Improvements in Foot Supports and Shoes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Foot Supports and Shoes.
We, RICHARD THOMAS JONES, of 869, West Lombard Street, Shoemaker, and
IRVING BULL, of 120, South Howard Street, Merchant, both of the City of Balti-
more, State of Maryland, and United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improved foot-support and shoe for persons having
one leg shorter than the other.
The object of the invention is to provide a foot-support and shoe that will
admit of inserting the foot from the rear of the shoe and then lace up at the
back. It is also an object to provide for varying or adjusting the size of the
foot-support both as to length and height, so that it may be adapted exactly to
suit any particular foot.
In the drawing
Figure 1, is a view of the blank for the middle or instep part of the support
made of metal.
Figure 2, is a view of the blank for the heel part.
Figure 3, is a blank of the heel supporting part.
Figure 4, is a blank of the inclined supporting plate on which the sole of the
foot rests.
Figure 5, is a blank of a binding heel piece.
Figure 6, is a blank of the hinged box toe of the foot-support.
Figure 7, is a blank of a leather hinge piece uniting the middle part and toe
part.
Figures 8 and 9, show the leaves of a steel spring.
Figure 10, is a vertical section of the adjustable foot-support for limbs which
are three inches and over too short.
Figure 11, is a top view of same.
Figure 12, is a side elevation of the shoe, including the foot-support and foot
in position.
Figure 13, is a back or heel elevation of same.
Figures 14 and 15, are views of a modified form of foot-support intended for
limbs less than three inches too short.
The inclined supporting plate, A, (see Figures 4, 10 and 11,) is the surface on
which the sole of the human foot is to rest. The middle or instep part, B, (see
Figures 1 and 10,) is made of a blank of sheet-metal having four fold creases
indicated by the broken lines in Figure 1, a, a,-two being at each side; the
center thus becomes the foundation, b; the two sides become the vertical sides, c;
and the two edge folds become the top incline, d, on which the said inclined
plate, A, lays and is secured by rivets, d', in the holes, &, in the latter, and
either of the three holes, 3, of the said top incline, d. The front end of the
middle part, B, has a toe-plate, c, that turns up, see Figure 10, and a slot, c¹,
through which the steel-plate spring, f, projects. One end of this spring is

page_text: secured by a rivet, f¹, to the foundation, b, and the free end projects through a
slot, g, in the box-toe, C, and presses on the bottom of the latter. The blank
shown in Figure 6, is folded on the middle cross-line and shaped to form the
part, C, in Figure 10; a rivet, g', through the two holes, g, keeps the folded box-
toe in form. A leather hinge, h, is riveted to the foundation, b, of the middle
part and to the bottom of the box-toe so that the latter is hinged or jointed to
the former, and will yield when the person walks.
At the rear or heel is an upright plate, I, bent or rounded to the heel shape,
having rivet holes, i, which connect with rivet holes, ¹, on the vertical sides, c,
of the said middle part. Two upright side supports, j, are provided for the ankle
of the persons foot; these uprights, j, are integral with a plate, j', (see Figures 3
and 10,) which is curved to fit the back or rounded heel contour of the plate, F,
to which it is secured by a rivet, k. A binding heel-piece, 7, is bent to fit on
the heel and is also secured by the same rivet, k, and is secured to one of the
holes, m, in the foundation, b, by another rivet, . A space, n, is left entirely
open between the two side uprights, j, and this space serves for inserting the foot
from the rear into the shoe; the foot will take the position indicated in Figures 10
and 12. Each upright, j, has a vertical row of small holes, o, which serve for
stitching the leather upper of the shoe, as in Figures 12 and 13.
The inclined supporting plate, A, has at its heel-end a tang, 2, which takes
over and is then bent down at the top-edge, pl, of the plate, j, at the open space,
and is secured by a rivet, q, in the holes, q'. The parts above described con-
stitute a light metal foot-support, and may be made of aluminium.
An insole (not shown) of leather, wood or cork may be laid on the inclined
supporting plate, A, and extend down to and under the up-turned toe-plate, e.
The foot or inside shoe-upper or cover, R, will then rest on such insole.
This foot-support is to be inserted into a shoe upper or cover, R, which is closed
up the front or instep portion, but at the rear or back has a vertical opening, s,
and at each side of the opening is provided with eyelets or hooks for a lace or
string, t. This shoe or cover is fastened to the rigid side uprights, j, by stitches, o¹,
through the small holes, o, in said uprights; thus the leather of the ankle part
of the shoe or cover at each side of the vertical opening is kept in position. The
two uprights, j, support the ankle and keep the shoe from turning when the
person steps on something uneven.
An ordinary shoe, U, with the customary heel, v, may be worn, the shoe
upper or cover, R, being inserted into it as shown in Figure 12.
From this description it will be understood the persons foot may be entered
into the shoe upper, R, from the rear, and then the rear opening, s, may be closed
by the lace, t. When the trousers of the leg is down around the shoe, the lame
foot on the ground will have the same appearance as the other foot.
The modification of foot-support shown in Figures 14 and 15, is for limbs that
are only a little too short, say those less than three inches too short. The parts
composing the foot-support in this modification are adjustable to vary the size
of the support in length and height, in manner similar to the support shown in
Figures 10 and 11. This form in Figures 14 and 15, has no side uprights j, but
is provided with a vertically adjustable supporting plate, A', an adjustable founda-
tion plate 6¹, and an upright heel plate, F.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination with a shoe for persons having one limb shorter than the
other, of a supporting-plate for the sole of the foot; two rigid upright prongs at
the heel part one at cach side-with a space between them entirely open and
serving to admit of entering the foot from the rear through said space.
2. The combination with a shoe for persons having one limb shorter than the
other, of a supporting-plate for the sole of the foot; two rigid upright prongs

page_text: at the heel part one at each side-with a space between them entirely open
and serving to admit of entering the foot from the rear through said space;
and means for varying or adjusting the size of the foot-support as to length
and height.
3. The combination of a support for the foot of lame persons, having two
upright prongs one at each side of the heel part of said foot-support-with a
space between the prongs entirely open; and a shoe inclosing the said foot-sup-
port and provided at the rear or back with a vertical opening between said two
upright prongs, whereby the foot may be inserted from the rear.
4. The combination of a shoe which is closed at the front but is open at the
rear or back; a support for the foot of lame persons, having two upright prongs
-one at each side of the heel part of said foot-support-with a space between
the prongs entirely open; and means fastening the shoe-upper at the ankle
part to each of the said upright prongs.