US2381389A - Plastic shoe - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 7, 1945.-

M. P. RIESING PLASTIC sHoE Filed Feb. 25, 1943 mwmmmmmmm@ INVENTOR MABEL R R11-:5| NG ATTQRN EYS Patented Aug. 7, 1945 PLASTIC SHOE Mabel P. Riesing, Pontiac, Mich., yassignor to The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio,r,a corporation of Ohio Application February 25, 1943, Serial No. 477,165

2 Claims. (Cl. 36-25) The presentv invention relates to shoes, especially to fancy, or dress shoes or to shoes having attractive and distinctive appearances.

Heretofore substantially all shoes have been made from leather or fabric, but recently the use of plastic material has been introduced in shoe manufacture. Heels of shoes are especially adapted for manufacture from plastic material. However, the present invention contemplates manufacture of an entire shoe from a plastic material.

Many advantages accompany the use of a plastic' material in shoe manufacture, among which are that the sole and heel of the shoe can be formed integrally from a solid, or hollow plastic block. Then too, the shoes need not be molded or cast, .but can be machined from or cored out of, a solid block of plastic material, whendesired. The plastic used in the shoe will not deteriorate on exposure to air or Water, as conventional shoe constructions, which characteristic also enables the shoe to be washed off to restore the original luster of the shoe. Use of a transparent or translucent plastic material enables novel color effects to be produced in the shoes by painting the inner surface (when a hollow shoe is made) or an outer surface, thereof, with a distinctive type of shoe also being provided when a colored plastic material is used. Forming the high heel of a shoe integrally with the sole portion of the shoe prevents the heel from breaking oif the shoe, as in ordinary shoe constructions, so that shoes made in accordance with the invention are safer than standard types bfshoes. When the shoes are molded to shape,

a metal arch support can be embedded in the shoe as it is formed. Furthermore, the integral formation of the sole and heel of thelshoe reduces the expense of construction of the shoe, since .the\sewing and tacking of soles to the shoe is avoided, as is the nailing on of heels. Insolesl for the shoes are readily cemented in place while insoles in conventional shoes usually are either nailed or sewed into the shoe.

vThe general object of the present invention is to provide an improved, attractive shoe made from plastic material, which shoe is inexpensively constructed and has a long life.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe which can be readily cleaned.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safe shoe construction wherein the parts thereof cannot readily be broken therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoe which can have a variety of means associated therewith for securing it to the wearers foot.

The foregoing and/other objects, will be inanifest from the following specification, with parthe shoe shown in Figure 1;

ticular reference to the accompanying drawing, of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a'shoe embodying the invention; i

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section o Figure 3 is a transverse section of the shoe on line 3 3 of Figure'Z; and

.Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views of joints which may be used in securing parts of the shoe together.

Referring to the drawing, a shoe l0 is shown, which shoe is made solely from a plastic material and which has a distinctive and attractive appearance. Any suitable plastic, or moldable material may be used in the practice of the ipvention, for example, cellulose acetate or methyl methacrylate. As indicated above, the shoe and/or parts thereof can be initially molded to the desired form, or they can be machined out of a solid block of plastic material. The shoe I0 includes an upper or a top member Il, which is supported by a base member I2, and the upper member I I has an upper surface Ila which is adapted to engage with and support a persons foot, there being a heel engaging portion IIb formed at the rear end of this member. The under side of the top member II is cored out or recessed or hollow to reduce the weight and volume of plastic material used in forming the same. It will be seen that the top side of the base member I2 is cored out or removed in the same manner whereby the base member is substantially U-,shaped in transverse section. Two ribs I3 are formed in the outer surface of the base member' l2 and extend around the periphery thereof. The lower edge of the top member I I telescopes over the upper margin of the member I2 and engages with the upper rib thereon so as to be supported thereby. By arranging the cored out sides'of the members Il and I2 in confronting relation, the shoe I0, which is hollow, is formed. The juncture of the members Il and I2 is a substantially horizontal plane, which plane is substantially parallel to the bottom of the shoe. After the member Il4 is positioned onkthe member I2, it may be cemented or otherwise; secured in position.

Straps or ribbons I4 are carried by the shoe to secure the shoe to the wearers foot. These' straps I4 may be nailed or cemented to the upper portion of the upper member of the shoe. However, slots I5 are shown extending through the members forming the shoe whereby the straps I4 can be threaded through the slots and formed into loops through which the wearers foot is in-I serted. This arrangement facilitates changing the straps I4 so that the appearance of the shoe can be changed by substituting various colored straps I4 for each other, whereby the straps could be changed to match the dress of the person wearing the shoe.

Figure 4 shows adjacent edge portions of two members used in forming a hollow shoe.- In this instance a member 2l is provided with a protruding shoulder 22 on one of its surfaces adjacent its lower margin and this shoulder engages with the margin of a substantially L-shaped projection 23 formed on the upper edge of a second shoe member 24 whereby a strong connection is formed between the component parts of the shoe. Figure 5 shows a lapped-butt joint which can be formedbetween two shoe sections. A recess 25 is formed in one side of the lower edge of a shoe member 26 whereas a similar recess 21 is formed in the opposite side of the upper edge of a second shoemember 28,` which recesses are adapted to receive the adjacent marginal portion of the opposite shoe member,

whereby a smooth joint is formed between the` two and these shoe parts can be permanently united by cementing or nailing the overlapped portions of the shoe sections together.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a sturdy shoe of unusual construction and appearance is provided by the invention. This shoe is easily manufactured and retains its original shape throughout its life. The shoe is made from two parts which are hollowed or cored out. or solid, as desired. The shoe is readily cleaned, and possessesthe other features mentioned hereinbefore, whereby the objects of the invention are achieved.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing illustration and description of the invention is for illustrative purposes only and that the spirit of the invention includes modifications thereof such as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe comprising a molded foot supporting structure having a reversely curved foot-conforming top face and a substantially flat groundengaging bottom face, said structure consisting of a bottom section, and an upper section superposed thereon and permanently attached thereto, the juncture of said sections lying in a plane that is substantially parallelto the flat bottom face of the structure.

2. A shoe comprising a hollow foot supporting structure having a reversely curved foot-conforming top face and a substantially ilat groundengaging bottom face, said structure consisting of a bottom section and an upper section superposed thereon, the confronting sides of said sections being recessed, said sections being permanently attached to each other, the line of juncture being in a plane that is substantially parallel to the flat bottom face of the structure.

` MABEL P. RIESING.

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