An Attachment for or connected with "Tennis" and analogous Shoes or Boots.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1891-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Attachment for or connected with "Tennis" and analogous
Shoes or Boots.
I EDITH JANE ROYSTON of Grassendale, Lancashire, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention an attachment-consisting of a heel-is so arranged
and constructed that it fits onto a heelless shoe or boot (or one having a low heel)
and raises the back part of the shoe & the wearers heel, and thereby renders
heelless boots or shoes (or ones having little heel) more comfortable and agreeable
to walk in and of better appearance. It is of course understood that, generally,
the attachment will only be worn when the shoes to which they are applied are not
being used for their chief purpose. For instance, in the case of " Tennis shoes,
the "heels" would not be worn when playing tennis, but when walking, i.e. when
using them as walking shoes.
"2
The attachment would consist of a heel proper, which would be secured to
slipper or sandal, and such sandal or slipper would, at the upper part be adapted to
be fastened on to the tennis or other shoe by bands or straps, and these may be
provided with an elastic medium to provide for stretch and elasticity. The front
one may be laced or otherwise fastened or made only of an elastic form, and would
pass over the instep, whilst that or those at the back may be like or similar
attachments made to fasten to the back of the shoe or at the sides towards the
back.
The sandal or slipper part of the attachment at its lower part is so made or
provided with means that it engages with or ships over the edge of the sole. The
engagement may be made by a sliding action, or a spring clip action; or according
to another construction, the engagement may be made by a mechanical device
adapted to be moved into connection with the sole & out of connection therewith by
screw, cam, lever or like means.
Some or all of the means for securing the heel to the shoe or boot herein specified
may be used, as may be deemed necessary or desirable; and the forms and kinds
of such means may be modified in many different ways to suit the different
purposes to which the invention is to be applied, and to suit different kinds and
classes of shoes and boots.
Dated this 50th day of October 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Attachment for or connected with "Tennis" and analogous
Shoes or Boots.
I, EDITH JANE ROYSTON, of Grassendale, Lancashire, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
According to this invention, an attachment-consisting of a heel-is so arranged
and constructed that it fits onto a heelless shoe or boot (or one having a low heel)
and raises the shoe and the wearer's heel, and thereby renders heelless boots or
shoes (or ones having little heel) more comfortable and agreeable to walk in and of
better appearance. It is of course understood that generally, the attachment will
only be worn when the shoes to which they are applied are not being used for their

page_text: 1
chief purpose.
For instance, in the case of "Tennis " shoes, the "heels," would
not be worn when playing tennis, but when walking, i.e., when using them as
walking shoes.
The attachment would consist of a heel proper, which would be secured to slipper
or sandal, and such sandal or slipper would, at the upper part, be adapted to be
fastened on to the tennis, or other shoe by bands or straps, and these may be
provided with an elastic medium to provide for stretch and elasticity. The front
one may be laced or otherwise fastened, or made only of an elastic form, and
would pass over the instep, 'whilst that or those at the back inay be like or similar
attachments made to fasten to the back of the shoe or at the sides' towards' the
back.
The sandal or slipper part of the attachment, at its lower part is made or
provided with means that it engages with or ships over the edge of the sole. The
engagement may be made by a sliding action, or a spring clip action; or according
to another construction, the engagement may be made by a mechanical device
adapted to be moved into connection with the sole and out of connection therewith
by screw, cam, lever, or like means.
Some or all of the means for securing the heel to the shoe or boot herein specified
may be used, as may be deemed necessary or desirable; and the forms and kinds of
such means may be modified in many different ways to suit the different purposes to
which the invention is to be applied, and to suit the different kinds and classes of
shoes and boots.
In the drawings which serve to illustrate this invention, is shewn one modification
or construction of the attachment according to this invention.
Figure 1 shews the attachment applied to an ordinary "Tennis" or other
heelless shoe.
Figure 2 is a plan of the attachment viewed from the upper side of same.
Figure 3 is a view shewing the hinder part of the attachment shewn in Figure 1
in section.
and
Figure 4 shews an ordinary "Tennis
2:
or like shoe without the attachment;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the attachment detached.
Figure 6 is a plan; and
Figure 7 is an outside elevation of another modification of this invention.
With reference to the drawings, a is the heel, and is the upper part or sandal.
This part of the example of attachment shewn in the drawings consists of an upper
of leather or other suitable material which is attached to a steel or other metal
stiffening frame e having two wings d, d, one of which lies to each side and extends
forward as shewn. At the end of each of the parts is a clipe which fits over the
edge of the sole of the shoe as; and at the part, shown. These extended parts d
constitute springs and are so arranged as to press inwards onto the edge of the sole,
and clip it when applied. The metal frame c is flanged inwards at c', and together
with the covering or upper is screwed or otherwise'suitably secured to the heel a.
A cross-bar-h is secured to the extended part a' of the heel, and its ends lie above
the inwardly turned flanges d' of the parts d, and so hold and keep them in
place with respect to the horizontal plane. The leather or other material covering,
or, partly covering, the clips e and the extended parts d'inay be fastened thereto
by cement or other adhesive material, or in any other suitable manner.
At the back and lower part of the upper ban inwardly projecting flange 'is
provided, and is adapted to fit over the upper edge of the back part of the sole of
"the shoe, as 'shewn. This flange may be made of metal and attached to the metal
"frame c; or, pieces of this frame may be cut and bent down into the form of lugs
"and used in lieu of the flange i.
kare straps fastened to the upper and adapted to pass over the instep; and
Serve as an additional means of fastening and keeping the attachment to the shoc
when applied. These straps may be fastened by laces, buckles, or equivalent

page_text: means; or they may be elastic and adapted to slip over the shoe and held on
by the tension of the spring of or on them, the spring or springs, of whatever
nature they may consist, being of course in tension.
Fastenings may be applied to the back of the upper and adapted to hook
over the upper edge of the shoe, as shewn in Figure 1, and designated ; and
they may be provided with springs or formed partly of springs or elastic
material which normally is in tension when the attachment is applied to a shoe.
It is to be understood that the straps or equivalent provisions and straps in
some cases may be dispensed with.
The construction of attachment according to this invention illustrated in the
drawings is a convenient one and is easily applied, but the invention is in no way
confined to the particular construction shewn. As for instance, the heel may be
provided with inwardly turned flanges or provisions adapted to fit over the edge of
the sole and adapted to clip onto same without the upper parts above specified as
shewn; and the clipping action may be effected by making it to nip inwardly,
naturally; or, it may be done by providing mechanical devices in connection
with the parts which fit over the edge of the sole and by the operation of which
the clipping parts are drawn onto the sole edge and withdrawn therefrom. An
illustration of such a means is shewn in Figures 6 and 7. The upper flanges i are
carried for the full length of the attachment in this case, whilst the lower ones, d,
are provided with transverse horns m which overlap each other and are each
This cam is
provided with an aperture in which works a double headed cam n.
secured on or by a spindle o to the heel a, and is provided with a lever or handle p
extending in front of the heel and close under the sole, said handle working in a
suitable recess in the heel provided for it.
In lieu of this means of closing and opening the clips, screw gear and other
suitable means may be used to effect it.
In another modification, straps k
and
or
l may be used without the clipping device
fitting over the sole edges above specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is:
1. The herein described invention for or connected with "Tennis" and analogous
shoes or boots, consisting of a heel adapted to be attached or fitted to said shoes or
boots for the purposes specified.
2. In an attachment for or connected with "Tennis" or analogous shoes or boots,
the construction of parts of same adapted to operate substantially as set forth, and
as shewn in the drawings.
Tooth
JT.... 1001
EDITH J. ROYSTON.