20 is adjustably secured by said buckle to the strap 30, this adjustment being determined by the condition of the wearer's foot and the amount of correction and support desired.

From the showing in Fig. 1 it will be seen that the instep portion of the strap 20 is disposed inside of the tongue l6 and if desired this portion of the strap may replace or be used instead of the usual tongue.

From the showing in the drawing it will be seen that the end 2| of the strap is relatively narrow, but that the strap is broadened as it extends across the bottom of the shoe and upwardly along the inner surface of the counter and across the instep. This is desirable since the strap forms a sling or support for the foot and should be sumciently broad to form an adequate and comfortable support beneath the foot and also to prevent the strap from cutting into the instep.

It should be particularly noted that the portion 23 of the strap is disposed beneath the heel of the wearer and extends forwardly and upwardly and then over the instep and downwardly and rearwardly. This form of construction causes the support to exert a rearward pull on the metatarsals in addition to a lift on the arch and the cuneiform bones and also an upward and outward rolling action on the cuneiform bones which returns them to their correct positions.

Since. as above described, the supporting and adjusting sling or strap is fixed at the point Ii shown in Fig. 3, the strap will be swung upwardly about the fixed end thereof which is disposed over the heel portion of the insole and at the outer edge thereof. a

In Fig. 4 the invention has been shown as applied to a man's high shoe and it is obvious that the invention is of general application and can be used on any type or form of mans or woman's shoe desired. In other words, it is applicable to sport shoes, low or high heel shoes. sandals, or any other desired form of foot wear.

It will be obvious from the foregoing specification that the .use of the correcting and adjusting means described will effectively correct and place in adjustment the bones of the foot, thus overcoming what is generally known as fallen arches and raising the cuneiform bones and lifting and pulling the metatarsals back into their correct position of adjustment. Furthermore, this adjustment of the bones can be carried out progressively until they have been re adjusted or replaced in their correct positions.

Although, in the form of the invention illustrated, the free end of the correcting and adjusting strap is shown as extending through the shoe upper and as being secured to a strap secured on the outer surface on the outside of the shoe, it is obvious that other means may be provided for securing the free end of the supporting and correcting strap. It is essential, however, that the inner end of the strap be secured at the bottom over the heel portion of the shoe at the outer edge of the heel and be carried across the heel above the inner surface of the inner portion of the counter and over the instep.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a shoe having a heel, shank, sole and upper, means constructed and arranged to exert an upward and outward pull on the cuneiform bones and an upward and rearward pull on the metatarsals, said means consisting of a strap or sling of a width effective to substantially embrace the cuneiform bones, having one end secured within the shoe rearwardly of the heel breast and extending across the shoe, forwardly and upwardly to a position to underlie the central area of the longitudinal arch of the foot, and thence to extend over the instep, downwardly and rearwardly, and means for adjustably securing the free end thereof.

2. In a shoe having a heel, shank, sole and upper, means constructed and arranged to exert an upward and outward pull on the cuneiform bones and an upward and rearward pull on the metatarsals, said means consisting of a strap or sling of a width effective to substantially embrace the cuneiform bones, having one end secured within the shoe rearwardly of the heel breast and extending across the shoe, forwardly and upwardly to a position to underlie the central area of the I longitudinal arch of the foot, and thence to extend over the instep, downwardly and rearwardly, and means for adjustably securing the free end thereof, said strap being tapered in width from the inner fixed end to the portion extending from the instep to the securing means, and being widest adjacent the side of the upper.

3. In a shoe having a heel, shank, sole and upper, means constructed and arranged to exert an upward and outward pull on the cuneiform bones and an upward and rearward pull on-the metatarsals, said means consisting of a strap or sling of a width effective to substantially embrace the cuneiform bones, having one end secured within the shoe rearwardly of the heel breast and extending across the shoe, forwardly and upwardly to a position to underlie the central area of the longitudinal arch of the foot, and thence to extend over the instep, downwardly and rearwardy, and means for adjustably securing the free end thereof, said strap being tapered in width from the inner fixed end to the portion extending from the instep to the securing means, and being widest adjacent the side of the upper through an area spaced substantially above the sole of the shoe.

VIDA L. MOORE.

Images