US2093908A - Bathing sandal - Google Patents

Description

H. M. DODGE Sept. 21, 1937.

- BATHING SANDAL Filed April 29, 1935 Patented Sept. 21, 1937 wane Pros

BATHIN G SANDAL Howard M. Dodge, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 29,

Claims.

This invention relates to bathing sandals and the like.

Heretofore bathing shoes commonly have been constructed of soft vulcanized rubber which en- 5 closed the entire foot. While it has been recognized that such material would be advantageous in the construction of bathing sandals, the inherent flexibility of the material has usually prevented the material being used alone, especially for the sole of the device.

Another difliculty encountered is that the sandal easily slips off at the heel when there is lack of tension at the upper edge of the heel portion.

The principal objects of the present invention are to overcome these difficulties, to provide simplicity of structure, to reduce the cost of manufacture, and to provide security, neatness, and improved appearance.

Other objects will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

Of the drawing.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional elevation of the sandal and the mold for forming it.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sandal as taken from the mold, the sandal being shown in its preferred form.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the finished sandal in its preferred form.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View taken on line 55 of Fig. 4, showing the fastener.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the sandal in plan View, in dot and dash lines, and showing in full line, the principal line of tension.

Referring to the drawing, the sandal is molded in one piece, of soft, vulcanizable rubber material, and comprises a sole ID, a heel II, a counter l2, a pair of straps l3, l4, extending forwardly from the top of the counter, and merging with a pair of side straps l5, l6, and a pair of toe straps l1, H3. The toe straps l1, l8 are joined to the sole near its tip and the side straps I5, [6 are spaced rearwardly therefrom and also joined to the sole. The free ends of the toe strap I! and an elbow l9 formed at the junction of side strap IS with counter strap l3 are pivotally joined by a snap fastener element 2|, and the free end of toe strap I8 and a similar elbow 20 are pivotally joined by a mating fastener element 22, the arrangement being such that when the fastener elements 2|, 22 are engaged with each other, the strap elements are all joined pivotally at a point above the ball of the foot, and the strap I1 is 1935, Serial No. 18,797

in such substantial alignment with strap I 4, and strap l8 in such substantial alignment with strap I3, that any force tending to cause downward flexing of the toe portion of the sole is resisted by tension of the toe and heel straps longitudinally 5 thereof and tends to hold the straps I3, l4 laterally against the foot, and the counter portion in conforming relation to the heel of the wearer. Referring to Fig. 6, the principal line of tension is represented by the heavy full line 23 which 1 crosses itself at the pivotal fastener elements. The location of the straps l1, l8 slightly to the rear of the tip of the sole, tends also laterally to concave the sole toward the wearers foot. This lateral curvature of the sole additionally resists 15 longitudinal flexing of the sole forwardly of the straps.

The fastener elements permit opening of the sandal to admit the foot and thereby permit closer fitting when secured, insuring neat conformity of 20 the upper edges of the straps to the foot at all points.

The construction of the sandal is such that'in the unfastened positions the straps l5, l6, H,

I8 extend in diverging relation to the sole 25 whereas the counter 12 extends obliquely forward therefrom. This permits molding of the article in a single piece without the use of complicated mjolds. In molding the article, a mold comprising a female member 24 and a male member 25 is employed, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. By forming the mold members with the sole inclined to the horizontal, the proper curvature of the counter l2 may be accomplished without back draft of the core, permitting ready with- 35 drawal of the article and the supporting core from the mold.

I claim:

1. A sandal comprising a rubber sole and a pliable elastic upper comprising a counter portion 40 extending from the heel only to the ball of the foot with its forward extremities normally ununited, a pair of toe straps forwardly spaced therefrom, and a single snap fastener set adapted to pivotally unite said toe straps and the forward extremities of the counter portion over the ball of the foot with each toe strap insubstantial alignment with the forward extremity of an opposite counter portion.

2. A sandal comprising a rubber sole and a 50 pliable elastic upper having a counter extending from the heel only to the ball of the foot, a pair of toe straps forwardly spaced therefrom, and fastener means adapted pivotally to unite said toe straps and the forward portions of the counter the side straps, and fastener means for attaching together said elbows and toe straps.

' 4. A sandal as defined in claim 3 in which each toe strap of the fastened sandals is in substantial alignment with a forwardly extending strap at the opposite side of the sandal.

5. A sandal comprising a sole of pliable material, a quarter extending from the heel to the ball of the foot, means forwardly of the quarter for partially enclosing the toes, and a single fastener set for pivotally attaching the forward portion of the quarter and the toe-enclosing means 10 over the ball of the foot.

HOWARD M. DODGE.

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