US2945309A

US2945309A - Ankle supporting athletic shoe

Info

Publication number: US2945309A
Application number: US806843A
Authority: US
Inventors: Shapiro Martin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-04-16
Filing date: 1959-04-16
Publication date: 1960-07-19
Anticipated expiration: 1977-07-19

Description

July 19` M. sHAPlRo ANKLE SUPPORTING ATHLETIC SHOE Filed April 1'6., 195s lNvENTR .MARTI N SHAPI RO States arent4 Patented July19, 1960 2,945,309 ANKLE SUPPORTING ATHLETIC SHOE Martin Shapiro, 7021 Brentwood Road, Philadelphia 31, Philadelphia County, P

Filed Apr. 16, 1959, ser. No. 805,843 a claims. (ci. ca -8.5),

My invention relates to shoes primarily intended for athletes, particularly baseball players, although capable t tended for athletic and non-athletic wear but none so far as -I am aware has achieved material commercial acceptance because, among `other reasons, of ineffectiveness in laffording the desired support While permitting freedom of movement of the Ifoot with respect to the leg, discomfort to the wearer, tendency to chafe or x ibind and unsightliness of appearance.

It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide an ankle supporting shoe particularly adapted for wear by baseball players, though not of course limited thereto, which is devoid of the inherent objections in shoes heretofore proposed for that purpose and therefore capable of affording appropriate support to the `wearers ankle while permitting freedom of movement of the foot in -all -directions without binding, chang or other objectionable consequences.

A yfurther object is the provision of a shoe of the character aforesaid which is of pleasing appearance, not bulky and devoid of metallic or other stitfening elements yet whichcan be produced at a cost not materially, if any, greater than similar shoes of like quality not embodying the invention.

, Still other objects, advantages and novel features of design, construction and arrangement comprehended by the invention are hereinafter more fully pointed out' or will be apparent to those familiar with the art yfrom the following description of a preferred form thereof as embodied in the right shoe of a pair of baseball shoes and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the shoe;

lFig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section looking toward the lining on the right hand side of the shoe, a portion of the lining being broken away to better show internal construction;

Fig. 3 is a lfur-ther enlarged fragmentary vertical section on line 3 3 in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a view generally similar to Fig. 2 but looking toward the outer face of the upper on the left hand side of the shoe.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the shoe illustrated therein as one of a pair of substantially similar matched shoes, comprises the usual sole 1, upper 2 and lining 3 all desirably of leather with the lining extending throughout the interior of the upper though if preferred it may be lterminated short of the toe portion of the latter. The shoe may also comprise the usual counter 4 outside of the heel portion of the upper and these several parts are secured together and to the sole by stitching in the usual way, eyelets 5 passing through the upper and lining being provided for reception of laces 6. It will be understood that in general a shoe embodying my invention is of ordinary construction in respect to the Ifeatures already mentioned so that lfurther description of these several parts save as they may be modified in -accordance with it would be superfluous.

In an ordinary low shoe, however, the upper terminates in -a curved edge, somewhat as indicated in a broken line a in Fig. 1, running from the vamp about the heel and thence to the vamp on the other side at a height above the sole such that it lies approximately 1" below the ankle lbone of the wearer, but in accordance with my invention the upper is extended upwardly so as to terminate about at the lower part of said bone from which it extends forwardly to the vamp and rearwardly around the heel which is correspondingly heightened. Moreover, in the vicinity of the said bone and for an appropriate distance on each side of a substantially vertical plane running through the center of the latter the upper is slit downwardly at a plurality of preferably about equally spaced points thereby providing a series of substantially similar flaps =10 in length approximating or slightly exceeding the increased height of the upper above that in an ordinary shoe; thus if -the height of the extension -approximates 1 the slits preferably detine llaps of substantially corresponding length.

In a similar way lining 3 which of course is extended upwardly to conform to the upper is similarly slit to provide a series of flaps 11 corresponding to those in the upper and registering therewith respectively when the shoe and upper are assembled, and between each of the two series ofllaps and extending yfor a short distance forwardly and rearwardly therefrom and to the lower ends of the slitsis disposed a ilat piece of elastic lfabric 12 with its upper edge substantially coinciden't with the upper ends of the flaps. The several parts just described are secured together by at least one row of stitching 13 running around and close to the edge of the ilaps and transversely to the latter just below the lower extremities of the sli-ts, this stitching preferably being continuous.

It results that the elastic fabric 12 is held firmly in place by the stitching between each pair of registering inner and outer flaps which are also united thereby, the fabric bridging each of the slits 14 between adjacent pairs of flaps as well as the slits 14 at each end of each series between the outermost flaps thereof and the proximate portions ofthe upper and lining between which the ex* tremities of the fabric are interposed. -It will be understood, however, that while the use of continuous stitching 13 is preferred, continuity is not essential for if desired each pair of registering ilaps `and the -fabric between them may be stitched together by individual stitching running around the edges of the llaps and either terminating a little below the lower ends of the slits or carried across just proximate the lower ends of the llaps, in which case each set of stitching thus forms a complete rectangle.

Whether the stitching bordering the flaps be continuous, however, each juxtaposed pair of flaps 10, 11.with the interposed elastic material form a somewhat stiff though flexible unit or tongue generally designated 1S. T-hus when the shoe is in use -the series of tongues on each side of the shoe aford appropriate support to the ankle since each tongue tends on the exertion of lateral pressure against its `face to bend as a whole about its juncture with the upper before bending appreciably on itself whereby in accordance with the motion of the foot with respect to the wearers leg either series of tongues can flex as a whole with respect to the upper or the individual tongues can similarly fllex, or both, so that at all times a snug lit is obtained and the desired support accorded without chafing or binding, while the resilience of fabric 12 spanning the slits enables the foot i to be flexed vertically (Fig. 4) with the utmost freedom yet without detracting `from the lateral support afforded by the shoe as a whole. In fact, the action ofthe shoe may perhaps be compared to some extent to that of va human hand if the fingers thereof were connected by elastic webs in that each finger could then bend forward and backward relatively to the palm while itself maintaining some inherent stiffness insufiicient, however, to prevent its bending on itself, the fingers being normally held together by the interposed elastic Webs but capable when required of angular separation from the adjacent finger against the 4bias the elastic web exerts.

The shoe of my invention, therefore, is adapted, without sacrifice of comfort, to afford substantial support to the areas or zones inwhich it is most urgently required by the wearer when engaged in athletic events, particularly baseball, while preserving. his normal capacity to bend or flex his foot in any `direction and,

it is believed, the invention therefore .marks a distinct advance in the art.

It is to .bfe -understood that while I have referred particularly to the use of stitching to unite the elements comprised in each of tongues 15, the employment for this vpurpose of other suitable means, such as metallic fasteners or adhesives, sometimes may be preferred.

While I have herein described and illustrated with considerable particularity a preferred embodiment ofthe invention as incorporated in an athletic shoe particularly designed for use by baseball players, it will be understood that Ido not thereby desire or intend to limit the in- -vention to a shoe of that character as it maybe embodied with equal advantage in many other types of shoes, while changes and modifications in the design, construction, arrangement and method of assembly of the various elements employed may be varied in numerous particulars without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates:

1. A shoe comprising an upper of height adapted to terminate proximate the ankle bone of the wearer and slitted from its upper edge at spaced points between the vamp and counter on each side of the shoe to provide an outer series of flaps, a lining at least 'coextensive with the upper rearwardly of the vamp and similarly slitted to provide spaced series of inner Vflaps respectively registering with those in the upper, elastic material interposed between the upper .and Ilining covering the area defined 4 t by each series of inner and outer flaps, and means uniting each pair of registering flaps with the interposed material to form a unitary tongue.

2. A shoe comprising an upper terminating proximate the ankle bone of the wearer and slitted from its upper edge at spaced points between the vamp and counter on each side of the shoe to provide an outer series of iiaps, a lining at least coextensive with the upper rearwardly of the vamp andsirnilarly slitted to provide spaced series of inner flaps respectively registering with those in the upper, elastic material interposed between the upper and lining covering 'the area defined by each series of inner and outer yaps, and stitching bordering the edges of the flaps and uniting each registering pair thereof with the interposed elastic material to thereby form a unitary tongue, the tongues in each series being joined by those portions of said material bridging the slits between them.

3. A shoe comprising an upper of height adapted to ydispose a portion of its upper edge closely beneath the ankle bone of the wearer and a lining at least eoextensive with the interior of the upper between the vamp and counter and means uniting t-he upper Vand lining, both upper and lining being slitted downwardly from their upper edges on each side of the shoe to provide between the vamp and counter a series of flaps, the flaps inthe lining respectively registering with those in the upper, elastic material interposed between the flaps in each yseries and bridging the spaces -formed by the slits between the juxtaposed pairs of flaps, and stitching bordering the edges of each pair of juxtaposed flaps and extending through both yand the interposed ela-Stic ma- `terial to thereby 'form a unitary tongue connected solely to the adjacent tongues by said material, whereby each tongue can flex laterally of the shoe about its juncture with the unslitted portions of the upper and lining, each series of tongues can flex laterally as a whole and capacity for downward bending of ythe sole of the shoe is afforded by the bridging portions of the elastic material.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 212,794 Emerson Mar, 4, 1 879 1,110,624 Guiffre Sept. 1'5, 1914 2,274,085 Mitulski Feb. 24, 1942 2,361,675 Atkins Oct. 31, 1944 2,656,620 Taylor Oct. 27, 195,3