US2072785A - Footwear - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. 2, 1937 NETE@ STATES PATENT @FFIE FOOTWEAR Herman A. Wuiff, St. Paul, Minn.

Application March 2, 1936, Serial No. 66,719

l Cla-iin.`

This invention relates to footwear and its general object is to provide a sole designed for shoes and sandals, that includes a plurality of iiat sections formed from wood or the like, exibly connected together in fitting end to end relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sectional wooden sole with means extending through each section for flexibly connecting the sections together in a manner to allow expansion l and contraction thereof and so that each section is capable of individual movement to facilitate natural walking, as well as comfort to the wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe or the like, including a flexibie sole, that l is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremely efcient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detaii, reference will be had to the accompanying drawin wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a sandal constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken approximately on line 2 2 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approxi` mately on line 3 3 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that the sole is made up of a plurality of sections, preferably four in number. However, any number of sections may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention. The

sections are of various shapes in order to provide a sole of the usual foot fitting shape and the heel section which is indicated by the reference numeral l is relatively narrow and is provided with rounded sides and rear end. All of the sections are relatively thick and flat, and the heel section is provided with a straight forward end to t the adjacent end of the instep section 2 that contacts the ball section 3 which in turn has its forward end contacting the rear end of the toe section 4, the latter having a flat front end for a purpose which will be presently apparent. Each of the sections have the upper edges of the confronting ends rounded as best shown in Fig- (Cl. Bti-11.5)

ure 1, to allow a slight rolling action between the upper edges as will be apparent.

Each of the sections is provided with a pair of spaced parallel bores extending longitudinally therethrough for the purpose of receiving the parallel portions 5 of a single strand of wire that is looped upon itself to provide a straight rear portion E arranged at right angles to and merging into the parallel portions 5 which are threaded through the bores and have their forward ends bent toward each other and rearwardly inclined to provide fastening means in the form of hooks l. The wire is preferably of the resilient type, con sequently it will be seen that the sections are flexibly connected together in a manner to allow slight individual movement thereof and the hooks allow expansion and contraction of the sections, as will be apparent.

The upper of the sandal as shown, includes a heel piece 8 that has its lower edge secured to and following the rounded sides and rear end thereof, the latter having arranged therein a groove within which is disposed the straight portion G and the rear portion of the heel piece, with the straight portion 6 holding the same within the groove, while the remaining portion of the heel piece is xed to the heel section by nails or the like 9. The heel piece extends into strap members it for disposal about the instep of the wearer and the strap members have their ends. secured together through the instrumentality of a buckle Il.

The toe portion of the upper includes a saddle member l2 that has its lower ends xed to the ball section and toe section by nails or the like as shown, and a toe strap I3 provided with a loop I4 at its rear end to receive the saddle member, has its forward end connected to the flat forward end of the toe section by nails as shown, which likewise secure a metallic strip l 5 to the flat forward end, with the toe strap between the toe section and the strip. The strip acts as an abutment plate for the inner ends of the hook 1.

While I have shown the saddle member as including two individual pieces connected together by buckle means I6, it may consist of a single piece only.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will be obvious that I have provided a sole that is formed from sections of wood or the like, exibly connected together by resilient means to allow individual movement of the sections to facilitate natural walking, as well as to provide comfort in footwear of this character.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention Will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combina tion and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A sandal comprising a sole including a plural- 10 ity of Wooden sections arranged in end to end relation and being relatively thick and at with rounded upper edges for the confronting ends thereof, means extending longitudinally through the sections for flexibly connecting the sections together for individual movement, an upper for the sole and including a heel piece and a toe piece, means cooperating with the rst mentioned means for securing the heel piece and toe piece to the sole, instep strap means for the heel piece and means for detachably securing the instep strap means together.

HERMAN A. WULFF.

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