US2089505A - Shoe counter - Google Patents

Description

B. RIVKI N SHOE COUNTER Aug. 1o, 1937.

Filed Dec. 28, 1935 INVENTOR b w m t Patented Aug. 10, 1937 PATENT OFFICE SHOE COUNTER Bert Rivkin, Fresno, Calif.; :by distribution of.

court to Minnie Rivkin, Widow of said Bert Rivkin, deceased, assigner to Emile Z. Rivkin,

Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 28, 1935, Serial No. 56,529

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to shoes and is directed particularly to the structure of shoe counters.

In shoes, especially womens pumps, there is a tendency in many cases for the sides of the shoe, adjacent the wearers ankle, to gap or bulge away from the foot.

It isI therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a counter which when embodied in a shoe will keep the sides of the shoe in snug engagement with the sides of the wearers foot and prevent the aforementioned undesirable gapping or bulging.

An additional object of my invention is to provide such a shoe counter which will accomplish the desired result without interfering with the design or comfort of the shoe.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a shoe counter, of usual configuration, provided with the spring elementswhich prevent the sides of the shoe from gapping- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the spring elements detached.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View illustrating a shoe counter, provided with the spring elements, as attached to a heel.

Referring now more particularly tothe characters of reference on the drawing, the numeral I indicates a shoe counter of usual construction and configuration. Secured tov the outer sides of the counter on both sides and adjacent the back end of the counter, are spring elements, indicated generally at 2. Each spring element comprises a plate 3 increasing in width from bottom to top.

This plate conforms to the contour of the portion of the shoe counter with which it contacts, and being preferably formed of a thin spring steel, it does not materially add to the thickness of the shoe counter. To secure the top of the plate to the counter, prongs 4 may be formed in spaced relation along the upper edge of plate 3 and bent down over the edge of the counter to secure the plate in place. If desired, the prongs can be formed so as to merely project into the side of the counter adjacent the top edge, or the plate 3 may be provided with a series of openings and then sewn to the counter.

A finger 5 is formed integral with and projects inwardly from the lower end of each plate and extends through a slot in the counter at the bottom thereof as at 6; each finger 5 being of sufficient length to extend a short distance beyond the heel center in overlapping relation to the finger of the opposite plate 3. Each finger is slotted, as at l, and a screw passes through said slots and rigidly secures the lingers to the heel 9. The slots 6 are disposed so that the overlapping fingers 5 lie immediately above the bottom inturned flanges la of the counter and are, of course, disposed between the said anges la and an insole l0, as shown in Fig. 3.

When my improved device is incorporated in a shoe, the outer cover and inner lining of the Shoe completely enclose the plate 3 and the prongs l and as the plate and prongs are of thin material their presence is not noticeable through the outer cover, nor do the overturned prongs 4 cause the wearer any discomfort.

The spring elements, when embodied in a shoe, exert an inward pressure on the sides of the counter and consequently cause the sides of the shoe to cling to the wearers foot and gapping is entirely overcome. As heretofore stated, the spring elements including plates 3 and fingers 5 are formed from sp-ring steel and the tension is such that when a shoe is placed on the wearers foot, the sides of the counter and the attached plate will move outward, resulting in an increase of the tension and which tension prevents further outward movement of the sides of the shoe.

By reason of the slots in the fingers 5, the elements 2, and consequently the adjacent portions of the counter, may be adjusted laterally. In this manner, the shoe may be adjusted to the width of the foot, and may be made tight or loose, as the wearers comfort or desire may dictate. This counter adjustment is of course separate from the automatic or spring adjustment inherently obtained by the use of the spring elements.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a shoe having a counter, separate spring plates on the outside of the counter on opposite 5 sides thereof, a laterally projecting extension o-n the bottom of the plate forming a finger for attachment to the heel of the shoe, and prongs along the top' of the plate adapted to be bent over the top of the counter to hold the plate se- 10 cured to the counter.

2. In a shoe having a counter, separate spring plates on the outside ofthe counter on opposite sides thereof, a laterally projecting extension on the bottom of the plate forming a finger for at-

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