US2141193A - Shoe fitting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1938. H. v. s. MoTT l SHOE FITTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1937 v Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNTTED STATES PATENT cerros 15 Clailns.

rihis inventionrelates to X-ray shoe fitting apparatus; and has for one of its objects to provide means for use therewith adapted to accurately locate and delimit the extreme borders of the foot and also to indicate and determine the exact size measurements of the functioning foot for correct fitting in footwear. i

Another object of the invention is to provide means which is interposed between a fluorescent screen and the source of X-rays and capable oi casting shadows of a reticulated arrangement on the screen with the aid of X-rays in which the arrangement of shadow lines is such as to determine the exact size measurements of a.

i foot either when placed within a shoe during a trial tting or without lthe shoe, to show the length of toes, the length of metatarsal bones, and extreme foot width when in weight bearing. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a flooring support for a foot having a foot receiving surface permeable to'X-rays upon or below which are arranged elements opaque to X-rays and capable of casting shadows which are visibly differentiated in a fluorescent screen from the various permeable parts of the supporting door, shoe and fcot structures to determine foot and shoe size indications for correct shoe tting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which is simple and inexpensive to construct and capable of accurately showing the extreme width and length measurements of the foot and the relation of the shoe to the foot with the aid of Roentgen or X-rays for correct shoe fitting.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective View, partly in section and dotted outline, of a foot measuring device made in accordance with my invention and showing a foot and shoe in operative position relative to a fluoroscopic screen and an X-ray tube;

Fig. 2 a transverse sectional View taken approximately on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and showing the top of foot measuring device with the feet represented in a proper position to be measured for size and rit;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. Il an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line d--l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of my foot measuring device, diagrammatically i1- lustrating the Vrelative position of the foot and shoe with respect to the grid structure of my device; and

Fig. 'l' is a cross sectional View illustrating a modified form of my invention. f

In one known method of shoe fitting as practiced in some of the shoe stores there is employed an apparatus whereby a foot during a trial fitting of a shoe of supposedly the correct size is exposed to beams of Roentgen or X-rays, and an observation made of the shadows of the foot and shoe structures which are cast upon a fluorescent screen which is arranged above the shoe, in an effort to determine the location and degree of fitting of the foot relative to the shoe. However, the results obtained from the use of such prior apparatus have not been satisfactory since in such prior X-ray apparatus there is no convenient or effective means of either determining the exact foot and shoe measurements in ratio to shoe width or size, or of locating the exact positions of the marginal portions of the foot including the superficial tissues surrounding the bone structure when in place within the shoe. Consequently, the results obtained therefrom areuncertain and misleading due to the fact that the shadows which are thrown on the fluorescent screen and representing the outer borders of the fleshy tissues of the foot and the contiguous parts of the shoe upper vare not capable of being visibly differentiated from each other but present a confused or indistinct appearance since such parts of the foot and shoe structures are not of sufliciently different permeabilities to the Roentgen or X-rays toshow as strong contrasting shadows in the fluorescent screen.

In order to improve the performance of this prior X-ray apparatus so as to obtain an accurate determination of the exact location and necessary measurements in length and width of the position of the functioning foot within a trial shoe and also to give a correct indication when correct shoe fitting is attained, there is shown and described in my Patent No. 2,1093 80, granted March l, 1938, an improved form of shoe construction wherein a plurality of indicator markers composed of a material opaque to Roentgen or X-rays are disposed within or upon the structure of the shoe upper and above the sole member thereof at the extreme outer borders of the foot for locating the positions of the latter by means of shadow outlines of the markers which are cast upon a fluorescent screen and showing in strong contrast and clearly distinguishable from the shoe and foot structures in the line of vision in the field of the X-rays. In order to supplement my above described shoe construction and for the purpose of rendering practicable the prior VX-ray apparatus, I further provide means to assist in locating and measuring the exact size of a foot when fitting a shoe, either of the above described construction or an ordinary shoe, in which my measuring means is of a character and so constructed as to cast shadows of a generally retiform or reticulated pattern on a screen, fluorescent surface, sensitive plate or suitable image receiving surface wherein the extreme length and width measure ments of the foot and shoe will be readily located and delimited, either by falling between respective size indicating shadow lines projected upon thek image receiving surface or by being coincident with a single shadow line thereon extending either Vtransversely or longitudinally of the foot and shoe rows of shadow lines which correspond with theV usual length and width distances of recognized standards of footV and shoe measurements and so marked by opaque substances whereby the extreme lateral and longitudinal displacements of the foot in relation to a trial shoe may be accurately determined and measured; and to this end, it is found of advantage to provide a-support or base for a foot having a suitable foot receiving surface which is permeable or transparent to X- rays in which the measuring and locating means comprises a plurality of separate parallel slender elongated elements disposed either upon or below the level of the foot receiving surface of said support, and in the latter instance they may be either incorporated within or located exteriorly of the foot support; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous resultsV may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawing, the numeral I0 designates a support or base for one or both feet and having a generally plane foot receiving surface Il on which the person having his feet fitted to shoes stands during the trial tting and X-ray examination, the support I being interposed between an X-ray device I2 and a fluorescent screen I3. The foot support Ili may be constructed of suitable material which is permeable to Roentgen or X-rays, such as aluminum, wood, paper, pasteboard or other material capable of being readily penetrated by the actinic rays, and also may be made either Vas a solid or of a laminated construction, as desired. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the screen I3 may be mounted in a Suitable housing, such as shown in the patent to Lowe, No. 1,614,988 of January 18, 1927, in order to provide a suitable viewing chamber for enabling an observer to View the shadow images cast upon the fluoroscopic screen I3.

In order to assist in determining the exact measurement to a shoev of a foot when placed within a trial shoe and to obtain an Aaccurate measurement of the size and width of therfunctioning foot therein, I have provided measuring means either on or within the support I!! and formed of a material or substance opaque to X-rays. The measuring means may also be disposed either between the foot receiving surface Il of the support Ill and the X-ray device I2, or it may be provided upon or embodied in the top ofthe foot receiving surface II itself. However, in my preferred construction, as shown obstructing the passage of X-rays to a degree sufficient to produce strong shadows on; the screen and visibly distinguishable from the permeable structures of the foot and shoe. It is also feasible to utilize a construction in which the foot receiving surface II of the support Iil is provided with a ruled appearance having rows of crossing lines upon or cuts (see Fig. 7) formed in the top surface thereof. In either instance,

Y the lines or cuts will contain a substance which is opaque to X-rays. Y

In the specific embodiment of my invention, as illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6, the support It) is shown as being of a laminated construction in which two tiers of rows of wire elements I5 and I6 respectively are disposed between the several layers of the support, one group of rows of parallel elements I5 being placed between the top and intermediate layers of the support while the other group of rows of parallel elements I6 are interposed between the intermediate and the base layers of thesupport. It will be understood, of course, that the parallel rows of elements I5 may run either transversely or longitudinally of the support, Vin which instancethe elements I8 which are also in a parallel relationship with each other will be'arranged to run cross-wise of the elements I 5, and preferably at right angles thereto, thus casting a network of shadow lines upon the fluorescent screen I3 upon exposure to the action of X-rays. As a further feasible construction which may be utilized, a wire screen may be interposed between the fluorescent screen I3 and the source of X-rays in lieu of the arrangement of wires IE-and IS, and it may be embedded either in the support II) or exteriorly disposed between the bottom of the latter and the X-ray device I2. However, in all instances, the arrangement is such that the spacing between the adjacent rows of parallel wires I5 and I6, or those of a metal screen if such is used, corresponds to the usual distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements.

In order that a determination of the positions of both feet may be observed during a single X- raying operation, the support I0 is provided with a central partition 2B which divides the foot receiving surface Il into halves, and the measuring elements I5 and I6 are disposed on each side of the partition 20 in order to accommodate right and left foot measurements. As shown in Fig. 2, the partition 20 extends lengthwise of the support E8 and disposed at one end of the latter is a heel member 2l in the form of a plate which extends transversely of the support I8 so as to provide a base or datum line from which the length'measurements of the feet are made. The heel member 2I may either be made rigid and upstanding on the support I0 or it may The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of Y Aand being so arranged that the shadows cast thereby on the fluorescent screen will form intersecting rows of shadow lines the spacings between which correspond with the usual length and width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements whereby the extreme lateral and longitudinal dimensions oi' the foot to and including the outer limits of Ythe superiicial tissue surrounding the foot structure at these locations may be located measured ,for determining correct shoe fitting.

2. In a shoe tting and foot measuring apparatus, the combination with a source of X-rays and a fluorescent screen, of a support for a foot interposed between said X-ray source and ,the fluorescent screen, said support having a suitable foot receiving surface adapted for a person to stand on and permeable to X-rays,

and means opaque to X-rays carried by said sup-V port and disposed below the foot supporting surface thereof, said means being arranged in the line of vision between said screen and said source of X-rays, said means being of such a character as to provide a plurality of spaced dense linear areas in the path of the rays and being so arranged that the shadows cast thereby on the uorescent screen will form intersecting rows of shadow lines the spacings between which correspond with the usual length and width distances of recognized standards-of foot and shoe measurements whereby the extreme lateral and longitudinal displacements of the foot in relation to a shoe and to and including the outer limits of superficial tissue surrounding the foot structure at these locations may be located and measured {J5-,for determining correct shoe fitting.

3. In a shoe tting apparatus comprising a support having a foot receiving surface permeable to Roentgen or X-rays, a Roentgen or X-ray tube, an image receiving member, means carriedr said support and beneath the foot receiving surface thereof for locating and measuring the extreme lateral and longitudinal displacement of the root relative to a shoe under observation in the line of vision, said measuring means corn-l prising two groups of rows of long narrow spaced elements composed of a material opaque to X-rays and arranged in the ield of the beam of the rays, the elements of one group being disposed at a right angle to those of the other group so that the shadows cast thereby on the image receiving member will be of a retiform character in which the spacing between the shadow lines of the respective groups corresponds with the usual length and width distancesY of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements,

and means opaque toX-rays and cooperating with said measuring means to provide reference lines relative to which said measurements are made.

4. In a shoe fitting apparatus, the combination with a source of X-rays, and a fluorescent screen, of a support for a foot, a central longitudinally extending partition thereon, said partition being provided with transverse flange portions the outer longitudinal side edges of which form datum lines for each foot and from which the width oi' foot is measured, a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending slender measuring elements arranged at fixed distances from the outer edges of said flanges and corresponding to the usual width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, a transverse heel member disposed at right angles to said partition and in an upright position, the inner face of said heel member serving to form adatum line from which the length measurements of a foot or feet are determined and providing a right angle corner with the outer edges of said flanges for receiving the heel of the foot or the shoe, and a plurality of rows of slender transverse measuring elements arranged at fixed distances from the inner edge of said heel member and corresponding to the usual length distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, wherein the extreme width and length displacements of a root and shoe will be located and measured.

5. In a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus, the combination with a source of X-rays, and a fluorescent screen, of a support for a foot, a central longitudinally extending partition fixed on said support, said partition being provided with transverse flange portions the outer longitudinal side edges of which form datum lines for each foot and from which the width of foot is measured, a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending slender measuring elements arranged at iixed distances from the outer edges of said nangesand corresponding to the usual width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, a movable transverse heel engaging member adapted to be positioned at right angles to said iiXed partition in an upright position, the inner face of said heel member when so positioned serving toform a datum line from which the length measurements of a foot or feet are determined and providing a right angle corner with the outer edges of said flanges for receiving the heel of the foot or the shoe, and a plurality of rows of slender'transverse measuring elements arranged at xed distances from the inner edge of said heel member and corresponding to the usual length distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, wherein the extreme width and length displacements or" a foot .in relation to a shoe will be located and measured.

6. In a shoe fitting apparatus, the combination with a source of X-rays, and a iiuorescent screen, of a support for a foot, a central longitudinally extending partition thereon,V said partition being provided with transverse flange portions the outer longitudinal side edges of which form datum lines for each foot and from which the Width of foot is measured, a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending slender measuring elements arranged at fixed distances from the outer edges of said flanges and corresponding to the usual Width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, a transverse heel member disposed at right angles to said partition and in an 'upright position, the inner face ofsai'd'heel'memyportV and said groups of measuring elements ber serving to form a datum line from which the length measurementsof afoot or feet are determined and providing a right vangle corner with the outer edges of said iianges for receiving the heel of the foot or the shoe, and a plurality of rows of slender transverse measuring elements arranged at fixed distances from the inner edge of said heel member and corresponding to the usual length distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, wherein the extreme width and length displacements of -a foot and shoe will be located and measured, said outer edges of said flanged transverse portion-s being composed of a material opaque to X-rays and providing an abutment for the inner margins of the foot and shoe. f

7. In a shoe fitting apparatus, the combination with a source of X-rays, a iiuorescent screen, and

`a shoe having a pair of opposed index markers opaque to X-rays and carried bythe shoe upper above the sole at the iirst and fifth metatarsophalangeal joints of the foot, of a support for a foot, a central longitudinally extending partition thereon, said partition being provided with trans'- verse flange portions the 'outer longitudinal side edges of which form datum lines for each foot and from which the width of foot is measured, a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending slender measuring elements arranged at iixed distances from the outer edges of said iianges and corresponding to the usual Width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, a transverse heel member disposed at fright angles to said partition and in an upright position, the inner face of said heel member serving to form a datum line from which the length measurements of a foot or feet are determined and providing a right angle corner with the outer edges of said flanges for receiving the "heel of the foot or the shoe, and a plurality of 'rows of slender transverse measuring elements arranged at xed distances from the inner edge of Asaid heel member and corresponding to the usual length distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, wherein the extreme width and length displacements of a 'foot and lshoe will be locatedand measured, the extreme lateral displacement of said index markers in the shoe upper 'being accurately located and measured by matching with iixed shadow lines cast bythe rows of slender measuring elements on' the 'screen by the action of X-rays.

8. In a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus, in combination, a support having a foot rec'eiving surface permeable -to Roentgen or X-rays,

a Roentgen or X-ray tube beneath said support, a luorescent screen spaced above said support, and means in'position for observation by a person standing upon said support with the feet between the support and the screen for locating and measuring the extreme lateral and longitudinal "displacement of the foot relative to a shoe, Asaid measuring means comprisingtwo groups of rows of long narrow spaced elements composed of a material opaque to X-rays and arranged in the eld ofthe beam of the rays, the elements of one group being disposed at a right angle to those of the other group so that the shadows cast thereby on the fluorescent screen will be of a generally reticulated pattern in which the vspacing between the shadow lines ofthe respective groups corresponds with the usual length and' width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, and means associated with said supadapted to provide reference or base lines rela- 'tive to which said measurements are made and 'of a character as tocast a visible shadow on the image-receiving member.

r9. vIn a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus, the'combination with a source of X-rays, a fluorescent screen, and a shoe provided with an .tindex marker opaque to X-'rays, of a device between said screen and said source of X-rays in position for usein visually determining Aand measuring by means of shadow images cast on the Vscreen 'by X-ray's the extreme width and length size measurements ofa foot and the relation ofV the shoe to the 'foot for correct shoe fitting and foot measuring, 'saiddevice comprising a foot support on which a person is to stand while being measured for correct shoe fitting and made of'a material permeable to yX-rays, means associated vwith said support comprising two intersecting sets ured, when the heelof the foot or the `shoe at the heel level and the inside marginal portion of the foot or shoe, on the big toe side, are held snugly in contact against said side surfaces of said partition means, the position of the opaque marker Vin the shoe being located `and measured by the adjacency of its image to one of the series of shadow-imagescast on the screen by the parallel opaquemembersof said support under theaotion of X-rays.

l0. A device adaptedV for use in visually determining foot `size measurements 'under theaction ,ofv X-rays comprising la support for a 'foot and `made of va material readily permeable to X-rays and having a floor surface on which a person is to stand, means extending upwardly from the floor surface of said'support and Aprovided with opposite side face portions made of a material opaque to X-rays and adapted for engagement with the Vinner marginal sides of the foot and heel when the foot, with or without a shoe, is placed in a proper size measuring position, heel engaging means adapted to'extend upwardly from the floor of said support and provided with a side portion madeof a material opaque to X-rays and disposed laterally of the support so that the line of contactwiththe foot will be substantially at right angles to that of the side portions of said iirst named means to Tprovide a generally right angle corner for the reception of the heels of the feet, and size measuring means made of a material opaque to X-rays and disposed on said support v1n a predetermined spaced arrangement from the respective tfoot and Yheel engaging portions of the 'iirst named and second named means, the spacing ofV said measuring means corresponding to the usual length and'width distances of recogextending upright partition thereon, the opposite longitudinal side faces of which are of a character as to cast a visible shadow upon a fluorescent screen by the action of X-rays and form datum lines for each foot from which the width oi' 'root is measured, a plurality of rows of longitudinally extending slender measuring elements associated with said support and arranged at opposite sides of said partition at xed distances from said longitudinal side faces of the partition, the spacing between said measuring elements corresponding to the usual width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, a

transverse heel member disposed at right anglesV to said partition and positionable in an upright position, the inner face of said heel member being of a character capable of casting a visible shadow upon a screen by the action of.X-rays, the inner face of said heel member serving to form a datum line from which the length measurements of a foot or feet are determined and providing a right angle corner for the reception of the heel of the foot or shoe at the heel level, and a plurality of rows of laterally extending slender measuring elements arranged at fixed distances from the inner side face of said heel member and corresponding to the usual length distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements, wherein the extreme width and length displacements of a foot with or without a shoe, will be located and measured for correct shoe tting.

12. A device adapted for use in visually determining foot size measurements by means of shadow images cast on an image receiving member by X-rays, comprising a foot support member made of a material readily permeable to o X-rays, partition means extending upwardly from the top surface of said member and adapted to divide the same into a plurality of foot receiving floor sections upon which a person will stand while the feet are being measured for correct shoe fitting, means extending transversely of said support and disposed at right angles to said partition and adapted to form with a pair of side faces of the latter a right angle corner for the reception of the heel of each foot or shoe, and measuring means incorporated Within the foot support member comprising a plurality of intersecting rows of spaced parallel wires arranged to form a generally reticulated pattern and made of a material opaque to X-rays, the spacing between said measuring elements corresponding to the usual length'and width distances of recognized standards of footand shoe measurements wherein the extreme width and length vdimensions of a foot, with or without a shoe, will be located and measured with reference to said partition means and said heel engaging means.V Y

13. A device for use in a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus forV visually determining foot size measurements by means of l shadow images cast on a fluorescent screen by X-rays, comprising a foot support member made of a material readily permeable to X-rays, partition means extending upwardly from the top surface" of said member and adapted to divide the same into a plurality of foot receiving oor sections upon which a person will stand while the feet are being measured for correct shoe fitting, means extending transversely of said support and disposed at right angles to said partition and adapted to form with a pair of side facesof the latter a right angle corner for the reception of the heel of each foot'or shoe, and measuring means incorporated within the foot support member comprising a plurality of intersecting rows of spaced parallel Wires arranged to form a generally reticulated pattern and made of a material opaque to X-rays, the spacing between said measuring elements corresponding to the usual length and width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements wherein the extreme Width and length dimensions of a foot, with or without a shoe, will be located and measured with reference to said partition means and said heel engaging means, said partition means having flange portions extending from opposite side faces and being positioned at a distance above said foot receiving oor sections to contact with the inner marginal sides of a foot or shoe and adapted to form datum lines visible on the screen by X-rays from which said width measurements are made.

14. An X-ray apparatus for use in visually determining foot measurements for fitting shoes, comprising the combination of a foot support permeable to X-rays and forming a platform on which a person may stand with one or both feet fto be measured when in body weight bearing position, an X-ray tube positioned at one side of such foot Vand arranged to direct its rays through the same, a fluorescent screen disposed at the opposite side of such foot in a position spaced from said X-ray tube and in the path of such rays, and means opaque to X-rays positioned in the path of suchrrays for casting an image on the screen for observation and visual determination of foot measurements, said means being so constructed and arranged as to cast on said screen Va plurality of sets of intersecting spaced shadow lines, the spacings between said lines being such as to provide a system of coordinates whereby the extreme width of the foot vand the diierence in length positions of the distal ends of the metatarsal bones from the rst to the fifth joints inclusive -may be located and measured for determining their relative positions and the amount of inclination of the area of body weight bearing that they form across the ball of the functioning foot for correct shoe size of the foot.

15. In a shoe fitting and foot measuring apparatus, the combination with a source of X-rays and a uorescent screen in spaced relation thereto in the path of such rays, of a support for a foot arranged between said source of X-rays and said iiuorescent screen, said foot support being permeable to X-rays and forming a platform on which a person may stand with one or both feet to be measured when in body weight bearing position, and means opaque to X-rays and part of said foot support, said means being so constructed and arranged as to provide a reticulated arrangement of dense linear areas in the path of the X-rays so that the shadows Ycast thereby on the fluorescent screen will form intersecting rows of shadow lines, the spacings of which will corre- Vspond with the usual' length and width distances of recognized standards of foot and shoe measurements -whereby the extreme width of the foot, the relative longitudinal positions of the distal ends of the metatarsal bones and the difference in their length at the ball of the foot when in body Weight bearing position may be shown and measured for determining correct shoe fitting.

HOWARD V. S. MOTT.

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