Untitled record

R, H. HARDIMON

SHOE

2,736,110

Feb. 28, 1956

Filed July 31, 1953

Sheets-Sheet 1

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R. H. HARDIMON

SHOE

Feb. 28, 1956

Filed July 31, 1953

2,736,110

Sheets-Sheet 2

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United States Patent Office

2,736,110

Patented Feb. 28, 1956

2,736,110 SHOE Robert Henderson Hardimon, Memphis, Tenn. Application July 31,1953, Serial No. 371,575 6 Claims. (Cl. 36—58.5)

Figure 11 is a plan view of the spring shown in Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is a longitudinal sectional view through the treadle spring.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a shoe designated generally 10 is provided with a conventional toe portion 12 and a heel 14.

Secured to the heel 14 adjacent the forward end thereof is a mounting plate designated generally 16 (Fig. 6) comprising a bar 18 carrying at adjacent opposite ends laterally extending legs 20. The bar 18 and legs 20 are provided with countersunk openings 22 for the reception of fasteners 24 by means of which the mounting plate 16 is secured to the heel 14. Carried by the bar 18 and extending upwardly therefrom adjacent opposite ends thereof are ears 26 which are pierced with aligning openings 28.

Mounted on pivots 30 which extend through the openings 28 for movement in vertical arcuate paths about a common axis above the heel 14 are arms 32 and carried by the arms and extending outwardly therefrom toward the rear of the heel 14 is an arched yoke 34 which is preferably formed of stiff leather to define a heel counter. Carried by the arms 32 and extending inwardly therefrom for movement in vertical arcuate paths above the heel 14 are lugs 36, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Springs 38 carrying hooks 40 which partially embrace the ears 26 and bear on the bar 18 and legs 20 are provided with resilient fingers 42 which engage the under sides of the arms 32 to yieldingly urge said arms upwardly in their arcuate paths.

A treadle designated generally 44 comprises a U-shaped frame 45 provided adjacent one end with laterally extending aligned trunnions 46 which extend through aligned openings formed in the ears 26 below the openings 28 therein for movement in a vertical arcuate path above the heel 14 about an axis which lies parallel to and below said common axis through the pivots 30. A cover 47 of leather or the like is carried by and extends across 40 the frame 45. Carried by the treadle 44 adjacent opposite sides thereof for movement with said treadle in arcuate paths which intersect the paths of movement of the lugs 36 are toothed quadrants 48. Carried by the treadle 44 on the under side thereof is a spring 50 which tends to move the treadle 44 upwardly in its arcuate path above the shoe heel 14 to cause the toothed edges of the toothed quadrants 48 to advance into the paths of movement of the lugs 36.

The arms 32 and the yoke 34 are covered with a suitable flexible material 52 such as leather and such covering 52 is secured at the bottom margin thereof to the shoe heel to form a covering which embraces the heel of the wearer when the shoe is in use.

In employing the shoe, assuming that it is in the full line position shown in Figure 1, the forepart of the foot is inserted in the toe portion 12 and upon exerting downward pressure on the treadle 44 by the heel of the wearer the treadle will pivot about the trunnions 46 and the teeth of the toothed quadrants 48 will disengage the lugs 36, thus permitting the arms 32 to move upwardly under the influence of the springs 38. The upward movement of the arms 32 will cause the yoke 34 to move upwardly and extend the covering 52 into heel embracing position as shown in broken lines in Figure 1. The yoke 34 in extending around the heel of the wearer will secure the shoe in place on the foot without the necessity of employing laces or the like. When it is desired to remove the shoe, downward pressure is exerted by the toe of the other foot on the yoke 34 to cause it to move downwardly against the effort of the springs 38 and simultaneously the heel of the foot from which the shoe is being removed is lifted from the treadle 44 to permit it

This invention relates to a shoe and more particularly to a shoe adapted for use by handicapped persons.

It is well known that shoes of ordinary construction present difficulties to handicapped persons as when a hand or arm is crippled it is difficult to tie shoe laces and otherwise to perform the ordinary operations required to fasten the shoes on the feet. Even the donning of shoes of the type having no laces present difficulties to the handicapped because of the fact that the use of such shoes frequently require the bending over and employment of shoe horns or the like in order to get the shoes properly adjusted on the feet.

The primary object of this invention is to facilitate the donning or doffing of a pair of shoes without requiring the use of the hands.

Another object is to eliminate the necessity of bending over to don or doff a pair of shoes.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features arms carried by a shoe heel to move in arcuate paths above the heel adjacent opposite sides thereof about a common axis adjacent the front of the heel, lugs carried by the arms and extending inwardly therefrom for movement in vertical arcuate paths above the heel, springs carried by the shoe heel and engaging the arms for yieldingly moving the arms upwardly, a treadle carried by the shoe heel for movement in a vertical arcuate path above the shoe heel about an axis which lies parallel to the common axis, toothed quadrants carried by the treadle and extending upwardly therefrom for movement therewith in arcuate paths which intersect the paths of movement of the lugs to engage said lugs and hold the arms against movement under the influence of the springs, an arched yoke carried by the arms and extending therebetween above the shoe heel to define a shoe counter and a flexible back carried by the heel and connected 50 to the yoke for movement thereby into and out of extended position around the heel of the wearer.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a shoe embodying the features of this invention showing the heel back 55 collapsed;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the shoe illustrated in Figure 1;

_ Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 3—·3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 4—4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the heel back extended;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the mounting plate;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the treadle;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the arms and the arched yoke;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 9—9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a side view of a spring;

2,736,110 to move upwardly under the influence of the spring 50 and advance the teeth of the toothed quadrants 48 into the paths of movement of the lugs 36 so as to engage the lugs and hold the arms 32 and yoke 34 against upward movement under the influence of the springs 38. In this way, the shoe may be readily applied to or removed from the foot without requiring the use of the hands.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of may and heel of the wearer when his heel rests on the treadle, and a sheath of cushioning material encasing the treadle for protecting the heel of the wearer,

4. In a shoe having a heel, a bar carried by the heel adjacent the forward end thereof, ears carried by the bar and extending upwardly therefrom adjacent opposite ends thereof, arms pivotally carried by the ears to move in vertical arcuate paths above the heel about a common axis, lugs carried by the arms and extending laterally therefrom for movement therewith in vertical arcuate paths above the heel, a treadle mounted on the ears to move in a vertical arcuate path above the heel about an axis which lies parallel to the common axis, springs carried by the ears and operatively engaged with the arms to urge the arms upwardly in their arcuate paths, and toothed quadrants carried by the treadle and extending upwardly therefrom and into the paths of movement of the iugs for engaging the lugs and holding the arms against movement under the influence of the springs.

5. In a shoe having a heel, arms carried by the heel to move in vertical arcuate paths above opposite sides of the heel about a common axis adjacent the front of the shoe heel, lugs carried by the arms and extending laterally therefrom for movement therewith in vertical arcuate paths, a treadle carried by the heel to move above the heel about an axis which lies parallel to the common axis, springs carried by the shoe heel for moving the arms upwardly in their arcuate paths, toothed quadrants carried by the treadle for movement thereby in paths 30 which intersect the paths of movement of the lugs to engage the lugs and hold the arms against movement under the influence of the springs, and an arched yoke carried by the arms and adapted to embrace the back of the heel of the wearer when the shoe is on the foot.

6. In a shoe having a heel, arms carried by the heel to move in vertical arcuate paths above opposite sides of the heel about a common axis adjacent the front of the shoe heel, lugs carried by the arms and extending laterally therefrom for movement therewith in vertical ar- construction, combination and arrangement of parts be resorted to without departing from the spirit scope of the invention as claimed.