Cushioned sole and heel for shoes.

Application filed January 14,1913. Serial No, 742,028.

To dll whom.it may concern:

Be it known that I, .William H. Guy, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of o Michigan, have invented new and useful Im. provements in Cushioned Soles and Heels for Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

- This invention relates to cushioned soles it' and heels for shoes, the object of the invention being to provide a construction of inner sole and heel, whereby air or other fluid or liquid may be confined therein to act as a cushioning medium.

Ιέ A further object of the invention is to provide a cushioned inner sole or heel which is simple of construction, compact in form, adapted to be used without rendering the use cumbersome or bulky and in which the air 20 or other fluid or liquid may be supplied in a ready and convenient manner.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and 25 claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:—

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through, a shoe showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional perspec30 five view of the cushioning inner sole and heel and coacting parts detached. Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of an inner sole and the heel pad as adapted for independefit use. Fig. 5 is, a detail sectional view'of the 35 valved nipple and air supply tube.

In the practical embodiment of my invention, the essential features of the invention may be embodied-in an inner sole and heel connected for use in conjunction with 40 each other, or which are separate from and independent of each other, and the sole and heel may be adapted to be built into a shoe or to be applied in the form of pads to shoes already constructed. While, for purposes of 43 illustration, the inner sole and heel are so termed and independently described,in the specification, it is to be understood that in . the appended claim the term “ sole ” is intended to apply to the embodiment of the in⁵⁰ vention in any of the forms above described.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a , shoe of any suitable construction, within which is arranged my improved cushioned . inner sole 2 and cushioned heel 3, each of 55 which is shaped to conform to the part of the shoe in connection with which it is em ployed. As illustrated in the present instance, the cushioned inner sole and cushioned heel are disposed between the lining and fixed sole and heel of the shoe, but 6q they may be otherwise arranged as conveniences and circumstances may require.

The cushioned sole and heel are of generally similar construction, each comprising superposed plies 4 and 5 of suitable ma-· eg terial, preferably a light layer of canvas saturated with rubber, or very thin layers of canvas or rubber suitably combined together. These plies are marginally united in any preferred manner to form a shallow 70 chamber to receive the air or other cushioning medium. The plies 4 and 5 are connected _ at intervals throughout by resilient unions 6, of rubber or other suitable material, by which they are held from col- 75 lapsing into a flat condition and maintained in normal shape. These unions consist of corresponding semi - spherical projections upon the layers, which are arranged at intervals throughout the area thereof on the 80 interior of the air chamber, the correspondingly arranged projections of said layers being in contactual relation.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the sole and heel sections are connected by a tube 7, 85 which extends over the instep of the sole, and the heel member 3 has connected therewith a. tube 8 extending between the upper of the shoe and its lining to the counter, where said tube communicates with a check 90 valve casing 9 suitably fastened to the counter and communicating with the outside atmosphere. In said valve casing is a spring closed check valve 10, and if desired the casing may be provided with a closufe 95 cap 11. The valve casing thus constructed provides a nipple by which the tube 8 may be connected with a pump to force air or other fluid into the elastic or cushioned sole and heel sections and confined therein to give 100 a cushioning action. The valve, however, may be. of such a type as to enable air to be drawn into the sole and heel sections by collapsing the same under the pressure of the foot and then allowing said sections to ex- 105 pand to draw air therein. Other fluids or liquids may, however, be introduced through the tube to serve as the cushioning medium.

If desired, the cushioned inner sole and heel may be constructed independently of 110 each other, and each provided with a filling tube and valve, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

1,069,001

This allows them to be independently used within a shoe, as will be readily understood.

It is evident, therefore, from the foregoing description that the invention provides 5 a sole which is light, strong, durable and flexible, which is of minimum depth or thickness to adapt it to be used without rendering the shoe bulky or cumbersome, and which is designed to afford an easy and 10 comfortable cushioning action.