US1180954A - Cushion-heel enlarger. - Google Patents

Description

J. STROOTMAN.

CUSHION HEEL ENLABGER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 18. 1914.

I Patented Apr. 25, 1916 1 Q QX Q mu COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON D c JOHN STROOTMAN, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CUSHION-HEEL ENLARGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 19116.

Application filed November 18, 1914. Serial No. 872,790.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, JOHN S'rRoor AN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cushion-Heel Enlargers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to heel cushions, and more particularly to a cushion heel which acts as an enlarger, as a support and protection for the foot, as a protection to hose against wear, which is cheap in manufacture and which is provided with means for properly placing the same on the heel Within the hose or shoe.

This invention is an improvement upon the cushion heel enlarger of my former Patent No. 1,056,957, March 25, 1913, and its objects are to improve upon the artl cle therein shown generally, and more specifically the objects of this invention are to provide a heel cushion which will compensate a short or small heel in a shoe that does not fit snugly or properly, to afford a support of a yielding or cushion character to prevent muscle strain tending to result 1n 2. broken arch, to furnish means for lessening wear upon hose, and to provide simple and effective means for putting and holding the same in place on the heel of the foot when the hose or shoe is being drawn on.

A further feature of my invention is the provision of a single-piece, seamless heel cushion formed from a fiat piece of fabric or other proper material, which is bound after formation by a comparatively nonstretchable binding which will keep the same in proper form and shape; and a further object is to so form the cushion heel that when in place, the side portions will be drawn in to grip and support the sides of the heel. And further objects and improvements will be evident from this specification and the annexed drawings forming a part thereof, in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, and in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a foot with my improved cushion heel protector in place ready for the hose or shoe to be drawn over it. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the heel cushion with the string in place ready to be put on the foot. Fig. 3 is a plan View of-a piece of fabric from which a heel cushion is to be formed. Fig. 4 is a similar view of said fabric after it has been formed or molded as hereafter described. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same in the condition shown in Fig. 4. i

As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the

heel cushion proper consists of a seamless, one-piece body portion 1, which in form (except as hereafter specially noted) 0011- forms substantially to the contour of the human heel. It will, of course, be understood that the heel cushion may be made in various sizes, the same as hose or shoes are made. This body 1 may be made of any material or fabric which is capable of being stamped or molded or formed, as hereafter described; but 1 employ, preferably, a strong felt, for the two fold reason that it is capable of being formed readily and permanently and because it serves well the purpose of a cushion or enlarger.

The continuous edge of the body portion 1 is bound with a comparatively non-stretchable binding 2, which is stitched on after the formation of the body.

Adjacent to the forward upper corners are eyelets 3, and a string, preferably a string having a lacing tip on one end, as shown at 5 on the string 4;, is laced through the eyelets 3 as shown in Fig. 2.

With the string 4 in place as "shown in Fig. 2, the heel cushion is put in place over the heel of the foot with the string over the instep, as shown in Fig. 1, the ends of the string being tied. The hose or shoe is then drawn on while the string holds the cushion firmly so that the heel of the foot and the heel cushion go into place within the cavity of the hose or shoe; and then the string is withdrawn. The shoe is then laced or buttoned, and the heel cushion will remain in proper place until removed.

In order to secure the gripping and supporting of the sides of the heel, as above referred to, the curvature of the heel cushion in vertical, longitudinal plane is substantially that shown by the broken line 7 in Fig. 1, wherein the heel of the foot in going to place first presses against the upper, back portion and the forward, bottom portion before it settles to place in the ball portion. The result of this is that, as the heel goes to place in the ball portion, the cushion is drawn down slightly at the forward end and pressed back slightly at the rear, thus drawing in the upper, forward portions so that they grip and support the sides of the heel.

benefit with old or ill-fitting shoes to pre-' vent heel wear of hose.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, I have there shown the method of forming this one-piece,

seamless heel cushion. I use a flat piece or blank 6, rectangular in shape, of any desired material, as shown in Fig. 3. This is clamped or pressed between two dies or molds'of'the desired form and which are heated. I Vith pressure and temperature adapted to the material employed the blank takes permanently the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5. With blanks of ordinary felt the "temperature employed is about 350 degrees F., and the pressure about 90 pounds per square inch. It will be seen that the material inthe process of formation has been taken up somewhat, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the rectangular size is reduced. With the heel cushion thus formed, thennformed edges are trimmed off and the binding 2 is stitched over the. continuous edge, and the eyeletsS are inserted. p

The advantages of these improvements are selfevident; but it is specially to be noted (1) that the formation :of the same from a single blank, without seam or joint, is in itself. an important feature both as regards cost of manufacture and comfort in wearing'; (2) that the binding being stitchedon after' formation materially assists in retainingthe form and shape of the structure; (3)

th'atthe employment of the string and eye"- lets'for putting the heel cushion in place and holding it in place while the hose or shoe is being drawn on is very material. In fact,

this feature of my improvement makes it possible practically for the first time in the use of heel cushions to use the same outside the hose with perfect ease and accuracy of positioning within the shoe.

It will be understood that I do not limit myself strictly to the form or outline shown. For example, the rear portion may extend upwardly much more than in the form shown in order to protect the cords at the back of the heel; or the forward, bottom portion may be extended to cover a greater portion of the bottom of the foot.

I claim I. A heel cushion having the general shape of the heel of a foot and a string engaging through the forward, upper portions of said heel cushion, capable of engaging over the instep of the foot to hold the heel cushion in position while going to place in hose or shoe, said string being capable of withdrawal after the heel cushion is in place in the shoe.

2. A heel cushion having a general shape of the heel of a foot, eyelets in the forward, upper portions thereof and a string for engaging in said eyelets, whereby said heel cushion may be held in position while going to place in hose or shoe and whereby said string may be drawn out entirely when the heel cushion is in place in the shoe.

3. A heel cushion of the type described comprising a one-piece body of a cushioning and yielding character having the general contour of the human heel, a binding stitched over its continuous edges, eyelets in the upper, forward portions thereof and a string passing through said eyelets, said string being capable of withdrawal when the heel cushion is in place in the shoe.

JOHN STROOTMAN.

Witnesses:

F. M- ROESSLER, J. Enw. THEBAUD.

Gopiesof this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or I'atena,

. ,Washington, 110'.

Images