US1763261A - Coil-spring longitudinal-arch support - Google Patents

Description

June 10,1930.

FIG. 3.

W. SEIGLE COIL SPRING LONGITUDINAL ARCH SUPPORT Filed April 19, 1929 Patented June to, 1930 UNITED STATES WILLIAM SEIGLE, OF EINTON; OKLAHOMA COIL-SPRLNG LONG-ITUIDINAL-ARCH SUPPORT Application filed. April 19,

My invention relates to supports for suport-ing the longitudinal arch of the human oot.

The objects of my invention are to provide a device of this class which Will be new, novel, practical and of utility; which will resiliently support the longitudinal arch of the human foot and at the same time allow tree action of all the bones; which will be durable; which will be easy upon the foot; which will help to build up fallen arches by allowin free action of the foot muscles; which will e compact; which may be Worn between the sole of the shoe and the foot; which is adjustableas to height for fitting various degrees of fallen arches; which will be sanitary; which will have no metal to contact the foot; and which will be efiicient in accomplishing all of the purposes for which it is intended.

At the present time there are a number of arch supports in use for the purpose of supporting lon itudinal arches of the human foot, some oi which accomplish this supporting by flat metal springs adapted to fit said my, arch. This particular type ot arch support has proven unsatisfactory and insuficient for the reason that the metal used in said spring in order to be strong enough to support a persons weight, cannot be made with sutficient 3o resilience to allow full action of the bones and muscles of the toot. This particular type of arch support is frequently broken, usually in the middle by the straightening oi the spring at its central portion when a persons weight is placed thereon. Such springs are usually necessarily heavyr There is another type of arch support now being used made of leather and having slots or envelopes units under side for building up the support by inserting in rubber discs therein. This type oi support has also proved inetlicient because of the fact that it has practically no resilience arid thus hampers toot action.

With these and other objects in view as will as more fully appear my invention consists in 1929. Serial No. 356,522.

the construction, novel features, and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims hereto appended, and illustrated in the accompanying one-sheet drawing, of which,

Figure 1 is a plan View of my device; Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the adjustment means; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View through my device.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in all the figures.

It is understood that various changes'in the form, proportion, size, shape, weight and other details of construction, within the scope of my invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or broad principle of my invention and without sacrificing any of the advantagesthereot; and it is also understood that the drawings are to be interpreted as being illustrative and not restrictive.

A practical embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the drawings includes:

A base member 1' having rounded ends 2 and 3 and having one of its sides curved inwardlyas shown at 4. Said curved portion a is adapted to tit the curve of a shoe sole upon the inside of the foot Said member 1 is shaped-at its other side 4; to fit the curve of a shoe sole at the outside of a foot. Said base member 1 to be made of any suitable fabric material, such as canvas, leather and the like. Upon the edge of said base member 1 at a point adjacent the said curved portion l, I provide a horisontal pin 5 extending slightly outward from said member 1; Upon the central portion of said base member 1 and at- 85 tached thereto by any usual manner is coiled spring 6.. Said spring 6 is generally conical in shape, having its largest cell at the bottom, each coil thereabove becoming gradually smaller.

Said spring 6 is of suctlicient tension and strength to support a persons weight without becoming wholly flattened out when stepped upon. Attached to the outer edge 4 of said base member 1 by any usual means, such as cementing, sewing, and the like, and extending over the top of said spring 6 and also being attached to said member 1 at said curved end portions 2 and 3, I provide top member 7. Said member 7 as may best be seen in Figure 2 is not attached to said base member at said curved portion 4:, but is held suspended by said spring 6, thus leaving an open space 8, between said members 1 and 7. The free edge portion 9 of said member 7 curves slightly upward for movably contacting the inside wall 10 of a shoe. Said member 7 is constructed at its outer portion 11 which is shown in Fig. 1 as lying outside of the dotted line 11 of any resilient material, preferably rubber. The remainder of said member 7 shown in Fig. l as being inclosed within said dotted line 11 is made of any suitable fibrous material such as leather, canvas, and the like. Said portion 11 is made of resilient material for the purpose of allowing the slight stretching thereof when said portion 9 is forced downward by a per sons weight.

Embedded within said top member 7 at a point adjacent the center or the top coil of said spring 6 is a pin 12 which lies approximately horizontal. Beneath the central portion of said pin 12, I provide an opening 13 extending from the bottom side of said top member 7 into said member 7 to said pin 12. I further provide a small chain 14: with its top link 15 suspended over said pin 12 extending downward through said opening 13. Said chain 14: is of suilicient length to reach downward past said base member 1, and is for the purpose of adjusting the height or" said spring 6 by hooking one of its lower links over said outward extending pin 5.

In operation it will be understood that my arch supports are to be made in various sizes to tit diiierent sizes of shoes, and both the left and right foot. The salesman after determining the correct size for a person and after examining a persons foot as to the extent and degree to which the arch has fallen, adjusts the height of said spring 6 by hooking one of the links of said chain 1% over said pin 5 upon the edge of said base member 1. It will be seen that said top member 7 provides a smooth surface for contacting the wearers foot and that the foot is supported adjacent its central portion by said spring 6 that in walking said spring 6 will be pressed downwardly when a persons weight is placed upon said member 7 an d that when the weight is withdrawn that said spring 6 will by'upward pressure cause said member 7 to force the bones of the longitudinal arch of the foot into correct position; that it will restore free and natural action to the bones and muscles of the foot.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein, and applicable for uses and purposes other than as detailed, and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations and other uses of the form of the device other than as herein described as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A device, as described, embodying an arch support comprising a fabric base memher and a fibrous top member resilient in parts, joined at their heel, toe, and edge portions, a coil spring disposed between the central portions of said members, and a chain means attaching said members centrally for adjustably controlling the throw of said spring.

2. A device, as described, embodying an arch support, adapted to lit the bottom of a foot and the top of the sole of a shoe, comprising a fabric base member and a fibrous top member resilient in parts, joined at the r heel, toe, and edge portions, a cone shaped COll spring disposed between and adjacent the central portions of said members, and a chain means attaching said. members centrally for adjustably controlling the throw of said spring.

3. An arch support, as described, embodying, a base member adapted to fit the top side of the sole of a shoe, a coil spring disposed upon the central portion of said base mem' her, a top member attached at its outer edge, heel and toe portions to the corresponding portions of said base member, said top member extending over said spring, the portions adjacent the said attached portions being made of a resilient material, a chain having its top end attached to said top member, extending downward through the coils of said spring, and means upon the edgeoof said base member for connecting said chain for adjusting the throw of said spring and top member.

4:. An arch support, as described, embodying a fabric base member adapted to fit the top side of the sole of a shoe, an upright conical coil spring disposed upon the central portion of said base member, a top member attached at its outer edge, heel and toe portions to the corresponding portions of said base member, said top member extending over said spring, the portions adjacent the said attached portions being made of a resilient material, a chain having its top end attached to said top member, extending downward through the coils of said spring, and pin means upon the edge of said base member for meeeei connecting said ehein for adjusting the throw of said spring and top member.

5. The combination with a device, es de scribed having a fabric base member adapted 5 to fit the top side of a shoe sole and a fibrous top member resilient in parts joined at their heel, toe, and outside edge portions, of a cone shaped coil spring disposed between the cen irzil portions of said members, and a chain 19 means *ehrough the central coil of said spring eitachin said members for adjusting the throw 0 said spring and said top member. WILLIAM SEIGLE.

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