US2399638A - Antislipping device - Google Patents

Description

May 1946- J. KALNITZ 2,399,638

ANTISLIPPING DEVICE Filed March 15, 1945 INVENTOR Jszgn KALNlTl ATTORNEYS Patented May 7, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AN TISLIPPIN G DEVICE Joseph Kalnitz, Buffalo, N. Y. Application March 13, 1945, Serial No. 582,484

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to an anti-slip foot attachment for personal use.

According to the present invention devices are provided which are readily attached to or detached from a users feet and which, when worn, give the user safe and certain grip and traction on ice or other normally slippery surfaces.

Among the advantages of the presently proposed device is the fact that the main support portions for the gripping elements are relatively rigid, so as to eliminate any likelihood of relative movement, in a horizontal plane between the gripping elements and the foot of the wearer, assuming the device is firmly secured to the foot. To further the attainment of this relative stability and still produce a device which may be worn with comfort and ease, the main body portion of the device has an oblique hinge which registers generally with the normal line along which the fore part of the human foot bends in normal walking, particularly at about the time when a step is completed and the foot is about ready to be raised and drawn forward for a subsequent step. The general arrangement of the device of the present invention is such that accurate fitting of the device to each individual foot size or shoe style is not essential and accordingly fewer dilferent sizes are required to round out a complete line.

Many other objects and advantages of the present invention will occur to those skilled in this art from a consideration of the device set forth in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. While specific details of construction are shown by way of example, it is to be understood that modifications and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of One form of the device of my invention shown detached;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the attachment of Fig. 1 applied to the foot of a user; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with the users foot in a flexed position.

In the several figures of the drawing, like characters of reference denote like parts and the numeral l0 designates a base plate of metal or other material of sufficient strength and rigidity. The base plate In conforms generally to that part of the human foot lying .behind the line along which the fore part of the human foot flexes during walking or running. A complementary base plate portion II is shaped to conform gen- 5 simply and effectively by erally to the remaining forward part of the human foot, and it is hinged to the base plate H! as at I2 in Fig. 1. The attachment shown in the drawing is for a users left foot and accordingl the top edge as viewed in Fig. 1 will be the outer edge, while the lower edge will be the inneredge. It will, accordingly, be noted from Figgl that the axis of the hinge is disposedto extend somewhat rearwardly across the foot from the inside to the outside.

The heel portion of the plate ill has riveted, spot-welded, or otherwise secured thereto, a U- shaped plate I3, whose inner and outer marginal edges are provided with serrated or toothed flanges l4 and IS. The forward part of base plate I!) and plate portion l I are similarly provided with U-shaped plates l8 and I9, respectively. The plates I 8 and ill have toothed flanges 20 and 2!, respectively, and together provide a more or less elliptical gripping portion for the sole of the users foot.

For ready and secure attachment, strap elements are provided and these may be secured assembling them between the base portions l0 and H and the U- shaped toothed elements. The front strap comprises merely a straight strap 24 having a buckle 25 at one end and a tongue portion at the other, the medial portion of the strap being held be tween the sole base plate portion H and the toothed element Id. The strap 24 is merely buckled across the toe portion of the foot of the user.

The rear strap means preferably comprises a strap portion 38 secured at a medial point between the base plate ill and the U-shaped heel element E3. The strap element has loops SI and 32 at its opposite ends and a single straight strap 33 is passed between both loops of the strap element 30 as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The strap 33 likewise has a buckle 34 at one end and a tongue portion 35 at its other. The manner in which the strap elements 3!] and 33 are fastened about the lower portion of the ankle of the wearer is believed to be clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 and requires no further description. It will be noted, by reference to Figs. 2 and 3, that there is no fixed, necessary relationship between the location of strap 33 and the rear end of plate l8 and toothed plate l3. Accordingly, no accurate fit is required and the device could be secured firmly to a users foot with a considerable lack of registry between the rear end of the base plate In and the rear of the heel of the users shoe, either in one direction or the other. Obviously,

other fastener means than the tongue buckles illustrated may be employed without deviating from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An anti-slipping footwear attachment comprising a plate contoured generally to conform to the heel and the rear part of the sole of a users foot, a second plate having a horizontal hinge connection to the first plate at its forward end and contoured to conform to the remaining front part of the sole, other plates secured against the bottoms of said plates and having their marginal edges flanged downwardly and provided with toothed anti-slip formations, and strap means first two plates and said 1 end forward, a second U-shaped plate secured to the forward end of the clamped between the other plates and having fastening means for securement about the foot of a user. 1

2. An anti-slipping footwear attachment comprising a plate to the heel and the rear part of the sole of users foot, a second plate having a horizontal hinge connection to the first plate at its forward end and contoured to conform to the remaining front part of the sole, a U-shaped plate secured,

to the heel portion of the first plate with its open end forward, a second U-shaped plate secured to the forward end of the first plate with its open end forward, and a third U-shaped plate secured contoured generally to conform 0 bottoms of said first to said second plate with its open end rearward, said three U -shaped plates being secured to the bottoms of said first two plates and having their marginal edges flanged downwardly and provided with anti-slip formations, and attaching devices associated with securement to the foot of a user.

3. An anti-slipping footwear attachment comprising a plate contoured generally to conform 0 to the heel and the rear part of the sole of a users foot, a second plate having a horizontal hinge connection to the first plate at its forward 'end and contoured to conform to the remaining front part of the sole, a U-shaped plate secured to the heel portion of the first plate with its open first plate with its open end forward, and a third U-shaped plate secured to said second plate with its open end rearward, said three U-shaped plates being secured to the two plates and having their marginal edges flanged downwardly and provided with anti-slip formations, and strap means clamped between the first two plates and said U- shaped plates and having fastening means for securement about the foot of a user.

JOSEPH KALNIT Z.

each of said plates for

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