US2017670A - Foot protector - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 15,1935.

G. A. MORIARTY FOOT PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 17, 1955 SSheets-Sheet l {j INVENTOR. BY v M...-

Arrow Oct. 15, 1935. G. A. MORIARTY FOOT PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 17, 1933 's Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 62

Oct. 15, 1935. G, A. MORIARTY' FOOT PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 17, 1935 3 SheetsSheet 3 INVENTOR; t a '1 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 15, 1935 FOOT PROTECTOR walk, Conn.

Application October 17, 1933, Serial No. 693,906

22 Claims.

This invention relates to foot protectors, adapted particularly to protect the fore quarters of the feet or" workers in all lines of endeavor where there is any danger of heavy objects falling onto the toes or top of the ball section of feet.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a foot protector which is sturdy with out being cumbersome, light and durable, and

which may be easily and quickly secured in place on a shoe. v

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a foot protector which will prevent chips and dirt from accumulating between the shoe upper and the protector.

A further important object of the present invention is the provision of a foot protector with simple yet sturdy securing means adapted to hold the protector on the shoe and at the same time preclude all possibility of displacement.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a foot protector which is substantially universal in its application, so that a single protector may be assembled onto a wide variety of styles and sizes of footwear.

The invention is characterized by several novel features, the most important being yieldable jaws on the protectors arranged to be moved into a sure gripping position on the uppers of an article of footwear, and being provided optionally with secondary jaws adapted to seize the soles of the footwear order to positively hold the root protectors in place. In one embodiment of the invention these jaws are con- 35. trolled by a cam and lever arrangement or equivalent means so as to be slidable into and out of operative shoe gripping position, while in other embodiments the jaws are yieldingly urged into the shoe gripping position.

40 Other features and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the solid shell form of the present invention.

45 Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the foot protector shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 33 in Fig. 2, with the clamping jaws in the open or expanded position.

50 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view with a portion of the top removed to show the jaw con trolling mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a sectional iew similar to Fig. 3, but shows the jaws in the closed shoe gripping posi- 55 tion.

Fig. 6 is a top view of a modified form of the present invention in which the protective casing or main shell is made in two parts.- v

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of that form of the invention shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross section view taken on line 88 in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the protector shown in Figs. 6 through 8 applied to an article of foot-'- wear. 10

Fig. 10 is another modified form of the present invention capable of use on shoes of a wide variety of sizes and shapes.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the protector shown in Fig. 10. 15.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on line l2-l2 in Fig. 11, showing the main shell parts and the clamping jaws in the opened position ready for attachment to an article of footwear.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 12 20 which shows shell parts and clamping jaws in the closed shoe gripping position.

The foot protector of the present invention, in its simplest and most economical form, shown in Figs. 1 through 5, comprises a one-piece metal 25 shell l6, shaped substantially like the fore quarter of a shoe and forming a chamber l'l adapted to inclose the toes and part of the ball section of a users foot. The'shell is provided with side walls It and i9 and an abutment is, preferably 30 curved slightly so as to fit around and under the upper of a shoe and to rest solidly upon the welt. This abutment provides a substantial support for the shaped shell 15 forming the proteotor casing and is such that the users foot, is not harmed in any way even though the shoe takes the full load of any article dropping onto the protector. The abutment, may be made in the form of several small abutments adapted to rest upon various sections of the welt, but is preferably made as shown, with a continuous surface engaging substantially all around the welt of the shoe wherever the shell overlies it.

Preferably the chamber ll formed by the shaped shell it including the side walls It and i9 and the abutment 2b is formed to accommodate a limited number of different sizes of shoes, rather than a particular shoe.

In order to secure the shaped metal shell It to a shoe, in this form of foot protector the present invention provides a novel structure comprising a pair of jaws 2! preferably made of spring material having a sliding connection 22 with the shaped shell it. This sliding connection preferably comprises a pin 23 and slot 24 between each of the jaws and the shell near the top thereof, and a channel 25 in the side walls l8 and. IS, the latter serving to prevent the jaws from pivotal movement about the pin 23. The jaws are each provided with a main finger 26 having a normal retracted or inoperative position as shown in Fig. 3, and having an operative or advanced position as shown in Fig. 5, wherein the main fingers thereof yieldingly grip the upper of a shoe to hold the shaped shell in place.

In its preferred form the means provided by the present invention for holding the jaws in retracted position and for moving them into the operative position comprises an inverted drum cam 27 in a dome 28 near the top center of the shaped shell I 6 having a flange 29 fitting inwardly between upturned inner and outer fingers 30 and 3| formed integral with the jaws 2| at the top end thereof, as may best be seen in Figs. 3 through 5. The drum cam is provided with a stud 32 passing through a suitable bearing in the dome above which it is provided with a squared shank 33 adapted to accommodate a lever 34 and integral finger piece 35 which is preferably rigidly secured thereto. This lever also holds the drum cam in the dome, yet permits rotation.

The flange 29 of the drum cam is preferably elliptical in shape so that when the ellipse is longitudinally of the shaped shell IS the narrow width of the drum cam draws and holds the jaws in the retracted position, as may best be seen in Fig. 3. As the drum cam is rotated by pushing against the finger piece 35, the wide section of the flange presses against the outside fingers 3! on each of the jaws 2! to move the jaws in the pin and slot connection 22 and in the channel 25 to the advanced position.

In order to move the main fingers on the lower end of the jaws 2i inwardly of the shell 16 to the gripping position on the upper of a shoe the present invention preferably provides rises 36 on the lower section of the channel 25 and lobes 31 on the jaws 2!. Normally these lobes are in sockets 38 above the rises 35, as shown in Fig. 3. However, as the drum cam 2'! is rotated by the lever 34 the jaws are moved laterally and the lobes are moved from the socket over the rises 36 toward the position shown in Fig. 5, whereupon the fingers 26 thereon move inwardly and yieldingly engage the upper of a shoe, either at the cap section thereof, in back of the cap section, or at both places.

Thus the present invention provides a foot protector of simple construction which may be easily and quickly applied to an article of footwear and securely held thereon through the provision of a structure wherein the side walls are shorter and narrower, and adapted to rest upon the welt of the shoe, rather than very wide and long to extend outside the welt and down to the ground or other surface which the sole normally engages, as is common in most foot protectors. Because of these characteristics the foot protector of the present invention is possessed of great strength, even though made of light material, and is not cumbersome.

If preferred, the arms 2| may be provided with integral secondary fingers 39 of greater length than the main fingers 26, adapted to extend downwardly and through apertures 48 in the side walls 18 and I9 to a position adjacent the sole of the shoe, and provided with prongs 4i adapted to bite into the edge of the sole. In the retracted position of the arms 2| the secondary fingers clear the sole, as may be seen in Fig. 3. However, when the drum cam 21 is rotated and the lobes 37 on the arms 2| move over the rises 36 the secondary fingers are moved inwardly of the shell, much the same as the main fingers 26, and grip the sole as shown in Fig. 5.

That form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 through 9 retains the advantages of that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 5 and just described in detail, for it is also adapted to have the main shell rest upon the welt, and is provided with yielding arms adapted to grip the upper of a shoe and/or grip the sole, but has the characteristic of being applicable to a wider variety of shoe widths and has a slightly modified arrangement for moving jaws into shoe gripping position.

Referring now in detail to this form of the invention, the foot protector comprises a pair of shaped shells including a male shell 42 and a female shell 43 having a pivotal connection 44 at the front, and having a telescoping connection 45 at the top. The telescoping connection preferably comprises a flat section 46 on the male shell 42 and a plate 41, preferably riveted or welded to the female shell 43 forming a socket 45a adapted to snugly and slidably receive the flat section 46. This socket arrangement forms the telescoping connection and strengthens rather than weakens the foot protector shell, for in effect, it forms a strengthening rib extending longitudinally through the mid-section of the foot protector. The purpose of this telescoping connection is to permit the individual protectors to be opened and readily applied to shoes, and to satisfactorily fit a larger variety of shoes. In its contracted state, shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the side walls of the shells close upon the upper of a shoe, and more particularly abutments 42' and 43 on the lower edge of the side walls move into position to support the shaped shell upon the welt of a narrow shoe. In its opened state (not shown) the shell members 42 and 43 are moved about the pivot connection, and the fiat section 46 of the main shell 42 is moved outwardly in the socket 45a into any desired station until the shell members are of the proper size to envelope a larger shoe upper and to rest properly upon the welt of such a larger shoe.

Each of the shells is provided with a spring arm 48 secured in place as by rivets 49 and channels 50. Normally the springs are urged outwardly of the shell and toward the side walls of the latter, but are suficiently resilient to be yieldingly moved away from the side walls toward the interior of the shaped shell formed by the members 42 and 43.

In order to move the pair of shells of each protector into the proper opened or closed position for various sizes of shoes, and in order to move the yielding arms 48 into gripping position onto the shoe or other article of footwear, the present invention preferably provides a strap 5! connected at each of its ends to the shells 42 and 43 as by passing the ends thereof through slots 52 in the side walls and bending the strap back upon itself with rivets 53 passing therethrough as may be seen best in Figs. 6 and '7. Preferably a longitudinally extending slot 54 is provided in the side walls in order to provide a socket to keep the belt clear of the general plane of the interior walls of the shells, and in order to allow the arms 48 to spring back substantially into the general plane of this inner wall. The strap is proportioned to extend preferably around the heel of a shoe and is made adjustable by the provision of a buckle 55 for assembling the foot protector to shoes of various lengths.

In assembling this form of the foot protector, made in accordance with the present invention, to an article of footwear it is merely necessary to drop the shell in its expanded state downwardly upon the shoe or slide it lengthwise until the inner wall of a chamber 56 formed by the shells 42 and 43 engages the upper of the shoe, and then pass and tighten the strap over the heel or the heel cap of the shoe. As the strap is tightened it pulls against the back of the arms 48 and initially moves the male and female shells 42 and 43 about the pivot 44 until the inner face of the side walls or the abutments 42' and 43 at the lower end thereof engages the sides of a shoe upper, whereupon further movement of the shells is prevented. Thereafter the strap yieldingly moves the lower ends of the resilient arms 48 inwardly of the shell and outwardly relative to the sockets 56 provided for the arms until main fingers thereon yieldingly grip the upper of the shoe as may best be seen in Fig. 8. When this condition is obtained the buckle 55 is tightened. This functioning occurs in both large and small size shoes, coming within the general limits intended for the individual sizes in this type of foot protector.

In addition, the lower ends of the arms 58 may be provided with long secondary fingers 58,

and each of the side walls provided with apertures 59 allowing the long fingers to pass therethrough downwardly into position adjacent the sole. As with the main fingers 51, the long secondary fingers will normally be in a retracted or out-ofthe-way position. However, when the strap is tightened in the aforementioned manner these long fingers and prongs 68 are drawn inwardly, at the same time that the main fingers are, into firm biting engagement with the sole, as may be seen in Fig. 8, forming a supplementary gripping medium adapted to more rigidly secure the foot protector to the shoe and to prevent untoward movement of the shell vertically relative to the upper when the fore quarter of a shoe is bent abnormally.

Also, this form of the present invention provides a lock 6| comprising afiat spring 62 with a pin 63 passing through holes in the female shell and plate 41 downwardly through any one of a series of holes 64 in the fiat section 45 of the shell 42. This lock serves to hold the pivoted members 42 and 43 in the desired positions relative to each other after they are moved together for a particular size or shape of shoe. Further,

it prevents the shell members from being urged apart and holds the prong 66 of the long finger 58 into the sole should the strap 5! flex somewhat or inadvertently fall off the heel of the shoe.

That form of the invention shown in Figs. through 13 retains many of the features of the first two forms of the invention already described in detail, but has the characteristic and further advantage of being capable of use on a wider variety of shoe widths and of being adjustable at its forward end, as well as at the rear end in order to more nearly assume the general lines of both pointed and blunt-nosed shoes of various sizes.

Referring now in detail to the structure of this form of the present invention, the foot protector comprises a pair of shells including a male shell 65 and a female shell 66 with a telescoping connection 61. The latter preferably extends only through about two-thirds of the length and not down over the fore part of the casing formed by the shells; this, to better permit lateral movement at both the front and the rear of the protector when fitting it to variously shaped shoes. The telescoping connection is preferably formed by the provision of a fiat section 68 on the male shell 5 65 and an under-lying plate 69 on the female shell 66 forming a socket 16 adapted to snugly and slidably receive the fiat section 68. Complementing the telescoping connection, the present invention provides a pin II on the male shell 65 adapted 10 to enter a lateral slot 12 in the female shell 66. This pin and slot connection is proportioned with enough freedom to permit the shells to be moved arcuately relative to each other in order to conform substantially with pointed and blunt shoes, and maintain the two shells in the proper position longitudinally relative to each other. The general shape of the chamber 83 formed by the members 65 and 66 may be substantially like that of the two forms already described, having slightly curved side walls with abutments 65 and 66' on the lower end thereof adapted to rest upon the welt of shoes.

This form of the present invention provides a novel structure for moving the shells 65 and 66 from an open inoperative position shown in Fig. 12 into a closed operative position shown in Fig. 13, and vice versa. In its preferred form this structure comprises an eccentric '!3 thin enough to fit into the socket l6 and of a diameter to fit within an elongated slot 14 of the male shell 65. This eccentric is provided with a shaft F5 passing through suitable hearings in the female shell 66 and at its upper end is provided with a lever 15 and finger piece 1'! for turning the eccentric.

When the lever I6 is in the position shown in Fig. 12 the high section of the eccentric is on the left side of the protector, thereby forcing the male member outwardly relative to the female member and placing the shells in the expanded and normally inoperative position shown in Fig. 12, wherein the shell may be dropped or slid over the shoe upper into protecting position on the shoe. When in this latter position it is merely necessary to turn the lever in a clock-wise direction, whereupon the eccentric 13, working in the slot M, moves the shells together until the side walls thereof of the abutments 65' and 66 thereof engage the upper of the shoe. In this movement the front and rear of the shells may change proportionately in movement laterally relative to each other in order to fit pointed and blunt shoes of various sizes. In the closed position the abutments thereon rest upon the welt of the shoe.

This form of the present invention provides a spring arm 18 on each of the shells 65 and 66, preferably made of resilient material and having a main finger i9 thereon. The lower end of this arm is normally flexed toward the inner section of the casing, formed by the shells, as may best be seen in Fig. 12, and serves the purpose of gripping the shoe upper. This structure is such that as the shells and 66 move toward each other by the eccentric E3 the main fingers 19 on the arms l8 engage and grip the shoe upper just prior to the 65 side walls and abutments on the shells engaging the shoe or reaching operative position thereon. Thus the fingers IS on the arms 18 form an additional means to grip and hold the shells on the shoe. 70

In addition the spring arms 18 may be provided with long secondary fingers 88 preferably with prongs 8|, adapted to extend downwardly over the edges of a sole. As the main fingers 19 are flexed inwardly in order to grip the shoe upper the secondary fingers 80 bite into the soles of the shoe just prior to the side Walls and. abutments of the main shell reaching the operative position. When the soles have been moved into the closed or operative position the main finger grips the upper of the shoe and the long secondary fingers grip the sole of the shoe to sturdily grip and hold the shells on the shoe and to prevent the cap from sliding longitudinally from the shoe and may yield or move outwardly of the shells through apertures i8.

While the novel clamping means provided by the present invention is shown only with shaped shells resting upon the welt of shoes, they may be used advantageously and equally well in foot protectors having shaped shells extending directly to the floor. While the foregoing description has pointed out the use of the foot protector provided by the present invention as applied to shoes, it should be understood that it is equally applicable for use on industrial boots and other articles of footwear. Other variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a plurality of arms on said shell adapted to grip the upper of the shoe; and means for moving said arms into and out of gripping position.

2. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a plurality of arms; a sliding connection between each of said arms and said shell; and means for sliding said arms from an inoperative retracted position into an operative shoe gripping position.

3. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a plurality of arms on said shell adapted to grip the upper or" the shoe; and a cam adapted to move said arms into and out of gripping position.

4. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; fingers on said shell adapted to grip the upper of the shoe; other fingers adapted to grip the sole; and means for conjointly moving said fingers from an inoperative position into an operative position to grip the upper and sole of the shoe.

5. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a plurality of arms associated with said shell; a plurality of short and long fingers on said arms adapted to grip the shoe upper and sole respectively; and means for conjointly moving said arms and associated fingers to and from gripping position.

6. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a laterally extending channel in said metal shell; a pair of arms slidably mounted in said channels; and means for sliding said arms in said channel from a retracted position into position to grip the upper or the shoe.

7. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a laterally extending channel in said metal shell; a pair of arms slidably mounted in said channels; a pin and slot connection between said arms and channel; nibs on said arms; and a drum cam engaging said nibs for moving said arms to and from a shoe gripping position.

8. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a pair of arms; means for moving said arms into operative and inoperative positions; and cooperating grooves and lugs on the arms and shell adapted to move the arms inwardly of the shell into the operative shoe gripping position. 10

9. A foot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; spring arms on said shell; and means adapted to move said arms inwardly relative to the shell to yieldingly grip the upper of the shoe.

10. A Ioot protector comprising a shaped metal shell; an abutment on said shell adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; spring arms on said shell; and means for moving said arms to yieldingly grip the upper of the shoe.

11. A foot protector comprising a shaped shell; spring arms on said shell; short and long fingers on said arms adapted to grip the shoe upper and sole respectively; and means for conjointly moving said arms and associated fingers into upper and sole gripping positions.

12. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfi'tting shells; a pivotal connection between said shells; arms on each of said shells; and means adapted to conjointly move said arms and shells from an open inoperative position into a closed operative position upon an article of footwear.

13. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfitting shells; a pivotal connection between said shells; sections on said shells adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe and to grip the shoe; arms on said shells adapted to grip the shoe; and means adapted to move said shells toward each other about the pivotal connection to initially move said shells toward each other and into operative gripping position on the shoe, and thereafter causing arms to grip the shoe.

14. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfitting shells; a pivotal connection between said shells; arms on said shells; and an adjustable strap secured to said shell adapted to draw said shells and arms together from an open inoperative position into a closed operative and shoe gripping position.

15. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfitting shells; a pivotal connection between said shells; an abutment on said shells adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a spring arm on the inside of each of said shells; and a heel strap connected to each of said shells, and located between the shells and arms, Ior moving said shells toward each other until the abutments are in operative position on the welt and to conjointly move said spring arms into a shoe gripping position.

16. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfitting shells; an abutment on each of said shells adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; a pair of spring arms, one secured to each of said shells and projecting below the abutment section thereof; and means adapted to coordinately move said interfitting shells and spring arms from an open inoperative position to a closed operative position with the abutment resting upon the welt of a shoe and the projecting sections of the spring arms gripping the sole.

17. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of interfitting shells; an abutment on each of said shells adapted to rest upon the welt of a shoe; arms on said shells projecting below said abutments; and a cam adapted to coordinately move said inter'fitting shells and the arms thereon from an open inoperative to a closed operative position with the abutment resting upon the welt of a shoe and the arms gripping the shoe.

18. In a foot protector the combination of interfitting shells; abutments on said shells adapted to rest upon the welt of shoes; and a cam adapted to move said shells toward and from each other and move the abutments from a non-working position free of the welt into an operative position with the abutments resting upon the welt.

19. In a foot protector the combination of interfitting shells, having a substantial range of spreading movement laterally at both longitudinal ends thereof; arms on said shells adapted to grip the shoe; and means adapted to conjointly move said interfitting shells together laterally to conform substantially with the contour of the fore quarter of the shoe and to cause said arms to grip the shoe.

20. In a foot protector the combination of interfitting shells; a pivotal connection between said shells; arms on said shells flexed inwardly thereof; and means adapted to hold said arms in gripping position and said interfitting shells in a protecting position upon an article of footwear.

21. In a foot protector the combination of interfitting shells, having a substantial range of spreading movement laterally at both longitudinal ends thereof; gripping arms in the shell; and means adapted to hold said interfitting shells together laterally to conform substantially with the contour of the fore-quarter of the shoe and to hold gripping arms relative to the shoe.

22. In a foot protector the combination of a pair of shells; abutments on said shells adapted 15 to rest upon the welt of shoes; a telescoping connection between said shells; gripping arms on the shells; a spring on one of the shells; and a pin carried by said spring adapted to pass through apertures in the telescoping connection and 20 thereby hold the shells, abutments; and gripping arms in predetermined positions on the shoe.

GEORGE A. MORIARTY.

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