Ski boot

Nov. 28, 1950

J. E. ANDRE

2,531,763

SKI BOOT

Filed Aug. 31, 1949

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Nov. 28, 1950

J. E. ANDRE

SKI BOOT

2,531,763

Filed Aug. 31, 1949

Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Nov. 28, 1950

2,531,763

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,531,763

BOOT , Montclair, N. J.

, 1949, Serial No. 113,467 (Cl. 36—2.5) and a partial toe box 4 and is bifurcated, forming two closely adjacent marginal edges as 5 and 6. These marginal edges are provided with lacing means as the hooks 7, The quarters in the rear $ or back of the shoe are bifurcated affording portions 8 and 9 each provided with lacing means as eyelets 10.

The usual toe box II is provided with a tongue 12 attached to the toe box and positioned 10 to extend up from the instep of a wearer and have the lacing extend thereover,

It is to be understood that the parts so far described are usual and ordinary in most ski boots and I do not mean by the particular illustration 15 and description to limit my ski boot to these particular specific constructions as they are merely illustrative, but my improved ski boot should have the quarters bifurcated at the rear forming the adjacent laceable edges 8 and 9.

At the rear of the boot I form an outside counter

13. This outside counter extends along the quarters so as to form something as a saddle as at 14 and at each end of the saddle is provided with lacing means as at 15 which are sup25 plementary to the lacing means on the quarters.

The outside counter 13 has an extension 16 which goes up between the bifurcated rear portions of the quarters and terminates in an above-theankle-band 17. The above-the-ankle-band 17 is gp. bifurcated and means are provided for binding the band about the leg of a wearer. In the particular illustration shown, a hook 18 is on one portion of the bifurcated band and eyelets as 119 are on the other portion so that the bands may be placed about the leg of a wearer just above the ankle, and firmly bound to the wearer’s leg.

The upwardly extending portion of the outside counter 13 at the rear central portion thereof as at 20 is pinched or folded together, perhaps best shown in Fig. 3, thereby forming a back stay which adds considerable strength to the extension so that if a considerable stress is applied thereto it may the better be able to withstand it.

On either side of the rear central line of the upward extension, stuffings, 21 and 22, are introduced, well shown in Fig. 4. These stuffings, as perhaps best shown in Fig. 3, are positioned so as to. be adapted to lie in the depressions just above tlie heel of a person, one on either side of the central back line of the heel and leg. These depressions are really an external indication of the narrowing or restriction of the Achilles tendon at the back of the leg extending down to the lowermost portion of the heel.

These pads or stuffings may be made pf any

SKI

Jules E. Andre

Application August 31

Claims.

This invention relates to boots or shoes and particularly to ski boots or shoes.

A principal object of this invention is to so construct a boot, especially a ski boot or shoe so that the bottom surface or sole portion of the heel of a wearer will be kept firmly in position against the usual inner sole of the boot when in use in skiing particularly when the wearer in order to properly perform desired evolutions throws the knees far forward.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail and the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings and the several views thereon, in which like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a boot embodying my invention viewed from the toe end thereof; Fig. 2 is a view of the boot as shown by Fig. 1 when in place on the foot of a wearer but before all parts have been tightly laced together; Fig. 3 is a view of a boot embodying my invention on the foot of a wearer viewed from the side thereof before all parts have been tightly laced together; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the device as shown by Fig. 3 on the plane indicated by the line IV—IV viewed in the direction of the arrows at the ends of the line.

As is well understood by those who are pro- g flcient in the art of skiing, while making certain evolutions, the body weight is shifted from a straight vertical line to a position where the weight substantially passes through a vertical line passing through the knees and the lower legs 4 make quite an acute angle with the horizontal. In such position, there is a tendency, using ordinary skiing boots for the bottom of the heel of the skier to rise from the inner sole of the shoe. As is well understood by those skilled in the art, 4 this is objectionable and it is highly desirable to avoid it, if possible. My invention provides means of preventing this undesirable rising of the bottom of the heel from the inner sole of the shoe or boot. 5

In the figures I have shown a skiing boot or shoe which includes all of the ordinary parts as the sole 1 and uppers. The main portion of the upper is formed to extend from the heel to the toe so that it includes the quarter 2, the vamp 4

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suitable or appropriate material, but I prefer a fairly dense sponge rubber. They may be retained in place by being positioned on the inner face of the lining 23 with suitable stitching.

From the hereinbefore given description it will be understood that the ski boot hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings is so constructed that when placed on the foot of the wearer and above-the-ankle-band 1Ί is securely bound about the leg of the wearer, and then the rear bifurcated portions of the quarters are tightly laced together after the forward lacing is completed that the wearer’s foot is not only securely held within the ski boot but the bottom of the heel of the wearer is so firmly attached to the shoe that the heel may not be raised from the inner sole of the shoe because the stuffings fit into the depression on each side of the wearer’s leg just above the heel and being firmly held in this depression by the tight lacing of the rear bifurcated portions of the quarters and the tightly bound above-ankle-band, it is quite impossible for the wearer’s heel to raise in the shoe or boot, even when the knees together with the body weight are thrown well forward so that the legs make an acute angle with the horizontal. The net result is that if the shoe, as is usual, is firmly and immovably atached to the ski, the wearer’s foot, in the same way, is so secured that it cannot rise from the inner sole which would be equivalent to the heel of the shoe rising from the skis so that the object of applicant’s invention is effected.

Although I have particularly described one particular physical embodiment of invention and explained the construction and principle thereof, nevertheless, I desire to have it understood that the form selected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical embodiments of the idea of means underlying my invention.