US2497528A - Waterproof stocking and shoe protector - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 14, 1950 w, E, BAKER 2,497,528

WATERPROOF STOCKING AND SHOE PROTECTOR Fi led May 16, 1947 INVENTOR. WHEN E BAKER Patented Feb. 14, 1950 "UNITED :STATEStPAT OFFICE- WATERPB'OOF STOCKING AND SHOE PROTECTOR Wren E. Baker, Baltimore, Md.

Application May 16, 1947, Serial No. 748,505

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to foot coverings and more particularly to a flexible covering to be placed on the foot alone; on a stocking in a shoe; or outside the shoe itself, to protect the foot,

stocking or shoe against injury, rain, water,

snow or other items that the user has to walk through.

In a particular form of foot sleeve, the device is made of some ordinary fabric that is formed to flexibly fit the unstockinged foot of a user, and form a lining for a shoe in which it is used. Its main purpose is to protect the foot against the rubbing of the shoe and causing of blisters and other superficial physical injuries to the users foot. Its main use is to enable the user to put a shoe on an unstockinged foot and have the rest of the leg bare, to comply with special fashions or customs arising periodically or geographically from time to time, or based on health reasons. Its structure is of the simplest nature without any special regard as to how it should fit or what particular requirements it should meet. It is however conspicuous by reason of it being of the fabric material. In order to avoid it bein noticeable when in use, it is limited to the size of the shoe so it will not be seen above the sides of the shoe when placed on the foot therein. It does not afford much protection against rain or water or anticipate its use with the recently used open-teed shoe, which ordinarily would make its use unsuitable.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved foot and shoe glove that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved foot and shoe glove that will be easy to carry around and place securely on the foot, stocking, or opened-toe or latticed shoe of the user to protect it against injury, rain and other conditions met through during the use of shoes.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a new and improved foot or shoe glove for the foot that will be inconspicuous yet effective for the purposes intended.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

For a clearer understanding of the invention,

its principles and objects thereof reference is made to the appended drawings and the following description. These together outline a particular form of the invention by way of example, while the claim points out and distinguishes the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a foot and shoe glove embodying this invention, the dotted outline including a phantom view of the foot on which it is mounted.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the glove shown on the foot of the user inside an opened-toe shoe, parts being broken away to show the arrangement underneath;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the glove mounted on the top of an open-toe shoe.

Figure 4' is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 5, and

Figure 5 is a view of the bottom of the foot glove shown in Figure 2.

Similar reference numerals pertain to the same parts throughout the various figures.

In the construction shown in the drawings, I0 is a foot and shoe glove made of a flexible or plastic transparent plastic in a form suitable to fit the contour of the human foot II and like- Wise to fit a shoe l2. This is arranged by forming the instep underneath I3 raised to conform roughly with the sole and heel parts of the shoe,

so as to fit thereon. This contouring in the material does not prevent it being flexibly adjusted to the foot itself when placed directly thereon or over a stocking. The heel is provided with several external ribs M running longitudinally to stiffen this portion and enable it to withstand considerable wear, and yet not interfere with the handling and folding of the glove when not in use. Likewise the toe portion is provided with external ribs 15 to protect that part, especially against the abrasion caused by kicking an object. The ribs in both instances prevent the glove from creeping in any direction. They are spread out sufiiciently to avoid an uncomfortable effect on the user and take up the wear where it is greatest. The plastic which could be somewhat similar to synthetic rubber should be reasonably thick, as indicated in the drawings, to give it adequate strength and wearability, without diminishing its flexibility appreciably.

The use of the glove on the foot of the user enables him to walk on the ground without his feet being contaminated or injured thereby, depending on the circumstances. At the same-time, the glove is hardly noticeable as it is transparent. In the second instance, using the glove on top of a stocking on the foot and in an openedtoe shoe, the glove prevents the owners toe from making a hole in the stocking, and it takes up all the abrasions, shocks and rubbings that occur on the shoe stocking projecting from the toe of the shoe. In case of rain or snow, the glove protects the stocking and incidentally the foot within it. Another or third use of the glove, is for placement over the shoe itself where it will act as a preservative or coating against rain, snow and dirt. It will retain the appearance and polish of the shoe and may be readily removed if desired.

The upper rim l6 of the glove is curved from the front to the rear and is higher in back of the heel portion I! to hold itself securely thereon by its resiliency. It is not of much consequence whether the shoe is higher or lower than the rim of the glove, as the latter is transparent and becomes inconspicuous. It is made relatively thin so it can be handled easily and to make it very flexible for carrying purposes. This flexibility also enables it to be placed on or removed from the foot or shoe readily and stretch to suit. The plastic used is preferably of the synthetic rubber class, but other classes of plastics, well known at the present time, can be employed in the construction of the device. All such plastics are made in the transparent or translucent form, are elastic and Waterproof. The glove can be made by conventional dipping methods, with the ribs formed without much additional trouble. As already described, the foot glove herein referred to is usable in four ways: (a) on to of a shoe; (b) on top of a stocking; directly on the foot of the user, and (d) directly on the foot but under a stocking worn by the user. The transparency of the material reduces the heat eifects of the glove on the foot.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to ths particular form or in any other way otherwise than limited by the scope thereof, as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A glove for a foot comprising a thin plastic shell of uniform thickness, said shell having a sole engaging portion contoured to elastically fit the foot of the wearer and an upper portion terminating in a rim closely fitting the top of the foot, and the heel and toe portions of said sole having a plurality of spaced narrow independent ribs disposed only longitudinally of the sole throughout the length of the heel portion of the sole and at the extreme toe end only thereof, each of the ribs at the toe end of the sole continuing up onto the forward end of the upper portion.

WREN E. BAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 39,862 Hood Mar. 2, 1909 1,537,778 Nyhagen May 12, 1925 1,552,022 Willson Sept. 1, 1925 1,604,954 Artz Nov. 2, 1926 1,810,514 Bennett June 16, 1931 1,907,856 Murphy May 9, 1933 1,952,628 MacDonald Mar. 29, 1934 1,980,486 King Nov. 13, 1934 2,079,331 Nyhagen May 4, 1937 2,114,421 Guifire Apr. 19, 1938 2,257,390 Maling Sept. 30, 1941 2,276,398 Hosker Mar. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,864 Great Britain Aug. 1, 1912

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