US2006995A - Detachable heel lift - Google Patents

Description

July 2, 1935. B. JASSEN DETACHABLE HEEL LIFT Filed Oct. 51, 1933 u n n m v ATTORNEY Patented July 2, 1935 DETACHABLE HEEL LiF'r Bern Jass en, Brooklyn, N. Y;

Application October 31,

1933, seriei'No, 95,987

My invention relates to removable or detachable lifts for footwear, together with meansfor detachably securing a lift to the article of footwear. In my application Serial No. 6'7 3,412, filed 5 May 29, 1933, I showed and described a detachable heel lift wherein the lift is shown as pressed against the heel by means of a spiral spring.

The object of the present invention is to provide a detachable lift suitable for use on mens 10,. and boys shoes and OXfOldS, as well as womens sporting shoes, or other articles of footwear. Since the heels of footwear of this type are com paratively lower in height than the higher heels of womens and girls dress shoes and the like,

15. there is less capacity in the vertical direction-for the employment of a coiled spring of suflicient capacity to hold the lift in place.

I have, in the present case, provided a leaf springv for pressing the lift against the bottom of the heel as distinguished from a spiral or coiled spring, so that the present type of spring, 1'. e., leaf spring, of sufficient strength and capacity, may be enclosed within a heel of the lower type, that is to say, within the type of heel employed in mens and boys shoes and Oxfords and womens sport shoes. With this type of spring I am enabled to'incorporate it in the types of heels referred to and still have sulficient capacity in the movement of the spring 30; for the manipulation of the lift in the manner described herein, and to also have sufiicient' strength in the spring to hold the larger size lift firmly against the bottom of the heel throughout the extent of the lift.

The lift is detachably applied to a holder or plate which seats within a pocket of the lift, and the lift with the plate referred to is adapted to be held slightly separated from the bottom of the heel against the tension of the spring, while '40. the lift is being attached to or removed from the holding plate. When this plate and the lift are turned to register with the bottom of the heel, the means which previously held the lift separated from the heel is drawn upwardly. by the spring concealed within the heel, and the lift is pressed tightly against the bottom of the heel where it is held until such time as it is necessary or desirable to remove the lift to replace it with a new one. r

The lift may be made of rubber, leather, or other material although in the drawing I have shown it as made of rubber or rubber composition. When the lift wears out or wears uneven, and it is desirable to replace it, it is only necessary to pull the lift downwardly from the heel and then turn it to lock the lift holding plate separated from the-,heelr ,While the parts are in this condition the worn lift may be removed by sliding. it off the holding plate and a new lift may be applied to replace the, removed one by simply sliding it over the holding plate and then turning the lift and the plate to register with the heel.

The wearerv requires. no tools to make the change and the'change from one set of lifts, to another requires but a few seconds of time to executel It is intendedthat the lifts with the plates, hereinafter to be described, shall be sold as articles of manufacture to be applied to any formof footwear to which my invention has been pp l A '-T 2' i I 'MyQin'vention may and will inmany cases be applied toffootwear while the same is being made in a factory, but it is, also possible to apply my invention .to footwear. after it has passed from the factory into the hands of the consumer.

I I Other advantages and improvements will be set forth in the followingdetailed description of my invention. 1 I Y In the drawing forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is an inverted'plan viewof a portion of an article of folotwear having my invention embodied therein inwhichyiew parts are broken away to show some of the interior construction,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line '3-3 of Figure 2, V

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the lift and the lift carrying plate turned at an angle or to a position suitable for removing or replacingthe-lift,

f Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure l,- i 1 Figure 6 is a brokenplan view of the lift and the plate attached to it,

' Figure '7 is a sectional I---'! of Figure 6, 1 f g Figure {8 is an inverted/plan view of the lift carrying 'plate'and the plate which is attached to thelheelthese parts being. illustrated detached from the heeland lift structures,

FigureQ is'an edge view of the parts shown in Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a bottom or inverted plan view of a heel having a modified form of my invention applied thereto, and

, Figure '11 is a sectional view-on an enlarged scale and taken on the line I |-H of Figure 10.

'I will first describe the form of my invention view taken on the line shown in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive. I have shown only a portion of an article of footwear, to wit, the heel portion, which is the part to which my present invention relates.

I have shown a fragment of the upper I above the heel portion of the article of footwear, together with the portion 2 of the article of footwear which forms a heel seat 3 against which the shaped or top side of the heel 4 is adapted to seat. I have also shown the inner lining 5 although this is not related to my invention as it is made the same as in ordinary footwear. The heel 4 is provided with a shaped or curved top surface 6 to conform to and snugly fit against the heel seat 3.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 9, the heel may be attached permanently to the heel seat in the same manner as ordinary heels of this type are attached to articles of footwear, which may be by means of tacks and cement, or in any other approved manner, or it may be attached by the prongs of the heel plate as hereinafter described. The heel is shown as provided with a slight depression 1 shaped to conform to the plate 8 which is seated in this recess and is held therein by means of the four lugs 9, I projecting upwardly from the plane of the plate 8 and which extend partly or wholly through the heel 4 with their ends clenched for the purpose of securing the plate 8 against the under side of the heel as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The plate 8 has other prongs I near its rear end, which are adapted to enter corresponding slots formed in the top side of the heel lift, as will be set forth hereinafter.

by having a portion of the neck extend through a slot in the middle of the leaf spring and having the end turned over or riveted as shown at Hi to firmly secure the spring to the neck member or a screw may be passed through the spring and be threaded into the neck portion l4, as

shown in Figure 3.

This neck member, when in register with the longitudinal slot l2 in the heel plate 8 is adapted to project through this slot and thus allow the lift carrying plate l5 to be pressed upwardly by the leaf spring. The two outer ends of the leaf spring are slightly curved as shown at l l and these curved ends seat against the upper surface of the heel plate 8. It will be apparent that the tendency of the leaf spring is to press the neck member [4, and therefore the lift carrying plate, upwardly in Figures 2 and 3.

The neck member I4 is so connected with the spring that it may turn or pivot in relation thereto and the spring is prevented from turning with the neck member by indentations I8 formed in the heel plate 8 as shown in Figure 8. These projections lie on opposite sides of each end of the spring as shown in Figure 8, and prevent the spring from turning with the member l4. While this construction is preferable, .it is not imperative.

The lift carrying member is shown in Figure 8 as having a curved rear portion H! with a straight edge 20' adjacent the breast end of the lift. The

lift, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, consists of a body of rubber, leather composition, or other material. In the preferred form the lift consists of a body of rubber or rubber composition suitably moulded and vulcanized. This conforms with the shape of the heel and forms the main body of the lift. There is a plate 2| recessed in the top surface of the lift and preferably this is placed in the mould when the lift is vulcanized, so that portions of the lift material enter apertures 22 in the plate, so that the plate and the body 23 are vulcanized together and remain connected as if they were one body. The lift is formed with a pocket 24 which is preferably curved at the rear end. This pocket extends under the thin wall 25 of the body 23 and under a portion of the plate 2 i, as shown in Figures 6 and '7.

The plate 2| does not extend to the breast of the lift except for the end extensions 26 but the intermediate portion terminates at the line 21 which is spaced backwardly of the front line 28 of the pocket 24. The plate 2| and the thin wall 25 of the lift have corresponding slots 28 extending from the front end 2'! of the plate to a point toward the rear of the plate, the slot being of sufficient width and length to accommodate the neck M of the lift carrying plate when the latter registers therewith. The pocket 24 of the lift is adapted to receive therein the lift carrying plate !5 which is preferably shaped to conform with the pocket as shown in the drawing.

The forward portion 38 of the pocket 24, in view of the proportions of the parts stated above, remains uncovered by the plate 2 i so that there is an opening extending crosswise of the heel lift which is adapted to receive therein either the block 44 attached to the heel as shown in Figure 10, or to receive the upstanding lugs 32 formed on the forward member 33 of the heel plate 8 for the purpose of preventing the lift from turning or shifting when clamped against the bottom of the heel.

As the pocket 24 is not carried to the breast of the heel, there is a wall 3 across the front of the pocket which is the full depth of the lift, and this wall serves to close the front of the pocket to exclude dirt and moisture from the interior parts. Preferably, when the 111' t is moulded, it is provided around the top edge with a slight projection 35 so that when the lift is held tightly against the heel, the lip 35 will be compressed so that there will be no separation at any point between the outer edge of the lift and the heel.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive the heel plate 8 will be assembled with the leaf spring as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

The heel will be prepared by forming the pocket 7 to receive the heel plate or the heel may be made with this recess in it. The assembled heel plate may then be attached to the bottom of the heel by means of a press or otherwise by forcing the four lugs 9, l0 through the heel and clenching them on the upper side of the heel; or, if desired, these prongs may be made long enough to extend not only through the heel but through the heel seat, to be clenched on the upper side of the wall 3 of the shoe, so that the prongs not only hold the heel plate in position upon the heel, but also attach the heel to the heel seat. If this arrangement is not desired, the prongs may simply pass through the heel and be clenched at or adjacent the top surface of the heel. This operation firmly and permanently secures the heel plate to the under side of the heel with the prongs aooaoos H extending dovmwardly and with the members 82 also extending downwardly.

The spring has a constant tendency to draw the lift carrying plate is upwardly or toward the bottom of the heel. When the neck portion ll registers with the slot 12 of the heel platethe spring draws the latter upwardly against tliebottom side of the heel plate.

To attach a lift the lift carrying plate is is drawn downwardly or away from the heel-against the opposition of the leaf spring; and the plate 15 is turned after the neck '14 has moved wt of the slot I? so that this neck lies at an angle to the slot I! as shown in Figure 8, or at any other suitable angle. When in this position, the upper end of the neck rests against the bottom surface of the heel plate, whereupon the lift'carrying plate is held separated from the heel plate, as shown in Figure 5, ready for the application of the lift to the lift carrying plate.

The lift is then presented with the open'portion 36 of the pocket 2d against the curved rear end of the plate 15 whereupon the lift is moved forwardly over the plate I with the latter moving down into the pocket 24 under a portion of the lift and under a portion of the plate II. If the lift is made of compressible material such as rubber, the-front wall 34 at the breast of the lift may be more or less compressed or deflected while this operation is taking place.

when the lift has been completely slid onto the plate 15 the forward end of this plate will prefembly coincide with the portion 2! of the plate 8, leaving the portion 30 of the pocket in the lift unobstructed. During this operation the neck I of the lift plate slides in the slot 23 and remains therein so that the lift plate and the lift will thereafter turn as a unit.

If the form of heel plate shown in Figures 8 and flare employed, then when the lift and lift plate are turned so that the neck 14 registers with the slot 12 in the heel plate, the neck will enter this slot, and the lift plate together with the lift will be drawn upwardly by the action of the leaf spring until'thetop surface of the lift and the top surface of the plate seat snugly against the bottom surface of the heel. When this occurs, the projections 32 on the front end of the heel plate will be received into the portion 30 of the pocket 24 so that the heel lift cannot turn or shift in relation to the heel unless the heel lift and its carrying plate areforced downwardly against the opposition of the spring. In other words, as long as the heel lift remains pressed against the heel, it cannot turn or shift because of the projections 32 of the heel plate. The prongs I I adjacent'the rear of the heel plate also enter small slots at the rear of the lift and also serve to prevent the lift from turning when seated against the heel. 7

It will be apparent that by employing a leaf spring to force the lift against the heel, I am enabled to employ a spring of ample strength and yet apply the same in a recess of a heel of comparatively low construction. Furthermore, the two ends of the spring having their bearings against the top of the heel plate at considerable distances from the middle portion of the spring, there is considerable leverage which has the effect of amply holding a rather large lift and preventing it from tilting in relation to the heel. This type of spring, therefore, secures a relatively large Iift tightly against the bottom of the heel and in the case of large heels it is capable of tightly holding the lift in place.

the heel and as shown Figures and 1 1-. In

this construction the several prongs H shown in the previous construction of the heel plate may be omittedand the shape of the heel plate may be varied as shown in Figure 10, so that it has a rather horseshoe contour around its outer edge. The heel plate is shown at 36 and it will be understood that the lift holding plate 31 willbe the same as the" one previously described, and it will be attached to the heel plate in the same manner and will be provided with the "same kind of The real difference in the construction resides in the method of attaching the heel plate to the heel.

For this purpose I have shown several, to wit,

three sleeves 38 having one end each riveted in apertures in the heel plate 36 with the sleeve portions extending upwardly into suitable apertures 3'! in the heel. Not only is the heel provided with these several apertures, but the heel seat =40 is also provided with corresponding apertures whichare preferably countersunk to receive the heads 41 of screws which ext-end through the apertures in the heel seat and screw into the threaded interiors of the sleeves 38. ably applied at opposite front corners of the heel plate and another at'the back of the heel plate, as shown in Figure 10,although the number and distribution may be varied. It will be observed that these sleeves and screws serve the double purpose of attaching the heel plate 35 in are ceiving recess 42 in the heel and also secure the heel to the heel seat. Otherwise, the device operates the same as in the first construction.

Ihave shown a pin or peg 43 in the heel adjacent the back of the heel plate-and projecting below the bottom of the heel; and this pin serves the same purpose as theprongs ll in the first construction. That is to say, it enters the lift when the latter is drawn up against the bottom of the heel and serves to prevent the heel from turning or shifting when it is in operative position.

' I have shown a block 44 which may be formed integral with the heel or which may be attached thereto; and this'block is received into the front portion 30 of the pocket 24 of the lift when the latter is in operative position and it serves the same as the'projections 32 and prevents the heel from turning or shifting when in active position.

If desired, the heel proper 4 may be cast or moulded from composition material which may or may not include some percentage of rubber. One advantage of this is that the top shaped surface 6 of the heel, instead of being formed by expensive methods after the heel is made, may be formed in a mould when the heel is being moulded or cast.

In other words, instead of making a heel of leather and then forming the curved surface 6 and cutting out the recess I2, the entire heel may be moulded in one operationwith these features formed at the time the heel is moulded, thus reducing the cost of the heel. The heel thus made may be attached to theheel seat in any of the difi'erent ways described herein.

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided a, device which is very compact and suitable for use in heels of shallow depth; which provides means for quickly detaching and replacing the lift and which will, without screws or One of these attachments is prefer other detachable members, firmly hold the lift in place. The device permits the lift to be quickly removedwithout the use of any tool and without the wearer resorting to the services of the shoe repairer.

The use of the leaf spring enables me to secure a firm pressure of the lift against the heel and at the same time arrange the device within a shallow heel. The employment of the wall 34 across the front of the portion 30 of the lift pocket protects the interior parts against dust or moisture and it also hides the interior parts so that the finished heel and lift have the same appearance as the ordinary corresponding parts of standard footwear. The different metallic parts of the device mayall be made by stamping so that the total cost of the device adds little, if anything, to the cost of the footwear.

By making the lifts as shown in Figures 6 and '1 they are sufficiently rigid or resistant to bending to permit the successful use of the lift with the other features of my invention. The reinforcing plate 2| serves both to stiffen the lift against bending and to provide the necessary strength in the top wall above the pocket 24 to hold firmly the lift to the lift carrying plate I5.

While I have shown and described my invention in the preferred forms in great detail, I desire it to be understood that I do not limit my invention to the particular forms herein shown and described except as to those claims which are specifically limited to such details.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an article of footwear a heel, a heel plate attached thereto and having a slot, a lift plate adapted to receive and hold a lift against the bottom of the heel, a neck portion on said lift plate adapted to enter the slot of the heel plate when registered therewith and adapted when drawn outwardly and turned at an angle to said slot, to hold the lift plate in position to receive a heel lift thereover, and a leaf spring engaging said heel plate and acting on said neck portion to draw the latter upwardly through the aperture of said heel plate when registered therewith for the purpose of pressing the lift against the heel.

2. An article of footwear having a heel, a heel plate attached hereto and having a slot, a lift plate adapted to receive and hold a lift against the bottom of the heel, a neck portion on said lift plate adapted to enter the slot of the heel plate when registered therewith and adapted to be held against turning while in said slot and adapted when drawn outwardly with said lift plate and turned at an angle to said slot to engage the bottom of the heel plate to hold the lift plate in spaced position from the heel to receive a lift thereover, and a spring engaging said heel plate and pivotally connected with said neck portion and adapted to draw the latter upwardly through the aperture of said heel plate when registered therewith, for the purpose of pressing the lift against the heel.

3. In an article of footwear, a heel having a recess, a. heel plate attached thereto and extending across said recess and having a slot, a lift plate adapted to receive and hold a lift against the bottom of the heel, a neck portion on said lift plate, adapted to enter the slot of the heel plate when registered therewith and adapted to be held against turning while in said slot, said lift plate and neck portion adapted. to be drawn outwardly away from the heel and to be turned at an angle to said slot whereby the neck portion engages the bottom of said heel plate to hold the lift plate spaced from the heel to receive a lift thereon, and a leaf spring disposed in the recess of said heel, said spring engaging the top of the heel plate and acting on said neck portion to draw the latter upwardly through the aperture of said heel plate when registered therewith, for the purpose of pressing the lift against the heel.

4. A device of the class described including an article of footwear having a heel seat, a heel fitting against said heel seat, a heel plate on the bottom side of said heel, sleeves on said plate extending upwardly into said heel and screws extending through said heel seat and threaded into said sleeves for securing the heel and the heel plate to the heel seat, a lift plate adapted to receive and hold a lift and having a neck portion, said heel plate having an aperture to receive said neck portion therein and a leaf spring acting on said neck portion to move said lift plate toward said heel plate.

5. As an article of manufacture, a heel lift having a pocket extending longitudinally therein and provided with a laterally extending opening at the breast end of said pocket, said pocket adapted to receive a lift plate longitudinally therein, said lift having a slot extending rearwardly from said forward opening in which the neck portion of the lift plate may move, and a stiffening plate imbedded in said lift and extending over a substantial portion of said pocket.

6. As an article of manufacture, a heel lift including a major body of moulded material formed with a pocket adjacent the upper side of said body and extending horizontally over the major portion thereof, said lift having a lateral opening at the breast end of said pocket and a metal stiffening plate imbedded and moulded with said body to remain permanently attached thereto, said stiffening plate covering a substantial portion of said pocket and having a slot extending lengthwise of the lift from said open end to form an opening through one wall of said pocket in which the neck portion of a lift plate may move.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a heel lift having a pocket extending longitudinally over a substantial portion of the lift adapted to receive a lift plate horizontally in said pocket, said lift having a top wall extending over the top of said pocketand terminating behind the forward end of said pocket, said lift having a wall at the breast end thereof to form a closure for the forward end of said pocket, said top wall having a slot extending therethrough and running from the front end of said top wall backwardly and in which the neck of a lift plate is adapted to move.

BERN JASSEN.

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