Improved Device for Preventing and Ouring Flat-foot.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Device for Preventing and Ouring Flat-foot.
1, JOHAN BRIEFREL of 44 Kerepesi-ut, Budapest, in the Kingdom of
Hungary, Orthopedist, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 a device for inserting in shoes, the object of which is
to prevent and cure flat-foot and thus give to persons who have even been flnt-footed
from birth the full use of their feet. This device consists of an insole of suitable
soft, durable and elastic material and is provided with an enlargement which
supports the bones of the foot in their normal position and causes same to remain
in such position.
Referring to the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 shows the plan of an insole provided with the enlargement.
Fig. 2 is a section on line - of Fig. 1, with the bones of a foot in elevation.
Fig. 3 is the plan of a modified form of insole for the right foot and
Fig. 4 a view of the pad and its intermediary part alone, as seen from y, Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a section on line -z of Fig. 1.
The enlargement a on the insole & may be made of any size according to the shape
of the foot. In very advanced cases of flat-foot, such enlargement at first is vory
small and then gradually increased until the foot has reached its normal shape as
shown in Fig. 2. The enlargement a may be composed of any suitable soft
elastic and durable material and may be either integral with the insole & or, in
order that the foot rests firmly on same, may be secured to a sheet of metal,
hardened caoutchouc, celluloid or the like, extending from the heel to the middle
of the foot and adapted to the shape of the latter (Figs. 3 & 4). As shown, the
sheet d on which the pad a is secured is bent up at e, viz. at the inner side of
the foot.
It will be evident that the enlargement or pad a must be made to suit the shape
of the foot i.e. must incline gradually towards the toe part and sides while the heel
part should fall away abruptly, as shown in Fig. 2.
Seeing that flat-foot is due to the over straining of the tendons and the
consequent falling of the metatarsal bones at 7 (Fig. 2) the afore described device
will thus not only prevent but also cure flat-foot, because the gradual raising of the
metatarsal bones causes the foot to assume its natural shape (Fig. 2); moreover
the terrible pains arising from the strain on the tendons of the foot disappear
altogether. The sole provided with enlargement a may also be formed integral
with india-rubber shoes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. Improved device for preventing or curing flat-foot, consisting of an insole (6)
composed of a soft, elastic and durable material and provided with an enlarge-
ment (a) for raising the metatarsal bones into their natural position, substantially as
described and shown in the drawing.
2. A modified construction of the device described in Claim 1 for preventing and
curing flat-foot, consisting of a pad a secured to an intermediary part d of sheet

page_text: metal, hardened caoutchouc, celluloid, or the like, substantially as described and
shown in the drawing.
Dated this 7th day of March 1895.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
32, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.