Patent ID: 8322053
Filing Date: 2012-12-04
Classification: A43B

Abstract:
1. In a shoe having a sole with a toe portion, a heel portion and an arch portion located between said heel and toe portions, the improvement comprised of a stowable heel comprising: a low heel block attached to the heel portion of said shoe sole, said low heel block having a slot formed therein that is open adjacent the bottom of said low heel block and continues through the forward part of said low heel block adjacent said arch portion of said shoe; a high heel extension piece attached to said low heel block, said high heel extension piece having a support beam affixed therein and protruding upwardly from the top of said high heel extension piece, said support beam having a substantially rectangular cross-section and defining a substantially central axis of said high heel extension piece, said support beam being capable of limited axial and pivotal movement within said slot, said support beam further including a depression in a side thereof; said low heel block including a spring biased ball located adjacent said slot with said ball engaging said support beam whereby, when said support beam is moved axially, said spring biased ball is adapted to fit within said depression, the location of said depression and of said ball being such that when said ball enters said depression, said high heel extension piece is in a the first or second position; the dimensions of said support beam and said slot preventing rotational movement of said high heel extension piece about the central axis of said high heel extension piece relative to said low heel block, and a rotatable slotted pivot including an elongated groove for allowing pivotal motion of said high heel extension piece relative to said sole so that said high heel extension piece can be moved between a first position wherein said high heel extension piece underlies and is in substantial alignment with said low heel block creating a high heel and a second position wherein said high heel extension piece lies substantially beneath said arch portion of said sole resulting in a low heel, said spring biased ball being carried by said pivot and enters said groove.