US2053420A - Shank stiffener for shoes - Google Patents

Description

Sept 8,- 1936. -c;. H. BROWN ET AL 2,053,420

SHANK STIFFENER FOR SHOES Filed Nov. 13, 1935 7 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1936 STATES Niel Charles H. Brown and Charles B. Brown, Flushing, N. Y.

Application November 13, 1933, Serial No. 697,752

3 Claims.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: To maintain the approximate level of the arch section of the shoe in conformity with the variable heights of the usual heel of the shoe; to increase the wear surface of the usual sole of the shoe; to provide a supporting structure for the arch or shank section of the shoe; to avoid stretching the arch or instep of the foot; to secure the flexing of the shoe in conformity with the metatarsal arch of the foot of the wearer, to avoid wear by the metal element of the shank stiffener upon the shoe structure; and to insure the line of junction of the raised arch section of the innersole and the horizontal forepart of the innersole being in correspondence with the lateral tread of the ball of the foot.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view looking at the bottom of a shoe constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention with the sole removed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, the shoe being cut away in part and the wearing sole and heel being indicated by dot and dash lines.

Figure 3 is a detailed view in section and on enlarged scale of the supporting structure referred to and shank stiffening construction shown in conjunction therewith, the section being taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of one form of the shank stiffening construction.

Figure 5 is an end View of the structure shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a transverse section of the shank stiffening structure, the section being taken on the line 6-5 in Figure 3.

As seen in the drawing, a solid supporting structure I I is disposed at the rear of the ball section A of the shoe. At the heel H is provided a reinforcing and body shaping section l2, which also forms a graceful curved structure extending backward toward the-heel seat 13 of the shoe, with which the shank iron M is provided. The body portion i2 is arranged to receive and hold the forward end of the. metal shank iron l4, being molded or grooved to receive the rib l5, with which this form of shank iron is provided for increasing the strength thereof. The forward extremity of the shank iron I4 is split and spread to form a recess. In the body portion l2, a seat i6 is provided to house the forward end of the shank iron M, in line with the center of the supporting structure H.

When the shoe is finished, the tap D and wear sole B being of equal thickness, maintain the relative levels of the said heel and supporting structure. The result of this construction is that the weight of the wearer is carried by a bridge thus formed between the heel and supporting structure. All flexibility in the shoe will, 5 therefore, be. in that portion which is forward of the shank stifiener and of the shaper H.

The shaper l! is preferably constructed of relatively rigid leather or fiber, the purpose being to extend this shaper across the full width of the interior of the shoe, and to adapt the same to alteration thereof to fit varying sizes of the shoe, and support the foot of the wearer at the junction of the plane of the insole as supported by the arch member on the one hand, and of the 15 lower or ball section of the shoe beyond and forward of said shaper. The shaper is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the shank iron M, the one end being set back from the advanced portion of the other end, this structure resulting in an abutment directed toward the shank iron, which said abutment is engaged by the forward end of said iron. Extended from the shaper and forward thereof is a flexible apron H3. The apron l8 extends forward to maintain a solid structure in the area of maximum wear of the outer or wear sole.

When the supporting structure I l and body portion thereof together with the shank iron l4, have. been placed upon the insole E, and the filling i9 has been adjusted thereover, the wear sole B is installed and incorporated into the shoe structure. Thereafter the supporting structure C is secured. When these parts of the shoe construction have been installed, a graceful appearance is imparted to the shoe, forming a relatively short arch.

We claim:

1. A shank stiffener for shoes comprising a metal shank iron and a body portion in part beneath the said shank iron and in part extending forwardly therefrom, said body portion having lateral shaper extensions at the part thereof next the end of the shank iron which overlies the said I body portion and having a flexible apron at its 5 forward end beyond said extensions and of less width than the combined dimension of the said extensions, said extensions having a combined dimension transverse to the shank iron greater than the width of the adjacent end of the shank iron and of said apron whereby said extensions may be altered in use to fit varying widths of shoes without altering said apron.

2. A shank stiffener for shoes comprising a metal shank iron and a body portion in part beneath said shank iron and in part extending forwardly therefrom, the forwardly extending part providing one surface portion substantially in continuation of the shank iron, and a second surface portion angularly disposed with respect to and projecting forwardly from the first said surface portion, the second said surface portion being flexible to respond to flexing occurring in a shoe in which mounted.

3. A shank stiffener for shoes comp-rising a metal shank iron and a body portion in part beneath said shank iron and in part extending forwardly therefrom, the forwardly extending part providing one surface portion substantially in continuation of the shank iron, and a second surface portion angularly disposed with respect to and projecting forwardly from the first said surface portion, the second said surface portion being flexible to respond to flexing occurring in a shoe in which mounted, both of said surface portions forward of the shank iron being of greater width than the shank iron, and the first said surface portion being wider than the second said flexible 10 surface portion.

CHARLES H. BROWN. CHARLES B. BROWN.

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