US1587562A - Shoe having an ankle stiffener - Google Patents

Description

June 8 1926.

J. E. SWANSON SHOE HAVING AN ANKLE STIFFENER Filed August 5 1924 v 5 m Y s H n A M m m5 N w HE l n m d flflnnhhhwflhh M V1 ..0 5 a 3 a m F Patented June 8, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOHN E. SWANSON, or JAMAICA PLAIN, M ss on snrrrs.

SHOE HAVING AN ANKLE STIFFENE'R.

Application filed August 5, 1924. Serial No. 730,173.

This invention relates to improvements in shoes and. the general object thereof is to bone or steel. struts extending upwardly along the walls of the upper of the shoe which embrace the ankle of the wearer. These rigid stiffening devices prevent flexibility of the upper in the direction of the normal ankle 1110\(31'1161113 of the shoe and also frequently chafe and otherwise injure the ankle ot the wearer.

The present invention comprises a stiffening member located at the rear of the shoe and extending upwardly in parallelism with the Achilles tendon and is so constructed .as to be "flexible in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the shoe, -;but substantially inflexible in directions normal thereto.

A preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l is a perspective viewof-a moccasin type of shoe, a portion thereof being broken away to show the position and arrangement of a combined counter and heel stiffener embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail elevation of a preferred form of combined counter and heel stiffener;

liig. 3 a detail view of the rear portion of the quarters of the shoe which overlap alongthe median portion of theheel and illustrating also the method in which a pocket is providedto receive the counter and stiffener;

Fig. i is a horizontal sectional view through the upper and quarters of the-shoe illustrated in Fig. 1, illustrating the overlapping quarters at the rear of the heel with the counter and stiffening member there between;

Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 6 is a similar horizontal sectional view on line (6 Fig. 2.

The invention is illustrated in the ac- 5 is a sectional view on line 55 Fig.

companying drawing as applied to a shoe of the type disclosed in} my prior application No. (388,604 filed January 25, 1924, iPatent N 0. 1,521,338 granted December 30, 1924, which relates to a shoe and the method .of constructing the same comprising quarters overlapping the rear of the shoe so assembled as to provide a pocket to receive the counter for stiffening the heel of the shoe.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the shoe or moccasin comprises an integral sheet 1 of suitable material, such as soft leather, which underlies the footin place of the usual insole-with an edge portion 2 thereof extending along the sides and around the toe of the shoe and a broader integral portion 3 which forms one of the quarters of theshoe. The other quarter l of the shoe is suitably secured .to the upturned toe portion of the quarter andthe rear ends 5 and ,6 of the respective quarters are overlapped at the rear heel portion of the shoe. The sole 7 is SGClll'GCltOythG shoe i n-the usual manner. 1

The rear end portionsof the quartersare overlapped and secured together in such a manner as to provide a pocket vtherebetween to receive the counter and heel stiffening member or members.

In the preferred constructionillustrated the upper rear portions ofthe quarters present straight edges S and .9 respectively which mergeinto reverse or ogee curves, thecurves 10 and 11 of the edges of-the portion 5 of the quarter 41 as illustrated being slightly g-reaterthan the reversecurves 12 and 18 of the quarter. 8 so that before the quarters are assembled the reverse curves will occupy the position illustrated by the dotted line 14 in Fig. 8. These quarters are then secured together by lines of stitching 15 and 16 lo cated adjacent the edge of the qnartersand as the reversely curved portions 10 and .11 of the rear portion 5 of the quarter 4 are stitched to the quarter at the edges are drawn backward slightly as illustrated in such a manner as to form a pocket 17, such as illustrated in Fig. 41,.betweenthe quarters.

This pocket, therefore, presents a relatively broad area at the rear of the lower portion of the heel which is gradually reduced, butcontinnes upwardly between the upper parallel edges 8 and 9 of the quarters to the top of the shoe or to such position as may be desired.

The combined counter and stiffener which ankle stiffener.

is inserted in the pocket 17 may be made of any suitable material, such as resilient metal, stiff leather, cardboard, or a combination of stiff fibrous material and metal, celluloid, or any other thin flexible material which is flexible in one direction, but relatively inflexible at right angles thereto.

A preferred form of counter which is illustrated in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 comprises a body portion 18 having reversely curved symmetrical edges 19 and 20 which correspond to the reversely curved sides of the pocket 1011 and 12-13, the reversely curved edges 19, 20 merging into straight parallel edges 21 and 22 of the ankle-stiffening portion 23 of the combined counter and The ankle-stiffening portion 23 desirably is of much thinner material than the counter to provide flexibility in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the shoe. The counter and ankle stiffener desirably are beveled or skived down to relatively thin edges. The lower end of the body portion is provided with an inwardly extending flange 24 adapted to be lasted or otherwise secured to the sole of the shoe. Both the counter portion 18 and the extension therefrom forming the ankle stiffener desirably are cylindrically curved in cross section to conform to the curvature of the rear heel portion of the shoe so that the counter and ankle stifiener may be concealed when assembled within theshoe and the form of the shoe is preserved. The oombined counter and stiffener 18 thus formed is inserted in the pocket and the shoe finished in the usual manner.

The shoe therefore, when assembled, is provided with a counter which embraces the rear of the heel and with a stiffening member which extends upwardly at the rear of the Achilles tendon of the foot.

By reason of the fact that the counter presents a relatively wide base the ankle-stiffening portion 23, which is integral therewith, is rigidly held against lateral movement and the ankle stiffener is substantially inflexible to edgewise movements, that is, movements which are in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the shoe. The ankle stiffener, however, is flexible in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the shoe when the upper of the shoe is fastened about the ankle of the wearer by lacings or other usual means (not shown) and therefore does not appreciably restrict the normal movement of the foot of the wearer. Thus a relatively inexpensive construction is provided which will effectively hold the ankle of the wearer against lateral movement, but will not interfere with the normal flexibility of the shoe in the direction of its axis which is required in walking.

VJhile the invention is particularly adapted for childrens shoes which desirably should be so constructed as to sup port the .childs ankles, it may be employed with equal efiiciency for skating shoes or any other type of shoes which requires an ankle support. The invention also is effective to prevent running down of the sides of the shoe which commonly is caused both by children and adults and thus preserves the life and appearance of the shoes.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A shoe comprising a sole and an upper to embrace the ankle having quarters overlapped at their rear ends and secured together to provide a pocket extending upwardly from the central rear portion of the heel, and a stiffening member located within said pocket which is flexible in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the shoe, but substantially inflexible in directions normal to said longitudinal axis.

2. A shoe comprising a sole and an upper to embrace the ankle having quarters overlapped at their rear ends and secured together to provide a pocket extending upwardly from the'central rear portion of the heel, and a stiffening member, located withn said pocket, of cylindrically curved cross section corresponding to the curvature of the rear heel portion of the shoe having a lower portion forming a counter and a relatively narrow portion forming an ankle stiffener.

3. A shoe comprising a sole and an upper to embrace the ankle having quarters overlapped at their rear ends and secured together to provide a pocket, the lower end of which embraces the rear heel portion, said pocket presenting reversely curved edges which converge upwardly and merge into a substantially vertical extension throughout the ankle portion of the shoe,

'and a stifiening member, of cylindrically curved cross section corresponding to the curvature of the rear heel portion of the shoe, located within said pocket, having its edges conforming substantially to the contour of the edges of the pocket, whereby the lower portion forms a counter and the relatively narrow upper portion an ankle stiffener.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN E. SWANSON.

Images