US2856986A - Foot rests and leg supports - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 21, 1958 1.. OLEARY 2,856,986

FOOT RESTS AND LEG SUPPORTS Y Filed Feb. 2, 1956 4 WIIIIIIIIIIA F001 RESTS AND LEG SUPPORTS Lydia OLeary, New York, N. Y.

Application February 2, 1956, Serial No. 563,009

1 Claim. (Cl. 155-169) This invention relates to foot rests and leg supports, and has particular reference to a device of this kind for use in conjunction with a chair, bed or other seat, by means of which the feet may be elevated and comfortably supported.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this character which can, if desired, be used by the well as well as by invalids or by persons who are lame or suffer injury to the legs or feet, and who therefore require the legs or feet to be maintained in a raised or elevated position. It is a further object of the invention to provide a foot or leg support which might be used in conjunction with a rocking chair to thereby enable the support to be rocked while the legs and feet are rested on it and while the rocking chair is in rocking motion.

It is an object of the invention to provide a strong, portable foot support to be used by anyone and placed adjacent to -or in front of a chair, couch, bed or other seat, and which will comfortably and safely support the feet of the seated or reclining individual. It is another object of the invention to provide a support of this character which can be readily adjusted in height and thereby arranged to meet varying requirements of the resting person.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the leg and foot support constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same, and

Fig. 4 shows a modified construction in which the height of the foot-supports can be regulated.

Referring to the drawing, 1 and 2 indicate the supporting feet for the device. In the form shown, these feet are in the form of curved rockers upon which the device is rested to permit the support to oscillate or rock, to not only allow the supported legs to be inclined as desired, but to enable the support to be rocked in company with the rocking chair in which the user might be seated. Supported by the feet 1 and 2 is a substantially rectangular frame, which includes a pair of spaced vertical posts 3 and 4 connected near their points of joinder to the feet, by the cross member 5 and also connected slightly above midway of their height by the cross member shown at 6. Extending upwardly from a central point on the top cross member 6 is a center post indicated at 9. At its lower end the post 3 is braced by the diagonal struts 7 and similar struts 8 are employed to brace and stiffen the lower portion of the post 4.

The frame elements thus far described may be composed of wood, or of metal rod or tubing such as aluminum tubing, joined by welding or other suitable fastening means resulting in a strong and rigid frame structure. At the top, the post 3 is provided with a horizontal sup- Patented Oct. 21, 1195s v porting bar or rail 10, a similar bar or rail being provided at the top of the center post 9, as indicated at 11, and another similar bar or rail is provided at the top of the post 4 as indicated at 12. This arrangement is such that there is provided at the top of the frame structure three parallel equally spaced-apart bars 10, 11 and. 12 whichsupport the two foot- slings 18 and 19 as clearly shown in the drawing.

The foot- slings 18 and 19 are in the form of two sideby-side dependent loops in which the ankles or other parts of the legs or feet are rested, and each of the slings is composed of stretchable or elastic webbing sections as indicated at 16 and a central elastic or inelastic padded or upholstered area 17 on which the legs or feet may be comfortably rested. The slings 18 and 19 are attached at their ends to the supporting bars 10, 11 and 12 by fastening pins 20 or other suitable and preferably removable fastening elements, which permit the slings to be removed or replaced when worn, or when the elastic webbing sections 16 lose their elasticity.

From the foregoing, the uses and operation of the described device will be readily understood. The support may be placed in front of a chair or other seat and the person seated thereon can extend his or her legs and place them to rest in the slings 18 and 19. The elastic sections in these slings act to suspend the legs elastically and comfortably, and this elasticity, coupled with the padding or upholstery on the slings, rests the feet and legs immeasurably. If the person is seated in a rocking chair or desires to move the legs back and forth, the rocker feet 1 and 2 provided on the support permit this to be readily done.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, no means is shown to regulate the effective height of the foot supports, the arrangement to secure this result being disclosed in Fig. 4. Therein it will be noted that a supporting post indicated at 14 and which can be each of the posts 3, 4 and 9, is made tubular and has an upper section indicated at 13 which is telescopically fitted within post 14. It will thus be apparent that the supporting bar or rail 12, as well as bars or rails 10 and 11, can be regulated and maintained in any selected position by means of the telescopic arrangement described, and retained by the set screw shown at 15. With this arrangement, it will be clear that the slings and their supports may be adjusted in height and maintained in a selected position of elevation to suit the needs of theindividual user.

While I have herein suggested that the supporting feet 1 and 2 upon which the device is rested, might be curved or in rocker form, it will be apparent that these feet might be straight if it should be desirable to restrain the support against rocking or tilting movement. These and other changes are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention and as comprehended by the scope of the claim appended hereto.

The preferred improvement of my invention in having the supporting feet 1 and 2 upon which the device is rested curved is so that it may act as a rocker and at the same time keep the device from tipping over.

What I claim is:

A support of the character described comprising a pair of feet, a post secured to each foot and extending upwardly and vertically therefrom, spaced cross bars extending between the posts and maintaining the posts and feet thereon in spaced relation, the uppermost one of the cross bars having a central vertical post having its upper end terminating at the same height as the upper ends of the other posts, each of the posts, including that on the upper cross bar, being provided at the top with a horizontal tubular rail, which rails are disposed at right angles to the posts and are located to provide intervening spaces between.

them, slings attached to the tops of the rails, which slings are dependent in the intervening spaces between the rails, 621,098 saidslings having elastic end-portions and-inelastio-central 8487435 areas, the feet being curved to permit of tilt or rocking 2,244,440 movement of the support when supporting the legs of the 2,248,369

user. 7 L 5 References Gited in the file df this patent 335,047

UNITED STATESsBATEN-TS 169,897 I Farah-am 1 N0v.16,1-8i5 10 4 Kelly Mar. 14, 1899 Brooks Mar. 26, '1907 Archer June 3, 1941 Ludersen July 8, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 22, 1932

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