US1759034A

US1759034A - Shoe construction

Info

Publication number: US1759034A
Application number: US183315A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert S Blair
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-04-13
Filing date: 1927-04-13
Publication date: 1930-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 1947-05-20

Description

May 20, 1930. R. s. BLAIR SHOE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 13. 1927 Patented May 20, 1930 ROBERT S. BLAIR, F ST-AMEOBDy CONNECTIGITT snon 'eons'rnuerron Application filed April 13,

This invention relates to shoe construction. One of the objects thereof is to provide a shoe adapted to fit thefoot properly and to retain its fitting qualities. Another object is to provide a shoe the upper portion-of which is constructed to fit the ankle closely and to avoid stretching and, gaping at such portion. Another object is to provide such a construction adapted to add to the comfort of the wearer of the shoes. Another object is to provide a shoe construction of the above nature without 7 adding greatly to the cost of the shoes. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter. M

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described andthe scope .of'the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. 1 i

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the variouspossible embodiments of this invention, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a shoe partly cut away to disclose the inner'structure; Figure2 isa plan view of the shoe; and Figure3'is a detached plan view of a member forming a-part ofthe shoe. 3

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing. w 2

Referring now to the drawing in detail, thereis shown a low shoe of the oxford type embodying the features of this invention.- It may be noted at this point, however, that the features of this invention are/also applicable to other low shoes of various types,'such' as pumps and slippers, and to high shoes as well. The lower portion ofthe shoe shown .in the drawing isofordinary construction, having asole l0, heel l1 and body portion 12.. The shoe is opened forginsertion or removal of the foot, and held in place upon the foot by means of lacing 13 which draws together at the front the two side walls 14 and 15in the usual manner. Beneath the lacing 13 is'se-' cured the usual tongue 16. The "two

side walls

14 and 15 are shown in this instance as .each comprisinga single member joinedto- 1927. Serial No. 183,315.

gether at the back of the shoe beneath a vertical strip 17 but it is to be understood that this .construction is shown only as illustrative of a simple design of shoe.

In the upper portions of the

parts

14 and 15, that is, in the upper portion of the shoe, is positioned a member 18 in the form of a flat thin strip of resilient material, which is preferably spring steel or some suitable material having similar characteristics. This a strip 18 extends substantially throughout the upper edge of the shoefollowing the curvature thereof from the edge 14 of'the part 14 around the rear of the shoeand back to the edge 15 of the part 15. The

walls

14 and 15 are provided with a suitable inner lining, as shown at 19, and the flat spring member18 is preferably built into the shoe between this inner lining and the outer walls thereof. The spring is thus concealed from View, and moreover does not contact with the ankle.

The inner lining and the outer walls are stitched together, as indicated at 20, along the top edge of the shoe, and the member 18 is preferably positioned just below this stitch- L ing. There is shown the usual stitching 21 at the front of the shoe extending alongside the lacing 13, and this stitching serves to support the spring member 18 in front. However, if

desired, one or more short rows of transverse stitching 22 may be added forreenforcement at this point. At the back of the shoe the stitching for the vertical strip 17 serves to hold up the back portion of the spring member, but here also if desired transverse stitching 28 may be added for reenforcement. In

addition to' the above, the front ends of the spring memberare preferably provided with openings 24 which register with the top pair of eyelets receiving the lacing 13. a It will thus 2 be seen tliatthe spring member is securely-interlocked with the members of the shoe, is concealed, and being of-thin strip material is substantially unnoticeable in positionin the shoe.

The contour of the ankle about which the top portion of the shoe is to'fit is substantially that indicated by the outline of the top edge of the shoe as viewed in plan in Figure 2.

The ankle in cross-section is narrow ati the back and for some distance forward thereof, thence widening decisively at the front, the changing widths occurring in substantially the smooth curves shown. In order that the top portion of the shoe fit the ankle properly, it is desirable that the top of the shoe be made to substantially this contour, and that it retain this contour in use. lVithout special provision the leather at the top of the shoe soon becomes stretched, and distorted, so that the shoe does not fit the ankle closely, but leaves unsightly gaps.

The spring member 18 is formed so that its normal contour before insertion in the shoe is substantially that shown in the full line position in Figure 3 from which it will be seen that the spring curves outwardly throughout its free ends or front portions 18, and curves inwardly on each side adjacent the heel as at 18". \Vhen the spring member is placed in position in the shoe, as shown in Figures 1 and E2, and when its front ends are drawn together by the lacing 13, the spring member assumes the contour shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, which contour is substantially that of a cross-section of the ankle. It will be seen that the portions 18 hold the leather in closely at the rear and narrow portion of the ankle, and that the portions 18 upon being thus drawn in by the lacing, hold the leather of the shoe smoothly in against the sides and front of the ankle. The spring member will yield to permit the required freedom of movement of the ankle. but will always return to its original contour and always hold the top of the shoe in closely against the ankle. A proper lit and one which will be indefinitely retained is thus assured.

The spring member may be varied in width or thickness at various points along its length to have the desired strength and resiliency at these particular points. For example, it might be desirable to have the extreme rear portion 18 thereof of a substantially greater degree of stiffness than the remaining portions of the spring. If desired, in order to further insure the proper holding of the spring in position, it may be provided with spurs, such as 18, which bite into the leather of the shoe. It is also apparent that the spring member may, if desired, be made in two or more parts.

From the above it will be seen that there is herein provided a shoe construction which embodies the features of this invention and attains the objects thereof, including many practical advantages. The spring member in addition to insuring a perfect fit at the ankle, reenforces and strengthens the entire upper portion of the shoe. The construction is simple and may be conveniently made at low cost.

It may be noted that the spring member at the rear portion is, as indicated by the dotted line 25 in Fig. 1, preferably formed wider or of greater cross-section than at the forward portions so as to increase its resistance to outward movement at the points 18 when the forward ends are drawn together with the shoe in position on the foot.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In shoe construction, in combination, a low shoe provided with a front opening, a pair of resilient parts respectively mounted at each side of the shoe along its upper edge and positioned between the lining and outer member of the shoe. said parts extending in a for and direction first converging and then diverging for a substantial distance to provide a concave resilient member, and means adapted to draw together the opening in said shoe and thereby press said outwardly concave spring parts against the sides of the ankle.

2. In shoe construction, in combination, a low shoe provided with a front opening, a pair of resilient parts respectively mounted at each side of the shoe along its upper edge and positioned between the lining and outer member of the shoe, said parts extending in a forward direction first converging and then diverging for a substantial distance to provide a concave resilient member, and means adapted to draw together the opening in said shoe and thereby press said outwardly concave spring parts against the sides of the ankle, the outwardly extending portions of said spring parts being of such length as to extend over the front upper edge of the shoe.

3. A shoe, spring means at the rear of the shoe embracing the heel and having a normal free shape in which its opposite portions are closer together than are the corresponding portions of the shoe in use, said spring means comprising parts in advance of said portions tending to hold the corresponding parts of the shoe away from the foot and spaced more widely one from the other in free condition than the spacing of the parts at the rear thereof, and means adapted to draw together the forward ends of said last parts. i

4. A low shoe opening at the front, means tending to draw together the portions adj acent said opening, and flat resilient means mounted adjacent the upper edge of said shoe and extending substantially throughout said edge and having a normal free shape adapted to press the entire edge against the adjacent surfaces of the foot with said shoe in use the forward portions of said resilient means he ing curved upwardly to extend over the upper portion of the instep. Y

5. A low shoe, and a metal member inserted between the lining and outer portion of said shoe at the top of therear thereof and extending .each side of the center thereof and provided with irregularities adapted to interlock with the leather of the shoe at points each side of its center line, said irregularities being shaped and adapted to resist relative movement in a horizontal direction of the leather with which they interlock.

6. shoe having a flat spring member extending substantially along the upper edge thereof and secured thereto and having its forward end portions at each side of the shoe of substantial length and normally tending to move outwardly away from the ankle and having intermediate portions at each side and between said ends and the rear of said shoe normally tending to spring inwardly toward the ankle the normal free shape of said spring being such as to cause said tendencies.

7. In a low shoe, resilient means secured at the upper edge portion of the shoe having portions shaped to press inwardly by their resilience against the ankle at points slightly in advance of the rear of the shoe and portions in advance thereof tending in free condition to hold the shoe away from the forward portion of the ankle, and means adapted to draw the forward portions of said resilient means toward one another and thereby cause them to fit closely about the forward portion of the ankle.

8. In a low shoe, resilient means secured at the upper edge portion of the shoe having portions shaped to press inwardly by their resilience against the ankle at points slight-1y in advance of the rear of the shoe and portions in advance thereof tending in free con-' dition to hold the shoe away from the forward portion of the ankle, and means adapted to draw the forward portions of said resilient means toward one another and thereby cause them to fit closely about the forward portion of the ankle, said resilient means being of greater cross-section adjacent the rear of the shoe than at portions further in advance.

9. A low shoe having resilient means secured within and extending substantially throughout its edge portion and curved upwardly at its forward ends to extend over the instep and means adapted to draw together the forward upper edge portionsof the shoe, such resilient means having a normal free shape converging toward the rear of the shoe and tending to press the same inwardly between its forward and'rear portions while the forward ends are drawn together.

10. A low shoe having secured within its upper edge portions and extending substan tially about the same a flat spring with upwardly curved forward ends and means substantially in alignment with said forward ends, tending to draw same together over the instep of the foot, said spring being of such normal free shape as to converge toward the rear of the shoe.

11. A low shoe having an integral spring extending about the upper portion of the heel thereof and having those parts in advance of the heel in normal free shape closer together than the width of the ankle embraced thereby at that pointand thence extending forward at each upper edge of the shoe over the sides of the instep and means adapted to draw inwardly the forward upper edge portions of said shoe. Y

12. A low shoe having secured between its lining and its outer portion an integral spring extending about the upper portion of the heel and thence forwardly at each side substantial- 1 at the upper edge of the shoe and curved upwardly at its forward ends to extend over the instep, said spring being of a normal free shape to tend to press the sides of the shoe in advance of its rear end against the sides of the foot and means adapted to draw together the forward upper edge portions of the shoe over the instep of the foot.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 11th day of April, 1927.

ROBERT s. BLAI