An Improved Appliance for the Protection of Bunions and Enlarged Joints on the Feet.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Appliance for the Protection of Bunions and Enlarged
Joints on the Feet.
I ERNEST GEORGE VIRGO RUNTING of 34 Alfred Place West Kensington in
the County of Middlesex Chiropodist do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and cheap but extremely
efficient appliance for the protection of bunions and enlarged joints on the feet by
the use of which amongst other advantages the pain occasioned by the wearing
of boots and shoes thereover will be greatly diminished even if not entirely
removed.
To carry out this object I take a piece of soft leather or any other suitable
material of the desired shape and size and one end or part of this piece is so
formed as to surround or partly surround one of the toes and the meeting edges of
this part are connected together near to the ends thereof by a piece of elastic or
other material while lower down or further from their ends they are connected
together by a strip of silk or leather or other suitable non-elastic or elastic
material which may if desired be padded. This sleeve so made can be passed over
the toe and the piece of elastic or other material remains near the extremity of such
toe while the strip passes between such toe and the next one near the bases thereof
and all parts can be so arranged that this strip and this piece are situated in
respect of the toe whether above or below or by the side of the same as may be
desirable in each particular case. When the sleeve has been so passed over the toe
the other part of the piece of soft leather or other material is so formed as to cover
the bunion or enlarged joint and extend the desired distance beyond and around the
same both above and below and also towards the heel.
I also make a band to surround the foot preferably of an elastic material and
endless although it may be of any suitable non-elastic material which could be
secured round the foot and in the desired positions on this band I secure the ends
of a strip of elastic or other material a certain distance apart. This band is passed
round the foot and over the aforesaid piece of soft leather or other material below
the bunion or enlarged joint or nearer to the heel than the same in the desired
position in respect thereof and then a pad of any suitable soft or other material
and of any desired shape and size is passed under the strip on the band and is
thereby held and retained in position in such wise as greatly if not entirely to
remove the pressure of the boot or shoe from off the bunion or enlarged joint which
is in close proximity to one edge of this pad and also is covered by the piece of
soft leather or other material.
Any part of this appliance may if desired be lined with a soft material or padded
or otherwise treated as may be suitable and may be duplicated if necessary.
Although the meeting edges of the sleeve preferably do not completely meet and
are connected together as aforesaid yet when desired they may completely meet.
and may also be attached together in any ordinary manner.
Dated this 10th day of January 1895.

page_text: An Improved Appliance for the Protection of Bunions and Enlarged
Joints on the Feet.
I ERNEST GEORGE VIRGO RUNTING of 34 Alfred Place West Kensington in
the County of Middlesex Chiropodist 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 my invention is to provide a very simple and cheap but
extremely convenient and efficient appliance for the protection of bunions and
enlarged joints on the feet by the use of which amongst many other advantages and
excellences the pain that is occasioned by the wearing of boots and shoes over
such bunions and enlarged joints will be very greatly diminished even if it be not
entirely removed.
To carry out this object I take a piece of any suitable soft and flexible material
preferably perhaps a piece of soft thin leather of the desired shape and size.
One end or part of this piece is so shaped as to be capable of constituting and
forming a sleeve a a. which can surround or partly surround one of the toes and
the meeting edges of this part B are preferably not immediately and directly
attached together in juxtaposition but are allowed to be and remain a little
distance apart in which position these edges are connected together near to and at
the ends thereof by a piece of elastic B or other material while lower down or
further from their ends they are connected together by a strip or riband of silk
or leather C or other suitable non-elastic or it may be elastic material which may
if and when desired be padded. This sleeve so made and fitted can be passed over
and on the toe and the piece of elastic or other material herein before described
remains and is at or near the extremity of such toe while the strip of non-elastic or
other material hereinbefore described passes between this toe and the next one near
the bases thereof and all the parts herein before described can be so formed and
arranged that the aforesaid piece and the aforesaid strip are situated in the proper
positions in respect of the toe whether above or below or at or by the side of the
same as may be necessary or desirable in each particular case. The rest or other
part of the piece of soft thin leather or other material a is so shaped and formed
as to cover the bunion or enlarged joint wherever it may be and to extend the
desired distance beyond and around the same both above and below and also
towards the heel when the sleeve hereinbefore described has been duly and properly
passed over and on the toe.
I also make a band to surround the foot which band D is most conveniently and
preferably of an elastic material and endless although it can also be of any suitable
non-elastic material in which case it would have ends and could be secured round
the foot in any appropriate manner by and through any ordinary means and devices
and in the desired and necessary positions on this band are secured the ends of a
strip of elastic or other material E a certain distance apart. This band is passed
round the foot and over the piece of soft thin leather or other material hereinbefore
described below the bunion or enlarged joint or that is to say nearer to the heel
than the same and in the desired position in respect thereof or that is to say at the
desired distance from the same. A pad of any suitable soft or other material F
and of any desired size is then passed under the strip on the band hereinbefore
described and is thereby held and retained in position and this pad in plan is of any
shape that may be appropriate having regard to the shape of the bunion or
enlarged joint wherewith it is to be used it being desirable that the edge of this pad
should approach as closely as may be expedient and proper to such bunion or
enlarged joint and should surround or partly surround the same as far likewise as

page_text: may be expedient and proper and this pad in elevation is of any thickness that
may be appropriate having regard to the height of the bunion or enlarged joint
wherewith it is to be used it being desirable that the outer surface of this pad
should be elevated or should stand out or project further from the foot above and
beyond that of such bunion or enlarged joint.
In the use therefore of this my improved appliance when all the parts thereof
have been duly and properly placed on the foot in manner as is hereinbefore
described the piece of soft thin leather or other material completely and entirely
covers the bunion or enlarged joint and thus preserves and protects it from rubbing
or chafing or friction of any kind and cannot uncover the same by accident or
misadventure or in wear or use as the band does and must retain this piece of soft
thin leather or other material in its desired and necessary position while the pad
greatly even if it be not entirely removes and prevents the pressure of the boot or
shoe from off and on the bunion or enlarged joint which pad similarly is and must
be retained in its desired and necessary position by the strip on the baud and all
this is eminently advantageous and excellent.
Any part of this appliance may if and when desired be lined with a soft material
or be padded or be otherwise treated in any usual and appropriate manner as may
be suitable or convenient in each particular case and may if and when
necessary or expedient so to do be duplicated.
may be
Although the meeting edges B of the sleeve a a that is passed over and on the
toe preferably as is hereinbefore stated do not completely meet and are connected
together in manner as is hereinbefore described as by this arrangement the coolness
and comfort of the toe are ensured and enhanced yet when it may be desirable
or expedient so to do these meeting edges of the sleeve may completely meet and
may be attached together in any ordinary and suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The arrangement and combination of parts and devices constituting my improved
appliance for the protection of bunions and enlarged joints on the feet substantially
as hereinbefore described and set forth.
Dated this 10th day of October 1895
ERNEST GEORGE VIRGO RUNTING,
7 New Burlington Street, London, W.