US1271468A - Cushion and support for the feet. - Google Patents

Description

'0. H. HILL. CUSHION AND SUPPORT FOR THE FEET. APPLICATION FILED NOV. $0. 1917.

1 ,2? 1 A6. Patented. July 2, 1918.

Wfnesses flo mgy CHARLES H. HILL, 0]? LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

CUSHION AND SUPPORT FOR THE FEET.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. HILL, citizen of the United States, residmg at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented-certain new and useful Improvements in Cushlons and Supports for the Feet, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n cushions and supports for the feet, and more particularly to a cushion or support such as is described in United States Letters Patent #1,( )13,992, dated January 9, 1912', to which Letters Patent reference is hereby made for a more particular description of the details such as are notherein specified, the body portion of said cushions or sup ports comprising a molded homogeneous elastic cellular substance.

Arch supporters as described and constructed according to said Letters Patent have been found to be decidedly advantageous over those heretofore in use. However when contained in boots r shoes notpossessing a shank of suflicient strength and rigidity to resist the welght of the wearer, the cushion in use has a tendency to cause a flattening of the boot or shoe at the shank, and thereby gives to the exterior of the shoe an appearance of flat-footedness. One of the objects and purposes of my improved device is to avoid the efiectm'entioned by distributing the weight to the heel and. ball of the shoe and thus avoid the breaking down of the shank of theshoe.

It has also been found that in use the heel seat of the cushion or support has a tendency to curl out of its normal position. Another of the objects Jand purposes of the improvements herein 1s to avoid this curling at the heel seat.

I accomplish the above purposes as 1llu strated in the accompanying draw ng, in which Figure 1 shows the body portion of a molded homogeneous elastic cellular substance. Fig. 2 shows across section of the body ortion. Fig. 3 shows a weight carrying p ate; Fig. 4 shows a' supplementary heel portion. Fig. 5 shows my device assembled.

In Fig. 1, A shows the heel seat portion, B shows the forward portion. The line CD shows the position of'the cross section pictured in Fig. 2. E (Fig. 2) shows the location of the weight carrying plate made of steel or other rigid substances Specification of Letters Patent.

-mentary heel portion Patented July 2, 1918.

Application filed November 30, 193.7. Serial No. 204,488.

shown in Fig, 3. The plate E is so positioned within the body portion of my support, that its rear portion F rests upon .the heel of the shoe in which the cushion or support is worn and its forward end G, rests upon the ball of the shoe. The weight carrying plate as a whole forms a span from the heel portion to the ball of the shoe in which it is worn, such span being intended to carry the weight of the body removing the pressure from the shank of the shoe, and distributing it upon the heel and ball portion. The supplementary heel portion H (Fig. 4) comprises a plate preferably of heat proof filber, of a required stiffness, which is molded into the body portion of the cushion or support-on the underside of its heel portion, at A. Both the plate E and the supple- If, are incorporated within the'body portion roper during the molding process, where y they become firmly embedded therein and are securely held inposition. I

By the use of my improved device as herein described, the life of the cushion or support is materially lengthened, the comfortof the user materially enhanced, andthin elastic layer, as would the use of a rigid metallic plate similar to the one in the thick elastic portion. In other words, the rigid or metallic plate in the thick portion has a suflicient body of elastic material above it to afford a suitable cushion which is not affected by the plate, while .if such a rigid plate should be embedded inthe thin elastic heel seat, it would counteract the cushioning efiect.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A foot cushion or arch support, comprisin a molded homogeneous elastic cellular bo y, having a thin heel seat and athick intermediate portion, and a heat-proof fiber plate embedded in said thin heel seat and of sufficient stifl'ness to prevent said heel seat curling from normal position.

2. A foot cushion or arch support, comprising a molded homogeneous elastic cellular body having a thin heel seat and a thick intermediate portion, a rigid means embedded in said thick portion to support the Weight from the shank of the shoe, and a sition.

3. A foot cushion or arch support, comprising a molded homogeneous elastic cellular body having at one end a relatively thin heel seat or pad and a thick narrowed portion'intermediate said heel seat and its front end, a weight carrying plate of rigid material embedded in said thick narrowed portion and extending from. said heel seat to adjacent its front end to span the shank portion of the shoe, and a fiber plate in said thin heel seat to prevent said heel seat curl ing from normal position.

4. A foot cushion or arch support, comprising a molded homogeneous elastic cellular body having at one end a relatively thin heel seat or pad and a thick narrowed portion intermediate said heel seat and i s frontend, a weight carrying plate of rigid material embedded in said thick narrowed portion at its lower side and extending from said heel seat to adjacent its front end to span the shank portion of the shoe, and a.

fiber plate embedded in the lower side of said heel seat to prevent, the same from curling.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. HILL. Witnesses:

IDA CALLUM, CHARLES W. LOVE'I'I.

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