US2693039A - Quarter construction for slippers - Google Patents

Description

1954- R. R. BALUT QUARTER CONSTRUCTION FOR SLIPPERS Filed Jan. 26, 1953 Raymond R. Ba/uf IIINVENTOR.

United States Patent 01 QUARTER CONSTRUCTION FOR SLIPPERS Raymond R. Balut, Shavertown, Pa.

Application January 26, 1953, Serial No. 333,290

1 Claim. (Cl. 36-58.5)

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in slippers, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a slipper with an expansible and contractible quarter structure, such as will facilitate insertion of a foot therein in a simple, expeditious manner and without any possibility of bending or otherwise deforming the quarter.

The above object is achieved by forming the quarter piece of the slipper from a pair of side members which are movable toward and away from each other, and providing resilient means for urging the two side members together so that they effectively hug the heel of the foot, but at the same time, are sulficiently yieldable to permit the foot to be quickly and easily inserted or removed.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efiicient and dependable operation and in its adaptability to embodiment in slippers of various types and sizes.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as the specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof, showing the spreading action of the quarter piece when the foot is either inserted or removed from the slipper;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the subject shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the articulated reinforcing frame used in the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the slipper is designated generally by the reference character and embodies in its construction a conventional sole 12, a toe piece 14 and a quarter piece 16.

The essence of novelty in the invention resides in the construction of the quarter piece 16, the same embodying a bottom member 18 which is secured to the sole 12 and a pair of side members 20 which are connected to the bottom member 18 and are movable toward and away from each other.

The bottom member 18 as well as the side members 20 of the quarter piece are of a hollow construction and accommodate therein an articulated reinforcing frame which is best illustrated in the accompanying Figure 5 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 22.

2,693,039 Patented Nov. 2, 1954 The frame 22 consists of a base section 24 and a pair of side sections 26, all of these sections being preferably in the form of circular rings of wire the base section 24 being disposed within the base member 18 of the quarter piece, while the side sections 26 are similarly disposed within the side members 20 of the quarter, as is clearly shown in Figure 4.

The side sections 26 are movably connected to the base section 24 at diametrically opposite sides of the latter by means of coil springs 28, the free ends of these springs being so anchored to the base and side sections so that the springs also function to urge the side sections 26 together.

Accordingly, when the invention is placed in use, the side sections 26 enclosed in the side members 20 of the quarter piece will be effectively spread apart against the action of the springs 28 when a foot is either inserted or removed from the slipper as shown in Figures 2 and 3. However, once the foot is in position in the slipper, the heel of the foot will be effectively hugged by the side members 20, as will be clearly understood.

To further assist urging of the side members 20 together, an elastic band 30 extends between and is connected to the side members at the back of the quarter piece. For ornamental purposes, a suitable bow 32 may be stitched to the band 30 if so desired.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and, accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In a slipper, the combination of a sole, a quarter piece comprising a hollow bottom member attached to said sole and a pair of hollow side members connected to said bottom member and movable toward and away from each other, and an articulated quarter piece reinforcing frame formed entirely from wire material and comprising a ring-shaped bottom section disposed in said bottom member, a pair of ring-shaped side sections disposed in the respective side members and having lower edges thereof juxtaposed to opposite side edges of said bottom section, and a pair of coil springs rotatablv embracing the juxtaposed edges of the bottom and side sections, the ends of said coil springs being anchored to the bottom and side sections whereby to connect the same and urge the side sections together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 252,778 Klein Jan. 24, 1882 747,390 Echols Dec. 22, 1903 904,254 Fox Nov. 17, 1908 1,972,899 Odell Sept. 11, 1934 2,313,577 Plant Mar. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,694 Great Britain Dec. 24, 1895

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