US2593385A - Foot measuring device - Google Patents

Description

April 15 1952 J. s. DIGATE FooT MEASURING DEVICE Filed April 24, 194? EEE n.-

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@VEL/722517 m A fl.. D CJ. Wu J Patented Apr. 15, 1952 FGOT MEASURING DEVICE James S. Digate, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The Scholl Mfg. Co., Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Application April 24, 1947, Serial N o. 743,665

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a foot measuring device, and more particularly to a foot measuring device of the character'commonly referred to in the trade as a stick to indicate both sizes and widths of shoes, the device being highly desirable for use in shoe stores and the like, although the device will have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to vone skilled inthe art.

In the past, many and various types and kinds of foot measuring devices, especially those utilized in shoe stores and the like to ascertain the proper size of shoe for any individual customer, have been developed. One of the disadvantages of these devices heretofore known resided in the fact that they did not indicate both sizes and widths on the upper face only of the device and with the actuation of only one adjustable member; and in no instance of which I am aware did a device of this character indicate either sizes or widths in a manner to be readily discernibleto the customer without removing the foot from the device. Further, many a device of `this character heretofore known were not desirably smooth and sanitary in appearance on the foot receiving surfaces, and 'most frequently such devices were objectionably time consuming and difficult to maneuver to ascertain the proper size and width of a shoe for an individual customer. In addition, in such devices that did indicate both sizes and widths on one surface of the device some part of the foot contacts a movable member with the consequent danger of acci dental movement of the setting when the foot lifted. i i

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a foot measuring device that plainly indicates both sizes and widths directly on the upper surface of the device, and wherein the 'heel and sole of a foot being measured contacts only permanently indicates directly both sizes and widths of a foot from the top of the device with no danger of the setting being accidentally is'lifted` Also a feature of this invention is the pro` `moved when the foot vision of a foot measuring device that denotes both sizes and widths directly without requiring the removal of the foot from the device to determine either measurement.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a foot measuring device wherein the salesman can readily and easily show a prospective customer the actual size and width of the customers foot while the foot remains upon the measuring dev ice.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a foot measuring device of exceedingly simple construction, that is highly economical to manufacture and very accurate to use.

` A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a foot measuring device presenting a substantially hard, smooth and clean surface forthe reception of a customers foot, the surface being easily kept clean so that the device not only is'but also has the appearance of being highly sanitary.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparentv from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a foot measuring device embodying principles of the instant invention i "Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure of Fig. 1, showing the device as used for measuring the size of a foot;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structure 0f Fig. 1 showing the. device as it would be used for measuring the width of a foot; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional viewV through thedevice taken substantially as indicated by the line IV--IV of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

As shown on the drawings:

The illustrated embodiment of the instant invention includes an elongated member I which is commonly referred to in the trade as a stick and which may be provided on each side thereof with a longitudinal groove 2 for the reception of an adjustable block to be later described. At least the top surface of the stick I is preferably covered with a suitable smooth surface plate or member 3, a plastic materialbeing highly desirable for this purpose. In the preferable embodiment, the surface plate 3 would be white, thus presenting a' smooth, hard and very sanitary surface. For this purpose a thermoplastic such as nitrocellulose, for example, is satisfactory, although many other plastics would also be suitable.

Upon the surface of the covering 3 is a scale li which may be printed, etched or otherwise placed on the surface of the element 3. This scale 4 is marked off in indicia indicating shoe sizes. As illustrated, the scale 4 is disposed along one side edge of the stick, and along the opposite side edge of the stick a shorter scale is provided embodying the proper indicia for indicating widths of shoes.

At one end of the stick is a heel block 5 Vthat is permanently xed in position relatively to the stick itself. This heel block may also be surfaced on each side thereof with plastic plates l-l of the same character as the plate 3.

A movable block 8 is also associated with the stick, and this block may be surfaced onl the front and rear sides as indicated at 9-9 with material of the character of the plate 3. The movable block 8 carries a plate on each side thereof, a fixed plate lill held in place by screws ll entering the block 8, and a pivotally mounted plate l2 that may be rocked about a horizontal axis on the smooth shanks of` screws i3 engaged in the block. Each plate has an inwardly turned flange i4 at its lower margin that rides in the respective .grooves 2 of the stick l. A coiled spring or the like l5 urges the upper portion of the plate l2 outwardly away from the block B'to anchor its ilange i4 in the groove 2 of the stick l and thus hold the blo-ck in a position of adjustment. When it is desired to move the block along the stick, it is a simple expedient to press in the upper portion of the plate I2 against the action of the spring with the thumb, and thus release the engagement of the flange i4 permitting a movement of the block 8 longitudinally of the stick l to a new position of adjustment.

The block 8 carries a trailing scaleV IG which may be made of the same material as the plate 3 or which may be metal if so desired, and this scale carries a pointer l1 at one side for associationY with the size indicating scale 4. The other side of the scale I6 is preferably beveled downwardly as ,indicated at .i8 and carries thereon a width indicating scale I9 for association with the scale 5 on the plate 3.

The foregoing includes all of the structure necessary in connection with the instant invention, with the exception that an aperture 20 may be provided adjacent the free end of the stick to facilitate hanging the stick when not in use.

In use, the instant invention is extremely simple and highly accurate. YAssuming that an individual customers foot is being measured, it is a simpleY expedient to place the foot on the stick with the heel engaging the surface 'l-of the heel block 6, and the foot extending along the plate 3. With the foot in that position, it

. will be noted that the foot is contacting only fixed and relatively stationary surfaces. The clerk or attendant then moves the adjustable block 8 into such position that the plate egon the inside thereof contacts the toe of the foot. In this position, with the customer still standing upon the stick, the pointer il on the trailing scale I6 will indicate Vthe proper size of shoe for that particular foot by its association with the size indicating scale In the instance illustrated in Fig. 2, the sizeof shoe for the assumed foot would be nine. Now it will be further noted that while the customer is standing upon the stick, that indicatedfsize is'not only plainly visible to the attendant without the need of the customer removing the foot from the stick, but the indicated size is also plainly visible to the customer.

Next, the proper width of shoe for that particular foot is measured. In this event, the customer disposes his foot transversely across the stick with the rst metatarsal head contacting the plate 1 on the stationary block 6, and the movable block 8 is brought into position against the fifth metatarsal head of the foot. The size having been indicated as a nine, the width reading is at once disclosed on the scale i9 opposite the nine :indicationY on the scale 5. In the illustrated instance of Fig. 3, the proper width of shoe would be D. It is not necessary for the customer to remove his foot in order to plainly see the required Width of shoe, which is visible on the measuring device to both the customer and the attendant. Thus, it has been easily and quickly ascertained that the proper size shoe for the assumed foot is a 9D.

It should be further noted that there is no danger of the customer disturbing any setting of the scale by a movement of the foot during the measuring operation. VThe foot itself contacts only stationary surfaces, and the foot may remain in position While the sizes are indicated directly by the top face of the plate 3, the movable block 8 being under the control of the attendant at all times.

It will further be noted that the entire measuring device presents aclean and sanitary appearance to the customer at all times, and it is a simple expedient to maintain the device in that.

condition. The device is very simple in construction, extremely simple and accurate to use, and is highly durable. It will be further understood that theentire device may easily be made of a plastic materialsuch as is lused for the covering plates in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, if so desired. 5

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through ajwide range without departing from the princi-,-

ples of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted herecn otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims. y

I claim as my invention:

1. A foot measuring and shoe size indicating device, comprising an elongated stick oi less width than the human foot, a pair of complementary flat-faced upstanding blocks on said stick, one of said blocks being xed to the stick adjacent an end thereof, the other block being..

equal facility by both an operator and a cusV tomer simultaneously. Y

2. A foot measuring and shoe size indicating device, comprising an elongated stick of less witdh than the human foot, a pair of complementary flat-faced V-upstanding blocks on-said stick, one of said blocks being xed to the stick adjacent an end thereof, the other block being along one margin ofsaid stick, another scale along the opposite margin of said stick, a trailing member carried by said slidable block of a wiidth substantially equal toi the distance between the scales of said stick, a pointer extending from one side of said memberY for cooperation with said length scale, said member being sharply jcut away behind said pointer, and a beveled scale on the opposite side ofl said member for coop/eration with the otherstick scale to denotev the width of a shoe, the indicia of all said scales being positioned relatively to the long axis of the stick as to be readable with equal facility by both an operator and a custoier simultaneously.

JAMES S. DGATE,

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name l Date Adler :HSefpt. 17, 1895 Hertzler -lSept. 13, 1904 Ritz-Woller Sept. 16, 1916 Wheeler Apr 14, 1936 Brannock Apr 27, 1937 Brown jill/[ay 7, 1940 Clarke @Feb. 5, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Dec. 17, 1936

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