US2165879A - Ankle support - Google Patents

Description

July 1l, 1939- G. H. WILKINSON ANKLE SUPPORT Filed July 30, 1957 Inventor v By Attorneys Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an ankle support, the general object of the invention being to provide a member for fitting closely about the ankles and the rear portion of the foot so that it will support 5 the ankles and certain portions of the foot, when worn in a boot or shoe, the invention being mainly designed for use by players of strenuous games such as hockey, skiing, etc.

This invention also consists in certain other l features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and speciiically pointed out in the appended claim.

15 In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in whichz- 20 Figure 1 is an elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, and

25 Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on a line 4 4 of Figure l.

As shown in these views the device A is composed of the sole part I,the sides 2 and the curved rear portion the device being open at its front and the front edges of the sides are formed with the eyelets 5 for receiving lacing so that the device can be laced to the foot, if desired.

The sides also are formed with perforations B for ventilation purposes and for permitting the 35 air to escape when the device is being laced tightly to the foot. I preferY to provide a sole part of sponge rubber or the like as shown at 'I and the rear portions of the upper parts of the sides slope downwardly and rearwardly as shown at 40 8, to the upper end of the rear part which is of less length than the sides.

As more clearly shown in Figure 4 the device is formed of successive layers of rubber 9 and (Cl. Sli-8.5)

canvas l vulcanized together but the device must be made thin enough as to t comfortably in a boot or shoe. The edges are feathered or skived to reduce the thickness of the material as shown at Il. 5

By providing the device with the low back part the foot can be pivoted forwardly and backwardly without injury or strain to the achilles tendon.

It is shaped below the ankle on the outside to support the cuboid bone and it is shaped on the 10 inside below the ankle to support the longitudinal arch of the foot. By having the entire front of the device open it can be easily putin place and removed and the lacing can be used or not as desired.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new isr- 25 An ankle support for supporting the ankle and portions of the foot in a shoe comprising a member including a sole, a pair of sides and a back, the front of the member being open and terminating in the rear of the toes and said member being composed of a plurality of layers of fabric and rubber, the layers being of such thinness as to make the member flexible and pliable and said member being molded to snugly embrace those portions of the foot engaged by the member, the free edges of the sides being relatively thin and the rear part having its upper edge located below the plane of the top edges of the sides with the rear portions of said sides sloping downwardly and rearwardly to said top edge of the rear portion and eyelets adjacent the front edge of each side portion for receiving lacing.

GEORGE I-I. WILKINSON.

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