Improvements in Instruments for Correctly Measuring the Human Foot and Lasts for Making Boots or Shoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Instruments for Correctly Measuring the Human
Foot and Lasts for Making Boots or Shoes.
ARMIN TENNER, of 13ª Grossburenstrasse Berlin Germany, Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to an instrument for accurately and reliably measuring the
foot for boots and shoes, and consists in the main of a series of pins arranged on
each side of the foot plate, and actuated towards the foot by springs, said. pins
being retained by catch levers, previous to the foot being placed on the instrument.
They are then released and enclose the foot on each side, toe and heel plates are
then arranged as hereinafter particularly described, when the whole of the pins are
slightly lowered thus pricking off the exact form of the inner sole, on a diagram
inserted below the foot plate.
My invention further consists of a series of upper straps attached to the pins
or points for measuring the other parts of the foot, and a central flat spring located
under the foot for measuring the height of the arch of the foot.
.
In order to make my invention more clear I refer to the accompanying drawings,
in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the several views :-
Fig. 1 is a plan of the instrument,
Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section,
Fig. 3 is a plan with outline of the foot in position for measuring,
Fig. 4 is the diagram,
Fig. 5 is a detail view of the strap.
A is the bed plate, B the top plate, which is carried ou the bed plate and works
up and down on the pins C. In operation the lever L is in the position shown in
Fig. 2. Said lever L is connected with a rod O, carrying on each end a
toggle N, two or more of which are attached near the front end of the bed plate
one on each side, these toggles are connected together by the side bars M, on which
the upper plate B rests; the latter is guided by the pins C and will be raised on
the lever being pulled into its upright position.
A number of pins G are arranged to slide in transverse slits in the upper plate B
and are connected up in pairs by means of the springs G³ two of which are shown
in Fig. 3. Bearing on the inner side of all the pins are two bars H'H' having
catch levers H H jointed to them and provided with teeth adapted to hook on.to
the side of the plate A (Figs. 1 and 3). By means of these levers the whole,pins
can be drawn outwards on both sides; one side is shown drawn out, in Fig. 3. The
levers H slide on, and are guided by the transverse bars P suspended in lugs pl
attached underneath the upper plate B. Four obliquely sliding pins G' are
arranged at the heel and provided with springs G2 and four similar pins G'at, the
toe but without springs. A bar or rod D is arranged to slide longitudinally. along
the centre underneath the upper plate B and at the heel end is rigidly attached the
heel plate J, whilst the toe plate I slides thereon and has a nut K by means of
which it may be clamped in any desired position on the rod D. The lower ends of
all the pins are pointed. The toe pins are not provided with springs so that they
may be placed in any position, but the toe plate I has pivoted to it, a bar T'(Fig. 3)
which may be lowered to one side or the other, in case the great toe should not be
exactly opposite the plate I.
A flat spring F-is located on the upper side of the plate B longitudinally in the
centre, one end of said spring being screwed to the plate whilst the other end is

page_text: free and guided under the guide piece F¹. The strap E is attached to the
free end.
The instrument operates in the following manner :- -The heel plate is pushed out
as far as it will go by means of the rod D and the toe plate pulled out as far as it
will come, sliding over the rod D and carrying with it the nut K. The pins Gat
the heel and toc are then pulled out and the side pins G drawn back by means of
the catch levers H H. Each one of these pins carries a measuring tape Y as shown
in Fig. 5, consisting of a steel band covered with a fabric and having a metallic
eye rivetted to one end which passes over the pin. A long tape is also attached
by its middle to the heel plate. A diagram, as shown in Fig. 4 is now torn from
the stub at a placed on a thin plate and slid under the top plate B, so that the
cross lines a b c d &c. come under the slots of the instrument. The foot is now
placed upon the plate B in such a manner that the cuboid bone (the little bone felt
on the outside of the foot and forming part of the instep system) shall be on the
strap a, all the straps being lettered and placed on the pins corresponding to the
letter on the diagram.
The foot being in place the heel plate J is drawn up so as to touch the heel and
the central toe plate 1 is moved up so as to touch the big toe; if the latter comes
to one side or the other of the toe, the small bar T is swung down on the front of
the toe.
With the heel and toe just touching their respective plates the rod D is
clamped by the nut K which holds it in place; the side levers H are released,-
one being shown released in Fig. 3-when the side pins are drawn up in place along
the side of the foot by means of their springs G³.
The heel pins G¹ close around the heel and the toe pieces are placed where they
are wanted, tight or loose, wide or narrow. The parts being all against the foot
the lever L is turned down, this drops the plate B and the pointers of the pins
prick through the diagrams, giving the exact conformation of the foot and the
right size and shape to cut the inner sole by, except a little trimming on the inner
side of the shank and whatever additional length it may be desirous to add to the
toe for comfort. The impression being taken the lever L is again raised and the
diagram drawn out and then the foot measured with the straps. The measure
taken with the strap a is transferred to a on the diagram, b strap to b on the
diagram &c. &c. The heel is measured with the strap which is attached at its
middle point to the heel plate and set down on the diagram opposite the word
"heel." This heel strap is also used to measure the height from the heel up
the leg, and to locate the height of the measures taken around the ankle
and leg.
The strap E (Fig. 1 and 3) is used to get the height of the arch of the foot in
the following manner. A flat spring F is arranged centrally on the plate A, having
its one end screwed to the plate whilst the other end is loose and guided under a
cross piece F and has attached to it the strap E. On pulling the strap E, the flat
spring F will be arched. When the strap is pulled out and sustained in position
by passing the first hole E' over a peg in the moveable plate B (Fig. 2) the
spring F will be raised a quarter of an inch in the second hole of an inch, and
30 on, increasing an eighth of an inch with each further hole of the strap.
One important point of my invention is that the length of the foot is divided
into two parts measuring from the cuboid bone to the toe.
For instance a perfect foot 7 in size (American system of measuring) would be
pricked at 7 on the toe and 7 on the heel, but if the foot were not perfect it might
be pricked at 6 on the heel and 7 on the toe or vice versa, so that a perfect fit is
always assured for the heel and instep.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed I,declare that what
I claim is:
1. An instrument for measuring the human foot for boots and shoes consisting of
a series of pins having pointed lower ends arranged to close on the sides of the

page_text: foot by sliding on a vertically moveable plate, in combination with heel and toe pins
and plates a central flat spring for measuring the height of the arch of the foot and
straps for measuring the upper parts of the foot and ankle and leg and means for
transferring the form of the sole to a diagram arranged under the plate Bas
described.
2. In combination with the side pins G G, arranged to slide in slots and actuated
towards each other by means of springs G³, the arms HH' having catch levers H H
jointed thereto, for retaining the pins as described.
3. In a measuring instrument having the side pins G G and retaining levers H H',
the combination of the heel pins GG having springs and the toe pins G¹ Gi
without springs, the bar D having rigidly attached thereto the heel plate J and
having the toe plate 1 sliding thereon and adjustable by means of the nut K sub-
stantially as described.
4. In a measuring instrument having the spring actuated side pins, and retaining
lever the toe and heel pins, and plates arranged on bar D, the combination of the
flat spring Flocated in the centre of plate B and fixed at one end having its other
end loose and attached to a strap E by means of which it may be drawn to form a
bow for the purpose substantially as described.
5. In a measuring machine having the side pins and retaining levers, toe and
heel pins and plates attached to bar D as described, and having a central spring F,
strap E, all mounted on the plate B, the combination of a device such as the
lever L, toggles and connecting side bars M for raising and lowering the plate B
as described.
6. In a measuring instrument of the kind described a bar T pivoted to the toe
plate I in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
7. In combination with a measuring machine of the kind specified, straps for
measuring the upper parts of the foot, lettered to correspond with a diagram
inserted beneath the plate as described.
8. In combination with a measuring instrument of the kind specified; a diagram
as represented in Fig. 4 to be inserted beneath the plate B, to receive the
impression of the sole and having lines lettered to correspond with the measurement
of the straps as specified.
9. In combination with a measuring instrument of the kind specified the heel
plate J having attached thereto a measuring strap attached at its middle point, for
measuring the heel as described.
10. The measuring instrument substantially as, hereinbefore described and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of February 1891.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
1, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.