US2399543A - Shoe and the like - Google Patents

Description

April 30, 1946. L. T. J. DACK I SHOE AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 30, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l April'30, 1946. T J BACK 2,399,543

' SHOE ANDW THE LIKE Filed Aug. :50, 1944 4 SheetsSheet 2 Apl il 30, 1946. L. T. J. :iAcK I 2,399,543

SHOE AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 30., 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet s A ril 30, 1946. U, BA K 2,399,543

'- SHOE AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 30, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet'4 and one bottom bar and a or bar of the heel a Plate (6. I.

Patented A r. 30, 1946 SHOE AND'THE LIKE Leo Thomas John Dack, Leicester, England Application August so, 1944, Serial No. 551,797

a In Great Britain July 26, 1943 11 Claims.

This invention concerns boots, shoes, slippers and like articles of footwear hereinafter, for convenience, referred to broadlyas shoes. It is one object of the invention to'provide a construction of heel that, on the one hand, is resilient and is therefore comfortable to the wearer and that, on the other hand, aifords considerable scope in the design and construction of fashion shoes.

According to this invention a shoe has the heel seat supported upon at least one spring so located beneath the heel as to be placed under bending stress by the weight of the wearer.

As viewed from another aspect the invention provides a shoe having a spring heel constituted by at least one rod-like spring extending in the general direction of the length of the foot between a heel seat and a part that makes contact with the ground so as to be placed under bending stress by the weight of the wearer.

The invention further includes a. shoe having the heel constituted by at least one C-spring or its'equivalent and having the heel seat constituted by or attached'to the top bar of Springs that, for the purpose of this'invention are the equivalent of a C-spring, include all- I shaped or other forked spring placedon its side in a vertical plane soas to provideone topbar bender union between the two bars that is adapted :toflex when the weight of the'wearer or the-shoe is applied to the top bar and the bottom bar rests, directly or indirectly, on the ground, an s-spring, and a ring-like or oval spring. The re lience, and the scope in fashion designin afforded by such a heel will readily. "be appreciated by those concerned Preferably, but not necessarily, the lower part spring" or p ings is attached to of metal) or other connection that extends forward therefrom to the ball of the foot isthere flexibly connected to a member of the shoe sole. In the case of a single spring,

the heel-seat may be constituted by the broad upper bar of the spring if the latter is of sheet material, or may be constituted by a platform attached to the Upper bar. Preferably, however, the'heel is constituted by two springs, one at each side, and the heel seat is constituted by a platform extending across between the tops of the springs. a

i The foregoing and other features of the invention at out in the appended claims are incorporatedin the constructions now to be described as examples, with reference to the accompanyinl drawings, in whichthe spring.-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one shoe and Figure 2 is aside eelvation illustrating certain details thereof; V

Figure 3 is a perspective view of another shoe and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the spring heel thereof; i

Figures 5 and 6 are views corresponding to Figs. 3 and 4 of another shoe and heel;

Figures 7 and 8 corresponding views of a still further shoe and heel; 7

Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views of further shoes. 1 T

In one construction according to this invention Figs. 1' and 2, the open heel comprises two C-springs l located in parallel vertical planes,

havingesubstantially straight and substantially lb respectively, a single curved position joining the two bars of each spring.

These springs are of metal (preferably tubular) such for example as stainless steel or chromium plated metal. Between the bottom bars lb, the

rear end of a metal plate 2 is secured; this plate extends forwards and at its front end is hinged or otherwise flexibly connected in the region 3 of the, ball of the foot to the-rear edge of the shoe sole 4. To effectthis'connection, the sole and plate may be formed with intermeshing rebates and riveted together. A leather or equivalent top piecei is fixed to said plate 2 beneath the heel. preferably by means of a readily-releasable fastening or clip that permits of the rapid replacement of a worn top piece.

The heel seat comprises a platform 6 that extends across between the top bars I a of the two springs.- This platform is attached to the sides of the heel or counter I and is suitably reinstep, up from the ball of the foot to the heel seat and the sides of the upper may be severely cu away in the region of the as at ll.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the fact that the complete spring heel can be affixed to an ordinary welded (stuck-on), machine-sewm-or welted sole through the medium-of the top plateor platform [2, (the equivalent of plate I, Fig. 1) and fixing screws [4. The plate I2 is fixed to the C-spring 13, the shape of which differs from N -a os that of spring 1. Fig. 5 shows a shoe (e. g. a man's shoe) having a sole l5 of normal construction attached to the C-spring I5 by a plate 12, Fig. 6, but as illustrated in Fig. 9, the sole member may be attached. to the top bars of the spring by loops 8.

The heel shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is comparatively low, the top and bottom bars being close together.

The to bars of the C-spring and/or the metal or other heel seat platform that spans said bars may extend forward beneath the instep to the ball of the foot. This is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, which show the application of the invention to a high-heel model, wherein the spring H has forwardly and downwardly-curving top bars Ila, spanned by a plate I8 provided with attachment means [4 for the sole.

A wedge heel effect may be achieved as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. In the former, the top platform 20 extends down beneath the instep and converges toand joins a bottom platform 2| fixed to the bottom bars of spring l9, and extending forwards therefrom. In the modification shown in Fig. 10, the sole 22 is split at the rear, as far forward as the ball, into upper and lower layers 22a, 22b. The upper layer 22a rests on and is secured to plate 20, and the lower layers 22b underlies and is secured to plate 2|,

-It will be appreciated that in all of the foregoing constructions the springs extend in the general direction of the length of the foot and at least the bends or elbows thereof are placed under bending stress by the weight of the wearer.

I claim:

1. A shoe or similar article, having an upper, a heel seat, and an open spring heel consisting of a pair of exposed rod-like C-springs extending in the general direction of the length of the foot beneath the seat, for supporting the latter and the weight of the wearer so as to be placed under bending stress by said weight. g

2. A shoe or similar article, having an upper, an open spring heel comprising a pair of bent rod-like-springs whereof each has an upper and a lower bar extending in the general direction of the length of' the foot and a curved portion joining said upper and lower bars, and a heel seat platform extending across between and attached to said two upper bars.

3. A shoe or similar article, having an upper, an open spring heel comprising a pair of bent rod-like springs whereof each has an upper and a lower bar extending in the general direction of the length of the foot and a curved portion joining said upper and lower bars, and a heel seat constituted by a platform extending across between the two top bars and having side tunnels in which they are received.

4. A shoe or the like according to claim 2, incorporating a sole member extending forward from the two lower bars to the region of the ball of the foot.

5. A shoe or similar article having an upper, and an open spring heel comprising a pair oif'rodlike springs spaced side-by-side and extending in the general direction of the length of the foot.

6. A shoe or similar article, having an'i pper, and an open spring heel comprising a pair of "rodlike springs located side by side and each including a top bar that curves forward and downwards beneath the instep to the ball of the foot.

7. In a shoe or similar article an open spring heel consisting of two rod-like spring members located side by side and each having a top bar and a bottom bar connected thereto'by an integral flexible portion, said top and bottom bars extending in the general direction of the length of the foot, and a heel seat attached to the two top bars. 1

8. A shoe or similar article comprising a sole,

an upper lasted thereto, an open spring heel consisting ofa plurality of curved springs spaced apart across the width of the shoe and each ineluding a top bar extending in the general direction of the length of the shoe, and means attaching the sole to the top bars.

9. A shoe or similar article according to claim 2, having in combination a sole member, a metal plate secured to the two bottom bars and extending forward to the region of the ball of the foot,

and means flexibly connecting the plate to the sole member at said region.

1.0. A shoe or similar article, comprising an upper, an open spring heel attached thereto and comprising a plurality of rod-like springs located side by side and each comprising top'and bottom bars extending in the general direction of the length of the foot and a bend joining them, a top extending forward to join the top platform.

11. In a shoe or similar article according to claim 10, a sole member split at the rear into upper and lower layers whereof the upper layer rests on the top platform and the lower layer underlies the bottom platform.

LEO THOMAS JOHN DACK.

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