US1649294A - Rubber heel - Google Patents

Description

A. M. EICHORN RUBBER HEEL Filed March 4, 1926 /56 INVENTORY,

w l i l ATroRNEY 25202532134 55 Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR M. EICI-IORN, OF NEW YORK, N.

Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO EVERNU CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

RUBBER HEEL.

Application filed March 4, 1926, Serial No.

This invention relates to resilient heels for boots and shoes and has particular reference to that type of devices commonly known as rotary heels provided for such adjustment or interchangeability as to insure maximum length of wear for the heels together with a uniformly neat appearance as well as safety with respect to the wearers ankles.

Among the objects of this invention'is to provide means in conjunction with a base or fixed portion of the heel and a tip which is adjustable to present a new and clean edge at the rear portion of theheel and means for facilitating the ready attachment of the tip to said base portion and to positively prevent separation of said tip from the base or fixed portion of the heel.

Another object of the invention is to provide positive fastening means to be effective between a base or fixed portion of a heel and a member rotatable or otherwise adjustable therealong to take up the wear upon the heel,

said means being of particularly simple construction and provi-ding for rapid and easy attachment of the parts.

lith the foregoing and other objects iu view the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the base or fixed portion of the heel.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tip shown herein in the form of a disk.

Fig. 3 is a diagram indicating approXimately the position of the tip while sliding into interlocking position with respect to the base. y

et is a detail view showing a portion of the locking plate and a headed pin en gaging therewith according to the diagram of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail view similar to Fig. 4L but with the headed pin advanced further into locking position and the section being 92,108, and in Argentina August 20, 1925.

taken at a different line along the plate to show the tongue in elevation.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of one of my improved heels in assembled position.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6 and turned upside down with respect to Fig. 3 to lie in normal operating position.

Fig. 8 is a fractional detail view taken in the direction of arrow 8 in Fig. 7 and showing the normal position of engagement of the locking mechanism. Y

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of. the headed pin. f

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the anchor plate molded in the base.

Fig. 11 is a diagram indicating approximately the manipulation of the disk or tip for a normal rotary adjustment and with the engaging parts in effective interlocking position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the invention willbe understood as comprising two main parts, the base 12 and the tip 13. The base may be made of any suitable material preferably molded rubber for best cushioning effect and uniformity of appearance agreeable to the now common rubber heel usage. This is formed to correspond to the usual heel design and comprises a tread portion 14 adjacent to the breast 15 of the heel and formed with an arc shaped shoulder 16 at the rear of the breast. At the center of the curvature of the shoulder the base is formed with a hole or clear opening the center of which is concentric with the normal rear curvature of the heel.

Secured in any suitable. manner to and vcarried by the base is an anchor plate 17 made preferably of sheet metal and molded within the body of the base or otherwise secured in xed relation thereto. At the center of the plate is formed a key hole slot 18 consisting of a large portion 18a and a smaller portion 18h, a bearing seat 19 being formed at 18b concentric with the heel curvature aforesaid. At the portion 18ZL of the slot is formed a locking or abutment member 20 which constitutes a stop. This abutment member may be constructed in any suitable manner but 'is movable at an angle to the plane of the plate. It lies approximately within the plane of said plate and projects into the key hole slot to a relatively considerable distance. It is separated from the plate along lines 21 which extend to a predetermined point along the plane to permit of the desired amount of deflection of said abutment member out of the plane of the plate and Without subjecting the same to ezicessive strain or exceeding the elastic limit. The plate is provided also with a series of nail holes Q2, the metal surrounding them being depressed in the direction in which the abutment member is arranged to be deflected so as to bring the bottoms of the depressions relatively close to the surface of the sole against which the base is fastened and also to provide counter sunk seats for the fastener heads indicated in dotted lines at 28. Numerous large holes 24 are likewise provided in the plate to permit the plastic material to pass readily therethrough during the formation of the structure in the molds and to provide a stronger unitary body. It will thus be seen from Fic'. 'i' that the plate is embedded within the bodv of the base and except at the open center is practically invisible even when the tip is removed.

The tip 13 may be of any suitable material. construction. or form. but is preferably of circular or disk form adapted tobe slightly convex on the outer or tread surface 13a and concave on its inner surface 13b and of the same diameter as the curved shoulder portion 16 of the base into and against which it ts normally for use while the thickness or depth of the disk is substantially equal to that of the shoulder. The conveiity of the disk provides a slight extension of the central portion thereof beyond the plane of the tread 14 of the base.

Centrally of the tip is carried as by mold-- ing therein a pin 25 having' an external head 26 and an internal anchorage plate or disk 27. This .disk is formed preferably with holes 28 through which the plastic rubber is forced during' the molding` action. making` thereby a stronger union between the rubber and metal parts. Surrounding the pin on the surface 13b of the disk is formed an annular depression 29 which adds resiliency to the tip and facilitates the connection or assemblage thereof with respect to the base. A collar of rubber 30 may be formed to surround the pin and to lie between said pin and the depression 29. said collar being` formed coincident with the molding operation at which time it entends completely about the 'shank of the pin up to the head 26. By the application, however, of a tool during the manufacturing' operation the end of the collar is sheared off adjacent to the head, leaving` a clearance 31 to receive the portion of the plate immediately surrounding the opening 181 and which forms the bearing seat 19. This collar of rubber constitutes a cushion giving added resiliency to the tip and serves normally to hold the head of the tip flat against the seat portion of the plate subject of course to the depression of the head into the clear space 32 surrounding the plate slot as an incident to the wearers weight coming upon the heel.

For convenience of manufacture and manipulation of the device the head 26 is preferably circular and the diameter of it approximates the total width of the opening 18a, but the diameter is preferably greater than the clear space taken from the free end of the abutment member 2O diametrically across the opening 18b to the rim thereof. The shank of the pin 25 is preferably of con-A siderable size with relation to the head 26 not only in order to secure a pin of the maximum strength, but also in order that the free end of the abutment member or tongue 20 will be positioned in relatively close proximity to said shank as shown in Fig. 8 l

when the pin and the plate are properly interloclfed with each other. In order to engage the pin with the plate the head 26 is passed through the opening 18 of the key hole slot and at an angle to said plate so as to deflect the tongue 2O out of said opening and at an angle transverse to the plate as shown by arrow c in Fig'. The under surface of the head adjacent to the shank will then ride along the shoulders 33 provided at the junction of the openings 18a and 181 of the key hole slot. As the movement of the pin along the plate and transverse thereto progresses, the inclination referred to decreases and the movement of the pin assumes the general direction shown by the arrow 7) in The pin now is reaching its final interlocking position and a slight additional movement will suilice to bring the shank into approximately concentric relation with the opening 18b when the tongue 2O will be in a position to pass the head and move back into its former coplanar relation to the plate. A slight clearance may be observed between the shank and the rim of the opening 18b as shown in Fig. 8, to permit of a slight moveuient of the pin past the central position referred to so that a tongue may be used which will lock positively over the head. rllhe tip 13 is now seated snugly in its seat in the fixed or base portion of the heel and lies in flat abutment position against said seat. rIhe head 26 will consequently be forced to embrace the plate snugly at the bearing seat- 19 and the direction of movement of the pin in any manner whatsoever as may be permitted by the particular construction used must consequently be approximately parallel to the plate, but the tongue 20 will now abut against the pin and positively prevent such movement along the plate. It is clear, moreover, that inasmuch as the opening 18b snugly embraces the shank of the pin and over the head thereof the pin can in no manner be removed. j c This invention has particular application with regard to the use thereof in connection with a heel comprising a'base or iixed portion and a tip movable therealong and normally retained in position within a certain denite region or area as described hereinbefore and the mode of operationk oi the different parts of the fastening means in conjunction with the base and tip portion of the heel will now be described. It will be observed that the tip 13 has normal abutment relation against the tread portion 14 of the base and that the opening 18a is positioned between the center of the seat and the circular surface 16 with respect to a line passing longitudinally along the heel. Consequently in order that the fastening means may be operated the tip must be flexed outward with respect to said seat as shown in Fig. 3, the head of the pin being then inserted through the larger portion of the key hole slot, and the tip being then moved in the direction of arrow c. The portion of the tip which happens to be for the moment adjacent to the tread 14 is retained thereby in elevated position and without the seat. while the tip is being moved forward into concentric relation with respect to said seat at which time the tip will be wholly received thereby to lie in the position shown in Fig. 7. The path of movement of the tip is consequently determined by the relation as between the tread 14 and the tip and will therefore determine the degree to which the tongue 20 can be deflected and thus prevent said tongue from being subjected to excessive strain. but the deflection of the tongue will be just sufficient to permit the head to be received and passed through the larger portion of the key hol-e slot while direct contact or abutmentbetween the tip and the base portion of the heel adjacent to the anchor plate 17 will limit the transverse movement of the pin with respect to said plate. As the tip progresses in its movement in the direction of arrow c, the angle of inclination of the direction of movement thereof with respect to said anchor plate decreases constantly so that when the pin comes into position to be embraced b v its bearing` seat 19, the head of the pin will slide along` the plate in approximately parallel relation thereto. The tongue upon being released will move into abutment relation to the pin. It is clear that if one were now to attempt to detach t-he tip from the base portion of the heel bv raising that part of the tip adjacent to the tread 14 and iexing the same out of the seat and attemptingr to reverse the. direction of movement of the tip described hereinbefore so as to disengage the locking parts. the tongue 2O would take up vthe component force exerted upon the tip along the plate and easily and positiv-ely prevent movement of the head of the pin into the opening 18a. It will consequently be impossible to remove the tip and the tip will be locked reliably in attachment to` the bas-e portion of the heel both against accidental and intentional withdrawal. structed by me previously after the tip became worn to a certain degree, movement 0f the tip toward the tread 14 of the base of the heel would sometimes occur due to some accidental or some unusual force or strain to which the heel might have been subjected at the tip and that upon such occasions a detachment of the tip from the base portion of the heel would occur and result in considerable inconvenience and oftentimes danger. Moreover, I have found for various commercial reasons that it is desirable to provide a positive interlock between the tip and the base portion of the heel and prevent any intentional detachment or separation of the parts. This construction will be observed to be of particularly simple nature and most of the parts may be formed by stamping or by other operations that lend themselves particularly to large scale production, and thatl a strong and positive interlock is provided, although on the other hand the fastening means may be interlocked with the greatest ease and facility. By forming the shank of the pin so as to be of considerable size with respect to the head, the clearance as between the free end of the tongue 2O and the adjacent surface of the tongue can be reduced to a minimum. Consequentlyonly the very slightest amount of a reverse movement of the tip could be obtained. This would insure again that any strains or forces which might be brought to bear upon the tip for disengaginq the' lockf ing mechanism would be borne substantially directly as between the pin and the anchor plate and without subjecting the tongue 2() to any material strains. Moreover. such proportioning` or construction of the pin by limiting within a smaller amount the possible forward or reverse movement of the tip would positively prevent the tip from beimT so moved and flexed as to lie upon the tread portion 14 as shown in 3, Moreover. the abutment action or relation of the concave face 13b of the tip against the adjacent portion of the lseat in the member 12 of the heel would. extend over a greater area and be uniform around the pin so as to co-opfrate therewith to prevent or .minimize the tilting action to which the pin could be subjected in any attempt to mov-e the same from the fixed part of the heel.

The base adjacent to the tip is provided with one or more lugs 34 extending into selected' holes or pits 35 formed in the inner face 13b of the tip concentric with the pin.

I have found that in heels cony in Fig. ll and givheel always presents nbat fiat appearance and the beet results to the wearer are cffected.

After the base is nailed or otherwise secured to the shoe solo as by the application of nails 23 through the holes 22,1L and 22h, the holes 22 registering with the plate holes 22, the tip is inserted as suggested in F 3, the body of the tip being reversely fieri-ed at the rear of the heel so that the lugs will not interfere and the forward side of the tip will pass into place over the treat 14, the head of the pin at this time being in a plane oblique to the plane of the plate so as to pass edgewisc through the lrey hole slot. After the pin and the plate are roperly interloclred as aforesaid the disk is then adjusted rotarily to malte the lugs register with two of the pits 35 after which the connection is complete and the heel is ready to be used. lfhen a portion of the tip is worn off as indicated at 15C, Fig. il, the adjacent portion of the tip he r ar of the heel is sprung out and the tip is rotated through a suitable angle to bring the lugs into other of the pits when the structure constitutes practically a new heel. rlhus as shown eight adjustments may be effected during the life of the heel. rlhe base is practically indestructible and the wear thereon so sligliit that it can be disregarded.

This invention permits a considerable saving in point of rubber inasmuch as a relatively cheap grade of that material mrv be used for the base, while the tip is made of a high grade of rubber for the reason as indicated hereinbefore that the tip is the part which is subjected piin'iai'ily to wear.

The construction shown herein may assume various forms within the scope of this invention and generally it willl be seen that the tongue 2O constitutes a member which is movable relative to the plate for interlocking with the pin and that the pin may be of any suitable construction for interlocking with the plate by a sliding movement with respect thereto and "lore particularly b v a sliding` movement along the plate. Generally the tongue is constructed to lie adjacent to the key hole slot and to prevent a reversal of the sliding` movement referred to. It may be operated in any suitable manner though preferably for the salie of simplicity is moved directly by the pin co-incident with the engagement thereof with the plate.

l claim:

l. In a heel of the class described, the combination of ay base, a tip, and fastening means eective between the base and the tip comprising a member borne by one of the aforesaid parts and having a head, a plate borne by the other part and provided with an opening to receive and engage around said head by a. lateral relative sliding movement, an abutment member being provided entending adjacent to said opening disposed so as to be movable outward of the opening to permit the head to be engaged as aforesaid, said abutment member being'then movable in reverse direction to lie in positive abutment relation to said member and prevent the same from being disengaged from said plate. Y y

2. 1n a heel, the combination of Va base, a tip, and fastening means operative between the base and' the tip comprising a member borne by one of the aforesaid parts and having` a head, a plate borne by the other part and having an opening to receive and enaround said head, and a tongue dispoed to lie with the free end thereof in the plane of said plate and in said opening, said tongue being disposed to lie in positive abutment relation to said member to prevent t-isermgagement of the head from the plate. and being movable out of the opening only when the member is being engaged.

3. ln a heel. the combination of a base. a tip, and fastening means operative between the base and the tip comprising a member borne by one of the aforesaid parts. a plate having an openingv borne b v the other part. said member being receivable in said opening and being1 retained against movement in one direction when so received, and a locking member disposed in proximity vto said opening and movable to positively interlock with the aforesaid member and prevent movement thereof in another direction and separation of the parts. l

1. 1n a heel, the combination ofa base, atip, and fastening means operative between the base and the tip comprising a member borne by one of the aforesaid parts. means borne by the other part for engaging said member bya relative downward and lateral movement, and abutment means to positively prevent a reverse lateral movement connorising a member' positioned in the path of relative downward movement of said parts and movable temporarily out of said path to permit of engage-ment as aforesaid.

5. ln a. heel, the combination of a base, a tip, and fastening means operative between the base and tip comprising a member borne by one of the aforesaid parts and having a head and a shank, a plate borne by the other part and having an opening to receive and engage around said head by a relative sliding movement between the member and the plate, and a tongue disposed to abut against said shank to prevent a reverse movement and consequent disengagement of the member from the plate, said tongue being disposed to lie in the patlrof movement of the member and being moved out of said path by the member coincident with the engagement thereof as aforesaid, said tongue being then movable to lie in abutment relation to said shank.

6. In a heel, the combination of a base, l0 a tip, and fastening means operative between the base and tip comprising a member borne by one of the aforesaidparts and having a head and a shank, a plate borne by the other part and having an opening to receive and engage around said head by a relative sliding movement between the member and the plate, and a tongue disposed to abut against said shank to prevent a reverse movement and consequent disengagement of the '20 member from the plate, said tongue being movable over the head of said member to lie in abutment relation to said shank.

7. In a heel of the class described, the combination of a base, a tip, and fastening means elfective between the base and the tip comprising a headed member having a head and a shank and borne by the tip and means in the base for engaging over the head of the member, said means being provided with a key hole slotl to receive the head through the larger portion of the slot, and a tongue projecting adjacent to said larger portion of the slot and arranged to be moved to permit said head to enter the larger portion of said slot, said member being then passed into the smaller portion of the slot for locking, whereby said tongue can move past said head and into position to abut against said shank and thus prevent av reo verse movement of said member and a. consequent release thereof through the larger portion of the slot.

8. In a heel of the class described, the combination of a base portion, a tip portion, a member borne by one of said portions and having a head and a shank, and means borne by the other` portion provided with a key hole slot and a tongue projecting adjacent to the larger portion of said slot, said tongue being movable to permit the head to be passed through the larger portion of said slot, said member being thence movablewith the shank thereof into the smaller portion of the slot and with the head engaging about the smaller portion of the slot, whereby said tongue can move past said head and into position to abut against the shank and prevent a reverse movement of the member and a consequent release thereof from engagement.

9. The combination as in claim 8 wherein said means consists of a plate, said tongue being struck from said plate and lying normally in the plane thereof.

10. The combination as in claim 8 wherein said means consists of a plat-e, said tongue being struck from said plate and lying normally in the plane thereof whereby said tongue engages over said head when the tongue passes thereover for interlocking engagement as aforesaid.

il. rihe con'ibination asin claim 8 wherein said means consists of a plate, said tongue being struck from said plate and lying normally in the plane thereof, said tongue being depressed when the head is being engaged with the key hole slot, said tongue being then released to move back into the plane of the plate and prevent a reverse movement of the member.

l2. In a heel, the combination of a heel portion, a tip portion, a member borne by one of said portions and having a head, and means borne by the other portion provided with a key hole slot and a tongue projecting adjacent to the larger portion of said slot, said tongue being disposed to lie in abutment to said member, said head being engageable in said slot by a sliding movement, said tongue serving to prevent a reverse movement and a consequent disengagement, said tongue lying in the path of the said member and being moved thereby out of said path coincident with the engagement thereof in said slot. .13. In a heel, the combination of a heel portion, a tip portion, a member borne by one of said portions and having a head, and means borne by the other portion provided with a key hole slot and a tongue projecting adjacent to the larger portion of said slot, said tongue being disposed to lie in abutment to said member, said head being engageable in said slot by a sliding movement, said tongue serving to prevent a reverse movement and a consequent dis-engagement, said tongue lying in the path of said member and being moved thereby out of said path' coincident with the engagement thereof in said slot, said tongue being resilient for effective automatic movement for this purpose as aforesaid.

11i. A heel of the class described comprising, in combination, a base for permanent attachment to a shoe and having a seat adj acent to its tread, an anchor member secured at the base in communication with said seat, a tip member fitted in said seat, and locking means carried by the tip and adapted to interlock with said anchor member coincident with the insertion of the tip into the seat for holding the tip in said seat, said base having a shoulder adjacent to said seat to contact the tip at a lside thereof, said locking means and said anchor member be ing -engaged with each other by a movement of said tip into said seat over and away from said shoulder until said tip and. said shoulder make contact as aforesaid, abutment meansbeing provided disposed to lie in the path of relative movement of the locking r-ection of relative movement aforesaid and means and the anchor member when the to insure of a uniform and predetermined 10 same are being engaged, and to be moved movement ofthe abutment means out of said out of said path to permit of said engagepath coincident with the engagement as 5 ment, said abutment means being then effecaforesaid.

tive to prevent a reverse movement of the In testimony whereof I aflx my signature. locking means With respect to the anchor member, said tip serving to control the di- ARTHUR M. EICHORN.

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