US1517359A - Arch support - Google Patents

Description

Patented ec. 2, 1924.

EDGAR GOODRICH, 0F CHICAGO, LLINOS.

ARCH SUPPORT.

Appllcation filed September To ZZ when@ t may conce/1in.'

Beit known that l, Encan Gooniuci-I, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lllinois, have invented new and useful Improven'ients in Arch Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention `relates to orthopedic apparatus, and has special reference to an arch support to be worn in a shoe for the purpose of supporting arches in such troubles as cases of flat feet, fallen arches and the like, as well as to aid in strengthening the weak arches. l

Heretofore it has been customary to make arch supporters of this character with the portion beneath the. internal part of the arch thicker than the portion beneath the external part, the idea being in such cases to raise the hollow part of the arch.

Arch supporters constructed in this manner tend to force the middle of the foot outward, and in place of properly elevating the arch, they have a tendency to distort the foot laterally.

rThe principal and most important object of the present invention is to provide an arch supporter wherein the internal portion of the arch will belleft more or less free, while the external portion will be raised and thereby the foot will be prevented from hat! ing its central portion distorted outwardly.

`With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in general of an arch supporter so designed and constructed as to raise the external portion of the foot arch without tending to shove the arch laterally.

ln the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Fig. l is a bottom plan view of the improved arch supporter.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line '.2--2 ol Fig. l.

Fig. 2S is a section on the line leMl of Fig. l.

ln forming this arch supporter there is taken a strip or sheet of material., such as leather or the like, and the body of the arch supporter is formed from this strip of material by cutting the same to the contour ofthe rear inner portion of the shoe, the forward end of the strip terminating at the point in the shoe where the phalanges begin so that this portion of the foot is 7, 1923. Serial No. 651,423.

left free. Such a body is indicated is general at l0, and it is to be observed that this body has its edges bevelled all around as at ll except at the external arch portion l2, .it being understood that Fig. l is a bottom plan view of the arch supporter lor the left-foot, and that the arch supporter for the right foot is complementary thereto. Thus the body is left thicker at the external arch port-ion than at the internal arch portion. Furthermore, there is secured beneath the external arch portion a strip of similar material to the body, the leatherv being preferred, as shown at i3. and this strip tapers from its center front and back to a sharp edge, as can be seen in Fig. 3.

It is also preferred to position between the strip 13 and the body l0 a stitlening member le, which may be of any suitable material, either metallic or non-metallic as the particular case may require.

Now it will be observed that an arch supporter constructed in accordance with this invention will, when in use, elev the external portion of the arch wl ,e it normally rests upon the ground in standing, and this without crowding` the saine to one side or the other. Thus by positioningl this thickened member beneath the external portion of the arch an entirely different and superior effect is obtained from an arch supporter wherein the interior portion of the supporter is thickened.

There has thus been provided a very simple and efficient device ofthe. kind de.- scribed and for the purpose specified.

- Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

An arch support consisting of a rbody formed from a sheet of n'iaterial shaped to conform to the plantar surface of the foot posterior tothe tarsal portion wherebyY tol and stiifenino' stri between the narrowV strip and the body. -v

In testimony whereof I allix my signature. i

EDGAP GOODRCH.

Sil

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