US1627521A

US1627521A - Swimming and running shoe

Info

Publication number: US1627521A
Application number: US159476A
Authority: US
Inventors: Menschel Reinhold
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1926-12-09
Filing date: 1927-01-06
Publication date: 1927-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 1944-05-03
Also published as: GB282010A

Description

R. MENSCHEL SWIMMING AND RUNNING sHoE FiledJan. e, 1927 May 3. 1927.

Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STA REINHOLD MENSCHEL, or BERLMGERMANY.

SWIMMING .AND RUNNING SHOE.

. Application led January 6, 1927, Serial No. 159,476, and in Germany December 9,1926.

This invention relates to a shoe or sandallike structure suited particularly forswimming and running. Ihe gistof the invention resides therein that a base-member, the

specific weight of which is lower than that of water,'is combined with a frame consisting preferably of aluminium and serving as support for the foot and heilig `provided with means for fastening it to the same;

besides, stays extending laterally from said frame hold a web and and hinged to, the said frame thatjthey are movedtrom their normal position in which they are located practically parallel to each other outwardly to all sides by the resistance which tlie water presents to said web when the foot is swimming. l

If the shoe is used for walking, the stays hang down and remain out of action. f

the shoe is used, however, for swimminfr, the stays spread outwardly, as alreadby stated, and act now like the webs of aquatic birds or water fowl. When the feet are drawn towards the body, the web'gives way, andl in the reverse direction it is extended or spread by the spreading stays, as `already mentioned. v

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically and by way of example onthe accompanying drawing on which Figure 1 is a plan of a shoe designedaccording to this invention and having its stays with the web spread out; Figure 2 is a side-view of the 85 same shoe, fthe stays and the `web hanging,

however, downwards; Figure 3 is a vertical cross section 1n the plane A-*B of Fig. 2,

seen from the right to the left, the Weby being omitted in this ligure; Figure 4: shows W a portion of the frame with some of the stays, this figure being drawn to an enlarged scale; and Figure 5 Cin-D of Fig. 4. i

vOn the drawing@ denotes a plate, 4pref- 175 er'ably of aluminium, and is'an upwardly 'bent flange of this plate. The plate n serves support for the foot; it may have a bulgedfout portion g located below the instep of the foot and serving as a separate support just for this portion of the saine. To

the upper' side of the plate n is attached a sandal-like structure a which may consist of linen or rubber, and may be aiiixed to the foot by straps and clasps or the like.

Below the plate 'n are base members d consisting either of natural or artificial cork` are so arranged at,

pushed rearwardly as done in is a sectionin the plane enclosed in sail-cloth or the like, or of hollow rubber that can be inflated with air by means of a pump. This latter yconst-ructional form is that illustrated. The hollow rubber-,bodies d are provided with a valve /c resembling that `of a bicycle tire, and from this "valve extends an air-tube m into the saidV bodies. The lowermost member of the entire structure'consists of a plate of rubber Vor 'leather' 01 is attached to the bottom surbody d and serves as a which'isususpended a stay c. v A web c extends around the plate n and is attached to the inner sides ot the sist of only` one layer, as in the constructional form shown, it may-be composed of two layers lone being located at the lowerside, the other at the upper side of the stays,and both being connected with each other in any suitable manner. The web may consist of rubber, silk, fishskin, or the like; its upper or inner rim is attached to the outer surfacey of the flange Z), and the portions located between the flange and the stays is so broad that it forms folds when the Vweb is not extended, the folded portion being expanded when the web is stretched.

If the shoe is employed on the land, it looks as inFigs; 2 and 3, in which case the stayshang freely down. If is used, however, inthe water for swimming, the web is spread together with the stayswhen theA foot is pushed rearwards, and is collapsed when the Vfoot is drawn towards the body.

Figures 2l and 3 show this position, and Figure 1 shows the other o`ne., In thisother position the outwardmovemen't ofthe stays is vlimited by their upper ends contacting with the upper edgesr of the strips p. l

There are, in the constructional form shown as an example, two superposed bodies d made integral with each other. In other words: One body is subdivided by a horizontal partition wall into two superposed chambers d. It is a matter of course, that there may be more than one partition wall,

` stays e, as shown inA 1g. l, but instead of letting the web. con-k or more than two chambers, so that the body is inflated practically only vertically. When shoes of this kind are to be transported, the bodies CZ may be compressed, the valve 7c being opened prior thereto, so that the bulk of the shoes can be correspondingly reduced.

The device is very suited for persons desiring to leain to swim, as well as for persons desiring to swim a long time, or to cover a long way in the water.

I claim:

l. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a foot support, the specific weight of which is lower than that of water, a frame attached to the upper side of said support, means for attaching lsaid frame to a foot, stays hing-ed to the said frame, and a web fastened to said stays, and means for limiting the outward movement of the stays with saidv web when these members have arrived in their proper operative position, substantially as set forth.

2. A swimming and ruiming shoe, comprising, in combination, a foot support, the specific weight of which is lower than that of water, an aluminium frame attached to the upper side of said support, means for attaching said frame to a foot, stays hinged to the said frame, and a web fastened to said stays, and means for limiting` the outward movement of the stays with said w-eb when these members have arrived in their proper operative position, substantially as set forth.

3. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a foot support formed by an air-illed chamber or air-lilled chambers, a frame attached to the upper side of said support, means for attaching said frame to a foot, stay-s hinged to the said frame, and a web fastened to said stays, and means for limiting the outward movement of the stays with said web when these niembers have arrived in their proper operative position, substantially as .set forth.

4. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a foot support consisting of an air-filled rubber body, a frame attached to the upper side of said support, means for attaching said frame to a foot, .stays hinged to the said frame, and a web fastened to said stays, and means for limiting the outward movement of the stays with said web when these members have arrived in, their proper operative position, substantially as set forth.

5. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a foot support, the specific weight of which is lower than that of wat-er, a walking sole secured to the bottom side of said support, a frame attached to the top side of the said support, means for attaching said frame to a foot, stays hinged to the said frame, and a web fastened to said stays, and means for limiting the outward movement of the stays with said web when these members have arrived in their proper operative position, substantially as set forth.

(i.v A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a foot support, the specific weight of which is low-er than that of water, a frame attached to the upper side of said support, means for attaching said frame to a foot, stays hinged to the said frame, and a web fastened to said stays and having its inner rim aiiixed to the rim of the said frame, the web portion locatedrnear this rim being folded when in its position of rest and expanded when in its operative position, and means for limiting the outward mov-ement of the stays with said web when these members have arrived in their proper operative position, substantially as set forth.

7. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a foot support, the specific weight of which is lower than that of water, a frame attached to the upper side of said support, means for attaching said frame to a foot, metal strips extending upwardly from the said frame, outwardly bent pairs of lugs at the free ends of said strips, pins carried by said pairs of lugs, stays hinged to said pins, and means for limiting the outward movement of the stays with said web when these members have arrived in their proper operative position, sul'istantially as set forth.

8. A swin'iming and running' shoe, comprising, in combination, a foot support cousistingof a hollow rubber body, an air-valve connected with this body, a frame attached to the upper side of said support, means for attaching said frame to a foot, stays hinged to the said frame, and a web fastened to said stays, and means for limiting the outward movement oi the sta-ys with said web when these members have arrived in their proper operative position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature.

REN HOLD MENSCHEL.