Mud walker

A platform is supported around the periphery of its under surface by a pneumatic tube cushion secured to the platform by strap loops. The top side of the platform is equipped with adjustable means of securement to the shoe or boot of the user. Vent holes in mid portions of the platform prevent suction effects under the platform when the foot is lifted. The device is collapsible into a compact package for shipment or storage.

This invention relates to an attachment for a shoe or boot to enable a 
person to walk on deep mud without sinking in. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Just as snowshoes enable a person to walk on loose snow there is a need for 
some device to enable a person to walk on mud flats of tide land, on 
marshes and on soft arctic tundras. It is desirable that the device be 
collapsible into a compact package for shipping and storage. 
Such a device is needed by duck hunters, the oyster industry, fishermen in 
the bays of Alaska and for gathering shrimp and mud clams. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present mud walker comprises a platform supported on its underside by 
an inflated resilient tube extending around the periphery of the platform 
and secured by strap loops. The top side of the platform is equipped with 
adjustable means of securement to the shoe or boot of the user. Vent holes 
in mid portions of the platform prevent suction effects under the platform 
when the foot is lifted. The device is collapsible into a compact package 
by deflating the pneumatic tube and folding down the shoe securement 
parts. 
The resilient air-inflated tube provides not only the ability to stay on 
the surface of deep, soft mud but also has a leveling effect for walking 
on rough, hard ground making such walking much easier. When used in 
cranberry bogs the soft supporting cushion inflicts a minimum of damage to 
the crops. 
The invention will be better understood and additional objects and 
advantages will become apparent from the following description of the 
preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Various 
changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of 
parts and certain features may be used without others. All such 
modifications within the scope of the appended claims are included in the 
invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring first to FIG. 7, the platform 10, which may be made of plywood or 
other suitable material, is provided with a number of holes for various 
purposes. There are four air vent holes 11, a front strap hole 12, two 
strap holes 13 and 14 on opposite sides at intermediate length and two 
strap holes 15 and 16 on opposite sides near the rear end. Near the front 
end are two toe belting slots 17 and 18. 
As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 the platform 10 is supported on a peripheral 
cushion member 20 comprising a resilient pneumatic tube 21 enclosed in a 
protective nylon cloth tube 22. Cloth tube 22 is preferably reinforced on 
its underside by a second layer of nylon cloth 23 stitched to cloth 22. In 
the present embodiment pneumatic tube 21 is an inner tube designed for the 
tire on a wheel of a boat trailer. This inner tube has the usual valve 
stem 24 for inflation by a tire pump to the pressure desired. 
The side edges of cloth 22 are stitched together on the top side of inner 
tube 21 and the opposite ends are secured together in overlapping relation 
by two strips of belting 25 on one end secured in D-rings 26 adjacent the 
other end as seen in FIG. 6. The cloth 22 thus provides a replaceable 
wear-resistant covering for the inner tube 21. Valve stem 24 projects 
through a reinforced hole 27 in the cloth layers 22 and 23. 
The cushion member just described is secured to the underside of platform 
10 by five straps as shown in FIG. 1. A front strap 31 is looped around 
the cushion member and passed through strap hole 12. Near mid-length of 
the platform a left strap 32 passes around the cushion member and through 
strap hole 13 and a right strap 33 passes in a similar manner through 
strap hole 14. Towards the rear of the platform strap 34 passes through 
strap hole 15 and strap 35 passes through strap hole 16. One end of each 
strap is equipped with lock rings 36 for securement to the opposite end of 
the strap. 
The means of adjustable securement of the shoe or boot heel is best shown 
in FIG. 1. A pair of flanged rails 40 is secured to the top of the 
platform in parallel relation by screws 41 in the underside of the 
platform as shown in FIG. 3. An adjustment plate 42 is slidable under the 
flanges of rails 40 and clamped in a selected position by a clamp bolt 43. 
Adjustment plate 42 has a longitudinal slot to slide on the shank of bolt 
43, the slot having a series of enlargements 44 to receive a flange 45 on 
the bolt in different positions of adjustment. 
A cleat 50 on adjustment plate 42 secures two lower arm 51 of a flexible 
heel belting 52. Heel belting 52 has a pair of forward side wings 53 to 
fold around and overlie portions of the instep and ankle of the user as 
shown in FIG. 2. This heel belting comprises an outside layer 54 of smooth 
water proof plastic having an inside cushion layer 55 of non-absorbent 
soft plastic material. 
The back heel portion of heel belting 52 is equipped with a pair D-rings 60 
and 61 and the lower side portions are equipped with a D-ring 62 on the 
right and a similar D-ring in a corresponding position on the left side. 
One end of a nylon strap 65 is anchored at the latter position for 
criss-crossing the instep and ankle as shown in FIG. 2 with the free end 
being secured to lock rings on the anchored end. Strap 65 holds the heel 
down securely on platform 10 without allowing the heel to rise as it does 
in a ski binding. 
The toe of the shoe or boot 66 is secured by a toe belting 70 comprising a 
flat strip of plastic material having its central portion on the underside 
of platform 10 with its ends extending upward through slots 17 and 18. 
These ends are secured over the toe of the shoe or boot by a strap 71 
similar to the strap 65 which passes through D-rings 72 on opposite sides 
of the foot and is secured by D-ring fastening means. 
Air vent holes 11 allow outside air to pass into the space under the 
platform which is enclosed by the cushion ring 20 so that the platform may 
be readily lifted in walking without producing a suction effect. A pair of 
baffle plates 75 on top of the platform have raised ends 76 projecting 
above the holes 11 to maintain the air passageways through these holes 
clear and open. 
Thus the hollow cushion 20 provides a large area of contact to support the 
user on the surface of soft mud and this area of contact may be adjusted 
for different conditions by the amount of air pressure pumped into inner 
tube 21 through valve stem 24. Also, in an extreme condition of softness 
of the mud surface the underside of platform 10 provides considerable 
additional supporting surface when necessary. Under all conditions the 
vent holes 11 prevent any suction effect to resist lifting of the foot. 
Another advantage of the present form of construction is its compactness 
for shipping and storage. The heel and toe securement means 52 and 70 fold 
down against the top of platform 10 and when the air is let out of tube 21 
the cushion 20 flattens against the under side of the platform to made a 
compact package. 
In the event of a puncture in tube 21 the straps 25 are released from rings 
26 and valve stem 24 is withdrawn from hole 27 in cloth tube 22. Then the 
tube 21 may be pulled around in cloth tube 22 to expose the puncture in a 
space between the separated ends of the cloth tube so that the puncture 
may be repaired. 
The same mud walker is used for both the left foot and the right foot. 
There is no strap 25 on the left side of the mud walker to catch on the 
strap 25 or ring 26 on the other foot.