US2383117A

US2383117A - Treaded shoe sole and heel

Info

Publication number: US2383117A
Application number: US469431A
Authority: US
Inventors: Abraham C Fellman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1942-12-18
Filing date: 1942-12-18
Publication date: 1945-08-21
Anticipated expiration: 1962-08-21

Description

'Aug. 21, 1945.

A. c. FELLMAN TREADED SHOE SOLE AND HEEL Filed Dec. 18, 1942 i huenar AMA/MM' 61 &LL/AN BY fid n had* n'r-ronvey Patented Aug. 2 1, 1945 lUNlTED STATES PATENT -OFFICE TREADED SHOE SOLE AND HEEL Abraham C. Fellnan, Norfolk, -Va. Application December 18, 1`942, Serial No. 489,&31

l claim.

My invention relates to shoe soles and heels. Its object is to provide a tread which will not slip on a smooth wet surface and is particularly adapted for use on shoes to be worn aboard ships, the decks of which are made slippery by water, which is sometimes greasy.

In the accompanying drawing, illustra'ting preferred embodiments of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a shoe sole hav ing such a tread;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a tread;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-section on the line 3--3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of a heel having a tread thereon Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively fragmentet-y plan views of modified treads.

In Fig. 1, a base S, in the form of a sole, -is provided on the under surface of its Iorepart with a tread W, underlying the ball of the foot. In Fig. i the base is in the form of a separate heel H, having a tread Wl. The base s, Fig. 1, is shown without a heel, but may, of course, have a heel attached to or integral with it, which may be provided with a tread WI shown in Fig. 4. The base is preferably of reclaimed rubber, but it may be of a leather orother suitable material.

The tread comprises a plurality of groups of narrow ribs of vulcanized gum rubber of a good quality which is soft and pliable It is attached to the under surface of the base and preterably projects below that surface. The ribs of each group form similarly shaped closed concentric geometric figures.

In the tread W, shown in Figs. 1 to 3, and the tread Wl, shown in Fig. 4, there are three such ribs forming concentric circles, in each group, an inner rib a, an intermediate rib b and an outer rib c. The ribs of each group form therebetween concentric grooves y and z and the inner rib a forms a small cup x. There are also, in the case of the circular ribs, hollows w bounded by the outer ribs of adjacent groups, The tread has a narrow edge v.

The ribs a, b and c, the edge v and the grooves y and z are preferably about %3 of an inch, between 5 and of an inch in depth and the ribs and grooves are about between 3 and 3 2 of an inch wide.

The tread W is preferably inset into the under surface of the base to such distance that it projects below the under surface of the base preferably about i& of an inch, or between and ot an inch.

When the base, to which the treads are to be applied, is oi a moldable vulcanizable material, such as reclaimed rubber, I may form and attach the treads in a single operation. I place a flat piece of new unvulcanized gum rubber of suitable dimensions, which is to form the tread W, in the proper location upon the bottom of a mold which has complementary projections and indentations for Iorming respectively the grooves and ribs of the tread. I place the piece of reclaimed rubber which is to form the base thereupon. By

applying pressure and heat, as in vulcanizing, the

tread is molded into the shape desired and the parts are pressed and vulcanized together and the tread is inset into the base as shown in Fig. 3.

It desired, the tread may be formed as a separate unit, as by molding and vulcanizing a piece of the gum rubber, which can then be attached to the base by vulcanizing or by cement The base may have a suitably shaped recess to receive the tread when the tread is inset. When the tread is separately formed, it is provided with the back portion m which is cemented or otherwise attached to the base.

In the modified tread W2 of Fig. 5, the ribs and intervening grooves form concentric Squares or rectangles and in the modified tread W3 of Fig. 6, the ribs and grooves form concentric triangles. These modified treads are otherwise the same as the treads W and Wl of Figs. 1 to 4 and may be made and applied in like manner.

Shoes provided with treaded soles of the invention take a remarkably strong grip on a wet slippery surface, such as a wet, greasy deck. This appears to be due in part to the fact that, when the wearer of the shoe steps on such a surface. the pressure of his weight forces the ribs of the tread through the film of moisture, pressing the moisture up into the grooves 'and cavities in the tread, and compresses the soft and pliable ribs against the comparatively dry surface beneath them.

In contrast to the soft pliable character of the gum rubber of which the tread is made, the ma.- terial of the base portion of the sole or heel, whether of rubber, composition or leather, is comparatively hard and firm so as to resist deformation by pressure and to hold the stitches securey by which it is attached to the shoe upper.

While the strong grip of the treads is the main advantage of the soles and heels of my invention, they have also the advantages of being inexpensive to make and of requiring only a small amount I claim:

A shoe sole of the character described including a flexible base portion having a depression therein and extendin: throughout the major portion thei-ect, and a resilient tread portion secured within and filling said depression and being of a substantial uniform thickness throughout so as to extend outwardly beyond the plane oi' the base portion. said tread portion having a non-slipping suriace-engaging face formed to provide a rib extending circumierentialy therearound; and a muitipiicity of independent surface gripping areas completely filling the space deflned by said circumferentiaiiy extending rib, each ot said independent areas being composed of a series o! spaced concentric ribs, the outernost rib oi' each o! said independent areas being disposed in contacting relation with at least two of the outermost ribs o! the adjacent independent surface gripping -areas so as to provide a vacuum producing area ot substantially triangular coniiguration therebetween. whereby to aflord a planar non-slipping surface gripping tread portion having a plurality of vacuum producing areas of substantially uniiorm depth and distribution throughout substantially the entire area oi' said tread portion.

A. C. FELIMAN.