US3854212A

US3854212A - Foot measuring device

Info

Publication number: US3854212A
Application number: US00017362A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Rose
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-03-09
Filing date: 1970-03-09
Publication date: 1974-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-17

Abstract

A foot measuring device which generally consists of a bench and a slide moveably mounted on the bench. The bench includes an elongated stage having marking indicia on a flat side thereof. A buttress is formed integral with the stage, having a foot wall which is normal to the stage. The stage includes sloped keeper which is formed integral with one side of the stage. The keeper has a scarp which is adjacent to the buttress. The slide is held between the keeper and the buttress. In mounting the slide on the bench, the slide is slipped over the keeper.

Description

United States Patent Rose 1 Dec. 17, 1974 [5 FOOT MEASURING DEVICE 3,216,538 11/1965 Miller 189/36 [76] In ento Robert A. Rose, 3 5 C octau Rd. 3,598,419 8/1971 Nlsper et a1. 277/219 P3105 Heights 60463 Primary Examiner-Harry N. Haroian [22] Filed: Mar. 9, 1970 Assistant Examiner-Charles E. Phillips [21] pp No: 17,362 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Anthony S. Zummer [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 33/3 A A foot measurin g device which generally consists of a Ilit. bench and a Slide moveably mounted on the bench. [5 8] of Search 33/3 143 29/407 The bench includes an elongated stage having marking indicia on a flat side thereof. A buttress is formed inte- [56] References Clted gral with the stage, having a foot wall which is normal UNITED STATES PATENTS tothe stage. The stage includes sloped keeper which is 1,535,996 4/1925 Goldsmith 33/3 A formed integral with one side of the stage. The keeper 1,684,555 9/1928 Ritholz 33/143 M has a scarp which is adjacent to the buttress. The slide 2,037.646 4/1936 Wheeler A is held between the keeper and the buttress. In mount- 2,593,385 4/1952 D1gate 33/3 A i h Slide on the bench the Slide i slipped over the 2,784,492 3/1957 Fratello 33/3 A keeper 3,000,102 9/1961 Snyder 33/143 M 3,199,902 8/1965 Fierstine 287/87 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAIENTEU HEB] 71974 S E Y. 5 E R0 7 9m MW W T E 5 Z 0 J R M FOOT MEASURING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF- THE INVENTION It is generally recognized that childrens feet do not grow at a uniform rate; but, rather, childrens feet will grow fast, then growth will slow down, and then have another spurt in growth. Many parents, who are desirous of giving their children the best available foot care, like to measure the childrens feet periodically in order to determine whether the childrens feet require larger shoes, even before the shoes are worn out. Although.

there are many foot measuring devices available, many of these devices are relatively expensive, especially for the small usage which they receive.

Many families still purchase their shoes by mail order for various and sundry reasons. The sizes of these shoes are often determined in various ways; by tracing the foot on paper, or by simply ordering the next larger size for children. Again, it is desirable for the individuals who order shoes by mail to be able to determine accurately the appropriate shoe size by a relatively inexpensive device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to the construction of an inexpensive foot measuring device so that persons may readily purchase the device; and in the event that it should become lost, there would be no substantial economic hardship.

The present foot measuring device generally consists of a molded plastic bench, which has a molded plastic slide mounted on the bench. The bench has a marking indicia added thereto to indicate an appropriate dimension, and a converter is provided to translate the indicated dimensions to appropriate shoe sizes. The parts of the device are easily and economically manufactured, and the dimensions are accurate since the marking indicia is added to the formed surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a foot measuring device embodying the herein-disclosed invention, showing a slide disengaged from a bench;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the foot measuring device shown in FIG. 1, but with the slide mounted on the bench;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the foot measuring device shown in FIG. 2; and

. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on Line 4-4 of- FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, a specific embodiment of the herein-disclosed invention is shown therein. A foot measuring device embodying the present invention is generally indicated by numeral and consists of two basic parts, to-wit, a bench l2 and a slide 14.

The bench 12 is a single molded unitary part which is molded from high-impact polystyrene. The bench consists of an elongated stage 16 with a buttress 18 formed integral-with the stage adjacent to one end thereof. The stage 16 generally includes an elongated flat slab 20, which has an aperture 22 formed in the end opposite the end having the buttress 18. The flat slab has its opposed ends rounded for safety. Adjacent to the aperture 22 is a keeper 24 on one side of the slab. The keeper 24 has an inclined upper wall 26, which blends with the slab at its lower end and extends upward toward the buttress forming a scarp 28 adjacent to the buttress, as may be best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.- A pair of guide rails 30 are formed integral with the slab on the other side thereof.

The slab 20 has marking indicia 32 on the flat side thereof between the keeper 24 and the buttress 18. In this instance, the marking indicia 32 .is silk-screened onto the slab. The numerals which constitute a portion of the marking indicia 32 are not shown in the drawing. Themarking indicia may be added by any convenient means, such as, by making the marks on a carrier and placing the carrier and marking indicia onto the slab, as by means of decalcomania. It may be appreciated that inasmuch as almost all plastics have a tendency to shrink during a molding operation, the most economical method of producing a moldedplastic part with a marking indicia contained thereon, which marking indicia has an extremely high degree of accuracy, is first to mold the part, allow the part to cool to room temperature, and then apply the marking indicia. Thus, the marking indicia is not an integral part of the bench, but rather is added to the surface of the slab.

The buttress 18 includes a foot wall 34, which is normal to the slab 20 and formed integral therewith. The foot wall has a pair of side walls 36 formed integral therewith. The side walls are also formed integral with the slab 20 to provide a reinforcement for the foot wall 34.

The slide 14 is also made of a molded high-impact polystyrene. The slide 14 generally includes a saddle 40 having an indicator wall 42 formed integral therewith and normal to the slab 20. A pair of ribs 44 is formed integral with the indicator wall and the saddle 40.

The saddle 40 includes a flat base 46 which has the indicator wall formed integral therewith and substantially even with one edge thereof, asmay be seen in FIG. 3. The saddle also includes a pair of side walls 48 which are perpendicular to the base, and a pair of ears 50 are formed integral with the side walls and extend toward each other.

The distance between the ears 50 and the base 46 is slightly less than the thickness of the slab 20 plus the maximum height of the keeper 24. The minimum distance between the ears 50 is slightly greater than the maximum distance between the outer sides of the guide rails 30 so that the slide is kept substantially aligned with the slab, and thereby the indicator wall 42 remains substantially perpendicular to the length of slab 20.

In order to mount the slide 14 onto the bench 12, it is only necessary to place the saddle onto that portion of the stage between the end of the stage and the keeper with the indicator wall 42 facing the buttress l8 and to move the slide toward the buttress. The cars engage the slab 20 as the base engages the inclined wall 26 of the keeper. However, the resilience of the parts allows the saddle to slide over the keeper 24. Once the slide passes over the keeper, the parts spring back into their normal position, and the slide 14 is locked between the buttress 18 and the keeper 24 since the keeper 24 has a scarp 28 facing the buttress 18, which does not allow the slide to pass over the keeper.

The foot measuring device is used in a customary manner by placing the heel of the foot against the foot wall 34 of the buttress and moving the slide until the indicator wall 42 touches the toe to determine the length of the foot. The width is also measured by placing the foot between the buttress and the indicator wall and noting the dimension. The dimensions are then converted to shoe sizes by an appropriate indicating device, which is mounted between the guide rails 30 on the slab 20, which indicating device is not shown herein.

From the foregoing description, it may be readily appreciated that the instant foot measuring device may be readily and conveniently manufactured in view of the fact that the bench 12 may be manufactured from a single molded plastic part with indicia added to the slab. The slide 14 is also a single molded plastic part which may be readily assembled onto the bench. Although a specific description has been made herein, it is readily apparent that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is to be expressly understood that the instant invention is limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A foot measuring device comprising, in combination, an elongated resilient stage having marking indicia on one surface thereof, a buttress formed integral with one end of the stage, a keeper formed integral with the stage adjacent to the end opposed to the end having the buttress, said keeper having a sloped wall and having a scarp, said sloped wall of the keeper facing away from the buttress, said scarp of the keeper facing the buttress, a slide moveably mounted on the stage between the keeper and the buttress, said slide having a resilient saddle engageable with the stage, said saddle having a base adjacent to the stage and being cooperative with the marking indicia on the stage, a pair of opposed side walls formed integral with the base and adjacent to opposite elongated sides of the stage, and an ear formed integral with each of the side walls and extending toward the other ear, the distance between the base and each of the ears is less than the height of the stage plus the maximum height of the keeper for holding the slide between the keeper and the buttress, said distance is sufficiently great to allow the saddle to be forced along the sloped wall of the keeper to deform temporarily the saddle and the stage to allow the saddle to pass over the keeper for slideably locked assembly of the slide and the stage.

2. A foot measuring device as defined in claim 1 including a pair of guide rails formed integral with the stage, wherein each of the ears is engageable with a respective guide rail for guiding the slide relative to the stage.

3. A foot measuring device as defined in claim 1 wherein the buttress includes a foot wall formed integral with and normal to the stage and a pair of side walls formed integral with the foot wall and with the stage.

4. A foot measuring device as defined in claim 1, including a pair of guide rails formed integral with the stage for engagement with the ears to guide the slide, an indicator wall formed integral with one edge of the base adjacent to the buttress, and a rib formed integral with the base and the indicator wall.

5. A foot measuring device as defined in claim 1 including an indicator wall formed integral with the edge of the base adjacent to the buttress, and a rib formed integral with the base and the indicator wall.

l l =l 22x3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GER FICATE 0F CQRRECHQN Pater; 3,854,212 Dated December 17, 1974 Inventor(s) Robert A. Rose It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patentand that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the inventor's address, "Choctau" should be --Chocta w- In the Abstract, Line 6, after "includes" insertv -+e.-.-.

si nedend sealed this 11th day or Februa y 1975.

(SEAL) Attest: I

C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON I Commissioner" of Patents Attesting Officer and,TrademaIikS