Improvements in Detachable Heels for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 1st Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Detachable Heels for Boots and Shoes.
I, ALEXANDER MAEBERT, residing at 120 Columbia Avenue, of Jersey City, in
the County of Hudson and State of New Jersey, United States of America,
Watchmaker and Jeweler, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement.
This invention relates to boots and shoes, and the object thereof is to provide
an article of this class with a detachable heel which may be taken off and substi-
tuted by a new one by the owner of the boot or shoe whenever desired; a further
object being to provide boots or shoes with a heel which is detachably connected
therewith, a plurality of said heels being furnished with the boot or shoe so that
the old heels may be taken off, and new ones applied whenever desired.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which :-
Fig. 1, is a side view of part of a shoe provided with my improved detachable
heel;
Fig. 2, a central longitudinal section of the heel portion of the shoe;
Fig. 3, a plan view of the heel detached from the shoe;
Fig. 4, a bottom plan view of that part of the shoe with which the heel is adapted
to be connected, said heel being removed;
Fig. 5, a cross section on the line 5, 5, of Fig. 2, and,
Fig. 6, a similar view showing a modified form of construction.
In the drawing forming part of this specification, the separate parts of my im-
provement are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the views,
and in said drawing, I have shown at 5, a part of a boot or shoe which is provided
with the usual sole 6, and in the practice of my invention, I secure to that part
of the sole 6, with which the heel is connected, a metal heel plate 7, which is held
in place by screws 8, or in any desired manner.
The plate 7, is of the form of the ordinary heel, and is provided around its entire
perimeter, except at the front thereof, with a depending annular inwardly directed
flange 9, and said plate is also provided centrally thereof with a spring metal
tongue 11, which projects forwardly and downwardly, and is formed from the
material of said plate by means of slits, and said tongue is provided with a hole
or opening 14, in the end thereof.
The plate 7, is also provided longitudinally of each side thereof, and centrally of
the opposite sides of the flanges or rim 9 and the tongue 11 with downwardly and
outwardly curved wings or flanges 15, which are preferably cut from the material
of said plate, and turned outwardly, thus forming corresponding openings 16
in said plate.
The heel 17, is preferably composed of separate pieces of leather in the usual
manner, and said pieces may be secured together by tacks, nails, screws or pegs,
and said heel is also provided around the sides and the rear portion thereof, with
a groove 18, which corresponds with the flange or rim 9, on the plate 7, and secured

page_text: to the top of the heel is a plate 19, the said plate being secured to said heel by nails
or screws 20, or in any desired manner, and said plate 19 is provided adjacent to its
opposite sides with longitudinal slits 21, the rear ends of which are curved outwardly
as shown at 22, and by means of these slits 21, and the extension 22, thereof, wings
or flanges 23, are formed which are bent upwardly slightly, and with which the
wings or flanges 15, on the plate 7, are adapted to engage, and said plate 19, is
also provided centrally thereof, with a rectangular opening 24, in which is a
tongue 25, which is counter-sunk in the material of the heel, and secured thereto,
by a pin or screw 26, and a corresponding cavity or recess is formed in the heel,
and extending forwardly from said cavity or recess is an opening 27, through
which the tongue 11 on the plate 7, is adapted to pass.
The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description, when
taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the following statement
thereof.
In securing the heel in position, the heel is grasped in the right hand, and the
shoe proper held in the left, and the rear portion of the heel or the plate 19,
'secured thereto, is pressed downwardly on the front end of the plate 7, and on the
tongue 11, connected therewith, and the heel is then forced backwardly, and in
this operation, the edge of the plate 19 passes under the flange or rim 9, the wings
or flanges 15, pass under the wings or flanges 23, and the tongue 11 passes through
the opening 24, in the central portion of the plate 19, and out through the
opening 21, formed in the heel 13, and the key-pin 28, is passed through the end of
said tongue or through the hole or opening 14, formed therein.
In Fig. 6, I have shown a modification of this construction, in which the plate 7,
is provided with the flange or rim 9, which is adapted to enter an annular groove 28,
formed in the heel, and said plate 7, is also provided with wings or flanges 15,
which pass into corresponding slits 29, formed in the heel, and the tongue 11,
passes through the opening 27, formed in the front portion of the heel as herein-
before described.
It will be understood that in this construction, there is no plate secured to the
heel 17, the plate 7, secured to the bottom of the sole 6, the annular flange 9, the
flanges or wings 15, and the tongue 11, operating directly in connection with
the heel 17.
My improvement is simple in construction and operation, and is perfectly
adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended; and by means thereof
new heels may be substituted for old ones whenever desired; and it will be apparent
that changes in, and modifications of the construction herein described may be made
without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A boot or shoe provided with a heel plate which is secured thereto, and
provided at the sides and rear portion thereof with a downwardly and inwardly
directed flange or rim, and a tongue secured to the bottom thereof, or formed
therefrom, and projecting downwardly and forwardly, and a detachable heel which
is connected with said plate, substantially as shown and described.
2. A boot or shoe, provided with a heel plate which is secured thereto, and
provided at the sides and rear portion thereof with a downwardly and inwardly
directed flange or rim, said plate being also provided centrally thereof, with a
downwardly and forwardly directed spring tongue, and adjacent to each side
of said tongue with downwardly and outwardly curved flanges or wing, and a
detachable heel which is adapted to be connected with said plate, substantially as
shown and described.
3. A boot or shoe provided with a heel plate which is secured thereto, and pre-
vided at the sides and rear portion thereof, with a downwardly and inwardly
directed flange or rim, said plate being also provided centrally thereof, with a down-

page_text: wardly and forwardly directed spring tongue, and adjacent to each side of said
tongue with downwardly and outwardly curved flanges or wings, and a detachable
heel which is adapted to be connected with said plate, said detachable heel being
provided with a plate which is secured thereto, and which is provided centrally with
an opening through which said tongue is adapted to pass, and adjacent to each
side thereof, with longitudinal flanges or wings with which the longitudinal flanges
or wings formed on said first named plate are adapted to engage, substantially as
shown and described.
4. A shoe or boot provided with a heel plate which is secured thereto, and
a heel provided with a corresponding plate which is secured thereto, the plate
which is secured to the boot or shoe, and the plate which is secured to the heel
being provided with interlocking flanges or wings, substantially as shown and
described.
5. A shoe or boot provided with a heel plate, which is secured thereto, and a
heel provided with a corresponding plate which is secured thereto, the plate which
is secured to the shoe or boot, and the plate which is secured to the heel being also
provided on its sides and rear edge with a downwardly and inwardly directed flange
or rim with which the plate which is secured to the heel is adapted to engage,
substantially as shown and described.
6. A boot or shoe provided with a detachable heel, and securing means upon said
boot or shoe and upon said heel adapted to interlock, substantially as shown and
described.
7. A boot or shoe provided with projecting portions and a heel constructed to
receive said projecting portions, and be thereby secured upon said boot or shoe,
substantially as shown and described.
8. A Boot or shoe provided with projecting portions and a heel constructed to
receive said projecting portions, and to be thereby secured upon said boot or shoe
certain of the said projecting portions ranging diagonally or at an incline to wedge
or tighten the heel upon the shoe in the operation of attaching, substantially as
shown and described.
9. A boot or shoe provided with projecting portions and a detachable heel
slidably secured upon said boot or shoe, and constructed to receive the said pro-
jecting portions, and means for preventing slidable detachment of said heel, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
Dated this 12th day of August. 1897.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents.