US1780479A - Arch corrector - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 4, 1930. F H GR|FF|TH 1,780,479

ARCH CORRECTOR Filed July l5, 1926 I N X /.VVENTOR Patented Nov. 4, 1930 FLOYD H. GRIFFITH, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI ARCH CORRECTOR j Application led July 13, 1926. Serial No. 122,208.

My invention relates to a foot treating device and more particularly to an arch correctin device.

n the condition of the feet that is known as broken or fallen arches, the principal difficulty existing in the foot is that the muscles which would normally support the bones of the arch in their normal position are stretched and weakened to such an extent that they do not carry out their supporting function. My apparatus is designed for massaging the foot in such a manner as to strengthen these muscles and restore the arches to their normal condition. It is a purpose of my invention to provide a device 0I the above mentioned character which can be operated to massage the foot to build up the muscles thereof by merely moving the foot in the proper manner over my apparatus.

It is a. further purpose of my invention to provide a lspherical member mounted in a socket on a suitable support so that the same is freely rotatable,wh1ch member is adapted 4to be engaged by the foot under the arch so` that upon turning of the foot substantially about the axis of the spherical member the spherical member will exert a massaging action on the under side of the foot at the arch to strengthen the muscles at this point.

Co-operating with said spherical member is another massaging apparatus which preferably comprises tapering rounded or substantially conical surfaced vmembers which are adapted to be engaged by the foot, said members being rotatable so that the foot can be rolled across the same to massage vthe under side of the foot, particularly on the inner side thereof or at the side thereof facing the other foot. In order to accomplish this purpose the foot is'applied to the conical member so that the inner side of the foot will engage with the portion of the tapered member that is of the greatest diameter, while the outer side of the foot engages with that portion that is of smaller diameter.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description of the-accompanying drawings proceeds. However, I desire to have it distinctly understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the exact details shown or described, but 'that I intend to include as part of my invention all such obvious changes and modifications of parts as would occur to a person skilled in this art and as Vwould fall within the scope of the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my im roved foot treating apparatus, showing the oot in position on the spherical member.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionalview of the device taken along the axis of the conical member. l

Fig. 3 is a section taken at rightan'gles to Fig. 2', the spherical member being shown in elevation, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the socket forming member for the spherical member.

Referring in detail to the drawings:

My improved foot treating device comprises a base member 10 comprising a plate adapted for stable positioning on a surface which may be made of wood or any other desired material and which is provided with a rearward projection l1, a forward rounded projection 12 and the laterally extending projection 13. The rounded projection l2 is provided with a preferably circular recess 14 on the longitudinal center line of the base which has a tapered wall portion 15 adjacent the upper surface of the member 10. 'Engaging the upper surface of the member 10 at the proj ecting portion 12 thereof is a ring like socket forming member 16 which has a conical or beveled upper face 17 and which is provided with suitable countersunk openings 18 for receiving the screws 19 for holding said member 17 in position with the central opening 20 thereof substantially aligned with the opening 14. A spherical member 21 which may be made of hard rubber or similar material and which is provided with an irregular surface preferably by providing depressions 22 therein, is mounted in the socket formed by the opening 14, the beveled wall portion 15 and the opening 20, so that said member 21 is freely rotatable in said socket. Preferably the depth of the socket is such that substantially half of the member 21 projects out of the same.

The laterally extending rectangular projections 13 of the base member 10 are preferably provided with standards 23 which may be of any desired material such as wood and which may be secured in position on the mem-- ber 10 in any desired manner, as by means of the securing members 24 shown as being wood screws which extend upwardly from the under side of the member 10 and are countersunk into said member. Transversely extending openings 25 are provided in the ends of the standards 23 and receive the transverse rod 26 which serves as a stationary shaft, being held in position in the standards 23 and from rotation and longitudinal movement therein by any suitable securing means such as the screw 27 extending through a suitable opening in the member 23 and into the shaft like member 26.

Mounted on the shaft like member 26 are the tapering rounded members 28 which are substantially in the form of truncated cones with the enlarged ends thereof adjacent the standards 23 and the reduced ends thereof adjacent each other and at the longitudinal center line of the base, the tapering members being spaced from the socket and from the base to receive portions of a foot engaged with the ball for treatment thereby. The enlarged ends of the tapering members 28 may be provided with short cylindrical`portions 29 adjacent said standards. The members 28 are preferably provided with protuberances 30 thereon which are preferably arranged in staggered relation, as will be evident from Figs. 1 and 2. Said protuberances are preferably provided with shank portions 31 having sharpened ends 32 for holding the same in position in the members 28, said members being driven into position in the members 28 preferably in a manner similar to that in which tacks are driven into a member.

In use the ball like or spherical member 21 is first utilized by rotating the foot substantially about the axis of the member 21 with the foot bearing against said member 21, the foot being oscillated back and forth the required num er of times and a gentle pressure being applied to the spherical member. The spherical member is engaged substantially under the arch of the foot at the point where the same is bowed upwardly under normal conditions during this operation. After the foot has been properly massaged by means of the spherical member 21 in this manner the foot is further massaged by moving the same back and forth across on one of the tapering members 28. p Thus in the position of the device shown in Fig. 1, if the right foot is being massaged the same will be in engagement with the member 28 at the left of said figure so that the portion thereof that is of greater diameter will be in engagement. with the inner side of the sole of the foot, thus exercising the muscles so as to tend to restore them to their original-condition whereby the inner side of the foot is held entirely out of engagement with the ground between the ball and the heel portion thereof. If the left foot is being massaged, the action. with the spherical member is carried on in the same manner but the foot is applied to the member 28 at the right of Fig. 1 instead of to the member to the left thereof as was the case of the right foot, this being done for the same purpose as previously described.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An arch corrector including a base plate, a roller mounted transversely on the plate having tapered surfaces meeting on the medlan line of the plate and a ball rotatably mounted on the median line of the plate in spaced relation with the roller.

2. An arch corrector comprising a base plate, brackets mounted at opposite edges of the plate adjacent one end thereof, a roller mounted on said brackets including complementary portions tapering toward the longitudinal center line of the base plate, a ballreceiving socket located adjacent said longitudinal center line of the basev late in spaced relation with said roller, a all rotatably mounted in said socket, and means for retaining the ball in the socket.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

FLOYD H. GRIFFITH.

Images