US3262221A

US3262221A - Heel with replaceable lift

Info

Publication number: US3262221A
Application number: US458851A
Authority: US
Inventors: Antelo Rodolfo Barriga
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-05-26
Filing date: 1965-05-26
Publication date: 1966-07-26
Anticipated expiration: 1983-07-26
Also published as: DE1685217A1

Description

July 26, 1966 R. B. ANTELO HEEL WITH REPLACEABLE LIFT Filed May 26, 1965 INVENTOR Foam/ 0342 44/1 2220 United States Patent 3,262,221 HEEL WITH REPLACEABLE LIFT Rodolfo Barriga Antelo, 6802 Dartmouth St., Forest Hills, N.Y. Filed May 26, 1965, Ser. N 0. 458,851 Claims. (Cl. 36-34) This invention relates to heel structures and more specifically to a novel and improved heel with a replaceable lift useful for ladies high heel shoes and other related applications.

Ladies high heel shoes are usually provided with a relatively slender heel having a cushioning and gripping element or lift on the bottom thereof. This lift is usually made of rubber, leather, plastic or the like and is generally secured to the heel by an elongated screw which extends upwardly through the center of the heel. This arrangement is necessary because of the narrowness of the lower portion of the heel. Furthermore, because of the relatively small area, usually less than one-quarter of a square inch, the pressures to which the heel is subjected are substantial with the result that the lift must be replaced frequently. Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved heel structure for womens shoes wherein the bottom cushioning or gripping element or lift may be readily and easily replaced.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved heel structure for womens shoes.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved replaceable lift for womens shoes.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a womans shoe in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the heel structure on the shoe shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2 taken along the line 3-3 thereof.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lower portion of the heel shown in FIGURE 2 and the replaceable element adapted to be secured to the bottom of the heel.

The heel in accordance with the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 1 and generally denoted by the numeral 10. While a relatively high heel is illustrated on the shoe, it is of course apparent that the heel may be made of any desired height. In accordance with the invention, the lower end of the heel or lift 11 is readily replaceable so that the user can easily remove the worn-out lift and apply a new lift when necessary.

More specifically and with reference to FIGURES 2 through 4, the body of the heel is generally denoted by the numeral 12 and in accordance with conventional practice may be of any suitable material, such as plastic, metal or the like. Aluminum is a customary material for heels because of its lightness in weight and substantial strength. The lower portion of the heel body 12 has a downwardly extending projection or lift receiver 13 which is smaller in area than the bottom surface 12 of the heel body 12 and preferably formed integrally therewith. The lift receiver 13 has a fiat forward surface 14 which is disposed generally parallel to the forward surface of the heel body 12. The remainder of the lift receiver is generally similar in contour to the contour of the heel and terminates in a rounded back portion as may be observed more clearly in FIGURE 4. The backside of the lift receiver 13 has a vertical channel 15, while the 3,262,221 Patented July 26, 1966 forward surface 14 has a horizontal channel 16. The base of the lift receiver has a peripheral channel 17. For ease in attaching a lift to the lift receiver, it is desirable to taper the lift receiver 13 so that the area of the bottom surface 18 is slightly smaller than the area adjoining the surface 12'.

The lift 11 is preferably made of a slightly resilient material such as rubber, plastic or the like which will afford adequate strength and have good wearing qualities. The outer contour of the lift 11 corresponds pre cisely to the contour of the heel body 12 at the point where it joins the lift. The central opening 19 in the lift 11 corresponds in contour to the lift receiver 13 and ineludes a vertical ridge 20 which cooperates with the vertical channel 15 in the heel receiver, a transverse ridge 21 cooperating with the transverse ridge 16 in the lift receiver and a peripheral ridge 22 which engages the peripheral channel 17. The opening 19 is generally tapered to coordinate with the taper of the lift receiver 13. While this taper is relatively shallow, it provides sufiicient difference in area to facilitate attachment of the lift. Furthermore, since the lift has a slight degree of resilience, it will expand sufficiently to permit the peripheral ridge 22 to slide over the body of the lift receiver and will also deform sufficiently to permit the transverse ridge 21 to pass over the forward surface of the lift receiver. As soon as the lift is in place on the heel body 12, the peripheral ridge 22 will tightly engage the peripheral channel 17 to secure the lift in place. The lift is further secured by the cooperation of the ridge 21 with the groove 16. Twisting of the lift relative to the heel is of course prevented by reason of the non-uniform contour of the lift receiver and the cooperation of the vertical ridge 20 with the channel 15.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is apparent that alterations, modifications and changes may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A heel with a replaceable lift comprising an elongated heel body, a lift receiver carried by said body and projecting downwardly therefrom, a cup-shaped lift removably engaging said lift receiver, and cooperating means on said lift receiver and said lift for securing said lift in position on said lift receiver, said lift receiver including a vertically disposed channel on one side thereof and extending throughout the length thereof and a horizontally disposed groove on another side of said receiver and wherein said lift includes a vertically disposed ridge cooperating with said vertical channel and a horizontally disposed ridge cooperating with said horizontal groove.

2. A heel with a replaceable lift according to claim 1 wherein said lift receiver is tapered to provide a lower end portion of slight-1y smaller area than the portion adjoining the heel body and wherein said lift has a central opening for engaging said lift receiver, said central opening being tapered so that the area of the bottom of said opening is slightly smaller than the area of the upper portion.

3. A heel with a replaceable lift comprising an elongated heel body, a lift receiver carried by said body and projecting downwardly therefrom, a cup-shaped lift remov-ably engaging said lift receiver, and cooperating means on said .lift receiver and said lift for securing said lift in position on said lift receiver, said lift receiver including a peripheral horizontal channel adjoining the heel body, a vertical channel extending lengthwise of the lift receiver and a horizontal channel spaced between the upper and lower extremities of said lift receiver and in a position spaced from said vertical channel and wherein said lift includes a central lift receiver opening, a vertical ridge on one wall of said opening for cooperation with said vertical channel, a horizontal ridge on another wall of said opening for cooperation with said horizontal channel and a peripheral ridge about the edge of said opening for cooperation with said peripheral channel.

4. A heel with a replaceable lift according to claim 3 wherein said lift receiver and said opening in said lift are tapered.

5. A heel with a replaceable lift comprising an elongated heel body, a lift receiver carried by said body and projecting downwardly therefrom, a cup-shaped lift removably engaging said lift receiver, and cooperating means on said lift receiver and said lift for securing said lift in position on said lift receiver, said lift receiver including at least one rounded Wall portion and one opposing plane wall portion, said rounded wall portion hav ing a vertical channel extending throughout the length thereof and said plane wall portion having a horizontal groove extending transversely thereof and between the References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,956,352 10/1960 Goldstein 3636 3,149,427 9/1964 Seibert 3634 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,200,628 6/ 1959 France.

1,240,277 7/ 1960 France.

1,342,738 9/1963 France.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A HEEL WITH A REPLACEABLE LIFT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HEEL BODY, A LIFT RECEIVER CARRIED BY SAID BODY AND PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM, A CUP-SHAPED LIFT REMOVABLY ENGAGING SAID LIFT RECEIVER, AN COOPERATING MEANS ON SAID LIFT RECEIVER AND SAID LIFT FOR SECURING SAID LIFT IN POSITION ON SAID LIFT RECEIVER, SAID LIFT RECEIVER INCLUDING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED CHANNEL ON ONE SIDE THEREOF AND EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH THEREOF AND A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED GROOVE ON ANOTHER SIDE OF SAID RECEIVER AND WHEREIN SAID LIFT INCLUDES A VERTICALLY DISPOSED RIDGE COOPERATING WITH SAID VERTICAL CHANNEL AND A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED RIDGE COOPERATING WITH SAID HORIZONTAL GROOVE.