US2904980A

US2904980A - Sport sock

Info

Publication number: US2904980A
Application number: US732983A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stellita G Stinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-05-05
Filing date: 1958-05-05
Publication date: 1959-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1976-09-22

Description

Sept. 22, I959 2,904,980

S. G. STINSON SPORT SOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5, 1958 INVENTOR Sfe/I/fa 6. Sf/nson A T'TORNEY Sep 22, 1959 s. G. STINSON 2,904,990

SPORT SOCK Filed May 5, 19 58 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR S/el/fia 6. 59/0900 ATTORNEYS United ttes atent SPORT SOCK Stellita G. Stinson, Santa Ana, Calif.

Application May 5, 1958, Serial No. 732,983

4 Claims. (Cl. 66-171) This invention relates to knitted articles of footwear and particularly to socks which are intended for sport, informal and house wear.

Women who play golf and tennis, or who are active in other sports, have found that wearing of the usual short socks or anklets allow their legs to become tan while their ankles remain untan, especially because they are covered by the socks which they wear. The contrast between the tan and untan portions of womens legs presents an unattractive appearance when the legs are bare or when sheer stockings are worn. Stocking feet are available but are intended to be worn inside the shoes and have no leg or ankle portion whatsoever, and have been found to be unsatisfactory for active sport wear because the heel portions of stocking feet tend to work down into the shoe and thus become uncomfortable. Efforts have been made to overcome this slipping down of the stocking feet by stiffening the heel portion of the stocking feet, but stiffening material makes the stocking uncomfortable and also hard to launder. ttempts have also been made to provide a sock with a foot portion with a tab that envelopes the rear portion of a shoe which exposes the wearers ankle portion, and at the same time, resists the tendency of the heel portions to slip down in the shoe. However, socks of this description or type, for the most part, can only be worn in a shoe and consequently are not desirable for casual use around the house, or if the wearer is not interested in using the sock solely for the purpose of obtaining an evenly tanned leg, the sock is impracticable because of its unattractive appearance.

It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome the objections and disadvantages provided by conven tional socks heretofore, and provide an article. of footwear which at the wearers election may cover only the portions of the feet that are inside the shoes, leaving the wearers ankles as well as the rest of the legs bare, and

at the same time, resists the tendency of the heel portions to slip down despite the activity incidental to sports wear.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sock which has a cuff that may be turned up around the ankle or down around the top of a shoe in which it may be sock whichdoes not go down into the shoe whether the cuff of the sock is worn turned up or in the shoe overlapping position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sock which may have a double thickness, looped cuff which may be used with an instep of various lengths so that the sock will not slip down in the wearers shoe.

, knit fabric.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sock which may be knit in two separate sections by two different knitting machines, and then combined by use of a third knitting machine.

Other objects and features of this invention will become readily apparent from the following description and the accompanied sheet of illustrated drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the sport sock constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and showing the manner in which the cuff of the sock may be worn in a turned-up position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the sport sock as it would appear in a shoe when the cuff is worn in an overlapping position.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the sock of the present invention showing the construction thereof with the cuff in its turned-up position.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a further embodiment of the sock of this invention.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the sock showing its relationship to the shoe.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the sock on a part showing various possible lengths of the instep, any of which may be used with a double thickness, looped cuff.

The sock shown in Figures 1 and 3, comprises a foot portion 11, having a toe portion 1, a sole portion 2, a side portion 3, an instep portion 4, and a heel portion 5. The side portion 3 extends from the toe portion 1 to the heel portion 5. The instep portion 4 extends from the foot portion 11 to a higher than normal position on the wearers ankles to the front of fold line 6 as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The remainder of the sock which is not covered by the instep portion is open at the top. The height of the heel portion 5 is substantially equal to the heel portion of a shoe with which the sock is to be worn such as shoe If) as shown in Figure 2. The height of the side portions 3 and the length of instep portion 4 are such that the portions of the foot covered by the sock are substantially more extensive than the por tion of the foot which would be covered by prior-art ankle socks designed for the same purpose.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention the sock is provided with a cuff '7 which extends upwardly from the heel portion 5, circumferential with the side portion 3, to the instep portion 4. As is illustrated in the drawing, the cuff 7 is formed of rib knit fabric, but need not be the same knit as the foot portion, while the other portions of the sock are formed of plain This difference in fabric gives the cuff 7 greater weight or body so that when it is turned down outside the heel portion of the shoe 10, as illustrated in Figure 2, it will lie neatly in place to present an attractive appearance and at the same time aid the heel portion 5 in keeping its snug upright position in the shoe. The line of transition from the plain knit heel portion of the foot portion 11 and the cuff 7 provides a natural fold line 6 and cooperates with the cuff 7 in keeping the heel portion 5 smooth and in place. However, it must be kept in mind that the main factor in this preferred embodiment, in keeping the sock from slipping down in the shoe is the fact that the instep 4 extends up the ankle of the wearer to a higher degree than previously designed ankle socks. It should also be noted that the sock of the invention does not require any elastic or binding material around the fold line 6 to resist. the tendency of the sock of slipping down in the shoe or to assist in holding it in position.

The knitted ribs 9 provide stiffness in the longitudinal direction of the sock which when worn in an upright position as shown in Figure 1 will tend to stay snug to the ankle without exhibiting any uncomfortable or unattractive wrinkles in the sock. .Also, the stiffness and rigidity of ribs 9 in cooperation with fold line 6 holds the cuff against being drawn up over the edge of the shoe and down in the inside of the heel which is the tendency of conventional sport socks.

The height of the heel portion 5 is just above that .of the heel portion of the shoe so that the cuff may be folded over the top edge of the shoe l0 and display an attractive appearance. It should also be noted that the instep portion 4 which opens into the V-neck openingfi will extend farther up the front of the ankle at fold line 6 than it will at the rear of the ankle at fold line 6.

The sock of this invention may be produced on a full fashioned knitting machine with too structures and .a heel structure characteristic of full-fashioned hosiery, but it has been found easier to knit the foot portion 11 and cuff portions '7 on separate full-fashioned knitting machines, and then combine the cuff portion 7 of foot portion I1 along the fold line 6 by a separate knitting looping machine, which speeds up completion of the article of manufacture.

It must also be noted that the cuff of the sock of this invention may be decorated, ornamented, and dressed up with differentcolored threads or designs for a desirable costume effect, whether the cuff is worn over the top of the shoe or turned up around the leg as shown in Figure 1. This sock has a finished look regardless of whether it is Worn without a shoe or not. It is obvious that its purposes are two-fold, mainly that when worn as a sport sock or for casual house wear the cuff would be turned up around the ankle where as when it is used with golf shoes or other sport shoes it will be turned down, as it will dress up the shoe because of its overlapping decorative effect. The cuff 6 is also provided with a V- neck opening 8 so that when cuff '7 is turned down, the cuff will not be in the way of the tongue of the shoe or laces.

The alternative embodiment of this invention is shown in Figure 4. This embodiment is made in much the same way as the preferred embodiment but differs from the preferred embodiment in that it has a double thickness, looped cuff, both ends of which are attached at the fold line 17, making a continuous cuff around the entire ankle of the wearer.

The fact that the cuff 16 is looped to the foot portion at 18 gives a reinforced thread seam extending around the wearers instep as shown in Figure 4 by

points

13, 14, and 15. Thus, it can be seen that when the double thickness, looped cuff 16 is turned down over the top of shoe 10, the portion of the sock between

numerals

13 and 14 has little or no tendency to work down in shoe ft-fl because of the absence of relative motion ofthe shoe l0 and the foot in this portion. The portion of the sock at the rearmost portion near point '15 would have a tendency to slip down in shoe 10 if it-were'not connected with the portions of the sock between points '13 and 14 by continuous cuff 16. The portion of the cuff between points '13 and 14 lend stability to the portion of the sock between points 114 and 15, thus holding the sock in a firm position. 'The wearer of the sock will feel ,a snug fit at the heel ora light pressure because of the reinforced seam 18. Thus, when the cuff 16 is turned down over the shoe 10, there is an additional snugness caused by the portion of the sock at point resulting from its being attached to the portion of the sock between

points

13 and 14. It is then easy to see that the points near 15 which are most likely to work down into shoe .10 could do so only if the portion of the sock near point '13 .would work down, .and this action is practically impossible because the portion 'be- 4

tween points

13 and 14 is held by shoe 10 where there is little or no relative motion between the shoe 10 and the foot.

From the foregoing, the construction and advantages of the invention will readily be understood and further explanation is believed to be 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 suitablemodifications equivalent may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended in vention.

What is claimed is:

1. A knitted article of footwear adapted to be worn inside a shoe on the foot, having a foot portion, including a heel portion, side portions and an instep portion, a looped double thickness cuff attached to the tops of said side portions including said heel portion, :ex tending from said instep portion around said heel portion and back to said instep portion, a reinforcedseam line, extending around the ankle between said cuff and said side portions, whereby said portion adjacent-said in.- step portion stabilizes said heel portion.

2. A knitted article of footwear having a foot'portion including a heel portion, side portions, and an instep portion, said instep portion covering the entire instep of the foot, the top of said foot portion being open, and a cuff extending along the top edge of said foot portion from a point on one side portion adjacent said instep portion continuously around said heel portion to a point on the opposite side portion adjacent said instep portion, said cuff being capable of being worn up around the ankle or turned down over the edge of a shoe.

3. A knitted article of footwear adapted to be worn on the foot inside a shoe, said article having a foot portion, including a heel portion, side portions, and an instep portion, said instep portion covering the entire instep of said foot, the top of said foot portion being open, and a cuff extending around the top edge of said foot portion from a first forward location on one side portion adjacent said instep portion continuously around said heel portion to a second forward location on the opposite side portion adjacent said instep portion, said cuff being capable of being worn up around the ankle or folded down over the shoe.

4. A knitted article of footwear adapted to be worn on the foot inside a shoe, said article having a foot portion, including a heel portion, side portions, and an instep portion, said instep portion covering the entire instep of said foot, the top of said foot portion being open, and a cuff extending around the top edge of said foot portion from a first forward location on one side portion adjacent said instep portion continuously around said heel portion to a second forward location on the opposite side portion adjacent said instep portion, said cuif capable of being worn up around the ankle or folded down over the shoe, the forward part of said cuff forming a V-neck opening when said cufi is worn up around the ankle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,193,056 Burn Mar. 12, 194.0 2,526,663 Holland Oct. 24, 1950 2,623,374 Hinchman Dec. 30, 1952. 2,642,678 Fula June 23, 1953 2,691,779 Bell Oct. 19, 1954 2,721,463 Tuberty Oct. 25,, 1955