US2539557A

US2539557A - Shoe construction

Info

Publication number: US2539557A
Application number: US121372A
Authority: US
Inventors: William B Stroup
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-10-14
Filing date: 1949-10-14
Publication date: 1951-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-30

Description

Jan. 30, 1951 I w, s ou 2,539,557

SHOE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM B. Snzouw Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE SHOE CONSTRUCTION William B. Stroup, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application October 14, 1949, Serial No. 12137 2 3-Glaimsr I This invention relates to a novel shoe construction, and more particularly to a shoe construction' having heel, shank and toe sets for reinforcing the shoe in a manner to properly support a foot in its natural position, thus providing for-greater wearing: ease, better foot support and longer life of shoes.-

It is an object of this invention to provide a shoeof the kind: tobe more particularly described hereinafter having heel, shank and toe sets particularly formed and positioned in a shoe to support the foot in is natural position. A shoe last is formed for properly receiving the sets in their respective positions in the shoe and for forming a depression: in the soleof' the shoe for properly receiving the great toe of the foot in its naturally-depressed relation to the other toes. Another: object of: this; invention is to provide a shoe construction and last having a depressed great toe. portion in which the great toe may be depressed in its natural position, a heel set: in the shoe to make the counter and heel position permanent during the wearing life of the shoe, and a shank set to support the shank position and arch structure while the shoeis being worn.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a heel set for a shoe construction of this kind which is supported in the counter to hold the heel against sliding inthe shoe and wearing the counter into: a distorted side bearing position. By supporting the foot against sliding in the heel of the-shoe, the foot will constantly be supported on its upper fiat position during the life of the shoe construction.

A further object ofthis invention is to provide a shoe-supporting member for engagement in a shoe, the-arch-sup'portin member being fixed at one end and sli'dably engaging in a shank set carried by the insole to provide for the free movement' or flexing of the shoe having the built-in support while still providing for the firm support of the of the foot when totally supported on the sole of the shoe.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combinati'en' and details ofconstruction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more partic' arly pointed out in the appended claims;

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is aperspective View of a shoe last and related: shoe insole constructed according to an embodiment of invention;

Figure 2 is abottom' plan view of the shoe last;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the shoe illsole living heel and toe sets and a shank support constructed according to this invention;

Figure 4" is a longitudinal section of a shoe of this invention ed on a related shoe last, the last being partly broken. away and partly in secion;

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4-;i

Figured is a fragmentary detailed sect-ion taken on the line 6-45. of Figure 4;

Figure 7- is a transverse section of the heel set removed from the shoe construction;

Figure 8 is at plarr view of the toe set blank removed from the shoe;

Figure 9 is a plan ViEW' of thesha'nk set before engagement in the shoe.

Referring, to the drawings, the numeral I0 designates generally ashoe constructed according to-anembodiment of my invention. The shoe: It is particularly designed for. containingwithinthe sole" H a toe set l2", a. heel set 14* and ashank or arch-supporting member I5. The counter i6 is of a substantially conventional construction, secured to the side edges or periphery of the-welt-type sole; In accordance with the general welt-type shoe construction, a resilient inner lining or pad i? is disposed between the inner sole I8 and outer sole l9 along the toe and shank portions of the shoe.

From aconsideration of the relative positions of the toes ofa human foot when standing on a soft surface, as the. earth, it will be noted that the great toe is depressed further than: the other toes and portions of the foot. This is the natural position of the toes, heel and ball of the foot, and if the foot may be supported in a shoe in the same manner, it can-be readily seen that added foot comfort and reater shoe life will be provided. With this in mind, it is proposed that in this shoe It, the inner sole t8.- shall be formed with adepression 26 in place to receivethe great toe below the plane of the lower surface of the other toes and the heel of the foot. Also; the toe set i-Z will be supported in the toe portion of the shoe to provide a reinforcement in the shoe adjacent. the great toe depression- 213: to support the other toes at a slightly higher level.

The. toe set I 2 is formed of a suitable rigid material, as stainless steel, aluminum or other suitable material resistant to rust and corrosion. The set I-E-r will be formed of a flat blank .2 formed of a pair of arcuately bowed oval sections 25 and 26- having an outwardly-extending arm 21 extendingfrom one side of one of the oval sections, as the section 2'6, clearly shown inFigure 8 of the drawings. The oval sections will be bent to a face to face abutting position. with thearm 21 extending outwardlyperpendicular to the section 26, then reverted for underlying the lower edges of the upstanding oval sections. The underlying arm 21 constitutes a base member for attachment to the lower side of the inner sole l8, while the bowed, arcuate, oval sections will define an upwardly-extending set member 28 engageable through an opening 29 in the toe portion of the inner sole l8. The set member 28 will be positioned on the inner side of the great toe recess or depression 20 on the inner side of the great toe and will protrude slightly upwardly above the upper surface of the insole to form a sort of bearing member to hold the toe portion of a foot from sliding transversely of the toe portion of the shoe l0. Suitable nails, not shown in the drawings, or other suitable fastening means are used for securing the base member 21 to the insole.

The last 30, on which the shoe I is formed, is provided with a set member 3| on the lower side of the great toe position for forming the depression 20 in the insole. A notch or opening 32 is formed in the last 3|], adjacent the toe set member 3| for receiving the toe set member 28 in the formation of the shoe. A suitable anvil or abutment plate 34 is secured on the last 39 adjacent the opening 32 for forming an abutment to bend the nails engaged through the insole l8 for securing the toe set [2 thereto.

The heel set M is secured in the heel portion of the shoe ID for supporting the heel of a foot against sliding in the shoe and distorting the counter IS in the manner resulting from walking in shoes of a conventional construction. The heel set M is formed of a plate of metal 35 bent into a forwardly-opening U-shape, similar to the configuration of the lower portion of the heel of the shoe H). The plate 35 is disposed within the heel of the shoe within the counter and is formed with an inturned marginal flange 36 on the lower edge thereof for engagement under the heel portion of the insole l8, clearly noted in Figure 3 of the drawings.

A pair of inwardly-extending tabs or arms 3! are formed on the opposite ends of the flange 36 to be secured by conventional fastening means to the lower side of the insole l8 for securing the heel set thereon. The flange 36 and tabs 31 are disposed between the insole and heel H of the shoe l0.

An abutment plate or anvil 38 i secured on the heel portion of the last 3!] for providing an abutment to be engaged by the nails used for securing the heel set M to the shoe in in the construction thereof.

The arch support I is formed with an elongated bar 39 formed of metal or other suitably rigid material having a degree of resiliency for bending when a force is applied to the ends thereof. The bar 39 is fixedly secured to the under side of the insole 3 adjacent the heel H and extends forwardly under the area of the shank portion of the insole H3. The forward, lower end of the arch-supporting bar 39 is slidably engaged in a socket member 40 disposed rearwardly of the ball portion of the insole IE on the lower side, as clearly noted in Figure 4 of the drawings.

The socket member 49 is formed of a 'metal plate 4| bent upon itself to form a pair of overlying

oval plates

42 and 44 secured together along one transverse edge. bowed along the length thereof and spaced apart along the edge opposite the juncture of the plates to define the socket 40 open on the rear end thereof. A pair of laterally-extending tangs 45 are formed on one edge of one of the plates, as

the plate 42, for penetrating engagement into the under side of the insole 18 between the insole l8 and outer sole [9.

The forward end of the supporting bar 39 is slidably engaged in the open end of the socket member 49 to provide for the free sliding move- The overlying plates arev ment of the supporting bar 39 upon flexing of the shoe in the region of the arch of the shoe as effected by the normal walking of a person wearing the shoe I0. While the free end of the supporting bar .39 is free to slide between the insole l8 and outer sole I 9 when walking in the shoe in, the bar 39 will provide for the proper and desirable rigid support of the arch of a foot when bearing downwardly on the arch of the shoe I0.

The heel plate 38, carried by the shoe last 30, also provides an abutment for the free end of the nail engaged through the rear end of the archsupporting bar 39 for securing the supporting bar 39 to the insole I8.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact detail of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a shoe, an inner sole having a toe section, a heel section and a shank section interconnecting said heel and toe sections, there being a longitudinally extending depression provided in said toe section contiguous to one side thereof for the reception of the big toe of a foot, a toe set disposed adjacent to and spaced from the opposite side of said toe section and secured thereto for holding the big toe against displacement transversely of said inner sole, a heel set circumposed about said heel section and secured thereto, and an arch support fabricated of resilient material disposed longitudinally of and underlying said shank section having the end contiguous to said heel section secured thereto and having the other end thereof mounted for movement longitudinally of said inner sole.

2. In a shoe, an inner sole having a toe section, a heel section and a shank section interconnecting said heel and toe sections, there being a longitudinally extending depression provided in said toe section contiguous to one side thereof for the reception of the big toe of a foot, a toe set disposed adjacent to and spaced from the opposite side of said toe section and secured thereto for holding the big toe against displacement transversely of said inner sole, a heel set circumposed about said heel section and secured thereto, and an arch support fabricated of resilient material disposed longitudinally of and underlying said shank section having the end contiguous to said heel section secured thereto and having the other end thereof mounted for movement longitudinally of said inner sole, said toe set comprising a pair of arcuately bowed sections disposed in face to face abutting relation with respect to each other and supported longitudinally of said inner sole.

3. In a shoe, an inner sole having a toe section, a heel section, and a shank section interconnecting said heel and toe sections, there being a longitudinally extending depression provided in said toe section contiguous to one side thereof for the reception of the big toe of a foot, a toe set disposed adjacent to and spaced from the opposite side of said toe section and secured thereto for holding the big toe against displacement transversely of said inner sole, a heel set circumposed about said heel section and secured thereto, a longitudinally disposed socket member positioned beneath said inner sole and having its open end facing toward said heel section, and an arch support fabricated of resilient material disposed longitudinally of and underlying said shank section having the end contiguous to said heel section secured thereto and having the other end thereof extending into the open end of said file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS socket member and slidably received and sup- Number Name Date ported therein for movement longitudinally of Re 11 967 Roche Feb 11 1902 said inner Solet g I p June 9, 1903 WILLIAM STROUP- 6 892,601 Lucke July 7, 1908 A 1,575,466 Tyler Mar. 2, 1926 REFERENCES CITED 1,850,977 Musebeck Mar. 22, 1932 The following references are of record in the 2,227,426 Davis, Jr. Jan. 7, 1941