Improvements in Extension Feet, applicable for Persons who have Shortened Limbs.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Extension Feet, applicable for Persons who have
Shortened Limbs.
I, EDWARD L. O'CONNOR, of Cincinnati, County of Hamilton, State of Ohio, United
States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a light durable extension foot for
persons who have shortened limbs which conforms in exterior shape to the natural
foot, and acts like it; and which is so shaped interiorly as to firmly support the
foot upon the shortened limb, while allowing its muscles to act as those of the
perfect foot when encased in an ordinary shoe.
Such a device was designed by me sometime ago, and it had, when applied for
use, much the same external appearance as my present invention, but it was more
expensive to make, and, while it was a graceful substitute for the cork or iron frame
ordinarily applied for the same purpose, it was cumbersome, and, in use, did not
support the lame foot so as to allow its free action and enable the wearer to remain
on his feet for a long time without rest. My present invention overcomes these
defects completely by providing an extension foot which acts like the natural foot,
and an upper for said foot to receive the foot of the shortened limb and encase it
as the natural foot is encased in the ordinary well-fitting shoo.
The invention will be first fully described in connection with the accompanying
drawings, after which the novel features will be particularly referred to and pointed
out in the claims.
Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference
letters wherever they occur throughout the various views:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved extension foot before the upper is
applied, but with the foot of the shortened limb in position.
Figure 2 is a similar view with the upper, covering the extension foot and encasing
the foot of the shortened limb.
Figure 3 is a similar view showing the extension foot enclosed in a low cut shoe,
and the upper portion of the extension foot and upper shown in dotted line covered
by the leg of the pantaloon.
Figure 4 illustrates, in side and edge elevation, the sheet metal instep of my
artificial foot.
Figure 5 is a view, in side elevation and top or plan view, of the sheet metal heel
support.
Figure 6 is a central vertical longitudinal section of my extension foot and upper.
The extension foot A is preferably made of light strong wood such as is usually
employed for artificial limbs, and for additional strength is made of three or more
pieces, glued or otherwise firmly secured together, the grain of the wood, in the
adjacent pieces, running in different directions, and the joints being parallel to the
sections shown in Figure 6, and should be made to conform in size and shape to
the opposite or natural foot of the intended wearer. The toe section a of the foot

page_text: is hinged to the body A by a piece of leather, a¹, preferably raw hide, and secured
under the sole. The joint is open at the top and the opposite surfaces are bored to
seat coiled springs a². These should be of sufficient strength to impart a natural
movement to the foot when the weight is thrown on the toe, and to return the toe
section to its normal position when the weight is taken off.
The upper portion of the foot A is shaped to the form of the bottom of the lame
foot B, so as to firmly support the same when inclined at such an angle as will
avoid exposing the deformity when the foot, encased in the upper, is covered by the
pantaloon leg. On the rest for the heel, and across that portion of the foot A upon
which the ball of the foot rests, are cushions or pads a³, but these are not
indispensable.
The instep C. for the extension foot, and the support D. for the heel, are formed of
the proper shape from light sheet metal, preferably brass. I find it best to stamp up
the blanks for these metal pieces of the form shown in full line in the upper views of
Figures 4 and 5, and afterwards to cut away the surplus metal, as shown by dotted
line, to fit the wooden foot A. Thus pieces struck up in one set of dies may be made
to fit several sizes, and different shapes of feet, and save the expense of making
separate dies for each extension foot and shoe ordered. The piece C is secured
around the forward part of the foot A, the forward edge being made to come flush
with the curved forward end, and the instep portion c projecting up forming with the
depression in the foot A a chamber to receive the toes of the lame foot. The
measurement around the foot A and the instep should be about the same as around
the same part of the natural foot of the wearer. A lining e of soft leather covers
the inside of the metal pieces C, D, and the top of the foot A. The piece D is like the
piece firmly secured to the foot A by screws or other secure fastenings. After the
extension foot is constructed and the metal instep and heel support secured in place,
as shown in Figure 1, the foot is placed in position, and the measurements taken for
the upper the same as for the upper for a shoe for a natural foot. This upper E is
drawn around and tacked to the sole of a foot A near its edges, after which a thin
leather sole is pasted over the sole and the under-lapped edges of the upper. The
hudy of the upper may be of some light pliable leather, such as kid, with an upper
piece of stronger leather to support the ankle, as seen in Figure 2.
It will be seen that when the upper E is tightly laced around the instep of the lame
foot, the foot is firmly seated and held in the support D, preventing it from slipping
downward; and also that the lacing in the upper stiffening piece el prevents any
upward movement; while the ball of the foot and the toes are left comparatively free,
as they are in a well-fitting shoe upon a natural foot. So that the lame foot is as
comfortably held, and its action is as little impeded as it would be in a well-fitting
shoe with a high heel.
The extension foot, as shown in Figure 2, when a stocking is drawn over it, has all
the appearance of the normal foot. The saure shoe, whether low or high cut, may be
worn without any appearance of deformity. No special shoe need be made.
For my
extension foot any well made shoe will answer. It is not even necessary that the
shoes be made to order.
The extension foot shown in Figure 1 may be used without the covering E, but in
such case only a high shoe could be worn, and it would be necessary to have it fit
snugly, so that it could be tightly laced across the instep above the ankle, to give
proper support to the lame foot. In this case the extension foot, after once inserted,
need not be withdrawn. It would then be practically an upward extension of the shoe,
instead of a downward extension of the foot, as is the form shown in Figures 2, 3,
and 6, which may be worn with any ordinary shoe or boot.
The part of the foot and the covering and brass instep and heel pieces may be
applied by mechanics who may be found in any part of the country, and at little
expense, as no special tools are required; but, as the metal parts are best formed in a
die press I intend to make and sell these separately to licensees or any one desiring
to use the invention, in order that my invention may be put on the market at a
moderate cost.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The foot A having spring-jointed toe section a in combination with the instep C
and heel support D, substantially as shown and described.
2. The combination of the extension foot A having jointed spring toe section
the
metal instep C secured to the forward end of said foot, the metal heel piece secured
to and projecting above the heel rest on top of foot A, and covering E for encasing
the foot.
3. The sheet metal blank C for forming an artificial instep for an extension foot, as
a new article of manufacture.
4. The sheet metal heel support D adapted to be secured to the artificial extension
foot A, substantially as shown and described.
5. The combination substantially as herein before set forth in an extension foot, of
the foot, the toe section, a, the hinge piece a', uniting the foot and toe section, the
springs a interposed between the foot and toe section, the metal instep Cc secured to
the forward end of the foot section, the metal heel piece D secured to the foot, and
projecting above the heel rest, and the upper E secured to the foot A and adapted to
tightly encase the lame foot within the foot extension.
Dated this 1st day of
1200
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.