US1691235A - Brace for club feet - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1928.

o. L. FISCHER BRACE FQR CLUB FEET Filed June 1, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 13, 1928.

O. L} FISCHER BRACE FOR CLUB FEET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1927 Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

"OTITILLIE L. FISCHER, OFWBANCRO-FT, NEBRASKA.

Benoit non.

Application filed June 1,

This invention relates to braces for club feet and the general object of the invention is to provide a brace of a very simple construction for the treatment of club feet and which may be used for children, which will be very light, which is easily applied, and

which will not be uncomfortable.

A further object is to provide a brace ofthis character which will act to pull the foot over and up by exerting a more or less con stant tension upon the foot;

Another objectis to provide springs for this purpose which maybe adjusted as to length.

ther Objects will appear in the course of the followin description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure .1 is a perspe'ct' e view of a brace constructed in accordance with my invention with the lining and covering removed to show the metallic body of the brace.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the brace with the lining and covering removed.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the brace as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation thereof.

Figure 5 is aperspective view-of thebrace looking at the rear thereof and showing the lining and cover. a

Figureb is a perspective view looking toward the sideof the brace as in Figure 5.

The brace which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings is intended to beused for young children from six months old up and is designed to be used after *the brace illustrated and described in my pending application for patent, Serial No. 195,761, filed on the first day of June, 1927, is discarded while the brace shown in my pending application is tormed of two sections, one

for the leg and one for the foot, the press ent brace has the leg section and the ,foot section all in one, although I do not wish to be limited thereto except as defined in the appended claims.

This brace consists of an integral leg and loot portion designated" 10 and 11 p and formed of sheet metal of any suitable character. The leg portion 10at its upper end extends around laterally so as to embrace the leg as at 12 and at its lower end is extended at. 13 in a curve to embrace theheel, this portion 13 extending upwardagainst the side of the feet at 14: and forward against the outside'of the foot as at 15.. The

CLUB FEET.

1927. Serial No. 195,762.

leg portion 10 at its lower end has an extension 16 which extends beneath the 'heeland then upward overlapping the part 14. Attached to the upper end of the leg portion 12 and at its lower end overlapping the part 14 and the extension 16 is a brace 17 held to the part 12 by a bolt 18 and nut 19 and to the part -14 and 16 byabolt 20 and nut {21. To the bolt 2O isattached a short strap 22 having a buckle. The forward portion of the foot part 1.1 is also transverselyextended beneath the toes or ball of the foot at 23 to form a sole, and then is extended upward against the portion 15 and held thereto by a bolt and nut 25. These parts "as described areentirely covered with soft leather or other fabric and softleather or "fabric may be used as a lining for the interiorof the brace. lDIG'l' GIlIbly, however, soft leather used. Thefouter covering is designated 26 and the inner lining 27. The outer covering atthe upper end of the leg portion 10 is formed to provide a bifurcated strap 28.- eld to the upper end of the leg portion-12 is a strap 30 also having a buckle. The biiurcated strap 28 has its forked portions adapted to engage these buckles. It will be noted that the straps 29 and 30 are more or less "freely movable upon the bolts or II16II1- strap 34 adapted toengagewith a buckle 35 mounted upon the covering for the portion 23. When this strap is tightened, it tends to contract the forward portions of the brace against the side of the foot and to f draw the part 33 over the toes.

.Attached to the bolt 24 is a small plate or clip 36 and engaged with this plateis a coiled contractile spring 36 attached to one "end of a chainor other flexible element 38. This extendsupward and rearward and is engaged with the bolt 18. Also attached to' 'i this clipor plate 36 is a spring 39 engaged with one end ofa chain or otherflexible ele ment 40 which extends upward and reap.

ward to diefholt'flo. These flexible elefoot upward and over.

' springs.

iuents 38 and 40 and their springs 37 and 39 The brace is intended to be worn with a shoe and is to be worn after the foot 13 big enough for a size O--1 shoe. The shoe can be'even bigger and the brace will still lit as the larger shoe can stick out in front without impeding the action of the brace. Prefer-' ably the leg portion is braced by a supplemental brace a1 riveted or otherwise attached at its upper ends to'the leg portion and the heel oft-he foot portion 11. The foot brace is formed w th a hollow to receive or accommodate the ankle bone and 1s padded on the inside so as not to in ure the bone or ress it too much The advanta e of this P O brace is that there 13 a constant tendency to draw the'outer sldeinargin of the foot upward, while at the same time, the foot may be raduall strai htened by t-.ghten1n n3 :9 y b I .1 t; L 0 upon the straps holding the foot in place ,within the brace. Preferably I use elastic webbing as straps, but I do not wish to be i. so that the baby or limited to this nor to the particluar form of buckles nor details of construction, as these may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The brace will be applied to. the foot dur ing the day and taken off at night so as to give the foot a chance to rest This brace must be worn while the child is walking or crawling about and will not materially interfere with his movement nor bepainful or uncomfortable. The braces which, are illus-. trated and described in my pendingapplication above referred to are to be used from the birth of the baby until it is around 8 months old and then the braces which I have illustrated and described are to be used. The first named brace gradually acts to straighten the foot and the second brace holds the foot into position after it has been straightened. Actual practice has shown that club feet can be successfully straightened without interfering with the growth of the child in any way and without being particularly uncomfortable. The braces are light in Weight small child can use his feet or legs easily. f

The portion 10 of this brace is designed not to be so narrow'as to cut the'leg along the sides of the leg, but in order to lighten this brace the leg piece is cut away'on one side. This not only lightens it but per-- mits the person adjusting the brace to see the back of the shoe andwhether the shoe is in straight in the brace and down far enough within the brace.

I c1aim:- I

' 1. A brace for treating club feet formed of sheet metal shaped to provide a leg embracing portion and a foot embracing por tion including a sole, the sole being formed by two separate parts connected to one side of'the foot embracing portion and extending upward against the other side of the foot embracing portion and connected thereto,

and a resilient flexible element connected to the last named part and extending upward and rearward and connected at'its upper end to the leg embracing portion and adjustable to increase or decrease the tenslon.

2. A brace for club feet formed of sheet metal, said brace being formed to embrace the leg and partially embrace the ankle and extend around the heel and along both sides of the foot, one of the extensions along the foot having two laterally extending partial- .ly separated portions adapted to be disposed b neath the heel and toes respectlvely and then extending upward agalnst the outside portion, the leg portion being formed at its upper end to embrace the leg and below its upper end to partially embrace the ankle and I at its lower end ,toextend around the heel and along both sides of the foot, one of the V extensions along the foot ha'vingtwo laterallyextending partially separated portions adapted to extend beneath the heel and toes of the opposite foot portion and being attached thereto, the"first named foot portion having a part flexibly connectedthcreto to extend over the toes, a bracing strip connected to the upper end of the leg portion and at its lower end to the rear-most one of y the lateral extensions, flexible resiliently contractable members connecting the upper end of. the portion extending beneath the toes to the leg portion and exerting constant strainthereon, abuckle and strapfor holdingthe flexibly connected part over the toes, and" buckles and straps for holding the brace on the leg and ankle.

Intestimony whereof I here-unto affix my signature.

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