US2930150A

US2930150A - Sling back shoe

Info

Publication number: US2930150A
Application number: US616003A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sandler Jack
Original assignee: TRAVELMASTER SHOEMAKERS Inc
Current assignee: TRAVELMASTER SHOEMAKERS Inc
Priority date: 1956-10-15
Filing date: 1956-10-15
Publication date: 1960-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 1977-03-29

Description

March 29, 1960 J. SANDLER SLINGBACK SHOE Filed Oct. 15. 1956 Jana? Sandiezi,

United States Patent SLING BACK SHOE Jack Sandler, Newton, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Travelmaster Shoemakers, Inc., Needham, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 15, 1956, SerialNo. 616,003

8 Claims. (Cl. 36-585) pieces connected by a buckle to provide adjustment. One

of the objections to this type of shoe is the tendency of the strap to slip off the wearers heel. The wearers foot also lifts away from the shoe at the heel in walking, aggravating the tendency of the strap to slide down. The heel part of such a shoe slides from side to side and will twist readily, and the generally poor support afforded by the open heel gives the wearer a feeling of insecurity. Furthermore, the constant movement of the strap is likely to irritate the wearers heel. If the strap is made very tight in an eflfort to overcome these difliculties, the foot is forced forward from the proper position, and the forepart becomes cramped. These difficulties are encountered in both low and highheeled shoes, but especially the latter, and prevent many women from wearing sling or halter back styles. The insertion of a piece of the elastic in the heel strap only partially solves the problem, and detracts from the appearance of the shoe.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a shoe structure which overcomes the difficulties just described and enables sling or halter back shoes to be worn with comfort, even for active walking and dancing. Other objects are to provide a structure which enhances, rather than detracts from, the appearance of the shoe, which is simple to manufacture and which may be readily applied to shoes manufactured by any of the customary methods.

According to this invention the heel strap is cut so that the ends extend in under the arch of the foot. The ends are joined to a longitudinal elastic gore which extends, both to the front and to the rear of the ends of the strap. The ends of the gore are secured to the insole, leaving the intermediate portion of the gore free to stretch. Preferably the ends of the gore are passed through slits in the insole and stitched or stapled on the under side. The elastic is attached to the insole without initial tension, but the heel strap is preferably made somewhat shorter than would be customary for a conventional strap attached to the shoe the same distance forward of the heel, so that the forward part of the elastic gore is placed under tension when the shoe is put on.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a shoe constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-section, somewhat enlarged, taken along line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the gore and heel strap in the region of their connection.

The shoe here shown has a vamp 10, an outer sole 11, a heel 12, and an insole which may he of any conventional type but is here illustrated as consisting of a relaice tively stiff tuck piece '13 extending through the heel and arch portion, and a flexible forepart 14. A metal counter 15 is disposed between the outer sole and tuck 13. The heel strap 16 is formed as one piece shaped to pass around the heel and under the arch of the foot, and has a similarly shaped lining 17. The end portions 16a and 16b of the strap are butted, as shown in Fig. 3, on a longitudinal line substantially along the center of the shoe. A generally square bottom liner piece 18 of thin leather or other soft lining material is disposed under the end portions 16a, 16b. A gore 19 is disposed longitudinally along the arch portion of the shoe above the in sole, and is made'of elastic disposed to'stretch in the longitudinal direction. The end portions 19a and 19b of the gore are passed through

transverse slits

20 and 21 in the insole and secured to the. under side of the insole by stitching or stapling. ['A square top piece 22, similar to piece 18, is disposed on top of the gore and two parallel rows of

stitching

23 and 24 pass through all the margins of piece 22, the gore, the heel strap and lining end portions, and piece 18. The sock lining is made in two pieces, a forepart 25 and a heel part 26, which butt at line 2912 under the gore and strap joint. The sock lining parts have slits 27 and 28, corresponding to

slits

20 and 21, respectively, to receive the gore. For ease in assembly,

parts

25 and 26 are longitudinally split between

slits

27 and 28 along a central line 29.

It will be noted that the strap ends and liner pieces are not fixed to the insole in any way. Gore 19 has a free central portion extending from slit 20 to slit 21, which is longer than the attached ends of the strap and top and bottom pieces, leaving forward and rear portions and 19d, respectively, which are free to stretch. The heel strap can thus as a whole move back and forth in the shoe.

The heel strap, being free of the insole at the sides, fits snugly under the arch of the foot as well as around the back of the heel. The strap is made slightly shorter than a conventional heel strap, designed to be attached to the shoe in the same position, so that when the shoe is placed on the foot, portion 190 of the gore is under tension. The heel strap is thus held securely on the heel. As the foot bends in walking, causing the strap assembly to rise, portion 19d is placed under tension. As a result the heel part of the shoe is carried up and stays close to the foot.

In the preferred manner of assembling the shoe, the gore 19 is laid upside down, the ends of the heel strap and strap lining, previously stitched together along their edges, are laid on top of the gore, and bottom piece 18 placed on top of these end portions. The parts are then stitched together back and forth along a number of lines 30. Top piece 22 is then applied and stitched to the other parts by lines of

stitching

23 and 24. The end portions 19a and 1% are inserted through

slits

20 and 21 and attached to the insole. The gore is attached flat without substantial initial tension. The insole is then assembled to the other parts of the shoe in any customary manner. The split parts of the sock lining parts are laid under the gore and cemented down.

A shoe made in this manner, as well as eliminating slippage of the heel strap, gives complete comfort and good support to the foot, because the heel strap fits more snugly under the arch at all times than straps attached directly to the sole part of a shoe. The heel of the shoe follows the foot more closely when the foot is bent and thus eliminates the unsightly gaping and the danger of turning the heel, which are characteristic faults of conventional sling or halter back shoes. Furthermore, the strap does not tend to stretch or tear at the sides.

It is understood that the end portions 19a and 19b of the gore could be anchored to the shoe in other ways, for example to the top of the insole or to the outer sole.

3 The strap may be made in two pieces and provided with a buckle or other joint, but this is not necessary: A smooth one-piece strap is usually preferable as the free end of a buckle strap will sometimes curl up, and a buckle may catch on clothing or furniture.

This structure is particularly desirable for sling back shoes, which have no strap over the instep to hold the heel strap in place. The gore and heel. strap assembly may be used to advantage, however, on all types of open heeled shoes, for example on ankle strap sandals.

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe comprising a sole having a foot-facing surface, Iongitudinally elastic means disposed longitudinal- 1y of said sole and exposed only along the shank portion of said sole above said surface, said elastic means having its front and back end portions only attached to said sole and substantially all of the portion intermediate said end portions snugly overlying the foot-facing surface of the shank portion of said sole, a heel sling adapted to pass around the heel and under the arch of the foot of the wearer, said heel sling being attached to said intermediate portion only, said sling being yield,- ably movable backwardly and forwardly with respect to said sole.

2. A shoe as defined in claim 1, in which said heel sling is substantially inelastic throughout its extent.

3. A shoe as defined in claim 1, in which said sole has a pair of longitudinally spaced transverse slots adjacent said end portions, and said end portions of the longitudinally elastic means extend through the respective slots and are attached to the sole below the footfacing surface.

4. A shoe as defined in claim 1 in which said elastic means is a fiat strip and has a smooth-faced element of greater width than said strip secured to the foot-facing surface thereof and over the forward part of the heel sling.

5. A shoe as defined in claim 4 in which said flat strip has lining elements of greater width than said strip secured on each surface thereof and stitched together through said strip.

6. A shoe as defined in claim 4 in which the shoe has a sock lining over said sole, and said sock lining is formed above said sock lining, substantially the entire length of said exposed portion snugly overlying said sock lining, the end portions, of said, strip being passed downwardly through the respective slots, and said end portions only being secured to said sole, and. a heel sling adapted to pass around the heel and under the arch of the foot of the wearer, said heel sling being attached to the intermediate portion only of said strip and being yieldably movable backwardly and forwardly with respect to said sole.

8. A shoe comprising a sole having a foot-facing surface, a flat longitudinally elastic strip disposed longitudinally of said sole and exposed only along the shank portion of said sole above said surface, said strip being considerably narrower than said sole in said shank portion, said strip having its front and back end portions only attached to said sole and substantially all of the portion intermediate said end portions snugly overlying the foot-facing surface of the shank portion of said sole, a heel sling adapted to pass around the heel and under the arch of the foot of the wearer, said heel sling being attached to said intermediate portion only, said sling being yieldably movable backwardly and forwardly with respect to said sole.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,989,613 Diseh Jan. 29, 1935 2,024,729 Gustin Dec. 17, 1935 2,707,342 Maccarone May 3, 1955 2,729,900 Maccarone Jan. 10, 1956 2,734,285 Levitt Feb. 14, 1956 2,776,503 Maccarone Jan. 8, 1957