Athletic shoe cleat

Jan. 2, 1940. _G_ _c birchfield · 2,185,397

ATHLETIC SHOE CLEAT

<img file="US2185397A_D0001.tif" />

<img file="US2185397A_D0002.tif" />

MnreTTMor Gro ver CMJtrchGeZd,

Patented Jan. 2, 1940

2,185,397

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,185,397 ATHLETIC SHOE CLEAT Grover C. Birchfield, Chicago, Ill. Application March 18, 1937, Serial No. 131,557

Claims.

(Cl. 36—59)

Cleats embodying my invention may be attached to the shoe in any suitable manner. For convenience, I have shown a simple form of attachment, consisting of a nut 23 molded into the cleat and a threaded stud 24 arranged in the 5 sole of the shoe and extending outwardly from the face thereof, said stud 24 being clamped to the sole by means of a nut 25. The cleat is secured to the sole by threading the nut 23 onto the stud 24 in the manner shown in Fig. 1. A ¹⁰spring steel plate 26 may be arranged in the sole of the shoe, the stud 24 extending therethrough.

It will be understood that the attaching means shown is merely by way of example, and that cleats embodying my invention may be attached ¹⁵in any known or other suitable manner.

Another form of cleat embodying my invention is shown in Fig. 4. This form of cleat comprises a cylindrical portion 30 from which depends a frusto-conical portion 31. Extending radially 20 from the portion 31 is a plurality of wings or vanes 32. It will be noted that these vanes are also arranged to define quadrants and have substantially straight side edges 33 and straight bottom edges 34, so that a pair of diametrically 25 opposed vances define substantially a rectangle, as shown clearly in Fig. 4.

This embodiment of my invention provides increased surface for supporting the foot on pavements, by reason of the edges 34. 30

In all of the embodiments, the vanes extend laterally a substantial distance from the core portion of the cleat. It is thus apparent that these vanes will function in at least two important capacities, namely, to provide relatively sharp 35 downwardly facing edges which will greatly facilitate ground penetration so as to improve the traction of the wearer, and, secondly, by means of the substantial lateral projection of the vanes from the central core, by affording added resist- 45 ance for traction against rotation and slippage.

It will be seen, therefore, that shoes carrying cleats embodying my invention provide greatly added traction to the wearer, both in running and in turning and pivoting, due to the func- 45 tions described above.

Fig. 5 shows still another embodiment of my invention which is similar to the embodiment of Fig. 2 except that the vanes 28α have straight lateral edges 40 and are squared off at their bot- 50 tom portions as at 4!, said vanes terminating an appreciable distance above the free end of the core portion i 9α. Said core portion thus ex. tends beyond the vanes a substantial distance to provide a stud like portion 43 which likewise fa- 55

My invention relates to shoes, especially shoes for athletic activities, such as football and other outdoor games, and has to do more particularly with an improved cleat for such shoes.

My invention consists of an improved cleat which has special advantages, facilitating ground penetration and also providing increased traction for running and pivoting, these advantages being of special value in such games as football.

My invention has a special application to cleats which are molded of hard rubber, fiber and the like.

My invention contemplates a cleat having a core with relatively thin, laterally extending 15 wings, said wings facilitating ground penetration and also improving traction.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and illustrating certain ²⁰ preferred embodiments of my invention, wherein

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe to which cleats embodying my invention are attached, one of said cleats being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of a cleat of the type shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of cleat embodying my invention;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of still another embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a cleat extension forming a feature of my invention in certain embodiments thereof.

The numeral i 0 indicates generally a shoe having an upper 12 and a sole 13 and heel 14. Cleats 15 embodying my invention may be attached both to the sole and heel.

The form of cleat shown in Figs. 1-3 comprises 40 a base portion 16 which may be of substantial cylindrical form, from which depends a tapered portion 17. The tapered portion 17 is more or less of frusto-conical contour, except that it has a concave surface 13 adjoining the cylindrical 45 portion 16, terminating in what may be referred to as a stud portion 13.

Molded as an integral portion of the cleat is a plurality of vanes or wings 20 beginning immediately below the base portion 16 and continuing 50 to a point slightly above the free extremity of the stud portion 19. Those wing portions may be of any desired number, but are preferably four in number, dividing the cleat into equal quadrants, and may have either a straight edge or a 55 convexly curved edge, as indicated at 22.

2,185,397 cilitates ground penetration. A similar extension to the stud like portion 43 may be provided on any of the other embodiments.

In certain embodiments of my invention the 5 core portion of the cleat may be provided with an axial bore which may itself be threaded, if the cleat is formed of sufficiently hard material, or may be provided with a threaded member molded into the cleat such as a threaded sleeve 10 or nut. Such a cleat may be converted from a type suitable for wet weather or soft ground into a type suitable for dry weather or hard ground by attaching thereto a cleat extension as shown in Fig. 6, which comprises a cylindrical portion 15 45 having molded therein a screw portion 46, said screw portion, of course, being adapted to be screwed into the cleat proper. As another use of the extension shown in Fig. 6, it may be attached to a cleat of the type herein described or 20 of any other suitable type after said cleat has been worn down as a result of play, thus adding to the ground penetrating value of the cleat and extending the life thereof.

Various other modifications of my invention 25 may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and, hence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted as broadly as 30 the state of the art will permit.