Abstract:
Removable tap covers for dancing shoes which can quickly and easily be placed on the taps to prevent accumulation of dirt and grime in the taps, yet which can quickly and easily be removed to allow the full effect of the taps for dancing.

Description:
This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/247,419 filed Nov. 13, 2000. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to dancing shoes and is particularly directed to means for protecting shoe taps for scratching floors and the like and from becoming fouled with dirt. 
     PRIOR ART 
     As is well known, dancers have been attaching metal taps to shoes for many years to enhance the sound produced when the dancer&#39;s foot touches the surface upon which they are dancing. Usually, this surface will be a wooden stage or floor. Unfortunately, since the metal taps are harder than the floor, the taps frequently cause scratching of the floor, especially when the dancer is walking, rather than dancing, since, in walking, the feet tend to slide horizontally, rather than move vertically, as in dancing. Furthermore, as the taps move along the floor, they tend to accumulate dirt and other debris which reduces the effectiveness of the taps and necessitates cleaning and, eventually, replacement of the taps. This is time-consuming and expensive. Unfortunately, no means has been provided heretofore for overcoming this problem. Thus, none of the prior art tap shoes have been entirely satisfactory. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION 
     These disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention and means are provided for preventing dirt and grime from accumulating in the taps and which preclude scratching of the floor, yet which can quickly and easily be removed to allow the full effect of the taps for dancing. 
     These advantages of the present invention are preferably attained by providing removable tap covers for dancing shoes which can quickly and easily be placed on the taps to prevent accumulation of dirt and grime in the taps, yet which can quickly and easily be removed to allow the full effect of the taps for dancing. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved tap dancing shoes. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide removable tap covers which can quickly and easily be applied to prevent dirt and grime from accumulating in the taps when the dancer is walking about. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide removable tap cover which can preclude the taps from scratching the floor when the dancer is walking about. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide removable tap covers which Can quickly and easily be removed to allow the full effect of the taps during dancing. 
     A specific object of the present invention is to provide removable tap covers for dancing shoes which can quickly and easily be placed on the taps to prevent accumulation of dirt and grime in the taps, yet which can quickly and easily be removed to allow the full effect of the taps for dancing. 
     These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in phantom and partly exploded, showing the tap covers of the present invention applied to a dancing shoe; 
     FIG. 1A is an isometric bottom view showing the tap cover attached to the toe tap of the dancing shoe of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view showing the tap cover of FIG. 1 being applied to a tap; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing an alternative form of the tap cover of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3A is an isometric view showing the spacer plate of the tap cover of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing another alternative form of the tap cover of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, showing a further alternative form of the tap cover of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric view showing the framework for the tap cover of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In that form of the present invention chosen for illustration in FIG. 1, a dancing shoe, shown in phantom and indicated generally at  10 , is shown having taps  12  and  36  mounted on the toe  16  and heel  18  of the shoe  10 . A spacer plate  20 , as seen in FIG. 3A, is inserted between the tap  12  and the sole  22  of the shoe  10  and is slightly smaller in area than the tap  12  so as to provide spaces  26  and  28  adjacent the edges of the tap  12 . The tap cover  24  is preferably composed of two or more layers; an inner layer  24  (See FIG. 6) and additional layers  38  and  40 , and is formed with inwardly turned edges  30  and  32  and is releasably attached by inserting the edges  30  and  32  into the spaces  26  and  28 , as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The tap cover inner structure  24  is formed of resilient plastic, so that it can flex to allow the edges  30  and  32  to pass about the tap  12  and to snap back into the spaces  26  and  28  to attach the tap cover  24  to the tap  12 . The tap cover  38  is also formed of a suitable plastic which will not slip on smooth floors, but will provide a firm grip to prevent the dancer from sliding. A similar tap cover  34  is releasably attachable to the heel tap  36  in the same manner as described for the toe tap cover  24 . If desired, additional layers  38  and  40  of material may be applied inside and outside of the tap cover inner structure  24 . The outer layer  38  may be formed of rubber or a relatively high friction plastic to provide greater traction for the tap covers  24  and  34 , when the dancer is walking about. The inner layer  40  is preferably formed of a hard plastic which will provide a strong sharp tapping sound when the dancer is dancing with the tap covers  24  and  34  attached, as in a school or practice session in a gymnasium or other non-stage location. 
     In use, the dancer places the tap cover  24  on the toe tap  12  and presses the center of the tap cover  24  inwardly. This causes the edges of the tap cover to spread, whereupon the dancer grasps the edges  30  and  32  of the tap cover  24  and pulls them about the tap  12  until the edges  30  and  32  can be inserted into the spaces  26  and  28  between the tap  12  and spacer plate  20 . The dancer then releases the tap cover  24 , which resiliently springs into place and releasably attaches the tap cover  24  to the tap  12 . Heel tap cover  34  is attached to.heel tap  36  in the same manner. Thereafter, the dancer can walk about freely without concern for scratching the floor or getting dirt or grime into the tap  12 . When the dancers are ready to dance, they simply press the center of the tap cover  24  inwardly, causing the tap cover  24  to spread until the dancer can grasp the edges  30  and  32  of the tap cover  24  to remove the tap cover. Thereafter, the dancer can dance and obtain the full effect of the taps  12  and  36 . 
     FIG. 3 shows an alternative form of the spacer plate  20  formed with a stud  42  at one end and a resilient arm  44  connected to a lever  46  adjacent the other end. The tap cover  24  is formed with a loop  48  at one end and a generally U-shaped flanged member  50  projecting at a right angle to the tap cover  24  adjacent the opposite end. Heel tap cover  34  and the heel spacer plate  20  can be similarly modified. In use, the dancer inserts stud  42  of the spacer plate  20  into the loop  48  of the tap cover  24 . Next the dancer presses inwardly on the lever  46  to drive the resilient arm  44  inward and places the flanged member  50  in position. Finally, the dancer releases lever  46  which allows the resilient arm  44  to enter the U-shaped member  50  and to releasably attach the tap cover  24  to the tap shoe  10 . The dancer can then walk about freely without concern about scratching the floor or fouling the taps  12  and  36 . To remove the tap covers  24  and  34 , the dancer simply presses inwardly on lever  46  to drive the resilient arm  44  out of engagement with the U-shaped member  50  and removes the tap cover  24 . 
     FIG. 4 shows another alternative form of the spacer plate  20  and tap cover  24 . In this form, the spacer plate  20  is formed with a stud  52  projecting from one end thereof and has a recess  54  formed in the opposite end. The tap cover  24  is formed with a recess  56  adjacent one end and is provided with one or more resilient latch members  58  on the opposite end. In use, the dancer inserts the stud  52  into the recess  56  and snaps the latch members  58  into the recess  54  of the spacer plate  20  to releasably attach the tap cover  24  to the tap shoe  10 . To remove the tap cover  24 , the dancer lifts on the latch members  58  to cause them to withdraw from recess  54  and slips recess  56  off of stud  52 . The tap cover  24  is then separated from the tap shoe  10 . 
     FIG. 5 shows a further alternative form of the tap cover  24  of FIG. 1, having a tab  58  attached to the exterior surface of the tap cover  24  to facilitate applying and removing the cover  24 . 
     FIG. 6 shows the inner structure of the tap cover  24  having a framework  62  formed of rigid material, such as metal or plastic, extending across the interior of the tap cover  24 . The framework  62  is formed with a plurality of openings  64  which receive the plastic of the tap cover  24  during the forming process and serve to provide a stronger structure for the tap cover  24 . 
     Obviously, numerous other variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it should be clearly understood that the forms of the present invention described above and shown in the figures of the accompanying drawing are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.