U.S. patent number 3,866,339 [Application Number 05/445,541] was granted by the patent office on 1975-02-18 for shoe attachment for golfers.
Invention is credited to Nedwyn M. Latto.
United States Patent |
3,866,339 |
Latto |
February 18, 1975 |
SHOE ATTACHMENT FOR GOLFERS
Abstract
An attachment is disclosed herein for removably securing a pair
of spiked or cleated plates to the heel and sole of conventional
street shoes for converting the shoes for golf use. Each plate
includes edge grippers for gripping the peripheral sides of the
heel and sole respectively and a plurality of downwardly depending
spikes extending about the edge marginal region of each plate so
that the spikes are located about the corresponding edge marginal
region of the heel and sole. The grippers or clamps are adjustably
supported on the plates by screws which are coupled to threaded
inserts that are swaged into securement with the respective plates.
Each insert includes a central raised portion which constitutes a
guide for a gripper as well as providing additional threaded
support for the screw.
Inventors: |
Latto; Nedwyn M. (Los Angeles,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
23769317 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/445,541 |
Filed: |
February 25, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/100; 36/15;
36/134; 36/127 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B
5/18 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A43B
5/18 (20060101); A43B 5/00 (20060101); A43b
003/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;36/2.5R,2.5AH,7.6,7.7,62 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Lawson; Patrick D.
Claims
1. An attachment device for converting
street shoes for use in playing the game of golf wherein each shoe
includes a sole having a continuous exposed edge and a raised heel
having a forward wall defining a part of the instep, the
combination comprising:
a first attachment plate removably carried on said heel;
a second attachment plate removably carried on said sole in spaced
relationship to said first attachment plate;
each of said plates having a plurality of clamping means arranged
in spaced apart relationship along the peripheral edges of said
plates and extending into frictional engagement with opposing
portions of the edge of said sole;
a plurality of spikes carried on the underside of each of said
plates adapted for ground engagement when said plates are affixed
to said sole by said clamping means;
said clamping means comprising a pair of extensions arranged
transversely across said second attachment plate having a hook
fixedly carried on their respective ends adjacent said peripheral
edge;
adjustment screws interconnecting said extensions to said second
plate for releasable securement thereto;
said extensions include parallel rails separated by an elongated
slot accommodating passage of said adjustment screws;
retainer nuts secured to said plate having a central raised portion
extending through said extension slots serving as a guide for said
extension during an adjustment procedure; and
said retainer nut includes an annular shoulder deformable with said
plate
2. The invention as defined in claim 1
including an elongated extension arranged along the longitudinal
axis of said first attachment plate and having a hooked end facing
said forward wall of said heel and adjustment screws for releasably
securing said
3. The invention as defined in claim 1
wherein said nut includes a central threaded bore formed in said
central
4. The invention as defined in claim 3
wherein at least three and one half thread turns are provided in
said nut
5. The invention as defined in claim 4
wherein the thickness of said nut including said raised portion is
greater than the thickness of said plate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to accessories for golf players and, more
particularly, to a spiked attachment plate detachably mountable to
the heel and sole of street shoes.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been the conventional practice of golfers to
use special golf shoes having a multiplicity of spikes downwardly
projecting from the underside of the soles of shoes. Normally, each
of the spikes is directly carried on the sole and heel of each shoe
so that the golfer's feet may be readily engaged with the ground
surface preparatory to swinging a golf club. The use of spikes
shoes also assists the golfer in traversing the ground between the
holes on the golf course. Normally, the terrain of a golf course is
heavily grassed and the sod is generally soft so that the use of
street shoes is not conducive to the player's performance.
obviously, smooth soled street shoes would have a tendency to slip
on the lawn or grass of the golf course terrain and, in many
instances, the lawn is wet which further increases the hazard of
using smooth soled shoes.
Difficulties have been encountered when using conventional golf
shoes having spikes integrally secured to the soles of the shoes
which stem largely from the fact that the player must purchase
special golf shoes for use during his game. Furthermore, the player
must remove his street shoes and then place the golf shoes on his
feet in preparation for playing. This procedure necessitates a
storage area or space for leaving the street shoes while engaged in
the play of the game. Therefore, a long standing need is evident
for a means suitably attachable to street shoes which will extend
the use of a street shoes to the playing of golf.
In some ancillary fields such as the logging industry and in the
performance of telephone pole repair work, cleating devices are
provided which include spikes carried on a bracing device so that
the device may be coupled to the feet and legs of the wearer
without necessitating special shoes. However, these devices are
cumbersome since they engage the lower extremity of the leg and
generally require straps, belts and other attachment means for
securing the cleats to the wearer. Such devices are employed not
only for providing cleats on the underside of the wearer's foot but
include means for supporting and stabilizing the wearer during the
performance of duties such as pole climbing or tree climbing. Such
apparatus is not suitable for use in playing the game of golf.
One attempt to provide a cleated attachment for golf shoes is
disclosed in U.S. letters Patent No. 3,755,929. Although successful
for its intended purpose, this device employs springs for clamping
hooks onto the edge of a shoe sale. Also, the clamps require an
expensive rivet fabrication procedure or in the event a threaded
securement is employed, an insufficient number of turns or threads
are available to support the shoe sole attachment clamps under load
conditions. The thinness of the attachment material prohibits
additional threads.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above difficulties and problems encountered with conventional
footwear for golfers are obviated by the present invention which
provides an accessory device comprising a pair of plates adapted to
fit against the heel and sole respectively of each shoe in a pair
of street shoes. Each plate includes a peripheral edge which
corresponds to the shape or outline of the respective heel and
sole. The edge of each plate is provided with a plurality of
gripping means for engaging with an opposing portion of the sides
of the heel and sole respectively. A plurality of cleats or spikes
are carried on each of the plates so as to downwardly depend from
the side of the plate opposite to its side engaging with the heel
or sole of the shoe. The gripping means include fastening nuts
integrally formed with each of the heel and sole plates so as to
threadably receive a threaded screw for mounting a clamp of
gripping means on each of the respective plates. The spikes are
arranged in fixed spaced relationship about the edge marginal
region of each of the plates so that the general outline of the
sole and heel are defined thereby.
Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention
to provide a novel accessory for permitting conventional street
shoes to be employed by a player for the game of golf which do not
require springs or resilient attachment devices.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an accessory
for the game of golf comprising the heel and sole plates having
gripping means including fastener nuts for ready attachment to the
heel and sole of conventional street shoes. Another object of the
present invention is to provide a novel shoe attachment device for
golfers having spiked plates detachably secured by threaded
fasteners to the respective heel and soles of a pair of street
shoes for use in the game of golf.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel
shoe attachment device for golfers permitting the extension of use
of street shoes for the game of golf.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features of the present invention which are believed to be
novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The
present invention, both as to its organization and manner of
operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof,
may best be understood by reference to the following description,
taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of the shoe attachment device as taken
in the direction of arrows 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the shoe
attachment device for golfers incorporating the present invention
as taken in the direction of arrows 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the attachment plate
for a heel plate shown in FIG. 1 as taken in the direction of
arrows 3--3 thereof;
FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the gripping means
employed on the sole plate as taken in the direction of arrows 4--4
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a screw and fastener nut
thereof;
FIG. 6 is a plan view taken in the direction of arrows 6--6 of FIG.
5; and
FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a cleat or spike shown in
FIG. 1 as taken in the direction of arrows 7--7 thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional street shoe is shown in
broken lines as indicated numeral 10 which includes a bottom sole
11 and a conventional raised heel 12. As is the usual practice, the
heel is attached to the rearmost portion of the sole 11 by any
suitable means, such as nails, screws or the like. The sole 11
includes a ground engaging portion 13 substantially provided at the
ball of the foot of the wearer. The sole extends rearwardly from a
toe portion of the shoe, as indicated by numeral 14, to the heel 12
so as to provide a raised instep substantially midway between the
opposite ends of the shoe. The heel 12 is of suitable thickness so
as to raise the heel of the wearer and to provide an arcuate
surface 15 defining one side of the raised portion of the sole at
the instep.
The shoe attachment apparatus of the present invention comprises,
in one form, a pair of attachment plates indicated in the direction
of arrows 16 and 17 adapted to be carried by the heel 12 and ground
engaging portion 13 of sole 11, respectively. Attachment plate 17
includes a plurality of gripping means such as is indicated by
numeral 18 representing a toe grip. The gripping means may take the
form of a U-shaped clamp or gripper adapted to engage over the
exposed edge of the sole 11 at the extreme end of the shoe. The
gripper or clamp 18 includes an open slot or receptable into which
the exposed edge of the sole is insertably received in friction
engagement therewith. The gripping means are carried about the
peripheral edge of a plate 20 that is substantially form-fitted or
corresponds to the shape and curvature of the ground engaging
portion of sole 11.
It is to be particularly noted that the plate 20 lies flush against
the sole portion 13 and that the plate is held in this position by
means of the grips or clamps, such as the fixed clamp 18. However,
self-adjusting clamps are indicated by the numerals 21 and 22 which
are adjustably secured so as to press against the side edge of the
sole. These latter clamps provide for lateral adjustment so as to
compensate for any difference in shoe width depending on the size
of shoe intended to be fitted by the plate. A plurality of spikes,
such as is indicated by numerals 24-26 are provided which are
downwardly depending from the underside of plate 20 so as to engage
with the ground or turf. The plurality of spikes are spaced apart
in fixed relationship about the edge marginal region of plate
20.
Attachment plate 16 for heel 12 includes a plate 30 carrying a
gripping means 31 on either side of heel 12. The fixed gripping
means 31 are similar to the fixed gripper or clamp 18 with the
exception that the clamp is elongated so as to accommodate the
height of the heel 12. The upper-most portion of the gripper or
clamp engages over the edge of the sole 11 at a selected area where
the heel 12 is attached thereto. A plurality of spikes, such as
indicated by numerals 32 and 33, are carried on the underside of
plate 30 and downwardly depend therefrom into ground engaging
relationship with the turf or ground 27. The forward edge of plate
30 adjacent the instep of the shoe includes an adjustable clamp 34
adjustable to engage with arcuate side or wall 15 or the heel.
Referring now in detail to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the
plurality of spikes, such as is indicated by numerals 24-26, are
located on plate 20 so as to be arranged about the edge marginal
region of the sole 11. The plate 20 includes a central cut-out or
opening so that the general configuration of plate 20 is that of an
oval. Also, it is to be noted that the upper-most portion of each
fixed and adjustable clamp extends slightly toward the central
opening in plate 20 so that the sole may be readily inserted or
slid across the plate whereby the selected portions of the sole
opposite the clamps will be engaged by the clamps.
Adjustable clamps 21 and 22 include an elongated portion 35 formed
with an elongated slot 36 through which a pair of screw guides 37
and 38 are mounted. By this arrangement, the clamps 21 and 22 may
slide outwardly to open the entrance into the clamp receptacles or
openings when the sole is slid forward over the plate 20. Plate 20
is formed with an integral serrated edge for engaging the sole when
the plate is clamped to the sole.
With respect to plate 30, it is noted that at least four spikes are
provided and that the adjustable clamp 34 is constructed in a
similar fashion to the adjustable clamps 21 and 22. A slot and
screw combination is similarly employed for holding the clamp onto
the plate 30. Furthermore, the upper inwardly extending edge 44 of
clamp 34 is provided with a plurality of serrations, as noted in
FIG. 1, that affords a secure engagement with the heel wall 15.
As shown more clearly in FIGS. 5 and 6, screw 37 includes a
threaded shank 50 engagable with a threaded bore centrally formed
in a nut 47. The nut includes a raised portion 52 disposed within
the slot between parallel rails 53 and 54 of the extension
associated therewith. Not only does the raised portion provide a
guide about which the parallel rails slide, but the bore provides
more threads for engagement by the threads of the screw shank than
can be engaged if the nut has only the thickness of the sole plate.
The nut is swagged into securement with the plate when the metal of
the nut is upset so as to flow around annular shoulder 55 of the
plate.
When in use, the width of the sole plate is adjusted to fit the
width of the shoe by loosening set screws 37 and 38 and 37' and
38'. Once the hooked extensions 35 and 53 have been adjusted, the
screws are tightened. Adjustment for the heel plate 30 by extension
34 is similar by the adjustment of screw 56 threadably carried in a
guide nut as previously described.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been
shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art
that changes and modifications may be made without departing from
this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in
the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications
as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.
* * * * *