Charles F. Brannock (May 16, 1903 – November 22, 1992) was the inventor and manufacturer of the Brannock Device for measuring overall length, width, and heel-to-ball length of the foot.

Biography

The son of a shoe industry entrepreneur, Brannock attended

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, where he was a member of

Delta Kappa Epsilon Delta Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as ''DKE'' or ''Deke'', is one of the oldest fraternities in the United States, with fifty-six active chapters and five active colonies across North America. It was founded at Yale College in 1844 by fifteen ...

fraternity. He was proprietor of the Park-Brannock Shoe Store in

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...

and spent two years developing a simple means of measuring the length, width, and arch length of the human

foot The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made ...

. He eventually improved on the wooden RITZ Stick, the industry standard of the day, patenting his first prototype in 1925 and an improved version in 1927. The instrument was a sales aid, but by ensuring more accurate fittings, the device also helped his customers alleviate or avoid foot problems due to ill-fitting shoes. Though there were competing measuring devices on the market, the Brannock Device quickly became the industry standard and is still used in shoe stores all over the world. Brannock later formed the Brannock Device Company to manufacture and sell the product. Brannock also developed specially calibrated devices for the various branches of the military, which issued millions of boots and shoes to servicemen, especially during World War II. Brannock headed the company until 1992 when he died at age 89.

Patents

*Charles F. Brannock, "Foot-Measuring Instrument,
U.S. Patent 1,682,366

References

*Craig, Berry
"Why the Shoe Fits."
''American Heritage of Invention & Technology'' 16, no. 1. (Summer 2000): 64. *Davidson, Martha
"A Fitting Place for the Brannock Device Company Records."
2001.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brannock, Charles 1903 births 1992 deaths 20th-century American inventors