US1753415A - Shoe with instep pads - Google Patents

Description

April 8, 1930. n. M KJ HEPBURN SHOE WITH INSTEP PADS Filed June 6. 1928 Patented Apr. 8, 1930 DONALD MCKNIGHT HEPBURN, OF mma emmii, PENNSYLVANIA I snoE WITH Insane rains f Application filed June 6, 19a; SeriaZl'No; 283,304.

An object of the invention is to provide a shoe with soft cushion pads, supported one on each side of the lacing slit of the shoe, the pads being longitudinally spaced-when the shoe is laced, and to rest on each side of. the front bones of the instep, the pads being arranged to hold the lace from exerting pressure on the instep'bones when the shoe is laced.

A further object of my invention is to produce a tongue or saddle for a shoe that will be self-supporting for the lace on blucher shoes, so that the heavy pressure of tightening the lace, in order to hold the shoe firmly on the foot, does not directly bear on the bones of the upper foot or bone frame of the foot where the laces necessarily pass over it in order to bring the two pieces of the shoe together- In the drawings,

Fig.1 is a front view of the outside of the tongue, showing the outer edges of the cushion pads in dotted lines; o

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal end View from the lower part of Fig. 1, and the left of Fig. 3

Fig. 3 is an end view of the outer end of the tongue, showing the laminations of the pads;

Fig. 4 is a front view of a'inodification, showing the two sides of the upper, with the soft cushion flap pads on the under sides thereof shown in dotted lines, and the end of the tongue of the shoe as a curved line beyond the end of the upper;

5 is an edge view ofone side of the upper, showing the laminations of the cushion pads, also a section of the usual tongue; and

Fig. 6 is an end View of the front parts of the upper, showing the laminations of the soft flap cushion pads, and also the usual tongue.

In shoes developed by the present art of shoe manufacturing, the tongue is often made of soft leather and lined with a. cloth of soft nature on the under side where it comes in contact with the instep of the foot, in order to cushion the lace and reduce the irritation necessarily aroused by the lace lying tightly drawn on the instep of the foot.

My invention shows a decided improvement over this method of lacing ashoe over I the; instep. V 1 r drawingit willbe seen that I form a regular saddle out of the tongue 1 of the shoe, by selayers 42', 3, maybe made 10f :other suitable material that will be soft and comfortable to the foot;,or layer 2. may be of soft sponge,

rubber, the layer 4- may be of felt padding or of thin leather, or muslin, such as'cominonly used in lining shoe-uppers. The pads are suficiently spaced, as shown, in Fig. 8, so

thati whentheshoe is laced,zthe lace will be raised on each side of the instep, so. that when th'e-lac'e'is drawn-tightly over'the instep, the

laces;, do not bear-hardly .ata-ll on the bones of the. foot-,due to the saddle or pads, raising the laces up so that when they; are drawn tightthe pressure is [on the pads ofthe saddlej on ,each;side instead of directly on the instep bones where they cut and irritate. By

constructing shoe tongues by this method, the area bearing on the sides of the instep is in creased four or five times on each side instead of directly in the center or most irritating point, with the result that the shoe can be'laced more tightly on the foot, resulting in increasedcomfort and more accurate and sure-footedness by the wearer. This is especially desirable on the heavier blucher shoes or golf shoes worn by men and boys.

In the modification shown inFigs. 4c, 5, and 6, the cushion pads 20 are secured on each side of the upper 6, at'a convenient distance from the edges, as shown in Fig. 6, at 17, the pads consisting of layers 8, 9, and 10 of soft felt or other soft material as in Fig. 3, or layer :9 may be soft felt or sponge rubber, and layers 8 and 10 of thin leather, or muslin, such as 1s commonly used 1n hnmg shoe uppers,

this modification the separate soft flap pads are preferably attached to the sides of the uppers as at 17, the pads being free at their extremities, permitting the laces to be easily the'tonguc of the shoe is shown at 12. In

inserted through the eyeletsll. The pads are 1 V so disposed that after lacing the shoe, they will be spaced as at 13, resting against the sides of the foot, and holding the lace and edges of the upper out of contact with the bones on the front of the foot.

It will be seen that in both modifications of the invention, the cushion pads are supported one on each side of the lacing slit of the shoe, and that after the shoeis laced there is a space between them, the cushion pads resting on each side of the front bones of the instep, and protecting these bones from the pressure of the tightly drawn lace generally experienced in shoes as usually constructed.

I claim 1. A shoe comprising a pair of soft cushion pads supported one on each side of the lacing slit of the shoe, said pads being thinner at the outer edges than at the edges adjacent the lacing slit, and located so as to be longitudinally spaced when the shoe is laced and to rest on each side of the front bones of the instep, said pads arranged to hold the lace from exerting pressure on said front bones on the instep when the shoe is laced.

2. A tongue for shoes, comprising cushion pads attached to the sides thereof, said pads centrally spaced, and thicker at approaching edges than at the side edges of V the tongue.

3. A shoe comprising a tongue having a pair of spaced broad thin cushion pads secured thereto with their thin edges at the side edges of the tongue, said pads having a tapering horizontal cross-section and of considerable Width compared to their thickness.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DONALD MoKNIGHT HEPBURN.

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