US1659666A - Athletic-shoe construction - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1928. v 6 1,659,666

J. T. RIDDELL ATHLETIC SHOE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 29, 1925 I Izaak/z 2?? 772276629685. 0/271 Zf'iYiJdeZ K I 4 Patented Feb. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOHN '1. BIDDELII, OF EVANS'ION, ILLINOIS.

ATHLETIC-SHOE CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed December 28, 1926. Seriallo. 157,867.

This invention relates to improvements in athletic shoe construction, of the type utilizing relatively large cleats, such as commonly employed by football players.

5 An object in view is the effective retention of the sole of an athletic shoe against breaking or other distortion and the retention of the cleats in proper relation and operative condition, especially where relatively widely spaced cleats are utilized.

With this and further objects in view, as will in part hereinafter become apparent and part be stated,'the invention comprises certain novel construction, combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter specilied and claimed.

In the accompanyin drawing, Fig. 1 's a longitu inal, vertical section through a fragment of a shoe embodying the features of the present invention, the section being taken on the planes indicated by line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is an inverted as seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar plan view of the bridging plate for the sole detached and shown on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the heel bridging plate on a reduced scale relative to Fig. 3, and on an enlarged scale relative to Figs. 1 and 2'.

Fi 5 is an enlarged,'fra

plan view of the shoe entary, vertical, on 'tudinal, axial section through the sole an one of the cleats, parts being seen in elevation.

It has heretofore been proposed to stabilize the soles of shoes, both of the athletic type and of the ordinary type, by the interposition of a metal late withln the construction of the sole 0 the shoe. It has also been proposed, to employ in the sole of an ordinary, non-athletic shoe a plate of spring metal anchored in the heel portion of the sole, and extending across the instep and .tread portion of the sole to afford a sort of cantilever action for rendering added resiliency to the action of walking. However, all of these pro osed constructions fail to afford the requisite protection for cleats on athletic shoes of the type to which the present invention is particularly applicable. Ihe-ell'ort in said proposed constructions is to distribute the reactive stresses from the cleats to enhance the stability of the sole structure, and, in the case of the spring plate, to afford a resilient support for the instep. I am unaware of any proposed use heretofore of a spring plate to which cleats are anchored, or soles to which cleats are anchored, which soles are provided with spring plates. In athletic shoes of the type requirin cleats, and especially the larger forms 0 cleats, it is found that, for some pur ses, widely spaced cleats are desirable, an such arrangement has come to be known as the self-clearing cleats. Cleats too closely assembled soon have the intervenin spaces filled with mud or other foreign su stances and the cleats proportionately lose their eflicacy. To obtain the best type of self-clear ing arrangement of cleats, therefore, it is desirable to have the cleats spaced a art as far as may be reasonably ossible within the limits of the area of the s oe sole bein considered. The result is that a very an antial section of shoe sole exists between an two cleats, and in practice, where such sel clearing cleats are employed, the average or ordinary shoe sole of-entire leather construction buckles, bends or breaks between cleats, or otherwise gives and allows the cleats to assume relatively distorted positions, especially after such soles become saturated with moisture, which largely d'epreciates and spmztimes wholly destroys theutility of the 0 ea s. even when effectively anchored directl to the cleats,is liable to be permanently at out of proper position, and a rigid metal plate similarly anchored is liable to .break under the stress of two cleats moving relative to each other, so that such plates will A plate of soft ironor soft steel,

not serve to effectlvel avoid the danger to or deterioration of t e sole as above suggested. It is the object of the present invention to prevent such inj or deterioration of a sole provided wit self-clearing cleats by utilizing a spring steel or other apis a spring plate 3, preferably of thin sheet steel, interposed between the inner and the outer laminations of the sole 2. The plate 3 is located in the tread portion of the sole and is shaped to conform to such portion. A similar plate 4:, corresponding in contour to that of the heel 11 and arranged above the heel, is also incorporated as an integral part of the sole structure. For purposes of the appended claim, the heel is considered a part of the sole. The plates 3 and 4 are retained firmly and eifectively in place by the stitching or other connecting means employed for securing the laminations of the sole 2 together, so that neither plate 3 nor plate 4 is capable of any edgewise or other movement independent of the other constituents of the sole. Plate 4, of course, is formed, as seen in Fig. l, of a contour conforming to and slightly less in area than that of the heel 11.

Fixed to and extending down from the tread portion of sole 2 and from the heel ll are cleats 5, 5, spaced for producing a selfclearing construction, which is especially desirable in shoes of this character. Each cleat 5 is anchored exactly the same as all the other cleats, except that the heel cleats have slightly longer anchoring bolts or studs, as will be well understood, and, therefore, a detailed description of the anchorage of one cleat is applicable to all.

For each cleat 5, a bolt or stud 6 extends through the sole, or heel, and outstands there rom. A washer 7, preferably of metal, surrounds the outer portion of bolt 6 and is clamped firmly against the underface of the sole by a nut@8.-"- A nut 9- is preferably imbedded in each cleat 5 and the cleat is screwed home on the extended shank of the bolt 6ito a position with the nut 9 threaded along the shank of bolt 6 sufficiently for insuring a firm and eflective seating 'qfcleat 5 against washer 7. Each bolt 6, in extending through the sole or heel, extends through aperture 10 formed in the respective plate 3 or 4 for accommodating the bolt. Each aperture 10 is preferably proportioned to snugly accommodate the passage of the bolt,

and in assembling the parts-after the plates. 3 and 4: are in position, it is necessary to. utilize appropriate means or methods for;

instance aperturing the sole 2 in alignment with the apertures 10. 'llemplets may be emplo ed for this purpose. Thus, the bolts 6 e cotively engage the plates 3 and 4 and are not at liberty, therefore, to move laterally relative to the plates, or to have any other displacement movement without a proportional dislocation of engaged parts of the plate. Each of plates 3 and 4 is of sprin metal, preferably the finest obtainable 0100 spring being used.

The spring metal plate engaged by two spaced bolts 6, therefore, not only resist reactive stresses and uniformly distributes them, but also bridges the space between cleats in the sense of. guarding the sole against permanent buckling, stretching, giving or other displacement whereby dislocation of the cleats may occur.' The cleats are, therefore, effectively and rigidly held in place, and, if temporarily moved, are restored to normal relative position by the spring plate as soon as released from the 1 temporary distorting stress.

There is no efiort made in the use of the plates 3 and 4 to efiect a cantilever action or any other resiliencyv of the shoe sole as a whole. In fact, the entire instep area of the sole is left without a plate of any kind, so as to leave a hinge between the heel and the tread areas of the sole. 7

What is' claimed is:

In athletic shoe construction, in combination a shoe sole; a flexible metallic spring plate assembled Within said sole; relatively widely spaced self-cleaning cleats outstanding from said sole; anchoring studs extending through said plate and adapted to yield vertically with respect thereto; said cleats securedto said studs the upper end of-said studs imbedded withm said sole, above said plate, for anchoring said cleats to said sole and to: said plate; said plate bridging the space' ,-between said cleats and adapted to yield for (permitting sideways flexing of said cleats' an to prevent permanent distortion thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name-to this specification;

Joan 'r, RIDDELL.

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