US1396313A - Rubber boot, shoe, galosh, sandal, &c. - Google Patents

Description

W. C. BELKNAP. RUBBER BOOT, SHOE, GALOSH, SANDAL, c.

APPLICATION EILED FEB. 1. 1920.

UNITED STATES WILBER C. BELKNA?, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT E.

PATENT OFFICE.

MILLER, INC.,

0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RUBBER BOOT, SHOE, GALOSH, SANDAL, &C.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Application led February 7, 1920. Serial No. 357,047.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILBER C. BELKNAP, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rubber Boots, Shoes, Galoshes, Sandals, Sac., of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to rubber boots, shoes, galoshes, sandals, etc., having particular reference to the heel construction thereof. The particular object of the invention is to provide an improved heel for foot wear of this character, which will have increased resiliency and which will effectually prevent slipping of the heel on the surface walked upon.

To this end the heel is constructed with a central depressible portion, having an upper surface adapted to be depressed by the weight of the wearer, the pressure being transmitted to the elevated position of the heel, either direct or through an intermediate layer of fiexiblel material, the latter arrangement being preferred in most cases.

The lower or surface contact face of the heel is provided, on that portion thereof outwardly opposite the inner elevated portion, with means to cause the heel to more effectually engage, or grip the surface walked upon to prevent slipping of the foot.

As here shown, this arrangement consists of the inner depressible portion referred to and a diamond-shaped recess, outwardly opposite the inner portion` and occupied by a gripping tread surface adapted to be projected outwardly by the weight of the wearer on the inner depressible part of the heel to firmly engage the surface with which the heel is in contact.

The special tread feature may also be applied to the sole of the boot or shoe, that is to say, it may be applied to both the heel and sole, or to either heel or sole. The special tread will act eifectually in all cases to prevent slipping of the foot.

The projectable tread surface may have any suitable configurations thereon to meet the objects of the invention. As here shown the arrangement consists of a series of inverted miniature pyramids arranged in parallelism in the shape of a diamond occupying the diamond-shaped recess above referred to.

lVith respect to the outwardly projeetable tread surface, and generally with respect to the inner .depressible portion also, the present invention is similar to the improved rubber heel shown in Patent No. 1,324,993. issued to me December 16th, 1919. l

In my earlier invention the heel is of a detached type adapted to be nailed or otherwise secured to a leather, or other hard heel, after the boot or shoe is made. With the nailing of the rubber heel on the leather heel the inner part of the rubber heel is brought permanently into contact with a hard inner layer of the leather heel and is therefore depressed and the gripping tread surface is projected outwardly and caused to project substantially beyond the normal tread line of the heel, as explained in detailv and for the purposes stated in my patent referred to.

In the present invention the improved tread has similar functions with respect to the action of its gripping surface, the grip'- ping tread being projected outwardly by an inner elevated depressible portion, which receives the direct pressure of the weight of the wearer, being either in direct contact with the heel or sole of the foot, or having only a layer of flexible material interposed therebetween.

A characteristic of both my present and earlier inventions consists of the inner raised depressible portion and the outer recess occupied by the gripping tread which is adapted to be projected outwardly beyond the normal tread line of the heel or sole to more effectually engage the surface walked upon.

These features, while shown in both cases in a preferred form of construction, consisting of a generally cone-shaped inner raised portion occupying a recess in the inner surface of the heel or sole, and the configurated gripping tread occupying the recess in their outer faces and coperating one with the other as herein described, may, of course, be varied as to form and arrangement without departing from the principle of the invention or the stated purposes thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,the present invention is shown in one form of preferred construction for illustrative purposes.

In the drawings;

Figure l is a side elevation of a common style of rubber, shoe or galosh with the heel and sole embodying my invention shown in vertical longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a view of the bottom yof the heel and sole;

Figs. 3 to 6 are detail views showing various shapes of the depressible portion of the tread. Y

As shown in Fig. 1, the heel is preferably made integrally Vwith the sole slab 2, but may, of course, consist primarily of a separate part secured to the sole by vulcanizing, or in any suitable manner.

The heel as above generally described consists of the main body 1, having an inner central portion 3, raised from the body of the heel and adapted to receive the direct pressure of the weight of the wearer. The depression of the part 3 thus caused results in projecting the central portion of the heel outwardly beyond the normal tread surface of the heel.

The outer portion of the heel thus affected consists of a recess 4, occupied by a tread portion 5, the surface of which normally, or when the part 3- is not depressed, is substantially flush with the main tread surface 6 of the heel, but which projects substantially beyond the main tread surface when the part 3 is depressed by the weight of the wearer of the boot or shoe.

It will be seen therefore that the projected Vpart of the heel will sustain relatively a greater portion of the weight than the main body of the heel and that the central tread, therefore, will grip the surface walked upon more firmly than the outer portions of the tread surface. l

This is the main purpose of the invention--to centralize or concentrate the weight upon the projected portion of the heel to increase the pressure distributed over its tread surface'. To make the contact effective to prevent slipping of the heel` the surface of the projected tread may be provided with any suitable configuration to produce a gripping or non-slipping contact between the tread and the surface engaged thereby. As here shown the configuration is in the form of a series of inverted miniature pyramids arranged in parallel. rows 1n the form of a dia- `mond and occupying a diamond-shaped recess 7 in the bottomof the heel.

The recess 7 and a corresponding recess 8 on the inner side `of the heel serve to reduce the thickness of the heel intermediate the depressions and therefore to cause the inner tread to be more readily projected outwardlyby depression of the inner part 3.

As here showny a flexible insole or heel pad 9 is used preferably Vto cover the inner surface of the heel, which provides an even or slightly concave surface Vfor the bottom of the heel of the foot, and actsl to directly transmit the pressure of weight on the heel to the part 3 and thus to the gripping tread surface of the outer heel.

The gripping tread applied to the sole of the boot is substantially the same as applied to the heel. The inner depressible portion 10 corresponds in construction and function to the part 3 of the heel, and the features l1, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 to the corresponding features of the heel.

It will be obvious that more than one of the treads may be applied to the sole of the boot arranged relative to each other in any suitable manner. The action of the treads in walking will be similar to the action of the same in the heel. lVhen the weight of the wearer is on the sole of the boot the tread will be forced down and will be caused to have a firm contact or grip on the walking surface and thus prevent slipping of the foot,

The modified constructions shown in Figs. 3 to 6 of the treads have reference to the shape of the depressible cushions only, and do not effect any material change in the action of the treads.

Y The construction here shown embodies the main features of the improved heel shown in my earlier patent, differing therefrom only in respect to the novel features herein described. The heels have come into extensive use in this and foreign countries and are commercially known as the. diamond grip quality tread. 4 y

y Havingthus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A new article of manufacture, consisting of a boot, having an integral rubber heel with a main tread surface and a gripping tread surface adapted to be projected outwardly of the main tread, and an inner elevated portion extending upwardly above the heel toward the`interior of the boot and adapted to be depressed by the weight of the wearer of said boot to project the gripping tread outwardly.

2. A new article of manufacture, consisting of a boot, having a rubber heel made integral with the sole of said boot said heel and sole having each a main tread surface, and a gripping tread surfaceadapted to be projected outwardly of the main tread, and

Van inner elevated portion adapted to be depressed by the weight of the wearer of said boot to project the gripping tread outwardly, and a flexible pad covering said depressible portion. y

3. A new article of manufacture, consisting ofL a boot, having an integral heel having its inner and outer faces recessed, a'l

compressible projection rising from the inner recess extending` upwardly above the heel toward the interior' ofV .the boot, and a gripping tread surface proj.estable from the outer recess by the Weight of the wearer of above the heel toward the interior of the said boot upon the compressble projection. boot and adapted to be depressed by the 1o 4. new article of manufacture consstweight of the wearer of said boot to project ing of a boot having a rubber heel and sole, said gripping treads outwardly simultanesaid heel and sole having each a main tread ously and successively with the walking surface and a gripping tread surface adaptmovement of the foot. ed to be projected outwardly of the main In testimony whereof I ax my si nature. 15 tread, and a portion extending upwardly WILBER C. BEL AP.

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