US2206029A - Deformable foot support for shoes - Google Patents

Description

July 2, 1940. c. H. DANIELs DEFORMABLE FOOT SUPPORT FOR SHOES Filed Dec. 24, 1935 Patented'July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in foot supports and shoes having built-in foot supports in which the foot supports are formed oi' or include material that is transformable upon heating, whereby the foot supports may be caused to receive and retain a foot impression.

I have disclosed in my application Serial No. 44,038 filed October 8, 1935, and in Patents Nos. 2,092,909 and 2,092,910, "certain improvements in l0 deformable foot supports which may be caused to receive and retain toot impressions, and to serve as permanent supports for the individual feet to which they are molded. For the most part, such prior disclosures are directed to foot supports having fillers moldable at.normal temperatures. i

A patent to-Lettermann 1,856,394, May 3, 1932 for Device for taking vfoot impressions, describes a device consisting of a flat chamber formed by an elastic envelope which is iilled with a molten c mass of paraffin and wax. The foot is 'placed upon the chamber filled with the molten mass and the foot is kept in position until the mass has solidified.

It is an object of my invention to disclose improvements in foot supports which are moldable at elevated temperatures and in particular the foot support is made moldable or otherwise transformed by heating from within the mass of filling 3 material or by external heating oi the foot support from heating elements forming parts oi the shoes.

Speciiically, it is an object of my invention to incorporate electrical heating elements in thefoot supports or in the shoes,

A further object is the use of a flexible but inelastic envelope for the thermoplastic filling material instead oi an elastic envelope.

vAnother object is the use of metallic mem- 4 bers for the foot supports comprising alloys Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the plane inu dieeten :7 2 in Figi; and,

Fig. 3 is a cross section showing a modied construction.

The shoe disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 has the customary upper Ill lasted to the outsole I2 and insole il and having a heel I6 ilxed to the out- 5 sole. A foot support comprising an envelope/ll and a iiller 20 is placed in the shoe immediately over the insole. Suitable heating elements such as the electrical resistances 22 may be incorpo. rated in the foot support to produce internal l0 heating of the illler, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or the resistance elements may comprise the ribbons 2l laid between the foot support and the insole, as in Fig. 3. In either case, suitable leads 20 are provided which may be connected toga battery u or other source of electricity. 'I'he leads may be -v cut oil or covered up after use 'oi' the heatingv elements. A sock lining 24 is laid over the foot support. The sock lining is preferably composed of insulating material such as asbestos, or the e111- 20 velope of the foot support may include asbestos or other insulation. According to my invention the filling material 20 vof the foot support is thermoplastic or oi' a composition whichis subject to a physical or a chemical change. upon 25 heating. For example, the material may be initially hard but capable oi being softened and made moldable upon heating, or the material can be initially plastic and moldable but capable oi being hardened upon heating. In either case. the structure disclosed provides for heating of the foot support in a convenient manner.

The illler for the envelope of the foot support l may comprise thermoplastic or fusible substances either alone or in mixtures with each other or with inert nllers. It is preferable to use compositions which sotten to aplastic, moldable state at relatively low. temperatures. Such materials as glues, parains, waxes, rosins, gums, asphalte,

pitches, shellac, latex, etc. could be used. 4o

The filler for the foot support could comprise a composition that is moldable at normal temperatures, but upon heating, such as by the electrical heating means described, would be transformed tofa rigid body and retain a foot impression. For example, a mixture oi' rubber and hardening agents, such as sulphur, could be used as the iiller. Heating either internally or' externally would vulcanize the rubber to retain Y the foot impression which is taken while the filler 2 aaoaoaa indium which melts at a temperature of approximately 50 C. might be found satisfactory.

When a fusible metal alloy is employed the fabric retaining envelope is not required as the metal alloy will be heated only suiciently to permit molding by the pressure of the foot and not to a molten state.

A metallic foot support could be made composed `of a fusible alloy having a thin coating or shell of metal, which has a higher melting point,

enclosing the fusible metal. Upon heating the interior of the foot support would become soft and moldable and the external metal would be suiciently thin to permit iiexure under pressure of the foot.

Shoes constructed as above described may be fitted to the feet and Worn the same as ordinary shoes, but when desired may be transformed to provide a more perfect fit and support for the foot. Thus by heating the foot support while the shoe is on the foot, the foot support will become plastic and moldable under pressure of the foot.

The heat will be insulated from the foot and prevent discomfort. After the foot impression has been taken it will be retained upon cooling. If a different type of ller is employed the heating will cause hardening of an initially moldable mass, and the foot impression will be retained on cooling.

The foot supports described above could, if desired, be placed between the insole and outsole, especially if the insole is of lightweight, flexible material or has been perforated or slashed to make it more exible.

The envelope is preferably composed of exible,

inelastic material usually fabric, but a thin flexible metallic envelope could be made having a thermoplastic filler or the envelope could be of an alloy which is rigid when cold but becomes moldable when heated. Instead of using electrical heating means, it is obvious that other forms of heating might be employed, for example, the foot support or shoe could be made with a pocket to receive chemicals which would produce sufficient heat to soften the thermoplastic filling material or the fusible alloys of which the foot support is formed.

It should be understood that the foot support which is combined with the heating means comprises an envelope and a ller which is capable of a physical change while heating. The physical change may be either from a normal, rigid state to a plastic moldable state which will permit afoot impression being taken, the filler then being permitted to cool and harden to retain the iinpression, or the filler may be initially in a plastic moldable state so that a foot impression may be taken, and upon heating capable of being transformed to a hard, rigid state to retain theV foot l impression.

In the appended claims the wording thermoplastic ller is .intended to cover either form of filler, namely, a ller that is softened by heat to render it moldable and permit a foot impression to be taken and then is allowed to cool, harden and retain the impression, or a filler which is normally moldable and is transformed by heating tofa hard rigid state to retain a foot impression.

I claim:

l.. A foot support comprising -an envelope, a thermoplastic ller retained by said envelope, and heating means within the envelope.

2. A foot support comprising an envelope, a thermoplastic filler retained by said envelope, and` electrical heating means in said envelope.

3. A foot support comprising'an envelope of y heat insulation material, a thermoplastic filler retained by said envelope, and means for internally heating the ller.

4. In a boot or shoe, an insole and a foot support associated therewith, said foot support comprising an envelope, a thermoplastic iiller, and internal heating means.

5. In combination, a shoe, a heating element therein and a foot support above said heating element,said support including a thermoplastic filler.

6. In a boot or shoe, a thermoplastic foot support laid over the insole of the shoe, a soclr lining of heat insulation material laid over the foot

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