US3514877A - Boots - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1970 J. R. coPPoL A BOOTS Filed June 26, 1968 I nz/enor Jsep/z E Coppo/a,

United States Patent() 3,514,877 BOOTS Joseph R. Coppola, Beverly, Mass., assignor to USM Corporation, Flemington, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 26, 1968, Ser. No. 740,224

Int. Cl. A43b U.S. Cl. 36--2.5 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A-boot having an outer sole which is molded upon the bottom of the upper and has at its toe portion, heel portion, and inside forepart portion reinforcing projections which extend upwardly from the sole and are molded@ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field-ofthe invention This invention relates to a boot with an outer sole injection molded thereon, and is directed more particularly to a boot for use with motorcycles, and like machines.

Description of the prior art In operation of motorcycles and the like, ordinary shoes and boots have been relied upon to provide the protection and comfort required by the operator. Such footwear has been ordinary in the sense that it is generally not designed specifically for utilization in connection with motor machines. Even footwear advertised for the attraction of motorcycle operators generally pertains to boots of heavy construction but which are substantially ordinary boots suitable for most boot-wearing purposes and no more suitable for motorcycle operators than others.

A problem which arises in use of ordinary shoes and boots in motorcycle operation is the inordinate wear of the toe, heel and inside forepart portions of the shoe. The toe and heel portions of footwear used in motorcycling are often used extensively in gear shifting and braking operations, as well as starting, depending, of course, upon the make and model of machine. The inside forepart of the boot is the side in proximity to the machine and suffers from inordinate abrasive wear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a boot for utilization in connection with the operation of motorcycles and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a boot in which there is provided, in particular areas of the boot, protection to withstand the unusually heavy Wear which is experienced in motorcycle operation.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, a feature of the present invention is the provision in an article of footwear of an outer sole which is molded upon the bottom of the upper. The sole is characterized by reinforcing projections which extend upwardly from the sole and are molded around the toe, heel, and inside forepart portions of the upper, whereby to enable those areas to withstand the uncommonly heavy wear to which they are subjected in operation of motorcycles and other such vehicles.

The above and other features of the invention, includ- ICC ing various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular article embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention, The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which there is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention from which its novel features and advantages will be apparent.

FIG. l is a left side elevational view of one form of a right boot illustrative of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a right side elevational View of the boot shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the boot shown in FIGS. l and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a back elevational view of the boot shown in FIGS. l-3.

DESCRIPTION oF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the illustrative article of footwear includes an upper 2 and a sole 4 molded to the upper. In the forepart region 6 of the footwear the molded sole is characterized Aby a reinforcing projection 8 (FIG. l) which extends upwardly from the normal upper and sole juncture location and is molded around a toe portion 10 (FIG. 3) and an inside forepart portion 12 (FIG. l) of the upper 2. The reinforcing projection 8 is secured to the upper by having been molded thereon. On the outside forepart portion of the footwear article (FIG. 2) the juncture 18 of upper and sole is in the normal location for such juncture.

In the backpart region 14 of the footwear the molded sole 4 is characterized by a reinforcing projection 16 which extends upwardly from the sole and is molded around a counter portion of the upper 2.

Thus, the reinforcing p- rojections 8, 16 provide substantial protection for the footwear in the toe, heel, and inside forepart areas.

If desired, the projection 16 may be molded with a recess 20 for receiving a reflector member 22 (FIG. 4), or alternatively, the reector member 22 may be molded into the projection 16. This feature provides a motorcycle operator with two additional rear reflectors while operating the machine at night.

It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to the particular construction herein disclosed and/or shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the disclosure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An article of footwear comprising an upper, an

outer sole molded on said upper, said sole extending 2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said protective cover is secured to an envelopes a toe portion of said upper.

3. An article of footwear comprising an upper, an outer sole molded on said upper, reinforcing projection means extending upwardly from the sole and molded onto the inside forepart portion of the upper, said reinforcing projection means being secured to and enveloping said portion of the upper, a second reinforcing projection means extending upwardly from the sole and molded onto a counter portion of the upper, said second reinforcing projection means being secured to and enveloping said portion of the upper and means for receiving a reector member provided on said second v projection means.

4. An article of -footwear comprising an upper, an outer sole molded on said upper, reinforcing projection means extending upwardly from the so-le and molded onto the inside forepart portion and toe portion of the upper, said reinforcing projection means being secured to and eveloping the inside forepart and toe portions of the upper, a second reinforcing projection means extending upwardly from the sole and molded onto a counter portion of the upper, said second reinforcing projection means being secured to and enveloping said counter por. tion of the upper, and means for receiving a reflector member provided on said second projection means.

5. A motorcycle boot comprising (A) an upper (B) an outer sole (1) molded on said upper,

4 (C) first reinforcing projection means (l) extending upwardly from the sole and (2) molded onto an inside forepart portion of the upper,

(3) said -rst projection means being secured to and enveloping said portion of the upper,

(4) said first projection means being further molded onto a toe portion of said upper,

(5) said rst projection means being secured to and enveloping said toe portion,

(a) whereby to form protective cover for said forepart portion and said toe portion of said upper,

(D) second reinforcing projection means (l) extending upwardly from the sole and (2) molded onto a counter portion of the upper, (3) said second projection means being secured to an enveloping said counter portion,

(a) whereby to form protective cover for said counter portion of said upper, and

(E) rellector means attached to said second projection means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,403,442 7/ 1946 Klaus 36-2.5 3,228,122 1/1966 Ludwig 'B6-2.5 3,308,560 3/1967 Jones 36-4 3,345,761 10/1967 Stohr 362.5

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner

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