US881087A

US881087A - Electric insole.

Info

Publication number: US881087A
Application number: US29173205A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert A Stevenson; John T Story
Original assignee: John T Story & Co
Current assignee: John T Story & Co
Priority date: 1905-12-14
Filing date: 1905-12-14
Publication date: 1908-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1925-03-03

Description

, PATENTED'MAR. s, 1908. R. A. STEVENSON & J. T. STORY.

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STEVENSON AND JOHN T. STORY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS OF ONE- HALF TO JOHN T. STORY & (30.,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A FIRM.

ELECTRIC INSOLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March3, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT A. STEVEN- soN and JOHN T. STORY, both of the city, county, and State of New York, borough of Manhattan, have invented a new and useful Electric Insole, adapted particularly to be worn in boots and shoes, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The object of our invention is to construct an insole of the type specified, which is simple and economical in construction, and also efficient in operation. This latter object is accomplished by so constructing the electric generators, in the form herein described the elements of a galvanic pile, in such manner that an extensive area of galvanic surface is provided. These, and some of the other advantages of the invention, will appear from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein Figure 1 is a shoe partly broken away, so as to show the insole therein, in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the insole shown in Fig. 2 Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the galvanic elements, or members, and Fig. 4 is a detail of the cup or container forming the outside member of one of the galvanic elements. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view through an insole showing two galvanic piles connected in series.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents a shoe, the outer sole of which is designated B, and our new insole C. The main body of the insole C may be composed of fabric, paper, leather, or other suitable material, but we have found a molded composi tion of ground cork and hair to be particularly well suited for this purpose. Those arts of the insole coming beneath the heel and ball of the foot are cored or perforated for the purpose of receiving the outer members, respectively, of galvanic elements or piles, D, D. In practice these two elements are generally constructed alike, so that a de tailed description of one of them, only, will suffice.

Referring now particularly to the galvanic element located at the heel of the shoe, E is a shallow cup shaped member provided with a rim or flange a, the cup beingof such size as to fit snugly in the hole of the insole, while the rim or flange a is exterior of this hole, and bears on the underside of the insole. The

outside upper surface of this cup is practically flush with the inner or upper surface of the insole, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The member E may be composed of any suitable metal, as copper, in which event the complemental element E in the forward end of the insole would be preferably composed of zinc. Each of these containers is supplied with a number of disks of suitable metal, preferably, copper or zinc, so arranged therein as to have each copper surface opposing a zinc surface, and vice versa, leaving a copper and zinc terminal in each pile. These disks are lettered, respectively, (1, b b and c, 0, 0 On top of each set of disks I may provide a suitable insulating disk (Z, (1, made of paper of other suitable material.

Extending lengthwise of the sole and on the under side thereof is a metal strip F, preferably of copper, which, being on the outside of the disks, serves to retain them within thecup shaped members E, E, as clearly appears in Fig. 2. The strip F may be secured to the insole in any suitable way, as shown, by riveting the same thereto, the rivets being lettered a, see Figs. 2 and 3. WVhen the insulating disks or members d, d, are employed, the metal strip connects with each pile, through the rim or flange 0 thereof, as showing clearly in Fig. 3. For purposes of ventilation, it is sometimes desirable to serrate the borders of the large openings in the insole, as clearly appears at fand, Fig. 2. At the bottom of the insole, and covering the galvanic piles or cells and the metal strip F, 1 preferably attach loosely, as by cement,a piece of thin gauze fabric G, which aids in fitting the insole in the shoe.

' The invention having been described, its mode of operation will now be set out briefly. The operation of a galvanic pile or cell being well understood, it will suffice to say that the moisture or perspiration normally contained. in a shoe, and. containing certain salts as constituents, such as sodium chlorid, or common salt, is sufficient to start the electrical or galvanic action of each pile. The outer elements of each pile, D and the foot, and in conjunction with the metal strip F, which serves as a brush or collector of the current, through the medium of the flanges or rims, a, an electric circuit is established which includes the piles D, D, and l the conducting strip, F, whereby an electric D, respectively, serve as contact plates for current is supplied to the body of the wearer, and particularly through the wearers feet.

It will be obvious that the strength of the current may be modified or controlled by regulating the size and number of the disks in each pile, and, in the construction shown, these disks may be readily taken out or inserted without disturbing the outer cup members E, t, or the strip F' It will be further understood that should the normal moisture contained in the shoe be insufficient to generate the desired amount of current, artificial voltaic agents, consisting of any of the well known salts for this purpose, may be placed in the shoe so as to properly contact with the elements of each pile, or may be placed between the disks, substantially as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

It is to be observed that the galvanic pile, D, has a terminal of one polarity exposed through the insole, that the other galvanic pile, D, has a terminal of opposite polarity exposed through said insole, and that the metallic strip, F, connects the galvanic piles in series by engaging with the terminals of the two piles, said terminals engaged by the strip being of opposite polarity. Now, when the piles are excited by the absorption of moisture due to the perspiration of the foot, and the foot engages with the terminals of opposite polarity presented by the respective piles, as represented in Fig-5, a current of electric energy is supplied to the foot.

It will be observed that each pile is removable readily from the insole. The in sole being composed of flexible material, it can be bent or doubled so as to leave a space between the under part of the insole and the pliable strip, F, and the pile, with the cup shaped element thereof, can be withdrawn from the cored opening in said. insole. It is evident that the pile can be inserted or withdrawn, as desired, without disconnecting the strip, F.

The insole may be worn in a shoe in the same way as an ordinary hairv or felt insole.

. The electrical current produced, increases the circulation of blood in the feet, and augments the flow of blood thereto, thereby acting very beneficially in the treatment of gout, rheumatism and kindred ailments, as well as in various others, such as cold feet, attributable to defective circulation.

It will be apparent from the one embodiment of our invention described, that other ways may be availed of to secure some, or

I all of the advantages of the invention, without de arting from the substance or spirit thereo Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An article of the class described, comprising an insole carrying two galvanic piles,

one of said piles having a terminal of one polarity adapted to contact with a foot of the wearer and the other pile having a terminal of opposite polarity adapted to contact with the foot, and means for electrically connecting the terminals of said piles.

2. An article of the class described, comprising an insole carrying two galvanic piles, each of which is composed of a plurality of positive and negative elements, and means connecting said piles in circuit one with the other.

3. An article of the class described, an insole cored in the heel and sole thereof, a galvanic pile located in each of said cored portions each pile having its elements contained within a cup shaped terminal and a conducting strip secured to the sole and adapted to hold said piles in proper posi tions.

4. An article of the class described, an insole provided with a plurality of galvanic cells or piles, each pile being contained within a cup shaped terminal, and an electric conductor secured to said insole and serving to electrically connect said piles or cells through the cup shaped terminals thereof.

5. An article of the class described, an in sole supporting or carrying a flanged cup v adapted to contact with the foot of the wearer, while the lower sides or elements are connected by a metallic strip and held in place thereby.-

7. An article of the class described, an insole, a flanged conducting container, the flanges of which contact with the sole, and suitable galvanic elements within the container.

8. An article of the class described, an insole having openings cored therein, the periphery of the cored portions being serrated, and a galvanic pile fitted in said opening.

9. An article of the class described, an insole, a voltaic or galvanic pile cooperating therewith and a conductor secured to said sole and adapted to hold said pile in place.

10. An article of the class described, an insole, a voltaic or galvanic element in the form of a cup cooperating with said sole, a conducting strip, and a plurality of galvanic elements loosely confined between said cup and strip. p

11. An article of the class described, an insole, a plurality of galvanic cells, a metallic retainer secured to the sole and adapted to both electrically connect said cells and to retain them in place and a flexible covering exterior of said cells and retainer.

12. An article of the class described, an insole, flanged cups serving as elements of voltaic piles, and a conductor insulated from said cup or piles except on said flanges.

13. An article of the class described, an insole, a cup, a plurality of voltaic elements therein, a conductor contacting with the edges of the cup and an insulating member separating said conductor from the elements in the cup.

14. An article of the class described, an insole, a cup shaped container cooperating therewith, a conductor partially covering the opening in said container, whereby voltaic elements may be readily inserted or removed from the container.

15. An article of the class described, an insole, a perforation or opening therein, a vol taic pile confined Within the opening and ventilating openings in the sole surrounding the pile.

16. An article of the class described, an insole, a plurality of galvanic cells housed therein, a fiat metallic strip running lengthwise of the sole and secured thereto, and serving to electrically connect the cells and to retain them in place, and a layer of fabric covering said strip.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT A. STEVENSON.

JOHN T. STORY.

Witnesses:

JAs. H. GRIFFiN, H. I. BERNHARD.