GB2232869A - Protective footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

A protective boot has an upper 10 which comprises an outer layer 16 made of relatively soft, non-elastomeric material such as leather, and a protective layer 21, 22 of relatively hard rubber or elastomeric material disposed inwardly of the outer layer. Such protective layers can be provided in the area of a vamp 12, in side portions 13 between the vamp 12 and a heel portion 14, and/or in a tongue 20 of the upper. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Protective Footwear This invention relates to an article of protective footwear.

Any person using a chainsaw is well-advised to wear protective clothing in an attempt to minimise injury, e.g.

in the event of the saw being dropped. Conventionally, protective boots for use by chainsaw operatives have incorporated a layer of fabric woven from KEVLAR, the idea being that the strands of the fabric will clog the saw teeth and decrease the time taken for the saw to stop in the event of the saw cutting into the boot. In practice, however, the pieces of fabric used are relatively small and the strands are not long enough to stop the saw quickly enough. Thus, conventional protective boots will not pass the most stringent of safety tests, and serious injury can still occur. In addition, the KEVLAR fabric is not particularly easy to use: not only is it difficult to cut, but it can also cause skin irritation.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate this problem.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article of protective footwear including an upper having an outer layer of relatively soft material and a layer of relatively hard rubber or elastomeric material disposed inwardly of said outer layer.

Preferably, said layer of rubber or elastomeric material is provided at least in the area of a vamp of the upper.

Where the upper also incorporates a protective toe cap, the rubber or elastomeric layer is preferably provided at least in an area of the vamp behind the toe cap.

Desirably, the layer of rubber or elastomeric material is provided in side portions of the upper between the vamp and a heel portion thereof. Alternatively or additionally, said layer can be provided in a tongue of the upper.

Advantageously, the rubber or elastomeric material has a o o hardness (IRHD) of 65 to 75 and/or a specific gravity of 1.12 to 1.18.

The rubber or elastomeric material preferably comprises a styrene butydene rubber.

The layer of rubber or elastomeric material can be attached to the outer layer by stitching. Alternatively, where the article of footwear includes an inner lining, said layer can be held in a pocket created by securing (preferably by stitching) the outer layer and the inner lining together.

The outer layer is preferably made of a non-elastomeric material, such as leather or synthetic leather.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an article of protective footwear including an upper having an outer layer of non-elastomeric material and a layer of rubber or elastomeric material disposed inwardly of said outer layer.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a protective boot according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a section through part of an upper of the boot; and Figure 3 is R perspective view of an alterntive en,bodinient of protective boot, according to the present invention.

The illustrated boot comprises generally an upper 10 and a sole 11, the upper including a vamp 12, side portions 13 and a heel portion or quarter 14, with the vamp 12 incorporating a protective toe cap 15 (indicated in broken line). As depicted in Figure 2, the vamp 12 and the side portions 13 are composed of an outer layer 16 made of a non-elastomeric material such as leather or imitation leather, and a lining 17 also made of non-elastomeric material. The upper also includes a flap portion 18 which interconnects the side portions 13 at the front of the boot, the flap portion 18 having a stiffener 19 attached thereto to form a tongue 20. Again, the portion 18 and the stiffener 19 are made of non-elastomeric material, such as leather or imitation leather.

The vamp 12 also includes a layer 21 of rubber or elastomeric material sandwiched between the outer layer 16 and the inner lining 17, which preferably extends over the toe cap 15. Similar layers 22 are also provided at the base of the side portions 13: only one of these layers is shown in the drawing and is indicated by a chain-dotted line A, although it is to be understood that a similar layer is provided in a corresponding position on the opposite side of the boot. In each case, the layers 20 and 22 are either attached to the outer layer 16 by stitching, or are held in pockets created by stitching the outer layer to the lining 19 (see Figure 2).

A further layer 23 of rubber or elastomeric material is provided in the tongue 20, and can for example be sandwiched between the flap portion 18 and the stiffener 19. Alternatively, the flap portion 18 can be lined and the layer can be provided between the portion 18 and the lining, in which case the layer can extend sideways beyond the edges of the stiffener 19, for example as indicated by chain-dotted line B.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of boot, in which the tongue 20 is replaced by a front portion 24 interconnecting the side portions 13. A flap 25 is attached to the front portion, and in use locates between front edges 26 of the side portions 13 when laces on the boot (not shown) are tied up. The portion 24 and the flap 25 are both made of a non-elastomeric material such as leather. Located inside the boot and directly behind the portion 24 is an inner tongue 27. This tongue can be made entirely of rubber or an elastomeric material, or can be formed by two layers of non-elastomeric material with a layer of rubber or elastomeric material sandwiched therebetween. As with the previous embodiment, layers of rubber or elastomeric material are also provided in the valap 1 and at the base of the side portions 13.

The rubber or elastomeric material employed for the layers 21, 22 and 23 preferably has a hardness (IRHD) in the range 65 to 75 and/or a specific gravity of 1.12 to 1.18. In one particular example of the invention, these layers are composed of a rubber compound supplied by Larkhill Soling Co. Ltd. under the reference number 43/26. This compound is a styrene butydene rubber with nitrile additives, and has the following properties: o Hardness (IRHD) 71 Specific Gravity 1.165 Tensile Strength (kg/cm") 150 Elongation at Break % 790 Cresent Tear Resistance kgf 42 Extension Set % 11 Din Abrasion (Volume Loss mml) 235.7 Swelling % (Iso-Octane 22 hrs.) 2.5 In tests where a running chainsaw is dropped onto a boot according to the present invention, it has been found that the layers of rubber or elastomeric material give excellent protection. Although the outer layers of leather or synthetic leather are easily cut by the chainsaw (as would be expected), there is no penetration of the rubber/elaGtomeric layers.

Claims (14)

Claims:

1. An article of protective footwear including an upper having an outer layer of relatively soft material, and a layer of relatively hard rubber or elastomeric material disposed inwardly of said outer layer.

2. An article as claimed in claim 1, wherein said layer of rubber or elastomeric material is provided at least in the area of a vamp of the upper.

3. An article as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper also incorporates a protective toe cap, and said layer of rubber or elastomeric material is provided at least in an area of the vamp behind the toe cap.

4. An article as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the layer of rubber or elastomeric- material is provided in side portions of the upper between the vamp and a heel portion thereof.

5. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the layer of rubber cr elast.oineric material is provided in a tongue of the upper.

6. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rubber or elastomeric material has a hardness (IRHD) of 0 0 65 to 75

7. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rubber or elastomeric material has a specific gravity of 1.12 to 1.18.

8. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rubber or elastomeric material is made of styrene butydene rubber.

9. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the layer of rubber or elastomeric material is attached to the outer layer by stitching.

10. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, including an inner lining and wherein the layer of rubber or elastomeric material is held in a pocket created by securing the outer layer and the inner lining together.

11. An article as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the outer layer is made of a non-elastomeric material.

12. An article as claimed in claim 11, wherein the outer layer is made of leather or synthetic leather.

13. An article of protective footwear including an upper having an outer layer of non-elastomeric material and a layer of rubber or elastomeric material disposed inwardly of said outer layer.

14. An article of protective footwear, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.