US3541708A - Shoe construction - Google Patents

Description

H. E. ROSEN SHOE CONSTRUCTION Nov. 24, 1 970 4 Shets-$heet 1 Filed March 26, 1968 Nov. 24, 1970 E. ROS'EN 1 3,541,708

SHOE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 26, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet B Nov. 24, 1970 H. E. ROSENY SHOE CONSTRUCTION 4' Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 26, 1968 w GE Nov. 24, 1970 H. E. ROSEN 3,541,708

' sHoE consmucnou m lea March 26, 1968 r 4 sheets-sheet 4 United States Patent Oifice 3,541,708 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Int. Cl. A43b US. Cl. 36-25 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A footwear construction incorporating widthwise adjustability, where the width of the shoe is varied to fit any particular foot width over a relatively wide range of possible widths.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No, 612,003, filed Jan. 26, 1967. It relates to footwear incorporating widthwise adjustability to provide a shoe which will comfortably and accurately fit any of a relatively wide range of widths.

It is a known fact that many foot difficulties are directly traceable to the wearing shoes of improper width.

Since few buyers can afford shoes custom made to the exact dimensions of their feet, the best approach ideally with factory-made shoes would involve carefully measuring the feet, and fitting them with shoes of correct width having lace-to-toe uppers, which could easily be adjusted to compensate for variations between the two feet, as well as those due to different hosiery thickness, footswelling from fatigue or heat, and the stretch of the shoe with wear.

The above approach would not be commerically practical, however, since lace-to-toe styles have limited customer appeal in other than athletic and functional footwear.

In other categories including dress shoes and casuals, one finds style dictating the amount and type of width adjustment employed, varying from no adjustment whatsoever, as in loafers, pumps, boots and step-in types, to various degrees of width adjustment by laces, buckles and other means where such adjustment is normally of less longitudinal extent than that afforded by lace-to-toe designs.

While all of the aforementioned conventional width adjustment approaches compensate to varying degrees for modest girth variations between foot and shoe, none of these compensates satisfactorily for the wider ranges encountered in attempting to make one shoe fit a relatively wide range of standard shoe widths.

Despite the above limitations, acceptable fit would be obtained more often, were it not for the common practice of offering most popular priced footwear in one or two widths only. As a result, many customers tend to accept improper fit rather than shop for a better fit in those stores carrying wider size ranges, which are usually at higher prices.

Additional fit problems arise from the tendency of salesmen to fit a shoe in anticipation of future stretch which may not actually occur, and also from mail-order sales, Where poorly fitting shoes are often accepted to avoid the bother of returning them to the seller.

Consequently, it is the major object of this invention to provide a novel footwear construction applicable to many styles and materials whereby one can adjust the width of a shoe particularly but not necessarily exclusively in the areas of ball, waist and instep to enable the shoe to provide a proper and accurate fit over a relatively broad range of widths. This adjustment can be made at the time of purchase, with later readjustability by the wearer as desired.

Such object is accomplished according to the present invention in a unique manner whereby the width of the sole remains relatively fixed at pleasing and practical dimensions, while the upper itself is varied in girth by adjusting at least one of its lower margins transversely, such a margin or lasting allowance extending between an insole member such as a sock lining and the outsole of the shoe. This affords a wider range of adjustment and a wider choice of materials, than do constructions limiting their adjustment solely to the shoe bottom.

In general, the invention provides, in footwear having upper elements with lower marginal edges inturned transversely between the foot and a preferably relatively nonstretchable sole element, means whereby at least a portion of such margins have a limited degree of free transverse movement between said foot and sole elements. More specifically, the construction may provide, in a shoe having a backpart and a forepart including a toe portion and a mid portion beneath the ball and instep of the foot forward of the heel, transversely relatively non-stretchable outsole and insole elements underlying at least the forepart of the shoe, each said outsole and insole element extending continuously thereacross and extending longitudinally for at least said forepart of the shoe with said insole element spaced above said sole element. There may also be provided a generally closed upper element extending down toward the peripheral edge of the outsole element, said upper element having its longitudinally extending marginal edges, at least in the forepart of the shoe, inturned toward one another above the outsole element and below the insole element for free transverse movement between the insole and outsole elements. The margins may have transversely stiff but longitudinally flexible stiffener elements attached thereto.

Adjustment means, including manually operable means, are connected to the margins and their stiffener elements between the toe portion and the backpart for adjustment, preferably by fixing a predetermined transverse spacing between the stiffener elements, preferably relatively pro portional or even equal as to each stiffener element with respect to a central longitudinal axis of said sole element, so that the adjustment means is movably adjustable to a variety of said predetermined spacings to provide an increased or decreased transverse cross-sectional area throughout the mid portion of the shoe.

For the purpose of more fully explaining further objects and features of the invention, reference is now made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, together with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view, partly broken away and in section, of a first embodiment of a shoe incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view of the shoe of FIG. 1, taken on the line 22 thereof;

FIGS. 3-6 are transverse sections of the shoe of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken, respectively, on the lines 33, 44, 55 and 66 thereof;

FIG. 7 is a transverse section showing modifications of the shoes of FIGS. 1-6;

FIG. 8 is a side view, partly broken away and in section, of a second embodiment of a shoe incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional plan view of the shoe of FIG. 8, taken on the line 99 thereof;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are transverse sections of the shoe of FIGS. 8 and 9 taken, respectively, on the lines 1010 and Ill-11 thereof; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional plan view of another modification of the shoe of FIGS. 1 through 6.

Referring to the drawings, the widthwise adjustable footwear construction of the present invention will be described as embodied in a leather shoe, similar in appearance to the well-known loafer of the moccasin type, having a separate sock lining and an outer sole and a heel. The shoe upper element includes two main pieces generally called the vamp and the plug 12, these two pieces usually being joined by stitching :11 to form a seam around the upper edge of the forepart of the shoe, an edge trim 13 being provided around the ankle opening. The insole element 14, commonly called the sock lining, overlies the inturned marginal edges 15, 17, commonly called the lasting allowance, of the vamp 10, and the outsole 16 underlies said edges 15. A heel 18 is attached to the rear or heel portion of the outsole 16.

The present invention provides a shoe which in its external appearance can be made similar to the genuine moccasin loafer type of shoe style or of many other types of footwear styles and constructions, but adds further unique constructional features which enable it to have predetermined widthwise adjustability for superior fit and comfort.

In order to accomplish this, the bottom of the usual vamp 10 portion of the shoe upper element, which conventionally extends transversely at least partly across the bottom of the forepart of the shoe and overlies the transversely relatively non-stretchable outsole 16, is provided with inturned longitudinally extending marginal edges 15, 17 on the vamp portion of the shoe upper element, which edges, according to the invention, are free to be moved transversely, preferably by manually operable means, to a predetermined adjusted fixed position to vary the girth and hence the widthwise cross-sectional size of the moccasin. One or more of the transversely relatively nonstretchable shoe insole elements, which in the art are variously called sock linings, tucks, and midsoles, for example, overlies margins 15, 17 as well as underlies them for their control as is hereinafter more fully described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, the bottom of the vamp 10 has inwardly turned, longitudinally extending side marginal edges 15, 17, in the nature of lasting allowances which are confined between, but free of fixed connection, to the insole elements for free transverse sliding movement of edges 15, 17 therebetween. Such insole elements include an overlying insole element 14 of the type usually referred to as a sock lining, cooperating with an underlying insole element 25, of the type usually referred to as a midsole, positioned immediately above outsole element 16 to which it is attached as by cementing or conventional sewing along their outer peripheries or both and, in the rear part of the shoe, an intermediate insole element 26 of the type usually referred to as a tuck, interposed between the other insole elements 14 and 25.

In the forepart of the shoe, adjacent the toe portion and extending rearwardly therefrom to adjacent the shank portion thereof, edges 15, 17 are each provided preferably with a pair of longitudinal stiffener members, forepart stiffener member 21 and midpart stiffener member 22 on edge and forepart stiffener member 23 and midpart stiffener member 24 on edge 17, although only forepart stiffener members may be used if desired. Stitfener members 21, 22, 23 and 24 may be of thin spring steel and have the property of being flexible to forces which tend to bend them along their length, (as experienced in normal walking) while remaining relatively inflexib e to transverse forces exerted in their own plane. Stitfeners 21 and 22 and stitfeners 23 and 24 are attached by suitable rivets 19 and respectively to edges 15, 17 and in turn are pivotally attached to the fixed shoe elements for transverse swinging movement at their fixed ends. Their transversely movable free ends are connected by a rivet 28 loosely connecting the free ends of forepart and midpart stiffener members 21 and 22 for transverse sliding movement, with the lower end of said rivet 28 being positioned in slot 29 in midsole 25 for limiting the extent of said transverse movement, while at the same time holding stiffener members 21, 22 and edges 15, 17 down against midsole 25. Preferably, rivet 28 extends upwardly through a similar slot in intermediate tuok insole element 26. Similarly, rivets 19 and 20 may also be extended through suitable slots in midsole 25 and tuck insole element 26. The pivotal connection of the forward end of forepart stiffener member 21 is by means of pivot rivet 31 which extends through midsole 25 and that of the rearward end of midpart stiffener member 22 is by means of pivot rivet 33 which also serves to hold said stiffener members and upper edges down against midsole 25 and extends both through it and intermediate tuck insole element 26. With this arrangement, the extent of arcuate movement of the free ends of stitfeners 21, 22 connected by rivet 28 and controlled by slots 29, establishes the maximum variation in the widthwise dimension of the shoe.

The desired predetermined fixed position within the available variation is established by manually operable means comprising a camming mechanism, including a cam follower in the form of a spring metal loop 30 having a tooth pressing against a detent cam 32 positioned between the legs of loop 30. Cam 32, shown in its narrowest adjusted position in FIGS. 1 through 6, is manually rotatable by either upper or lower screw slots exposed at the inside or outside bottom of the shoe. The closed end of the spring loop 30 is fixed in position at the rear portion of the shoe, adjacent heel 18, by clamp 27, while the free ends of the spring loop extend downwardly and are attached to the forward ends of midpart stitfener elements 22, 24. Such latter attachment is accomplished by means of U-clips 35, 37, the closed ends of which surround the loop free ends 33, 34, with the marginal edges 15, 17 and midpart stiffener members 22, 24 being clamped therein.

In order to adjust the shoe width, shown in its narrowest width in FIGS. 1 through 6, it is only necessary to rotate cam 32 with a conventional screwdriver through an angle of up to degrees from its narrowest position to open spring loop 30 the amount needed to fix the adjusted position of margins 15, 17 as desired. In this regard, with the center of the rearmost portion of spring loop 30 fixed on the longitudinal central axis A of the shoe by clamp 27 as shown, it should be noted that the angular movement of each of margins 15, 17 is relatively proportional and preferably equal, so that the widthwise adjustment or margins 15, 17 is such that the shoe upper portion 10 remains generally centered on its outsole 16 throughout the full range of the adjustment, as is important from both the standpoint of appearance and function. At any setting of less than maximum width, a limited degree of stretch in lasting allowance transverse movement may be provided to make it easier for a wearer to slip on the shoe. In addition, a sufficiently gentle degree of spring compression may make possible the elimination of camming mechanisms, Where the foot itself spreads the upper to a proper fit, against gentle inward pressure of the lasting allowances under the foot. In this latter case, the spacing between margins 15, 17 will usually not be predetermined, but rather determined by the foot itself within the shoe.

In FIG. 7 is shown a modification of the shoe of FIGS. 1-6, wherein there is additionally included a waterproofing membrane 38, of thin rubber or the like, as well as a thin spring steel transverse stiffener 39 having suitable slots therein to permit relative transverse movement of rivets 19 and 20.

In FIGS. 8 through 11 is shown a somewhat modified shoe according to the invention wherein adjustment is provided by means of external tie cords 50 located in a conventional position above the vamp 10 and plug 12 for tying therearound.

More specifically, the forepart stiffeners 21 and midpart stitfeners 22 are arranged on margins 15, 17' and are connected to the fixed shoe elements as before, except that additional connecting elements are provided in the form of U shaped spring clip elements 52 positioned between sole 16 and sock insole element 14, attached thereto and held in position by midsole element 25. The upper arms of clip elements 52 overlie and press downwardly by spring pressure against forepart stiffener elements 21 and margins 17' which are in turn pressed against midsole element 25 while remaining free for transverse sliding movement relatively thereto. In operation, such U clip elements hold the midsole and upper closely together at the outer edges of the clip elements to improve the look of the shoe, and help inhibit entry of pebbles and foreign matter between upper and midsole.

In the modification of FIGS. 8 through 11, the desired predetermined maximum fixed position within the available variation is established by a cable mechanism operated by tie cords 50. Said mechanism includes a single length of wire cable 60, preferably held by a central clamp 61 and extending transversely across the shoe somewhat forward of the connected free ends of the forepart stitfeners 21, 23 and midpart stitfeners 22, 24, passing through rings 62, 64 on each side of the shoe, and thence back to each of stitfener connecting rivets 28' located on the opposite side of the shoe for connection thereto. Each tie cord 50 is attached to ring 62, 64, passing through a grommet 66 in vamp 10 in order to do so.

With this arrangement, shoe Width may be adjusted inwardly simply by pulling on tie cords 50 to achieve the fit desired and then tying them together, increased width being achieved simply by inserting the foot into the shoe with the tie cord untied. As before, clamp 61 ensures that the adjustment of marginal edges 15, 17 is generally equal with respect to the central axis A of the shoe in order to maintain the desired appearance regardless of shoe adjusment.

In FIG. 12 is shown a still further modification wherein a cable reel is substituted for the camming mechanism of FIGS. 1 through 6, such arrangement having a screwdriver-actuated cable drum 70 frictionally rotatable about a vertical axis and having a pair of cables 72, 74 wound thereon with their free ends passing forward and through a common guide 76 to attachment points on rivets 28. With this arrangement, winding up the cables on the reel reduces the transverse width of the shoe, and, if desired, a U-spring similar to that of FIGS. 1 through 6 may be used to bias the shoe margins in an outward di rection.

Various other modifications, not herein specifically described, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, although the shoe construction of the invention has been described with reference to a loafer with a moccasin type seam similar to that on footwear conventionally referred to as hand-sewns, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that it may be used in many other types and styles of shoes capable of incorporating the needed elements. Such modifications are deemed to be within the spirit of the present invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shoe having a backpart and a forepart including a toe portion and a mid portion beneath the ball of the foot forward of the heel;

transversely relatively non-stretchable sole and insole elements underlying at least the entire forepart of the shoe, each said sole and insole element extending continuously thereacross and extending longitudinally for at least said entire forepart of the shoe with said insole element spaced above said sole element;

an upper element extending down toward the peripheral edge of the sole element with its longitudinally extending margins at least in the forepart of the shoe inturned toward one another above said sole element and below said insole element and free of fixed connection to said elements between the toe portion and said backpart of said shoe for free transverse sliding movement relatively thereto; adjustment means including manually operable means connected between said inturned marginal edges of said upper element between said toe portion and said backpart for fixing a predetermined transverse spacing btween said marginal edges, whereby said adjustment means is movably adjustable to a variety of said predetermined spacings to provide an increased or decreased transverse crosssectional area in at least part of the mid portion of said shoe.

2. In a shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adjustment means includes manually operable means for fix ing a transverse adjustment of at least one free margin.

3. In a shoe having a backpart and a forepart including a toe portion and a mid portion beneath the ball of the foot forward of the heel;

a transversely relatively non-stretchable sole element underlying at least the entire forepart of the shoe, said sole element extending continuously thereacross and extending longitudinally for at least said entire forepart of the shoe;

a transversely relatively non-stretchable upper element extending down toward the peripheral edge of the sole element with its longitudinally extending margins at least in the forepart of the shoe inturned toward one another above said sole element and free of fixed connection to said sole element between the toe portion and said backpart of said shoe for free transverse movement relatively thereto;

adjustment means connected between said inturned marginal edges of said upper element between said toe portion and said backpart, said upper element being connected to said sole element at least at said toe portion and said backpait; 1

whereby said adjustment means is adjustable to provide a variable transverse cross-sectional area throughout the mid portion of said shoe.

4. In a shoe as claimed in claim 3 wherein said adjustment means includes manually operable means for fixing a predetermined transverse spacing between said marginal edges.

5. In a shoe as claimed in claim 4 wherein said adjust ment means fixes said spacing relative to each said marginal edge with respect to a central longitudinal reference axis on said sole element.

6. In a shoe having a backpart and a forepart including a toe portion and a mid portion beneath the ball of the foot forward of the heel;

transversely relatively non-stretchable sole and insole elements underlying at least the entire forepart of the shoe, each said sole and insole element extending continuously thereacross and extending longitudinally for at least said entire forepart of the shoe with said insole element spaced above said sole element;

an upper element extending down toward the peripheral edge of the sole element with its longitudinally extending margins at least in the forepart of the shoe inturned toward one another above said sole element and below said insole element and free of fixed connection to said elements between the toe portion and said backpart of said shoe for free transverse sliding movement relatively thereto;

adjustment means including manually operable means connected between said inturned marginal edges of said upper element between said toe portion and said backpart for fixing a transverse spacing between said marginal edges,

whereby said adjustment means is movably adjustable to a variety of said spacings to provide an increased or decreased transverse cross-sectional area throughout the mid portion of said shoe.

7. In a shoe as claimed in claim 6 wherein said marginal edges have transversely stiff but longitudinally flexible stiffener elements attached thereto for transverse movement with said margins between said insole and sole elements with said stiffener elements being pivotally mounted at one end on said sole element leaving the other free end transversely movable with respect to said insole and sole elements.

8. In a shoe as claimed in claim 7 wherein cam means mounted on said sole element and cooperating with said stiffener elements adjusts said spacing.

9. In a shoe as claimed in claim 7 wherein cable means cooperating with said stiffener elements adjust said spacing.

10. In a shoe as claimed in claim 9 wherein said cable means includes a cable drum mounted between said stiffener elements with cables wound on said drum and having their free ends cooperating with said stiffener elements.

11. In a shoe as claimed in claim 9 wherein said cable means includes tie means extending around said upper element for adjustment by tying above said upper element.

12. In a shoe having a backpart and a forepart including a toe portion and a mid portion beneath the ball of the foot forward of the heel;

transversely relatively non-stretchable sole and insole elements underlying at least the entire forepart of the shoe, each said sole and insole element extending continuously thereacross and extending longitudinally for at least said entire forepart of the shoe with said insole element spaced above said sole element;

an upper element extending down toward the peripheral edge of the sole element with longitudinally extending margins at least in the forepart of the shoe inturned toward one another above said sole element and below said insole element and having transversely stiff but longitudinally flexible stiffener elements attached thereto for free transverse movement with said margins between said insole and sole elements adjustment means including manually operable means connected to said stiffener elements between said toe portion and said backpart for fixing a predetermined transverse spacing between said stiffener elements relative to each stiffener element with respect to a central longitudinal axis of said sole element whereby said adjustment means is movably adjustable to a variety of said predetermined spacings to provide an increased or decreased transverse cross-sectional area throughout the mid portion of said shoe. 13. In a shoe as claimed in claim 12 wherein said adjustment means further includes limiting means defining the maximum and minimum transverse movement of said stiffener elements.

14. In a shoe having a backpart and a forepart including a toe portion and a mid portion beneath the ball of the foot forward of the heel;

transveresly relatively non-stretchable sole and insole elements underlying at least the entire forepart of the shoe, each said sole and insole element extending continuously thereacross and extending longitudinally for at least said entire forepart of the shoe with said insole element spaced above said sole element;

an upper element extending down toward the peripheral edge of the sole element with its longitudinally ex tending marginal edges at least in the forepart of the shoe inturned toward one another above said sole element and below said insole element and free of fixed connection to said elements between the toe portion and said backpart of said shoe for free transverse sliding movement relatively thereto;

said marginal edges have transversely stiff but longitudinally flexible stiffener elements attached thereto for 8 transverse movement with said marginal edges between said insole and sole elements with said stiffener elements being pivotally mounted at one end on said sole element leaving the other free end transversely movable with respect to said insole and sole elements,

U-clip elements having upper arms overlying said stiffener elements and lower arms beneath said stiffener elements and fixed to said shoe to limit upward movement of said stiffener elements relative to said sole element;

adjustment means including manually operable means connectedbetween said inturned marginal edges of said upper element between said toe portion and said backpart for fixing a transverse spacing between said marginal edges,

whereby said adjustment means is movably adjustable to a variety of said spacings to provide an increased or decreased transverse cross-sectional area throughout the mid portion of said shoe.

15. In a shoe having a backpart and a forepart including a toe portion and a mid portion beneath the ball of the foot forward of the heel;

transversely relatively non-stretchable sole and insole elements underlying at least the entire forepart of the shoe, each said sole and insole element extending continuously thereacross and extending longitudinally for at least said entire forepart of the shoe with said insole element spaced above said sole element; an upper element extending down toward the peripheral edge of the sole element with longitudinally extending margins at least in the forepart of the shoe inturned toward one another above said sole element and below said insole element, each said margin having a pair of transversely stiff but longitudinally flexible stiffener elements including a forepart stiffener element pivotally mounted at its forward end on said sole element and a midpart stiffener element pivotally mounted at its rear end on said sole element attached to said margin for free transverse movement with said margins between said insole and sole elements adjustment means including manually operable means connected to said stiffener elements between said toe portion and said backpart for fixing the transverse spacing between said stiffener elements relative to each stiffener element with respect to a central longitudinal axis of said sole element whereby said adjustment means is movably adjustable to a variety of spacings to provide an increased or decreased transverse cross-sectional area throughout the mid portion of said shoe. 16. In a shoe having upper and sole elements wherein the longitudinally extending margins of the upper element are inturned above the sole element and are at least in part free of fixed stationary connection to the sole element to allow said margins a limited degree of relatively free transverse motion thereto, said margins having attached thereto transversely stiff but longitudinally flexible stiffener elements, pivotally mounted at one end and adjustment means connected between said stiffener elements adjacent the instep of the shoe cooperating with said margins to allow transverse movement thereof to effectively vary the width of the shoe, said adjustment means controlling the amount of transverse swinging movement of said stiffener elements around their pivotal mountings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner

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