US1184013A - Shoe. - Google Patents

Description

G. L. PIERCE.

SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 19M.

1,184,013. Patnted May23,1916f WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. PIERCE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO A. G. SPALDING & 3305.,

" OF NEW YORK. N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1914. Serial No. 831,908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 'I, GEORGE L. PIERCE, a

citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Brooklyn, in the county .of

Kings and-State of New York, (whose postoflice address is 660-Pacific street, Brooklyn, New York,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is designed to provide an improved type of foot-covering, and especially aims to provide a boot or shoe constructed to subserve in a high degree the purposes of comfort, security, protection and durability, during athletic exercises of the wearer, as for instance in the game of hockey. I

An important object of the invention is to provide a boot or shoe of the above nature adapted particularly to protect the instep of the wearer from danger of injury due to accidental or other blows of hockey sticks or other objects which are sometimes brought with force against the foot of a contestant.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less broad than those stated above, together with the advantages inherent, will be in part obvious and in part specifically referred to in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts, and applications of principles constituting the invention; and

the scope of protection contemplated will appear from the claims.

Referring now to the accompanym drawing, which is to be taken as a part 0 this specification and wherein 1s shown one of the various possible embodiments of thls invention as at present preferred: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, showing said embodiment; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an illustrative type of protector which could be used in connectlon with the shoe proper illustrated in Figs. 1,

and 2. I

Examining the drawing, there is shown an illustrativesupporting shoe structure of a well-known type, including a sole 4, a vamp 5, quarters 6, a plurality of lacingholes 7 a toe-cap 8, and a lacing 9 and the usual tongue inside the shoe behind the laclng 9. In Fig. 1 the toe-cap 8 is shown as being lntegrally' formed with a tongue-like,

Patented May 23, 1916. i

upwardly and rearwardly extending member 10 as shown, although it is of course obvious that this member 10 or an equivalent thereof could otherwise be carried by 01' attachable to the shoe as, for instance, by the stitching 10' disclosed in Fig. 2, or by lacing along this line 10. The member 10 as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be observed, is generally of an oblong outline, and is preferably apertured as at 11 (Fig. 2). Suitably attached to the rear face of said member 10 is 2. preferably resilient shock-absorbing cushion 12, which may be of felt or the like. This cushion 12 has a plurality of apertures, certain of which register with. certain or all of the apertures 11.

In connection with the member 10 disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, there is in the present instance associated a part 13, which may hereinafter be referred to as the instephood. This instep-hood is disclosed as being generally of a cruciform outline, consisting of a main portion (which may or may not. be apertured), oppositely off-set from which f are two strap-like extensions 13. One of't hese extensions is preferably terminally anchored by suitable stitching or otherwise at one side of the shoe structure, and the other end may have a series of spaced buckle-engaging holes 15. A buckle 15', carried by strap 16, said strap being preferably terminally anchored within the shoe structure as adjacent the location 18, is adapted to cooperate with one of the extensions 13 and with one of the holes 15 formed in the latter, as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby to cause or cooperate in cans ing themember 10 and its cushion 12 to be brought into yielding engagement and conformity with the foot of the wearer. Of

member 10, could terminally or otherwise carry a buckle similar to the buckle 15 or an equivalent means for the temporary attachment of either or all of said parts to the shoe structure; there being provided in connection therewith, of course, a suitable plurality of cooperating straps or the like which would preferably be terminally anchored to the shoe structure. I

Having thus described the construction of this. embodiment of my invention, a preferable method of mounting the same upon the foot of the wearer may next be indicated. With the laces9 suitably loosened,

the foot is inserted into the interior of the shoe, and the interior tongue 4 is next adjusted. The laces are then passed through the lacing-holes 7 and adjusted to bring the vamp 5 firmly against the foot, the laces be-v ing then permitted to dangle until the nextdescribed step is completed, to wit, the ad-.

justment of the member 10, plate 12 and instep-hood 13. Assuming the shoe to have been constructed in accordance with the dis-' closure of Figs. 1 and 2, thatis, with the lower forward terminus of member 10 and with one of the extensions 13' terminally an chored to the shoe structure, the buckle 15 carried by the strap 16 is caused to cooperate with one of the holes 14' formed in the free extension 13, to draw and maintain the cushion 12 snugly against the instep. The laces 9 are then passed upwardly as shown through a plurality of the apertures in cushion 12, and through the registering apertures 11 inthe member 10, and tied or knotted in place, as indicated at 11', to aid in supporting the integrity of the entire structure.

In Fig. 3 a further modification of the structure of Figs. 1 and 2 is illustrated. Here a cushion 12 similar'to the cushion above considered is present. Associated 'with the cushion and suitably attached 18 as illustrated could of course be used in connection with a plurality of straps and buckles on opposite sides of the shoe and respectively similar to the strap 16 and the buckle 15' shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thus rendering both the extensions 18 readily detachable from direct connection with the shoe structure proper. Were the parts shown .in Fig. 3, instead of'the cushion 12 and the instep-hood 13, suitably associated with the shoe structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, a preferable method of adjusting such a shoe upon the foot of the wearer would be substantially similar to that above described.

It will be seen that the present embodiment of this invention may be worn with the utmost comfort, the cushion 12 byits resilient nature giving a pleasant sense of freedom to the wearer and yet, being held fast by means of the buckle 15 and the laces 9, imparting a feeling of ease and security. The protection afforded the delicate metatarsal bones and sensitive ligaments and nerves associated therewith is certain. Moreover, the foot when incased in the shoe is neat in appearance and the latter not noticeably larger than ordinary.

Inasmuch as many. changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accom anying drawing shall be interpreted as i1 ustrative and-not in a limiting sense. It is also. to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all the ge-' neric and specific features of'the invention herein described and all statements .of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a 4 shoe structure having opposed flexible portions at the front arranged to overlie a portion of the instep, a cushion arranged to overlie both of said flexible portions, and an instep-hood adjustable upon the shoe structure to direct said cushion against the instep, said hood having a plurality of off-set side extensions arranged to be anchored to the shoe structure,

2. In a device of the class described, in-

combination, a shoe structure having opposed flexible portions at the front arranged to overlie a portion of the instep, a cushion arranged to overlie both of said flexible portions, and an instep-hood adjustable. upon the shoe structure to direct said cushion against the instep.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a shoe structure having opposed flexible portions at the front arranged to overlie a portion of the inste ,and a cushion arranged to overlie both 0 said flexible portions, said cushion being apertured.

4. In a device of the class described, in

combination, a shoe structure having opposed flexible portions at the front arranged means carried by ,said flexible portions, a Inwitnesswhereof I have hereunto signed cushion arranged to overlie said lacing my name inthe presence of two witnesses. means, and an aperture formed in saidcush- GEORGE L. PIERCE. ion whereby said lacing means may coiip- In the presence of 5 crate with said aperture to anchor in posi- HELEN V. FITZPATRICK,

tion said cushion. MARY H. LEWIS. v

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