US2030358A - Apparatus for treating feet - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11;, 1936.

H. J. DQRRANCE APPARATUS FOR TREATING FEET ori inai Filed Feb. 16, 19:53

2 Sheets-Sheet l lllklIl INVENTOR Patente Feb. M, 3936 APPARATUS FOR TREATMG FEET Harold J. Dorrance, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application February 16, 1933, Serial No. 657.01 Renewed November 13, 193d 11 Claims. ((31. 128-25) This invention relates to the treatment of defective feet and more particularly to a device or apparatus for stretching adhesions in order to restore normal functioning of the cubo-cuneiform as well as the other articulations.

Experience has taught me that best results in stretching adhesions in defective human feet are obtained if the muscles of the feet to be treated are relaxed when the stretching takes place. With this thought in mind, an object of this invention is to provide a device or apparatus whereby the muscles of the feet to be treated are first relaxed and then while relaxed, are stretched and normal functioning of the cubo-cuneiform as well as the other articulations restored.

This, as well as other objects which will readily appear to those skilled in the treatment of defective feet are accomplished by the device or apparatus disclosed herein and the device for carrying out the method, which device is described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of this application.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a device by means of which the method of this invention may be carried out.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device with some of the parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line IIJIIII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of portions of the device and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view on a reduced scale of portions of the device..

The device for carrying out my method of treatment broadly consists of a reciprocating floor or support; a live rubber ball which rests on the support or floor and is prevented from moving sidewise or laterally of the support or floor; means for strapping the foot to be treated in place above the support or fioor so that the rubber ball presses upwardly against the dome or so-called longitudinal arch of the foot with sufficient pressure to materially flatten the ball; and mechanism for reciprocating the ball support or floor back and forth longitudinally of the foot. The mechanism for reciprocating the ball support is such that the stroke or length of reciprocations thereof may be varied as desired so that the stretching action to which the adhesions are subjected may be made to be light, severe or graduated between light and severe.

I have found that by strapping the foot' in position above the rubber ball in such manner that the ball is materially compressed or flattened, the yielding pressure exerted by the ball in a short time causes the foot muscles to relax. After relaxation occurs, the ball is caused to roll back and forth in contact with the dome or socalled longitudinal arch and I find that in this way normal functioning of all articulations is more or less readily restored. Where the articulation has become rigid or locked, repeated treatments extending over a short period of time are found necessary, the treatments starting with moderate stretching and increasing in severity until normal functioning is restored.

A single treatment with my device or apparatushas been found to be highly beneficial and in many cases to give almost immediate relief.

Specifically, the device illustrated in the drawings comprises a box-like structure having side members 6, a base member Land end members 8, the structure having an open top.

Secured to the inner sides of the side members and extending longitudinally of the structure are two members 9. These members 9 serve as shelves or supports for a series of rollers it]. Rollers Ill are preferably formed from some rustless metal and have their ends reduced as shown at H for mounting or journaling within cross, grooves or depressions formed in the upper surfaces of shelf or support members 9 and which are indicated at E2 in Figures 2 and 3. These rollers Ill constitute what may be termed an antifriction support for floor l3 above referred to for supporting the yielding. or compressible rubber ball it.

Bali M is preferably made of live rubber and as shown in the drawings, a metal rod 85 extends axially through the ball.

The upper surface of platform or floor i3 is provided with a centrally extendingarcuate depression l6 as indicated in the drawings and the platform is provided with a covering ll preferably of metal, having cross ribs it as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. At one end of the structure, the top is floored over as at 99 and a heel restor support 20 is secured to flooring IS. The forward end of the central portion oi this flooring is cut away as at 21 in order-to accommodate the ball l d in its extreme movement toward the heel rest 20.

Two relatively stifi metal rods 22 extend from floor member 19 to the opposite end of the struc ture and the forward ends of these (which extend in spaced relation above the tops of the side walls 6-) are mounted in a metal end plate or member as secured against the forward end of the device. The forward ends of rods 22 are reduced and threaded and extend through holes formed for that purpose in plate 23.- Wing nuts 24 are employed for securing the forward ends of therods in position. The rear ends of the rods are flattened and secured to floor member i9 by means of suitable screws 25.

The rod l whichextends axially through ball ll has its ends secured within retaining members 28 by means of set screws 21.

Each retaining member 26 is provided witha circular portion 28 which loosely surrounds one of the side rods 22. Spacing washers 23 surrounding rod ii are located on rod l5; one on each side of ball ll. In this. manner ball H is held centrally of the support or floor 13.

A toe rest 30 is slidably mounted on bars 22, and is provided with toe straps 3| and is adapted to be locked in proper position on side rods 22 by means of a set screw 30. Heel support 23 is supplied with an ankle strap 32.

The toe and ankle straps are provided with the necessary buckles and pads as will be well the frictional contact with said support.

understood.

An operating lever 33 preferably of bent form as clearly shown in Fig. -1 is pivotally mounted to base I at 34. One side member 6 of the struc ture is slotted as at 35 and floor or support member I3 is provided with a pin 36 which extends outwardly through slot 35 and through a, slot 31 formed in the lower portion of lever 33. Pin 38- is headed as-shown at 38.

In Fig. 5, I have indicated by dotted'lines the swinging of lever 33 and also by dotted lines I have indicated the compressing of the rubber ball II. The arrow indicates the pressure exerted on the ball by the foot being treated, the ball being compressed between the dome or so-called longitudinal arch of the foot and the movable platform or support l3.

When a patients foot has been strapped to the device, and operating lever 33 is rocked back and forth, floor or support member I3 is driven back and forth whereby the ball is driven by The ball travels in the same direction as .the support member moves, and causes pressure of variable magnitude to be applied to the sole of the foot for purposes already mentioned.

I have found that very satisfactory results are obtained by utilizing a high grade sponge rubber ball in place of what I term a live rubber ball. I have also found that starting treatments with a sponge rubber ball and changing the balls to those of.increasing stiffness is helpful in some cases. The type of ball used will depend somewhat .upon the nature of the case being treated.

The support for platform l3 of course can be modified and aslong as the platform is so mounted as to be capable of being moved with small effort, it will be satisfactory.

It will be understood that various modifications over the structure shown may be made and so long as method of treatment may be obtained, the device will fall within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. In a devicefor treating human feet, the combination with a rollable elastic member and a reciprocable support for said member, of means for securing a foot in position above said member in such manner that said member is compressed by contact with a portion of the bottom of the so-called longitudinal arch of the foot and means for reciprocating said member-support whereby said member is caused to roll back and forth in contact with said arch.

2. The combination with an elastic ball, of a reciprocable support for said ball, means for securing a foot in position above said ball in such manner that the ball is flattened by pressure exerated by a part of the so-called longitudinal arch of the foot and means for reciprocating the ball supportwhereby the ball is caused to roll bee and forth longitudinally of the'foot.

3. In a device for treating feet, a heel support, means for securing the heel within the support, an adjustable toe support, means for securing the forward portion of the foot within the toe support, means for locking the toe-support in adjusted position, a support member mounted for back and forth movement below the foot, a rollable resilient agent interposed between the foot and said support member, and means'for imparting back and forth movement to saidsupport member whereby when the foot is strapped in position in the device said resilient agent is caused to exert pressure on the under part of the foot.

4. In a device for correcting defective feet, a reciprocating support, a yieldable ball-like member adapted to engage the support and to be rotated by frictional contact therewith as the support is reciprocated, means for, securing a foot in position in said device with said ball-like member interposed between the foot and said support, and means for reciprocating the support whereby said ball-like member is caused toroll back and forth under the foot and exert yielding corrective pressures against the so-called longitudinal arch of the foot. y

5. In a device for correcting defective feet, a

. reciprocating support, ayieldable ba1l-like memwhereby the ball-like member is caused to roll back and forth under the foot and exert yielding corrective pressures of variable magnitude and means for guiding the ball-like member.

6. ma device for correcting defective feet,

a reciprocating support, a yieldable ball mounted to bear on and be frictionally driven by said support, a rod extending through the ball and crosswise of the support, stationary guides on each side of the support, a slider on each guide to which the ends of said rod are secured, a toe support adjustably mounted on said guides and adapted to hold the toe of a foot in position, a heel support for holding the heel of the foot in position and means for reciprocating the support whereby the ball is propelled back and forth longitudinally of the foot and between the toe and heel and yieldable corrective forces of variable magnitude are caused to be exerted against the under side of the foot.

'7. In a device for treating human feet, the combination with a rollable elastic member, of means for securing a foot in fixed position above said member in such manner that said member is compressed by contact with the bottom of the foot'and means for causing said member while compressed to roll back and forth lengthwise of the foot.

8. In a device for treating human feet, the.

securing a foot in fixedposition above said ball in such manner that the ball ,is compressed by pressure exerted, and means for causing said ball while compressed to roll back and forth lengthwise of the foot.

9. In a device for treating human feet, the combination with a'tinovable support, of a rollable elastic member, means for securing a foot in fixed position above said member whereby said member is compressed and means for moving said support back and forth below the foot whereby the member is caused to roll while in contact with the foot and while compressed.

10. In a device for treating human feet, the

securing a foot in fixed position above said ball that the same is compressed and means whereby said ballf is caused to roll back and forth below and lengthwise ,of the foot while compressed.

11. In a-clevice for treating human feet, a .sup-

port member mounted for back and forth move-- to roll in contact with said foot.

' "HAROLD J. DonRancE.

CERTIFICATE I or 'oo'RREcT oN Q Patent No. 2-, o3o,s5e:"! Febrt'prfll, i936.

HAROLD J.- DO'RBANICEQ It is hereby certi fiedftha't error appearslinthe pri nt'edj epeo-tfioation be the above numbered patentfre'qu irjing correction-as follows: "Page 3, first;

column, line 2-3, claim'8--,' Strike' out the wo'rd 'lby pressureegcerted; and: that the said Letters Patent should-be read with-this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case 1 1 1 the Patent-Office Signed and sealed this 31st day of March, A. DI'. .1936.

heelie m Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents

Images