US2672688A - Shoe and foot length comparator - Google Patents

Description

March 23, 1954 J. N. CRANDALL ET AL 2,672,688

' SHOE AND FOOT LENGTH COMPARATOR Filed Jan. 5, 1952 INVENTORS JOHN N. CRANDALL GLENN A. RICHARDE-r Patented Mar. 23, 1954 2,672,688 l A SHOE AND FOOT LENGTH COMPARATOR John N. Crandall, St. Louis, and Glenn A.

Richardet, St. Louis Brown Shoe Compa County, Mo., assignors to ny, Inc., St. Louis, M0., a corporation of New York Application January 5, 1952, Serial No. 265,096

3 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for determining shoe length which will provide a proper lit, and is particularly concerned with devices for visually comparing shoe length with foot length.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple and easily operated device by which shoe length may be visually compared with foot length.

It is an object also to provide a visual shoe sise determining device which is direct reading and capable of being placed in a shoe so that shoe size and length may be determined without placing the foot in the shoe, thereby avoiding the unsanitary shoe try-on method.

`The invention herein preferred consists in a frame constructed of any suitable material, heel stops on the frame in spaced relation, one for cooperation with a shoe to be measured and the other for cooperatin with the foot Which is to be compared to shoe length, and a slide member which is movable on the frame in such a manner as simultaneously to indicate the shoe size in cooperation with one of the heel stops during actual shoe length measuring cooperation with the other heel stop.

The invention furthermore consists in the parts and elements, and in the combination of parts and cooperation thereof as will hereinafter be more particularly described when considered with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the 'preferred shoe length to foot length comparing device adjusted for determining the length of a shoe, the shoe being shown in broken outline; K

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the present device shown in position for comparing foot length with shoe length, a foot being disposed on the device as shown in broken outline;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of thepresent device showing details of its construction;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken at line 4 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken at line 5 5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of one end portion of the present device seen at line 6 6 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view at line T 'I in Fig. 6.

The present device for comparing shoe length with foot length consists in a frame I0 formed oi any suitable material such as metal. The frame may be one piece, as shown, shaped to provide a heel stop II, an adjacent foot receiving portion of linear aspect I2, a curved or angled portion I3, and a shoe length measuring portion I I of linear aspect together with a heel stop I5. This frame IIJ is provided with the curved portion I3 so that the shoe length measuring portion I4 can be arranged at an angular relationship with the foot receiving linear portion I2 to avoid interference in inserting the portion I4 (Fig. l) in a shoe indicated in broken outline at S.

`The frame Il) carries or is provided with a slide member Il formed of a suitable ilexible material such as spring steel. The slide I'I is movable along a race of the frame I 0 between the foot receiving portion I2 and the shoe length measuring portion It. Due to the curved portion I3 of frame I Il, it is desirable to have the slide formed of flexible material so that the slide can be made to traverse the curved portion.

The slide I'I is provided with a guide I3 fixed at the looped or rebent portion I9 adjacent the shoe length measuring portion I4 of the frame, and a guide 20 is also carried intermediately of the frame portion I3. The guide I8 is suitably clamped or iXecl in the loop I9 of the frame as will be understood upon inspection of Figs. 1, 6 and 7. The guide 20 is secured to the frame curved portion I3 by means of a rivet 2| shown in Figs. l and 5.

A slide manipulating handle 23 is shown in Figs. l, 3 and 4. The handle 23 is adapted to secure a guide 24 to the end portion 22 of slide II so that the handle 23 and associated guide 24 move with the slide I'I along the linear portion I2 of frame IIJ. It is noted that guide 24 is arranged in a reverse manner to the previously clescribed guides I 9 and 20. This arrangement of guides prevents the slide I 1 from being displaced from its intended cooperating association with the frame I0.

With reference to Fig. l, the present device is shown with the slide I'I moved to a position (full line) in which the end portion 25 thereoi is retracted into the guide It, thus producing the shoe measuring portion ill to its minimum length. At the same time, the slide portion 22 in the guide 2li is located at a, minimum spacing from the heel stop II. The distance between the end 22 of the slide I1 in the guide 24 and the heel stop II is substantially the same as the minimum length of the shoe measuring portion I4. Measurement of the length of the shoe S is carried out by inserting the portion I4 into the shoe with the heel stop l5 located against the inner face of the shoe heel. After this is accomplished, the handle 23 may be manipulated to project the end portion 25 of the slide Il forwardly (dotted outline) into 3 the toe of the shoe S. The combined length of frame portion I4 and the projected end portion 25 of the slide I1 indicates the interior length of the shoe S. Movement of the slide I1 to project slide end 25 the required distance, simultaneously moves the slide end 22 and associated guide 2A away from the heel stop II a like distance, thereby giving visual indication of a length.

which is equal to the determined length of the shoe.

In Fig. 2 the present device is shown in its position for comparing visually the. length oi.' the foot F with the distance marked out on the frame portion I2 between the heel stop II and the adjusted position of the slide end portion 22, this adjusted position being determined in accordance with the manipulation of the device described in connection with Fig. l. For example, if a determined shoe length A is indicated at the right in Fig. 2, this same length will also be indicated at A in the left portion of Fig. 2. The foot' F' may now be placed on the linear portion I2 of frame Ill to visually compare its length withthe shoe S. The distance B equals the recommended growth' space or clearance for a shoe properly-toA iit the'foot F; If the distance B is too great or insufcient, as determined by direct observation of the present device, a different shoe size is at once indicated.

Referring to Fig. 3, the present device may be provided-with indicia along the upper face of the foot receiving-'portion I2 so that the slide Il durn ing its adjusting movement on the frame will serve toA uncover the indicia and thereby make it easyV to readl directly a shoe size which has a length'- proper for a given foot length. This not only avoids theuncertain fitting of a shoe by its feeL but avoids the usual requirement that the foot be inserted inthe shoe during shoe selection and' iitting. The present device is especially useful for iitting shoes made on different lastsI or for fittingshoes formed on the same last where somev varia-tions are bound to occur. Normally shoes having similar size markings, but formed on different makes of lasts, differ in actual internal length so that some shoeseel longer or shorter than other shoes of asimilar size. The present device readily indicates the last variationsandpermits theselectionk of a shoe of proper length regardlessoi the make of last used in its manufacture.

The'present device has the further advantage that it canheused for any make of shoe, whereas theuse of test shoesrmade with windows o-r transparent toe portions fails to account for. variations internal length or` shoes made on the same` lasts.

What we claim is:

1. A device for comparing shoe length with foot length comprising a frame, two heel stops including.v a shoe heel stop and a foot; heel stop: on

said frame, and an elongated length determining slide on saidv frame having the opposite ends thereof movable relatively toward and away from said heel stops, one of said slide ends and said shoe heel stop determining the shoe length and the other slide end and said foot heel stop establishing a similar length along said frame for direct comparison withthe foot length.

2. A device for comparing shoe length with foot length comprising a frame formed from flat strip material and having a foot receiving portion, a curvedA portion and a shoe length determining portion, two heel stops, one for each of said foot and. shoe portions of said frame, guides located along said curved frame portion, and. a exible slide movable through said guides over said curved frame portion, one end portion of said'` slide` cooperating with said shoe length determining portion of said frame by moving toward or away from said shoe heel stop therefor and the opposite end of said slide cooperating with the foot receiving portion of said frame by moving toward or away from said foot' heel stop therefor and establishing asimilar length for comparison with the foot length.

3. A device i'or visually comparing shoe length with foot length comprising a frame formed of ilat strip material having straight foot receiving and shoe length measuring portions arranged" in right' angular relation, two. heel stops on said frame, one for each of said foot receiving andl shoe length measuring. portions of' said frame; and a measuring slide carried by said f'ram'e' and'Y movablyv arranged to cooperate with said foot receiving and shoe length measuring frame por'- tions to determine shoe length for' comparison directly with foot' length, said slide having one' end. cooperating with said foot heel stop for said' foot receivingv frame portion and the opposite end cooperating with said'shoe heel stop Vfor saidshoe length measuring portion to establish the shoe length measurement: on said foot' receiving frame portion, said' foot receiving frame portion having. indicia thereon in position toy be revealed'A upon movement of said" slide into a shoe to be measured to indicate shoe length.

JOHNk N. CRANDALL. GLENN Az RICHARDET.

References Cited;- inv the r'ileY of this patent UNITED'STATES PATENTS n Number Name Date 2,326,820 Bliss Feb. 20,1942 2,480,725 Gilbert Aug. 3.0; 19.49.^` 2,601,131l WelderA June.` 17, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTSv` Number Country Date.

6513581v Germany Oct. 151937

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