US2327254A

US2327254A - Flare indicator

Info

Publication number: US2327254A
Application number: US462424A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick F Fisher; Charles T Heilborn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1942-10-17
Filing date: 1942-10-17
Publication date: 1943-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1960-08-17

Description

Aug 1943- F. F. FISHER ET AL 2,327,254

FLARE INDICATOR Filed Oct. 17, 19 .2

Patented Aug. 17, 1943 FLARE INDICATOR Frederick F.

Fisher, Providence, and CharlesiT. Heilborn, Bristol, R. I. e

Application October 17, 1942, Serial bio. 462,424

' 4 Claims' The present invention relates to the orthopedic art and has particular reference to a novel indicator for determining the; proper shoe last for a foot.

It is the principal object of our invention to provide an indicator for determining the flare of the foot so as to permit selection of the propershoe last. v v

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable device which is readily tadjustable to the foot to determine its flare.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view; the invention constitutes a novel arrangement of parts for a flare indicator more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with theiaccompanying drawing, "and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto. In the drawing, 1 V i Fig, 1 isla plan view of the :novelflare indicator; I

Fig. 2-2 of Fig. 1;, V

Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof -on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is adetailed fragmentary view similar Z is a vertical section thereof on the line" to Fig. 1, the parts being shown in angular rela tion; 1

Fig.5 is a section onthe 1ine.5.-5 of Fig. 1;

and

Figs. 6 and '7 are respectivelyperspective views of the pivot and slide bushings. l

The determination of the proper-last for a good shoe-fit depends on the shape of the foot.-

If a centerline be drawn between the centers of the ball portion and the heel portion of a foot, it will be found that a normal foot may be straight or balanced with respect tothe centerline, or may. extend or flare to 21 greater extent either to the right or to the left of the centerline; If the foot flare is inward towards the body, an inflare last is indicated, whereas if the foot flare of a foot may be placed, the ball of the foot then resting on a rotatable support or platform which is adjustable to the foot so as to centralize the ball in vertical alignment with the center of the heel. When the foot is so located a pointer positioned in the same vertical alignment, discloses whether the foot requires a straight last, an inflare last or an outfiare last; and thus assists in the proper selection of the shoe.

Referring to the drawing, the novel indicator comprises a heelsection I!) having a depending skirt H for setting on the floor. The heel section H] has a heel seat l2 with a back rest 13 and is provided with alongitudinal slot I4 in which a slide member I5 is slidably mounted, the, rela tively sliding parts having cooperating tongue and groove elements as indicated at I6 in Fig. 5. The upper end of the slide member 15 extends transversely oneach side to provide transverse sections i! for receiving a ball plate, hereinafter described, the slide member being adjustably movable. with respect to the heel section II) by suitable means such as the nut and screw arrangement illustrated in Fig. 2. V Inthis arrangement a depending boss l8 has the forwardend of the screw is rotatably securedthereto, as by means of a lock washer 20, the rear end of the screw being received in a threaded bore 2| extending through the rear portion of the depending skirt H, and having a knurled head22, whereby turning of the knurled headadjustably moves the slide [5 in the slot A lock bushing 23 is provided for locking the screw 19 in adjusted position.

Referring now to Figswl and 3, a ball plate 24 is pivotally mounted on the forward end i! of the slide member l5 between the transverse sections, the ball plate being preferably seated in a recess 25,see Fig. 2, so as to present a smooth surface to the foot when it is placed in the device. The connection of the ball plate 24 to the slide member includes a depending bushing 25, shown in is outward away from the body an outflare last is indicated. Thus, if the centerline when extended passes between the second and third toes, counting from the big toe; a straight last is-desirable; if the centerline when extended passes between the first and second toes, an outflare last is desirable, and if the centerline when extended passes beyond the third toe, an inflare last is most suitable.

It has been found desirable to accurately determine the flare of a foot in order to specify the proper last for a fitted shoe. We have provided an indicatorhaving a heel seat in which the heel perspectivein Fig. 6, having an upwardly extending cylindrical portion 2! which .is internally threaded to receive a lock screw 28 for locking the bushing to the ball plate 24, the cylindrical portion 21 of the bushing being rotatably seated in a corresponding opening in the bridge portion 29 of the forward end ll of the slide member, the lower portion of the bushing 26 having a. cylindrical transverse bore 30 through which the central portion of a double transverse screw 3| extends, the parts being locked together by means of end washers 32 and lock pins 33, whereby the bushing 26 and its associated parts readily turn in the forward end of the slide member. The double transverse screw 3| has two oppositely directed threaded

portions

34, 35 and a knurled head or the like 36 for manual adjustment, the

threaded

portions

34 and 35 being received in ing formed as cylindrical portions 4| which are internally threaded to receive lock screws 42 for swingingly retaining edge members l la and 4% on the ball plate, the edge members having aroufrom the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An indicator for determining foot fiare. comprising a heel portion, a slide portion adjustably slidably mounted with respect to said heel portion, a member for receiving the ball of in alignment with the centers of the heel portion ate faces for accommodation tothe edges of the ball portion of the foot. The transverse sections I! are provided With depending legs or skirts 45, see Fig. 2,01 the same height as the skirt ll of the heel portion, for seating on the floor, and has a vertical pointer 46 seeFig. 6, in vertical alignment with the center of the ball plate 24 and or the heel portion l3.

The operation of the indicator may now be ex plained. Referring to Fig. '1, the device is placed on the floor in front of a person whole being fitted for shoes. The heel of the foot is inserted in the heel portion of the device, and the two edge members 44a and 442) are approximately set on opposite sides of the ball line of the foot. The length is adjusted by turning the knurled head 22, until the slides 44a and 4% are in proper relation to the ball line, and the lock nut is then tightened. The knurled wheel on the transverse screw is then turned until the slides 44a and 44b touch the ball of the foot at the ends of the ball 1ine,the plate 24 swinging for this purpose as indicated in Fig. 4; the double acting transverse screw moves both edge members simultaneously and equally with respect to the center of the ball plate. The ball line is thus exactly centered with respect to the heel center, and the position of the pointer 46 with respect to the toes of the foot i-mmediately'discloses whether the foot is straight, or has an infiare or an outfiare, thus determining the type of last which is required for the particular foot. I

In some instances, it may be desirable to obtain an accurate reading of the angular variation of the ball line from a perpendicular to the axial line of the foot. For this purpose, a second indicator similar toindicator 46 and shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, may be mounted on or be part of the ball plate '24, the swing of this auxiliary indicator from the indicator 4t disclosing the angular deviation of the ball line. 7

While we have described a specific constructional embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that changes in the size, in the shape, in the proportions of the parts, and in the means for setting the length and the transversely movable edge members may be made to suit the requirements for diiferent indicator designs, without departing and the ball receiving member.

2. An indicator for determining foot flare, comprising a heel portion, a slide portion adjustably slidably mounted with respect to said heel portion, means for locking the slide portion in adjusted position, a'member for receiving the ball of the foot, edge members mounted for transverse adjusting movement thereon, said member being pivotally mounted on said slide portion with the pivot in axial'ali'gnment with the heel portion center, and means for moving said movable edge members laterally on said member while maintaining said edge-'members equidistant from the pivot, said slide portion having a flare indicator in alignment with the centers of the heel'portion and the ball receiving member.

3. An indicator for determining foot flare, comprising a heel portion, a slide portion adjustably slidably mounted with respect to said heel portion, a member for receiving the ball of the foot, edge members mounted for transverse adjusting movement thereon, said member being pivotally mounted on said slide portion'with the pivot in axial alignment withthe heel portion center, and means for moving said movable edge members laterally on said member while maintaining said edge members equidistant from the pivot,- said edge members being swingable, said slide portion having a flare indicator in alignment with the centers of the heel portion and the ball receiving member."

a. An indicator for determining foot flare, comprising aheel portion, a slide portion adjustably slidably mounted with respect to said heel portion, means for locking the slide portion in adjusted position, a member for receiving the ball of the foot, edge members mounted for transverse adjusting movement thereon, said member being pivotally mounted on said slide portion with the pivot in axial alignment with the heelportion center, and means for moving said movable edge members laterally on said member while maintaining said edge members equidistant from the pivot, said edge members being swingable, said slide portion having a flare indicator in alignment with the centers of the heel portion and the ball receiving member.

' FREDERICK F. FISHER. CHARLES T; HEILBORN.