US2853821A - Foot imprinting device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 30, 1958 w. M. SCHOLL FOOT IMPRINTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 14, 1956 @ZEZZZQF MZZM/V VKSZWZL w. M. scHoLL FOOT IMPRINTING DEVICE Sept. 30,1958

3 Sheets-Sheet -2 Filed May 14, 1956 Max m/1 504 041,

Sept. 30, 1958 w. M. SCHOLL I 3,

FOOT IMPRINTING DEVICE Filed May 14, 1956 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 II II It wz ggg United States Patent "6) FOOT IMPRINTJNGDEVICE William M. Scholl, Chicago, Ill. Application. May 14, 1956, Serial No. 584,536 6' Claims. cl.i4'r--"4 This invention relates: to 'improve'ments in a footimprinting device, andmore'particularly. to a devicewhiglrily' desirable for use in a shoe: store, doctors. and chiropodists offices, laboratories,hospitals; andother locations wherein it may be desi-rableto"takes-aminked imprint of.

formerly known devices included inking:rolls:"around which an imprinting curtain was wound;v the curtain being extendab'le over anzimprrintingi platform: However, in all instances of whieh l' amaware theserformerly known deviceswere objeotionab'ly-expensive to manufacture in that the platform and roll housirigzwere'ifabricated of a number ofpiecesvofmaterial.- Also;.devices of this kind heretofore known were not-.asueflici'ent -a's dersired'in applyinga smooth arid sufiicient coating oflink on the imprinting curtain, and the imprinting. curtain could not'be manipulated with the: f-acility and-rapidity that is desired.

With the foregoingin rnind,it is animportantobject of the instantinvention toprovide a. handy, .ponta'ble: and

sanitary foot imprinting device,: wherein:theviinprinting.

or impression platform and housing-ion the irikingr-roll are cast as a unit'in onessingleipiece from=anyssiiitalile moldable material. I

Another object of the inventioneresides irrthez'p'iovh sion of a foot imprintingdeviceiliavirrgt an's-impression".

platform and a housing for'an*inking' rollzwithrant printing curtain 'extendable over therplatform equipped' with simple overcentermeans for actuatingzthc curtain.

to its extended or to its contractedposition.

It is also -afeature ofthis-invention tol provideiaz-foot imprinting device having: awhig'hly efiicientvinleingtrollof novel construction Whichcontains: thesupplywofrinls' therein andevenly distributes inkover: an'impr'inting curtain wound around the .roll';

It is also an object of thisiinvention:toeprovide ai fo'otimprinting device havingvan inkingtroll which may-readily be filled with ink without removin'git:f-romithe device;

Still a furtherobjectof the invention resides Till the provision of 'a foot imprintingsdevicecontaining?an ink ing roller with a curtain .wound therea'round, saidi 'cur tain being extendable. over tin-impression platformfdur ing use, andtthe arrangement-beingsuchrthatiink is'sonly' applied to the-curtain during -r'novement-to and 'froin the extended position. Y

Still afurther objectvof the-instant invention-resides in the provision of a foot imprinting;- device: having an" inking roller with an imprinting'curtain WOUIld:'thBIC'-' around, the roller being so-constructed -as-- to insure an even and relatively thin application .of ink to the undersurface of the curtatin-forc-achimprinting:operation.-

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Patented Sept. 30, 1958 2L Alsoa'feature ofthe inventionresides'in the provision of a foot imprinting device of exceedingly simple and economical construction andwhich is very rapid in use;

While some of the more salient-features, characteristics.

and advantages -of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in 'conjunctionwith the accompanyin'g drawings, in which Figured is. a top plan'view of a foot imprinting device :en'rbodying principles of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is: an enlargedfragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line -II-II of Fig. l, lookingin the-direction ofthe arrows, and showing-the imprintingiourtain in fully extended. positionv ready 'for use;

Figure 31 is a view similar in character to Fig; 2, but

, illustrating the imprinting curtain in retracted position;

Figure 4-isa topaplanviewvof the inking roller, without the curtain thereon, showing the same with. parts broken-away to illustrate theiparts thereben'eath;

Figure 5 is an: enlargedtransverse vertical sectional view taken-substantially as indicated by line VV of- Fig. 4; illustrating the inking roller core;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional'view throughv the casing with the inking roller: removed to illu-strate'the end' support for the-rollerat one side of the casing;

Figure 7 is'a transverse sectional View, enlarged, through the inking rollerand taken substantially. as indicated by the line VII-VII 'of Fig. 4;

Figure 8:is=a transverse sectional viewthrough an:inlc-- ing;roller of slightly-diflerent construction; with theimprintin'ggcurtainremoved; and

Figure 9 I is a plan. "view, similar inclraracter to Fig; 4; with parts broken away toillustrate structure there=- beneath ofnanink'ing roll :of still dilferent'construction.

Asshown onathe drawings:

Inwthe illustrated. embodiment of this-invention there: is shown a foot imprinting device :embodying :animpresasion or imprinting, platform 1 having: reinforcing ribs 2 on:the:underside-thereof, asrseen 'best'in Fig's. 2 andr3-5 This platform :1 is providedi'with a shallow depression lllrltS upperface: outlinedby. a--bounding-wall3. As seen in Fig. .1}. thewall 3-at one point is notchedrasat 4 to= facilitate-rcmovalof the topmost one 'ofazstack of impression cards 5 (Figs. land 3) positionedin there- Also, with re-ference to Fig; 1,.

cessof the platform 1. it will-be seen-that at one end of the platform, an upstandingzheel seat: 61 is provided to aid in properly posh tioning-the foot of the patient over the platform 1.

Along, one side of'the platform is an 't1pstanding=hous-- ingj7 for-theinking'roller and imprinting curtain, when" Adjacent the top. of the insides: reach 'ofthewall 3 an elongated slot 8 is provided'in the: latter is not in use.

thehousingthrough' whichxthe imprinting curtain'may be extended and retracted. Further, the housing is open" at the bottom, anda'ccess' tothe interior of thehousing may be had through such 'bottom opening,.which.1naybe covered by a removable plate 9 held iniplace byv a bolt or screws10 at eachend'thereof; each of which bolts may engagein an internallythreaded boss 11 integral withthe end wall of the-housing, as seen'inFig. 6.-

With the exception ofthe plate*9 and bolts 10,- all 0f" the structure-above describe'dds preferably cast or mold ed in one single piece. The platform 1- andhousing 7 may be molded as a single unit from any suitable material, such-as a thermosetting phenolic condensation product.

Mounted 'forrotation'within the housing '7 is an inkin 4 roll generally indicatedby numeraLlZ, and'anrimprinting curtain-13 has one end thereof affixed to the roll as indicated at14-,.and the opposite: end provided with -a:

marginal loop 1'5 and also witha'looped handle 16:101?

manipulating the curtain. This curtain may wellbe made of relatively thin highly resilient rubber, or other suitable material. Extending through the marginal loop or hem is the bight 17 of a U-shaped actuating member in the form of a rod, the legs 1818 of which are outturned at their extremities and hinged or pivoted to opposite ends of the wall 3 on the impression platform 1, by suitable stirrups 1919 or the equivalent, as seen in Fig. 1.

The inking roll 12, as seen best in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, includes a core 20 of thermosetting plastic, metal, or any other suitably rigid and impervious material. An end cap 21 is secured inside each end of the core 20 to thereby form a hollow receptacle. Each end cap has welded or equivalently secured to the outer surface thereof a base 22 from which a fixed stub shaft 23 projects upon which stub shaft the roll may rotate. A series of relatively minute outlet apertures 24 are provided in the upper portion of the roll as seen in Figs. 4 and .5, and in the illustrated instance there are three rows of such apertures with the apertures in adjacent rows staggered in relationship. Ink from the roll may seep through these apertures when they are disposed below the horizontal. The core 20 is provided in the bottom portion near an end thereof with an apertured filling boss 25 normally plugged by a stopper or bolt 26, and the filling boss is preferably disposed diametrally opposite the outlet apertures. Around the core member is a sleeve 27 which is preferably of loosely woven fabric, this sleeve being merely a spacer to keep an outer sleeve 28 of wicking material, such as felt treated to have good wicking action, away from direct contact with the core tube over the apertures, so as to avoid possible plugging of the apertures by fibers from the wicking material. An external covering 29 of relatively thin and smooth porous fabric may be provided over the wicking material 28 if deemed necessary, and the aforesaid imprinting curtain 13 is wound outside of the ink distributor sleeve 29. Of course, all sleeves are provided with a suitable aperture to permit access to the plug 26 for the filling port of the core member.

With reference to Fig. 7 it will be seen that at one end thereof, outside the respective end cap'21 in the core 20, the roll is provided with a coiled spring 30, the inner end of which is secured to the stub shaft 23, and the outer end of which is provided with a loop 31.

At each end of the housing 7 an upstanding mounting bracket 32 is secured to the housing wall in any suitable manner. The mounting bracket is provided with a suitable socket 33 for reception of the stub shaft 23 at one end of the roll, and the bracket 32 illustrated in Fig. 6 is for the stub shaft at the spring end of the roll. It is merely necessary to insert the stub shaft in the socket 32, and place the loop 31 of the spring over a projecting pin 34. When so mounted, the roll will function in the manner of the commonly known window shade, the spring tending to maintain the roll in position with the imprinting curtain wound up.

Also journaled in a suitable socket 35 on each end plate 32 in a position adjacent the slot 8 in the housing wall is a guide roller 36 over which the imprinting curtain must travel from the roll to the slot.

In operation, the instantinvention is extremely simple and positive. In order to take an imprint of a patients foot, it is simply necessary to grasp the finger loop 16 on the curtain 13, and pivot the U-shaped supporting rod 1718 from the position seen in Fig. 3 to the position seen in Fig. 2 so the curtain is extended over. the platform 1. It will be noted that no holding means are necessary to maintain the curtain in position to take an imprint, because the bight 17 of the curtain control rod is over center, in that the axis extends beyond a plane through the axis of the pivoted leg ends and the axis of the guide roller 36. In order to move the curtain to retracted position it is simply necessary'to flip up the end of the curtain from the position seen in Fig. 2, and the spring in the inking roll will retract the curtain.

Now it will be noted that the ink outlet apertures 24 in the core of the inking roll are disposed upwardly or on the top of the roll both when the curtain is in retracted position and when the curtain is in extended position. The curtain and the roll are sized relatively to each other so one or more full revolutions of the inking roll occurs each time the curtain is moved from one position to the other. In the illustrated instance one full revolution of the inking roll is suflicient for extension of'the curtain. During the extending operation and during the retracting operation, the ink outlet apertures are distributing ink on the wicking sleeve for a part of the time. That is sufiicient to maintain the wicking sleeve sufficiently moist to transmit an even film of ink to the underside of the imprint curtain. When it is desired to replenish the ink supply in the inking roll, it is a simple expedient to remove the plate 9, and the plug 26 of the filling port, and fill the roll core slightly less than half full in most cases. Such a supply of ink will last for a considerable length of time.

In taking an imprint of the foot, it is a simple expedient to extend'the curtain as above explained, and then the patient places his foot upon the inked curtain 13. The curtain flexes downwardly and an impression of the foot is taken on the uppermost one of the cards 5. Immediately after the taking of the imprint, the curtain is slipped back into retracted position, and the topmost card bearing an accurate imprint removed from the platform recess. The entire device is easily portable, may be placed in substantially any desired location on a flat surface, and is not only economical but pleasing in appearance and highly sanitary.

In Fig. 8 I have disclosed a slightly different form of inking roll which, comprises the same core'20 with the outlet apertures 24 therein as above described. In this instance, however, the core is covered by a sleeve 37 of wicking material in the form of porous foam latex through which the ink will pass, and this sleeve in turn is preferably covered by distributing sleeve 38 of the same character as the aforesaid sleeve 29. The inking roller shown in Fig. 8 may be more desirable for use with certain types of ink than the roller of Figs. 4, 5 and 7, depending somewhat upon the viscosities of the Various inks that may be used.

In Fig. 9 I have illustrated a still different construction for the inking roll wherein the same core member is utilized as above-described, and wherein the same wicking sleeve 28 with a distributing cover 29 as decribed in connection with Figs. 4, 5 and 7 are also utitilezd. However, in this instance, spaced bands "39 of wicking material, preferably of lesser thickness than the sleeve 28, are disposed around the core member between the apertures 24. These bands 39 adequately space the wicking sleeve 28 from the core member, and the bands being also of wicking material will effect lateral distribution of the ink so that there will be no regions devoid of ink in the wicking sleeve 28. The operation of this inking roll is the same as those above described, and again this roll may. be more desirable than the others, depending upon the viscosities of the various inks.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a novel and highly efiicient foot imprinting device embodying a molded one-piece structure including both an impression platform and a housing for the inking roll and imprinting curtain when not in use, and a structure highly simple and efiicient in operation, particularly in moving the imprinting curtain from extended to retracted position and vice versa, and a structure in which the right amount of ink evenly distributed for an im pression occurs at each operation.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a foot imprinting device, an impression platform, a housing adjacent one side of said platform, a spring urged inking roll in said housing, an imprinting curtain on said roll, and a U-shaped rod having its legs hinged to the ends of said platform and the bight connected to said curtain.

2. In a foot imprinting device, an impression platform, a housing adjacent one side of said platform, a spring urged inking roll in said housing, an imprinting curtain on said roll, a U-shaped rod having its legs hinged to the ends of said platform and the bight connected to said curtain, and a guide roll over which said curtain moves, and said bight being over center with respect to a plane through the axes of the leg hinges and said guide roll whensaid curtain is extended over said platform.

3. In a foot imprinting device, an impression platform, a housing along one side of said platform, a hollow inking roll in said housing, said roll holding a supply of ink therein with outlet apertures in the top region only thereof, an imprinting curtain around said roll and extendable over said platform, and said roll being sized to turn one full revolution while said curtain is being extended whereby said outlet apertures are at the top of the roll except when said curtain is being extended or retracted.

4. In a foot imprinting device, an impression platform, a housing along one side of said platform, a hollow inking roll in said housing, said roll holding a supply of ink therein with outlet apertures in the top region only thereof, an imprinting curtain around said roll and extend- 6 able over said platform, said roll being sized to turn one full revolution while said curtain is being extended whereby said outlet apertures are at the top of the roll except when said curtain is being extended or retracted, said inking roll having a filling opening therein opposite said apertures, and a removable plug for said opening.

5. In a foot imprinting'device, an impression plat form, a housing along one side of said platform, a hollow inking roll in said housing, said roll holding a supply of ink therein with outlet apertures in the top region only thereof, an imprinting curtain around said roll and extendable over said platform, said roll and curtain being relatively sized so that said apertures are at the top of the roll when said curtain is both retracted and extended.

6. In a foot imprinting device, an impression platform, a housing along one side of said platform, a hollow inking roll in said housing, said roll comprising an ink containing core having outlet apertures spaced therealong, spaced bands of wicking material around said core between said apertures, a sleeve of wicking material over said bands, and an imprinting curtain wound on said roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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