Toe spacing device

Nov. 20, 1951

S. FERRI

TOE SPACING DEVICE

2,575,868

Filed Oct, 20, 1949

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Patented Nov. 20, 1951

2,575,868

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,575,868

TOE SPACING DEVICE

Saul Ferri, Rochester, N. V.

Application October 20,1949, Serial No. 123,550

Claim.

Shoes are frequently worn that crowd the toes out of shape and impress upon them a deformity that is unnatural and should not be there. One effect of such shoes is to crowd the big toe over against the small toe next to it, causing bunions, large joints, callouses, etc. to form on the toes or on the foot.

The object of this invention is to provide a device that can be inserted in a ready made shoe and will allow or hold the big toe to keep in. proper position and hold it away from the toe next to it, which toe has been crowded unnaturally to one side.

Another object of the invention is to shape this corrective device so that it fits in the toe of the shoe and supports the upper of the shoe from the insole of the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a corrective device that will provide an arch, shaped more or less like a dome that will extend over the big toe and will leave the little toes free on a deck in the large roomy space provided therefor, at the side of the arch.

These and other objects of the invention will be illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claim at the end thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a horizontal section of the toe of the right hand shoe with the corrective device in position thereon or therein, the toes being shown in dotted lines and the foot and the shoe being shown partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the front of the shoe, the section being taken on the line 2x, 2x of Fig. 1, showing the corrective device in position in the toe of the shoe.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the corrective device independent of the shoe.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the corrective device looking at it from the right in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the corrective device is formed.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the wooden block on which the corrective device is formed, showing the corrective device after it has been formed thereon.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the block shown in Fig. 6 on which the corrective device is formed.

It will be understood that the figures of the drawing show the corrective device adapted for use in the right hand shoe of a pair of shoes, and the corrective device for the left hand shoe would be symmetrically in reverse of this.

It will also be understood that this corrective (Cl. 36—8.5) device, while shown for use in a woman’s shoe can also be used in a man’s shoe or a child’s shoe.

In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like parts.

⁵ The corrective device which is disclosed herein can be made of a single piece of any thin material, such as steel, copper, stainless steel or plastic or can be made even of cardboard if stiff enough to hold its shape. Preferably, however, it can be ¹⁰ made of some suitable kind of plastic.

The corrective device for the right hand shoe can be bent from a piece of flat material having the shape of the pattern or blank such as is shown in Fig. 5. An intermediate upright part ¹⁵ indicated by the reference numeral I is bent upwardly on the bending line 2, leaving a fiat lower deck 3, which rests directly on the insole of the shoe and on which some or all of the smaller toes can rest. From the top of the intermediate up²⁰ right part I, the extension 4 is bent over and down to form the curved part 5 so that it forms part of an arch or a narrow part of a dome. The upright portion I extends high enough so that at the top, it will make contact with the under side ²⁵ of the upper of the shoe and the extension 4 slopes down as indicated at 5 in Fig. 2, making contact with the under side of the upper of the shoe and preferably extending down between the upper and the insole.

It will also be understood that the part 5 when made is curved with a longer radius than is shown in Fig. 2 and at the bottom is sprung to the right when it is put in the shoe. This tends to hold the corners 6 and 7 of the right hand side 33 of the deck 3 as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 firmly against the inside of the upper. The corners 6 and 7 are not rounded, but are left sharp so that they can engage with the inside of the upper of the shoe or the lining thereof. This engagement 40 tends to hold the device in place so that the deck does not slip back. By making the extension 4 narrow, the space forward of it, in the toe of the shoe is not shortened or diminished in anyway whatever and most of the big toe is left uncov45 ered, and yet the upright portion I, which is wide, holds the big toe separate from the little toes. The deck 3 is below the little toes; so that all the space between the deck and the upper of the . shoe is reserved for the little toes.

By shaping the extension 4 so that it slants rearwardly as shown in Fig. 1 instead of going straight across the big toe more room is left for the forward part of the big toe and the extension crosses over the big toe between the first and second joints of the toe. This extension could go straight across the big toe instead of slanting rearwardly in the position shown in Fig. 1, but the form or position is preferable as shown in Fig. 1. It has been found by experience that this is the best position for it.

It will be understood that the corrective device for the right hand shoe is or can be made in this way. The corrective device for the left hand shoe will be made symmetrically opposite to this; that is, reversed symmetrically from right to left so as to adapt it to the toes of the left foot. The corrective device for the left hand shoe can be made from the same blank if the blank is turned over.

It will also be understood that if the corrective device is made of aluminum or of a plastic, it need not be formed from a flat blank, but can be cast directly in the regular final shape, which is adapted to be used in the toe of a shoe.

In making this corrective device from sheet plastic, I prefer to use the block i® shown in Fig.

6. In this block a slot ! 1 is cut diagonally from the front toward the back, the length of the slot being substantially the length of deck 3. The blank shown in Fig. 5 is put in the block and the combination is subjected to heat for a short time either in hot water or hot air. This softens the plastic and the sheet of plastic is then bent at the bottom on the bending line 2 to form the deck 3 and on the bending line 12 to form the part 5. The block can be made of wood or of metal and the heat that softens the plastic can be developed in the block itself, electrically or otherwise.

It will also be understood that this device can be made so that the big toe can be placed on the deck and so that the little toes can rest under the arch and the device can be shaped to correspond.

2,675,868

In such case, however, the end of the arch will come in contact with the forward part of the little toe which is objectionable.

For this and other reasons, the form shown is 5 preferred.