US2275191A

US2275191A - Stocking protector

Info

Publication number: US2275191A
Application number: US301562A
Authority: US
Inventors: Solomon E Schwartz; Seymour E Schwartz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-10-27
Filing date: 1939-10-27
Publication date: 1942-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1959-03-03

Description

March 3, 1942. s.- E. SCHWARTZ ET AL 2,275,191 l STOCK ING PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 27, 1939 INVENTORS so/ oMo/v E. SCHWARTZ BY sfyMoz/,Q SCHWARTZ ATTORNE Patented Mar. 3, 1942 STOCKING PROTECTOR Solomon E. Schwartz and Seymour E. Schwartz, New York, N. Y.

Application October 27, 1939, Serial No. 301,562

(CLSB- 585) 2 claims.-

This invention relates to improvements in stocking protector,` and more particularly a cushion pad for securement directly to the back of a shoe.

Objects Among the principal objects which the present invention has in View are: to provide an article in the form of an improved stocking protector to be applied to the inside back of a shoe and to be rigidly adhered thereto; to reduce to a minimum the possibility of causing runs in stockings of the wearer usually caused by frictional engagement of the foot at the back of a shoe; to reduce to a minimum the possibility of causing blisters and sores at the back of the foot of a wearer of new shoes usually caused by frictional engagement of the foot rubbing against the back of the shoe; to provide an article having an adherent thereon and not requiring dampening or moistening before applying it t the back of a shoe; to provide means on the article to be juxtaposed to the back of a shoe and not be adhered to the shoe; to provide a cushion on one side of the article which will provide comfort under slight pressure of a foot thereagainst; to provide means on the article which will prevent crinkling or distortion of the article material usually caused by frictional engagement of a foot; to manufacture the improved protector in a finished condition ready for application to the back of a shoe so as to be substantially the shape of the heel portion at the back 0f a foot; to provide means in the protector whereby perspiration from a foot will not be absorbed by the adherent surface of the protector; to enable the article to be manufactured at a minimum cost; to provide a base material on which the protector may be adhered and removed when desired without losing its effectiveness upon removal therefrom; and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shoe, and is illustrative of our improved stocking protector attached to the inside back of a shoe;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the improved protector showing one side thereof temporarily attached to a base material before being applied to a shoe and convenient to shipping;

Figure 3 is a similar View showing the protector removed from the base material and of the opposite side which holds the said protector securely to the inside of the back of a shoe;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4 and is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the upper part of the protector; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 and showing a slightly modified construction.

Description As seen in the drawing, it is the purpose of the present invention to manufacture our improved stocking protector so that it may be easily applied, and to manufacture the same so that it may be readily applicable in its manufactured shape to immediately t theinsideback I0 of a shoe II and without requiring re-shaping of the protector. The material employed in constructing the improved protector I2 may be of any suitable character, and as in the preferred showing forth in Figures l to 5 inclusive, preferably comprises two ply material with the side against which the stocking on a foot contacts not having any adhesive, and may, for instance, be soft leather, rubber composition, cloth, felt, Velvet or the like.

As seen in Figure l of the drawing, we have shown the shoe I I such as favored by women for evening wear, though it may be said at this time that the invention is applicable to all types of shoes. It is to be noted that the back portion Ill of the shoe is of substantially the saine shape as the heel of the foot so as to give a better fit and more comfortable feeling to the foot when it is entirely in the shoe. To those Well versed in the art, it will be understood that much discomfort to the wearer of new shoes or tightly fitted shoes and shoes of the type illustrated is experienced by rubbing of the back of the foot against the inside back of the shoe. This rubbing not only causes discomfort, but is deleterious to the stockings, causing holes and runs therein, also blisters and sores on the foot resulting from constant frictional rubbing against the leather or lining material of the shoe. To overcome these and other difficulties and disadvantages of the shoe construction and use, we have provided a stocke ing protector I2 to be applied to the inside material at the back i of the shoe II and which will readily adhere thereto Without first requiring dampening or applying moisture thereto.

In carrying out the invention, the protector I2 is preferably constructed of two pieces of material joined together by suitable means, such as by a waterproof adhesive. The one said material will be referred to as the outside facing material I3 or that material which will contact the foot, and the other material will be referred to as the backing material Iii or that material which is made fast with respect to the shoe. The facing material I3 preferably may be of cloth, soft leather, rubber composition, felt, velvet or the like, with the surface thereof of a soft and smooth finish so as not to rub against the stocking, but to present a cushioning and soft effect to the foot when in the shoe. The back material It on the reverse side may be of linen, coarse cloth or of pliable substance to which conveniently may be applied a normally tacky adhesive I 5, such as of zinc oxide and which requires no moistening when desiring to apply it to any article.

With the soft smooth outer material I3 and the base material Ill with its adherent I5 thereon manufactured in long strips, shaping and cutting the same into desired sizes for use in' shoes in the form of our stocking protectors is now in order. The shape of the protector when cut from the strip preferably is in the form of a pair of wings I8 well rounded at their outer ends. The protector may be at the top thereof arcuate in shape so as to follow substantially the contour of the back of the shoe, while the lower side of the protector from the outer end portions of the wings curve slightly upward and then downwardly towards the center thereof to provide an extension I'I having an inverted V-shaped notch EB in the middle of said extension.

In order that the protector present a cushioning effect to the foot of a wearer, it is desirable that means be provided on the base material I4 having the adhesive I5, In this connection said means preferably may be a narrow strip of sponge rubber I9 of a length less than the widest portion of the protector from wing to wing. Said strip of rubber I9 is made fast to the adhesive coating of the base material and attached thereto adjacent the top curvilinear line and preferably is curved similarly the same as the aforesaid top of the protector. Also, it may be said at this time that the strip of rubber at its exposed side is not coated with any adherent and is free to spread at all times when inv use in a shoe. While we prefer using a strip of sponge rubber, we do not wish to confine ourselves to such material, as any other suitable material such as felt, cotton, leather or the like may conveniently be used if so desired.

When stamping the protectors from the long strips of assembled face material and base material, it is desired that the cutter die (not shown) cut the desired shapes of the protectors along all edges thereof with the exception of the bottom edge of the extension il to provide said edges with small V-notches or serrations 2U. We have found the use of these serrated edges to be very advantageous, especially when the protector is in use in the shoe. Such advantages preferably may be that the protector will more readily adhere by virtue of the serrated edge to any irregularities appearing in the surface at the heel portions of shoes, and will prevent bulging and overlapping of the material comprising the protector when in the shoes. Since the shape of all heels is not identical, the serrated edge enables close contact to be had along the edge of the protector with the heel, under varying conditions of required length for the edge. Thus, by use of the serrated edge the protector will have more universal application to heels of different shapes with the assurance in each case of the edges of the protector making contact with the adjacent surface of the heel.

As it is desirable to furnish two protectors for use in a pair of shoes, and due to the coated surface l5 of the base material I4 being exposed, protective means for shipping and handling is required. Such means is shown in Figure 2 in the form of a backing or protective member 2l, preferably of crinoline, buckram or the like. This protective member preferably is of a double oval shape but larger than the protector I2, so as to be enabled to temporarily retain two protectors thereto. After the pair of protectors have been secured in place with the adhesive coated side against the surface of the protective member 2 I, said member may then be folded along crease line 22 with the facing material I3 of the protectors in juxtaposition to each other. With the protectors enclosed within the folded protective member, the packaged protectors may then be enclosed in a cellophane or similar envelope and in readiness for shipping and sale.

As shown in Figure 6, the construction of the stocking protector may be of a slightly different construction than that shown and described in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive. To this end the body portion may be of one-piece material, such as moleskin or other similar material I3. As heretofore, a normally tacky adhesive such as zinc oxide I5 may be applied as a coating and covering the entire surface on one side thereof. The side opposite the coated side preferably as in the preferred showing is of a soft velveting finish in order that no irritating effect be given to the foot rubbing thereagainst. Also, as in the preferred showing a strip of sponge rubber or similar material I9 is held fast to the adhesive coated side IE. Packaging of a pair of these protectors may be the same as heretofore mentioned, as the shape and construction are similar in every respect.

In operation and use of our improved stocking protectors I2, they first are removed from their protective backing ZI. When thus removed, the person takes one in hand and bends it with the facing material I3 of the wings I6 not quite touching and using the large V-shaped notch I8 as a guide, and in this condition it is inserted at the back of the shoe II with the bottom edge of the extension I'I resting on the heel portion of the shoe. The wings I 6 then are spread apart with each wing being made to adhere to the sides of the back portion of the shoe as shown in Figure l. Slight pressure need only be applied by merely running the finger tips over the entire outer facing material I3, and due to the zinc oxide adhesive coating the protector will readily Iadhere to the shoe material. When such protector is used by an individual the rst time it is preferable that a shoe horn or other similar device be used to assist in placing the foot into the shoe.

In use the protector will not wrinkle or pull together from the frictional rubbing of a foot thereagainst. This is prevented by virtue of the presence of the cushioning member I9 against which indirect frictional, engagement is made by the back of the foot on its covered side and as Aa result thereof will cause the said cushioning member to spread upwardly, sideways or downwardly since its shoe-contacting surface is not made to adhere to the shoe. Another feature of said cushioning member is that a slight ridge 23 is formed the entire longitudinal length thereof. This said ridge provides a cushioning effect to 2,275,191 ythe back of the foot and minimizes the foot from slipping out of the shoe. Also, since the facing is of soft pliable material rubbing of the foot thereagainst will greatly minimize runs and holes in stockings, and any perspiration from the foot will be absorbed by the said material without the material losing its effectiveness, or causing damage to the Iadhesive coating on the base material. When desiring to remove the protector from a shoe, it may easily be accomplished by gripping any part of the serrated edges vand then pulling in either direction until entirely removed.

Obviously detail changes and modifications may be made in the construction and use of our improved stocking protector without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the exact construction or operation shown or described except as set forth in the following claims when construed in the light of the prior art.

We claim:

1. A stocking protector of the character described comprising base and front portions with the base portion having a coating of adhesive adapted to be attached to the inside heel portion at the back of a shoe, said front portion being of soft pliable material against which a foot is adapted to frictionally engage and protect a stocking on the foot of Ia user at the place of contact with the protector, a flexible tubular member free of adhesive and of a length substantially the longitudinal length of the protector and arranged to lie below and parallel to the upper edge of the shoe at the back thereof and being secured 'adjacent the top of said protector to the adhesive surface on the base portion with the non-adhered portion of the tubular member arranged for engaging the inside of the shoe and adapted to flex in any direction under pressure of the foot.

2. A stocking protector of the character described comprising base and front portions with the base portion having 'a coating of adhesive adapted to be attached to the inside heel portion at the back of a shoe, said front portion being of soit pliable material against which a foot is adapted to frictionally engage and protect a' stocking on the foot of a user at the place of contact with the protector, a substantially narrow strip of sponge rubber free of adhesive and of a length substantially the longitudinal length of the protector and arranged to lie below and parallel to the upper edge of the shoe at the back thereof and being secured adjacent the top of said protector to the adhesive surface on the base portion with the non-adhered portion of the tubular member arranged for engaging the inside of the shoe and Iadapted to ilex in any direction under pressure of the foot.

SOLOMON SCHWARTZ.

SEYMOUR E. SCHWARTZ.