Patent Publication Number: US-3879865-A

Title: Weather protective boot

Description:
United States Patent [191 Kimball Apr. 29, 1975 WEATHER PROTECTIVE BOOT [76] Inventor: La Nelle Kimball, 571 l Gulfton, No.  
 &#39; 1, Houston, Tex. 77036 [22] Filed: Mar. 22, 1974 [21] Appl No.: 453,712  
 [52] U.S. Cl. 36/7.3  
 [51] Int. Cl A43b 1/10 [58] Field of Search 36/7.l, 7.3, 4, 1.5, 2 R, 36/50 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,090,223 3/1914 McNeer 36/15 1.724.413 3/1929 Rauh 36/2 R 2,504.705 4/1950 Legvillon 36/73 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Torres &amp; Berryhill [5 7] ABSTRACT A weather protective boot designed to be worn over the shoe and pants leg, providing protection to the foot and leg of the wearer. The boot may extend upwardly past the knee to the thigh area and may be flared outwardly from the knee down to prevent wrinkling of flare pants A zippered side Opening may be provided to facilitate the putting on or removal of the boot. The Opening may be provided with an overlapping inner tongue and an overlapping protective seal flap.  
 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures WEATHER PROTECTIVE BOOT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to foot and leg apparel, and more particularly, to a weather protective boot designed to afford foot and leg protection from the elements without wrinkling the clothing of the wearer.  
 2. Description of the Prior Art Rainboots, galoshes, and other protective footwear, as well as detachable boot extensions, have been used for many years. Boots designed to fit over conventional shoes as well as those provided with a built-in shoe are well known and are currently used. Some of these boots are provided with snaps, hooks, or zippers along the front or side of the boot to facilitate their use, while others are of a unitary construction with only an opening in the top for insertion of the foot.  
  A problem associated with many of these boots is that they can not be worn without wrinkling the clothing underneath, especially in the case of flared bottom pants which have recently become popular for men as well as women. In some cases, the zippers or fasteners used to seal the boot will snag or even tear the pants leg of the wearer. In many cases, these boots have proven to be unsuccessful in protecting the foot and leg by failing to provide a water-tight seal. Small gaps or spaces between the fasteners allow water leakage when used in cases of intense rain or high water. With repeated use over a period of time, the zippers or fasteners might become worn or somewhat rusted and corroded and fail to properly engage and seal the opening. Others, because of their design, are unpleasing in appearance and are, therefore, unpopular to many.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The boot of the present invention is designed to provide an effective means of protection to the feet and legs of the wearer when exposed to rain, snow, ice and the like. The boot consists of a foot portion having a grip type sole and a leg portion which extends upward past the knee to the thigh area where it is provided with an adjustable band to support the boot. A zipper or slide fastener is provided along the inside length of the leg portion as a primary sealing means and as a means of putting on and removing the boot. An overlapping tongue or flap extends the entire length of the zipper on the interior side of the boot to further protect the leg and to prevent damage to the pants leg by the zipper. The exposed side of the zipper is provided with a second cooperating seal arrangement which covers the zipper. The second seal protects the zipper from damage caused by the outside elements, prolonging the useful life of the zipper, and acts as a secondary weather barrier.  
  Because of the length of the zipper, the foot and leg of the individual can easily be placed inside the boot without wrinkling the pants leg. The boot is primarily designed to fit snugly over the shoe of the wearer, although such could be worn without a shoe. After the foot is positioned within the boot, the interior tongue is allowed to overlap the opposite side of the opening, as the zipper is closed, thereby preventing the zipper from coming in contact with the pants leg of the wearer. The adjustable band can then be connected around the thigh to support the leg portion in its upright position to prevent bagging around the ankle. The  
 second seal means is engaged to hide the zipper, and protect against leakage.  
 Other features, advantages and objects of the invention may be more fully appreciated from the following specification and the related drawings and claims.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the zipper in closed position;  
  FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2 2 of FIG. I; and  
  FIG. 3 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 2, showing the outer seal means in closed position.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the boot of the present invention, shown generally at 10, is illustrated. The boot includes a foot portion 11 and a leg portion 12 of unitary construction, having openings in the top and side. Any flexible, rubberized material capable of repelling water and thereby protecting the foot and leg of the wearer may be used for its construction. The boot may be transparent or colored to match the clothing of the wearer.  
  The leg portion 12 is flared outwardly toward the foot to form a belled shape terminating in a lip 12a connected to the foot 11 by an annular web 12b. The flared shape not only provides extra room for insertion of the foot, but when in use, will prevent wrinkling of pants legs, especially in the case of flare-bottomed pants.  
  An interlocking zipper 13 extends upwardly along the exterior of one side of the boot from the foot portion 11 to an adjustable band 14 located near the top of the boot. The zipper may extend upwardly to a position behind the adjustable band 14 to achieve better protection. The zipper may be of the conventional type having a series of adjacently positioned interlocking teeth 13a on which is mounted a slider and tab assembly 25, (See FIG. 2), for movement thereon to effect opening and closing of the zipper. Although a conventinal zipper is illustrated, other suitable slide fasteners may be used to seal the opening and facilitate the putting on and removal of the boot. Located behind the zipper 13 on the interior side of the boot is an overlapping tongue 24 which will be more fully described hereafter.  
  With the boot properly positioned on the foot of the wearer, the leg portion 12 extends upwardly to an adjustable band 14 located in the thigh area of the wearer. The adjustable band 14 has a pair of adjustment hooks 15 designed to connect with a pair of eyelets 16 and thereby support the leg portion of the boot in its upright position. As illustrated, the adjustable band 14 can be opened to allow the removal of the boot and closed when in use by overlapping the opposite ends of the band and bringing the adjustment hooks 15 into mating engagement with one of a pair of cooperating eyelets 16. Several sets of eyelets 16 may be provided for adjustment purposes as well as snaps or other types of adjustable fasteners.  
  An outer sealing means 17 extends slightly past the top of the zipper 13 and consists of an overlapping flap 17a and a receivable groove 17b, located on the opposite side of the zipper from the flap 17a. The overlapping flap 17a is provided with a coextensive tongue or lip 19 extending from its outer edge designed to interlock with the groove 17b when the two are meshed together. Other sealing means that provide a continuous, water-proof seal on all exposed sides of the zipper may be used.  
  The foot portion 11 of the boot illustrated in the drawing consists of a heel 20, shank or instep 21, and sole 22 designed to fit over a conventional shoe. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the sole 22 and heel 20 may be provided, on the bottom surfaces, with protruding grips 23. The grips 23 are thicker in cross-section than the leg and foot portion of the boot and are primarily designed to prevent slipping or sliding when the boot is worn in wet weather.  
  Referring jointly to FIGS. 2 and 3, further details of the boot of the present invention are shown. As can be seen in the drawings, an inner tongue 24 is provided to completely overlap the zipper 13 on the interior side of the boot and extends from the foot portion 11 upward slightly past the top of the zipper. The inner tongue 24 further seals the interior of the boot and prevents the zipper 13 from snagging the pants leg of the wearer as the zipper is opened or closed.  
  In FIG. 2, the outer sealing means 17 is illustrated, in the open position, as consisting of an overlapping flap 17a and a receivable groove 17b. A coextensive lip 19 extending from the outer edge of the flap 17a is provided for meshing engagement with the groove 17b. The zipper 13 is illustrated in the closed position with the slider and tab assembly 25 in the uppermost position and the inner tongue 24 covering the zipper on the interior side of the boot.  
  FIG. 3 illustrates the outer sealing means 17 in closed position. As seen in the drawing, overlapping flap 17a is shown fitting in the groove 17a to completely seal off the zipper. When the outer sealing means is closed, the zipper is not subject to exposure from outside elements nor is it outwardly visible.  
  When putting the boot on, the outer sealing means 17, zipper l3 and adjustment band 14 are in the open position (not illustrated) exposing the interior of the boot at the top and side. After the individuals foot has been properly positioned within the boot, the zipper 13 is closed causing the inner tongue 24 to overlap and cover the zipper 13 on the interior side of the boot. Not only does the inner tongue seal against possible leakage, but it also prevents clothing from snapping on the zipper. After the zipper has been closed by movement of the slider 25 to its uppermost position, flap 17a can be folded over to cover the zipper 13. Lip 19 and groove 18 are then meshed together to form a watertight seal surrounding the zipper 13. The adjustment hooks are then hooked into a pair of eyelets 16, causing the adjustment band 14 to overlap and conceal the top portion of the outer sealing means. The boot is then completely sealed from the outside elements.  
  Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein, many variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the boot may be&#39;made without the flared leg illustrated. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the claims which follow.  
 I claim:  
 1. A weather protective boot comprising a foot portion and a leg portion, said leg portion being provided with an opening along one side thereof from near said foot portion to the top of said leg portion, said opening being provided with means for closing said opening after said boot is properly positioned on the wearers foot, the interior of said leg portion being provided with a tongue member overlapping said means for closing said opening, the exterior of said leg portion being provided with sea] means overlapping said means for closing said opening to the elements; said seal means including an overlapping flap attached along one side of said opening to said leg portion, the opposite side thereof being provided with a lip means sealingly engageable with corresponding receiving means along the opposite side of said opening.  
  2. A weather protective boot as set forth in claim 1 in which said leg portion extends upwardly past the knee of said wearer, the upper portion of said leg portion being provided with disengageable adjustment means for supporting said leg portion above said wearers knee.  
  3. A weather protective boot as set forth in claim 1 in which said leg portion of said boot flares outwardly toward said foot portion forming a bell shape terminating in a lip connected to said foot portion by an annular web.  
  4. A weather protective boot as set forth in claim 3 in which said leg portion extends upwardly past the knee of said wearer, the upper portion of said leg portion being provided with disengageable adjustment means for supporting said leg portion above said wearers knee.  
  5. A weather protective boot comprising a foot portion and a leg portion, said leg portion being provided with an opening along one side thereof to allow placement of the wearers foot and leg therein, said opening being provided with means for closing said opening, said leg portion flaring outwardly toward said foot portion forming a bell shape terminating in a lip connected to said foot portion by an annular web.  
 6. A weather protective boot as set forth in claim 5 in which said leg portion extends upwardly past the knee of said wearer and is provided with disengageable adjustment means supporting said leg portion above said wearers knee.  
  7. A weather protective boot as set forth in claim 6 in which the exterior of said leg portion is provided with sea] means overlapping said means for closing said opening, preventing exposure of said means for closing said opening to the elements.  
  8. A weather protective boot as set forth in claim 7 in which said means for closing said opening comprises a zipper assembly, said seal means comprising a flap member longitudinally attached along one side of said zipper and provided with means for engaging receiving means along the opposite side of said zipper so as to overlap said zipper, preventing exposure of said zipper to the elements.  
  9. A weather protective boot as set forth in claim 8 in which the interior of said leg portion is provided with a tongue member overlapping said opening when said opening is closed to prevent contact of said zipper with said wearers leg.