Improvements in Heel Attachments for Boots and Shoes for Preventing Slipping.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 27th May, 1899
Improvements in Heel Attachments for Boots and Shoes for
Preventing Slipping.
I, JOHN HARVEY MORROW, of 6, Sherman Street, Chicago, in the County of Cook,
and State of Illinois, United States of America, Stationary Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement;
This invention relates to foot-gear, and it has for its object to provide a new
and improved heel rubber adapted for convenient and secure attachment to the
heel of a boot or shoe, and more especially designed to prevent slipping on frozen
or damp footways, ice &c., at the same time ensuring ease and comfort while
walking.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement as applied;
Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same;
Figure 4 shows another form of the improvement applied to a shoe, and in sec-
tion on line 4-4 of Figure 5;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the same;
Figure 6 is a rear elevation of a modified construction;
Figure 7 shows another modification in reduced end view; and
Figure 8 is a similar view of another modified form of the improvement.
The heel rubber is provided with a reinforced bottom A, made in the shape of
the bottom for the heel of a shoe or boot, and from said bottom rises a flange B.
extending along the sides and back of the bottom and fitting onto the sides and
back of the heel C of the shoe or boot C¹.
On the inside of the flange B is secured or formed a ridge D, adapted to engage
a correspondingly-shaped groove formed on the sides and back of the heel C, so
as to securely hold the heel rubber in place on the heel C. The forward end of
the heel rubber bottom A is provided with a front or closing flange E, provided
at its ends with flaps E adapted to lap onto the sides of the flange B and to be
fastened thereto by a suitable fastening device, consisting preferably of sockets F
secured on the ends of the flaps, adapted to engage buttons F¹ secured to the sides
of the flange B, said buttons also serving to fasten the flattened ends I¹ of the
ridge D to the inside of the flange B at the forward end thereof, as will be readily
understood by reference to Figures 2 and 3.
The front or closing flange is sufficiently jointed to the front end of the
bottom A, so that this flange I can swing downward into a horizontal position,
as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, to permit of conveniently placing the rnbber in
position on the heel C; that is, to engage the ridge D with the groove C in th
heel. When this has been done, the front or closing flange E is turned upward

page_text: against the forward end of the heel, as is plainly shown in Figure 1, and the en:1
flaps E of the said flange I are then swung rearward and fastened by means of
the sockets F to the buttons 11 to close the heel rubber, and to prevent the same
from slipping in a longitudinal rearward direction.
When the device is applied on the heel as described, the wearer is not liable to
siip on frozen or damp pavements ice or the like, and as the attachment is made
of rubber, it is evident that ease and comfort is insured in walking, the rubber
bottom A acting as a cushion, to prevent the usual jar incident to the ordinary
leather heel coming in contact with the ground, sidewalk or the like. The device
is readily applicable to either heel, so that when worn on the outer edge, it can
De readily exchanged so as to wear evenly, thus adding considerable length to the
life of the heel rubber.
In order to detach the heel rubber from the heel, it is only necessary to open the
flaps E and move the rubber slightly rearward, to disengage the ridge D from the
groove C2.
As illustrated by Figures 4 and 5, the heel rubber has a reinforced bottom A,
conforming approximately in shape to the under surface of the heel of a shoe or
boot on which the heel rubber is to be used. From said bottom A, rises a flange B,
extending around the heel of the shoe or boot and continuing in a counter K
adapted to engage a portion of the counter of the shoe or boot, as plainly shown
in Figure 4.
The upper portion of the counter K is split and formed with flaps K³, K², adapted
to overlap one another, and to be fastened together by a suitable fastening device,
preferably in the shape of a button and socket L, to securely fasten the drawn flaps
together, and prevent the heel rubber from becoming accidentally detached from the
shoe or boot. The inner surface of one or both flaps K, K2, is preferably roughened
as at M, to increase the hold of the counter K on the shoe or boot.
Instead of having the overlapping flaps K¹, K², I may split the upper end of
the counter K, as shown in Figure 6, to form two flaps K, K5, adapted to be
drawn together by a lacing string N, secured at one end to the counter, and adapted
to engage hooks G on the said Haps K, K, the hooks being of any approved
construction.
The flaps K, K', shown in Figure 7 are connected with each other by elastic
bands H, which readily give when applying the heel rubber on the shoe or boot,
and serve to securely hold the flaps in contact with the shoe or boot to hold the
heel rubber in position. In the modified form shown in Figure 8 use is made of
a band I secured to one flap K8 and adapted to be buttoned or otherwise secured
to the other flap K.
It is understood that when the flaps K, K³, K, K³, Kº, K², K³, K9 are open, or
opened by pulling the flaps K, K7 apart against the tension of the elastic bands H,
the heel rubber can be readily attached to the shoe or boot, and the flaps then
fastened together, to securely draw the heel rubber in place and prevent the same
from becoming accidentally detached from the shoe or boot.
I do not limit myself to the particular means shown for fastening the flaps to-
gether, as the same may be varied without deviating from the spirit of my
invention.
The device is very simple and durable in construction, is preferably made com-
pletely of rubber, the bottom A, flange B and counter K being integral, that is,
moulded in one piece.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;--
1. A heel rubber having a divided flange rising from its bottom and adapted to
surround the heel of the shoe, the division of the flange allowing the rubber to be
readily applied upon the heel.
2. The heel rubber having the flange divided at the front and provided with

page_text: fastening devices adjacent thereto, substantially as illustrated by Figures 1, 2 and
3, and described with reference thereto.
3. The heel rubber having a flange to embrace the heel and provided with a
ridge to engage a groove in the heel, substantially as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3,
and described with reference thereto.
4. The heel rubber having a flange rising from its bottom along the side edges
and rear edge, when combined with a front flange movably attached to the bottom
and provided with flaps arranged to be fastened to the first-named flange, substan-
tially as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and described with reference thereto.
5. The heel rubber having a flange with a counter divided at the rear and pro-
vided with a connecting device at the division.
G. The heel rubber having a flange with a counter divided at the rear and pro-
vided with overlapping flaps adapted to be fastened together, substantially as
shown in Figures 4 and 5, and described with reference thereto.
7. The heel rubber having a flange with a counter divided at the rear and pro-
vided with a string, a hook to lace the counter sections together, substantially as
shown in Figure 6 and described with reference thereto.
8. The heel rubber having a flange with a counter divided at the rear and pro-
vided with elastic bands connecting the counter sections, substantially as shown
in Figure 7 and described with reference thereto.
9. The heel rubber having a flange with a counter divided at the rear and pro-
vided with an elastic band permanently connected with one counter section and
detachably connected with the other, substantially as shown in Figure 8 and
described with reference thereto.
10. The roughening of the counter flap of the heel rubber as at M, substantially
as shown in Figure 5 and described with reference thereto.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.