US2029553A - Shoe fitting index - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 4, 1936. A. G. BARTSCHI ET AL SHOE FITTING INDEX Filed Feb. 25, 1935 N VEN TORS, lie/VOL 0 6, 542 TECH/ 5255571 HUFF/NE &

Patented Feb, 4, 1936 UNITED STATES SHOE FITTING INDEX Arnold G. Bartschi, Oakmont, and Robert L.

Hufiine, Wynnewood, Pa., assignors to J. Edwards & Co., Philadelphia, Pa., a co poration of Pennsylvania Application February 25, 1935, Serial No. 8,104

5 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe fitting index, and has for an object to provide means cooperating with the X-ray fitting of shoes for determining with accuracy the proper fit.

It is well known that in the modern fitting of shoes, X-rays are employed, and by their assistance, the position of the foot within the shoe accurately determinable. This has added greatly to the proper fitting of shoes, but requires for its efiicient employment, highly specialized operatives. The present invention is directed to providing the shoe with such means for cooperating with the X-ray-fitting as to enable less skilled operators to successfully fit the foot.

At the present time shoes are made upon variously contoured vmachines for the purpose of fitting various feet, and the determination of the correct last for the foot is onerequiring great accuracy.

According to the present invention, an index is placed in or on the shoe sole/constructed of material which, in conjunction with X-rays, will be differentiated from the appearance of the foot structure or the shoe structure, and the index will point to or locate some particular important part or feature of the anatomical structure of the foot, whereby the proper positioning of the foot relative to the contour of the shoe will be assured.

The index may be of any material which will show contrast to the foot and shoe structure, but at the present time, seems desirable that it shall be of material substantially opaque to X-rays, such for instance as sheet lead or vulcanized rubber, but without in any way limiting the invention to such materials.

The invention, therefore, comprises employing some marker or pointer embedded in or placed upon the sole of the shoe, and indicating some exact location for the positioning of anatomical parts of the foot, to insure correct fitting of the foot. This may take the form of a pointer which would indicate some prominent anatomical part or other form, without limitation.

The drawing illustrates several embodiments of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe with the sole bent backwardly, showing an index embedded within the sole immediately under the outer sole,

Figure 2 is a similar perspective view showing the indexplaced within the sole, but against the insole,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an index of different type,

Figure l is a perspective view of one form of index,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another form of index,

Figure 6 is a schematic view of the anatomical structure of a foot employing the index shown at Figure 4, and

Figure '7 is a schematic view showing the anatomical structure of the foot in association with an index, as shown at Figure 5.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

- It is well known that certain materials, among which are lead and vulcanized rubber, are practically opaque to X-rays, and it has been found possible, therefore, to employ an index of some such material embedded in or associated withv the sole of the shoe, which will, in association with X-rays, determine the exact positioning of the foot relative to the shoe by indicating whether or not the bony structure of the foot has been properly placed.

As shown at Figure 1, an index I is placed within the sole immediately between the outer.

sole H and a. filler l2. As shown at Figure 2, the same index is placed next to the insole I3 a part of the interlaying lamina being shown cut and rolled back for the purpose of exhibiting the index. As shown at Figure 6, this index I0 is properly positioned in the shoe to indicate that part shown at H, which is designed and contoured to accommodate the ball joint of the foot, that is to say, the articulation of the first metatarsal with the phlanges of the great toe.

While this joint is of such a nature as to insure the proper fitting of the shoe when properly positioned, it is, of course, obvious that the index may point out other features of the bony structure of the foot with equal or acceptable results.

As shown at Figure 3, the index I is shown of arcuate form and is similarly positioned relative to the sole of the shoe, so far as its being embedded therein or applied thereto. This arcuate index is intended to properly locate the anterior metatarsal arch of the foot, as indicated at Figure 7.

with such index, such index to be made of any,

appropriate or desirable material now known or hereinafter developed, which will contrast with parts or the foot structure or shoe structure when subjected to X-rays.

Of course, the shoe fitting index illustrated may be modified and changed "in various ways without departing from the invention herein set forth and hereinafter claimed.

We claim:--

1. The combination of a shoe including a sole. a narrow, transversely extending index strip embedded in the sole of the shoe, said index being composed of material visibly diflerentiated from foot and shoe structure under the action 01' X-rays, said index underlying the articulation of the first metatarsal and proximate phalange of the great toe.

2. The combination 0! a shoe including 'a sole, an index embedded in the sole, said index being composed of material opaque to X-rays and positioned to underlie the proper location of the aoaasus of a metallic index member embedded in the sole 10 and positioned to underlie the proper location of the articulation oi. the first metatarsal and proximate phalange of one of the toes.

5. The combination of a shoe including a sole.

of an index member comprising a narrow trans- 5 versely extending metallic strip embedded in the sole and positioned to underlie the proper location of the articulation of the first metatarsal and proximate phalange of one of the toes.

ARNOLD G. BARTSCHI. ROBERT L. HUFE'INE.

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