US1317975A - of chicago - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

ROSS HUNTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 CHARLES F. NAFTZGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. '7, 1919.

shoe for working men whic has preferably a sole of wood or the like and includes means for permitting the movement of the sole as the wearer walks. 7

The object of this invention is to provide a durable shoe made of wood or other relatively inflexible material and at the same time make the shoe flexible in its action, the parts of the shoe cooperating in a novel manner.

Generally speaking, I accomplish these and other objects by roviding a shoe having preferably a woo en heel and sole connected by a metallic strip or other flexible material and providing an insole of wood, or the like, which is preferably jointed to permit certain flexibility of the shoe.

am aware that reinforced shoes have heretofore been made for wear by men engaged in work in plaoes where the ground is h or in steel mills, and the like where lent er soles and heels wear but 8. compare tively short time due to the unusual conditions existing. To overcome the wear of leather, pl'OVlSiODS have been made such as fastenin webbin and the like on the bottoms of gather si es and heels and lately, of forming soles including the heel portions with metal and securin the up ers to the metal bottoms so form An 0 jection to this type of shoe is that the sole is rigid and permits no movement as the wearer moves about, thus quickly tiring the feet and to a large extent overcoming the advantage of providing a shoe with a metal sole. It is the primary object of an invention to form a. working man o shoe w ich will possessall the advent-us features of a reiniorced heel and solo portion and at the ome time possess the flexibility of a shoe having a leather solo.

The objects of my invention will be more apparent from an observation of the drawmgs wherein a preferred embodiment of my shoe 15 shown.

Figure 1 shows a. side elevation of the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through F ig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. vertical section on line 3-3 of F ii 2.

4 is a vertical section through the toe portion of the shoe showing the modified form of applying the waterproof portion.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the heel portion showing the arrangement of the various elem nts, and

ig. 6 i a Sect on t rough a heel o ti n showing a modified term of heel cushion.

'ljhe referred embodiment of my shoe which Shall herein describe comprises the usual upper 10 of sufficiently heavy leather pro ded w h y et 11 and a es 1.2. he sole I prefer to make by employing a sole portion 13 preferably of wood or similar material and a heel 14 of like material, the contour of the members 13 and 14 bein made to correspond to the style or shape of shoe de- SIDE d Ass-an insole I form a front ortion loa'nd a freer portion 16, preferably 0 wood, although these ma be made of other material if desired. Tl

form a sliding joint 17 a so that as the wearer walks, the sole will move slightly and follow foot movement andi-n this way reach the some flexibility and give a, livelier foot movement than that of a leather sole. If desired, the member 16 may be raised at 16 to fit the instep portion of the foot.

a waterproof or insulating means I prefer to employ an insole member surroundingthe portions 15 and 16 and extending under the sai mem ers Thi in le porion is designated as 17 and is readily observed in lgs. 2 and 3. By extending it amend thgeqmembers. 15 and 16 the foot is te h at a s d However, i

esir d, .1 m y eve se applicati n of 00 e adjacent ends of these portions are preferably wedge shaped to this member by extending it across the top portions 15 and 16 and downwardly around the edges of said members tacking same on the underside of the portions 15 and 16. In the latter construction, it is possible to surround the members 15 and 16 with such a water-proof material so as to not puncture said material except underneath the members 15 and 16 which method of fastening prevents all chances of admission of water or the like to the interior of the shoe. In this construction, the upper 10 and the insulating insole 17 would be tacked to the under portions of the sole members 15 and 16 and then applied to the soles and heels 13 and 14. Between the insoles 15 and 16 and the sole portions 13 and 14 I prefer to insert a metal strip 18, the contour of which is made to conform to the shape of the shoe when finished, although I do not wish to be considered as making a special fea ture of the contour of this metal plate 18. The insoles 15 and 16 are then secured to the sole and heel portions 13 and 14 by rivets or bolts 19 or the like. The ends to be riveted or bolted are preferably in the exposed portions of the members 14, 15. If desired webbing, scra leather, rubber, or similarmaterial may e secured to the under portions of the members 13 and 14, as an additional reinforcing means. In the form of shoe as shown I have surrounded the toe and heel portions with metal strips 20, 21, servin as additional protectors against wear at t e sides of the shoes. If desired, the members 20, 21 may be extended around the lower edges of the members 13 and 14, thus providing additional wearing surface to these portions.

It is a well known fact that in a shoe of any kind a cushion in the heel is very desirable. In the form shown I have formed in the rear portion of the insole member 16 a slotted portion 22 leaving the upper member 23 of which free at the rear end. This, therefore, acts in the manner of a spring board so that when the wearer takes a step or bears his weight downwardly, a cushion effect will result, thus increasing the comfort of such shoes. A cushion eifect is obtained in the instep portion of the arch but in a different manner. By reason of the fastening of the heel and the member 18, the latter will give slightl as the weight of the wearer is transferred thereto aflfor-ding a' support for the foot and giving a spring action in Walking. The under side of the member '16 may be spaced slightly from the member 18 which will act as a springboard and afford additional comfort inwaki. j

,As' the shoes are used when taking a step the revision ofthe joint 17 permits the mem ers '16 to'move orride on the rear portion of the insole member 15 and by reason of the particular arrangcn'ient of these members a mating joint is made so that articulation of the sole will result, while at the same time allording a smooth support for lhc foot and preventing squeezing of any portion thereof between the movin ends of the members 16 and 17. By making the adjacent ends with one slightly convex and the other concave a rolling action will result which will materially assist in comfortable walking. It will be noted that the instep portion follows the foot so that at all times there is some contact between the foot and the instep portion. Also as the instep portion rides on the inner sole a rolling or rocking bearing is made on the flexible connector 18, thus eliminating a point contact or a line contact with the member 18 and doing away with all breakage experienced by a localized application of wei hi: to the member 18 as would follow if tie rolling contact were not secure.

It is believed that the construction and arrangement of the shoe will be apparent from the foregoing description. I do not wish to limit my invention to the exact form shown and described as I am aware that modifications will be made to meet the varying conditions of use and I wish to include all such modifications as coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe comprising an outer sole, an inner sole having a forward and a rearward portion, a heel, the rearward portion of said inner sole being separate from the forward portion and having a movable and riding engagement therewith, a reinforcing plate positioned between the inner sole portions and the outer sole and heel, and means for rigidly connecting the inner sole portions, outer sole and reinforcing plate.

2. A shoe comprising an outer sole, an: inner sole having separate cooperatmgpor tions one of which has a movable-and. riding engagement with respect to the other, a'heel,

a reinforcing plate positioned between the inner sole portions and the outer sole and heel, and means for rigidly connecting the inner sole portions, outer sole and reinforcing plate.

3. A shoe comprising an outer sole, an inner sole having separate cooperati 1 portions one of which has a movable an riding engagement with respect to the other, a heel, said outer sole, inner sole positioned between the inner sole ortions and the outer sole and heel, an means rigidly connecting the inner'sole portions,

outer sole and reinforcing plate.

ortionsandi heelbeing made of wood, a rein orcing plate tions one of which has a, movable and riding engagement with respect to the other, a heel, said outer sole, inner sole portions and heel being made of wood, one of said inner sole 5 gortlons being slotted to increase the flexiil'ity of the shoe, a reinforcing plate positioned between the inner sole portions and the outer Sole and heel, and means rigidly conneetin the inner sole portions, outer sole and rein orcing plate.

Signed at Chicago, State of Illinois this 17 day of April, A. D., 1918.

ROSS HUNTER.

(topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O.

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