US2462324A - Shoe with resilient closure means - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 22, 1949. I CIA. JULIUSON 2,462,3 24

SHOE WITH RESILIENT'CLOSURE MEANS Filed Jan. 29, 1946 INVENTOR.

BY Lp Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNI TED STATES PATENT OFF-l CE SHOE WITH RESILIENT CLOSURE MEANS Charles A. Juliuson, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application January 29, 1946, Serial No. 644,073

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to shoe construction and it has particular reference to closure devices therefor, and its principal object resides in the provision of a shoe structure whereby conventional laces, and other types of common retaining mediums, can be eliminated.

An object of the invention is that of providing a shoe construction which embodies a tensioned closing means for the opening or placket in the upper to facilitate the donning or dofling of the shoes, and avoid the necessity for lacing or otherwise fasten the same, and afiord an efficient and comfortable means for securing the same upon the wearers feet.

Broadly, the invention seeks to comprehend the provision of a fastening device for shoes which affords a practical and desirable means for retaining the shoes while presenting a more attractive foot dress.

While the foregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects will become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of the spring element for closing the shoe and retaining the same.

Figure 2 is a perspective illustration of a shoe having its upper formed with rolled and stitched edges or tunnels along the placket thereof, a portion of one being shown cut away to illustrate the position of the spring element therein.

Figure 3 fragmentarily shows a form of upper in which the rolled edges are unsecured and showing the spring element thereunder in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a lateral cross-sectional view across the instep, taken on lines 4-4 of Figure 3, illustrating the outwardly rolled substantially tubular tunnels forming pockets removably receiving the parallel prongs of the spring element, and

Figure 5 is a lateral cross-sectional illustration, taken on lines 5-5 of Figure 2, showing the rolled edges forming substantially tubular tunnels and stitched to the upper and encasing the spring element.

Accordingly, the invention comprises a spring closing element In which is preferably of spring steel and thus highly tensile. Its form, as in Figure 1, defines a substantial ring I l at its lower end from which extends a pair of spaced parallel prongs l2 which turn outwardly and upwardly and are slightly curved at their unner ends 13.

The upper M of the shoe I5. along the edges l6 of the placket I"! in the front thereof, is formed with outwardly rolled portions 18 which extend upwardly from the toe cap l9 to the top 29 and rearwardly therealong terminating over the instep portion 2!, as in Figure 2. This arrangement defines substantially tubular tunnels in which the parallel prongs l2 of the spring element ID are arranged, as shown in Figure 2, the ring portion l I of the latter being arranged about the lower end of the placket l1 and encased by a flap 22. The upper ends l'3 of the prongs l2 ranging back along the rim of the upper I4 and conforming to the contour of the ankle.

Obviously, the spring element I 0, when properly formed and of suitable tensioned material, will yieldably retain the placket l'l securely closed and the shoe l 5 may be removed from the wearers foot by slipping it oif without unfastening the same.

The invention may be constructed to embody a form whereby the spring element In can be made detachable or replaceable, as in Figures 3 and 4, by forming the tunnels in which the spring element I0 is arranged without securing the outer edges a of the rolls [8 thus providing open channels 23 through which the parallel prongs l2 of the spring element It can be inserted. The rolls is are preferably hardened, as in the conventional manner of constructing counters or toe caps, to provide suitable containers for the spring [0.

If desirable a small coil spring, or other type of tensioned device, may be connected across the prongs l2 near the ring portion II to increase the tension of the spring It! or strengthen the same. such a device would be arranged across the lower end of the placket l7.

Manifestly, the structure herein shown and described is capable of considerable changes and modifications by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a shoe construction having an upper with an opening formed in its front instep portion, in combination, opposing channels formed along the edges of said instep portion on each side of said opening and extending rearwardly from the top of said opening along portions of the top of said upper. a substantially U-shaped tensioned member arranged in said channels and having the upper extended ends of the spaced parallel legs of said member oppositely extended along the portions of said channels formed in the top of said upper.

2. In a shoe construction having an upper and an opening in the instep portion thereof, in com- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 904,254 Fox Nov. 17, 1908 1,704,299 Marth Mar. 5, 1929 ,762,615 Diether June 10, 1930 1,798,271 Perugia Mar. 31, 1931 1,908,293 Holmes May 9, 1933

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