US902654A - Skee. - Google Patents

Description

LA FAYETTE H. HANNAS.

SKEE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. s, 1908.

902,654. Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

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LA FAYETTE H. HANNAS, OF UTICA. NEW YORK.

SKEE

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

Application filed February 8, 1908. Serial No. 414,877.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, LA FAYETTE H. HAN- NAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skees, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to an improved skee, and I declare the following is a full, clear, concise and exact description thereof, sufficient to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout.

The particular feature of my invention is in having means connecting the boot of a traveler with the skee in a hinged connection. Heretofore it has been common to have a member secured to the surface of the skee at one end, its other end being free to be bent upward on a curve from the point of attachment to the rear as, for instance, by the use of a thin metallic plate or a leather strip.

ther styles of constructions have been used with similar features and results, but need not be pointed out, except to explain the difference in construction and principle of such instances and the device which 1 illustrate in the drawings. This difference in principle of construction and operation is mainly that the plate to which the foot of the wearer is secured takes the form of a curve when the heel of the foot is raised in walking, the toe of the foot being secured to the plate or strip which at the forward part rises very little from the surface of the skee. The re sult is that more work is laced upon the joints of the foot than shou d be for comfort and endurance. In other words the foot cannot be lifted from the skee with the tip of the boot as the wearing point and the sole of the boot substantially flat, and when the foot is brought forward there is unnecessary strain put on the muscles, because the tendency of the strip to which the boot is secured is to lie fiat and the wear at every step is working against the force of that strip, es pecially if it be a metallic strip. It has been found that when a leather strip or plate is used, for instance, it becomes wet and loses the necessary stiffness to keep the heel of the wearer in its proper position in successive steps.

The device which I have invented consists essentially in a hinge having one portion secured to the skee and the other adapted to hold the foot of the wearer. yield or play in walking is on the line which connects these portions of the hinge. The portion to which the toe of the boot is secured is held beneath that portion of the sole of the boot which is not bent in walking, leaving the rest of the foot and boot free for its natural movements and permitting the hinge movement or bending, as it may be termed, to take place with perfect freedom and entirely independent of the curving or bending of the foot and boot and without any strain or work in overcoming the resiliency of the foot supporting member which is not of hinged construction.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of a portion of a skee showing the device, and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, while Fig. 3 is a like view in section showing one form of the device and Fig. 4 shows the swinging portion raised.

Referring to the figures in detail, A is the skee which is of familiar style and form; B represents one portion of the hinged member to which I referred, being the one which is secured to the skee.

C is the other portion of the hinge and consists of a toe-clip having a face portion a and side portions 0 extending upwardly, one on each side of the skee and flared rearwardly to receive the boot.

D represents a strap passed through eyes or slots (1 and adapted to be passed over the foot to secure the same in the clip. Of course, any suitable style of clip or toe fastening, and in fact any suitable style of hinge can be employed. It will be seen in Fig. 3 that the clip comprises a separate metallic member secured to the swinging member C of the hinge. It may be desired, however, to form this clip and the member C of a single piece which can readily be done.

E are thongs mounted on the toe-clip with rings 6 through which laeings F of any suitable character and arrangement can be passed to secure the boot and foot within the clip. I

It will be observed that the toe of the wearer projects slightly over the line at which the hinged members are connected but not far enough to bring the tip of the sole against the portion B, so as not to interfere with easy walking. The clips C are mounted secure enough to have a substantial bearing of the tip of the sole thereon and the strap D The entireis adapted in connection with the side portions to hold the toe securely within the clip, and so as to prevent side swinging of the foot on the clip when the wearer walks. The foot being secured firmly in the clip, is otherwise free so that the wearer can walk without any interference with the freedom of the muscles and without any additional or unnecessary efi'ort working against the strength of the device itself. In raising the foot it swings freely and easily on the hinge so that in bringing the foot forward the toe carries the skee without appreciable effort, the foot being entirely free in the work and natural and easy walking, except for the weight of the skee.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A skee having foot engaging means thereon, the same comprising a hinge, one portion being fixed to the shoe and the other adapted to receive and hold the foot of the wearer. v V Y 2. A skee harness comprising a member secured to the skee, a member hingedly connected therewith and adapted to have secured thereto the foot of the wearer, the latter member being adapted to engage the foot at the toe and secure the foot.

3. A SlU-BG having a harness comprising a hinge, one member of which is secured to the skee and the other is adapted to receive and hold the foot whereby in the act of walking the foot swings freely above the skee on a bearing point located at its forward extremity.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LA FAYETTE H. HANNAS.

Witnesses:

E. T. DE GIORGI, HENRY M. LOVE.

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